Description

Another month, another new Audi, with the German car maker launching new car after new car in 2024, after a relatively quiet period up until now. The new A6 e-tron is on the cover of the September issue of Diesel&EcoCar and this sits alongside the first news of the Volkswagen ID.3 GTX Performance and Nissan Ariya Nismo in the news pages.

This month our testers have been behind the wheel of the facelifted Volkswagen Golf in TDI guise, driven the updated Nissan Qashqai e-Power, and put the second-generation MG HS plug-in hybrid through its paces. There are also first drives of the revised Ford Kuga Hybrid, the updated Kia Picanto, and the Peugeot 208 with new mild hybrid drivetrain. We welcome a new Peugeot E-308 and SEAT Ibiza FR to the long-term test fleet and wave goodbye to the Mazda CX-60.

This month’s used buyer’s guide is all about the Isuzu D-Max, and we’ve got a comprehensive A-to-Z guide to car insurance. Don’t renew that policy until you’ve read everything you need to know about getting the best price on your next insurance cover. We also examine why hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles haven’t taken off, examine hydrogenated vegetable oil for cars, and weigh up whether speed limiters really should be mandatory on all new cars. In our big buying, selling, and maintaining section, we look at three different generations of the Peugeot 208 and explore the best new electric vehicles to buy that cost under £40k. We look back at the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive and tell you all about the pros and cons of buying a used Peugeot 308 CC and its rival, the Vauxhall Cascada.

Tested:

• Ford Kuga ST-Line X Hybrid AWD Automatic
• Kia Picanto GT-Line 1.0
• MG HS PHEV Trophy Automatic
• Nissan Qashqai N-Design e-Power Automatic
• Peugeot 208 Allure Hybrid 100 Automatic
• Volkswagen Golf Life 2.0 TDI

Long-term test reports:

• Citroen C4 X Max BlueHDi 130 Automatic
• Honda ZR-V e:HEV 2.0 i-MMD Hybrid Advance
• Mazda CX-60 AWD Takumi e-Skyactiv D
• Peugeot E-308 GT Automatic
• SEAT Ibiza FR 1.0 TSI
• Skoda Karoq SportLine 2.0 TDI 4×4 Automatic
• Vauxhall Corsa Electric Ultimate (154) Automatic

Features:

• A-to-Z Ultimate Guide to Car Insurance
• Bright Spark
• Current affairs – why aren’t hydrogen cars taking off?
• Day trip to… Great British Car Journey
• Gadget Inspector
• Motorgrump
• Techzone – Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil for cars
• Technology explained – Four-wheel steering
• The Doctor – advice column
• You, the jury – Making speed limiters mandatory
• What’s on

Buying, selling and maintaining

• Best Buys – EVs under £40k
• Generation Game – Peugeot 208 – 2012-2015, 2015-2020, 2020-2023
• Hero or zero – Fiat 500X
• Product watch – Tyre dressing
• Remember this – Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive
• Secondhand shootout – Peugeot 308 CC vs Vauxhall Cascada

Used Car Buyer’s Guide

• Isuzu D-Max

Data Files

• Forgotten Concept – 1998 Renault Vel Satis Concept
• Joy of Lists – Ten car adverts with music
• Megafactories – Mazda, Hofu, Japan
• The most comprehensive and up-to-data in the business

Regulars

• News and views
• News in pictures
• Motoring Morsels
• Refuelling Costs
• Day trip to…
• What’s On
• Gadget Inspector
• The Doctor
• This Month
• Current Affairs
• Techzone
• You, the jury
• Motorgrump
• Bright Spark
• DM@il
• Tuning specialists directory
• Buying. Selling and Maintaining
• The Generation Game
• The Doctor’s Hero or Zero
• Marketplace Statistics
• Marketplace In The Pipeline
• Marketplace What’s New
• Data Files
• Next month