Vauxhall sharpens up the Zafira
15/02/12 13:29
The Vauxhall Zafira was one of the pioneers of a new smaller breed of MPVs (or minivans as our Transatlantic cousins would call them). Not much bigger than a car, the 1999 Vauxhall Zafira had room for up to seven passengers, with a particularly neat pair of rear seats that fold down to leave a completely flat load floor.
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Read More...Volkswagen Jetta comes out of the shadow
23/12/11 18:21
In Europe, at least, the Volkswagen Jetta has never really enjoyed the success it deserves. It started off its life as very obviously a booted version of the ever-popular Volkswagen Golf and has subsequently lived in the shadow of its hatchback sibling.
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Read More...Lexus hybrid hatchback aims for green halo
23/12/11 16:00
The Lexus CT 200h doesn’t have anything like that presence. Its appearance is of a neat, but not particularly distinctive hatchback. Unless you are bent on making an impression wherever you go, then the more low key looks are unlikely to be a problem.
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Read More...Chevrolet Orlando: a lot of car for the money
21/12/11 19:00
You certainly get quite a lot of car for your money with the Chevrolet Orlando. For a price starting at £16,410 you get a sizeable MPV with three rows of seats taking a maximum of seven people.
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Read More...New Ford Focus looks sure to maintain popularity
04/11/11 14:57
So just how do you replace a car that is as perennially popular as the Ford Focus? That must have been the dilemma facing the blue Oval when they embarked on the design for the third version of the Focus.
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Read More...Does Honda Jazz hit the right note?
03/11/11 14:47
Honda has given its Jazz hatchback a little bit more eco-warrior appeal by launching the Honda Jazz Hybrid. Sporting a green (of course) “Hybrid” badge on the tailgate, it announces to the world that you care about the environment. Or, at least, that is the intention.
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Read More...Subaru Outback missing snowy Alps
17/10/11 12:34
Some years ago Subaru handed myself and a colleague the keys for a Subaru Forester at Heathrow Airport and told us to drive to Geneva. It was a trip that earned a new respect for the Forester which, even in those days, looked a tad dated and in need of an interior makeover.
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Read More...Volkswagen Eos still impresses five years on
05/10/11 15:32
When the Volkswagen Eos was launched in the UK in July 2006, it was one of the early mainstream adopters of the folding metal roof. Since then, the coupé cabriolet has become a stylish option for many manufacturers.
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Read More...Kia Picanto asserts itself in supermini class
23/09/11 15:25
Yes, the Kia Picanto may not have the chic appeal of the Fiat 500, or a Mini, but it does have a crisply-designed fashionable suit of clothes that stands comparison with the likes of the Ford Fiesta.
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Read More...Jaguar XF refreshed
31/08/11 19:09
Jaguar has given its XF a mid-term refresh to help it stay competitive against German and Japanese offerings in the executive saloon market.
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Read More...Fiat shrinks 500 engine for economy
20/08/11 11:48
The Fiat 500 TwinAir is powered by a two-cylinder in-line transverse engine of 875cc. But it is still fun to drive and remarkably lively too.
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Read More...Peugeot 508: Nice car, shame about the gearbox
26/07/11 15:07
There we were, four motoring enthusiasts, talking in quite animated terms about the Peugeot 508 SW that was parked in front of us. I simply could not imagine the same having happened with the car’s predecessors.
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Kia Sportage strengthens its appeal
20/07/11 15:35
Compared with the rather nondescript design of previous Sportages, the new Kia Sportage has quite a sharp set of new clothes. It looks pretty good, although there are perhaps just a few angles that look not quite so cohesive. With those minor caveats, It got the thumbs up from my assembled jury of car enthusiasts.
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Read More...Mazda's diesel sport impresses
11/07/11 11:29
Mazda has decided to do something about this, by giving their cars a stronger brand image and greater appeal. It was with that in mind that I accepted the keys to the Mazda 6.
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Read More...Buying a car? Choose wisely.
10/07/11 11:03
With fuel prices having risen 70% since 2000 and nothing but further increases in prospect, the chances are your choice of used car will have fuel economy pretty near the top of the list.
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Read More...Golf downsizes engine for greater economy
24/06/11 15:20
The 1.2-litre Golf is part of Volkswagen’s strategy of downsizing to smaller engines in the continuing search for more better economy and lower emissions. I’ve driven Volkswagen’s 1.4 TSI engines before, but can a 1.2 TSI possibly work in this size of car?
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Read More...Gearchange takes edge of Citroen C5
10/06/11 16:02
It’s a mark of Citroen’s success in revitalising their image that I didn’t have the usual wave of apathy when I saw a Citroen C5 on my road test list. The new Citroen C5 is quite a stylish offering and the road test car looked quite the executive saloon sat outside our door.
