This the Seat Mii 5dr, a more versatile version of the city car that's closely related to the Skoda Citigo

and VW Up

.

The three-door version of the Seat Mii

goes on sale in May; the five-door model arrives in winter 2012.

Viewed from the side, the Seat Mii 5dr is almost identical to the VW Up 5dr

and Skoda Citigo 5dr

. It has the same front and rear styling as the three-door Mii, and the same dimensions.

Volkswagen will charge an extra £375 for the Up 5dr, compared with the three-door model. We?d expect a similar premium for the Mii 5dr, so prices should start at around £7900, on a par with the Skoda Citigo 5dr.

Leo Wilkinson

 Read all of our latest car reviews here on whatcar.com. From all-new cars to the smallest tweak to an existing model, our road test team will evaluate and report.

This is where you can find all the whatcar.com test drives we've published over the past week.

You'll also be able to read all of our new nine-point reviews, too, along with any that have received major updates. Make this your one-stop guide to the latest model news.

If that's not enough, use the dropdown menu at the foot of this page to read the top 10 reviews in each category of car.

Latest reviews

Alfa Giulietta TCT
The Giulietta is available with a new TCT twin-clutch semi-automatic gearbox.
Alfa Giulietta TCT review

BMW Active Hybrid 5
The Hybrid 5 is based on the 5 Series saloon, and is the first BMW hybrid in right-hand-drive form.
BMW Active Hybrid 5 review

Mercedes B-Class
We take a test drive in Merc's new B-Class - a premium-priced rival to the Ford Focus and VW Golf.
Mercedes B-Class review

Mercedes SLK 250 CDI
The SLK 250 CDI shrugs off its comfortable tourer role to offer a credible rival for Audi's TT TDI.
Mercedes SLK 250 CDI review

Mini Roadster
Find out what we think of the Mini Roadster - a new soft-top version of the new Mini Coupe.
Mini Roadster review

New VW Golf prototypes
We drive prototypes of a Golf plug-in hybrid and the all-electric Golf Blue e-motion. Read our verdict.
VW Golf prototype review

VW Polo ACT
We test the VW Polo ACT, which uses shut-off technology to help improve economy and cut CO2.
VW Polo ACT review

Latest nine-point web reviews

Chevrolet Aveo
A very respectable supermini, but can it trouble the best cars in this ultra-competitive class? Read all about it here.
Chevrolet Aveo review

Vauxhall Zafira Tourer
The Vauxhall Zafira Tourer is a decent MPV, but is it as practical, refined and easy to live with as its best rivals?
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer review

 We put the What Car? fleet through the ultimate test - every day life.

We?re a varied bunch of people, and drive each other's cars regularly, so we find out what the cars on test are like from a wide range of perspectives.

Each week we update our reports, giving you the insider track on what these cars are like to own.

Simply click on the links below to get the latest on our cars.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Run by Tom Webster, Staff Writer
Alfa Romeo Giulietta on test

Audi A1
Run by Rosie McMahon, data editor
Audi A1 on test

BMW 5 Series Touring
Run by John McIlroy, magazine editor
BMW 5 Series Touring on test

Ford Focus
Run by Adele Donaghie, managing editor
Ford Focus

Honda CR-Z
Run By Steve Huntingford, new cars editor
Honda CR-Z on test

Hyundai i40 Tourer
Run by Stephen Hopkins, art editor
Hyundai i40 on test

Jaguar XF
Run by Euan Doig, group production editor
Jaguar XF on test

Lexus CT200h
Run by Iain Reid, web producer
Lexus CT200h on test

Kia Picanto
Run by Will Nightingale, road tester
Kia Picanto on test

Mercedes-Benz CLS
Run by Chas Hallett, editor-in-chief
Mercedes CLS on test

Mini Countryman
Run by Alex Newby, deputy editor
Mini Countryman on test

Mini Coupe
Run by Ivan Aistrop, content editor
Mini Coupe on test

Nissan Leaf
Nissan's electric Leaf is tested by What Car? staffers
Nissan Leaf on test

Peugeot 508 SW
What Car? publishing director, Andrew Golby, takes on the Peugeot 508 SW.
Peugeot 508 SW on test

