Driven - Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

Colin Hubbard reviews the Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG, a sort of super hot hatch/crossover.

Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

Typically Mercedes' have been bought by the more mature driver but when the new A Class was launched it appealed to a whole new and younger market. It has been a huge success, not only because it's great looking in base spec but also because it's a very capable front wheel drive car. The market is constantly evolving and now SUVs and more importantly mini-SUVs and crossovers are selling like hot cakes.

The Evoque, Kuga and Q3 have stolen many sales from the hatchback market, even with their inflated list prices, and Mercedes has hit back hard with the GLA, a mini SUV based on the A class.

At a first glance it looks like an A Class on raised springs and fitted with bigger wheels but have a good look at the body and you will notice they are completely different.

Starting at the front the headlights dip into a deeper front bumper and the front side air intakes are enlarged to highlight the taller front end. The bonnet features an extra pair of ridges running equidistance to the outside ridges, a nod to the 300SL Gullwing of old, which give an aggressive stance when viewed in a rear view mirror.

Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

At the sides the wheel arches are widened and increased in diameter to be able to the swallow larger wheels and tyres fitted to GLAs. The side profile appears to be bulked out like an A Class on steroids.

Black plastic wheel arch trims are fitted along with some black nobbly effect side skirts to create the impression of an off roader's extended wheel arches.

The A Class's lower body crease that kicks up from the front door to the rear light is now more restrained and runs a lower line to the top of the wheel level. The rear door window line kicks up at the rear to highlight the more curvaceous body.

At the rear the lights are much deeper and are split in half by the tailgate but add to the aggression in the bodywork.

The GLA45 AMG is fitted with the attention grabbing aero pack consisting of 'flics' on the front bumper, a deep front splitter and a rear aerofoil which give it a look like it's after a fight with something exotic.

The test car is not front wheel drive, instead all wheels are driven, not because it wants to go off road but because this is the range topping GLA45AMG. This means the car is fitted with the same rip-snorting 4 pot motor from the A45AMG, a 2 litre 4 cylinder unit but with a weapons-grade turbo-charger and some very special AMG engineering. The little 4 pot creates a staggering 177bhp per litre giving a total output of 355bhp.

It is a very special engine and an in AMG tradition is built by just one man and fitted with a plaque on top of the engine cover signed off in this case by Tobias Rohler. This restores confidence in the highly tuned motor in that is isn't simply a highly boosted, small capacity engine but a hand built unit designed to operate under extreme pressure but with everyday reliability.

Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

Front wheel drive wouldn't cut it with all that power and 332 ft/lb torque so it is fitted with a Haldex all wheel drive system. It's front wheel drive until it detects slip then a clutch in the rear axle engages and up to 50% of the power is sent to the back wheels. Sounds complicated, it is, but it works effortlessly and so quickly you just don't know it is anything other than all wheel drive.

The gearbox is a 7 speed twin clutch unit. Sadly there's no manual option but it is all is forgiven when you experience the full power upshifts and rev matched downshifts. The ratios are well stepped for hard acceleration but 7th is a good cruising gear keeping the engine revs low.

The suspensions is fixed rate, there is no adjustability but this works just fine, the set up is fairly hard but perfectly damped with the larger tyres helping go soak up bumps in the road. It is extremely well balanced so B road stability is fantastic and will give a supercar a hard time in these conditions.

Tested back to back with the A45 AMG and on the same roundabout the GLA is actually the more stable car. I found it gripped and controlled itself better than the lower car. This is strange as the higher centre of gravity should have the opposite effect but the larger alloys and taller tyres with a longer rolling radius and a wider track offer greater balance and control.

What it gains in traction it loses slightly in outright agility as the A45 can dart about changing direction quickly and easily whereas the GLA takes that nano second longer to register your inputs.

Inside and the cabin shares only the dash with the A class and the whole interior feels that little more elevated. The front seats look amazing with fixed headrests and flashes of red and polished alloy detailing but also hold you in really well without feeling too tight. A little like a baseball glove in that they are comfortable but hold you in place millimetre perfect.

Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

The dash is a quality affair with a stitched leather top section and real carbon fibre panelling on the front with Mercedes' tablet style multifunction display in the centre. I wasn't a fan of the tablet protruding from dash design when it was launched in the A Class but with time it grows on you, like a Bangle 5 series or the Audi A4 (B7) with the large chromed front grille, now they look great and completely natural.

