What's The Alternatives?

[anchorman]

They're packing some fancy exhausts.

[arorat]

A bit late to this topic, with the auto gearbox issues on the Rav 2003, I had to weigh up what I would buy in case it totally fails (hopefully another ECU build will fix it). We need a Rav type car for the business, with the Peugeot 208 GTi launching soon I came across the 3008 hybrid in the showrooms, interesting but uglyish, the Peugeot 2008 is due in September which has almost the same dimensions as the 2002 Rav4. Otherwise Kuga Titanium X or worth looking at the S-Max. X3 is great but can't justify that much for a car which will spend a lot of time on the driveway. CRV just seemed overpriced and dull, also saw the Freelander but too big for our daughters to drive - when they do.

The new pics of Rav posted above look nice any prices ?

[Guest]

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mercedes-benz/g-class/first-drives/mercedes-benz-g63-amg-6x6-first-drive-review

Mercedes is yet to publish official figures, but we're told to expect around 15mpg on the European test cycle. It's just as well that the G63 AMG 6x6 will come with two fuel tanks with an overall capacity of 159 litres.

[DjRav]

Tbh that's not much less mpg than the top range rover! (5,0l version quoted at 20 mpg if driven "nicely", testers said may be closer to 10mpg if any of the power is actually used, and it does do 0-60 in just over 5 seconds!!)

Dave

[mikis]

Geneva motor show: Toyota RAV4

Two new versions of the Toyota RAV4 have had their European debut at the Geneva motor show.

RAV4 Adventure features enhance muscular stance

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Two versions of the Toyota RAV4 have made their European debuts at the Geneva motor show.

The

RAV4 Premium has a new lighting package plus a chrome-finished spoiler

at the front while chrome inserts and brushed aluminium skid plates give

the back end a more up market feel.

Inside new leather, seating materials and stitching are also added.

Toyota says the RAV4 Premium has been designed to give the new model more sophistication.

Debuting

alongside the RAV4 Premium is the RAV4 Adventure, which Toyota says has

been designed to show off the off-road abilities of the car. Aesthetic

changes like extended wheel arches to accommodate the 20-inch alloy

wheels help to give the RAV4 a more muscular stance.

Both bumpers have been redesigned and finished with matt paint, while the front bumper also now integrates a new under-run.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/geneva-motor-show-2013/geneva-motor-show-toyota-rav4

Very prrety indeed!

So far with 150hp engines both for diesel and benzin.Isn't that too little to make the 20''wheels turn around?

[Plutus]

20" wheels might help off road, but on road?

[DjRav]

20" wheels, but not much tyre?!!

Dave

[dave.m]

There was little doubt about the identity of the star of the New York motor show – the Range Rover Sport turned the most heads, helped by a cameo appearance from James Bond actor Daniel Craig.

But
the Sport represents only part of Jaguar Land Rover’s ambitious future
plans, and in this week's Autocar magazine, we bring you the news about
more of the manufacturer’s strategy to dramatically increase its sales
during the rest of this decade.

Spearheading that drive is a brand new ‘baby’ Land Rover
model that will make the manufacturer a big player in the growing
compact SUV market. Our artists have gone to work to suggest how the
small Landie could look, while inside we explain exactly why it is such a
crucial model.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/week-autocar/autocar-magazine-3-april-preview

[Davrav]

So, by the look of it, Landrover are almost harking back to Mk1 RAV styling and Toyota are morphing the RAV into a glorified Auris...........

You know it makes sense

[Manxrav]

Agree Davrav,just as you say "the Rav4 has morphed into a glorifyed Auris"

Clare

[DominicPriestley]

I quite like the 4.4 in adventure guise. I could be tempted should they build it. I'd like to see a 3.0litre diesel in the range though. I like torque.

[Plutus]

I think the chances of a 3 litre diesel rav are nil.

We are hoping for a new 2 ish litre in the not too distant future.