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Read More...Volvo tests new technology to cut fuel consumption 20%
01/06/11 19:41
Volvo says it is testing new flywheel technology that it says will not only make a four-cylinder engine feel like a six-cylinder, but will also reduce fuel consumption by 20%. Read More...
Suzuki's small family "crossover"
26/05/11 18:21
A year ago I brought you my first impressions of the Suzuki SX4, which is probably best described as small hatchback/SUV/MPV crossover. The model I tested then was the front-wheel-drive 1.6-litre. This time I had a chance to try the four-wheel-drive version with the new two-litre DDiS engine.
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Read More...Audi A1 downsizes the prestige car
23/05/11 15:23
Audi hasn’t had a competitor in the small hatchback class since the avant garde Audi A2, with its aluminium body. But, it must have been impossible for the product planners at Audi to ignore the gap it left in their range, especially seeing the success that BMW was having with its Mini brand.
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Read More...Hyundai turns up the appeal with small MPV
24/04/11 17:25
Hyundai say their aim with the ix20 was to produce a car “with the style of a supermini, the space of an estate car and the economy of a city car”. A bold aim, indeed.
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Read More...Eyebrow-raising performance on Skoda Fabia VRS
22/04/11 19:43
Surely everyone has now revised their view of Skoda as the producers of reliable, well-built and worthy motor cars? But, possibly there are a few of you out there who still think that the Czech manufacturer’s products are a bit staid and therefore appeal to, what shall we say, an older clientele?
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Read More...Honda's hybrid coupe
12/04/11 19:26
The Honda CR-Z is a sporty 2+2 Coupe, but, under the skin, it shares much of the technology from the Insight. For the CR-Z the engine is bigger at 1.5-litre, rather than the 1.3-litre version in the Insight.
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Read More...Alfa Romeo Giulietta – putting on the style
01/04/11 14:05
Alfa Romeo had lost its way somewhat. But now it is back, producing cars that look like an Alfa Romeo should. One glance and you get the impression that every road behind this car’s wheel will as exciting as driving the famous Amalfi Coast!
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Read More...Jaguar's XJ purrs into the 21st century
26/03/11 17:25
Have our roads got much worse very quickly? I mean really quickly. Like the last 24 hours? These were the thoughts running through my mind as I crashed and thumped over surface imperfections and potholes. I think that was the point when I realised just how impressive the new Jaguar XJ actually is.
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Read More...Scirocco R adds sporting appeal
10/03/11 16:23
I was very smitten with the new Volkswagen Scirocco when I tested it in October 2008. So, when the performance Scirocco R appeared on my list of cars to road test, I was, needless to say, enthusiastic to try the higher performance version.
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Read More...Nissan 370Z roadster even more a sports car
23/02/11 16:31
I could have guessed it would snow. I mean, having a Nissan 370Z Roadster in January is just asking for it and sure enough the weatherman gleefully obliged.
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Read More...Toyota's other hybrid model, the Auris
19/02/11 10:58
The benefit of being first to market is that you establish a name for yourself. So it was with the Toyota Prius – the first mainstream hybrid car – which was launched onto the Japanese market in 1997. But it has taken until recently for Toyota to widen the range of hybrids under the Toyota brand. The first non-Prius Toyota hybrid to come my way is the Toyota Auris Hybrid.
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Ford C-Max
03/02/11 15:00
With its latest C-Max, Ford has recognised there is a demand for different sizes of small MPV. Some people only need five seats. Others want the ability to pack extra members of the extended family and are looking for a family MPV that can accommodate seven.
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Read More...New Touareg impresses at a price
21/01/11 15:02
Ever since Volkswagen came, a little late, to the SUV market with the Touareg, I have had a soft spot for their big off-roader. Designed in parallel with the Porsche Cayenne, it is big, comfortable and very capable.
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Vauxhall downsizes engine in hunt for economy
27/12/10 15:45
As Vauxhall and Opel ride the turbulence following the US bankruptcy of parent company General Motors, the latest Vauxhall Astra will be crucial to how the company fares in coming years. This is the car that will have to face up to the big competitors like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.
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Read More...Suzuki Swift surprises
17/12/10 17:08
If you are in the market for a vehicle in the supermini class, Suzuki has made a strong bid for your custom. Whereas most manufacturers will have, at most, two vehicles to offer the compact hatchback market, Suzuki has four.
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BMW 5 Series Touring test trunkated by snow
16/12/10 16:52
For four years I drove a BMW 5 Series Touring. So when a BMW 530d SE Touring turned up on the list of cars heading for my appraisal, i was more than a little enthused about finding how one of my favourite cars had matured over recent years. I reckoned without the weather.