Seat Alhambra
Run by John Bradshaw, chief photographer
Seat Alhambra on test

Vauxhall Astra GTC
Run by Emma Butcher, consumer editor
Vauxhall Astra on test

Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer
Run by Neil Williams, photographer
Vauxhall Astra Sport Tourer on test

Volkswagen Passat Estate
Run by Barnaby Jones, deputy production editor
Volkswagen Passat Estate on test

Used
Nissan Qashqai
Run by Rory White, used car editor
Nissan Qashqai on test

Our cars: previous reports

BMW Alpina D3

Audi A2 on test

Citroen DS3

Ford S-Max

Hyundai ix35

Infiniti M30d

Jaguar XJ

Mazda CX-7

Nissan Juke on test

Peugeot 3008

Range Rover on test

Renault Megane Renaultsport

Skoda Yeti

Volkswagen Golf

Volvo S60

 The Toyota GT 86 coupe

will cost from £24,995.

The GT 86 is an eagerly anticipated two-door coupe ? co-developed with Subaru ? which will go on sale in the UK next summer. The Subaru version is called the BRZ

.

The car is a traditional front-engined, rear-wheel-drive sportscar, powered by a new 2.0-litre flat-four boxer engine.

The GT 86 (pronounced eight six) develops 197bhp, which can blast it to a top speed of 145mph, with 60mph reached in around 7 seconds.

Full specification and pricing will be revealed closer to the car's on-sale. Deliveries start from June.

Iain Reid

 The Mini Convertible Highgate ? the car maker's latest London-themed special edition

? has been unveiled.

The Mini Convertible Highgate comes with a ?Chocolate? paint scheme and a brown cloth roof as standard. A black or white metallic finish can be specified as an option, while black or brown bonnet stripes with blue edging finish the look.

The Mini Highgate also gets 17-inch alloys that are inspired by the Union Jack.

?Highgate? badging can be found on the side indicator surrounds, doorsills and the seat tags, while the interior gets leather seats in ?Dark Truffle? brown with light blue piping. Stainless steel pedals, alloy details and bespoke floor mats complete the upgrades.

The Highgate special edition is available with four engines: 120bhp Cooper and 181bhp Cooper S petrol models, and 110bhp Cooper D and 141bhp Cooper SD diesels.

Prices range from £21,080 for the Cooper to £25,830 for the automatic Cooper SD.

The Mini Convertible Highgate is available to order now.

Tom Webster

 This is the Kia Track'ster concept car, which will be unveiled at the Chicago motor show next week.

The Track'ster is the latest concept car to be based on the Soul

.

Kia describes the Track'ster concept car as the 'ultimate sporting representation' of the Soul. The three-door Track'ster could eventually be added to a Soul range alongside the five-door model and a convertible version that's currently under evaluation.

Kia says there are no plans to put the Track'ster into production, but a US launch would make sense, with more than 100,000 Souls sold there in 2011.

Pete Barden

 The 2013 Volkswagen Golf will be available with a range of sophisticated new powertrains, and we?ve driven two of them, in prototype form.

The Golf plug-in hybrid combines a petrol engine with an electric motor powered by batteries that can be recharged, to give a useful electric-only range.

The second prototype is the Golf Blue e-motion, which is an all-electric version of the Golf.

What are they like to drive? We drove versions of the future powertrains in current Golf models.

The Golf plug-in hybrid shows real promise. It?s able to travel for longer than most non-plug-in hybrids in electric-only mode, and is beautifully refined when it does so.

As you?d expect, the electric motor gives all of its considerable torque right from the word go, so performance is strong; and, when the petrol engine joins in, it does so very smoothly.

There?s still a lot of work to do on the car, but we can see from our very brief drive that, with the right development, this is the kind of car that could be a tough rival for the Chevrolet Volt and Vauxhall Ampera.

The electric Golf Blue e-motion is also a fine car that will provide a stern challenge to the best in class. Its performance is strong ? at least on a par with the Nissan Leaf's ? and the car is wonderfully smooth to drive: in many ways it's a perfect city car, but one that is just as at home on the open road, capable of decent pace in complete quiet.

