Honda has a lot of pride in the Civic, and that's justified. Honda started making Civic models in 1972, nine years after it expanded from motor-bikes into cars with the N360 and then the 1300, and Civic put the brand on the world map for automobiles. So the Civic is the company’s longest established and arguably best known model, which also spurred development of the larger Honda Accord and … [Read more...]
Toyota tops Professional range with Proace Max
The Toyota Professional range of light commercial vehicles offers greater choice than ever before, complemented by a commitment to customer care that will support Toyota’s continued growth in the sector. The new line-up stands out from the crowd with robust new styling across an extensive range that boasts class-leading load-carrying capabilities. Taking centre stage is the all-new Proace Max … [Read more...]
Sleeker Toyota C-HR announced
The sleekly styled latest generation Toyota C-HR is now on sale with deliveries beginning in January. The new model presents an even more dramatic rendering of the coupe-like design that set the original Toyota C-HR apart from the SUV mainstream. It also raises the bar in terms of equipment features, with seamless connectivity, responsive and powerful multimedia functions, fully digital and … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Mazda MX-30 R-EV first drive
Mazda is never afraid to be different and it shows in their latest MX-30 R-EV. Keeping its quirky ‘suicide’ rear passenger doors for easy access to the back seats the real change is up front under the bonnet in the newcomer. It joins the pure battery MX-30 and the CX-60 PHEV in the marque’s range with a PHEV powertrain which utilises a sub-900cc rotary engine acting as a generator to power the … [Read more...]
First drive: Vauxhall Astra GSe
As it slips into middle-age, the Vauxhall Astra has been given a modern make-over. Launched in 1980, the Astra has been the bedrock of the company’s offering in the small family car sector as it moved through eight generations. This year it was given a mechanical boost with hybrid technology adding to the petrol power in a bid to lower emissions and better compete with younger rivals, … [Read more...]
Mazda2 update launched
With a revised look and new trim grades, the 2023 Mazda2 is now in dealerships. There are two new colours, plus refreshed interior and exterior design while the powertrains are as before; the 1.5-litre petrol engine is offered in 75ps, 90ps and 115ps outputs. The ever-popular Mazda2 has received a substantially revised new look with fresh exterior styling and new cabin trim treatment. Across … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: McLaren Artura
Exclusive sports car maker McLaren has turned the corner. A huge multi-million pound investment, new management with encouragement for a brand which has uncompromisingly delivered drivers' cars, has now enabled, embraced and enriched the latest hybrid powertrain technology. But, of course, being McLaren it always does things a differently, distinctively - the McLaren way - and the new Artura … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Toyota Yaris GR Sport
Toyota dominated this year’s World Rally Championship and hopes some of this success will spread into its sophisticated city car, the Yaris. It launched the Yaris GR Sport about 12 months ago and my test drive really took me back, more than a year, to a time when hot-hatchbacks were all the rage and any car which had a rally or racing pedigree was guaranteed to be a winner on a Monday after a … [Read more...]
New Lexus RX 500h extends performance
The benefits of electrification are not just about making cars cleaner and more fuel efficient. There are also real opportunities to deliver a more exciting driving experience, as Lexus’s radical new RX 500h F Sport Performance model proves. This exclusive member of the all-new RX family of large luxury SUVs is a new kind of hybrid electric model – one with a primary focus on performance. The … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: KIA Niro 1.6 GDI HEV 4
After being launched in Britain in 2016, the Kia Niro has risen to become the marque’s second best seller in the UK and the third most popular in Europe, consistently increasing sales each year. Part of that success is down to being right sized for the UK but also careful marketing has ensured its high specification appeals to retail buyers while its running costs make it attractive to businesses … [Read more...]