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Read More...Honda CRV diesel - a pair of sensible shoes
22/11/10 15:39
Like most Japanese marques, Honda are relative newcomers to diesel engines. The domestic market wasn’t big on diesel, their most important export market – the USA – definitely wasn’t keen on diesel except for commercials. Only Europe really demanded it.
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Read More...Saab 9-5 pitches for executive market
13/11/10 19:58
This is the new model that seemed doomed to be stillborn only a few months ago. But, against all the odds, here it is. The new Saab 9-5. And judging by the response to Saab’s potential demise, there are a whole lot of Saab enthusiasts out there ready to reach for their chequebooks.
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Read More...Baby Chevrolet lacks spark
06/11/10 18:35
Think of Chevrolet and do you think of a big American car? If you do, you are behind the times and this particular Chevrolet is one of the smallest – it’s the Chevrolet Spark and it is powered by a tiny one-litre engine! So no big “coobic inches” V8 here!
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Read More...Functional Shogun falls short
20/10/10 17:43
A few years ago I was invited to the launch of the then new Mitsubishi Shogun in Yorkshire. The proud company executives introduced the latest model with a flourish, stating that this was the first time we would have seen it.
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Read More...Good looks focus attention on Peugeot RCZ
15/10/10 13:18
I have a soft spot for small sporting Peugeots. It could be something to do with the two Peugeot 205GTIs that I owned in the 1980s. So, when the new Peugeot RCZ coupé turned up in my driveway, I was more than a little interested.
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Read More...Testing times in America
14/09/10 04:17
Over the years I have been to Death Valley nine or ten times. Yes, I love the place – it’s amazing other worldliness, eye-popping scenery and unbelievable summer heat. But, there is another motoring-related reason. I cannot resist seeing who is out testing what in the super heat of the national park.
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Read More...Mito performance boosted by Cloverleaf
06/09/10 18:49
The Alfa Romeo Mito joins the growing ranks of chic small hatchbacks with cute looks. I mean, just look at those “puppy dog”eyes and the traditional Alfa front grille. Now the Mito has a new performance addition to the range with the Mito Cloverleaf.
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Read More...If this is the future of green motoring count me in
30/08/10 20:00
While I was expecting economy, I certainly wasn’t expecting high levels of refinement or agile performance from the Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion. I’ve previously driven the Polo Bluemotion and, while impressed by its economy, low emissions and driveabllity, it would be a stretch to suggest it was a real driver’s car.
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Read More...Volvo S60 - more rewarding by degree
19/08/10 09:20
With the launch of the new Volvo S60, the Swedish manufacturer clearly has two messages it wants to get across to potential buyers. Well known for safety, they want to tell the world that they now produce stylish cars. They also want to persuade us that the S60 is a real driver’s car.
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Read More...Citroen rediscovers style and class
29/07/10 17:04
The success of the Mini and the Fiat 500 has led car manufacturers to examine how they could grab a slice of the growing market for ultra-chic superminis. One of the latest to aim for a slice of the action is Citroen with the launch of the DS3.
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Read More...Land Rover Discovery 4: Big isn't it, impressive too.
28/07/10 15:42
As I thought about turning into the multi-storey car park, my eye caught the sign: “Maximum Height 6ft 3in”. Fortunately I had checked before and the Land Rover Discovery was 6 foot 4 inches.... clearly this signified a change of plan!
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Read More...Peugeot 3008 is quite appealing
19/07/10 15:22
I find Peugeot’s numbering system a little bit confusing when it comes to the double zero cars. I can handle 107, 207, 308, 407. But, the 1007 and now the 3008 don’t fit in immediately. That’s probably why the great-looking new Peugeot coupe will use letters RCZ instead of numbers.
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Read More...Ford Galaxy: civilised transport for six, or seven
17/07/10 17:54
I seem to be guilty of having preconceptions of road test cars lately. The prospect of driving a Ford Galaxy for some days left me wondering whether I really wanted to drive a small bus, usually with just myself on board.
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Read More...Skoda's executive load carrier
28/06/10 08:52
So, you want an estate car with more than a touch of luxury and plenty of space to stretch out? If that is your dream, you may have concluded that you need a mortgage, not a loan, to buy the car to match your needs. Read More...
Clio Renaultsport targets young enthusiasts
24/06/10 13:00
I felt a few decades too old. Ideally I can imagine I should have been in my late teens, or early twenties. Even though it was warm week in summer, I would probably still have my white woolly “skully” crammed onto my head and pulled down over my ears to protect them from the non-existent biting wind.
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Read More...Saab 9-3X driven by all fours
19/06/10 19:52
Just six months ago it looked like Saab was doomed, as reported in my rather blunt, but sad, post ’Saab: The end’.
