The latest new cars being tested by the CompleteCar.ie team.
Shane has the hybrid version of the new Jeep Compass on test and despite the dull brown paintwork it's getting a lot of attention. It looks decent and has a way better interior than before, but are all these Stellantis group SUVs a bit too similar for their own good?
Neil is driving the updated Alfa Romeo Tonale this week. In Neil’s words, it’s such a “prettttttyyyy car”, but you can really feel the age of its underpinnings, which is a shame. It is a lot more affordable now though than it used to be, with a starting price of €43,995.
Neil’s other test car this week also has stickers, but they’re less naff than those on the Opel Mokka GSE, and the Jeep Avenger 4xe remains one of his favourite cars. It’s small, but eager, pugnacious, and actually pretty good fun. Also, it really can go off-road and do all the proper rugged Jeep stuff. The downside? It’s pricey, and very small in the back. (This is not the facelifted one)
Dave has been reacquainting himself with the all-electric Nissan Micra this week as we get together a full set of shots of the likeable EV on Irish plates for the first time. Watch out for a revamp of the detailed review of the car coming soon. Spoiler alert: it's averaging an excellent 14.6kWh/100km in our hands, despite its fun chassis.
Shane has the VW Golf GTI Edition 50 on loan and it has the Performance Pack as tested in Spain. In its 'Special' mode it's a bit extreme for bad roads, but otherwise a lot of fun. We do wish it could be had with a manual gearbox, however, and worry about the wear and tear after only 4,000km on the clock. Oh, and this one costs about €84k.
Neil is driving the Leapmotor B10 this week, the fully electric version with the 67kWh battery and an official 434km range (which seems realistic in daily driving). It’s well-priced and equipped (€36,995 for this top-spec Design model) but it’s not great to drive. Lots of space inside, though, and the cabin’s of high quality.
Shane has picked up the Kia EV2 'long range' to test this week, featuring a 61kWh battery and WLTP range of nearly 500km. It remains a hugely likeable compact EV that's comfortable and efficient - currently averaging 15kWh/100km.
