Car performance

Ford has upgraded its entire Fiesta range, giving every model standard electronic stability program (ESP) and retuning many of the engines.

There are upgrades to some of the trims: Studio models now get electrically adjustable/heated door mirrors, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, auxiliary entertainment socket and two additional speakers.


Flagship Titanium models also now get Bluetooth and USB connection as standard (previously worth around £200).

All models now have a new paint option called Ink Blue. The Titanium model can now be specified with a cheaper Titanium X pack. This consists of leather seats, 17” alloy wheels and rear electric windows for £750 (£1k previously), however, this pack is only available on the 1.6 litre petrol engine whereas it was also available on the 1.6 TDCi engine.

Ford has also retuned or altered much of the Fiesta's engine range. To comply with Euro V emissions standards, all diesel engines now have a particulate filter fitted, including Econetic models.

Power for the 1.6 TDCi diesel engine is also raised from 89bhp to 95bhp. Petrol engines have been tweaked as well to lower emissions:

• 1.25 litre 80bhp

CO2 emissions - 129g/km. Previously 133g/km, saving 4g/km

• 1.6 litre 95bhp

CO2 emissions - 107g/km. Previously 110g/km, saving 3g/km

• 1.6 litre 118bhp

CO2 emissions - 134g/km. Previously 138g/km, saving 4g/km.

The changes place the 1.25 litre engine into a lower VED band (D), lowering the tax from £110 to £90 a year.

The revised Fiesta is on sale now from £11,645 for the entry-level Studio 3dr and £11,945 for the Studio 5dr. While that sounds steep, discounts of upto £4k + off the list price are available.

The price of Impreza WRX has also been reduced by £95, and now costs from £18,995, while the STI Type UK starts at £27,590.

SEAT's next-generation Ibiza Ecomotive could beat the Toyota Prius to become Britain's lowest polluting car.

Sources at SEAT say it will use the Polo Bluemotion's 1.2 TDI 75bhp to achieve its target 85mpg fuel economy figure while emitting less than 89g/km of CO2 - all without relying on a complex hybrid drivetrain.


Instead, SEAT engineers will optimise the Ibiza aerodynamics to cut drag, add 15” steel wheels to reduce rolling resistance, lengthen the car's gearing and add stop/start plus regenerative braking.

Against the clock, the Spanish baby is expected to mirror the Polo's performance figures hitting 62mph from standstill in 13.9 seconds and topping out at 107mph.

Pricing has yet to be announced for the Ibiza Ecomotive, which is expected to go on sale early next year, but it should be less than the Polo with prices kicking off at around £13,000 for the 3dr SC model.

As well as the new diesel, the brand also confirmed it will add a punchy 1.2 TSI 105bhp petrol engine to the range. The flagship non-FR engine is expected to boast some impressive statistics, averaging over 55mpg while emitting less than 120g/km of CO2. Against the clock the new engine should ensure the Ibiza posts a 0-62mph time of less than 10 seconds.

Nissan has altered its Pathfinder SUV with additional equipment and a new look. The Pathfinder now gets re-designed alloy wheels, new bonnet, grille, rounded bumpers and reshaped headlights.

The interior has also been upgraded with revised door trims, new seat fabric and new instrument dials. Practicality has also been improved due to new door storage bins that can now hold an A3 map book and a 1 litre drinks bottle at the same time.

Nissan is also offering a new integrated navigation, communication and music system called Connect Premium. It's an optional extra costing £1,300 and features live traffic updates and points of interest.

There will be a choice of two diesels; the revised 2.5 litre dCi and an all-new 3.0 litre V6.

The 2.5 litre engine now produces around 190bhp, while pulling power increases to by 47Nm to 450Nm. Nissan claims CO2 emissions have fallen by 40g/km to 224g/km, which drops it two tax bands from the most expensive band M to band K. It also means showroom tax drops from £950 to £550 at current rates.

Nissan has stated the 3.0 litre V6 diesel will produce around 231bhp and will have a maximum pulling power of 550Nm. The engine will be available from June on 2011 MY Pathfinders.

The Pathfinder range starts from £28,495 on the road and is on sale now.

This is a case of when, not if. With the entire Mazda range adopting the big smiley corporate face, it was only a matter of time before the Mazda5 (Premacy in some markets) was forced to wear the new look. Like what you see?
The new Mazda5 will be unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show in March. Embracing “dynamic and elegant Nagare design”, it emits about 15 per cent less CO2 than the current model thanks to Mazda’s “i-stop” system, a new 2.0-litre direct injection petrol engine (paired with a six-speed manual for Europe) plus other measures. The Hiroshima based carmaker also claims a more comfortable ride, perhaps by retuning the suspension.
Mazda says that the 5 is the first production model to fully adopt its Nagare design language. Besides the Mazda3 style front end, there are other familiar Mazda cues such as the sculpted wheelarches, but the MPV’s flanks get wavy lines only seen on Mazda’s concepts prior to this. Nagare means flow in Japanese, and there’s certainly plenty of flow in the shape of the new 5. Inside, the dashboard design mimics the 3 and is more driver centric now.

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