Issue 61: 18 October 2019 £5.99 www.companycartoday.co.uk Your independent source of fleet news, reviews and interviews PLUS Coffee with Volvo fleet boss Steve Beattie Analysis LITTLE GEM Audi goes big with TEST DRIVE REVIEW its electric plans Can the new Peugeot 208 continue the French brand’s recent good form? PLUS BIG TEST SKODA SCALA GUNS FOR THE CORE FLEET MARKET TESTED: Nissan’s long-awaited new Juke THETHE CHANGE CHANGE YOUR YOUR FLEETFLEET DESERVES NewNew selectable selectable drive drive modes modes for for different different roadroad conditions.conditions. Extended wheelwheel arches,arches, larger larger wheels wheels and and increased increased ride ride heightheight forfor a commanding drive. Plus,Plus, 575 575 litres litres of of storage storage space space – – all all you you need need toto movemove your business forward withwith confidence. confidence. Discover Discover more more at at ford.co.uk/new-focusford.co.uk/new-focus ModelModel shown shown is isan an All All-New-New Focus Focus Active Active X X Estate Estate 1.0T 1.0T 125PS 125PS Petrol Petrol Manual Manual withwith optionaloptional LED Headlights and ConvenienceConvenience Pack. Pack. Fuel Fuel economy economy mpg mpg ( l/100km(l/100km) )( Combined(Combined)): :45.6 45.6 ( (6.26.2)). .* *COCO22 emissions: emissions: 111g/km.111g/km. FiguresFigures shown shown are are for for comparability comparability purposes; purposes; only only compare compare fuel fuel consumption consumption and and CO CO22 figures figures with with other other cars cars testedtested toto thethe samesame technical SEARCH:SEARCH: FOCUS FOCUS ACTIVE ACTIVE procedures.procedures. These These figures figures may may not not reflect reflect real real life life driving driving results, results, which which will will depend depend upon upon a a number number of of factors factors includingincluding the accessories fitted, variationsvariations in inweather, weather, driving driving styles styles and and vehicle vehicle load. load. *There *There is is a anew new test test used used for for fuel fuel consumption consumption and and COCO 22 figures.figures. TheThe COCO 2 figures shown,shown, however,however, are are based based on on the the outgoing outgoing test test cycle cycle and and will will be be used used to to calculate calculate vehicle vehicle tax tax on on first first registration. registration. FOREWORD CONTENTS 04 NEWS Accident stats show no fall; road- tolling enquiry; Birmingham WPL 9 AUDI’S EV PLANS Electric powertrains feature strongly in German brand’s future WELCOME 12 BIG TEST Last week was But there needs to be a clear pathway Skoda Scala: best of two worlds? to such a radical shift in something as another small fundamental as the way we travel. It’s 18 INTERVIEW step on the going to be politically unpopular, but if the Volvo business sales boss Steve route to electric Government is serious about a pathway to Beattie on the brand’s fleet rise electrical vehicles, then it needs to cars becoming happen, and it was good to at least see 20 REVIEWS mainstream. The the first signs of it being on the radar. Peugeot 208; Nissan Juke; Setting out exactly how it would work BMW 3-Series Touring; international and getting the public and businesses Audi Q7 PHEV; Renault Zoe drive launch event for the used to the idea is vital, but the Brexit pantomime of chaos is rendering all other LONG-TERM TESTS 29 Peugeot 208 took place (see issues redundant. How we pay for the Seat Tarraco copes with family demands; BMW 320d hits the tip p20) and for the first time roads and contribute those huge sums petrol, diesel and electric cars into Treasury coffers is important, and how that changes is a big issue that’s 32 THE KNOWLEDGE were side by side on one event. All the facts and figures you need stealthily creeping up on a distracted and Previously, even the few models that fragmented Government that has a have an electric powertrain alongside history, of which the company car sector 34 FLEET OF FANCY conventional internal combustion engines Lexus RC F: fast thunder is only too aware, of making knee-jerk have added the battery model a few reactionary decisions without months, or even more than a year, understanding the consequences. behind the entry models. But putting 04 the powertrains in one batch is another signal of the increasing normality of EVs. Which is why it was, to some extent, a relief to see the first Government moves towards accepting that a debate is needed on how to fill the black hole where once there was a pile of lovely fuel-duty cash. As people charge at home, it’s not going Paul Barker Editor to be possible to tax electricity, and road-user charging seems like the only Newspress Automotive 12 option, as an inquiry in 2020 is now set to Editor of the Year 2018 explore, according to the Transport Select Guild of Motoring Writers Committee announcement last week. Editor of the Year 2017 