offroad – Pulpaddict

Volkswagen Touareg R eHybrid review

We get behind the wheel of the big, performance-focused plug-in hybrid SUV from VW…

Volkswagen’s biggest SUV was originally launched in 2002, and is now in its third generation. During that time, well over a million have found homes around the world, including some 60,000 in the UK.

Recently treated to a facelift and updates, it’s the range-topping ‘R’ model that’s the subject of this week’s road test.

To be exact, it’s the Touareg R eHybrid 4MOTION, which means that it’s an all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid.

It’s not short of a few premium-badged rivals either. Take your pick from the likes of the BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery, Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Porsche Cayenne.

The current Touareg model has been around since 2018, so the refresh is welcome.

Externally, there are new bumpers front and rear, new matrix headlights (which use no less than 38,432 micro LEDs), a new rear lightbar, plus new 20, 21 and 22-inch alloy wheel designs to sharpen up the overall look.

Inside, there’s an updated version of VW’s slick Innovision Cockpit including 15-inch touchscreen and 12-inch digital instrument cluster, improved voice control and wireless app integration.

Crucially, there are more soft-touch surfaces in the cabin – an essential when a car is priced from a very premium £80,710.

Touareg customers can choose from three models – Elegance, Black Edition or R.

The R gets 22-inch ‘Estoril Black’ alloy wheels, ‘Puglia’ leather trim with cooling seats up front, plus blue brake calipers with the ‘R’ logo. That logo makes other appearances, including the seats and sill panel mouldings (where it’s illuminated no less).

The R is fitted with air suspension as standard, Park Assist Pro with Area view, and plenty of other goodies. In fact, just about all the gadgets and safety/driver assistance features you’d expect of a car in this price range are included.

The Touareg R develops a mighty 456bhp from its twin-turbo 3.0-litre petrol V6, combined with electric motor and modest 17.9kWh lithium-ion battery.

VW claims it has a 31-mile electric-only range, which is a bit shorter than some rivals, but enough for most short commutes.

There’s a potential 121mpg, while CO2 emissions are a low 53g/km.

The battery takes around 2.5 hours to charge via a 7.2kW charger, or overnight using a 2.3kW connection.

And with a 155mph top speed (limited) and a 0-62mph sprint time of 5.2 seconds, it’s certainly no slouch.

Drive is sent through an eight-speed automatic gearbox with the option of steering wheel-mounted paddles for manual changes.

It’s practical too, with ample space for adults front and rear, and a useful 665 litres luggage capacity, rising to 1,675 litres with the rear seats down. But remember, it’s only available as a five-seater.

The Volkswagen Touareg R is impressive on the road. Yes, it’s substantial and weighs in at nearly 2.5 tonnes, but the engineers have done a pretty good job of disguising that bulk with impressive body control.

Obviously, it’s no Golf R, but it is surprisingly agile for a big SUV. The ride is on the firm side (not helped by the enormous 22-inch wheels), but it’s by no means uncomfortable. In fact, on cruises and in town, it floats over bumps and potholes.

The suspension can be tuned further by selecting Sport mode (in addition to Eco, Comfort, Normal, Individual, Off-Road, and Snow), which will also tweak other settings such as throttle response. Choose Individual and it allows you to customise most of the settings, including steering.

And just to give you a little more confidence, the brakes are progressive (not always the case with a PHEV) and effective.

The auto gearbox feels slick for the most part, only occasionally hesitating or holding a higher gear for a tad longer than necessary.

Sport mode dials up the V6 engine note, but it’s still understated, which is a shame because you’d expect more character.

In petrol mode it feels fast, but not blisteringly so, with electrical assistance for the initial getaway and plenty of mid-range grunt.

Of course, the Touareg R is at its smoothest and most refined when running in EV mode, though the real-world range is closer to 20 than 30 miles. It’s still a bonus, especially when the battery charge has been used up and economy for the petrol engine plummets to well below 30mpg – unless you really behave yourself.

On the plus side, the switch from petrol to EV – and vice versa – is seamless.

Ultimately, it’s a fast SUV with an environmentally-friendly side, set up more for comfort than sporty driving engagement.

We didn’t get to try the Touareg R off-road, but with its drive modes and air suspension, it should be capable of handling the kind of weather extremes we endure in the UK – or even the odd muddy festival car park.

