Automotive Simplicity

I've always valued simplicity in a car. Give me just what I need and no more. More equals weight and weight is bad. You have to put more effort into going forwards with more weight. You have to build bigger brakes and suffer stiffer suspension with more weight. This adds more expense, more complexity and yet more weight.

Yet complexity for the sake of complexity seems to be the way we are heading. As well as valuing simplicity I also value space, comfort and speed. I like a car to carry me emotionally as well as physically. I once drove a Toyota Yaris to Sussex and arrived at my destination brain dead. It was a hollow experience.

Balancing all these values brought me to buying a Mk7 Golf GTI. I've owned it a year and love its combination of speed, comfort and relative light weight. At 1400kg it's not too porky.

However I have recently discovered it is complex. Far too complex. We had packed the Golf for a long needed week in Cornwall. 250 miles and four hours. It would be a breeze. Adaptive cruise control set to 79 and a couple of editions of the Talking Sopranos podcast and we'd be in Perranporth in the blink of an eye.

Only it didn't turn out that way. Within half a mile of leaving home the coolant warning light came on. I got out, observed the trail of fluid we'd left behind and turned back for home.  I opened the bonnet and found that whatever fluid I put in the header tank was escaping at speed through an unspecified location amidst a mess of wires, pipes and something called camshaft adjustment actuators at the back of the engine. We unpacked everything from the Golf and repacked it in my son's Seat Mii - a sibling to the VW Up! - and set off for Cornwall.

I had previously ignored the Mii for anything other than local journeys. It is a fabulous little car. Small outside, spacious inside, comfortable and simple. The driver's seat has far less support than the Golf's, there is no cruise control, no arm rests, no cubby spaces for storage.

Yet the seat was comfortable, there was enough space, we crammed everything in the Mii that had been in the Golf. It cruised along at motorway speeds with nary a complaint from any occupant. My phone provided satnav and the Talking Sopranos podcasts through the car's stereo. It has electric windows, which I consider an essential, and it has heating and A/C, also an essential. What it lacks is cruise control. That's the only thing I really missed.

Despite only having a 1 litre engine with 60 bhp the Mii delivered us to Cornwall in a relaxed and happy state. The Golf would not have been any faster over the entire journey.

And when in Cornwall the Mii continued to delight. Its low weight means the suspension is soft and this was perfect for trekking round awfully paved roads and gravel tracks to find beach car parks. The car's small dimensions, neutral steering and light clutch made Cornish lanes easy to navigate and the tiny brakes were plenty enough to stop us quickly when faced with oncoming SUVs at mighty speed around blind Cornish bends.

And finally when we drove home I was quite tired after three hours driving so we pulled into Leigh Delamere services and my son was able to drive the rest of the way home. He isn't insured on the Golf because it would cost about a million pounds.

When we arrived home my mechanic friend came round and showed me his investigations into the Golf's coolant loss. It could be anything from a blown head gasket to a simple pipe failing. But because it is in a location surrounded by technological gubbins he would rather a specialist look at it. So I've booked a mobile Volkswagen specialist to come and investigate. The bill will potentially be ruinous.

I have learned over the course of the past week that despite the Mii producing around 170bhp less than the Golf it is far more its equal than I had imagined. You really have to drive the little car. You use the gears to overcome the lack of power and you hustle it round corners to keep the speed up. It is a fun car to drive and it engages you more than many a faster, more expensive, more luxurious, heavier and more complex car.

The Golf is still a better all round car than the Mii but not by the margin I expected. Once the Golf is fixed I am seriously considering swapping it in for a simpler, lighter machine. But it must have cruise control and electric windows.

By Matt Hubbard

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Seat Mii Review

My son turns 17 this year and in the UK this means he's eligible to drive - once he passes the test. In anticipation of the big event I've been taking him to Mercedes World at Brooklands for under 17s driving lessons. 

He started at age 14 in a B 180 CDI and has since driven an A 200, ML 350 and, most recently, A45 AMG. All these lessons took place within the confines of Mercedes' own tracks at Brooklands. The ML drive was at their off road circuit and the A 45 AMG was at their fastest track and on the drag strip.

So I'm the kind of parent who wants their child to be ready to go when it comes to driving. Fact is I wanted him to be able to drive a car before he turned 17 so that during his lessons on the road he'll be able to focus on road craft and hazards. In over 30 years of driving I've not had a single crash. I'd like to do my best to ensure my son has a chance of having a similar crash-free record.

As a petrol-head I wanted to buy him a decent car in readiness for his birthday. In 2016 we went on holiday to Ibiza and hired a Fiat 500 convertible. We razzed around the island in this thing and had a ball. We loved it. The steering was light, the driving position bloody awful and the entire experience fun.