[DjRav]

I quite like the 4.4 in adventure guise. I could be tempted should they build it. I'd like to see a 3.0litre diesel in the range though. I like torque.

There is, it's called a Landcruiser.

Dave

[DominicPriestley]

I know but id like the 3.0 in a Rav.

[dave.m]

Mercedes-Benz to launch production version of Concept GLA

New entry to the compact SUV segment designed to rival the likes of the Audi Q3 and Range Rover Evoque

Striking Mercedes-Benz concept will go into production

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by Mark Tisshaw

18 April 2013 8:02am

A production version of the striking Mercedes-Benz Concept GLA is poised to enter the booming compact SUV segment.

The Concept GLA is one of the stars of the Shanghai motor show
that gets under way on Saturday, and is described by insiders as being
as much as 90 per cent representative of the GLA production car that
will go on sale early next year, priced from around £25,000.

It's also the latest model to be spun off Mercedes’ latest front-drive MFA architecture, following the latest A-class and B-class models and the CLA saloon.

The
concept is 4383mm long, 1978mm wide and 1579mm high — dimensions that
are understood to be almost identical to those of the production car.
The wheelbase of the concept has not been given, but it’s believed to be
the same 2699mm employed by its siblings.

These dimensions closely match the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque
— the three chief rivals that the GLA will face when it reaches the UK
market next year. We’ll get to see the finished production car either at
the tail end of this year or at the Detroit motor show early next year.

Mercedes’
sales and marketing chief, Joachim Schmidt, describes the GLA’s role in
the compact SUV segment as “a sporty and more coupé-like evolution of
this category of vehicle”.

The front end features perhaps the most
modern treatment yet of Mercedes’ familiar core design, with just two
horizontal bars used for the front grille, which places the marque’s
three-pointed star logo at its centre.

The front headlights are
among the more outlandish concept car features. They feature laser beam
projectors that act as headlights in the first instance, but can also
project pictures or films controlled through Mercedes’ interior Comand
Online infotainment system, or work in real time to project sat-nav
functions on to the road ahead.

This feature is not due to make
production in the near future, let alone on the GLA, but the core
exterior design of the car is tipped to make it over from concept to
production relatively unchanged.

The five-door Concept GLA’s
gently sloping roofline flows into the tailgate to give a sleek and
sporty silhouette. This profile is enhanced by a glasshouse that uses
frameless doors and narrows towards the rear, a ‘dropping line’ that
runs from the front headlights to the rear wheelarches and a beltline
that rises towards the C-pillars.

The C-pillars wrap around to the
rear over slim tail-lights to visually widen the rear of the car at the
bottom, giving a sporty, squat stance. Only the large alloys and some
of the detailing on the bumpers and lights will be toned down for
production.

That’s despite the fact that test mules of the GLA have hinted that it will have the look of a raised A-class. Insiders now insist there will be much more Concept GLA design than A-class in the production car.

At
first glance, the car’s four-seat cabin offers the outlandish look that
you’d expect of a concept car, but look past some of the material and
trim details and it’s easy to spot the links that the production GLA
will have to the A-class, B-class and CLA.

The layout on the
centre console and the positioning of the round air vents, multimedia
screen and instrument binnacle are recognisable from the other MFA
models and will feature in the production GLA.

A turbocharged
2.0-litre petrol engine — also familiar from the other MFA cars — offers
208bhp in the Concept GLA. Drive is channelled to all four wheels
through a seven-speed, dual-clutch, automatic transmission and Mercedes’ proprietary 4Matic system.

The
engine line-up of the production car is not yet known, but it’s likely
Mercedes UK will cherry-pick units from the German market’s wider
line-up rather than taking all options, as it has done with the CLA.

If
the exclusively four-cylinder engine line-up of the CLA is reflected in
the GLA, a 120bhp 1.6-litre petrol will be used in the base GLA180, a
134bhp 1.8-litre diesel in the GLA200 CDI, a 168bhp 2.1-litre diesel in
the GLA220 CDI and the concept’s 208bhp 2.0-litre petrol in the GLA250.