Finally, it has a handy towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes, which is similar to other premium SUVs.

Verdict: The new-look Volkswagen Touareg R eHybrid is a swift, spacious, comfortable and well-equipped sporty SUV with off-road capability. And if most of your driving involves short commutes, the plug-in hybrid technology will slash your running costs.

Volkswagen UK

Olly Murs collects his modified Land Rover Defender 110

Gareth Herincx

23 hours ago
Auto News

Singer-songwriter and TV personality Olly Murs has been handed the keys to his specially-commissioned Land Rover Defender 110.

He visited Urban Automotive’s Milton Keynes HQ to collect his reimagined Land Rover from company founder Simon Dearn.

Urban Automotive was entrusted with the transformation of Olly’s beloved Defender 110, managing a comprehensive refresh just in time for the birth of his first child with wife Amelia.

He plans to use the car for his new life as a parent with family-focused activities such “staycations, camping holidays and tents”.

Olly’s choice of modifications included a full ‘Best of British’ exterior design pack, 18-inch Urban Cruiser alloys, LED lighting and upgraded suspension, giving the iconic 4×4 an aggressive new look.

Urban Automotive’s team also carried out a light restoration and paintwork refresh, leaving the Defender 110 looking even better than when it originally left the factory.

The project presented an opportunity for the company to go back to its roots, because Urban Automotive was originally founded as a specialist for the original Land Rover Defender 90 and 110 models, building high-end vehicle conversions under the Urban Truck brand.

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Subaru Solterra review

We get behind the wheel of the Solterra mid-sized SUV – the first pure electric car from Subaru…

The Subaru brand has a relatively low profile here in the UK. Elsewhere, in countries such as the US and Australia, the Japanese company’s cars are more appreciated and sell in much bigger numbers.

Subaru’s very capable 4x4s are renowned for their durability, and traditionally, owners are intensively loyal, holding onto their cars for longer than any rivals.

Quite what they will make of the all-new Solterra is another matter because it’s sayonara to Subaru’s signature boxer engines and effective ‘symmetrical’ four-wheel drive system.

Before we begin, let’s deal with the elephant in the room, because the Solterra has been co-developed with the Toyota bZ4X and Lexus RZ.

In fact, it’s manufactured alongside its cousins in the same plant at Motomachi, Japan, and they all share the same e-TNGA platform.

It also bears more than a passing resemblance to the Toyota and Lexus. However, there are some key differences.

The most important is that Subaru has kept things simple with the Solterra, which is only available in twin-motor four-wheel-drive form. That also means it has a higher starting price than some single-motor rivals.

There are just two trim choices too – entry-level Limited (£49,995) and top-spec Touring (£52,995). Both seem to be almost identical mechanically, which means they share a 71.4kWh battery pack and two electric motors, producing a combined total of 215bhp and 249lb ft of torque – enough for 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds.

Significantly, Limited has a claimed range of 289 miles, while Touring tops out at 257 miles. The only obvious difference between the two is that the latter has 20-inch wheels (Limited has 18s) and Touring weighs 25kg more.

In other words, on paper it’s hard to justify the extra few thousand quid for a shorter range and a few spec upgrades such as an electric passenger seat, (synthetic) leather and a passenger door mirror that tilts when reversing.

As Subaru customers would expect, the 4×4 system is permanent, plus there’s an X-Mode button which helps you navigate tougher terrain such as deep mud, snow and steep, slippery slopes — all in a controlled, calm way.

We tried some light off-roading and the Downhill Assist Control, the speed of which can be adjusted via a simple switch on the steering wheel, is particularly effective.

What’s more, with a minimum ground clearance of 210mm, it can tackle trips some EV competitors can’t and it has a water-fording wading depth. It’s also worth noting that the Solterra has a towing capacity of just 750kg.

Inside, it’s not unlike Subarus of old in that it has a feel of functionality and durability, but it is a tad dark and drab.

Like its Japanese cousins, there’s the same unconventional layout for the driver. In other words, they share the same Peugeot-esque low steering wheel position and high instrument binnacle, plus centrally mounted 12.4-inch infotainment touchscreen.

That said, it is easy to get used to the driving position and the infotainment system works well.