What are they like inside? The Golf plug-in hybrid we drove was a development car. There are incongruous displays in the dashboard and a boot full of electrical kit that will be better concealed when the car finally goes into production.

The Golf e-motion, however, looks very much like a regular Golf ? which is good news.

The interior has the same space and quality as any Golf, and you can only tell it?s electric by the fact that the dials and displays are unique to this model, while the boot floor is a little higher than a regular Golf?s to accommodate the batteries underneath.

Overall, though, you don?t lose much practicality for the sake of electric power.

Should I buy one? The all-new Golf goes on sale in early 2013.

The Blue e-motion version is likely to arrive in late 2013 or early 2014, while the plug-in hybrid model is due later in 2014.

The Golf Blue e-motion will be worth a look, because it?s certainly at least as good as a Nissan Leaf. There are the usual caveats that apply to any electric car ? it has to fit into your lifestyle, with a range of less than 100 miles ? but it?s one of the best.

Making a call on the Golf plug-in hybrid is pretty much impossible, given how Volkswagen still has to go in developing it. Nevertheless, we?ve seen enough already to know this is one space we?ll certainly be watching.

What Car? says?
VW Golf Blue e-motion


VW Golf plug-in hybrid


Andy Pringle

 The all-new BMW 3 Series officially hits showrooms on February 11, so what should we expect from BMW's class-leading compact executive?

The new 3 Series is larger and more spacious than the current car, yet most models are lighter, quicker and more efficient than those they replace.

From launch there will two petrol versions: the four-cylinder 328i and the six-cylinder 335i.

There are standard and Efficient Dynamics versions of the 320d diesel. Both have the same power output (161bhp and 181bhp) as before: CO2 emissions for the standard model have dropped from 125 to 118g/km, while the Efficient Dynamics has the same 109g/km figure as before.

A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, while BMW?s latest eight-speed automatic gearbox is an option across the range. The new 'box cuts CO2 emissions for automatic versions by up to 16%.

In spring, three more four-cylinder, 2.0-litre models are due: the 320i petrol and the 316d and 318d diesels. In autumn BMW will launch a six-cylinder diesel model, four-wheel drive versions and a hybrid model called ActiveHybrid 3.

As well as the previous ES, SE and M Sport variants, there are Sport, Modern and Luxury trim levels. Where comparable, there are modest price increases over the outgoing car. The 316d ES is the entry point, at £24,880.

All-new BMW 3 Series ? all you need to know
Detroit motor show 2012: BMW 3 Series

BMW 3 Series - all you need to know

All-new BMW 3 Series review

BMW to release videos of new 3 Series

BMW to release videos of new 3 Series

BMW to release videos of new 3 Series

New BMW 3 Series revealed

BMW 3 Series prices and spec

BMW 3 Series video
Watch the official BMW video promoting the new car.


Pete Barden

 This is the Volkswagen Polo Active Cylinder Technology (ACT) model, which uses the VW Group?s cylinder shut-off technology to help improve fuel consumption and cut CO2 emissions under light engine loads.

We drove a prototype model, but a production version is due on sale later this year.

What?s it like to drive? The VW Polo ACT is impressively rounded. That?s because ? apart from having a 138bhp version of VW?s 1.4 TSI petrol engine ? it?s a standard Polo for much of the time. It drives, stops and steers every bit as well as the standard car ? which is very well.

What's really clever about the Polo ACT, though, is that it's totally unnoticeable when two of its cylinders are shut down. The change from four- to two-cylinder operation ? during periods of cruising, for example ? and back again is completely imperceptible. If it wasn?t for the dashboard displaying a ?two-cylinder mode? message, you wouldn?t know anything out of the ordinary was occurring.

What?s it like inside? There?s nothing to distinguish the Polo ACT from any other model in the range, which means there?s the same excellent driving position, straightforward dashboard layout and high-quality materials you?ll find in any Polo.

Should I buy one? The Polo ACT is due to go on sale late in 2012. VW sources suggest that it?ll be a stand-alone model in the range. The 138bhp power output places it between the 1.2 TSI and GTI models, so a price of around £17,000 seems likely.

What Car? says?


Andy Pringle