Sponsored by Intelligence TOP 1 MOST SEARCHED-FOR NEW MODELS 1 Kia Sportage 2 Ford Fiesta 3 Audi A3 4 Ford Focus 5 VW Golf 6 VW Tiguan 7 Ford Kuga 8 Audi Q5 9 Seat Ibiza 1= Audi Q3 and BMW X3 Seat Ibiza enters most searched-for top 1 ISSUE 7 OCTOBER 217 Most searched-for new models There was one major change in the top 1 mostsearched-for new models in September: the Seat Ibiza came in at ninth, displacing the Peugeot 38. The Ibiza s SUV sibling, the Ateca, was 13th on the list, underlining rising interest in the brand. This interest will only increase with the arrival of the Arona baby SUV. Otherwise, What Car? readers were pretty consistent with their research activities, examining the same top five vehicles as they did in August. The Volkswagen Tiguan and Audi Q5 swapped places, while the BMW X3 joined the Audi Q3 in joint 1th. The X3 could climb higher still when the thirdgeneration model arrives next month. Other SUVs in the top 2 included the Volvo XC6 (16th), Mazda CX-5 (17th) and Skoda Kodiaq (19th). report Our survey reveals... What Car? True MPG Web trends, Used car prices New car sales data and Coming soon Motoring Panel
market report After a mild recovery in August, average Target Price discounts dropped again in September n The average discount dipped slightly in September to 7.9%, compared with 8.% in August. n Dealers have been willing to sacrifice a few orders in exchange for a slightly healthier profit on the cars they do sell, but that formula looks likely to change. n Dealer profitability has fallen by 1% over the past year, with average margin dipping below 1%, partly because the new car market is down 9.3% in the year to date. Franchised dealers strategy of gradually trimming discounts depended on a more modest drop in demand than this, with the recent reduction in incentives likely to stall. n Profits are also being pressured by the uncertainty around diesel engines, limiting the scope for reducing discounts on these models. HOT HATCHBACKS AND SPORTS CARS n The average hot hatchback and sports car discount is 5.6%, or 2353 per car. A year ago, it was slightly higher at 6.9%, but discounts have stabilised lately. n Hot hatches and sports cars are among the least incentivised models; only small SUVs are discounted less. n While these models have followed the marketwide discount reduction, they have declined at a faster pace. Over the past year, the typical saving dipped by 18% for hot hatches and sports cars, compared with the wider market s 13.5%. n One reason for this is that the sometimesconstrained supply of these models helps dealers to better defend their trading margins. n There are exceptions, however: the discount ANALYSIS MARKET SEGMENTS Many dealers are trying to persuade wavering customers to confirm orders. n While many car manufacturers are attempting to counter depressed diesel sales with scrappage schemes, many initiatives are quite limited in scope. That said, it s too early to assess their effectiveness in bolstering new car sales. n A tough final quarter can be expected. Dealers have little scope for further discounting, manufacturers marketing budgets are squeezed by scrappage costs, the weaker pound has damaged margins and many customers are holding off in a more uncertain market. n Seat is currently offering the biggest average discount, at 14.8% across its range. This is followed by DS at 13.5% and Peugeot at 13.4%. for the Ford Focus ST, Mercedes-Benz SLC 43 and Peugeot 28 GTi averages 13.4%. n While some models are offered with sub-3% APR PCP deals and deposit allowances as high as 16,, the segment s average 5.4% APR and 1436 deposit allowance is less generous than for the total market. CITY CARS n After peaking at an average saving of more than 9% ( 1144 per car) six months ago, the typical saving has fallen to 7.9% ( 959 per car). n Incentives for city cars were the fourth-lowest segment a year ago but are now eighth lowest. n Seat is the biggest discounter, at 22% on the Mii, followed by the Fiat Panda (13.7%) and Peugeot 18 (11.3%). TOP 1 Highest % model discounts available now 1 Fiat Punto 1.2 Pop+ 5dr 27.6% 2 Fiat Panda 1.2 Pop 26% 3 Seat Mii 1. SE 3dr 24.4% 4 Volkswagen Passat 1.6 TDI S saloon 22.8% 5 Alfa Romeo Mito 1.4 8V 22.7% 6 Volvo S6 T4 19 SE Nav Geartronic (Leather) 22.1% 7 Mercedes-Benz SLC 2 Sport 21.9% 8 Seat Leon 1.2 TSI SE Dynamic Technology 21% 9 Ford Focus 1. Ecoboost Titanium Nav 5dr 2.2% 1 Volkswagen Jetta range 19.8% TOP 1 What Car? falls since last month 1 BMW X3 range -5.3% 2 Audi A1 SE range -2.8% 3 Mini Clubman range -2.5% 4 Toyota Verso range -1.5% 5 Audi A3 hatchback range -.5% 6 Renault Zoe range -.5% 7 Toyota Auris range -.5% 8 BMW 2 Series Active Tourer range -.3% 9 Mini Countryman range -.3% 1 Volkswagen Scirocco range -.3%
