Autoblog UK

The new compact 5008 MPV is Peugeot's fourth new offering this year. They're really putting their foot down at Peugeot. Despite the credit crunch, new registrations are up for the French manufacturer with the lion on the bonnet. Their success is down to an extensive small-car line-up and a large range of low-emission vehicles, plus their efforts at breaking into new segments of the market, as with the new Peugeot 5008. Pleasing, flexible and offering good value for money, the car takes consumers by surprise. Fans of the marque have had to wait a long time for such an MPV. All good things are worth waiting for... so the saying goes. How true when referring to the 5008.

As with the supercars, the Golden Steering Wheel for MPVs was decided by readers' votes. Of the six vehicles in the frame, four were French. The Renault Scenic notched up 30.6% of over 250,000 readers' votes in 25 countries. The cars up for an award were: the Fiat Fiorino Qubo, Peugeot 3008 and 5008, Renault Kangoo Be Bob, the Scenic and the Toyota Verso.

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

Crime rates are rocketing and thieves are getting bolder, while the cars they steal are getting more expensive, more exclusive and more unusual.

The 'unusual' tag certainly seems to apply in Japan. Because Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches don't seem to be all that sought after – or may be it's because they are deemed so desirable that there aren't enough of them to make it into the 'most-stolen' charts. Or there again, it could be down to the latest ingenious anti-theft mechanisms.

Thus it is that the honour of being the most-stolen car goes to the by no means visually unassuming yet also not exactly obvious target for thieves: the Toyota Hiace Van.

Admittedly, the R-Class hasn't been the biggest box office hit. It may well be that this crossover space concept may go down well in the USA. But here in the more staid continent of Europe, boldness of that magnitude unfortunately gets penalised with poor sales figures and treated with general disdain. Pity really.

The R-Class makes crafty use of the available space and is a more than decent cruiser. Plus the driver has an excellent vantage point, just like in an SUV. So essentially, all the ingredients for success. And yet, something went wrong. Probably the design of the front which takes some getting used to or the hefty €43,000 price tag.

Yet Toyota too believe in the ultimate success of this crossover concept and, in the Venza, have come up with something very similar. But it's only for the American market. Apparently, the flop experienced by Mercedes served a warning to the Japanese against a European launch. Dodge have tried their luck here with the Journey. But Toyota would need to rethink their powerplant strategy first.

With a petrol engine of 185 to 272 bhp, the Venza wouldn't get many takers here. Though the prices they've set for the US would certainly be attractive. Converted from dollars, you could have a Venza in your garage for around €25,000. Not a bad deal for this 4.8m long vehicle. And with these dimensions, the Venza is an impressive sight to behold. The rear lights resemble those on the new Megane.

The front gleams with American-style chrome but would not look out of place here in Europe. My one wish: a nice diesel engine please - 130bhp would be quite sufficient, thank you.