The new Nissan Pulsar radiates success. It pitches into the heart of Britain’s most hotly contested family sector, and the N-Tec 1.5dCi emerges head and shoulders above most rivals at the price. The range of 15 models with a choice of petrol or diesel engines, manual or automatic transmission and in four trim levels spans the £16,000 to £22,345 basket and our test car was about mid-way and … [Read more...]
Roadtests
Weekend Roadtest: Ford Focus 1.5 EcoBoost
There is now even more to love about Britain’s most popular family car, the Ford Focus. Second in sales last year to Fiesta, Focus has been revamped for 2015 with changes to the powertrain, chassis and interior as well as some subtle external mods. At the new model’s international launch last autumn we were unable to drive the Bridgend-built 1.5 EcoBoost petrol turbo, but we have now and … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Hyundai iX35 Premium Auto
When style and suitability meet, there are fewer successful combinations than the Hyundai iX35. It was one of the first of the modern cross-over models which combine the looks of one sector with the size and features of another. Just about everything is right for buyers in this medium-sized model so long as they don’t want to be the first away from the lights or need to carry enormous … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia Carens 3 1700TD
Size matters in families and Kia has the measure of them in the Carens. The size of the Kia Carens is a major selling point in the MPV sector. It falls between rival five or seven seat competitors without compromising in any way. The seats and loading arrangements have been very well thought out and it will swallow a very long load when the front passenger seat is folded. The second and … [Read more...]
Weekend Roadtest: Infiniti Q50 2.0T
It is easy to see why the Infiniti Q50 stands out from the crowd. In what was a record 2014 for the brand in Britain with sales almost doubling over 2013, the Q50 saloon led registrations. I am not surprised as it’s a particularly stunning car in its executive class. The Infiniti Q50 range runs to eight models in four trim specifications including diesel, petrol and hybrid, with … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Toyota Aygo x-clusive
X marks the spot where the city car fun begins. Toyota’s joint venture car with the PSA Peugeot Citroen group is a thoroughly practical urban runabout but it’s not cheap. It exudes Toyota quality throughout and has a strong individuality amongst stablemates. Importantly it also comes with a very good five-year or 100,000 miles warranty and that’s a lot of city commuting. It also means the … [Read more...]
Weekend Roadtest Maserati Ghibli Diesel
Maserati has moved from exotic to executive with their first diesel saloon carrying the Ghibli name. Always a thinking person’s alternative to more bread and butter executive models, the Ghibli is now pitched into the heart of serious business decisions driven by efficiency and the availability of diesel power. Maserati looked hard at what it wanted out of a diesel and the 3.0V6 is similar … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Volvo V40 Cross Country
The V40 Cross Country range is a more aggressively styled line up with elevated ground clearance based on the revised 2015 model year V40 C-segment five door hatchback range we reviewed at its media launch at the end of September this year. The V40 series is Volvo’s best selling range and it is expected to account for 44% of their targeted 40,000 UK sales this year. Around 73% of V40 sales … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Ford EcoSport Titanium 1.0 EcoBoost 5sp
The Ford EcoSport has entered what is likely to become one of the most keenly contested of the emerging new car sectors, the small SUV. Fiesta-based EcoSport looks fit for the fight and comes with a lot of technology under the body and inside the cabin. Ford has kept the range simple with essentially 90 and 112ps 1.5 diesel or 125ps 1.0 petrol, and this is expected to be the best seller at a … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Fiat 500L Lounge
Fiat’s baby has grown up. The one-time little Fiat 500 which is credited with putting Italians on the road after WW2 and which was reborn in a venture with Ford towards the end of the last century is now maturing to rub shoulders with much bigger rivals. We have been amazed by the boom in business for what is now termed “Crossover” models mixing body styles and stepping outside traditional … [Read more...]