Road test

In this edition, we review a value-for-money GWM ute, Nissan’s small yet stylish SUV, and we take a Euro hot hatch for a spin.

Words: Mark Borlace

An entry-level luxury hatch

A stylish, small SUV

A value-for-money workhorse

An entry-level luxury hatch

Despite our love for SUVs, the demand for small hot hatches is still alive and well. The BMW 1 Series is an affordable benchmark if you want some European luxury.

Other hot hatches, like the Honda Civic Type R and the Hyundai i30 N, are better value, but if your heart’s set on European metal, the fourth-generation BMW 1 Series should be on your list.

In a competitive market, influenced by the performance of EVs, BMW has bumped up the value of its internal combustion engine cars. BMW claims a moderate $1700 price rise from the previous model but it gives the buyer about $10,000 worth of kit.

The 118 M Sport has adaptive LED headlights, a head-up display, high-beam assist and adaptive M suspension. There are also heated front seats, an automatic tailgate, and BMW Digital Key Plus, giving you control via a compatible smartphone.

The pricier, black-roofed M135 xDrive all-wheel-drive adds features such as active front seats with lumbar-support massage function and a panoramic glass roof. The traditional long BMW bonnet leads to the new front design with LED headlights and the ‘double kidney’ grille.

Inside, it has the typical BMW clean dash layout. The 118 has two digital screens on the dashboard behind a single curved piece of glass. A larger head-up display is projected on the windscreen above the 10.25-inch instrument panel in front of the driver.

The dash-mounted 10.7-inch touchscreen controls nearly all of the car’s functions. A rotary volume switch on the console and some air-conditioner switches are the only manual options – everything else is via the screen or voice control.

Rear passenger room is adequate for a small hatch and the 1 Series feels sporty. The low seating with firm lateral support and extendable base cushion is snug, and the red-stitched steering wheel is chunky.

Start the 118 and you’ll hear the distinctive sound of a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that belonged to the previous model. Selecting a gear via the stubby lever is hit-and-miss, so check what’s selected before taking off, or use the gearshift paddles when you hit the road.

The M135 now has an all-wheel-drive system and a four-cylinder engine bolted to a dual-clutch auto. Its 233kW of power is delivered quite linearly and with typical BMW pull.

Around corners the M135 shows its BMW DNA. It handles well and has good grip at the front and rear bias. The front-wheel-drive 118 has solid handling for a small European hatch.

If you drive down a tight dead-end street and have to back up, the reversing assistant will do it for you – hands-free – for up to 50m along the journey you took on the way in.

For many, the 1 Series is the entree to the BMW stable. As a small, fun – albeit not cheap – hatchback it could be the beginning of a longer relationship with BMW as you travel up the model range.

BMW 1 Series

Price

118 M Sport: $56,500 M135 xDrive: $82,500

ANCAP safety rating

Not rated

Warranty

Five-year warranty with unlimited kilometres

Fuel consumption

6.5L/100km

A stylish, small SUV

The updated Nissan Qashqai has added a ton of value with only a very small price increase. This keeps the Qashqai competitive with its traditional Japanese rivals and cheaper Chinese challengers.

Nissan’s main value-adds include stacking in more equipment across the range, lowering its servicing prices and adding a longer warranty. Its new 10-year/300,000km warranty (when serviced at Nissan dealers) is probably best in market, yet the sticker prices are effectively unchanged.

The well-appointed and spacious interior now has softer textiles, and Nissan has included plenty of tech, such as a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, LED headlights across the range, rain-sensing wipers, and support for a new Nissan Connect phone app.

The most affordable Qashqais are powered by a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, while the e-POWER hybrid is the most expensive variant at about $54,000 drive-away.

Designed in Europe and built in the UK, the interior trim includes Alcantara fabric combined with a new simpler dash layout, while customisable interior lighting rounds off the high-quality package. Shortcut buttons for simple and effective access to audio output and the safety cameras sit just below the touchscreen.

Nissan has also fitted thicker side glass for cabin noise reduction. The Qashqai has wide-opening rear doors and excellent cargo space in the rear.

Qashqai buyers have a choice of a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, or a turbo three-cylinder paired with Nissan’s e-POWER technology. Hybrid power is standard on the N-Design,

and optional on the Ti-L, with a 1.3-litre petrol engine standard for the rest of the range. All models run on 95 RON fuel.

When it comes to power delivery, the e-POWER is much better than the internal combustion engine-only versions and in e-pedal mode it’s an easier drive. The e-pedal can be polarising, but I like it.

Depending on the specification, there are four different wheel sizes. The 20-inch rim package on the three top models makes for a firm ride, whereas the base 17-inch rims on taller tyres give an overall better ride.

The Nissan Pilot assist system works well to provide smart cruise control, and the advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) is refreshingly well-calibrated.

The Nissan Qashqai is the right blend of style, quality and value in a competitive small SUV market and worthy of sitting in any driveway.

Nissan Qashqai

Price

$34,665 (ST) to $54,365 (N-Design e-POWER)

ANCAP safety rating

5 stars

Warranty

Five-year warranty with unlimited kilometres

Range

6.5L/100km

A value-for-money workhorse

Chinese brand Great Wall Motors (GWM) is building a reputation for great value and reasonable quality. The midlife upgrade of GWM’s dual cab 2.4-litre Cannon, priced at about $40,000 driveaway, is a good example of this value for money.

Sitting atop the four-model range is the well-appointed Cannon XSR, which is cheaper than the entry-level Mitsubishi Triton. The recent upgrade addresses refinement-related complaints about the previous model, with an updated interior and faux leather trim standard across the range.

The modernised interior looks cleaner and simpler and more like a family car. At its heart is a 12.3-inch high-resolution centre touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and digital radio. It also has voice command – say “Hi GWM, I’m cold” and it’ll access the cabin temperature controls. The driver receives vehicle information via a seven-inch digital instrument cluster and the cruise control has its own easy-to-access column-mounted stalk.

Three (four in the XSR) 12-volt pre-wired switches for accessories are mounted in the console alongside the aviation-style gear shifter and in front of the wireless phone charger.

The revised exterior styling has reduced chrome accents, but the standout is the massive GWM logo stamped on the tailgate. All but the base model come with a handy rear step ladder integrated into the tailgate, which also locks via the central locking function.

Unlike many utes, the Cannon includes a spray-on tub liner to protect painted surfaces. It also has decent ground clearance, but a large turning circle.

The new 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine, coupled with the nine-speed automatic transmission, is a distinct improvement in performance and economy over its predecessor. However, it still has some turbo lag on take-off and the engine braking over undulating terrain could be better. GWM has increased the car’s towing braking capacity to 3.5 tonnes, matching many of its competitors.

Interventionist lane keeping and an advanced driver-assistance system are standard features, so you’ll need to turn them off in the drop-down menu each time you start the car. Ironically, the top-spec XSR is missing some safety equipment, such as emergency lane keeping, door-open vehicle warning, rear-collision warning, blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert with brake. GWM claims the XSR’s layout prevents certain driver aid technology from being fitted.

GWM products are improving in value and quality with every new model. Dollar for dollar the Cannon is probably the best value dual cab ute in the market right now and worth a serious look.