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The Kia Sorento wowed the most demanding
users in Britain for the second year in a row when it captured the title
of Caravan Club Towcar of the Year in the over-1800kgs segment.
Having captured the same title last year - in the face of stiff competition
from some of the biggest names in the 4x4 world - Sorento returned to
The Caravan Club’s exhaustive and challenging test and again won
out for its combination of flexibility, load-lugging ability and comfort
and convenience.
Awarding the Sorento 2.5 CRDi XE Manual model the top honour the judges
praised the car’s excellent value along with its uncompromising
ability to deal with the varied conditions Britain’s most-adventurous
campers and caravaners might face.
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Land Rover Range Rover 3.6 TDV8 HSE (Diesel)
The Range Rover remains highly desirable. It has a feelgood factor other
models lack, and we have no hesitation in declaring the TDV8 the best engine
available for it, either.
Rating: On the road price: £53,995
For: Beautiful outside and in, superb TDV8 diesel, luxurious cabin, soothing
road manners, brilliant off-road
Against: Surprisingly modest boot, no seven-seat option, extremely expensive
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The Grand Vitara’s petrol engines are
disappointing. The three-door has a 1.6 that provides slow acceleration,
while the five-door’s 2.0 is better, but still sluggish. The five-door
1.9 diesel is the best bet – it’s still not brilliant but has
useful extra mid-range grunt. In all three, a heavy gearshift blunts smooth
progress at times.
Ride & handling
The firm suspension limits body movement, so the Vitara remains composed
through corners. Good grip and well weighted steering also help. The downside
is an unforgiving ride, which never settles. It’s even choppier in
the three-door version.
Refinement
This is one of the Grand Vitara’s weak points. All of the engines
are noisy, particularly at speed, although the 1.6 is the worst offender
and the diesel is least afflicted. The petrols also suffer some transmission
whine. Road noise isn’t too intrusive, but there’s an irritating
amount of wind noise on the motorway
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BMW 5 Series Touring M5 5dr
It’s a measure of the M5’s drivability that 507bhp does not
feel like a handful. The engine picks up rapidly from below 2000rpm, aided
by its seven close gear ratios. It will rev to 8250rpm but the mid-range
power makes it unnecessary to stray that far.
Ride & handling
The chassis puts you at ease, while steering and brakes match its performance.
Its stunning traction, grip and feedback almost take your breath away on
dry roads, and the ride is surprisingly civilised on smooth main routes,
giben the 19-inch wheels and shallow tyres. The Touring is just as sure-footed
as the saloon.
Refinement
The V10 howls at passers-by and growls at its occupants, but it’s
a noise you’ll actively encourage at times. There’s not much
noise at cruising speeds but the big tyres can kick up road noise on some
surfaces. Gearshifts can be jerky in the most aggressive manual programmes
and slurred in the automatic modes, but with a bit of practice the process
becomes smooth. |
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Nissan Navara Pick-up
Navara buyers are only offered one engine, and this 172bhp 2.5-litre unit
is the most powerful diesel in the pick-up sector. On-road performance is
strong, and there's more than enough muscle for it to dismiss heavy loads
or haul you up muddy slopes. An automatic gearbox is available with top-end
versions, but the standard six-speed manual is a better option.
Ride & handling
The Navara's road manners fall short of the best lifestyle 4x4s, but are
a big improvement over pick-ups of old nonetheless. While the ride is rather
fidgety, body movements are well controlled and the steering is accurate
enough, if short on feel. A switchable four-wheel-drive system and low-ratio
transfer box give it genuine off-road ability, too.
Refinement
The engine sounds coarse until warmed, and there's a gruffness to the note
under acceleration. However, this disappears into the background once up
to speed, and a tall sixth gear helps to keep things quiet at the national
limit. Road roar is also minimal, but the Navara's boxy shape inevitably
kicks up wind noise.
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