But, despite everything, here they are and I was handed the keys of the Saab 9-3X Estate. Although the 9-3 has been around for some time, the 9-3X is the four wheel drive version that was just launched at last year’s Geneva Motor Show.
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But, despite everything, here they are and I was handed the keys of the Saab 9-3X Estate. Although the 9-3 has been around for some time, the 9-3X is the four wheel drive version that was just launched at last year’s Geneva Motor Show.
Read More...Nissan 370Z a true hairy sports car
10/06/10 15:18
There’s no doubting the aspirations of the Nissan 370Z. It is clearly aimed at the style conscious sports car market. But, if that makes you think that it is all style and no performance, think again.
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Read More...Citroen C3 endears itself
19/05/10 16:27
Oh, dear! I really shouldn’t have preconceptions when I hear what car is coming up next for test. But, being only human, I do. I was prepared for a rather dull and uninspiring time with the Citroen C3 1.6 HDi. But, in actual fact, I found the little car rather endearing.
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Insight fails to impress
06/05/10 19:23
I Was really looking forward to driving the Honda Insight. I had never driven one before – indeed I have never driven a hybrid from anyone other than Toyota (including Lexus). So, when I saw it on the road test list, I was eager to see how it compared.
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Read More...Prius revisited. The first hybrid matures well.
23/04/10 15:55
It is quite a number of years since I last drove the Toyota Prius – the world’s first mass-produced hybrid.
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Read More...Suzuki's chunky hatchback
19/04/10 17:58
Suzuki is known in the UK for three things – motorcycles, small cars and small off-roaders.
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Read More...Kia joins the clean elite
22/03/10 15:52
Kia has recognised the growing customer demand and marketing potential for high economy, low emission ‘eco’-tagged versions of its mainstream models.
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Read More...Seat Ibiza Cupra tiptoes through snow
01/03/10 17:04
Our Arctic winter has led to many things being curtailed. Events have been cancelled. Both these, trains and even our own cards have stopped unexpectedly. In my case several times.
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Read More...Chevrolet Cruze not one for the enthusiast
24/02/10 18:15
The first impressions in the car park were actually quite good. The Chevrolet Cruze looked sharp. It looks distinctive and, in a land of hatchbacks, it stands out by being a saloon.
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Read More...Jaguar XF just gets better
17/12/09 20:16
When I had my first real drive of the Jaguar XF I was just about as impressed as I hoped to be, given all the compliments that were flying around from those who had driven the new generation Jaguar before me.
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Read More...BMW Z4 is a true sports car
05/12/09 17:57
It was this time last year that BMW first took the wraps off the new BMW Z4. The most notable change was the switch from a soft top convertible roof to a folding steel roof.
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Read More...Ford Kuga goes 4x2
24/11/09 16:37
I have to admit that I did not approach my road test of this Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi in a particularly positive frame of mind. After all here was Ford’s 4x4, basically stripped of its most important element – four wheel drive!
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Read More...Focus RS delivers performance
04/11/09 16:40
It looks the part. It may be based on the ubiquitous Focus, but there is no mistaking the sporting aspirations of the RS.
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Read More...Volvo takes on the small SUV market
23/10/09 17:28
Motor manufacturers constantly have to scan the far horizon looking for signs as to what type of car the buyers of the future will want. It takes time to develop a new model, so you have to have a pretty good idea of what will be the expanding markets in the future.
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Read More...A fun roadster for small hatchback price
05/09/09 18:06
If British Leyland executives in the 1970s hadn't forgotten the importance of playing to our strengths, then something like the Daihatsu Copen might have wearing an Austin Healey Sprite badge today.
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Read More...Toyota IQ "a door on wheels"
25/08/09 15:36
“It’s a door on wheels!” That was the first reaction from interested onlookers when the Toyota IQ first rolled up into the office car park. Sure enough in profile it looks as though the side of the car is almost entirely composed of door.
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Read More...Jazzing up the small Honda
18/08/09 09:00
The previous Honda Jazz built up a loyal following among those who wanted a practical small family hatchback which came with the promise of reliability that is expected with the Honda badge. The new car builds on that and adds greater levels of refinement.
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Read More...Alfa's new junior hatch
11/08/09 10:46
When I was in the thick of my hot hatch era, one of my friends had an Alfasud. They were great cars to drive, with more than a touch of Italian style and flair, but they were a little lacking in the durability department. The new Alfa Romeo Mito is Alfa’s first real foray back into the small hatchback class since the late lamented Alfasud.
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Read More...Latest Golf GTI is a real driver's car
30/07/09 16:54
It doesn’t seem that long ago since I was raving about the new Volkswagen Golf GTI, but now there’s an even newer one and I’ve just been driving for the past week.
