Quick Reviews
Some brief reviews of new cars can be found here with aspects you may not hear about elsewhere!
| BMW 3 Series | |
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Pros: | |
A fun car to drive with eager engines, lively diesel, and firm sporty suspension. Auto gearboxes add to the feeling. |
| Cons: | | The i-drive on some models can be a pain. Inbuilt 'Business' satnav is basic, with no maps, only voice and direction details. Suspension may not be best for those who prefer more cushioning ride. |
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| Mercedes-Benz C Class | |
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Pros: | |
Better made than earlier incarnation, with high quality dash and fascia. Slightly soft suspension great for long distance cruising and pot-hole surfing. |
| Cons: | | Automatic gearbox can be slow to engage from standstill. On sunny days, the heart shaped air vent mounted under the windscreen can reflect and be distracting. |
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| Toyota Prius | |
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Pros: | |
Great mpg, about double that of a normal car of similar size. Quite reasonable to drive, after getting to used to the silent, electrical starts. Hybrid engine so no congestion charge! |
| Cons: | | Slow acceleration as a result. 12 seconds 0-60, just about bearable. |
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| Mini Cooper | |
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Pros: | |
The newer new version improves on lots of the older ones shortcomings. Low speed power steering whine is no more. As nimble around town as ever. 6 gears make it much better at motorway speeds. |
| Cons: | | New fascia is even cornier, with even more emphasis on the cutesy central speedo. 4th gear is now a bit gutless at lower speeds. During motorway cruising - the angle of the windscreen attracts bug splatter and repels windscreen wipers! |
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| Aston Martin Vantage | |
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Pros: | |
Beautiful styling inside and out. Great sounding engine. |
| Cons: | | 'Flying' Handbrake takes getting used to. Slightly underwhelming drive considering the engine is over 4 litres in size - needs to be worked. |
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| Audi TT | |
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Pros: | |
Great to drive, small improvements to an already well built car. Still has the addictive 'stale cigar' aroma on the leather interior. |
| Cons: | | Not as sure footed in the wet as the old 4 wheel drive version. Hard to stick your head out of the window if you are even average height. |
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| Mercedes-Benz SLK | |
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Pros: | |
Good styling touches. Quick metal folding roof. |
| Cons: | | 200 Engine feels rough and underpowered, 350 feels better but not what you may expect for a 3.5 litre engine. No cigarette lighter - punishes smokers and anyone who uses in-car chargers or any other electrical gadgets that require the 12v power source! |
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| Aston Martin DB9 | |
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Pros: | |
Stunning looks, great to drive with immense presence on the road. |
| Cons: | | Switchgear is still typically british - dashboard buttons look cheapish, and a squeaky brake pedal on the model driven. Ride is still not up to German standards. |
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