cotswolds

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Friday – Best of the Bunch

bootie

Jeremy I’ll be trying to head off for the Cotswolds early today before the Bank Holiday rush. The Sorento is already fully loaded and by dropping the rear two rows of seats, there is a cavernous boot space.

That’s the good side of being a big car. The downside is that the Sorento isn’t that nimble on winding country backroads. It feels ponderous and fidgety. Stick it on a motorway, however, and it will shift you and your family comfortably.

The 194bhp engine has enough grunt to carry a full load, although I think I would have preferred my Sorento with the optional six-speed automatic gearbox because I’m still struggling for smooth gear changes with the manual. You have to work the engine hard to get any real performance, not helped by the clunky gearbox.

Still, for the price, the Sorento represents excellent value for money. The Kia is definitely the best of the bunch if you are after a budget SUV capable of seating seven. Only the Hyundai Santa Fe can offer serious rivalry.

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Friday – Edging Towards 60

golfer3

Jeremy The one and only time I ever got involved in a car economy drive was with a crazy driving instructor from Gloucester who took it far too seriously. It was 1992 and he insisted we use his new Nissan Micra for a 100-mile journey across Herefordshire.

To make the car lighter, he stripped out as much of the seating as possible, the rear parcel shelf and even the cigarette lighter went. Aerodynamics were a high on his agenda too – so off came a windscreen wiper, the aerial was pushed down and we drove at around 55mph in complete silence.

Last night I drove a winding route across the Cotswolds at around the same speed in our refined and beautifully built Golf TDI – not because I wanted to but because there was a rash of tractors on the road for some reason. VW say the 150bhp diesel can return 68.9mpg – I knew it would never achieve that in everyday driving conditions but I suddenly found myself back on an economy drive!

Calling petrolhead friends for advice and company along the way, I slipped the engine out of ‘sport’ and into ‘eco’ mode. The dashboard display on the TDI serves up economy driving tips – mostly saying change up a gear but the mpg read-out next to it was the real focus of my attention.

I was determined to hit 60mpg but only tickled 58.9 on one flat stretch. When I finally reached my destination, I was back down to 57.1. I don’t think I could have done much better on the roads I used but for a 150bhp engine, it’s still impressive.

I’m not going to bleat on about the consumption too much but this Sunday we are off to the launch of the new Kia Carens in Hampshire. If I don’t hit 60mpg on the way there on faster A-roads I’m going to remove a windscreen wiper and take out the back seat too…

 

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Tuesday – Digital In All The Right Places

592114_JAG_XJ_240812_102Jeremy Jaguar isn’t the first manufacturer to ditch an analogue dashboard display for something entirely different. Back in the 1980s, my father’s Citroen CX had a bizarre rotating ball that spun slowly as the car picked up pace. Inside our XJ, the standard dials have been replaced with a digital dash that looks so realistic it takes a few moments to realise that you are staring at graphics, rather than the real thing.

It’s just one of many features inside the XJ that help make the cabin a design masterclass. It may not be as roomy as some of the German competition but this is a sophisticated and very grown up interior. Wood, high quality leather and soft-touch materials adorn the cockpit – and there are so many neat touches it’s going to take the next seven days to tell you all about them.

The ignition key alone lets other people know you have arrived. It’s a solid, chunky rock of loveliness that’s heavier than my wallet – not a problem if you can afford the £72,000 price tag of our sparkling white test car. Then there’s the rotating gear knob that sits proud on top of the centre console. It is tactile, easy to grip and dispenses with the need for any kind of transmission gearstick.

I sat in the passenger seat while Jessica drove us across the Cotswolds. The centre touch screen display may not be as high res as the dashboard but using wireless headphones, I was able to listen and watch television as she enjoyed the V6 engine to the full. Dangerous for the driver? Not so because some clever gadgetry means the driver can only see button controls for other car-related functions on the same screen that I was watching TV. Next time I’m going to sit in the back seat and let you know what David Cameron feels like in his armoured XJ…

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Monday – First Impressions

Jeremy I’ve just driven the XC60 across the Cotswolds on what could possibly be the first day of Spring. SItting in the office, there’s a glorious sunset sinking over the bonnet and my log fire seems strangely out of place, for the first time in months.

My first time behind the wheel and I’m still getting used to all safety kit in the XC60. This is a car just bristling with technology which I have yet to get my head around. I’m not sure it’s as pretty as a Range Rover Evoque but on first impressions, the Volvo is bolted together just as well and has a more practical interior.

Around these parts, every other car is a 4×4 and the XC60 certainly doesn’t look out of place in the supermarket car park. It may not be as big as a BMW X5, Audi Q7 or the new Range Rover but less is more these days, isn’t it?

So far, so good in the XC60 anyway. Looking forward to getting back behind the wheel tomorrow..