There’s plenty of room for adults to sit comfortably in the rear, while the boot capacity is a useful 452 litres (441 litres in the Touring version). On the minus side, there’s no ‘frunk’ under the bonnet to store charging cables and no glovebox inside.

It’s well equipped too and, as Subaru owners will like the fact that it boasts the latest safety equipment, achieving a maximum five-star rating from Euro NCAP.

All-round visibility is good, and if you need extra assurance, there’s a reversing camera and 360-degree surround-view monitor. Our only gripe is that there’s no rear wiper, which is OK in light rain, but a nuisance on filthy motorway journeys.

On the road the Subaru Solterra feels solid, composed and surprisingly agile for a relatively large, heavy car.

Push it on more challenging roads and body roll is kept to a minimum, there’s also plenty of grip and the steering turns in keenly.

There are three driving modes (Eco, Normal and Power). As ever, Eco dulls the driving experience, so it’s fine on motorway runs, but Normal is best for everyday tootling along, while Power is fun for overtaking.

Even though the 71.4kWh battery and two motors are on the modest side compared to some competitors, the Solterra seems to have plenty of poke.

Unlike some EVs, the brakes are fairly progressive, while brake regeneration can be adjusted via paddles mounted behind the steering wheel.

One final thought. If you test drive a Solterra, choose a smooth stretch of road and listen out for noise. Our Touring spec test car wasn’t quite the whisper-quiet experience we’d hoped for. Harsh, when even a bit of wind noise is noticeable in an EV, but we’ve come to expect no more than a distant wine from those electric motors.

As for charging, it’s capable of delivering an 80% boost in as little as 30 minutes via its (average) 150kW fast-charging system. The same charge at home will take 7-8 hours. Our charging experience wasn’t ideal because the weather was cold, so we couldn’t match the 30-minute target time or get close to the advertised charge rate.

Perhaps more importantly, our Touring spec Solterra only gets a 257-mile range, which in real-world driving is closer to 200 miles, so not ideal. What’s more, if you switch on the heating, for example, the range takes another hit. As we said before, stick with entry-level Limited spec for those extra miles of range.

Looking in the small print, the Solterra is covered by a three-year/60,000-mile warranty (whichever is sooner). However, the bZ4X benefits from Toyota’s warranty which covers your vehicle for 10 years (up to 100,000 miles), provided your car is serviced by a Toyota dealer.

The Solterra’s electric SUV rivals include everything from the Tesla Model Y, Skoda Enyaq iV and Nissan Ariya to the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5.

So, the Solterra isn’t perfect, but don’t be put off. We like it, and in fact, we’d say it just edges the bZ4X.

Verdict: The handsome Subaru Solterra SUV is a confident EV debut. It’s not without a few gripes, but overall it delivers an assured drive, it’s easy to live with, well equipped, safe and spacious.

Subaru UK

Toyota bZ4X review

It’s fair to say that Toyota is a little late to the EV party. Despite the fact that it was a hybrid technology pioneer 25 years ago with the Prius, it’s taken until 2022 for the Japanese giant to launch its first pure electric car in Europe.

So, I guess the big question is – has it been worth the wait? Before I attempt to answer that, let’s deal with the baby elephant in the room – how did it end up with a name like the bZ4X?

Well, to put it simply, it’s the first model in Toyota’s “Beyond Zero” family of zero emission battery electric vehicles, while the ‘4’ references the size of the car (mid-sized) and ‘X’ denotes it’s a 4×4 crossover/SUV.

Slightly longer, lower and wider than a RAV4, the bZ4X has been co-developed with Subaru (its version is called the Solterra) and it’s available with front or four-wheel drive.

Your choice of drive will have an impact on your car’s performance and range. The FWD version (201bhp) offers up to 317 miles of range and a 0-62mph time of 7.5 seconds, while the 4×4 option (215bhp) has a lower range of about 286 miles, but is quicker off the mark (6.9 seconds).

Priced from £41,000, Toyota’s is going big on peace of mind, also offering the bZ4X via an intriguing new, all-inclusive monthly leasing scheme that covers the vehicle, maintenance, wall box charger and access to connected services.

Meanwhile, the battery is supported by an optional extended care programme for owners, guaranteeing battery capacity of 70% after 10 years or 1,000,000km (620,000 miles) driven.

