Category Archives: Vehicle type

Jeep, Manufacturer, Motor reviews, SUV/4X4

King of the mountains

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The stylish Jeep Wrangler can tackle the toughest terrains

Jeep Wrangler

By Bill McCarthy

The influence of Jeep in the world of off-road, go-anywhere rugged 4x4s should not be underestimated. Made famous as a military vehicle seen racing around war-torn Europe and immortalised in many films, especially as John Wayne was winning the war, it inspired the designer of the Land Rover Series I,  Maurice Wilks, engineering director of Rover cars, to come up with a British alternative in 1947.

Inspired by the Willys Jeep used by the Americans, Wilks wanted to create an off-road vehicle that could double as a light tractor –  a tool as much as a mode of transport. And the copycat Land Rover was born. The rest, as they say, is history.

And while the Jeep has moved on in the last 80 years, the template pretty much remains the same. This fourth generation Wrangler is available as a two, or on this vehicle a four door together with various soft or hard top combinations.

This Overland model featured the modular Freedom,  hard top  which can be quickly removed and reinstalled, together with the Overland pack which includes 18-inch aluminium wheels, body colour grille with bright accent throats and headlamp bezels, body colour hard spare tyre cover and Overland logo dedicated leather interior and LED lights.

There is a choice of engines and this model packed plenty of punch with a two-litre, 272bhp turbo-charged petrol engine mated to an eight-speed auto gearbox, delivering stonking power and torque figures of 400Nm for impressive pulling and towing power. It is capable of pulling up to 1,500 kg on two-door models and 2,500 kg on this four door.

It is also pretty rapid on the road, hitting the 60mph mark in just over seven seconds. Hot hatch territory, but this is a vehicle that’s hardly designed for speed and handling.

A full-fat, in your face off-roader, there is little pretence at slippery styling, more a boxy battering ram than an aerodynamic thoroughbred. It may not be the most sophisticated or hi-tech of SUVs on the market, but it certainly does what is says on the tin and is one of the most striking. If not THE most striking, and rarely equalled offroad.

 The four wheel drive offers permanent, high and low gearing and lockable differential, plus ground clearance of 10 inches,  steep approach and departure angles and wading capacity of more than two-and a half feet.

It is an impressive rugged-looking vehicle, which for enthusiasts that is exactly what they want, except that now it is more sophisticated, comfortably doubling as family transport as well as Amazon explorer.

That must be the attraction to many buyers with its much friendlier road manners, which makes it a relatively smooth ride to previous Wranglers which bounced about all over the shop.

The road presence is unmistakable and desirable, with foldable windscreen, large tyres encased in huge wheel arches and the signature seven-slot grille, flanked by new self levelling LED halogen headlamps, plus front and rear fog lamps. 

All Wrangler models now feature body-coloured sport bars, which are welded to the body and feature integrated grab handles.

The interior too, is slightly deceptive, looking basic, but actually hosting many of the creature comforts you would want if spending £46k on a vehicle, including some soft-touch materials.

Making its debut is a push-button starter, featuring a weather-proof surround is easily located within the driver’s reach. The seats feature accent stitching, and now offer adjustable bolster and lumbar support. Available comfort options include heated front seats and steering wheel.

A centrepiece 8.4 inch touchscreen controls major functions like navigation, smartphone connectivity and eight-speaker Alpine audio system, plus there is a seven inch TFT instrument cluster screen for driver information.

Compared to other SUVs of a similar price, it lacks some of the refinement and state-of-the-art tech, but it’s hardly low tech and features, a push-button starter for the first time, heated, powered  leather seats  with the Overland logo, auto dimming mirror, steering wheel mounted audio controls, ambient interior lighting, heated front seats, climate control, illuminated front cupholders, plus various 12v power connectors.

Safety features include stability control, rear parking sensor and camera, four airbags, blind spot monitors, rear cross traffic detection and electronic stability controls with roll mitigation.

At around 16ft long, this is a big vehicle, both outside and in. A full five seater its shape means all have plenty of head and legroom, while a large boot space of 548 litres can be increased 1,059 litres by folding the rear seats. An under-floor storage area behind the rear seat provides extra, secure stowage.

A signature Wrangler characteristic remains, with  washable interiors and the protective rubber cover for the infotainment system screen, that allows easy clean up in complete peace of mind.

Big and brash, but more sophisticated, if not class-leading, the Wrangler retains its legendary off road status, while becoming an engaging and attractive drive.

