NOVEMBER MOTORING: The SMMT's Regional Test Day

TNU's Editor-in-Chief Malcolm Ginsberg is a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and started off his journalistic career with Autosport, headhunted by Lotus (then world motor racing champions) as Public Relations Officer).

Here he reports on what was a localised event.

Once again the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders – The British motor industry) hosted two regional car review test days in September, at Wetherby in Yorkshire, and Oakley Hall near Basingstoke.  This supplements a national gathering at the vehicle engineering centre near Bedford, and whilst the public roads are not as enjoyable as the fearsome Hill Course at Millbrook it gives an opportunity to drive a variety of cars over a short period in a mainly rural environment.  I managed six, and this time around a really varied group. Sadly, no Lotus, or its Caterham offspring, at SMMT events these days.  

From zero-emission electric cars and vans to sun-seeking cabriolets, stylish saloons, versatile pick-ups and sporty SUVs, the range on offer illustrated the incredibly wide vehicle choice available to UK consumers.

Every car in the vehicle line-up was packed with cutting-edge technology – a clear demonstration of the automotive sector’s commitment to innovation, safety, comfort and, of course, driving down emissions.

There are now more than 150 models of plug-in cars and vans on sale in Britain – evidence of how manufacturers are turning ambitions for zero-emission mobility for all into reality. Motorists are responding to this choice, with demand in the UK for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) up around 50% so far this year. Growing this demand is clearly in everyone’s interests.

As ever my plan was to get to the site as early as possible and book time on what would clearly be the most popular models.

One serious problem.  If you are over 75 some manufacturers refuse to insure even Guild members, which rules out certain German marques. Britain’s quintessential brand, noted for its sports saloons and four-wheel drive multi-purpose vehicles, did not even turn up.  How do they expect to sell cars if they are not seen?

Skoda, whilst not participating, at short notice, squeezed in the loan to your scribe of a splendid Skoda Scala Monte Carlo (a full road test will follow), for the mainly motorway trip south-west from London.  They have an 80-year-old cut-off age and I was eligible by just a few days.

Go into a car showroom, ask for a test drive, and in most cases “here are the keys sir” regardless of maturity.  What happens next year I am not sure.


OAKLEY HALL HOTEL

I am a fan of electric cars, although they have some way to go in terms of range.  Most have software included which tells you the position of the nearest charging point but not if a charging space is available.  That is to come.  Electric cars can be energized overnight with a simple three-pin plug.


BMW MINI

Arriving early I made a bee-line for the Cowley-built MINI – Electric Shadow edition, although owner BMW has announced that future rechargeable variants of the car are to be built in China.  The Shadow is instantly recognisable with Midnight Black metallic paint, a contrasting silver roof, silver door mirrors, Piano Black exterior trim and decals on the bonnet and front wings.  It is a two-door car.  

Prices for the MINI Electric Shadow Edition start from £35,050, including the Government’s £2,500 plug-in car grant. It is powered by a 181bhp electric motor and a 32.6kWh battery pack, which MINI says is enough for a 0–62mph time of 7.3 seconds in near silence and a maximum range of 140 miles.  OK, it is expensive, but its great fun to drive with sports car acceleration, splendid handling and a typical MINI layout, which has improved since the car was introduced 20 years ago, as has the fittings and build quality. The central binnacle remains and there is a head-up display.  The limited range will put off some prospective buyers.  Standard features include rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, heated seats, extra colour and wheel options and the driving assistance pack, including automatic high-beam assistance and traffic sign recognition.

With the rest of the BMW range I did not meet their age requirements.  The elderly can dive the MINI, but not the i3.  Is the MINI a safer car?


Genesis

Only launched in the UK in 2021 Genesis is quickly establishing itself as an upcoming marque and is part of the Hyundai/Kia stable.  Business Travel News JULY ROAD TEST has reported favourably on the G80.  Rather like Tesla, the company does not have showrooms (except at Genesis Studio London Battersea) with the salesman coming to you rather than you visiting his operation.  It is the same if you purchase a Genesis. If it does have to go back for a workshop visit a loan car and pick-up is arranged.

With the car largely unknown to provincial audiences (Genesis says its initial target audience is the London conurbation), the two all-electric GV60s available proved extremely popular with the press, generally from a large area to the west of the capital.

The car cries out for a more detailed review but in the few short miles I was allowed it was the ride that most impressed me. The secret is the electronically controlled suspension, which reads the road ahead and sets itself up for humps and even potholes. That allows the GV60 to go almost completely undisturbed over bumps and undulations – the 20-inch wheels do help.  There was a catalogue of 'toys' including a performance selector that rotates out on start-up, hidden under an etched glass orb while the car is static.

The exterior is best described as ‘smooth’ with recessed door handles that jump out as you approach the car.  The Smart fob (a key is now old-fashioned) automatically opens out the door mirrors. Prices for the four-wheel drive version mid-size SUV start from £53,000. I am hoping to get one early in the new year for a full review.

www.genesis.com


MG

The MG4 is the latest electric SUV from the rapidly emerging Chinese manufacturer who paid big money for a long-established British brand that had fallen on hard times.  It was a shortcut to fame but in truth, the new customers around the globe had never heard of Morris Garages and the Abingdon plant.

I look forward to the all-new MG-C next year, a real challenger to the Mazda MX5 which sold one million-plus. That will make young enthusiasts around the world Google on their electric devices. “What is MG?”

