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Road tests

Volvo S40 2.4i S

Volvo S40 2.4i S

Anyone who has feet that fall between two of the UK's standardised measures will know how hard it is to find a shoe shop that stocks your particular h…
Road tests
9 Mar 2004
BMW 645Ci Convertible

BMW 645Ci Convertible

If you bought a new 6-Series, then chances are you'd want people to see you in it. After all, the latest 6 is the best interpretation yet of BMW styli…
Road tests
9 Mar 2004
Renault Megane 1.5 dCi 100 Exp

Renault Megane 1.5 dCi 100 Exp

In this day and age, is there any point getting excited about 0-60mph times and top speeds? With strict limits and ever-increasing congestion putting …
Road tests
3 Mar 2004
Chrysler 300C

Chrysler 300C

Recycling cars is nothing new, but DaimlerChrysler does it in style. Rather than simply rework the raw materials, it uses its designs again.
Road tests
3 Mar 2004
Vauxhall Astra SRi CTDI

Vauxhall Astra SRi CTDI

Fancy a flutter? We'd put money on this car being the surprise hit of the Astra range, and you don't need to be a diesel fan to fall for it.
Road tests
3 Mar 2004
Vauxhall Astra 2.0 Turbo SRi

Vauxhall Astra 2.0 Turbo SRi

Given all the hype surrounding the new Astra's launch, it's refreshing to note sports fans haven't been left out in the cold. While the 1.6-litre petr…
Road tests
3 Mar 2004
Kia Picanto 1.1

Kia Picanto 1.1

Don't be fooled - the Picanto is not a fiery new spicy sauce for chilli lovers. Rather, it's the long-awaited replacement for the Kia Pride city car, …
Road tests
2 Mar 2004
Mazda 3 TD S saloon

Mazda 3 TD S saloon

Time was when Japanese manufacturers were reluctant to build diesel engines for their cars. But strong European sales mean they can no longer ignore o…
Road tests
25 Feb 2004
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII 260

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII 260

Entry-level performance cars often leave drivers feeling a bit short-changed. While they may be fun, their budget price can mean there's a significant…
Road tests
25 Feb 2004
Citroen Xsara Picasso 110 HDi

Citroen Xsara Picasso 110 HDi

There's no secret to the Xsara Picasso's sales success - its price. While the Citroen lacks the driver appeal of Ford's Focus C-MAX, the safety of Ren…
Road tests
25 Feb 2004
Mercedes Sports Coupe C230K SE

Mercedes Sports Coupe C230K SE

It might have been around for more than three years, but the Mercedes Sports Coupe is still a rare sight on British roads. Could this be because it fa…
Road tests
24 Feb 2004
Mercedes C55 AMG saloon

Mercedes C55 AMG saloon

Now the entire C-Class range has been given a sporty makeover, Mercedes has decided to offer a muscular flagship version. With a 5.4-litre 367bhp engi…
Road tests
24 Feb 2004
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Audi Le Mans quattro

Audi Le Mans quattro

The Le Mans quattro is to Audi what the Enzo is to Ferrari - a road car that's based on a world championship-winning racer. With some justification, A…
Road tests
24 Feb 2004
Volkswagen Sharan Carat TDI

Volkswagen Sharan Carat TDI

Although the VW Sharan and Ford Galaxy are basically the same vehicle, UK buyers have always preferred the blue oval machine. However, things could be…
Road tests
18 Feb 2004
Nissan Cube

Nissan Cube

Dear Mr Harris, at last you can stop writing us letters. Ever since Nissan's Cube first appeared in Auto Express, we've had scores of readers asking w…
Road tests
17 Feb 2004
Daewoo Lacetti 1.6 SX

Daewoo Lacetti 1.6 SX

When the Daewoo brand launched in the UK nine years ago, it was a success because the cars were easy to buy and run, thanks to a no-nonsense purchase …
Road tests
17 Feb 2004
Mercedes E500 4MATIC

Mercedes E500 4MATIC

There are certain things we take for granted in the executive saloon market: BMW and Mercedes build rear-wheel-drive cars, while Audi goes for front-d…
Road tests
10 Feb 2004
Lotus 111R