The steering wheel is a thick and feelsome, and nicely trimmed with leather and Alcantara but with polished alloy on the base so through corners as the wheel moves in your hands you feel the cool sensation of the aluminium between fingers and thumbs.

In the back and it feels about the same size as the A Class but the tall front seats and deep doors with rising rear edges make it feel quite claustrophobic. The additional height means a bigger boot area so it has a useful 140 litres over the A Class's 341 litres.

On the road the GLA45 is a bit of an animal, but not in the same way as the A45 is; they are quite different cars altogether. The A45's perfect habitat would be a race track or some deserted roundabouts in Milton Keynes where it can go dart around flat - it's a little headbanger of a car. The GLA is the more car refined car and would be as happy outside Selfridges as it would be on a gravel rally stage.

The shells are structurally different and it is obvious when driving the two cars back to back as they  have identical power trains and engines with the sports exhausts fitted but the GLA is a little more muted and stable than the A45.

Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

When I say muted I don't mean Prius quiet, there's still the same smile-generating snap, crackle and pop from the rear end like, Mercedes have fitted a popping candy dispenser in the backboxes but it is less manic. Part of this could be the GLA's higher ground clearance but I also suspect there is additional sound deadening fitted.

The performance is only marginally dulled over the A45 with 0-62mph taking only 4.8 seconds and stopping only at 155mph on the limiter. That's only part of the picture as the engine is a real gem, not a laggy unit like highly-tuned 4-pots of old but a reliable, smooth, tractable powerhouse that feels like a much bigger capacity lump.

The gearbox keeps the engine nicely on the boil when in sport mode by keeping the revs high and bounces off the rev limiter with ease at full throttle which in turn releases quite an explosion from the exhausts. Gear changes are snappily quick as the second clutch has the next gear pre-selected.

The other modes on the gearbox are Manual, for use with the wheel mounted paddles, and Controlled Efficiency for everyday driving, which helps achieve the combined 37.7mpg. It's much more relaxed in efficiency mode and just the hard ride reminds you of the true potential of the car.

It is telling that manufacturers are now producing smaller cars with big car rivalling performance and interior quality so no longer do you need to buy a big car to get glorious performance and a luxurious cabin. Cars like the GLA and Audi A1 are showing what's in store for the future when there will less room to park and less fuel to use so nobody actually needs that big car anymore.

As a package it's a great all rounder, just high enough to satisfy the types who want something more of an elevated driving position for security yet small enough to be able manoeuvre around and park easily. Combined with that brutal engine and well set up chassis it is a really entertaining and enjoyable car to drive.

In 45 AMG guise the GLA is a stunning piece of kit combining aggressive rally car style looks, touring car performance but with a stylish functional interior. If you get the opportunity you should try one.

Stats

Price - £44,250 (as tested -  £53,080)
Engine - 2.0 litre, inline 4, turbocharged, petrol
Transmission - 7-speed dual clutch auto
0-62mph - 4.8 seconds
Top speed - 155 mph (limited)
Power - 355 bhp
Torque - 332 lb ft
Economy - 37.7mpg (combined)
CO2 - 175 g/km
Kerb weight - 1,585 kg

Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG

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What Is It With New SUVs With Stupid Names And Horrible Designs?

The SUV as a concept has been around a long time. Range Rover invented it and still makes the best one, with the best name, but some newcomers look daft and have awful names.

Range Rover Evoque convertible (photoshop)

A pure SUV remains a reasonably sensible car but generally one that is compromised if it isn't actually used off road, although for sheer presence as well as cruising capability, refinement and luxury the Range Rover still beats an S-Class, A8, 7-Series or even XJ.

What was once a niche is now mainstream and has spliced into various niches - the crossover is not quite SUV/not quite car but a combination of the two. I'm tended not to like the concept but a) I'm buying one (a Volvo XC60) and b) the Porsche Macan is a crossover and it's brilliant.

The SUV coupe is an SUV with a fastback rear end and is thoroughly horrible. They drive well enough but the very idea is just wrong. Car enthusiasts with taste hate them but rich, tasteless customers buy them in their droves - along with chunky gold jewellery, bejewelled bum bags (fanny packs if you're American) and white trousers.

