[X]

The ever-popular Nissan Juke has been refreshed for 2018.

Among the updates are a new Bose sound system, and new alloys and colourways which add more depth to the personalisation options of the funky SUV.

The grille, headlights and fog lights have been updated, and new body colours Chestnut Bronze and Vivid Blue  join new customisation packs. Front and rear bumper inserts, door sills, and mirror caps can now be highlighted in Energy Orange and Power Blue – plus the interior, diversifying the already diverse scope to make the Juke your own. There’s also two new 16″ alloy designs and the 18″ alloys on the Tekna trim have an option of coloured inserts.

N-Connecta has been replaced by the new Bose Personal Edition trim, in conjunction with the introduction of the Bose sound system – that won awards for it’s application in the Nissan Micra. The system features speakers in the headrests, and features six speakers throughout the interior. The Bose Personal system is also standard on the range-topping Tekna trim.

The updated Juke is on sale from May 2018, and 4WD is available in conjunction with the DIG-T 190 and DIG-T 214 petrol engines.

 

Land Rover have stopped teasing and revealed the limited-run Range Rover SV Coupé.

The two door edition of the full fat Rangey harks back to the original Range Rover, the vehicle that spawned the luxury SUV segment, and will be limited to 999 examples.

Driven by a 557bhp supercharged petrol V8, producing 516lbf.ft, 0-60mph in five seconds and a top speed of 165mph, it’s the fastest production Range Rover to date.

Unsurprisingly, luxury is at the forefront of the agenda with the SV Coupé. Hand assembled at the Land Rover Special Vehicles plant in Warwickshire, the SV Coupé remarkably shares only two body panels with its more doorsy sibling (the tailgate and the bonnet), and offers multiple new customisations options. Interiors comparable to ‘private jets and yachts’ have swathes of quilted leather options, front-to-rear contrast seating options and three wooden veneers to choose from. Semi-precious badging is obviously an option, too, and the SV Coupé is also the first Range Rover to get 23″ alloys.

More than a hundred paint colours are offered, but colour-matching is also available, ensuring the ability to create a truly unique Rangey.

The suspension have been lowered by 8mm as standard, but still maintains the ability to wade in water of up to 900mm, and can still tow up to 3.5tonnes.

All of this luxury does come at a premium, however, with SV Coupé prices starting at £240,000 and orders will open in the final quarter of year. Plenty of time to decide on the final specs, then.

The new Ford Edge has made its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show, breaking cover in the stylish and sporty ST-line trim.

Among the updates to the SUV are a new engine – a 238bhp diesel unit – and a host of new driver aids.

The powerplant is a new bi-turbo variant of the 2.0-litre EcoBlue engine, and combines with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The driver aids include adaptive cruise with stop-start practicality, alongside lane assist to aid the driver whilst cruising. Post-collision braking is also introduced, a safety precaution that aims to eradicate secondary crashes, whilst evasive steer assist helps avoid collisions altogether.

Tech also inhabits the interior, with heated seats and steering wheel, top level infotainment and a 3D digital instrument cluster.

Prices and release dates are yet to be announced, and we also await confirmation of a four-wheel drive variant – but given it was an option on the outgoing Edge we’d be surprised if there wasn’t.

In what is ‘the first step towards full electrification’, Bentley have announced a hybrid version of the Bentayga.

It will utilise a new V6 petrol unit in conjunction with an electric motor and retains all-wheel drive present in the rest of the Bentagya range – along with Sport, Comfort, Bentley and Custom drive modes. There will also be three electrified drive modes in EV Drive, Hybrid Mode and Hold Mode. The Bentagya hybrid will emit 75g CO2  per kilometre.

The Bentagya hybrid will be capable of 50km purely using the electric motor, and will go on sale in selected markets in the second half of the year.

The new SsangYong Musso pick-up has been revealed at the Geneva Motor Show.

The Korean marque’s rugged new pick-up has a body-on-frame assembly and is built on the same platform as their current Rexton – which won our 4×4 Of The Year title.

It also has SsangYong’s e-XDi220 2.2-litre diesel with 181bhp and 309lbf.ft – that has already impressed us in the Rexton and the smaller Korando. It gets the choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, and part-time all-wheel drive comes as standard. So too does high and low ratio boxes, promising off-road prowess akin to that of the Rexton.

Eight-point body mounts and wheel-arch linings are in place to add sophistication to the pick-up, making the cabin quieter and more comfortable. Bluetooth and DAB radio are present across the range, whilst an 8″ infotainment screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and wi-fi mirroring are available on higher spec models.

