The Sunday Times Magazine - UK (2022-01-23)

The Sunday Times Magazine • 49

Nissan Ariya £41,845

Nissan is hoping the Ariya will

repeat the success of the

ubiquitous Qashqai, that’s to

say become a bestselling,

beans-on-toast family car for the

electric generation. To achieve

that Nissan will have to cut the

price. At £41,845 for the 63kWh

version (223-mile range), rising to

£58,440 for 87kWh model (310

miles), it’s as expensive as a Tesla

Toyota bZ4X £41,950 Model 3 and well above the

Until now Toyota has resolutely refused to join the battery-

electric revolution, sticking to the view that hybrid petrol-

electric cars like the Prius would eventually be succeeded by

hydrogen-powered cars like the Toyota Mirai. Sadly, even

though hydrogen works, and is greener and better than rival

technologies, no one has stepped up to build the hydrogen

filling stations needed to make it practical. So Toyota is

launching its first battery-powered car. It will have a 280-mile

range and be rechargeable to 80 per cent capacity in 30

minutes, with the option on forthcoming models of solar

panels generating at least enough power for the air

conditioning on hot days. It’s a Toyota, so odds on it will be

well engineered, built to last and possibly slightly dull to drive.

In case you’re wondering, yes, bZ4X is the actual name,

obviously the result of a Zoom brainstorming session at which

no one could agree so Toyota used the wi-fi code instead.

Expected: TBC

£32,000 threshold for the

government’s plug-in grant.

Admittedly it looks great with

traditional Japanese styling

touches such as the grille based

on kumiko (wood-crafting)

patterns and paper-lantern-

inspired cockpit lights. Its

super-slim batteries sit between

the wheels, giving it a flat floor

and lots of interior space.

Expected: summer

Imagine stepping inside a car

with a hexagonal steering wheel,

a widescreen telly and 20 times

the on-board computing power

of previous BMWs. The iX M60

is bristling with cameras and

sensors for driver-assistance and

“5G technology for over-the-air

functionality”; in other words,

BMW

iX M60

£111,905

it has the ability to drive itself, or

will be able to when the law allows,

while you watch Amazon Prime.

Until then audiophiles can

immerse themselves in theatre

surround sound, courtesy of 30

speakers, including eight built into

headrests. The space-age iX even

has self-healing paint to smooth

out stone chips. The first iX

models — the 40 and 50 — are

already here. When it joins them,

the range-topping M60 will be

able to sprint from standstill to

62mph in an impressive 3.8

seconds and cover 357 miles

between charges.

Expected: summer