Road Test Review – September

Legends return, but with mixed fortunes
Another month, another crop of headline-grabbing new cars! With the press full of rumours of recession, car makers worked harder than ever in 2008 to get buyers into showrooms with a constant flow of fresh models. And we’re always on hand to let you know whether a newcomer is worth your hard-earned cash.

That often means saying what people don’t want to hear. The closure of MG Rover’s plant at Longbridge, W Mids, has been the biggest loss to British car manufacturing in recent years. The return of a select few models and a basic assembly line has been a long time coming – and in September, the first Chinese- owned cars arrived here.

The MG TF reappeared with minor changes, aiming to compete at the highest level from day one. While we were willing it to succeed, it was our duty to test it against a class leader – so we collected our car from Longbridge and put it up against a Mazda MX-5. The result was a predictable win for the Japanese model, with the TF recording a mixed bag of results. Four stars for styling showed the shape’s enduring appeal, but its interior got a one star rating– showing how far cabin design has come.

We were less likely to face a backlash with our review of the reborn Volkswagen Scirocco. But we were just as disappointed – as we found it was neither as special as a fully fledged coupé nor as entertaining as a red-blooded hot hatch.

MG is back!
MG TF LE500 vs Mazda MX-5 (Issue 1,029). One of Britain’s favourite marques returned in September. MG needed an all-new model, but it ended up with a mild makeover of an obsolete roadster. While we found lots to like about the revised TF, it could never compete with the latest Mazda MX-5. MG fans should wait for cheaper, lower-spec TFs, which will make more sense than the LE500 flagship.

Scirocco returns
Volkswagen Scirocco vs Alfa Brera vs BMW 1-Series Coupé vs Audi TT (Issue 1,028). Another legend was reborn in September, and again we had high hopes. The Scirocco holds a special place in the hearts of many motoring fans, so VW’s new version had to meet some tough expectations. We pitched it against three talented coupé competitors to see whether it could offer a cut-price alternative to the sporting establishment. It was beaten only by the Audi – a respectable result – while keen pricing helped the new Scirocco finish ahead of the BMW 125i Coupé and Alfa’s Prodrive-tuned Brera S.

Land Rovers test
Sixty years of Land Rover heritage special (Issue 1,029). It’s not every day that Britain’s favourite 4x4 brand celebrates its 60th birthday. To mark Land Rover’s momentous anniversary, we raided the firm’s heritage collection – and brought you a unique test of seven of the most important and influential models it has ever made. And this was no static evaluation. We went mud-plugging in every off-roader, before reaching our verdict. In the end, the 4x4 judged to have the most enduring appeal was the legendary Land Rover Defender. Watch the modern Land Rovers here, and the classic Landies here.

Pence per mile special
Skoda Octavia, VW Golf, Suzuki Grand Vitara, MINI, Smart ForTwo (Issue 1,031). The vast quantity of statistics manufacturers make available is one of the greatest resources for new car buyers. But what do they all mean? Here we focused on explaining the ‘pence-per-mile’ figure, and revealed the models that took the least money to travel one mile in five key classes.

You might be surprised to see the MINI as one of our winners, while Skoda’s Octavia remains a budget-friendly family car. The short-wheelbase Suzuki Grand Vitara also made an appearance, and the VW Golf and Smart ForTwo completed our group of hardworking penny-pinchers. Even if none of these suits your needs, be sure to check out a car’s pence per mile stats before you buy.

Tester’s notes
Ford keeps it in the family
When everyone had just returned from summer holidays in September, thoughts of cramming cars with everything from pushchairs to surfboards were on our mind.

So we set about finding the ultimate family carrier. But as soon as we sat down to decide which models to include in our ultimate practicality test, we quickly realised that the best models in each sector had one thing in common – they all wore a blue oval badge.

That’s why we ended up going to Ford’s Dagenham plant in Essex for our photoshoot. The main picture was taken under the commuter traffic on the elevated part of the A13, which bisects the site. This test struck a chord with me, as an original Ford Focus sits on my driveway at home. It has never let the Pinnock family down, and I’m amazed at how modern and capable it still feels.

The latest Focus Estate, Mondeo, S-MAX and Kuga all fit the family car brief incredibly well – so I just need to decide which will take the place of our car when it eventually expires!
Ross Pinnock
Road tester