High performance 4x4s - What's best?

It's time to change my eight year old Subaru Forester turbo. All I want is a small 4x4 SUV with manual gearbox and petrol engine. Like my present car, it should do 0-60 in under six seconds, but such cars...

Buying a new car - i30 or Golf?

I am about to buy a new car, but can’t choose between a pre-reg (14) 50 mile Hyundai i30 1.6 CRDi (110) SE Go 5dr for £15,495 or to pay the extra and purchase a brand new unregistered 1.6 TDI (105) Volkswagen...

Does the new Golf have a cam belt or cam chain?

I am buying a new Volkswagen Golf SV 1.4 petrol, with automatic gearbox. Does this engine have a cambelt or camchain?

Need to downsize from a 3 Series - what should we get?

We need to replace our 2005 BMW 320d, which we both enjoy driving, with its rapid acceleration. Ideally, we would like a used car with a little more headroom. However, we're now retired and do low mileage,...

What's the wading depth for a plug-in hybrid?

I want to buy a plug-in hybrid, but am worried about the wading depth for such cars: eg Outlander, Golf & A3? I'm not planning on driving through flood water but have encountered 4-6 inches on the road...

Buying a new car - Skoda, SEAT or Volkwagen?

I am looking to buy a new car. I have narrowed down my choice to the Skoda Octavia, SEAT Leon or Volkswagen Golf with the 1.4 turbo petrol engine. However, I believe that the 1.4 in each of these cars...

Are diesel cars a bad idea?

I live in London and have ordered a new Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion, but am now worried that I have made a mistake. Transport for London and Boris Johnson want to penalise diesel drivers from 2020 onwards...

Intermittent rattle from engine

My 11 month old Volkswagen Golf GT 1.4 DSG has for several months had an intermittent rattle from the engine. It is more audible from the passenger side but this may be due to the sound bouncing back of...

What should I replace my Lexus CT200 with?

I require a replacement (same size or smaller) for a Lexus CT200. The new car must have higher seats, rear camera and parking assist. Price not important but need five-doors for transporting dog etc. Reliability...

Air con damaged by stone entering engine bay - is this a warranty issue?

I own a new Volkswagen Golf 2.0 GT Bluemotion diesel. A few weeks ago the air conditioning stopped working. The local Volkswagen dealer diagnosed a damaged condenser, caused by a stone. I have questioned...