And then we come to the SUV convertible and the forthcoming Range Rover Evoque cabriolet. Oh dear me. The Evoque is a tidy little car, I'd have leased one but the XC60 deals were much cheaper, but as a cabriolet? No way, Hosé.

Just recently a splurge of SUVs have been announced and each one has something stupid about it.

A Bentley SUV was always going to be inevitable and its looks were always going to be big, brash, brazen and not exactly subtle but why, oh why has Bentley called it the Bentayga? (They have, it's official). It takes only a little imagination and the mind of a child (99% of the male population) to work out the unfortunate anagrams available from Bentayga. The pic, by the way, is a photoshop but a pretty accurate one.

Bentley Bentayga - photoshop

Maserati has given its new SUV a pretty stupid name too - it's called the Levante. Levante is East in Spanish - really, Maserati? It will be based on the Kubang concept, which was a nasty looking SUV/crossover/coupe.

Maserati Kubang concept

Jaguar's crossover is called the F-Pace. It looks great but what the hell is that name all about?

And then we get the the grand-daddy of stupid SUVs, the BMW X6, an idiotic leviathan of a thing that has spawned both the horrible X4 and the dreadful Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé.

Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé - this is a press photo, not a photoshop

Hyundai has also joined the fray. At the Detroit Motor Show they've just revealed the Santa Cruz, a five seat SUV pickup. Yep, another niche.

Hyundai Santa Cruz concept

Amidst all this stupid nomenclature, obnoxious design and general buffoonery Volvo flies the flag for sensible naming and classy lines. Thank goodness for that. The new XC90 is fab. Well done, Volvo.

2015 Volvo XC90

By Matt Hubbard

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The Curious Case Of The Exceedingly Hot Hatchbacks

Today's cars are not only driven by market forces but by legislation. European emissions rules have meant that our cars are lighter, cleaner, more efficient and produce more power per cc than ever before. The advance of technology, and some very clever engineering, has meant some niche cars are becoming ever more powerful. Enter the super hatch.

2015 Audi RS3

Not that long ago a hot hatch struggled to produce 100bhp from a 1.8 litre naturally aspirated engine. Turbocharging added a few more bhp but the hatchbacks on which the hot versions were based got heavier and relative performance hardly advanced.

In 2002 the Focus RS was launched - it produced 212bhp from a 2.0 turbocharged engine. In 2004 the Mk5 Golf GTi turned the clock back for VW, it was lighter and more powerful than the Mk4. The Mk2 Focus RS was launched in 2009 and produced 301bhp from a 2.5 turbocharged engine. The Golf GTi Mk7 has 198bhp from a 2.0 turbocharged engine - no more than its Mk5 predecessor.

The Golf GTi has never produced the most power of any hot hatch of its era but it's always had the most balanced chassis. The Focus RS was a torque steering monster, the Mk5 Golf GTi a beautifully supple performance car that could cock an inside rear wheel.

What's really moved things along has been the advent of four wheel drive and advanced turbocharging. Whereas 100bhp per litre used to be the peak of performance we're now on the verge of a production 2.0 engine that produces 400bhp.

A 2-litre engine, albeit one festooned with turbos and superchargers, will fit in a family hatchback replete with comfortable seating for five and a decent boot for the dog. And because the car on which it is based is a mass produced model the price is reasonable.

This is great news.

Right now about the most outrageous hot hatch on the market is the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, in which AMG extracts a humungous 355bhp from a 2-litre engine. It'll do 0-60 in 4.3 seconds yet sips fuel at a rate of 40.9mpg. The price for all this hot hatchery is £38k so you do pay through the nose for it.

The A45 AMG behaves just like a sports car and handles better than a 20 year old supercar, although its engine displays signs of being stretched right to the limit - turbo lag is particularly noticeable from the off - and the brakes are grabby.

Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG

However five years ago those stats, including the price, would have been thought impossible by the man in the street who was looking to buy his next car. Whilst the world moves on, the car world is moving at a faster rate.

The Golf R produces a more reasonable 296bhp but is packaged such that it's an everyday useable hot hatch that happens to accelerate to 62mph in 4.9 seconds. In my review of the Golf R I said, "The Golf R is the most sensible, competent, grown up, fast, hot hatch that anyone would want. You could buy one and keep it forever, never wanting another car again. It's that good."