Lotus 111R

Americans haven't got the best environmental credentials, so it could come as a surprise to learn Lotus's Elise has never been allowed there because i…
Road tests
10 Feb 2004
Ford Focus C-MAX LX

Ford Focus C-MAX LX

Brushed Alcantara and leather bucket seats might look great in the showroom, but it's a well known fact that luxury trim and hide are no match for a y…
Road tests
10 Feb 2004
Toyota Avensis Verso T3 D-4D

Toyota Avensis Verso T3 D-4D

According to the English dictionary, Verso means the flip-side of a coin. By that reckoning, the new Avensis Verso should be wildly entertaining, dram…
Road tests
10 Feb 2004
Jaguar X-Type

Jaguar X-Type

As late arrivals go, Jaguar's long-awaited entry into the estate car market leaves Britain's notoriously unpredictable railway system looking punctual…
Road tests
10 Feb 2004
Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor

Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor

With BMW upsetting the traditionalists with its outrageous approach to styling, it looks as though rivals are treading a softer design path, hoping to…
Road tests
10 Feb 2004
Audi A8L 6.0 quattro

Audi A8L 6.0 quattro

It takes a while to realise just how refined the Audi A8 W12 really is. It's not when you first turn the key and hear the faint rumble ahead of you, o…
Road tests
3 Feb 2004
Chrysler PT Cruiser Cabrio

Chrysler PT Cruiser Cabrio

It's a fair bet that practicality is much lower down a convertible buyer's list of priorities than characterful styling. Small boots and cramped rear …
Road tests
3 Feb 2004
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Hyundai Getz 1.5 CRTD GSi

Hyundai Getz 1.5 CRTD GSi

A five-year warranty and three years' free servicing until the end of next month already make the Hyundai Getz an attractive proposition for those loo…
Road tests
3 Feb 2004
SEAT Ibiza FR

SEAT Ibiza FR

Sporty SEAT's have acquired a cult following over recent years, with the Cupra badge a byword for performance and value.
Road tests
3 Feb 2004
Audi S4 Avant

Audi S4 Avant

For a company that makes so much of its engineering skills, Audi's approach to the science of car building is not as straightforward as you might imag…
Road tests
27 Jan 2004
Alfa Romeo Spider

Alfa Romeo Spider

Just as people book holidays in the sun to cheer themselves up in the middle of winter, car buyers rush to order drop-tops to be ready for the first s…
Road tests
27 Jan 2004
Citroen C3 1.4i 16v

Citroen C3 1.4i 16v

Small cars are big business for Citroen, and with a vast array of engines and trims across three models - the C2, C3 and C3 Pluriel - there's somethin…
Road tests
27 Jan 2004
Renault Clio 1.5 dCi 100

Renault Clio 1.5 dCi 100

If you see a particularly smug-looking Clio driver, the chances are that the car has a diesel engine under the bonnet.
Road tests
27 Jan 2004
Flawed dual in Maserati crown

Flawed dual in Maserati crown

Buying a Maserati has always been an emotional decision - it's a matter of the heart versus the head. Although very few car makers produce models that…
Road tests
27 Jan 2004
Peugeot 206 1.6 SE Tiptronic

Peugeot 206 1.6 SE Tiptronic

Peugeot has decided to improve its conventional automatic and launched the only car in its class with a Tiptronic function.
Road tests
20 Jan 2004
Nissan's big idea

Nissan's big idea

What happens when you cross an MPV with an SUV? That's a question Nissan's designers pondered in an ideas session a couple of years ago. The answer, t…
Road tests
20 Jan 2004
Honda S2000

Honda S2000

The Honda S2000 has always been schizophrenic. If you took last year's model on a test track, you'd think it was a well balanced, perfectly planted an…
Road tests
20 Jan 2004
Clio's winning number

Clio's winning number

There was a time when a small car with a three-figure power output could be considered a hot hatch. The Peugeot 205 GTi, for example, mustered a mere …
Road tests
20 Jan 2004
Fiat Panda 1.2 Dynamic

Fiat Panda 1.2 Dynamic

The Panda has returned to Britain. No, not the bamboo-chewing variety, but Fiat's latest incarnation of its urban runabout. Famed for making affordabl…
Road tests
20 Jan 2004
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