Review of the year - November 09
The rule book is ripped up as we devise some fresh and exciting tests to help you choose your next car
November was one of the most varied months of the year for our testers, as we produced some radically different-looking tests.
First, we examined the entire market for our green A to Z, and then we picked the best cars from eight market segments for our epic depreciation-busting rundown. We did find time for one conventional test this month, though, as we put the new BMW X1 through its paces – but then we changed things around again for a giant six-car group test of the all-new Vauxhall Astra. We believe this kind of variety makes our road tests more interesting, relevant and informative than ever, and readers can expect to see plenty of the same in the year ahead.
Despite the busy schedule, November is usually a quiet time for car launches, which can pose its own problems for our team. The busiest periods of the year are concentrated around the two major European car shows in March, at Geneva, and September, in either Paris or Frankfurt. As a result there is often a dearth of new metal arriving in showrooms in the run-up to Christmas for us to put through its paces.
As you can see, we made light of this with a host of exciting tests to help banish the onset of the winter blues. Also on test this month was the revised Kia Cee’d, complete with stop-start technology, the new-look Subaru Outback and the VW Scirocco TDI.
Click any of the links below to catch up with all the rest of the year's most exciting stories.
December
Verdict
Testers notes
When I was young I used to love the Christmas run-up – but not anymore. The shorter days that are part and parcel of a British winter play havoc with our road tests. With less time to get everything done before the sun goes down, you have to be really on the ball to get all the shots you need in a single day.
I thought our BMW X1 test would provide some welcome relief, because we planned to picture our three SUVs after dark. Lit up by the bright lights of Canary Wharf in London’s Docklands, what could possibly go wrong?
Well, our planned location proved to be out of action. So began a late-night tour of East London as we searched for a replacement.
Eventually we found a suitable spot with the glaring sky-scrapers as a dramatic backdrop. The fact we were taking the pictures in the dark was a godsend, too, as the scruffy location wouldn’t have passed muster in daylight.
It shows that thinking on your feet is an essential job requirement for any budding car photographers…
Otis Clay
Staff photographer