The difference between the Merc and the VW is that the A45 AMG sells itself as a performance car whereas the Golf takes everything in its stride. It's a calm, relaxing car that very nearly outperforms a Ferrari 360 but costs only £31k.

It's such a hit, and such a car of the people, that the waiting list is 8 months long. I would have bought one myself but am too impatient.

In 2016 Volkswagen will launch the Golf R400. Using the same 2-litre engine in the R it'll produce an astonishing 396bhp and put that power down with the latest Haldex four wheel drive system. 0-60 will be under 4 seconds, which means it really will outperform a Ferrari 360.

Volkswagen Golf R400

The newest entrant in the super hatch market is the latest Audi RS3. Available to order in March 2015 and in dealers in the summer the RS3 produces 362bhp from a 2.5-litre engine. It'll do 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 174mph.

174mph in a fancy Audi A3, which in itself is a fancy Golf, is so outrageous its a wonder some bureaucrat in Brussels isn't working out how to outlaw it.

You see, the best thing about these modern super hatches is that they are socially acceptable. The 80s hot hatches were frowned upon by 'decent' society, and stolen by so many proto-chavs that insurance premiums rose to such levels no-one could afford to run one. And because their power units have been developed at least partially as a result of increased efficiency they sip fuel.

In the not too distant future Mercedes is planning to hike the A45 AMG's power to 400bhp.

Take away four wheel drive and the competition in the front wheel drive hot hatch market is even more frenzied. The next Honda Civic Type R has 300bhp and has generated Hollywood levels of hype. The Peugeot 308 R will use the 1.6 litre 270bhp engine from the RCZ R. The next Focus RS will get 330bhp. Vauxhall, who's current Astra VXR produces 270bhp, will have a new, more powerful version out in 2016.

We live in an age where power is easier to access than at any time before. A normal family can have a 300bhp, 1400kg, sensible and sensibly priced hatchback in the drive and they won't be outed as scum by society. And it won't cost a great deal to tax, fuel and insure.

Supercars are for the rich, hot hatches and super hatches are for us ordinary folk who earn ordinary salaries. These are good times. Enjoy them. The internal combustion engine is nearing the end of its useful life.

One day we will look back on this era and think, wow they made amazing cars back in the mid-2010s.

Volkswagen Golf R

By Matt Hubbard

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Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe Review

Colin Hubbard reviews the Mercedes S63 AMG Coupe

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

The S-Class is Mercedes' flagship saloon and has long since been its pioneer of technology, showcasing new tech which filters down the range - then into other manufacturers cars which we drive today. Airbags and anti-lock Brakes both originate from the S Class and you'll struggle to find a new car without them now.

Mercedes has just released the coupé version of the current S-Class and, surprisingly, from launch it's only available as AMG model. A non AMG model will be available later this year along with a V12 AMG derivative.

Technically speaking there has previously been a coupé variant in the form of the CL (Coupe Long) but it was never in the limelight and the new tech was saved for the 4 door car.

The coupé is 26cm shorter than the saloon but is 15kg heavier, nevertheless a 10mm drop in ride height on revised suspensions settings along with the shorter length means it is more agile in the bends.

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

Power comes from the new 5.5 litre bi-turbo V8 rated at 577bhp, which is the unit that replaced the old 6.2 naturally aspirated V8. It is much smoother than the 6.2 and bulging with low down torque. With 664 lb/ft available from just over 2,000 revs it is effortless to drive.

The gearbox is a 7-speed conventional auto which drives the rear wheels only, although LHD markets get all wheel drive.

The chassis has adjustable dampers with air springs and the S-Class team has been working overtime to create 'Dynamic Curve.' This uses a front mounted camera to read the road ahead and, in conjunction with steering inputs,  tips the car into corners when steering angle is applied.

The brakes are large composite vented discs all round with 6 pot front and 4 pot rear calipers which sit behind optional 20' ten spoke alloys. 19' alloys are standard but would look a little lost in the arches.

The coupé has more than a passing resemblance to the BMW 6 series, especially the rear three quarter view but that's no bad thing. Ridges have been used to create tension in the body with 4 on the bonnet and 2 down each side which not only add attitude but also help strengthen the aluminium panels.

