Roadtests

Sunday drive: Suzuki Jimney is big on character & small on price

10 May 2015

This year is the 45th anniversary of Suzuki’s first compact SUV and their Jimny is their current version which went on sale in 1998. Suzuki’s tiny SUVs have amassed sales close to eight million sold into 188 global markets. Today’s Jimny is priced from just £12,195 for the SZ3 version and £13,645 for the higher specification SZ4 or £14,545 for the SZ4 … [Read more...]

Weekend Roadtest: DS3 DSport Plus 165

9 May 2015

There are many hot-hatches, but only one DS series which stands out from the crowd. DS models were launched by Citroen in 2009 and became the sporting range, but at the Geneva show in 2015 it was announced the DS would become an individual brand within the PSA Peugeot Citroen family. That’s 50 years after the famous and large Citroen DS series was … [Read more...]

Sunday drive: Ford Ranger

3 May 2015

With the recessions of the late 1990s and 2000s seemingly over it is reported that we are now more affluent with more disposable income to spend. Previously very popular recreational and workhorse pick-ups, picked-up their UK sales last year with a 15%% increase over 2013 with 33,843 registrations. So far this year they are up again by 22.8%.units over … [Read more...]

Sunday Drive: Ford Ranger

3 May 2015

Weekend Roadtest: Nissan Qashqai 1.5dCi n-tec+

2 May 2015

The Nissan Qashqai is a very unusual vehicle, but not for the reason you may think. It created the modern crossover sector when it was launched in 2007, but that’s not what I mean by unusual. It is UK designed and produced in several places around the world, that’s not unusual either, and one of those is Sunderland. Even that fact is not to be … [Read more...]

Sunday drive: Toyota Prius Plug-in hybrid

26 April 2015

By and large following The Chancellor’s recent Budget, motorists didn’t come off too badly in terms of increased taxes and the scrapping of the planned fuel duty increase in September. In terms of VED road tax only Group H (166g/km) and above received small increases in tax costs. But the biggest fear of a significant increase in Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) … [Read more...]

Weekend Roadtest: Infiniti Q70 2.2d

25 April 2015

You know you’ve made it when car park attendant Phil asks what is the car he has been puzzling over for an hour or so in the car park he has looked after for 20 years at Port Eynon, Gower. “Never had one in my car park before,” he announced when I explained. He has seen nearly everything, but it was his first Infiniti Q70. Infiniti really is going … [Read more...]

Sunday drive: Audi TT Coupe really grips enthusiasm

19 April 2015

As I write this road test there was no shortage of emails arriving in my Inbox from car manufacturers announcing record sales for the UK’s new registration plate month of March. With 492,774 new cars registered in March it has been the best sales month this century and marks 37 months of consecutive growth as the country comes out of recession. In … [Read more...]

Weekend roadtest: Peugeot 308 SW GT 180

18 April 2015

When you spot the rev counter spinning backwards you know there is something different about the Peugeot 308 SW GT180. A lot of thought has gone into this new semi-estate touring type carry-all based on the highly successful 308 Hatchback. There’s a massive range of powertrains it shares with the hatchback but it comes with increased luggage space from … [Read more...]

Sunday drive: Latest big Audi is ahead of the game

12 April 2015

As the car industry progressively reduces CO2 and NOx emissions of their petrol and diesel engines required by European legislation, so the UK Government progressively raises the VED road and Benefit-in-Kind taxes even for the lowest emission and even hybrid models. As an example in the recent Budget even the very lowest CO2 models emitting up to 50g/m of … [Read more...]