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Read More...Toyota Avensis Tourer with big car comforts
26/07/09 19:10
You could almost swear that the Toyota Avensis Tourer came off the same production line as the Honda Accord Tourer, so similar is their appearance. Both have a classic estate car profile with a rising window line that gives a tapering glasshouse towards the rear.
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Read More...Vitara loses individuality
14/07/09 19:37
When the Suzuki Vitara first hit the UK market it quickly gathered an almost a cult following. Here was a small affordable off-roader with style and presence.
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Read More...Citroen's little Tardis
10/07/09 17:36
If the people at the BBC are looking for something funky to replace the police box in future episodes of Dr Who, then perhaps they should consider equipping the new doctor with a Citroen C3 Picasso.
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Read More...Suzuki Alto returns
06/07/09 13:51
I've always had a soft spot for small engined cars. Ever since my student days when I tried to extract maximum performance from my 875cc Hillman Imp with just the merest whiff of petrol.
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Read More...Audi A3 – the pocket executive
04/07/09 20:05
Last year Audi gave the Audi A3 range a subtle refresh. Knowing the Audi A3 very well, I could spot a few of the updates – the lights, the move of the indicator repeaters to the door mirrors, for example.
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Read More...Renault small sporting estate
28/05/09 16:24
So well known is the Renault Clio that its estate car sibling, the Clio Sport Tourer, is a little in shadows. I coaxed it out to give it the chance to prove itself on a five-day test as my everyday transport.
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Read More...Qashquai grows up
25/05/09 20:04
In my first road test of the Nissan Qashqai I pointed out that – despite its off-roader-meets-MPV looks, it really was just a normal four or five-door hatchback with interesting packaging. Well, now the Qashqai has grown up. Meet the Qashqai +2.
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Read More...Kia's little sticker with the big message
19/05/09 19:29
When I tested the new Kia Cee’d, I commented that Kia had gone mainstream with a quality product that stood comparison with products of our established favourites. The Kia Pro_cee’d builds on that bridgehead with a car that is even more in tune with European tastes.
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Read More...Honda's executive estate
18/05/09 17:11
The Honda Accord Tourer is probably not the first car that comes to mind when you are looking for an executive estate car. But maybe it should be.
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Read More...Kia plays it straight
12/05/09 21:13
If the Kia Soul surprised with its rather funky style and individuality the Magentis is much more what we have come to expect from Kia. Practical, conservative and maybe even a tad dull.
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Read More...Fiesta joins the tax-beaters
28/04/09 18:34
OK, I’ve brought you my report of the new Ford Fiesta, so what’s different with the Econetic? Well let’s start with the fact that this car is so low on CO2 emissions that you get handed your tax disk totally free-of-charge.
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Read More...Kia goes soulful
22/04/09 09:28
Kia make cars you buy with your head, not your heart. They’re a bit like sensible shoes. Reasonable price, practical and they make sound sense. But they are not going to get the pulse racing.
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Read More...Insignia makes a stronger case
10/04/09 15:19
If you simply count the number of vehicles sold, the Vauxhall Vectra has to go down as a successful model. But as Ford found with the Mondeo, being the darling of the fleet buyers can be a double-edged sword.
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Read More...Seat Ibiza offers budget price motoring
08/04/09 18:34
The new Seat Ibiza offers budget price motoring with a keen purchase price and great fuel economy. Just don’t expect it to feel too sophisticated.
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Read More...Volkswagen cautious with new Golf
24/03/09 13:20
It would be hard to overestimate the importance of the Volkswagen Golf to the Volkswagen Group. Ever since the European demise of the original Volkswagen Beetle, the Golf has been the mainstay of the range.
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Read More...A limo for the price of a hatch
17/03/09 10:10
The Skoda Superb offers limousine accommodation, lots of practicality and more than a little luxury. Pity about the rather naff name.
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Read More...Jaguar enters the new world
05/03/09 13:07
The Jaguar XF still causes a stir everywhere it goes, with people queuing up to sit inside and see the surprise-and-delight features of pulsing start buttons, rising gearchanges and swivelling vents.
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Read More...Practical, refined and economical BMW
19/02/09 10:57
After a bad start due to the snow, I grew to like the BMW 318d. Just keep off the white stuff!
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Read More...Audi's Q5 widens its off-road appeal
05/02/09 09:01
Anyone familiar with the Audi Q7 will be in no doubt about the manufacturer of the new Audi Q5. It looks pretty much like a more compact, more manageable version of the Q7. And it is.
