Devon tries to find purpose for the BMW X6 (Used)

Unless you really want the X6 and don’t mind paying the premium for it, the X5 is cheaper and much more practical. Here’s why:

The standard 3-liter turbocharged six-cylinder producing 300hp already provides enough kick in your pants acceleration. So we question if the 4.4-liter turbocharged eight-cylinder producing 400hp is really worth paying the premium for. What separates the X6 from the X5 is the sweet handling and sharp steering. You’ll have to pay for the option to get the X6 to drive the way it should and at this price point it shouldn’t be an option. At least the engines are smooth in operation and are quite lovely to hear when under hard acceleration. Wind and road noise are very well hushed in the cabin.

BMW has a minimalistic approach to their interior designs, and the X6 is no exception. Everything is very easy to locate and everything is within easy reach of the driver’s hand. The new iDrive system is much more user-friendly. Drivers in the front will find comfort very easily while rear passengers may struggle for headroom and legroom. Plus the boot space is just down right disappointing. This is all due to the slopping roofline.

The X6 does come well equipped for the money. Keyless entry is standard, as well as iDrive infotainment system and Xenon Headlamps. Climate control and leather seats are also standard. One annoying thing about BMW is that you’ll have to pay for extra that should be standard. Such as heated front seats, keyless start and rearview parking camera, which you will need because rearward visibility is appalling!

 Buying an X6 isn’t a cheap proposition. But your investments should be well secured as BMW resale value is strong thanks to the badge. Running costs will be high unless you stick with the standard turbocharged six-cylinder which should be somewhat decent. Quality of the interior feels high class and well put together. Reliability should be good as with all BMW vehicles.

The X6 is aimed for those who seek something different. It’s quirky and odd way to be different too. It’s expensive too and you don’t get some premium features that should be standard. Plus you’ll have to pay the money to make it drive and handle the way that it should. Unless you really just have to have an X6 the X5 is cheaper and much more practical than the X6.

Likes: Handles and drives with the right options. It’s different and quirky yet holds its value well. Turbo engines both are powerful. iDrive system has been vastly improved.

Dislikes: Why does being different cost so much? You’ll pay an arm and leg to make the X6 drive the way it should, and some options at this price point shouldn’t be optional. You're better off with an X5.

Devon’s Choice: The standard 3-liter turbocharged six-cylinder is all the engine you will ever need. It’s still expensive but running costs won’t be too bad.

This coupe looks like a sedan! (used)

What’s a four-door coupe? A traditional coupe only has two-doors, with the Mercedes CLS however. Mercedes claims that it’s as sleek as a coupe but functional like a four-door sedan. It’s obviously a hot new segment to cause Audi and BMW to respond. But is the premium for these four-door coupes well justified?

The CLS400 comes with a 3-liter bi-turbocharged six-cylinder pumping out 329hp. You can have the CLS400 with or without 4matic all-wheel-drive. Same case for the CLS550 but you get a more potent 4.7-liter bi-turbocharged eight-cylinder pumping out 402hp. Top of the range CLS63 AMG comes with a 5.5-liter AMG bi-turbocharged eight-cylinder pumping out 577hp. Pick of the is the most logical choose of them all, the CLS400 4matic. It still isn’t cheap no matter how you look at it, but it seems to be the better value compared to the other trims.

The CLS isn’t as sharp to drive as a BMW 6-series. It is however much more comfortable to drive and while the steering offers decent feedback, we are still much more impressed with the overall driving experience. It manages to be both comfortable and offer decent agility at the same time. The AMG version offers a firmer suspension set up which isn’t bad but over some surfaces the ride gets overly firm and borderline unforgiving. Refinement is what you’d expect from a Mercedes; all the engines operate smoothly and sound lovely when revved. The engine stop/start technology all trims come equipped with doesn’t really operate as smoothly as we’d like.

The front driver and passengers will be greeted with an opulent interior. The materials used are high quality and are very eye appealing. The infotainment system is much less fiddly in the previous generations, although the single stalk used for most of the controls is still quite annoying. While those in the front enjoy space of plenty, passengers in the rear will have very limited headroom. Ingress and egress is also an issue due to the slopping roofline. The boot space is decent too for a couple of golf bags.

Our tester CLS400 4matic came equipped with full-LED headlights, leather trimmed interior and climate control. We didn’t get to test drive a version with standard suspension. The air suspension our tester car came with was well worth the premium. However, to our surprise our tester car didn’t come with keyless ignition; also blind spot warning and lane keep assist weren’t even standard either. There are plenty of indirect options out there that are cheaper and offer more bang for your money.

The Mercedes CLS is all style and not much in between.

Likes: Sleek coupe-like profile, interior is much improved. AMG version has blistering fast acceleration.

Dislikes: It’s an expensive and pointless way to be different.

Devon’s choice: CLS400 4matic makes the most sense. It’s still not cheap but at least you get decent (if somewhat lacking) standard kit. But if you have to have one this is the way to go.

Volkswagen CC me please!

You could buy an Audi, BMW or Mercedes to dress up your company car parking space, or you could buy a Volkswagen CC. Yes, Volkswagen has a classy four-door coupe that’s more than just a sleek looking sedan. It’s full of charm and character; however you’d better act fast because the Arteon is around the corner.

