Fiat 500

new Skoda Fabia

Škoda has further developed its bestseller. The new Fabia is making its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show with a comprehensive safety concept and an exceptionally large interior space offering. With these strengths, the new Fabia offers even better value than its predecessor model. Packed in a refreshing modern design, the new Fabia is among the most spacious cars in its class. When discussing CO2 emissions, the Fabia does very well. Although the new model is larger than its predecessor in interior as well as exterior dimensions, it has maintained its low CO2 emissions values in comparison with industry-average, beginning with that of the 1.4 TDI PD/59 kW at 120 g/km.

There are seven different engines in the programme. Four are petrol engines, and the diesel engines make up the remaining three. Their performance spectrum covers the requirements of the small car segment completely. They ranges from the economic 44 kW (60 HP) to the agile 77 kW (105 HP). Diesel particle filters are offered with the 1.4 litre (59 kW) and the 1.9 litre (77 kW) diesel engines. The most powerful petrol engine can be combined with a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission

New Volvo V70 Debut at Geneva

When development work on the successor to today’s Volvo V70 got under way, the design team at Volvo Cars were faced with an uncompromising challenge:
Increase the emphasis on luxury and dynamics – while at the same time making the model even more versatile and functional.
“The estate car is the jewel in the crown of our model range. Our task was to refine it carefully to give the all-new V70 even more star quality,” says Volvo Cars Design Director Steve Mattin.
Volvo’s estate cars are strongly linked with the Volvo brand’s development. They have been changed through continuous refinement ever since 1953 when Volvo launched the PV 445.
What was originally an out-and-out practical and spacious car has been continuously developed and now has exclusive comfort and dynamic driving properties that put it in the same class as large luxurious sedan models. What is more, the all-new Volvo V70 takes a huge step forward in the field of intelligent functionality.

“Today’s V70 has a well-balanced size and a particularly attractive dual personality in the form of spacious versatility in combination with sporty dynamism

Mazda 2

Mazda's current 2, and its predecessor the Demio, aren't even close to being among the most stylish of superminis, but the new 'redesigned from the ground up' 2's quite a surprise: it's really rather cute. Mazda has resisted the temptation to make it any bigger and heavier (hello, Skoda Fabia) and has actually put it on a diet: it's 40mm shorter and 100kg lighter than the car it replaces, which should make it more fun to drive as well as more fuel efficient.

Engines for the new line-up are 1.3 (75bhp and 84bhp) and 1.5 (103bhp) petrol units with sequential valve timing, and later in the year there's a 1.4-litre diesel. Mazda's promising 'a lively performance feel'. Much-improved body rigidity should enhance handling, as well as safety, ride comfort and refinement; Mazda says its 'engineers targeted manoeuvrability and agility on urban roads, brisk, linear steering response and high grip on winding roads, and superior straight-line stability and con?dence-inspiring lane-change behaviour on motorways', which can only be a good thing.
A good supermini needs to be user-friendly, too, so other priorities included giving excellent all-round visibility and an optimum driving position with well-placed controls. The gear lever has been moved up to a high-set position on the dashboard, which frees up space for a floor storage console, and the freshened-up cabin also incorporates a rack for maps.
It all bodes well for the new Fiesta, its sister model, and the upcoming new Ford-Mazda subcompact for the US market which will also share the same underpinnings.

Seat Altea Freetrack

Car companies don't seem the least bit bothered that 4x4s are now public enemy number one, with Citroen, Peugeot and Seat all unveiling their first ever SUVs.
Seat's prototype is based on the Altea XL, which might make you suspect that it's a faux-4x4 along the lines of its VW CrossGolf cousin (a car not sold in the UK). In fact, Seat has come up with a pretty serious dual-purpose car with a Haldex-type all-wheel drive arrangement powered by a 2.0-litre TFSI engine, as found in the Golf GTI.
The aggressive exterior styling is matched by underpinnings that have been jacked up to give the kind of ground clearance - 310mm - needed when crossing rough terrain. The width has also been increased by 60mm, mainly to accommodate bigger tyres, but it won't do the centre of gravity any harm either.
At the front there's a smooth new bumper with hexagonal air intakes. The Altea Freetrack also features 19" wheels, aluminium-trimmed bi-xenon headlamps and LED foglights, two triangular tail pipes integrated into the bumper, and plastic cladding on the wheel arches and doors.
The show car is finished in matt white, which Seat said 'marks the Freetrack out as having a positive, open character with an affinity for nature'. An affinity for the car wash would perhaps be more accurate, especially if it's used for the off-road shenanigans Seat says it's designed for.

Inside, the Freetrack is set up as a four-seater with a relatively luxurious interior that is unlikely to make the final production model: individual bucket seats trimmed in two-tone brown and white leather would be expensive and, for a genuine 4x4, impractical. The brown and white leather theme is extended to the dashboard and steering wheel.

Nissan Qashqai

Nissan is getting ready to shake up the C-Segment vehicle class in Europe and Asia with the introduction of its new Qashqai (say cash-kai although they may pronounce it cash-cow after it hits the market) at this year’s Paris Motor Show. Described as a “catalyst for change”, the Qashqai may be just the vehicle that Nissan needs; although sales of C-Segment vehicles have been consistent over the past few years, the scene itself is starting to change. The market has shifted away from simple hatchbacks, with buyers wanting more practicality, versatility and different styling. Automakers responded by shrinking conventional vehicles such as SUVs and minivans to work on compact platforms, such as the Honda CR-V and Mazda5.

Nissan’s European market share in the C-Segment also has something to do with the introduction of the Qashqai. Nissan’s European-market offering in the four-door sedan range, the Almera, based off of the outgoing Sentra, never took off despite delivering attractive styling, reputable quality and a variety of different body styles and powertrains. The crossover-styled Qashqai will replace the Almera as Nissan’s only offering in the segment, and as its main competitor to the VW Golf, Ford Focus, and other volume sellers. This is different than Nissan’s North American tactic, which is to offer two separate models, the basic but extremely affordable Versa, and the upmarket, luxury-minded upcoming Sentra.
In terms of its appearance, the Qashqai looks like a shrunken Murano - particularly from its curvy rear flanks - which isn’t a bad thing. Slightly less rakish from the front, the previous toothy chrome grille is now replaced by Nissan’s more distinctive corporate nose and vertically-stacked headlamps. Overall, Nissan says that the vehicle is no longer than the current Ford Focus, ensuring an easy to maneuver vehicle.
Inside, the Qashqai combines the best of the SUV and car worlds, by offering a high vantage point, but a car-like layout with supportive seats. To create an airy feel in the cabin, the Qashqai is available with a two-toned interior colour scheme and an optional full-length laminated glass panoramic sunroof with electric sunblind. Cargo volume ranges from 387 to 660 L (13.6 to 23.3 cu-ft), the latter number when the rear seats are folded.
The Qashqai will be offered in Europe with a variety of different powertrains including 115-horsepower 1.6-litre and 140-horsepower 2.0-litre inline fours, as well as two different dCi turbodiesel engines. Before being routed to Nissan’s ALL-MODE 4×4 system (first seen in the X-Trail), power flows through either a five- or six-speed manual, six-speed automatic or CVT gearbox. Like the X-Trail, the Qashqai offers reasonable ground clearance, although it’s not intended for any heavy duty off-road use. ALL-MODE is standard on all vehicles equipped for those that feature the gasoline and diesel 2.0-litre engines.

Mitsubishi Outlander