The early “new” MGs were far from exciting but a short run around the Hampshire lanes, plus a dual carriageway burst, clearly demonstrated that they have come a long way in a short time.  One oddity of this car is the lack of an on switch. Thanks to the fob it recognises you as you get in and comes to life if you touch the brake pedal. You then select Drive on the large gear selector dial and off you go.  Dominating the front-seat view are the twin display screens; the driver gets a seven-inch one with all essential information on it, while emerging from the centre console is a ten-inch widescreen version which looks after all the usual essentials – audio, climate and navigation. The mobile phone charger is wireless, and you get 360-degree camera parking assistance.  There is a seven-year warranty and expect to pay around £30k for what they call the long-range version, which means around 270 miles.  

www.mg.co.uk


SsangYong Rexton

Never heard of SsangYong Motor Company?

That is not surprising as it is probably the smallest serious car distributor operating in the UK.

For the record, SsangYong is a South Korea-based automobile manufacturer, part of the KG Group with an interest in chemicals and steel. It traces its origins back to 1954 and has been established in the UK for over ten years with an expanding 65-outlet dealership.

Available for us scribes was a choice of Musso Saracen pickup or Rexton saloon, both with similar specifications, four-wheel drive, 2.2 litre diesel power and in the case of the Rexton a very smooth eight-speed auto box.

My choice was the Rexton, a direct competitor to the Land Rover Discovery, and coming in at just over £40,000 for the top-of-the-range Ultimate model I drove.  This puts it in the road tax premium class and with, I was told, fuel consumption at little over 30mpg and diesel much more expensive than petrol, it is not a cheap car to run.

The car’s great virtue, with the demise of the largest capacity model in the Toyota Prius range, it is now the smallest seven-seater available, competing with the Skoda Kodiaq and Kia Sorento.  It has a much more rugged appearance than either of those two most successful cars and is packed to the rafters with the latest standard ‘extras’ including a 9.2-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, a powered tailgate and a 3D surround view camera.  

With the diesel engine, the Rexton tends to lumber to 60mph in under 11 seconds, a reasonable figure for what is a large car.  A short drive on the local roads indicated a car that will provide safe handling from a typical SUV high-up driving position.  I even tried off the road for a short test with the locking centre differential and low-range ratios in the gearbox offering a much better country performance and all-round ability than some of its rivals. The fine Nappa leather upholstery indicates that SsangYong has set its standards for this range-topping car.  It comes with a seven-year/150,000-mile warranty.

www.ssangyonggb.co.uk


Suzuki Vitara full hybrid 1.5

Perhaps better known for its motorbikes Suzuki is a massive Japanese industrial conglomerate and major motorcar manufacturer.  The Vitara is assembled at Esztergom, Hungary, on the Danube, and 25 miles from Budapest.  The plant was established in 1991.

Suzuki is not familiar to me and here was an opportunity to experience a lesser-known brand making its way into the electric era.  

With the Vitara pricing starts at around £25,500, which gets you the entry-level 'SZ-T' version and just over £29,000 if you want 'SZ5' spec with Suzuki's ‘All Grip’ four-wheel drive, a proper SUV crossover and the cheapest on the market.

The Vitara is a true Hybrid, based on a normally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol unit pushing out with 114bhp. This is combined with a 33bhp belt-driven electric motor generator powered by a tiny 0.84kWh battery. All the power is fed through a six-speed automatic gearbox with a manual override.  

With this setup, the car reaches 60mph in 9.5 seconds with a technical top speed of 110mph. On the local dual carriageway 70mph seemed adequate.  Over 50mpg is suggested in the brochure and there is an 'Eco' mode to improve frugality, but not recommended after this short experience.  

It was easy to drive without getting excited and for long-term ownership, the huge panoramic sunroof is a boom offering a spacious-feeling cabin.  The Suzuki has keyless entry, front and rear parking distance sensors and Adaptive Cruise Control. The list of included ‘extra’s’ is too long to detail here.

The interior is best described as ‘robust’ and the exterior styling is a matter of taste.

It seemed to be that the Vitara is aimed at country folk requiring a steady platform, fine for the local roads, OK for occasional long-distance drives, and ideal for all-weather tracks that might cause problems for traditional two-wheel drive vehicles any time of the year.  Another for a proper loan early next year.

https://cars.suzuki.co.uk


Isuzu

Last, and I suppose least, was an Isuzu D-Max Arctic and a Basecamp version of the same car.

Available to drive was the Arctic, something you have to climb into and clearly a discerning vehicle for a specialist audience, best described as rugged and coming in at close to £60k.  

Some of the younger journalists may have never driven a 2.5-litre four-cylinder diesel six-speed manual gearbox vehicle before, one that lumbers away rather than accelerates.
 
It is classified as a commercial vehicle with a one-tonne rear capacity. But when it comes to comfort the driver is well looked after, the vehicle equipped with an eight-way electric adjustable seat.  For some reason the floor is carpeted!  You get a 9-inch multifunction touch screen and a wireless phone charger. Cruise control is included as is a speed limiter.  There is a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors.  

My inclination was to stay on the main roads but in fact, in the rural country lanes it proved easy to drive with the excellent visibility that the high-up driving position offered. The Isuzu comes with a five-year/125,000-mile warranty.   

The Basecamp version is equipped with a lightweight and iKamper SkyCamp rooftop tent featuring a hard shell with quilted insulation, easy access ladder, iKamper’s signature World Map and even a Skyview window. This is mounted to a black aluminium Gearmate hardtop canopy, with solid gullwing side and rear access doors.

Inside the vehicle is equipped with an ARB Outback Solutions modular roller drawer system, with a durable carpet finish. Along with providing luggage space, the system also incorporates a fridge unit and a slide-out kitchen unit, which includes a three-burner gas stove and a 12-litre collapsible sink. Yes, you can say that this versatile vehicle includes a kitchen sink!

www.isuzu.co.uk/vehicles/isuzu-d-max-arctic-trucks-at35

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