First Test 2019 Ford Fiesta Active. If you’ve failed to notice the rise in popularity of SUVs, then you must have had your head buried in the sand. Every car maker worth its salt has been looking at ways of lapping up demand for these chunkier vehicles and are even exploring new avenues. The Fiesta Active is a new addition to Ford’s range that combines its popular supermini with chunkier, SUV-inspired styling. As well as the beefier body addenda, the ride height has been raised by 18mm, too, to give the impression of a much more rugged, beefier vehicle. And while you might imagine this Fiesta would have four-wheel-drive, you would be wrong, as power is transmitted to the front wheels only. The track has been increased by 10mm, the steering and suspension have been finely tuned and there’s a mild amount of rough road capability, as well as the ability to choose from three driving modes.
First Test 2019 Volkswagen Touareg R-Line 3.0 V6 TDI 4Motion MkIII. The Touareg was a pioneering car for Volkswagen, the company's first SUV. Originally launched 15 years ago, the second-generation model arrived in 2010, and now here is the third one. It's no longer the lone SUV in the Volkswagen range, heading a line-up of four with the T-Roc, Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace.
First test 2019 Audi A6 Sport 40 TDI Quattro C8 4H. The A6 has always been a firm favourite within the Audi range, but with the latest instalments of BMW’s 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class vying for class leadership, the ageing A6 was commendable, but dated. Meet the all-new Audi A6, a technological showpiece that will have its German brethren worried.
First Test 2019 Volvo V60 Thanks to a significant investment programme from parent company Geely, Volvo can’t seem to put a foot wrong. With its SUV range complete, and the renewal of its large car range finished, the Swedish firm has turned its attention to the V60 estate car. It’s a sector of the market that is hugely competitive, with strong rivalry from the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3 Series Touring and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate, as well as models like the Skoda Superb and VW Passat. I think it’s fair to say that Volvo has underperformed in the segment in recent years, but that’s all set to change with the launch of an all-new V60 underpinned by Volvo’s flexible SPA platform, that stands for Scalable Product Architecture.