HY STYLE
Jaguar has officially launched its new E-Pace compact SUV with a typically understated event that included a record for barrel rolling a vehicle. Jaguar likes a bit of showbiz. The car itself is available to order now from £28,500 – it goes on sale early next year – and features a range of JLR’s Ingenium petrol and diesel engines, including a petrol with up to 300bhp. Inside you get a 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen and you can specify a 12.3inch digital instrument panel that’s coupled to a head-up display. There’s a 4G wi-fi hotspot and the boot is a roomy 577 litres. You’re looking at a third model which is about to be added to Hyundai’s new i30 range. As you can see from the photo, it’s a fourdoor coupe that follows the style of Audi’s A7 and Merc’s CLA coupe. Obviously, Hyundai’s take on the style will cost considerably less when it goes on sale early next year. Called the i30 Fastback, the new model takes the proportions of the i30 and massages them with a lower front grille and reduced roof height (by 25mm). The result is a good looking motor that’s bound to attract plenty of customers. Engines are from the i30 hatchback and estate, and we’ll have more details soon. I’ve heard that if you want to snatch a real bargain, a new Volkswagen Passat is the way to go. Word is that the Passat is simply not selling, particularly with a diesel engine, and that you can buy one for considerably less money than a Golf. VW is clearly having a nightmare with its diesel engines which explains why the company has just announced that new petrol engines are available in Passat and Tiguan models. The Passat now gets four different petrol engines, including a 1.4TSI with 125bhp that attracts less benefit in kind tax than the 2.0TDI diesel model.
According to motoring website honestjohn.co.uk, the number of 17-year-olds taking the practical driving test has fallen by 100,000 over the last 10 years. This doesn’t surprise me, but some of the details results of their survey did. Apparently East Sussex has the largest average drop with a fall of 61%. You’d have thought in a rural area it would be a lower drop. Bristol is the second biggest with a decrease of 45%.
One of the reasons, of course, is massive insurance premiums with a staggering £8,000 premium quoted for fully comp insurance for a teenager living in a rural area. I’d have thought that if this trend continues it won’t be good for the economy.