NEWS NUGGETS This month s survey reveals The build quality of cars is getting ever better, Motoring Panel but so is their complexity. How fault-free are cars during their early years? NB: This survey applies only to buyers of brand new or pre-registered, sub-1- mile cars, used as their main transport 1 Is your main car privately owned or a company car? Almost all respondents 94% own their main car privately. 2 When did you acquire your main car? Three-quarters of respondents acquired their cars less than three years ago. The biggest proportion 22% got theirs within the past two years, while 19% acquired their cars within the past year and a half. 8.7% 25.4% 21.9% 8.7% 9.% 6.9% 19.4% Past 3 months Past 6 months Past 12 months Past 18 months Past 24 months Past 36 months More than 36 months 3 Has it developed any faults during the period that you have owned it? More than a third of respondents (38.5%) said their car developed faults during their ownership. More than a third of respondents said their car developed faults during their ownership 4 If the car has developed a fault, how old was it when the first problem occurred? The biggest proportion (11.6%) of faults appeared in the sixth month of ownership, while the second-biggest (11.2%) was in the first month. Faults were evident in 7.3% of cars at the point of delivery. After 12 months, the incidence of faults was low and remained broadly that way after that (apart from a spike in the 18th month), the car and its systems having settled in. 1 month 2 months 3 months 4 months 5 months 6 months 8 months 9 months 1 months 11 months 12 months 13 months 14 months 15 months 16 months 18 months 19 months 2 months 22 months 24 months 25 months 26 months 3 months 32 months 34 months 35 months 36 months >36 months 2 4 3.1% 8.% 8.9% 11.9% 23.% % 6 8 45.1% 1 12 5 How many faults in total has your car developed in the period that you ve owned it? Among cars that did develop faults, the largest percentage 45% suffered from only one. Another 23% reported two faults and 12% three faults. Meanwhile, 8% had more than five. 1 2 3 4 5 More than 5 Lexus and Honda top servicing survey Lexus and Honda came top in What Car? s annual research into car owners satisfaction with servicing. They both achieved a 92.6% satisfaction rating, followed by Jaguar at 92.4%. The rest of the top 1 were: Mini (91.2%), Toyota (9.7%), Dacia (9.6%), Kia (9.5%), Mitsubishi (9.1%), Hyundai (9.%) and Skoda (89.3%). Jeep was the only mainstream brand to score below 8%, with a rating of 75.6%. Making up the bottom three were Citroën (82.9%) and Audi (85.1%). Lexus was rated best and Jeep worst for both attitude of staff and quality of work. Mini came top and Porsche bottom for value for money. Lexus and Honda achieved joint first while Subaru is top brand for older cars Subaru tops What Car s research into servicing satisfaction for cars aged between four and 2 years. The brand s 92.9% satisfaction rating was followed by Honda and Suzuki tying for second place with a score of 9.3%. At the bottom of the table were Alfa Romeo (the only marque scoring under 8%, at 77.3%), Porsche (8.5%) and Citroën (8.9%). Subaru scored a 93% satisfaction rating
NEWS NUGGETS 68 Please identify the area(s) in which your car has developed a fault. Some 29% of cars had other electrical faults (excluding infotainment, navigation, locking systems, seats and air conditioning). A fifth (2%) had issues with the way the engine ran, while 17% had squeaks and rattles. Exterior fit and finish (14%) and interior fit and finish (13%) were the other categories with double-digit percentages. Engine starting 5.8% Engine running Transmission 8.9% Suspension 8.% Steering 2.2% Heating and ventilation/air conditioning 6.2% Electric seats.4% Locking systems and doors 9.3% Navigation system 7.1% Other infotainment 8.% Other electrical system Interior fit and finish Squeaks and rattles Exterior fit and finish 5 1 7 If your car has had a fault, was it satisfactorily resolved under warranty? Only 61% of faults were satisfactorily repaired under warranty, while another 11% were mostly resolved. But more than a fifth (21%) of faults were not rectified in a satisfactory manner at all. 1.8% 6.2% Yes 2.8% 1.6% Mostly CONCLUSIONS 12.8% 17.3% 13.7% % 15 2 19.5% 25 29.2% 6.6% 3 Partly Slightly No n Faults were most likely to occur during the sixth month of use (12%), followed by the first month (11%). Just over 7% found faults on delivery. n Other electrical faults (excluding infotainment, navigation, locking systems and air-con) were the biggest defect category, with 29% of cars afflicted, followed by engine running issues. If you have experienced a fault with your car, how has it affected the likelihood of a repeat purchase from this brand? Cars with one fault: 65% of respondents said it would make no difference to the likelihood of them