So we decided his first car would be a Fiat 500.

In 2017 we holidayed in Majorca and hired a Smart ForFour, the one based on the Renault Twingo with the engine under the boot floor, and it was awful. We definitely weren't buying one of those.

So I spent every moment looking at Fiat 500s. I wanted to spend £2,000 and there were lots in budget. Trouble is every single one I looked at had a long list of MOT advisories. Frequent issues were rusty springs, bodywork issues, loose ball joints, failing brakes and holes in exhausts. We went to see a couple and they were dreadful.

And the dealers selling them (there were almost none for sale privately) were gormless idiots who seemed not to think that a service history was important. They thought polishing the tyres and the dashboard was more attractive than the engine being looked after by a decent garage.

Eventually I gave up and started to look at VW Up!s. I had to up the budget to £3,000 and even so there weren't many around. I found one local to me at a car supermarket. It had a history - though it looked super dodgy with the same hand writing in the service book - and the price was OK. Then when I said I'd buy it they added £200 on the price as an 'administrative fee'. 

I baulked at this and tried to negotiate but they came down real heavy. We went to see the manager who sat at his desk trying on all the usual bulls*t tactics, stroking his handlebar moustache as he looked at his computer, typed some stuff, looked at me, sucked his teeth and said he couldn't remove the fee.

We walked, They phoned and tried to talk more. I'd had enough. We stayed away. Cowboys.

Then I found a Seat Mii at a dealer down in Sussex. It was new enough and had highish mileage but a service history to support it.

I went down to Horsham to see it. It was lovely. It drove well and seemed an honest car. Hallelujah! I had found an honest dealer selling an honest car!!!! I negotiated £200 off the price and told the dealer I would get the car picked up, at which point he offered to deliver it for £100. I agreed.

Since then I have driven the Mii several hundred miles and enjoyed every single one of them.

It is black and is an SE. It's very important not to buy the base model.

The Seat Mii, VW Up! and Skoda Citigo are identical with the exception of front grille and badges - and colour schemes. The base model for all is very basic. No alloy wheels, no electric windows, no ESC, no split rear seats, no air conditioning, no central locking, no remote entry and no seat height adjust. The SE trim has all these. The base model also has a plastic steering wheel. Urgh, no thanks.

Our SE also has a predominantly white interior with black and grey inserts and looks very cool. It reminds me of a 1970s sci-fi palette. The materials are hard wearing and the plastics look and feel good. I particularly like the white dash trim which is hard and smooth and doesn't feel scratchy and cheap.

The dials are clear but when you adjust the driver's seat to suit you cannot see the top of the speedo. Apparently this is common to all three models.

The steering wheel adjusts for rake but not reach, and it could really do with it. As such the driving position for anyone of normal dimensions is compromised. Your knees and ankles bend a little too much - but not as much as in an Alfa Romeo.

The interior is spacious and is well designed with deep door pockets and a shelf to put your phone, out of the way of temptation for the youngsters who would normally drive it.

The stereo system is clear and powerful enough. It has an aux-in which means I've been able to fit a cheap but good quality bluetooth.

The Mii, Up! and Citigo only come with one engine - a 1-litre, 3-cylinder - and four different power outputs. Ours is the most common, the 60PS (59bhp in English). It produces 70lb ft of torque and has a 5-speed manual gearbox. The car weighs 929kg and it does 0-60mph in 14.4 seconds.

This is only half the story.

The Mii doesn't feel so slow. The engine sounds buzzy and rorty and is eager to rev. It has real character - a rarity in this day and age - and pulls nicely until 5,000rpm when it starts to run out of puff. The gearbox is light and slick.

Turn a corner and the Mii doesn't provide class leading feedback but it is sharp enough. You get a smidgen of body roll - it may be light but it is relatively tall - but it is fun to hoon around a series of bends.

And you can do all this without using seemingly any fuel. Official combined fuel consumption is 63mpg and it achieves this effortlessly. The needle on ours hardly moves and I've only filled it up once in a month despite almost daily journeys.

Finally the Mii is a practical car. The rear seats are plenty big enough and the boot is much bigger than in the Fiat 500. It also has enough space at the top to put a dog in (which you can't do in a Fiat 500), though the floor is very low. I've had to build a boot floor out of MDF and foam for our dog, which is a few inches higher than that in the car when it arrived. 

The Mii has really surprised me. It is small outside but large inside. It is comfortable but it is buzzy and good to drive. It is simple but sophisticated. I think we bought the right car.