The bZ4X also benefits from Toyota’s standard Relax warranty which covers your vehicle for 10 years (up to 100,000 miles), provided your car is serviced by a Toyota dealer.

Talking of the battery, the bZ4X’s 71.4kWh pack can be charged from 0-80% in around 30 minutes using a rapid 150kWh charger.

Four trims are offered, including entry-level ‘Pure’, which comes with goodies such as 18-inch alloy wheels, a reversing camera and smart entry.

‘Motion’ models look sportier thanks to big 20-inch alloy wheels, tinted windows and roof spoiler, while kit includes heated seats, wireless phone charging and a panoramic glass roof.

‘Vision’ is next up with standard equipment that includes heated and cooled front seats, a digital key that means you can open and start the car with your phone and synthetic leather upholstery.

We tested the top-of-the range Premier Edition model which comes with four-wheel drive as standard, plus a nine-speaker JBL sound system, and is priced from £51,550.

At first glance, the bZ4X looks like a sleeker, more futuristic RAV4. Get up closer and the design is more complex with an accent on aerodynamics in order to reduce drag and maximise range.

Inside, there’s a real feeling of space, light and visibility. Up front there’s a new driver-focused set-up with a low steering wheel and a 7.0-inch digital display which sits directly in the driver’s forward eyeline. Not quite as radical as Peugeot’s i-Cockpit, but still a change which works surprisingly well once you get used to it.

Praise too for the 12.3-inch touchscreen in the centre console. Slick with crisp graphics, thankfully Toyota hasn’t completely forsaken traditional buttons, so there’s less need to take your eyes off the road while you swipe through menus to access key functions.

It’s just a shame that there were some hard plastics used high up in the cabin, while the driver’s instrument binnacle structure is a fairly flimsy affair.

On the plus side, there’s stacks of space in the back for passengers, while the boot has a useful 452-litre luggage capacity, though sadly there’s no space for a frunk in the “engine bay” to store your cables.

The first thing you notice on the road is the smooth ride and the refinement inside the cabin.

Just like all EVs, there’s plenty of instant torque available. However, the acceleration is perfectly pitched if you floor it, rather than gut-wrenching like some rivals.

There’s a little body roll on more challenging corners, but then the bZ4X is more comfortable cruiser than performance SUV. No complaints about grip and traction either.

It’s easy to drive and Toyota has tried to make it as simple as possible with its automatic brake regeneration (a system that recharges the battery by harvesting power otherwise wasted during deceleration).

Maybe I’m the odd one out, but I prefer the ability to adjust regen settings manually (as is more often the case). Weirdly, the Subaru Solterra includes just such a feature.

Our test car came equipped with the X-Mode four-wheel drive system which has settings for snow/mud; deep snow and mud and Grip Control for tougher off-road driving (below 6mph), so it should be able to cope on those few days of the year when extreme weather makes the headlines.

We went through various exercises to test its off-road capability and it passed with flying colours. Few bZ4X owners will ever stretch it to its limits, but there’s a hill-descent control, low-speed crawl control and it can wade through a depth of 500mm.

Any more gripes? Well yes, just a couple. There’s no glovebox and far more annoyingly, no rear wiper (it’s been sacrificed on the altar of aerodynamic efficiency).

Oh, and in answer to the question I posed way back at the beginning of this article. Yes, the bZ4X has been worth the wait.

Rivals include everything from the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Skoda Enyaq iV and Audi Q4 e-tron to the Volkswagen ID.4,Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Verdict: The all-new Toyota bZ4X is a welcome addition to the long-range electric SUV scene – smooth, spacious and surprisingly capable, it’s the peace of mind choice.

Toyota UK

Jeep Compass 4xe review

We drive the impressive new plug-in hybrid version of Jeep’s mid-sized SUV…

When I first drove the Jeep Compass soon after its launch in 2018, I really wanted to like it. It was practical and looked good, but for me it was let down by an unsophisticated diesel engine, disappointing fuel economy and an underwhelming interior.

Fast forward to 2022 and Jeep has added a new plug-in hybrid version to the revamped Compass range, which will battle it out with other PHEV SUVs including the Ford Kuga, Kia Sportage, Toyota RAV4, Vauxhall Grandland and Volkswagen Tiguan.