buying the brand again. In a fifth of cases, the way the fault was resolved would make them more likely to buy the same brand. Cars with two faults: 58% of panellists said it would make no difference to the chances of them buying the brand again. For 1%, the way the fault was resolved would make them more likely to buy the same brand. For 23%, it would make them slightly reluctant to buy the brand again. Cars with three faults: 52% of those surveyed said it would make no difference to whether they buy the brand again. None felt that the way the fault was resolved would make them more likely to buy the same brand, while 3% said it would make them slightly reluctant to buy the brand again. Another 11% said it would make them very reluctant to buy the brand again. Cars with four faults: 3% of people said it would not affect whether they buy the brand again. None said that the way the fault was resolved would make them more likely to buy the same brand. Another 3% said it would make them slightly reluctant to buy the brand again, while 25% would be very reluctant to buy the same brand and 15% said they would not buy the brand again. Some 29% of cars had other electrical faults. A fifth had issues with the way the engine ran n Only 61% of faults reported here were satisfactorily resolved under warranty. n A single fault resolved satisfactorily can actually increase the likelihood of the car s user choosing the same brand again. Two faults does relatively little damage to a brand, but a higher figure starts to have a significant negative effect. Toshiba develops fast-charge battery Electronics giant Toshiba has developed an electric vehicle (EV) battery capable of providing a range of 186 miles after six minutes of ultra-rapid charging. With 3 minutes of ultra-rapid charging, the EV would have a range of 218 miles. The prototype builds on Toshiba s Super Charge ion Battery (SCiB), which in its present form is used in the Honda Fit and Mitsubishi i-miev. The new SCiB can store lithium ions at twice the density of the existing battery. This is a game-changing advance that will make a significant difference to the performance of EVs, said Toshiba research chief Osamu Hori. i-miev uses current-generation SCiB New app checks for mileage fraud in cars A new app can uncover mileage fraud in cars by checking whether their engine control units correlate with the odometers. The app, by Carly Connected Car, is already available in Europe and can be used for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen cars. Data collected from more than 3, cars across Europe found that 27% of E6-generation BMW 5 Series cars have had their mileages manipulated. App can be used for multiple brands
TRUE MPG NUGGETS True MPG tells you real-world economy Since launching True MPG, What Car? has tested more than 1 cars, using cutting-edge testing equipment to establish the real-world fuel economy of new cars. What Car? s True MPG data has now been used by more than three million visitors to the website since April 212. TRUE MPG RESULTS LATEST CARS TESTED -19% No car tested last month posted a True MPG that matched its theoretical average fuel consumption. The Nissan X-Trail came closest, being 19% short of its claimed 55.4mpg. 47.9 Hyundai s first hot hatch has a True MPG figure that isn t too far off the official claimed 39.8mpg MODEL OFFICIAL TRUE MPG Hyundai i3n Performance 39.8 31.2 Kia Picanto 1.2 manual 61.4 47.9 Kia Stonic 1. T-GDI manual 56.5 41.4 Nissan X-Trail 1.6 dci manual 2WD 55.4 45.1 Renault Koleos 1.6 dci manual 2WD 57.6 42.9 Results are continuously being added for a wide range of cars: go to whatcar.com/truempg The Kia Picanto 1.2 petrol achieved the best absolute result among the cars tested, recording 47.9mpg. The worst result was the Hyundai i3n with 31.2mpg, although this is a highperformance model. -27% The Kia Stonic recorded the biggest shortfall of the cars tested last month. Its True MPG figure of 41.4 was 27% adrift of the claimed 56.5mpg a poor result for a new model. The 1% Electric Nissan LEAF. See how much you could save. VISIT TRUEMPG.COM
