About 42% of Cardiff commuters admit to being stressed by their journeys and the Welsh capital ranks eighth in the list of the UK’s top ten worst cities. The poll for property company Good Move put York and London at the top of the stress list with 51% of drivers affected. New info-tainment systems are proving a headache for owners of the latest cars with unreliability the main feature of … [Read more...]
Retail News
Insurance is covering criminality
Valid motor insurance is proving to be as valuable a disguise for today’s criminals as stockings over the head or a mask was years ago. Using a stolen identity to take out cover, their vehicle details are added to the Motor Insurance Database, allowing them to drive around without attracting police attention. Stealing an individual’s ID and taking out motor insurance in their name used to … [Read more...]
Recharging car and your bank account
Cenex launched a detailed analysis of the costs and opportunities of Vehicle to Grid (V2G) charging of electric vehicles (EVs). The report from the technology group found that bidirectional V2G charging, which sees vehicles provide energy from their batteries to the grid when plugged in, delivers greater value and revenues than unidirectional Smart Charging. The potential value which can be … [Read more...]
Rich & poor divide appears in EV sales
A rich and poor divide is splitting sales of electric cars. The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has published new data highlighting the correlation between the affordability of electric cars and their market uptake. This ACEA analysis compares national data on the sales of electrically-chargeable vehicles (ECVs) with GDP per capita in the EU member states for the … [Read more...]
Newslines 14 May
Vauxhall is continuing its journey towards electrification with the new Grandland X all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The new Grandland X Hybrid4 is Vauxhall’s first-ever plug-in hybrid and features state-of-the-art plug-in hybrid technology using a 200hp, 1.6-litre turbocharged direct injection four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric drive system with two electric motors … [Read more...]
Volvo Cars Cardiff showcase new S60
Volvo Cars Cardiff, Penarth Road is hosting ‘Volvo Evolved’ on Saturday 11 May from 9am to 5pm and Sunday 12 May from 10am to 4pm. The new S60 will be available for pre-booked test drives, as will the rest of the range of Volvos. … [Read more...]
New car sales’ steep fall in Wales
New car sales have fallen the steepest in Wales during April, says the SMMT. They dipped over 10% compared to the same month last year to 5,379 new models registered and in Britain as a whole sales slipped just under 4% with 160,606 registrations, and Wales's best sellers in April were: Fiesta, Focus, Kuga, Qashqai, Ecosport, Polo, A-Class, Duster, GrandlandX, Golf and Tiguan. Following … [Read more...]
EVs to consider
With the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, automotive data experts cap hpi has compiled a select list of vehicles worthy of driver consideration. Senior valuations editor Chris Plumb has identified five EVs that not only perform well but also represent excellent value for money, making them a hot prospect for motorists looking to buy and potentially enter the EV market for the first … [Read more...]
Newslines 7 May
The Hyundai Ioniq has been upgraded and given new connectivity and wifi improvements. These come along with a new battery pack in the ev versions and subtle cosmetic changes inside and out. Smell and colour changes caused by smoking in a car could wipe off £2,000 at its trade in, says valuation specialists HPI. The cost is taken off the value because the car would have to be fully valeted … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Peugeot 308 SW Tech Edition 130 auto
Anyone who doubts the future of estate cars should take a long look at the Peugeot 308 SW series and see what it offers for the family who want space without the bulk of an SUV, writes Robin Roberts. The 308 series of hatchbacks and estates has been a backbone of the range for decades with different prefixes but it’s as relevant today as it ever was. What’s more it has … [Read more...]