The new Vauxhall Corsa is altogether smoother with the latest three-cylinder one-litre engine under its bonnet. Introduced in the Adam Rocks this summer, the 90PS and 115PS triple is matched to a standard six-speed manual gearbox in this fourth generation Corsa which followed on from the original Nova in 1982 and is due on UK roads early in 2015. Corsa is an immensely important car for … [Read more...]
First Drives
New Fiat city car is for country lovers at heart
The growth of compact SUVs/Crossovers is significant. In 2006 they accounted for 7% of the total European new car market, today its 20%. The more the new sector grows the more new models manufacturers will introduce. The latest addition is the Fiat Panda Cross, a more extreme version of the Panda Trekking 2WD which has traction control and the Panda 4x4 model. They are of course extreme … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Volvo V40 D4
Volvo has raised its game in the all important C-sector with its newest Drive-E diesel and petrol engines. The 2.0- litre engines produce more power and lower emissions than the units they replace but more significantly they also beat rivals from BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. First seen in larger Volvo 60, 70 and 80 series cars from late 2013, the new D4 engines will be gradually introduced … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Volvo V40 D4
Volvo has raised its game in the all important C-sector with its newest Drive-E diesel and petrol engines. The 2.0- litre engines produce more power and lower emissions than the units they replace but more significantly they also beat rivals from BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. First seen in larger Volvo 60, 70 and 80 series cars from late 2013, the new D4 engines will be gradually introduced … [Read more...]
BMW 2 Series Active Tourer easy but expensive to live with
BMW’s first front wheel drive model range arrives in dealerships today. That is a very significant change for BMW as they have always promoted their philosophy of using a front longitudinal engine layout with rear wheel drive, and latterly some models with xDrive (4WD), to achieve the optimum balance of sports performance and handling. As its name suggests the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is a … [Read more...]
Citroen Cactus is prickly rival for competitors to take on
The new Citroen C4 Cactus is the car for the i-Phone generation. The technical masterpiece you can hold in your hand is now turned into something you can drive. It falls between the familiar C-sector hatchbacks and has more space than a usual B-segment crossover so it will pull in buyers from both, and even slightly larger cars for those downsizing. Citroen’s British designer (above) Mark … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: New Ford Focus
The new-look Ford Focus raises the bar for its rivals to clear with its latest engines, refined chassis and improved sophistication and equipment. There are the new 1.5 EcoBoost petrol engines along with a new 1.5 diesel unit and some of the existing engines have been re-worked to deliver more power and economy as well. Sophistication comes with the Sync2 system which was designed to make … [Read more...]
Harder edge with Adam Rocks
The Vauxhall Adam Rocks Air opens a new chapter in the modern city car’s evolution. Not only does the Adam get an electric folding black or brown canvas roof in the Rocks Air derivative, but it gains a harder edge with bespoke beefy lower bodywork, raised ride and wider footprint for both hatchback and Air. Underneath the small bonnet you can order the new Rocks with the latest 115ps 1.0 … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Volkswagen e-Golf
Six months after launching the all-electric Volkswagen e-up, the e-Golf is entering the UK market, writes Robin Roberts. Based on the Golf Match, it comes with unique 16-inch alloys and interior trim, LED head and side lights, the addition of two-zone climate control and Discover Pro sat-nav system with eight-inch touchscreen including additional range information, and the option to remotely … [Read more...]
Ford EcoSport races for sales
At long last the UK’s top selling car brand Ford has a competitor in the B-segment compact SUV or crossover sector of the new car market. Sales of all SUV vehicles in the UK were 104,000, 5% of the new car market, six years ago, last year there were 340,000 sales, around 15% of the total car market. In the UK’s compact SUV sector in 2008 these models accounted for 10,000 sales, last year … [Read more...]