The 3.6 six-cylinder is no longer available but you can make do with the familiar 2-liter turbo four. It does offer decent punch and is quite flexible where it matters the most. However, we certainly wish that it were as potent as the one found in the Golf R. Most will be completely satisfied with this engine though because running costs are respectable and the starting price of the CC means that it’s way cheaper than the BMW 4-series gran-coupe and Mercedes CLS.

On the road the CC holds onto corners and bends well. It doesn’t feel like a glorified Passat but it certainly is far from the classier rivals from BMW and Mercedes. You’ll find that steering feedback is just enough and the overall suspension doesn’t feel rock hard, but provides a striking balance between comfort and handling. However, the rear windscreen creates huge blind spots, and the slopping roofline means that rear passengers will have to duck down lower than comfort to get into the rear seat. Once you’re back there, the space isn’t very inviting if you’re a tall passenger and don’t even get us started on legroom. It’s best described as a two plus two affair because three abreast is pushing it to limits outside of the realm of comfort. The boot space is quite generous though, but it is far from versatile like the BMW 4-series gran-coupe hatchback design.

The CC doesn’t look like much of a value on paper until you dip into the standard kit. You get plenty of kit for the money which is hard to say about some of its keen rivals. Leatherette seating surfaces, bi-xenon headlamps, push button ignition and navigation system are also standard. The R-Line adds a body-kit and 18-inch alloy wheels. The option for 4motion all-wheel-drive used to be solely for the 3.6 but that engine is no longer available and either is the all-wheel-drive. We do hope that the all-wheel-drive does make a return in the future with the Arteon.

The CC isn’t the newest kid on the block but it certainly does have charm and classiness that some rivals can’t quite match. It may not be the sharpest to drive but it certainly does hold its own well and in a segment all about standing out, the CC still looks fresh.

Likes: The turbo engine spools well and running costs are decent. The interior is classy and the driving dynamics are much sharper than expected.

Dislikes: Wait for the Arteon.

Pathological isn't impressed with the Mercedes CLA

Audi and Mercedes both are offering four-door sedans for buyers who can't afford the more expensive A4 and C-class offerings. The CLA is the stylish of the two and offers that Mercedes quality at a lower asking price. But does this mean that you get what you pay for with a cheap Mercedes?

Performance: The CLA only offers two engine choices. It's a no brainer here as to which engine is the pick of the range. The CLA250 which is the cheaper of the two offers a turbocharged four-cylinder producing 208hp. Top of the range CLA45 AMG offers the same turbocharged four-cylinder producing 375hp. Most buyers will pick the CLA250 because it's cheaper to buy and makes the most sense financially.

On the road: The CLA suspension is set up towards comfort which is fine if you desire a smooth ride. The car still shimmies around over rough surfaces. The sports suspension sharpens handling but the ride comfort is much firmer and produces a choppy ride over rough surfaces. The AMG is great fun but is much harder to live with. There is little wind noise at highway speeds, there is a lot of road noise on patchy road surfaces. Both engines are smooth in operation but the AMG has a contagious exhaust that makes it hard to drive casually.

Behind the wheel: The driving position is good for drivers of all sizes. With plenty of adjustments for both driver's seat and steering wheel. This is sadly where the positives end. Just like all other Mercedes, you have to operate many functions by scrolling through menus with a single control dial in the center console. The lay out isn't very user friendly and is just too distracting to fully operate while on the go. The swooping roofline means that rear visibility is poor. There's plenty of room in the front with so-so rear passenger space. You'll have to becareful not to bash your head when getting in the back of the CLA. The boot is fairly large but its shallow and makes loading bulky items tricky.

Equipment: The CLA250 comes with decent kit for the money. Although you'll have to pay extra for Bi-xenon headlamps and a sport package which makes the CLA look sportier. Attention Assist is standard as well as 17-inch alloy wheels, start/stop system and Bluetooth hands-free interface. Top of the range AMG offers unique AMG trim, all-wheel-drive system and Bi-Xenon headlamps.

Buying & owning: The CLA looks pricey compared to the A3 sedan. Many of the features you'll most likely want pushes the price higher. At least the running costs will be decent if you stick with the front-wheel-drive variant. Resale value should be strong too thanks to good looks and the legendary Mercedes badge.

Quality: Interior quality and materials used feel upscale but don't feel as classy as the A3. Plus there are some areas that feel cost cutting. What worries us even more is the fact that Mercedes continues to score low in reliability surveys even though they have improved dramatically over the years. It's still not as good as Audi and BMW.

Safety: 10 airbags come standard as well as Attention Assist which monitors drowsy drivers. Optional is Bi-xenon headlamps on the CLA250 as well as blind spot warning detection. Deadlocks and an imobiliser come standard to keep theft at bay.

The CLA is a great entry level luxury sedan for those who really want the Mercedes badge but can't afford the more expensive C-class. Even though it is a great car all round, it still makes us wonder is it really worth considering? There are many indirect rivals that offer more kit for similar money and there's the Audi A3 which offers a few extra bits standard for the same price tag. Unless love the looks and can over look the short comings of the CLA this is the car for you. Otherwise we suggest looking at the A3 and top of the range indirect rivals.

Likes: Stylish inside out. Smooth turbo engine. AMG is a total hoot to drive. Mercedes at a low price what's not to like?

Dislikes: You'll pay an arm and leg to get the features you'll most likely want. AMG version is expensive. Reliability is still iffy and there's too many better indirect rivals.