Factfile

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Overland 2.0 four door

Price: £49,650

Mechanical: 1995cc, 272HP, four-cylinder  petrol engine driving all wheels via eight-speed auto transmission

Maximum speed: 110mph

Acceleration: 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds

Economy: 24.8 mpg

Insurance group: 38

CO2 emissions: 260g/km

Warranty: Three years/ 60,000 miles

BiK rating: 39 per cent

Warranty: Three years/ 60,000 miles

Estate/Sport Tourer, Skoda

Estate of the art for Skoda

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Skoda Superb Estate

By Bill McCarthy

IT is a sign of the continued confidence of Skoda and its products that it can produce a huge estate as its first plug-in hybrid, bucking the crossover trend.

Not resting in its well-earned laurels the firm is advancing into electric cars in a big way, starting with the smallest in its portfolio the all-electric Citigo and the largest, driven here, the Superb iV.

 Skoda says that by early 2025, up to 25 per cent of all vehicles are to be electrified and the CO2 emissions of the entire fleet are to be reduced by 30 per cent compared to 2015. 

Its first plug-in-hybrid, the Superb, can cover up to 38 miles  on electric power only, emitting zero emissions and offering low running costs. With a full tank of petrol the 1.4 litre engine and the 85 kW motor gives the car a range of up to  575 miles. The battery can be charged  overnight in about five hours using a standard household plug socket or using a more powerful wall box this takes just three and a half hours. 

The  charging cable for plug sockets is part of the standard equipment, whilst a Mode 3 charging cable is optional.

“It is worth pointing out Skoda Simply Clever features which provide real added value and really do improve life for occupants.”

 Revamped recently, just like the saloon, this estate  has swooping, elegant lines. It looks the part with 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome plated grille which conceals the charging socket, neat decorative door sills front and rear slim LED headlights and clever puddle lights projecting the Skoda brand.

The interior is just as attractive with high-end materials and solid fixtures and fittings more often seen in executive class. Centrepiece is the dash with eight-inch colour screen which controls major functions like navigation, infotainment and Bluetooth connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. An optional extra on this mid-range model is the virtual cockpit, which is customsable to display relevant information such as energy consumption, the battery’s charge level or details on brake energy recovery. 

In typical Skoda style, it is packed with standard kit, including the usual array of electric goodies and creature comforts like multi-function steering wheel, dual zone climate control, heated and powered door mirrors, powered tailgate, front and rear parking sensor, headlight washers and privacy glass, plus a host of other goodies.

It is worth pointing out Skoda Simply Clever features which provide real added value and really do improve life for occupants. These include two umbrella compartments, (just like Rolls Royce), LED torch in the boot, kick sensor to open the tailgate, ice scraper in the  filler cap,  automatically retractable boot cover, front and rear USB ports, retractable sunblind on the side windows and gesture control for selecting on the touchscreen without actually touching it.

The cabin itself is light, airy and spacious with electrically adjustable heated leather front seats, and excellent head and legroom for all occupants, with three seated in relative comfort in the rear with the armrest folded.

As you would expect, stowage capacity is huge, with standard boot space of 660 litres opening up, with seats folded to a massive 1,950 litres, enough to climb into and have a kip in comfort.

Awkward-shaped loads can be fairly easily accommodated, while there are plenty of anchor point to tie down bags or cases. In addition there are plenty of storage bins, cubby holes and spaces dotted throughout the cabin to make this a hugely practical vehicle.

Skodas are no longer cheap cars, but are great value for money. At more than £37k for the tested model you are acquiring an electric vehicle that would cost substantially more if it carried a different badge on the boot or grille.

The car offers lively and, obviously, excellent economy with a nominal 218mpg claimed with extensive use of electric power, but probably nearer 60mpg in the real world. Having said that, if your daily commute is just over 30 miles, visits to the filling station will be rare.

Mated to a six-speed DSG auto box, it delivers excellent performance and when switched to sport mode and using the steering column paddles, is extremely lively, hitting 60mph from a standstill in under eight seconds and on to a top speed of 135mph.

There are three driving modes, electric, hybrid and sport. Switch to sport for a livelier drive, and this can also help recharge the battery for when going through low emissions or congestion charge areas where electric only is required.

 The motorway is where the car feels particularly at home, cruising with ease while the cabin is well protected from road and engine noise. Handling is good for such a big car and the standard stability control ensures  while the ride is comfortable and smooth.

 For safety most of the boxes are ticked with a comprehensive lift of active and passive features including front, side and curtain airbags, plus a driver’s knee airbag, driver fatigue sensor and electronic stability and traction control systems.

Skoda has been going  from strength to strength – it’s obvious why. But now it is literally on a charge.

Factfile

Skoda Superb Estate iV SE-L

Price: £ 37,370

Mechanical: 1798cc, 156PS, four-cylinder  petrol engine and 85kW 115 ps electric motor (218ps combined) driving front wheels via six-speed DSG auto transmission

Maximum speed: 138mph

Acceleration: 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds

Economy: 201-148 mpg

Insurance group: 27

CO2 emissions: 33-42g/km

Warranty: Three years/ 60,000 miles