Best New Car Deals for September 2015
The new 65 plates are upon us with a raft of new cars and updates on the market, 2015 is an exciting year for in the car industry.
Semi-autonomous driving is now the norm, with driver assistance packages filtering down to the smallest of cars like the Toyota Aygo and Yaris. BMW have done away with their M3 model replacing it with the larger M4.
Hybrid and electric cars are growing in popularity electric cars are growing in popularity. Tesla continue to make waves in this segment and have thrown down the gauntlet to more established manufacturers by announcing the pending release of the world’s fastest SUV, the Tesla X.
But what are the best new cars to buy right now? Which vehicles combine the best of what there is in terms of engine, practicality, performance and affordability?
Best 4x4: Land Rover Discovery Sport
The luxury SUV segment is packed with good cars including the BMW X3, Audi Q5. The Landrover Disovery is a gem of a car that will push it’s German competitors all the way. It’s rakishly good looking and a massive improvement on the Freelander 2.
Its Launched with the option of a new 2.0 four-cylinder Ingenimum Engine, and improvement on the outgoing 2.2 diesel in terms of performance and efficiency, with an impressive 58mpg in terms of efficiency and only 129g/kg.
Performance is also maintained, with 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds and excellent off-road capability courtesy of the Terrain Response system.
Green Car: BMW i3
BMW launched research pertaining to more sustainable driving in 2007. The i3 is the outcome of this research. It’s high-tech, using cutting edge engineering to cement BMWs green credentials.
BMW were outright winners at the engine of the year awards with their 1.5 litre, 357bhp hybrid powertrain that runs the i8, pointing to the future of the industry.
The same tech that makes the i8 engine so revolutionary is found in the smaller i3 plug in engine that can achieve 168bhp, and 0-60 in 7.2 seconds. The range on the i3 on a full charge is between 90 – 125 miles.
With brilliant styling, excellent refinement and more than apt performance, the i3 is everything a green car should be.
Coupe: 320d Coupe:
The new BMW 3 Series edition 320d ED comes with a new 2.0 litre engine that can achieve 90.6mpg, emitting just 104g/km. But the real innovation in this model is the Active Air Flaps and lower suspension set-up, making it more aerodynamic that the outgoing model.
MPV: Nissan Qashqai
The British built Nissan Qashqai is the country’s favourite crossover. A crossover was a gamble when Nissan decided to ditch the popular Almera with a bigger, more rugged car. The sales figures speak for themselves.
The Qashqai continues to offer excellent styling, efficiency and practicality. Simply put, it changed the game in this area, with others copying in order to keep up with its runaway success.
But there’s more to the Qashqai than styling features. The 1.5-litre diesel engine returns 109bhp and excellent efficiency. New car owners wondered at the excellent output of an engine of this size on a car big enough to carry a large family. It’s hugely practical and comes with a host of excellent options, including top spec connectivity.
Hatchback: Skoda Octavia
The new generation Skoda Octavia is another winner from Skoda. It builds on their recent formula of building large hatchbacks with family appeal, at a relatively cheap price.
The new Octavia is 108mm longer than the outgoing model and is built on VW’s flexible MQB platform. It’s also 100kg lighter and comes with a better suspension.
The Octavia offers more space than rivals such as the VW Golf and Ford Focus, and made huge strides in comfort and refinement. Pair that with drive efficiency figures of around 80mpg, and it’s clear to see why the Octavia will continue to outsell many other cars on the market.
Saloon: Volkswagen Passat
The VW Passat intrudes upon a space usually dominated by Audi, BMW and Mercedes. It’s very spacious, classy and has a lot of tech on board.
It’s no surprise that VW can produce cars of this quality, but it is a refreshing alternative in a segment that needed some new competition. It’s a family saloon with good appeal and enough in terms of refinement to be a massive success in the next year and beyond.
Estate: Volvo V70
Volvo have long been the kings of the estate, although that title was recently challenged by the release of Skoda Super (which comes with its own commendations).
Volvo have managed to start just ahead of the game with the V70 by adding something extra: agility. Although Volvo are well known for the comfort and reliability of their cars, handling was never mentioned in the same breath. Nothing extremely innovative, although the on-board tech has long been a great feature, but just a brilliant car with plenty of space and a great price.