By Matt Hubbard

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10 Motoring Anniversaries in 2014

The current year has certainly been buzzing with anniversaries from the motoring world. Seemingly every other day, a manufacturer has inflated the party balloons, wrapped the presents and indulged in too much birthday cake. Gather round, light the candles and get ready to sing, for here is a list of ten vehicles and manufacturers celebrating an anniversary in 2014.

Vauxhall VXR - 10 Years

Vauxhall's VXR range has become synonymous with epic performance and giant slaying capabilities. The Australian Commodore badge engineered Monaro became the stuff of legends, outperforming many major German premium offerings. All of this began in 2004 though, with the upgraded Vauxhall VX220, the VXR220. Ever since, the UK has been offered the likes of the Astra VXR, Corsa VXR, Zafira VXR, Insignia VXR, Vectra VXR, Monaro VXR and the VXR8 to list a few. An exciting future still lies ahead for the Vauxhall brand.

Mazda MX5 - 25 Years

Mazda's MX5 has always enjoyed affection from the motoring press and owners alike. Providing superb handling at a relative bargain, the little Japanese sports car has definitely made a hefty impact on our shores. Launched back in 1989, the cute little sports car caught the world's imagination with the inclusion of quirky pop-up headlights, amongst other traits. Many would go so far as proclaim the MX5 as providing the thrills of a true British sports car.

Land Rover Discovery - 25 Years

Also born in 1989 was a best-seller from Land Rover. Originally based on the contemporary Range Rover, albeit at a lower spec and price, the Discovery was designed to compete with many Japanese offerings at the time; i.e the Mitsubishi Shogun/Pajero. Ever since though, the Discovery has sold tremendously worldwide and became one of the best off-roaders that money could buy. The modern equivalent appears increasingly upmarket as the years progressed, however be sure that the current ownership will take this model to new and greater heights.

Seat Ibiza - 25 Years

Quite frankly, the saviour for the Seat brand, who had previously only really offered rebadged Fiat technology. The Seat Ibiza sold strongly due to its Porsche engineered engine. Originally a unit destined for the Volkswagen Golf, the brand was coincidentally later commandeered by the Volkswagen Group. Hence all future models were based upon the contemporary Polo. Ever since, the Ibiza has become Seat's best-selling model, vaguely keeping the Spanish Catalan state afloat financially. Cupra models have continued to excite the motoring world throughout each generation, leaving high hopes for the brand's future.

Peugeot GTI - 30 Years

In 1984, Peugeot created a monster. One of the pioneers of the traditional hot hatch was born, and what a marvellous piece of technology it was. Even 30 years on, teenagers still lust after an original 205 GTI on equal levels to the rivalling Golf GTI. Peugeot had a few greatest hits with the 309 GTI and 106 GTI. For years though, the GTI label has remained little more than a trim level, with lacklustre offerings in the form of the 206 and 207 GTI. Worry not, for the spirit is back with the 208 GTI, which finally handles like a true Peugeot GTI should.

Mitsubishi - 40 Years

Believe it or not, the Mitsubishi brand has existed in the UK now for 40 years. With such famous models as the Colt, Galant, Shogun/Pajero and Lancer, Britain has received the Japanese brand well. Most associate the brand with the Lancer Evo series, which took the rally driving scene by storm with its heated rival, the Subaru Impreza.

Ssangyong - 60 Years

The Korean brand which no one seems to know how to pronounce is now 60 years old. Launched in 1954, the brand manufactured army jeeps and trucks for many years. British consumers only became aware of the brand in the early 90's, following a partnership with Daimler-Benz which created the Ssangyong Musso. Ever since, the brand has earned a reputation for quite questionable styling. Despite the obscure offerings, the brand continues to grow and offers competitive off-road and MPV vehicles.

MG - 90 Years

Of course, MG may not have existed for much of the past decade, however the lads at Longbridge are thrilled to celebrate their 90th anniversary. Following the brand's resurrection, the amount of dealerships is ever-expanding. The brand's history, although rocky at times, is one of the most colourful in the history of British motoring. Many Brits remember fondly the MGB, MGF, MG Metro, MG Maestro, MG ZT and various other offerings. Although current offerings lack the passion of the past, we can only wish the best for the future of the Chinese owned British car manufacturer.