NEWS NUGGETS Market analysis and web trends September, traditionally a strong sales month, posted a decline for the first time in six years n Last month was the first September to post a decline in six years, falling by 9.3% to 426,17 units despite the switch to the new 67-plate. n Diesel sales fell by 21.7% in September and are now down 13.7% year to date, compared with the 3.9% fall in overall new car sales so far this year. n Alternative-fuel vehicle sales rose by 41% last month to take a 5.3% market share, up from a 3.4% share a year ago. Year to date, alternative-fuel vehicle sales have risen by 34.6%. n Petrol models increased their market share to 54.6% last month, their sales declining by only 1.2% against August s 9.3% fall. Year to date, petrol cars have a 52.7% share, compared with diesel s 42.8%. TOP 1 NEW CAR BRAND SEARCHES n Sales of luxury saloons fell by 36.4% and small hatches by 21.2% in September. The SUV segment was the only one that grew, with sales up 2.4%. n For the second month in a row, a Ford was not the UK s best-selling model. The Nissan Qashqai was number one in September. n Last month featured a higher-than-usual proportion of private buyers, attracted by the plate change. This partly explains the Mini hatchback and Nissan Juke s seventh and eighth places respectively, because they appeal more to private than fleet buyers. n Unusually, Mercedes-Benz had two cars in the top 1. The A-Class and C-Class occupied ninth and 1th positions. BRAND UK SALES RANKING SEPT 217 SHARE % BMW 3 7.4 Skoda 15 2.5 Mercedes-Benz 4 7.4 Hyundai 9 3.9 Audi 6 7. Volvo 18 1.9 Mini 14 2.9 Kia 1 3.7 Toyota 8 4.5 Nissan 7 6.7 intelligence n The average manufacturer incentive spend per car is currently 28.5% higher on diesel models than petrol ones ( 263 versus 225). n BMW salespeople can use a % APR PCP deal and finance deposit allowances of up to 12, per car to help shift 6 Series Coupé variants. PCP deals for 6 Series have % APR Electric car charging network inadequate, says RAC Foundation RAC Foundation research has concluded that the patchy quality of charging infrastructure could threaten the viability of electric vehicles (EVs). Even though 8% of EV owners have access to home charging, 93% also use the public charge point network. The Government has encouraged quantity rather than quality. As a result, the public charge point network is unattractive to use and unsuitable for encouraging the next wave of EV customers, the report says. Furthermore, the lack of standardisation of connectors and charging protocols has resulted in a bewildering array of types of charge point, connectors and tariffs, which are poorly presented to the public. BRANDS APPEARING IN TOP 1 SALES CHART BUT NOT IN TOP 1 SEARCHES Ford 1 9.3 Volkswagen 2 8.5 Vauxhall 5 7.3 Most EV owners use public charge network
NEW CARS COMING SOON Source SMMT New car sales data Ford may not have had the best-selling model in September, but it s still the top brand so far this year (1,,s) 2.5 2. 1.5 1..5 Total sales... YTD previous year YTD Total sales by month Skoda Karoq December The Yeti s successor lacks the funky looks but is good to drive and versatile inside. Range Rover PHEV January 218 SUV can do 31 miles on electric power. Ferrari Portofino Early 218 Entry-level convertible has a 592bhp V8. 5 By petrol or diesel... Diesel Petrol Total 4 (1,s) 3 2 1 5 4 By private or fleet... Private Fleet Total Portofino can reach 62mph in 3.5sec Jaguar I-Pace Early 218 5k five-seat SUV will have futuristic looks and a range of more than 31 miles. (1,s) 3 2 1 October 216 November 216 December 216 January 217 TOP 1 BEST-SELLING MODELS February 217 March 217 April 217 May 217 June 217 SEPTEMBER 217 YEAR TO DATE 217 July 217 August 217 September 217 Vauxhall Insignia GSi Early 218 Hottest version of the Insignia range is available as a saloon or an estate. Mercedes-Benz A-Class Summer 218 It s bigger, roomier and sharper-looking, and fitted with semi-autonomous tech. Volkswagen T-Cross Late 218 The third small SUV from VW is the high-riding equivalent of a Polo hatchback. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 Nissan Qashqai 13,499 Ford Fiesta 75,814 Volkswagen Golf 12,8 Ford Focus 57,526 Ford Fiesta 1,826 Volkswagen Golf 57,18 Ford Focus 1,235 Nissan Qashqai 53,197 Vauxhall Corsa 8562 Vauxhall Corsa 46,6 Volkswagen Polo 8189 Vauxhall Astra 41,25 Mini hatch 8137 Volkswagen Polo 4,455 Nissan Juke 7757 Mercedes C-Class 39,55 Mercedes A-Class 7672 Mini hatchback 36,784 Mercedes C-Class 7584 Mercedes A-Class 34,547 TOP 1 BEST-SELLING BRANDS % 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 SEPT SEPT YTD YTD 217 216 217 216 Ford 9.3 1.5 11.3 11.8 Volkswagen 8.5 7.2 8. 7.6 BMW 7.4 6.9 6.7 6.5 Mercedes-Benz 7.4 6.8 7.1 6.4 Vauxhall 7.3 8.9 7.8 9.4 Audi 7. 6.6 6.7 6.4 Nissan 6.7 5.9 6.2 5.6 Toyota 4.5 4. 4.1 3.8 Hyundai 3.9 3.6 3.6 3.4 Kia 3.7 3.3 3.7 3.4 T-Cross previewed by convertible concept September 217 website figures n How many people use the What Car? website? What Car? s website received 3. million visits in September and delivered 12.3 million page impressions: 43% mobile, 38% desktop and 19% tablet. Who are we? n More than two million people research a new car with What Car? every month, making us the UK s biggest car buying brand. Haymarket s flagship motoring magazine has helped car buyers to make purchasing decisions for more than 4 years and its tests are widely seen as the most trusted source of advice on new cars. n Contact What Car? Intelligence on intelligence@whatcar.com