Autoblog UK

Hyundai's wave of modernisation has affected the smaller models primarily. With the i10, i20 and i30, this wave broke just at the right time on our shores. Now it looks like the ix35 is set to follow the Tucson in continuing the success of the carmaker. More up-to-date, more good-looking, more powerful (to some extent) and yet more fuel efficient - a new model is launched in Europe. The ix35 confidently sorts out the poor range of diesel engines by offering not just one diesel but three. Prices have yet to be announced but we can assume that the ix35 will again offer the usual good value for money.

The most important prize award for cars in Europe was instituted by the publisher Axel Springer in 1976, and has been awarded annually since then. On the 4th November, top managers from the car industry accepted awards for the model year 2009 at the Axel Springer Building in Berlin. Eight new models in total received a Golden Steering Wheel award. For the third time, a Green Steering Wheel prize was presented for the best eco car. Fiat and Ferrari president, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, received an honorary award.

The winners in the individual categories:

Small car class: VW Polo
Compact class: Vauxhall Astra
Medium class and above: Audi A5 Sportback
Luxury class: Porsche Panamera
Supercar: Mercedes SLS
MPV: Renault Scenic
Eco award: Toyota Prius and VW Blue Motion
Honorary prize: Luca Cordero di Montezemolo

Last week in Hamburg, the well-known New York street artist Craig 'KR' Costello gave a Mini a paint job in his so-called 'Krink' style. This involves applying the paint in such a way that it runs down the surface, looking as if it has been laid on too thickly. In the case of the Mini seen below, the silver streaks appears to trickle down the bodywork plus the rear and side windows. KR Costello made a name for himself in the 90s with his distinctive signature style. Ultimately, this led to the Krink brand name and line of products. You can find examples of his work in all the major metropolises of the world, in vestibules, on walls or in underground railway stations.

Citroen have stuck their neck out once again with the new DS3. Admittedly, this latest version is not as avant-garde as the old 'Déesse' (French pun on the word Goddess). Even so, it still makes a pleasant change from the carefully cultivated uniformity of the small to compact class and should stand out amongst a crowd in the same way the Mini does. So what about the price? At €15,200 (£14,000) for the entry model, it is affordable and by no means overpriced. And the many options for individualising the DS3 make for interesting speculation about the format in which this new model will start rolling off the assembly lines next March to populate Europe. Citroen seem set on restoring their traditional reputation as automotive innovator. Good luck to them!

Mitsubishi plan to fill a gap in their current portfolio with a new compact SUV. The vehicle will have name by the time of its European debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. Visually, the newcomer will have a lot in common with the Concept CX first exhibited in 2007. The first drawings show a sporty sloping roof line and a gaping shark's jaw grille. The front view is very much in keeping with the new brand visage now familiar from the mid-range Mitsubishi Lancer.

The new BMW 5 Gran Turismo has attracted a few caustic comments on its appearance, and this mixture of saloon, coupé, estate and SUV does indeed take some getting used to. So aesthetics clearly weren't high on the list of priorities for the design team. But leaving that aside, the more important question is, who will buy it? Niche vehicles can be good earners. But a major competitor in the shape of Mercedes has already demonstrated just how easy it is to miss the mark with the R Class. On the other hand, BMW themselves have already answered the above question in convincing fashion with the X6. Sales figures for this model are highly satisfactory and the critics have had to eat their words. It's doubtful, though, whether that will be the case with the 5 series GT.

The new generation of Nissan's Micra is set to conquer the planet and is therefore required to have a uniform appearance for all markets. Thailand has been chosen for the Micra's initial launch in March 2010. After that, it will be rolled out in 150 further countries. It will be interesting to see whether the Micra looks as sporty in real-life traffic as it does on the drawing board.

At the IAA in Frankfurt, Honda were prominent by their absence. Now, at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Japanese carmaker seems determined to compensate in full. They have the biggest stand of all the exhibitors and have filled it up with an array of design studies that are brimful of new ideas, albeit eccentric in part. One of the design highlights of the show is bound to be the Honda Skydeck Concept. This futuristic, airily named family van is clearly a long way removed from being a production-ready vehicle, yet it arouses more than just passing interest. With its windscreen blending into a glass roof, driver and passengers have an impression of unconstrained freedom. The seating too has been designed with leisure in mind. The front doors open upwards and the rear doors slide backwards. In other words, they're doors, Jim, but not as we know them. There is no B-pillar to impede ingress. And if you prefer to sit in the third row, you can push the second bench under the front seat. Under the bonnet, a hybrid PLUS engine provides an eco-friendly drive.

Visitors to the Tokyo Motor Show can admire a prototype of the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports car that is claimed to be ready for series production, though whether this gleaming white vision ever makes it onto the road is anyone's guess. For the present, at least, Honda are once again showcasing the sporty hybrid model just as a design study. So will they or won't they? Honda have the biggest stand of all the manufacturers exhibiting at the Tokyo Motor Show. It would be a pity if they were merely using the CR-Z to fill up what would otherwise have been an empty space.

We continue with our presentation of the stars of the Tokyo Motor Show. However, the ones shown here are not called Toyota, Subaru or Kia but answer to the names of Shinichi, Yusaku, Heiji and Kaito, to mention just a few of the charming hostesses.