EDITORIAL: DISCLAIMER: Company Car Today is EDITOR: Paul Barker T: 01206 638034 published by Automotive Media & Events E: [email protected] Limited, registered address 1 Second Avenue, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Tristan Young Halstead, Essex, CO9 2SU. Registered CONTRIBUTORS: Euan Doig, Tom Webster number 10034249. All rights reserved. No NEWS: [email protected] part of the magazine may be reproduced in PRODUCTION: any form in whole or in part without prior ART DIRECTOR: Caroline Creighton-Metcalf written permission of the publisher. All T: 01206 638037 material published remains the copyright of E: [email protected] Automotive Media & Events Limited. While PUBLISHING: every reasonable care is taken to ensure 18 20 PUBLISHER: Dave Wallace T: 07739 554329 accuracy, information is obtained from a E: [email protected] variety of sources and the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions, nor ADVERTISING: T: 01206 638036 do we accept liability for any loss or damage, 34 CIRCULATION MANAGER: Andy Kirk T: 01825 701520 howsoever caused, resulting from the use E: [email protected] of the magazine. We reserve the right to edit letters, copy or images submitted to SUBSCRIPTIONS: Subscribe to Company the magazine without further consent. The Car Today: UK £120.00 (two years £205, three submission of material to Automotive Media years £270). Europe and Eire £165 (two years & Events Limited unsolicited or requested, is £280, three years £370). taken as permission to publish. 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COMPANYCARTODAY.CO.UK 3 The big stories from the NEWS past fortnight in the fleet world ROAD DEATH FIGURES REMAIN STATIC The number of people killed fallen by 1%, from 5.43 in 2017 older age groups and on UK roads has remained to 5.38 in 2018. a spike in fatalities on static for the seventh year Responding to the data, RAC motorways – some in a row, according to the head of policy Nicholas Lyes worrying trends are Department for Transport. said more progress needs to be emerging here that require concern, saying: “Road safety In 2018, there were 1,784 made to reduce the number of immediate investigation, to is everyone’s responsibility reported road deaths, just fatalities on the roads. understand the reasons for and it is clear that working in nine fewer than the 1,793 “This data makes for these increases and what can partnership to promote it is the fatalities recorded in 2017 disappointing reading. In short, be done to reduce them,” he key to returning to long-term and 30 more than in 2012. there has been no meaningful continued. “In addition, the downward trends. DfT figures also showed that reduction in fatalities at government’s data suggests “More incentives for post- there were 160,597 casualties a national level for seven a rise in motorway collisions test training, consistent of all severities in reported road consecutive years now,” he where at least one driver has enforcement of new motoring traffic accidents in 2018, a 6% said. “While we welcome the been under the influence of laws, accelerating the uptake reduction compared with 2017 government’s renewed focus, illegal drugs. These figures of autonomous emergency and the lowest level on record. there needs to be a significant clearly show that there is no braking-equipped cars and But the number of serious shift in policy that will result in room for any complacency.” promoting best practice in injuries rose to 25,511. far fewer serious collisions. IAM Roadsmart director driving for work are just a few The rate of fatalities per “Of particular concern are of policy and research examples of quick gains that billion vehicle miles has though the rises in fatalities among Neil Greig, also expressed could be achieved,” he said. Road charging consultation in 2020 Toyota acquires Inchcape in £100m deal The Transport Select Toyota has acquired leasing part of car retailing chain Committee has revealed that and fleet management Inchcape PLC, it will join the it will launch an inquiry into company Inchcape Fleet Toyota Fleet Mobility Europe road-user charging in 2020. Solutions for £100m, giving stable, a branch of Toyota The shift to electric vehicles the manufacturer an all-makes formed in 2018 to develop is set to leave a “fiscal black leasing offering. a European base for future hole” due to reducing fuel duty, Portsmouth-based Inchcape mobility services by providing and the inquiry will cover the have an opportunity for a ranks just outside the UK’s full-service leasing products. issues of road tolls, congestion much wider debate about top 10 leasing companies It already has subsidiaries charges, workplace parking our use of road space, with more than 20,000 cars in France, Italy and Spain, and levy, an HGV levy and low- cutting carbon emissions, and light commercial vehicles the acquisition of IFS is likely emission and clean-air zones.