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Read More...Renault finally joins 4x4 brigade
25/01/09 11:30
It has taken the French motor giants some time to take the plunge into the 4x4 market. Peugeot Citroen made the move with the help of Mitsubishi, using the Outlander as the basis for the Citroen C-Crosser and the Peugeot 4007. Now, finally Renault has taken the plunge.
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Read More...Mercedes A-Class restores faith
22/01/09 15:40
After a disappointing time with the last Mercedes-Benz, the A-Class has restored my faith in the products of Stuttgart.
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Read More...Suzuki makes a splash in small hatch market
22/01/09 15:17
New Fiesta has all-round ability
06/01/09 16:24
Ford’s Verve concept, unveiled last summer, hinted at a radical new look for the Ford Fiesta. It wasn’t all show either, the new Fiesta is remarkably faithful to the look of the concept car and, as a result, it is quite a looker. The even better news is that it matches good looks with all round ability.
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Read More...Mazda 2 impresses
10/12/08 09:38
Effortless off-roader
10/12/08 09:25
Swoopy, sleek Passat
01/12/08 15:11
The Volkswagen Passat CC. The first question is trying to work out what it is and why they have produced it.
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Read More...Frugal Fiat
11/11/08 17:58
I remember a few years ago driving a Volkswagen Polo which refused to do anything less than 48 mpg on a regular commute. I remember how remarkable that seemed. Now, however, more and more cars are producing surprising results.
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Read More...Fuel-sipping Mercedes-Benz
04/11/08 20:37
For just £20,850 this Mercedes-Benz brings you the image of driving a car with the three-pointed star. But, while that might suggest a degree of opulence, on this particular Mercedes-Benz that image is combined with remarkably parsimonious drinking habits and low emissions. My daily commute was despatched with a shrug and an average of over 40 mpg.
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Read More...Toyota Auris practical, but not exciting
29/10/08 20:42
The Toyota Auris was designed in France for the European market and it is built here, at plants in the UK and Turkey.
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Read More...Mercedes delights and frustrates
25/10/08 13:15
My first drive of the new Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI Estate Sport was a mixed experience. Out on open country roads it was a delight to drive, providing greater driver involvement and feedback than any Mercedes saloon or estate car I can remember. But in stop-start motoring conditions it was another matter.
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Read More...The Scirocco is back
12/10/08 19:20
Judging by the first drive, the new Volkswagen Scirocco looks set to be as successful as its 1970s and 80s predecessor. It is an affordable and hugely enjoyable sports coupe at a reasonable price.
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Read More...More impressive luxury and performance than economy
04/10/08 16:00
Volkswagen Eos the all-weather convertible
13/09/08 20:39
Coupé cabriolets are the current hot ticket on the motoring scene. With their folding metal roofs, these cars aim to offer the best of both worlds – the full open air motoring experience, plus the comfort and security of a metal roof. Read More...
Mercedes CLC targets a younger, sportier market
21/08/08 13:35
Mercedes-Benz has clearly tried hard to appeal to a younger, sportier with the launch of the new CLC. I say new, because the CLC only arrived in UK showrooms on June 12. It bears sharp new looks to align with the new C Series, although the underpinnings are substantially those of the previous SC. Read More...
Honda's low profile executive saloon
14/08/08 14:09
From a UK perspective, it is easy to forget that Honda produces a sports executive saloon. It may be quite high-profile in markets like the United States, but there it bears the Acura badge of Honda's US prestige brand. In this country it is badged as a Honda and is somewhat eclipsed by the more high-profile small and medium sized hatchbacks and SUVs. Read More...
Report admits obstructing traffic was policy, says ABD
13/08/08 17:22
The latest report from Transport for London states that despite 70,000 fewer cars a day entering the central zone and 30,000 fewer in the Western Extension, congestion in both of these areas is every bit as bad as it was before the charge was introduced, according to the Association of British Drivers. Read More...
Ford finally launches into small SUV market
07/08/08 19:04
Imagine a Ford Focus on stilts and you get the basic idea of the Ford Kuga, the blue oval's belated entry in to the small sports utility vehicle (SUV) market. Ford say it combines element os an estate car, an SUV (so far so good) and a coupé (umm, let me think about that last one. Read More...
Cuteness is more than skin deep
28/07/08 13:06
Back in my college days, I remember how one of my fellow students fell for the charms of a second hand Fiat 500 which, even in those days was well past its prime. Knowing my interest in cars she would always come to me to ask for advice about its latest ailments. On this particular occasion, the little Fiat displayed no intentions of starting. Frustrated by lack of success with my pokings and proddings, I asked her why, precisely, she had chosen to buy this particular car.
"It looked like it needed a mummy," came the disarming reply. Well the cuteness that worked on my fellow student all these years ago is now back with the new Fiat 500. Read More...