The
four-wheel drive system should be offered with the more potent engines,
including the GLA250, with front-wheel drive supplied as standard.

Later next year the Mercedes-Benz
GLA range will be crowned by a GLA45 AMG version. The hot range-topper
will use the same running gear as the A45 and CLA45 models, meaning
power will be sent to all four wheels by a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol
engine with 335bhp.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/shanghai-auto-show/mercedes-benz-launch-production-version-concept-gla

Comments

6

[Plutus]

Looks better than the awful X1

[silly sausage]

I was passenger in an x-drive X1 recently, it's a pity about the looks because the handling, performance and fuel economy over a 400 mile round trip were very impressive.

[Plutus]

I saw the new Rav in the showroom for the first time this week.

It's big. Looks leave something to be desired.

Dash and interior OK. Seats not as comfy as 4.2 but acceptable.

Need those BMW engines.

I test drove the X1 and found it too noisy.

[dave.m]

Well another compact SUV on the way, and still Toyota can't tell you if there is going to be a replacement

for the now discontinued Urban Cruiser. Well I guess they are doing a good job of sending me/us to the

competitions showroom.

Suzuki set to launch Nissan Juke rival

New Suzuki compact crossover to arrive in 2015, other future models and planned updates revealed

The SX4 S-Cross was previewed at Geneva; it's now set to be joined by a smaller model that will replace the current SX4

by Mark Tisshaw

11 June 2013 1:47pm

It has been revealed to Autocar that Suzuki will launch a Nissan Juke-sized compact crossover in Europe in 2015.

Myriad
other models and updates are planned for release in the near
future. Over the next two years Suzuki will launch a new model in the Volkswagen Up segment to replace both the current Alto and Splash models, a five-door version of the Swift Sport, and all-wheel drive for the standard Swift as part of a series of mid-life changes.

Another model on the drawing board is a more spacious B-segment car, in the mould of the Nissan Note and
Toyota Verso. It will be designed to compliment the Swift and address
the limited rear passenger and boot space of that particular model.

Suzuki is also considering the G70 concept, formerly called the Regina, for production.

The new and as yet unnamed Juke-rivalling crossover model will be built in Suzuki's Hungary plant alongside the new SX4 S-Cross, a Nissan Qashqai-sized model that's due to launch in the UK in the autumn.

Despite
the new car partly keeping the SX4 name, it is not a direct replacement
as it's a bigger model; the new Juke-sized model will be the
replacement for the current SX4, which is committed to be built in
Hungary until the end of March 2014 at the earliest.

The new model
will be built on a shortened version of the S-Cross's new platform, but
it will feature a much edgier design and offer a high range of
customisation. Engines are likely to mirror the S-Cross, with 1.6 petrol
and diesels with the option of front- and all-wheel drive, and manual
and automatic transmissions.

A planned replacement for the current Alto and Splash
will launch in 2014. It will be built in Thailand, with both cars being
gradually phased out next year to make way in the range for the new
model that's said to offer the space of the Splash with the economy of
the smaller Alto.

The mid-life facelift for the Swift will
launch later this year. Four-wheel drive is the big news, with two
versions offered: one a standard-looking model, and another with a fully
body kit for a rugged off-road look.

Suzuki's Swift Sport will
be mechanically unchanged, but a five-door version will be added to the
line-up next to the existing three-door car.

The Grand Vitara, Jimny and Kizashi will continue in the Suzuki range unchanged, although the Jimny will need to have ESP fitted if it is not to fall foul of EU legislation.

Suzuki's
sales and marketing manager, Dale Wyatt, stated that the company wanted
to achieve 30,000 sales in the UK in 2013. At the end of May it had
sold 14,000 cars, in what's the biggest market for the company in
Europe.

"40,000 per year may be possible with the new models" said
Wyatt, "but beyond that will be hard work and we don't want to make any
bold claims. It's about getting things optimised."