Bentley - 95 Years

One of the best luxury car manufacturers in the world is now celebrating its 95th birthday. In 2013, one in every four luxury cars delivered was a Bentley, impressive despite the limitations of handmade methods of manufacturing. Bentley cars have established themselves firmly throughout history. Bentley models were used as off-road vehicles during World War One, as well as other winning multiple 24 Hour Le Mans races and amongst the ownership of the world's most rich and famous. Since ownership was earned by the Volkswagen Group, sales have risen from strength to ever-growing strength. Expect even bigger things for the Bentley brand

Maserati - 100 Years

Not often in the motoring world do we experience a centenary celebration. But when we do, little more can top the history of the Maserati brand. Started in 1914 by three brothers; Alfieri, Ettore and Ernesto, the story began with the First World War. As luxury racers became their pedigree, the brand became synonymous with providing only the best combination of performance and luxury.

By Mike Armstrong

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Seat Leon Cupra 280 - Track Test Review

Chris Bayliss drives a Seat Leon Cupra 280 at Silverstone

An invite to Silverstone to check out the SEAT Leon Euro Cup would be more than enough of an excuse for a trip down the A5, so the offer of paddock passes and a chance to get behind the scenes meant we didn't need asking twice. However, on arriving at the SEAT rig a last minute drop-out landed us not only with some laps of the track in the Leon Cupra 280, but a master class in how it is really done with the rather brilliant Jordi Gene. Jordi is best known lately for being the wheel-man behind SEAT’s 7min 58.44sec lap of the Nürburgring, as well as doing rather well in a little series called the World Touring Car Championship. As such, a lap of the full Silverstone GP circuit in the 330PS Leon Cup Racer was not to be missed.

The Cup Racer is the latest in a line of seriously rapid SEAT racers that have populated the grids of various championships the world over. Chiefly amongst which was the Supercopa, which this year has evolved into the EuroCup. The previous Supercopa car helped many an aspiring driver into the higher formulas and the Cup Racer looks set to continue the trend and up close looks like a far more serious piece of kit than it’s forebear. Clambering into the thing leaves you under no illusions that you are entering a serious working environment, with the seat pushed right back into the centre of the car and low down onto the floor pan. There is an inherent rightness to the way all of the controls fall to hand and therefore the sight of a completely standard DSG lever sprouting from the naked transmission looks somewhat incongruous, but hopefully bodes well for the road car, more of which later.

This brief familiarisation of the Cup Racer makes the prospect of the lap to come even more tantalising, so when we are shepherded into the National pits to get ready, I am into the SEAT Sport race suit and into Jordi’s car before you can say - can someone help me with this stupid HANS device! The lap itself disappears in a flash, but the intensity of the experience leaves a lasting impression. The power is clearly not in short supply, but as with most race cars it is the brakes that really impress. The feeling of hanging in the harnesses like you are on some sort of zero gravity fairground ride as we pile into Stowe at the end of the hanger straight has to be experienced to be believed. The rest of the lap is a succession of perfect lines and 'he has seen the corner, hasn't he?' Braking points, the car seemingly always dancing on the limits of adhesion, with Jordi promising he is as close to qualifying pace as he can get whilst hauling me around. The amount of throttle adjustability in the chassis was impressive but not as much as the man who’s right foot was dictating the attitude of what is a truly awe inspiring front wheel drive machine.

It is therefore with a resounding sense of my own lack of ability compared to the master of SEAT’s that I get onboard a rather lovely looking Monsoon Grey, DSG equipped, 5 door Cupra 280 for some laps. Riding on 19inch alloys the Cupra has a purposeful stance and looks well suited to the environs of Silverstone. Coming out of the pit lane the first thing that grabs you is the proper kick in the back you get from the 2 litre 4 pot, with power building right to the red line. Be under no illusions this is sports car fast. The run into Maggots reveals some rather tasty pops on the overrun and a keen and planted front end. Getting back on the power during the direction change to Becketts brings the diff into play and the front end responds cleanly handling the slug of turbo charged torque with aplomb. The braking point at Stowe highlights the difference between road car and race car with the anti-gravity effect of the Cup Racer making way for a slightly squirmy demeanour, but never-the-less the nose heads for the apex on cue and the slug of turbocharged power bridging the gap to Club is no less impressive than it was half a lap ago.

Several more laps unfold in a similar fashion with the dual clutch box consistently putting in fast down shifts on demand, brakes holding up well to significant abuse with only the road biased Bridgestone Potenza’s crying enough before the end. For committed trackday goers the Cupra will soon be available with racier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2’s to complement the much talked about Sport Pack, that will consist of larger brakes, enclosed by lighter 19inch wheels and some go-faster side skirts to complete the look.

Only some proper time in the car on our favourite B-roads will tell quite where the Cupra 280 sits in the great pantheon of hot hatches, but our betting is it will give some well thought of rivals an unexpected bloody nose.

Chris is the owner of Petrolhedonism. You can follow him on Twitter here.

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