Description

The August 2018 issue is the summer special edition, packed with stories and features so that you can make the best of the summer sun, including a comprehensive used car buyer’s guide on the convertible Volkswagen Eos and hints and tips on how to avoid getting ripped off at motorway service stations this summer. It’s the perfect issue to sit in the sun to read, after grabbing yourself an ice cream and pouring an ice cold beer.

We’ve got news of the hot new Audi Q8, the all-new BMW X5 and the cargo carrying Peugeot 508 SW, as well as the first photos of the Volvo S60 and baby Audi A1. We’ve got a pair of medium SUVs together in this month’s twin test, as the Skoda Karoq attempts to beat the SEAT Ateca. Which one is victorious in a prime case of sibling rivalry.

Our testers have been busy driving the all-new Peugeot 508, the new Kia Ceed (without any silly apostrophes), the latest Dacia Duster and facelifted Jeep Renegade, as well as driving the Citroën Berlingo and Peugeot Rifter five-seat MPVs. Peugeot’s 3008 BlueHDi 180 with eight-speed automatic gearbox is driven for the first time, and we put Mercedes-Benz’s new A-Class through its paces on UK roads. Audi’s TT Coupé, now equipped with quattro all-wheel-drive and an S tronic gearbox is on test, and Nissan’s ProPilot system on the Qashqai Pilot One Edition is driven for the first time on British tarmac. In Eco Car, we’ve been driving the facelifted Toyota Aygo and the latest evolution of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, with new 2.4-litre engine.

Elsewhere, we wave goodbye to our long-term Kia Stonic, and have a handy guide to avoid buying a second-hand hire car. We’ve also got Fiat’s long-term plan for the Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Jeep and Maserati brands, and it’s a case of diesel out, and electric in. There’s also an interesting feature on 10 electric vehicles that you won’t necessarily have heard about.

Tested:

• Audi TT Coupe Black Edition 2.0 TDI S tronic
• Citroen Berlingo Flair BlueHDi 130 Automatic
• Dacia Duster Prestige 1.5 dCi 115
• Jeep Renegade Limited 1.6 MultiJet II
• Kia Ceed 3 1.6 CRDi
• Mercedes-Benz A 180 d AMG Line
• Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 5h
• Nissan Qashqai Pilot One Edition 1.6 dCi X-Tronic
• Peugeot 3008 GT BlueHDi 180 Automatic
• Peugeot 508 GT BlueHDi 180 Automatic 5-door
• Peugeot Rifter GT-Line BlueHDi 130 Automatic
• SEAT Ateca SE 1.6 TDI Ecomotive
• Skoda Karoq SE 1.6 TDI
• Toyota Aygo x-clusiv 1.0 VVT-i 5-door

Long-term test reports:

• Audi Q5 S line 2.0 TDI quattro
• Citroen C3 Aircross BlueHDi 120
• DS 3 Parthenon Cream PureTech 110
• Ford Kuga Vignale 2.0 TDCi AWD Automatic
• Kia Stonic First Edition 1.6 CRDi
• Mazda CX-5 Sport Nav 2.2 AWD
• Peugeot 5008 GT BlueHDi 180
• Renault Scenic Dynamique S dCi 130
• SEAT Arona SE Technology 1.6 TDI
• Skoda Kodiaq SE L 2.0 TDI 4X4 DSG (7-seat)
• Suzuki Swift 1.0 Boosterjet Hybrid SZ5

Features:

• 10 ways to avoid getting ripped off at motorway services
• Electric vehicle etiquette
• 10 Electric vehicles you may not have heard of

Used Car Buyer’s Guide

• Volkswagen Eos 2.0 TDI

Regulars

• News and views
• Marketplace
• Doctor Diesel
• The Highway Cod
• The Extra Mile
• Buying, Selling and Maintaining
• Product Inspector
• Eco Car Bright Spark