The headlights are all LED so not only do they provide an energy efficient clean beam they will also last longer than conventional headlights, that is unless they are stolen as they feature Swarovski crystals set into them. Very bling, very S-Class.

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

The side profile reveals a tall, pillarless body with shallow glass area.

There's no rear spoiler, not even a retractable one as it would ruin the lines. Instead it relies on a chunky rear diffuser and fairly discrete front splitter for aero duties.

The cabin is a strict 4 seater with some quite plump but supportive front chairs and 2 individual rear seats. The rear seats have much less legroom than the saloon but are adult comfortable all the same with sufficient legroom for a long journey. They are trimmed in perforated leather with complex silver stitching featuring cross patterns at the side that tapers off toward the top. The leatherwork detail is superb and on par with Crewe's finest coupé.

The rest of the materials have been carefully considered, the highlights being Swarovski crystals set into the ashtray lid in piano black lacquer and the headlining trimmed in Dinamica Microfibre which feels and looks like wet suede.

The 'floating' effect dash houses two large digital screens, the central one is for the sat nav mapping and reversing camera duties while the driver's side screen takes care of speedo, revs and the night vision display. When night vision is selected the speedo and rev counter gently roll outwards so the outside night view is a greater area.

The hi-fi is a £5,300 optional extra supplied by Burmester which consists of 24 speakers and a 24 channel amplifier delivering 1,520 watts. It uses the 24 channels to full effect to supply 3D surround sound to the cabin and the sound is epic, full of drama and huge volume. Not only is it crystal clear but the Burmester detailing around the speakers adds to the exclusivity of the cabin.

There is a vast amount of buttons littered around the cabin that seem quite overwhelming at first but on consideration are entirely necessary as there are so many functions I don't have the space to go into them all. To list but a few, there are heated armrests, heated and air cooled electrically operated seats, fragrance generator and head up display. The list is pretty goes on and to try to operate them all from the main system controller on the centre console would take far too long.

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

The engine starts with a throb and gets going with just a tickle of throttle, straight away it feels cosseting and comfortable as a big grand tourer should. Not as quiet as the saloon but then it is designed more as a driver's car than a chauffeur car so a little more engine noise is appropriate.

Play with the throttle a little more and it responds quickly to your inputs, with so much torque available from so little revs and the masses of sound deadening you could soon land yourself in trouble.

Full throttle reveals a dirty, bassy V8 rumble from the 4 shiny tailpipes, the previously subdued soundtrack now angry and immediate. The pull is spine-crushing and grip is outstanding in a straight line although you can feel the traction control delicately cutting power when exiting corners.

Time to try out the much hyped AMG 'Dynamic Curve' ride control now so I drop out of sport mode and into it. It's a weird feeling at first, when you start to move the wheel into a corner the outside effectively hardens up and the inners soften so a tipping motion is felt which makes the car feel quite edgy on tight roads.

Apparently it's noticeable externally and works exceptionally well at high speeds but at low speeds on winding roads it is edgy and sensitive. Like a Jack Russell waiting for you to throw a ball it is ready for your inputs in that you can feel the body twitch and move around with heavy steering inputs.

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

The actual ability when in this mode feels much tidier than in sport if you don't provoke it, it is genuinely usable not just a gimmick.

The coupé corners with more poise than the saloon, the slightly sportier set up and reduction in wheelbase have made it more agile and it feels almost effortless to drive fast. The vast external dimensions do genuinely feel like they shrink the faster you go.

Those plump front chairs do a great job of holding you in place when hustling along, not gripping like a vice more cocooning like a baseball glove.

It really does feel special place to spend time and is enjoyable and quite majestic to drive. This is much more the drivers car over the saloon.

Mercedes has nailed the luxury feel to such a level that its main rival is the Bentley Continental GT. Both cars are sporty yet luxurious coupés and having driven the CGT I'd say both are equally talented and would only be divided by personal taste.

The 4.0 V8 CGT is near enough the same price as the S63 but doesn't quite have the pace of the German car, if you want comparable performance you will need to find another £28k for the W12 Speed, making the S63 seem like a bit of bargain.

The S-Class Coupé S63 combines waftability with road crushing ability in a great looking package.

