Car Reviews

Fast, fearsome, stylish and sporty - the new Mercedes Benz CLA Class AMG Shooting Brake in a nutshell. Hardly four words we associate with Estate cars. But has it got the substance you want? Sure enough, family cars were never meant to raise hell. But when the AMG division of Mercedes gets their hands on an Estate car, the game changed forever. It's ferocious engine delivers 355bhp, which is enough to get you and your Harrods shopping from rest to 62 in 4.2 seconds. Fear not, though, because the car isn’t all about performance. It’s also practical, well-equipped, and comes with four-wheel-drive.

The new Mazda 3 Hatchback is probably the brand’s suavest-looking car yet. It’s handsome, great fun to drive, and affordable to run. It’s perfect for stylish families who want to keep costs down. A prominent front grille and slender headlights add a touch of sharpness to the way it looks, while the direct steering give it handling prowess. Even better, the manual gearbox is an absolutely joy.

Mercedes are treading new water with their affordable Mercedes Benz CLA Class Coupe, their sights set on buyers who may have previously not thought about purchasing from the brand before. It’s an accomplished car, one that represents a bit of middle ground between a hatchback and a larger saloon. Essentially, if you need a spacious, sporty family car and want a premium badge, it’s a good fit. Sleek, long and aggressively designed, it offers good performance and handling, decent levels of comfort, and affordable running costs. In terms of safety, it can’t be beaten, with the brand installing an array of cutting-edge systems to make sure it’s one of the safest cars on the planet.

The new Mercedes Benz C-Class Coupe just gets better with age: Better looking, better to drive, and better running costs. It’s an upmarket way to travel in style. It won’t get your blood pumping like a fast and furious V12 sports car, with Mercedes aiming for elegance, poise, comfort and relaxation instead. The best thing is, all of this luxurious goodness comes with a price tag that starts out from just £32,000. OSV takes a closer look at what it’s all about with our 2017 Mercedes Benz C-Class Coupe review.

Every now and then, you just want a fast car. Sometimes, you want a luxurious fast car. The new Mercedes Benz C-Class AMG Saloon is a scorching compact exec Saloon that’s great to drive, comfortable - and reasonably affordable to run. Airmatic air suspension ensures you travel in style, while a high quality cabin boasts luxury. The AMG is a more expensive, more powerful step-up from the standard C-Class model. It has all the luxury of that car, but adds more kit, more speed and bigger alloys. Essentially, it’s for the driver who can afford to take things up a notch.

The brand new, all-star Mercedes Benz A-Class AMG Hatchback is A++. It’s got the premium badge, the hi-tech kit - and it’s all neatly packaged into a (relatively) affordable family car. It’s ideal if you need room for the kids but don’t want to have to sacrifice performance. With that said, its looks are polarising. Where exec saloons are concerned, Mercedes produce some of the most handsome cars on the planet. Where vans and hatchbacks are concerned, it’s a different story. However, a Mercedes is a Mercedes is a Mercedes.

The new Mazda CX3 Hatchback is a stylish alternative in the already impressive Crossover market. It’s got an upmarket interior, sharp looks, and it’s good fun to drive. It’s like a conventional Hatchback but super-sized, and offers plenty of room for growing families. Compared to rivals, the CX3 is a bit on the expensive side. However, Mazda can feel justified with their pricing when you take a look at the list of standard kit: The likes of a 7” touchscreen, alloys and cruise control all comes with the entry level model. It’s reasonably practical too, its 350-litre boot out-sizing some competitors.

Want to lighten your wallet in style? The new, bespoke Maserati GranCabrio Convertible is one of the suavest drop-tops to have ever graced our humble planet. Performance is incredible, engine noise is apocalyptic, and four adults can travel in comfort. It’s one of the most versatile cars of its type that can take a walk on the wild side or cruise along riverbanks. You can just picture yourself relaxing down the French Riviera, not a care in the world, as the gentle breeze laps at your shoulders. It’s just pure luxury straight out of a Hollywood movie. However, such luxury doesn’t come cheap. Prices start just shy of £100,000, and the economy doesn’t go any higher than 15mpg.

Estate cars have never looked better, and the new Mazda CX5 Estate is a case in point. Striking in its design, it makes for an excellent transition for growing families who need something bigger than a Hatchback. And just in case you were worried all Estate cars were boring, Mazda’s all-action DNA is present. If you’ve ever driven a Mazda MX-5 Roadster, be sure that this muscular Estate has taken a few cues from its devil-may-care sibling. It’s well equipped, too - but it is expensive.

The new Mercedes Benz B-Class Hatchback represents a watershed moment in the five-seater family car market. Put simply, an MPV has never been this luxurious. But that’s not all; the five star Mercedes brings with it five-star safety ratings, affordable running costs, strong build quality and priceless badge appeal. In other words, it could be exactly what families who need interior space but still want to travel in style are looking for. OSV takes a closer look at what it’s all about with our 2017 Mercedes Benz B-Class Hatchback review.