Description

It’s one of the most popular issues of the year, where we focus on how to get the best out of your new or used car. Whether that be via traditional tuning methods, or a series of upgrades to make your car feel punchier on the road, or even more economical. We have a big A-to-Z on everything tuning, and examine a pair of Ford Focus ST diesels to see what their owners have done to make them stand out.

It’s the last of our four-part series examining air quality issues and why diesel cars are getting the finger pointed at them, when there are so many other emissions issues that are being ignored. Is diesel power and the private motorist simply an easy target? We think so, and you can read our thoughts in the concluding part.

We test the facelifted edition of the UK’s best-selling diesel car, the Nissan Qashqai, as well as getting behind the wheel of the Hyundai i30 Tourer and Renault Captur and Koleos, all on UK roads. Nissan’s Micra goes head-to-head with its close cousin, the Renault Clio – which one takes the trophy in this Renault-Nissan alliance grudge match. Concluding the tests this month are driving impressions of the Skoda Superb SportLine, the Volvo S90 R-Design, Vauxhall Mokka X and the 118bhp edition of the latest Ford Fiesta, driven for the first time on UK roads. In EcoCar, we also put the updated Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV through its paces and test the DS 3 in 100g/km 1.2-litre PureTech guise.

Tested:

• Ford Fiesta Titanium 1.5 TDCi (118bhp)
• Hyundai i30 Tourer Premium 1.6 CRDi
• Nissan Micra Tekna 1.5 dCi
• Nissan Qashqai Tekna 1.5 dCi
• Renault Clio Dynamique S dCi 90
• Renault Captur Dynamique S dCi 110
• Renault Koelos Signature dCi 175 4WD Automatic
• Skoda Superb SportLine 2.0 TDI 4×4
• Vauxhall Mokka X Design Nav 1.6CDTi ecoTec
• Volvo S90 D4 R-Design

Long-term test reports:

• Audi A3 Sportback S line 2.0 TDI
• Citroen C3 Flair BlueHDi 100
• Ford Edge Titanium 2.0 TDCi Automatic
• Kia Optima Sportswagon GT-Line S 1.7 CRDi Automatic
• Mazda3 SE-L Nav 1.5 5-door
• Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian Automatic
• Peugeot 3008 Allure BlueHDi 120
• Renault Scenic Dynamique S dCi 130
• SEAT Leon ST SE Dynamic Technology 1.6 TDI DSG Automatic
• Skoda Octavia SE L 2.0 TDI
• Suzuki Ignis SZ5 SHVS 1.2 Dualjet Mild Hybrid

Features:

• Dirty diesels part IV – we wrap-up our four-part series on air quality
• Tuning and economy special – an A-to-Z on diesel tuning
• Ford Focus ST diesel – we examine a pair of tuned examples to explore what’s possible for a breathed over performance Ford
• We examine the WLTP fuel economy cycle that comes into effect in September
• The Atkinson and Miller Cycle engines are explored in EcoCar

Used Car Buyer’s Guide:

• Jaguar XJ 3.0 V6 Diesel (2010-onwards)