"It looked like it needed a mummy," came the disarming reply. Well the cuteness that worked on my fellow student all these years ago is now back with the new Fiat 500. Read More...
Have an Agila
16/07/08 18:42
Whereas the previous Vauxhall Agila was instantly forgettable, the new one at least has some presence. It has a cheeky style and, inside, some fairly loud seat graphics. Read More...
Citroen – France v Germany
11/07/08 13:31
We have been here before. From time to time manufacturers cast an envious eye at the reputation of Germany's finest prestige car manufacturers – Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz – and think to themselves 'we would like a slice of that'.
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Audi's A5 delights
10/07/08 19:28
I remember the launch of the Audi A5 last summer. Bravely, Audi unveiled it alongside the stunning Audi R8 sports car - a move that could have eclipsed the new four-seat coupe, but it did not. The A5 held its own with its classic Audi look, given the slightly more edgy style that we have since seen on the new A4. Read More...
Skoda's compact load carrier
10/07/08 18:59
You can see how Skoda is thriving as part of the Volkswagen Group by the way it range of models keeps growing. If you count the Skoda Roomster as a Skoda Fabia (which effectively it is) there are now three distinct model choices at the start of the Czech manufacturer's range. Read More...
Sporting style with economy
10/06/08 07:55
It's amazing how the BMW 1 Series hatchback with its slightly gawky styling has been transformed into an attractive coupé. But it is such a logical car for BMW. It is very much in tune with the ethos of the German marque. This is, after all, a vehicle with a sporting flavour using the latest engine technology to achieve its expected performance with outstanding economy. Read More...
Seat heads off road
03/06/08 11:37
When Seat launched its Altea Freetrack 4 it was the Spanish marque's first foray into the off-road market. Based on the long-wheelbase Altea it aims to combine the practicality of an MPV with the ability to take to the the rough(er) stuff. Read More...
Adding style to practicality
02/06/08 16:43
The first time I saw the new Mini Clubman in the my local Mini showroom as I headed across to the car, one of the staff made me an offer. "Free dog with every Clubman," he quipped with a grin. Read More...
Living in a Materia world
15/05/08 19:24
I can see where Daihatsu was coming from when they designed the Materia. Nissan and Honda have tried to woo young trendy buyers with cuboid cars. Nissan even call theirs the Cube in the Japanese Market. Daihatsu, too, wants to appeal to younger customers and that is where the Materia comes in. Read More...
Average speed cameras could be a threat to safety
28/03/08 09:58
News of a potential increase in the use of average speed cameras, sends shudder down my spine. It's not that I have any desire to flout the speed limits. I just think that the best place for our eyes to focus, as drivers, is on the road.... not on our speedometers! Read More...
New Tiguan is a great all-rounder
29/02/08 20:20
When Volkswagen set out to build their new off-roader, the Tiguan, their stated intention was to produce a smaller version of the Touareg. The newcomer certainly looks the part. Like its bigger sibling the lines are classy, perhaps even understated. Indeed, despite its newness, the Tiguan caused little stir. Read More...
Freelander grows up
24/01/08 19:26
The Land Rover Freelander, Britain's favourite small 4x4, has grown up. Not that it has grown much bigger, but Freelander 2 is a more sophisticated, more refined and more up-market vehicle to keep the Freelander at the forefront of this market. Read More...
Volkswagen Touareg - the discrete off-roader
11/01/08 12:21
Drive a big off-roader these days and you may invite some questioning about your need for such a large vehicle. That's a more likely line of questioning if your choice of off-roader carries a badge that presents an image of luxury.
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Renault Laguna Sport Tourer
13/12/07 19:11
Renault chose to play it fairly safe, in styling terms, when it launched the new Laguna in October. So, when I picked up the new Laguna Sports Tourer - which won't go on sale until January 2008 - it didn't really attract much attention for a model that no-one had seen on the roads yet. Read More...
Sell the Prius, it's not green enough
10/12/07 12:55
I remember a year or so ago I was amazed at a Volkswagen Polo diesel that - try as I did - I could not get to do less than 48 mpg. That memorable performance has now been upstaged... by a Volkswagen Polo. But this one is the Polo BlueMotion, which, in its basic form, has such low emissions that it costs nothing to tax in the UK. Read More...
C-Crosser comes late to the party
14/11/07 13:23
Considering that Citroen has had a long involvement in events like the Dakar Rally, in the tough off-road conditions of the Sahara, it's perhaps surprising that it has taken until now for the famous chevrons to appear on the nose of an off-road vehicle. The new Citroen C-Crosser is the product of international collaboration between Citroen, its sister company Peugeot and Mitsubishi. Read More...
