Euro NCAP kicks off the start of a new year of car safety testing by recognizing the top performers of last year and the winners of the 2021 Best in Class awards. Euro NCAP tested 33 new cars in 2021, of which 22 achieved the top 5-star rating with Skoda finishing holding two top awards, more than any other car maker. Among the successes, the Mercedes-EQ EQS emerged as best in the “Executive … [Read more...]
Ford lead in Wales and buck UK fall
Ford turned its poor UK performance on its head and emerged the top selling car brand in Wales last year. While it struggled in other regions and was knocked down from top to fourth place nationally, in Wales it enjoyed loyalty from its owners and 20 satisfied dealers. The result is the revised Puma was the most popular cross-over registered in Wales in 2021, just outselling the … [Read more...]
One-six-new UK cars will be electric in 2022
At least 330,000 new battery electric vehicles will be registered in the UK in 2022, according to figures from DriveElectric, one of the UK’s leading electric vehicle leasing companies. This figure is based on DriveElectric’s own forecasts, and it represents a significant increase from 183,000 - the number of battery electric vehicles (cars and light vans) expected to have been registered in the … [Read more...]
Premiums dip before expected rise this month
Insurance premiums hit a seven year low at the end of 2021. The average annual car insurance premium declined by £80 year-on-year in Q4 (September – November), according to the latest Premium Drivers research from comparethemarket.com. The average premium is now £640, compared to an average of £721 for the same three-month period in 2020. The decline in the insurance prices also means this is … [Read more...]
400 stopped trying to board holiday trains
Figures from British Transport Police reveal that over 400 people were ejected from stations across Wales during the festive season, as part of a joint operation with Transport for Wales to keep passengers safe. Focused mainly on Fridays and Saturdays over the Christmas period, Operation Genesis saw an increase in high-visibility patrols on trains and at stations, as well as covert policing to … [Read more...]
Welsh buyers shunned new cars last year
Wales was the only part of the UK to record a fall in total car registrations last year, says the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The car sales body reported 56,935 registrations in Wales in 2021, a drop of 4.46% from 2020 when they reached 59,594 but every other part of the country saw sales rise. Throughout the UK, total figures were 1,647,181 new cars registered in 2021 and that … [Read more...]
Book review: Through the lanes and into the forests
You didn’t really need expensive equipment to produce good images, just common sense, and enthusiasm, combined with a discerning sense of pictorial composition. This adage is proved by Richard Jones who as a teenager captured many pivotal rallying images on his Ilford Super Sporty camera, a Christmas present from an aunt 1963. This modest £5 camera – not including leather case – loaded with … [Read more...]
SsangYong turn to RAC for owners support
SsangYong Motors UK has signed a new contract with the RAC to provide roadside assistance services to SsangYong customers from 1 January 2022. The deal, which was won following a competitive tender process, will see the RAC’s patrols supporting drivers of SsangYong vehicles, and covers both consumer and fleet customers driving in the UK and 48 countries in mainland Europe. SsangYong Motors UK … [Read more...]
Staff are letting down dealers, say buyers
Expectations among car buyers are almost always satisfied by dealers, but customers remain less happy with the quality of dealer staff, research has revealed. The finding comes from a unique deep dive into the experiences of car buyers just revealed by Autovia, Britain's leading publisher of automotive advice and information. Every aspect of the buying experience is examined in Autovia's 'Driver … [Read more...]
Tradelines 5 January
Toyota pushed General Motors off the top spot in America after 90 years domination of the market. Toyota sold 2.332 million vehicles in the United States in 2021, compared to 2.218 million for General Motors, as GM's US sales were down 13% and down 43% in the fourth quarter while Toyota was up 10% for the year. Former chief executive of the Welsh Automotive Forum, Tim Williams, was made an … [Read more...]