Stats

Price - £125,595 (£155,115 as tested)
Engine - 5.5 litre, V8, twin turbocharged, petrol
Transmission - 7-speed twin clutch auto
Drive - rear wheel drive
0-62mph - 4.2 seconds
Top speed - 186 mph (limited)
Power - 577 bhp
Torque - 664 lb ft
Economy - 28mpg (combined)
CO2 - 237 g/km
Kerb weight - 2,070 kg

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

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Mercedes-AMG GT - Photos, Specs And Price

This is the Mercedes-AMG GT, which is smaller and cheaper than the SLS and is pitched against the Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type.

Mercedes-AMG GT

Way to go Mercedes. The new curvaceous bodywork certainly splits opinions. It works on some cars but not so much on others, however on the AMG GT it works a treat.

You might have noticed the lack of Benz in the name. The GT was designed by AMG, the engine will be built by AMG in Affalterbach and the rest of the car in Sindelfingen by Mercedes-Benz.

It's a 2-seater sports car that weighs 1540kg and is powered by a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 mated to a 7-speed twin-clutch automatic transmission. The standard GT model gets 462bhp and 600Nm of torque whilst the GT S has 510bhp and 650Nm.  0-60 takes 4 seconds in the GT and 3.8 in the GT S. Top speeds are 189mph and 193bhp.

It's rear wheel drive and gets a mechanical limited slip diff in the GT and an electronically controlled version in the S.

Despite that V8 up front weight distribution is 47:53 front to rear.  The suspension is double wishbones front and back.  The GT S gets electronically controlled damping whilst it's passive in the GT.

Prices have yet to be officially released but Autocar reports that the GT will cost £95,000 and the GT DS £110,000.

The Mercedes-AMG GT will be available in the UK from April 2015.

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-AMG GT

By Matt Hubbard

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Back To Skule - Five SUVs Worth Considering For The School Run

It's September once again, the school holidays are over and you've got to get up that bit earlier and take the kids to school in the family car.  Here are five SUVs that will make the school run that bit easier.  Click on the car's name for a full review.

Range Rover Evoque

The Evoque is one of the very best SUVs because it delivers the benefits of an SUV (tall driving position, extra space, off-road ability) without compromise and with dollops of style. For a stick in the mud such as me who prefers the driving position and cornering ability of a normal car the Evoque is the one to have.  It's a little expensive but the engine is great (although more thirsty than the official stats would have you believe), the interior is best in class and it looks great.  It also has a Range Rover badge on the boot but costs half what a real Rangie would set you back. Buy the 5-door for practicality.

Toyota RAV4

The old RAV4 looked drab and was a bit basic. The new RAV4 is light years ahead in every area.  On paper the Toyota RAV4 is no better car than any other mid-size SUV but drive one for a while and you really start to appreciate the small details that add up to make it a much better than anything else in the price range. It has no rough edges, no annoyances or things you would want to change. It could do with leather seats as standard but that's the only fault I could find with it.

Volvo XC60

The XC60 is probably a bit more expensive than you would expect but this is all part of Volvo re-aligning itself as a premium brand. The XC60 is typical of any modern Volvo in that the interior is amazingly accomplished, the tech is better than anything short of an S-Class, the ride is refined rather than sporty and the engines (now Volvo is building its own) are superb. Go for the D4 which delivers 50mpg on a run.

Mercedes-Benz GLA

When I first saw the GLA I didn't like it, when I drove the GLA I was expecting to hate it - but I didn't. It really is a great little car. It's basically a beefed up A-Class so has that car's space but the interior feels better and the GLA looks better than the A. Its interior is almost as good as an XC60's, its engine returns more mpg than almost all the competition, it drives more as a car than an SUV and it's a Mercedes-Benz. Just don't buy one in white which makes it look more drab than it should.

Subaru Outback

The Outback is the outsider. It isn't a classic SUV but is a jacked up estate car masquerading as a sort-of SUV. However it is quite brilliant. Jeremy Clarkson called the old Outback the 'perfect car' and, having owned two, I wouldn't disagree. This generation is a bit duller on the outside but is more accomplished elsewhere. Of all these SUVs the Outback is the one I bonded with the most. Its only real let-down is an utterly crap infotainment system which has Bluetooth but is almost impossible to use, and doesn't have DAB. Otherwise it pretty much is the perfect SUV.

By Matt Hubbard

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