Motion 1.4 MHEV manual

A good solid car with all the 'old fashioned' features which I like

I like so-called old-fashioned cars. Practical cars with fewer gadgets and gizmos. Cars where design has not been allowed to take the place of practicality. The S-Cross has lots of really positive points:

It's a fairly boxy car with a good driving position, big windows and good all-round visibility.

Gearbox, clutch and steering are nice and light - some reviewers say the steering is too light, but I like it

Economy with the mild hybrid system is great, around 14% better than either of my two previous (non-hybrid) cars. The regenerative braking effect is handy too.

The boot space is generous and very practical.

The only touchscreen functions are on the entertainment system. All the controls which matter are proper switches and knobs. It has an old-style analogue instrument panel.

Driver assistance systems are generally unobtrusive and most can be permanently switched off. I don't need 'lane assist' or traffic sign recognition thanks very much. Front and rear parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic alert - yes please, modern car parks and lousy drivers mean these features are very useful. But out on the open road? I prefer to use my eyes, ears and brain.

Minor negative points? The radio is not 'hot wired'. You can't close the electric windows using the key fob. And the front collision warning system is, as many reviewers have said, rather inconsistent and over-sensitive (but you can switch it off easily!)

I haven't owned it long enough to select all the ratings below, but I have very little doubt that I will continue to enjoy owning and driving this car for many years.

Report as offensive