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Weekly round-up: record six months for new cars, cushy crossovers and 2016 Volkswagen Up reviewed

Image of Chris Evans
Author: | Updated: 08 Jul 2016 12:40

National news this week has seen yet more resignations in the wake of Brexit, while plucky Wales finally bowed out of the Euros. Not wanting to be outdone by the politicians, Top Gear’s Chris Evans capitulated this week too, after the series finale saw viewer ratings slump even further.

clockwise: new 6 month record for registrations, Volkswagen Up driven, plush new trim for Qashqai and new Ioniq hybrid

Unlike political figureheads, football managers and TV presenters, we’re not ones to throw in the towel at ContractHireAndLeasing.com. So, here’s our weekly round-up of the top automotive news from the last seven days.

Crazy for crossovers

Crossovers are big business, with most weeks bringing updates for one model or another. This time it’s Nissan and Renault’s turn, with both announced range-topping special editions.

The ubiquitous Qashqai can now be ordered in Black Edition guise, giving its already classy crossover a dose of exclusivity both inside and outside.

Renault Captur Iconic Nav Special Edition

The Captur has become one of Renault’s most popular models, and it has crowned its line-up with the elegant Iconic Nav. Plumping for one gets you a handsome black and white paint job, a chunkier body mouldings along with the company’s Grip Xtend traction control system – usually a pricy option.

If you’re after something a little swifter, Renault has also confirmed that the updated Clio will be joined by two hot RS models, while a simpler GT-Line trim will offer low running costs with sporty looks.

Renault Clio Renaultsport RS 200

In other new car news, Hyundai has released details on its upcoming Ioniq. It’ll be one of the cheaper hybrids on the market, with list prices of under £20,000.

A broken record?

2015 saw more new cars hit the road than ever before in the UK but, if things continue as they have in 2016, it could break the record. New registrations are up 3.2% compared to the same period last year, with the fleet industry leading the way.

Fleet – which includes personal and business hire cars – is one of the fastest growing sectors in automotive, with the BVRLA this week confirming an increase in its membership numbers, while many in the business are considering how technology can help the industry in the future.

Braking news

The SMMT released details of the top cars that feature Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB). It’s a potentially life-saving technology, but it isn’t yet compulsory for manufacturers to fit it. We’ve put together a list of the top five cars you can lease that feature the system.

Twitter user Escalado completed his new car purchase online

Sticking with technology, this week brought news of a car sale with a difference. A Spanish Twitter user has become the first person to order a brand-new car using a social media platform, demonstrating the changing trends in automotive retail.

Keeping face-to-face contact to a minimum, he received his keys through the post and picked up his new Nissan X-Trail directly from Nissan’s Spanish head office. Is this what the future looks like?

Things are looking Up

Our writers and road testers have been busy as ever. Danni Bagnall has been giving the latest Volkswagen Up a go. Not only does it get new customisable options, a more powerful 89bhp engine is now on offer – making the Up just as happy on motorways as it is around town.

Elsewhere, auto industry pro Sean Cooper has not only been extolling the virtues of leasing – he’s also found time to explain what the upcoming Brexit could mean for the average British car buyer.

What can we do to improve road safety standards in the future?

Last but not least, we reported last week that the number of serious accidents on the road have started to stagnate after years of reassuring improvements. Alisdair Suttie has been considering what we can do to keep the pace up.

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