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/scoop/suzuki-set-launch-nissan-juke-rival

[Parts-King]

Well another compact SUV on the way, and still Toyota can't tell you if there is going to be a replacement

for the now discontinued Urban Cruiser.

There will be no direct replacement for it Dave, stop holding your breath

However there will be a crossover model to rival Qashqai which I think is late 2014

Kingo

[dave.m]

Volvo XC40 thwarted by large platform

Volvo wants to build its Range Rover Evoque rival, but the platform is just too big

Volvo has expressed its desire to compete with the Range Rover Evoque

by Stuart Milne

4 July 2013 12:02am

Volvo
would like to build a bespoke XC40 compact SUV, but any such model is up
to five years away, say company sources, becuase there is no suitable
platform available.

The Chinese-owned company has designed a
bespoke platform, known as the SPA (Scaleable Platform Architecture),
which is due to be rolled out late next year under the replacement for the XC90. However, the smallest model based on the SPA is likely to be the next-gen S60.

Volvo
insiders say an XC40 would “fit the brand and sell in numbers”. In
recent times, the company’s best-selling models have been the XC90 and XC60. With downsizing trends across the world, and the success of models such as the Audi Q3 and Range Rover Evoque,
the absence of an XC40 is a significant gap in Volvo’s line-up. Future
Cross Country models will simply be rugged versions of existing road
cars, whereas XC models will be bespoke SUVs.

More details have
also emerged about the engineering behind the SPA. It is constructed in
five sections, with the section roughly between the centre of the front
wheels and the A-pillars — which carries the engine and transmission —
being the same size on all models underpinned by the platform.

Volvo
sources confirmed that the SPA will be able to accommodate both
mechanical four-wheel drive and electrically driven rear axles for
hybrid versions. The SPA will only take Volvo’s all-new four-cylinder
engines.

Autocar has also learned that Volvo and its owner Geely
are preparing to launch a mid-market brand. Geely is positioned as the
budget brand and Volvo the global premium nameplate. As yet it is
unclear whether the mid-market brand will be for China only or offered
globally.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/concept-cars/volvo-xc40-thwarted-large-platform

[dave.m]

Citroen DS SUV is destined for Europe

DS-badged SUV is to be aimed at the premium end of the market

Originally, the car, revealed as the Volkswagen-Touareg-rivalling Wild Rubis concept, was due to be sold in China only

by Jim Holder

25 July 2013 12:02am

Citroen's

DS-badged luxury SUV is likely to be sold in Europe after all,

following the positive reaction to a concept version at this year’s

Shanghai motor show.

Originally, the car — revealed as the

Volkswagen-Touareg-rivalling Wild Rubis concept — was due to be sold in

China only, where the DS brand is enjoying significant growth and

profits, in contrast to the firm’s European plight.

However, DS

chief designer Thierry Metroz told Autocar: “The reaction has been so

positive that it is now possible the SUV will come to Europe. The focus

is China, where we have a chance to make a great success, but that can

help push it to Europe, too.”

The Wild Rubis sits on the DS5’s platform and is likely to be called DSX7 when it is revealed in production form at next year’s Beijing show.

The

DS brand’s push will concentrate on China, where sales suggest that

Citroën can fight with more established premium makers such as Audi, BMW

and Mercedes-Benz.

As a result, the SUV’s launch in mid-2014 is

likely to be followed by a BMW 5-series rival based on the Numero 9

concept. Ahead of both cars, Citroën will reveal a VW Jetta-sized DS

saloon.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/citroen-ds-suv-destined-europe

[dave.m]

Merc update -

Mercedes-Benz GLA revealed

New £25k compact Merc SUV to take on the Range Rover Evoque; GLA is fourth model from firm's MFA platform

Rivalling
the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque, the production GLA closely
follows the Concept GLA seen four months ago

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by Mark Tisshaw

14 August 2013 8:02am

The £25,000 Mercedes-Benz GLA has been revealed.