The pick-up bed is sized to carry a Euro pallet, and houses 12V/120W power outlets, plus rotating hooks to help when strapping cargo down.

The manual can tow a braked trailer of 2,800kg, whilst the automatic can tow 200kg more, and both can haul an unbraked trailer of 750kg.

Specifications for the UK are yet to be announced, but the new Musso is expected to go on sale this summer.

 

BMW have revealed the latest addition to their X range – the X2. The small SUV will get the xDrive all-wheel drive system across the board, with one engine available at launch and more joining it throughout the year.

The X2 xDrive20d will be available with SE, Sport, M Sport and M Sport X trim levels on the table. The initial engine produces 190bhp and 295lbf.ft, sprints from standstill to 62mph in 7.7 seconds and has a top speed of 137mph.

Order books are open, with prices starting at £33,890 for the X2 xDrive20d SE.

Jaguar have officially unveiled their all-electric I-Pace in a live broadcast tonight, 1st March, before it makes its debut in the metal at the Geneva Motor Show in five days’ time.

The electric SUV has a pair of batteries powering the axles with 400bhp and 513lbf.ft. This means the I-Pace clocks a 0-60mph time of 4.5 seconds and is said to be able to charge from flat to four fifths of its battery capacity in 85 minutes, and a charge of 30 minutes giving 80 miles – both with rapid charging.

Now on sale, the I-Pace will cost from £63,495 with S, SE and HSE trims are joined by a limited number of First Edition models.

 

The ‘Fully Charged’ documentary, about the making of the I-Pace, was played after the launch.

Following last year’s success for the Skoda Kodiaq, VW has decided to add a new seven-seater to their own line-up – Tiguan Allspace.

Essentially, this is a Tiguan with added flexibility. It’s 215mm longer than the regular Tiguan and the wheelbase has been stretched by 109mm. With your elongated Tiguan you get the privilege of ‘occasional seating’, which thankfully doesn’t mean you can only use them for birthdays and weddings.

What it does mean is that VW hasn’t tried to make out they’ve harnessed technology from the Tardis and applied it to the Allspace’s back row of seats. Instead, they freely admit these two pews are for the petite individual who is likely to be more interested in discussing with you the delights of Peppa Pig rather than available legroom.

There are a few other subtle differences between the Allspace and regular Tiguan, too. At the front, a taller grille and revised bonnet visually helps with raising the front in order to counter the extra bulk at the rear. The rear doors are longer and the shoulder line has been reworked, while off-road versions get amended bumpers and underbody protection. Even with the Tiguan’s growth spurt, it’s not an oversized vehicle and remains attractive.

The model we recently got our hands on was an SE Nav 2.0-litre TDI 4Motion 147bhp variant. Bit of a mouthful, but before we break it down for you, it’s worth knowing that this is the example VW estimates will be its top seller.

The ‘SE Nav’ denotes the starting point as you head up through the Allspace spectrum, past SEL and onto the R-Line derivatives. There’s a focus on providing high spec’d vehicles here, so all versions are generously equipped from the off. This base SE Nav, for instance, has the 8” colour touchscreen and Discover Navigation system.

VW estimates suggest that 95% of Allspace sales will be diesel, emphasising that TDI still pips TSI in this category – for now. You can get the 2.0 TDI unit in more powerful guises, and while initially sceptical about the 147bhp being able to haul the Allspace and seven people around, it will satisfy you completely, with a surprising amount of shove to serve up when prompted. Regarding the petrol units, the 1.4 TSI is only available in 2WD, leaving the thirstier 2.0 TSI. It may have 177bhp, but the TDIs can talk the torque.

There’s a mix of manual and autos on offer, but it’s the latter we’d advise you towards. Family life can tire you out, so why not let the car do the work for you? That is the idea after all. Plus you get paddles and a manual shift setting should you wish to take control and with the DSG ‘boxes being the best in the business, their slickness is difficult to play down.

Inside, it can look a little conservative – but as usual with Volkswagen, it’s all in the detail. The soft-touch plastics give an assuring feel of quality, while the cloth seats look up for a battle with the kids in the war of cleanliness. Controls are positioned well and easy to navigate.

And what of this ‘occasional seating’? A tether either side of the middle row flips them down and the occasional two are simple to put up or down. You can have a very spacious five-seat Tiguan or a seven-seater that will cope with the capability of swallowing a decent shopping trip.

Bigger boot, more seats, and more eventualities covered – what’s not to like. VW has quietly gone on and added that extra flexibility without harming the goodness already established in the Tiguan.

Prices start at £29,370, with the one that impressed us costing £34,905.