Using much the same plug-in hybrid system as the smaller Renegade 4xe (which is no bad thing), the new Compass 4xe has also been facelifted inside and out, and gets a technology update.

Like all PHEVs, the Compass 4xe offers the best of both worlds, delivering some of the experience of an EV without any of the associated range anxiety.

My test car was fitted with the most powerful version of the hybrid system used in the Renegade, producing a combined total of 237bhp from the 1.3-litre turbo petrol unit. There are two electric motors and there’s assistance from a 11.4kWh battery.

On the road, the Compass works out when it’s best to operate on electric, petrol, or a combination of both, to give the ideal performance in any given situation.

The EV mode lasts for up to 30 miles at speeds of up to 80mph, which means visits to the garage will become rare occasions for low mileage users. As with all PHEVs, it works most efficiently if you can charge the battery overnight or at work (less than two hours using a 7.4kW chargeppoint).

There are potentially huge fuel savings to be made, but even on long journeys where most of the time is spent on motorways using the petrol engine with hybrid assistance, it can return around 40mpg.

First impressions are good. The mild makeover, which includes new full LED headlights and a revamped seven-slot grille, gives the Compass a fresh new look and more road presence.

The biggest changes are reserved for the cabin which seems to have been given a complete overhaul, with better build quality, more of an upmarket feel and bang up to date technology.

Standard features include a 10.25-inch driver’s digital instrument cluster and the latest 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 centre console infotainment system which features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

There’s also a “Hey Jeep” voice assistant for hands-free adjustment of the air conditioning and media, or setting the TomTom sat nav. Slick and crisp, the new infotainment set-up is a huge improvement.

The new Compass is a surprisingly refined cruiser, and you’d never know the engine is so dinky, given the overall amount torque on tap.

Obviously the engine becomes more vocal if you floor it and it’s no hot hatch on kickdown, but for the record, the petrol hybrid combo can deliver a 0-60mph time of just 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 124mph.

More importantly for many, CO2 emissions are as low as 45g/km, meaning business users can access significant tax benefits.

There’s the occasional hesitancy when switching between electric and hybrid – and vice versa – but the system works well generally. And compared to some PHEVs fitted with CVT gearboxes, the traditional six-speed automatic transmission is a breath of fresh air.

Basic drive modes available include Hybrid, Electric and E-save, which stores up the battery energy for use at a later stage while maintaining range or can convert the engine into a generator to charge up battery.

There are also Auto, Sport, Snow, Sand, and Mud modes. And as you’d expect from a serious off-roader, there’s also 4WD low ratio, 4WD lock and hill descent.

I tried a little green-laning and it coped admirably on road tyres. Compared to the opposition, it’s one of the most capable 4×4 off-roaders with plenty of traction and healthy ground clearance.

Even if you only use a tiny percentage of that ability, it’s good to know that it can in theory cope with rough terrain or extreme weather conditions, such a flooding.

A commanding driving position, compact exterior proportions, supportive leather seats and driving assistance tech (including a reversing camera as standard and an optional 360-degree camera), mean that progress in the Compass 4xe is comfortable and classy.

The Compass handles well, feels composed and is easy to manoeuvre in town. For a relatively heavy car, it’s even quite entertaining to drive, especially in Sport mode, with body lean under control and decent grip.

Overall cabin space is not class leading, but there’s room for two adult-sized passengers in the rear, while luggage capacity is slightly down on a regular Compass, offering a modest 420 litres (1,239 litres with the rear seats flipped down).

The update means the Compass 4xe is now packed with the latest safety kit too, ranging from autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and Traffic Sign Recognition to Drowsy Driver Alert and LaneSense Departure Warning.

It’s also the first Jeep vehicle in Europe to offer level 2 autonomous driving. Highway Assist combines adaptive cruise control and lane centring, enabling the car to automatically adjust its speed and trajectory.

Priced from £39,895, there are two trim levels – the ‘S’ or the more off-road orientated ‘Trailhawk’.

Verdict: With the introduction of plug-in hybrid technology, the Jeep Compass is now the car it always should have been. Comfortable, refined, well built, economical, easy to drive and packed with the latest tech, the 4xe is one of the best and most capable 4×4 PHEVs on the market.

Jeep UK