Rivalling the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque,
the production GLA closely follows the Concept GLA seen just four
months ago. It will go on sale in the UK in December ahead the first
deliveries 
early next year.

It is the fourth member of Mercedes’ new small compact family based on its front/all-wheel drive MFA platform, joining the A-class, B-class and CLA. The MFA line-up will be completed next year with the launch of a shooting brake version of the CLA.

The
looks of the Concept GLA have been toned down for the production car,
particularly at the front and rear ends and with some of the surfacing.
But the result is still one of the sportiest and most dynamic-looking
cars in the class, with a look clearly in line with the rest of the
models in the MFA family.

It is 4417mm long, 1805mm wide and
1494mm high, which makes it slightly longer, narrower and lower than the
concept version. The dimensions closely match those of its big three
premium compact crossover rivals. It is also 125mm longer than the
A-class on which it is based, the pair sharing the same 2699mm
wheelbase.

In the UK, the GLA will be offered with a range of
transverse four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines equipped with either
front 
or four-wheel drive.

Front-wheel-drive models include a
turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol with 154bhp in the base GLA200 and a
134bhp 1.8-litre turbodiesel in the GLA200 CDI.

Engines offered
with Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive system include a 168bhp 2.1-litre
turbodiesel in the GLA220 CDI and a 208bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol
in the range-topping GLA250.

A six-speed manual gearbox is
standard on the front-wheel-drive models and a seven-speed dual-clutch
automatic on the all-wheel-drive variants. The automatic 
is optional
with the front-wheel-drive models.

The 4Matic all-wheel 
drive
system defaults to a front-wheel drive set-up in normal conditions, but
it can send up to 50 per cent of the torque to the rear wheels when
driving conditions require it.

The take-up for all-wheel drive is
expected to be as many as eight out of 10 buyers in the UK, compared
with about seven out of 10 buyers in Europe opting for front-wheel
drive. About three-quarters of GLAs sold in the UK are expected to be
diesel.

As with the other MFA models, fuel economy figures are
expected to be impressive. The most frugal model, the GLA200 CDI, is
tipped to average 65.7mpg, with CO2 emissions of 114g/km.

The
usual array of fuel-saving tech features, such as automatic stop-start,
make it on to the GLA, but its aerodynamic body also plays a role in its
fuel-sipping ability. Features such as active radiator grille shutters
and a streamlined body result in a drag coefficient figure of 0.29.

Inside,
the GLA adopts a significantly higher driving position than the
A-class’s. The seat height in the A-class is 276mm and in the GLA it is
549mm. The look of the cabin is instantly recognisable from the other
MFA cars, with the three circular central air vents, centre console
design, infotainment screen, steering wheel and instrument binnacle all
carried over from the A-class, B-class and CLA.

The cabin has five
seats and the rear-most three can be folded flat and reclined. The boot
space is a maximum of 421 litres with the rear seats up, rising to 836
litres with the rear seats folded down.

The GLA does have some
off-road ability, although it’s likely to be far short of the Evoque’s.
But with four-wheel drive and features such as all-round body cladding
and an under-ride guard, the GLA has typical SUV traits. Mercedes says
the GLA can cope with sandy or loose surfaces and sharp gradients.

A
Downhill Speed Regulation function is standard on all-wheel-drive
versions. As the name suggests, this helps the driver control the speed
on sharper downhill gradients. The transmission also has an off-road
mode, which alters shift points and throttle characteristics. Models
with an infotainment screen can also view an off-road display with
real-time transmission information.

A whole host of safety
features are offered on the GLA, including the drowsiness-detecting
Attention Assist, a Collision Prevention Assist that works from 4mph,
and a more advanced Collision Prevention Assist Plus system that, in
combination with the optional Distronic Plus cruise control, provides
autonomous braking at speeds of up to 124mph. This system can also
prevent rear-end collisions and collisions into stationary vehicles at
low speeds.