Audi TT, now it is a driver's car
02/11/07 18:35
Such has been the pace of Audi’s new model programme in recent months that the German manufacturer has seen its UK sales continue to grow. A series of strong new models have undoubtedly helped them to achieve this remarkable growth – Q7, TT, the R8 and the A5.. This time it is the turn of the new Audi TT for the road test spotlight. Read More...
Mazda MX-5 goes trendy
15/10/07 14:49
When the Mazda MX-5 was launched it neatly stole a sector of the market that was, until the 1970s, as British as the Union Jack. Britain was the past-master at producing open sports cars and selling them around the world - Austin Healey, MG, Triumph and arguably the car that the MX-5 most wanted to be, the Lotus Elan. Read More...
Nissan cash cow?
13/09/07 17:14
"I have a Nissan Cash Cow to deliver to you." At least that's what I thought the guy on the phone said. The thought of a car that I could milk for money, sounded pretty attractive, but, unfortunately I think he had just fallen foul of the recent Oriental liking for strange names. Read More...
Mercedes' people-carrying semi SUV
11/09/07 14:28
The Mercedes-Benz R Class is what could probably be described as a crossover vehicle. That is, it crosses over accepted market segments. It's an estate car. It's a six-seater so it is part MPV. And it is a four-wheel-drive, so it is part SUV. The trouble is, this crossing of boundaries makes it difficult to pin-point who will want to buy one. Read More...
Lexus LS460 comes loaded with technology
23/08/07 16:40
It's an odd feeling sitting in the driver's seat doing nothing more than feathering the brake pedal while the car parks itself. The park assist system is probably the headline-grabbing technology on the car that has everything... or at least you can have everything if you pay for the right level of specification. Read More...
Kia goes mainstream
17/08/07 13:14
Kia has two established niche markets where it is seen as a serious player in the UK - the MPV Sedona, beloved by taxi companies, and the Kia Sportage. Until the Cee'd, however, its saloons and hatchbacks have appealed largely to the motorist on a tight budget who is determined to drive a new, rather than second-hand car. Read More...
Tribeca opens new market for Subaru
04/08/07 11:24
When Subaru first appeared in the UK they were seen as workhorse vehicles for rural types. Pick ups and estate cars with some go-anywhere ability thanks to their four wheel drive system. Then, along came Colin McRae spearheading their high-profile world rally championship successes, Subaru suddenly became the sporty.
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Golf GTI still nimble after 30 years
10/04/07 22:36
Volkswagen have celebrated thirty years of the Golf GTI with the launch of the Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30. And if you have been disappointed by the "softness" of some of the preceding models of GTI, this one is a cracker... a fire cracker! Read More...
Ford returns to the convertible market
10/04/07 16:19
Just over a year ago I was driving a Ford Consul convertible down the road into St Andrews and it set me thinking about how long it had been since Ford had been in the market with a drop-top version of one of their mainstream models. If you discount the SportKa, you have to look back to the Ford Escort Cabriolet.
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Hyundai Coupe - now more desirable
02/04/07 16:10
I remember going on the press launch for the first Hyundai Coupé (as opposed to its predecessor the Hyundai Scoupe - S Coupe get it?). The Scoupe was best forgotten so I didn't hold out much hope for the Coupé.
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Audi's big off-roader
29/12/06 08:33
Almost everyone remarks about the Audi Q7’s size. So, if Audi’s intention was to make an impression with their first ever off-roader, they certainly succeeded with the new Audi Q7. Read More...
Kia makes a convincing case, but infuriates
21/11/06 15:53
With Ford having bought the Rover name to protect their own Land Rover brand, SAIC - who bought the rights to the Rover models - have had to reconsider their plans to start producing the cars with the Rover badge.
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Hybrids can produce headline grabbing economy
18/09/06 15:45
I find out how to do 57.6 mpg in a 4.7-metre long off-roader (with a little practice and some help from downhill gradients!). Read More...
Powerful, responsive and exciting - the Audi A3 quattro Sportback DSG
13/09/06 15:43
I remember my “hot hatchback” years with considerable fondness. In the mid 80s the car to have was the Peugeot 205 GTI and I was fortunate enough to be able to graduate from the 1.6-litre to the top performance 1.9-litre.
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Jaguar's new XK is a real driver's car
10/09/06 15:40
Jaguar’s design team under Ian Callum faced a tough challenge in creating the new Jaguar XK Coupé and Cabriolet. To satisfy the traditionalists, the new model had to have the unmistakable looks of a ‘big cat’. But, at the same time, it was important for the future of the company it would appeal to a new, younger generation of buyers. Read More...
500 horses harnessed and ready to go
08/09/06 15:18
Over the years I have been lucky enough to drive some exotic machinery. But I'm pretty sure that the most powerful car I have ever driven is my most recent test.
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