05/09/2008 22:15. Developing more torque than a Land Rover Defender - 400 Nm - the 2.2 D4D engine is required to shift just 1400 kilos or so, and this it does with consummate ease. It will comfortably outpace a BMW 118d, yet return a combined fuel consumption superior to that of a 1.4 petrol Auris. A little lamp illuminates when it is time to change up, which, for drivers unfamiliar with diesel cars, is better than waiting for valve shapes to appear on the bonnet.

A combined fuel consumption of 45.6 mpg equates to a CO2 rating of 164 g/km. Compare this with the much slower 1.4 petrol model, which returns 40.9 mpg, and has a CO2 rating of 163 g/km. Moreover, the petrol car takes a full 13 seconds to reach 62 mph from standstill, whereas the D4D... // New Car Net