The GLA is also well 
stocked for infotainment
features, with full iPhone integration, internet connectivity, apps such
as Facebook and Twitter, and street view on the navigation system all
offered.

Standard equipment on the base SE trim is likely to
include 18-inch alloy wheels, comfort suspension and DAB digital radio.
An AMG Sport version is set to be the range-topper, with sports
suspension and 19-inch alloy wheels.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/mercedes-benz-gla-revealed

[dave.m]

Jaguar SUV to launch in 2016

First Jaguar crossover confirmed for production, to be priced from £31k, will possibly be badged as XQ

The crossover could possibly be badged as XQ

by Hilton Holloway

13 August 2013

The most radical new Jaguar for decades has been given the green light for production in 2016, Autocar can reveal.

Company
insiders say the new model could become “Jaguar’s Evoque” — both
changing perceptions of the brand and selling in substantial volumes. It
is expected to be priced to rival the BMW X3, starting at £31,000 for
an entry-level rear-wheel-drive version.

First exposed by Autocar
in March 2012, the Jaguar crossover concept has been in development for
over two years already. It’s thought that Jaguar could unveil a teaser
concept as early as this September’s Frankfurt show.

Sources who
have seen the new car at customer clinics held in the Midlands have
described the crossover as “stunning”. One source — a current XF
owner — told Autocar that the styling proposal was “unlike anything
that Jaguar had done before” and “easily the best-looking vehicle in the
room”. The line-up at the clinic included the current Infiniti FX and Porsche Cayenne,
although both are bigger than Jaguar’s crossover. It’s thought that the
coupé-like FX has been something of a stylistic influence for the new
Jaguar.

The new crossover will provide Jaguar with a direct rival for Porsche’s upcoming Macan SUV, which is similar in size and is also defined by its dramatic styling.

The
Jaguar will be a conventional five-door hatchback and aimed at younger,
more affluent families. As one source noted: “You rarely see one of
today’s Jaguar models with a child seat in the back. The crossover will
tap into that market.”

The crossover — possibly badged XQ — will be a sister car to Jaguar’s BMW 3-series
competitor and will be based on the same new aluminium platform.
Insiders say the production car will be much more of a sporting
crossover than a full-on SUV.

Like the small saloon, the crossover
will be natively rear-wheel drive but will also have the option of
all-wheel drive. Both cars are based on the smaller version of the
Premium Lightweight Architecture that underpins the new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.

Whereas
the large PLA platform underpins models five metres long and more, the
compact PLA architecture should cover new models between 4.4 and 4.9
metres in length, as well as being slightly narrower than the bigger
platform.

The compact PLA is understood to underpin the two
entry-level Jaguars and the next-generation XF. Jaguar hopes the
crossover will be the lightest model in its class. Combined with Jaguar
Land Rover’s all-new four-cylinder ‘Hotfire’ engines, that should enable
it to achieve some of the lowest CO2 ratings in its class.

A wide
range of petrol and diesel four-cylinder engines will be offered.
Higher-spec V6 petrol and diesel versions will also feature in the
line-up.

Sources say the compact saloon and crossover will be
built at Land Rover’s Solihull plant, rather than at Castle Bromwich.
Solihull has been converted to the PLA production line, which differs
from the line used to build the XJ at Castle Bromwich.

It’s
expected that the Castle Bromwich site — which is a sixth of the size
of Solihull — will be converted to the PLA production line as the
new-generation XJ and XF models are launched mid-decade.

Company
sources also say the arrival of the compact saloon and the crossover
will mark a concerted push by Jaguar to emphasise its currently
class-leading use of all-aluminium structures.

Although the first
all-aluminium Jaguar production car — the XJ ‘X350’ — was launched in
2003, the company has not made great play of its bonded and riveted
aerospace construction techniques.

With Audi
about to launch its new mixed-materials MLB platform, Jaguar sources
say the company needs to communicate its own advanced technology to new
car buyers.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/frankfurt-motor-show/jaguar-suv-launch-2016

[silly sausage]

.