Toyota Prius
OUR Toyota Prius was put through its paces last weekend by ferrying the Auto Express team around the vast site of the thrilling Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex.
It was slightly unfamiliar terrain in comparison with the busy streets of the capital it’s used to, but the hybrid hatchback didn’t skip a beat as it trekked across the muddy fields of the world-famous estate. Photographer Otis Clay made full use of the 343-litre boot and roomy interior, packing it with colleagues and his camera gear, so again the Toyota was the perfect runaround for both people and luggage.
The Prius took the journey across the South Downs National Park in its stride; its fuel economy was only slightly dented. It’s still been averaging a respectable 57.8mpg – and that’s fully loaded with equipment outside of its urban comfort zone.
Can I get DAB in my car?
I READ your DAB head unit test with interest. I want to get digital radio in my car, but need to keep the standard head unit because it is part of the dash design. Is there another option? YOU can add a DAB adaptor to your existing system. This gets the DAB signal and feeds it into one of the head unit’s ports. Our pick of these devices is the PURE Highway 400 (above, £129.99, www.pure.com). There’s also a higher-spec 600 version, which allows you to make Bluetooth hands-free phone calls.
Is a pre-wash worthwhile?
MY neighbour always soaks his car before washing the bodywork with a mitt and bucket of shampoo. Is this necessary and what is the benefit? IT sounds as though he is pre-washing the car, which is a good idea because at the very least it ensures the bodywork is wet before the paint is touched. A prewash will also take off loose or heavy soiling. It can be done with just water or by adding a shampoo or snow foam.
Are NON-TPMS rims legal?
I OWN a 2015 Nissan Pulsar which has a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) fitted as standard. During the winter I fit a set of wheels which do not have TPMS. Is it a legal requirement? ALL cars built after 2012 must be fitted with TPMS, so that covers your Pulsar. Certainly, if you tried to MOT the car with the winter wheels fitted, it would fail. The solution may be to invest in a second set of sensors for the rims during the winter months.