Lexus has shaken up the UK car market in every sector it’s entered and with the latest UX urban SUV its challenge intensifies, writes Robin Roberts. Intended as an introduction to the Lexus range, the UX is their first contemporary compact SUV with the urban driver in mind rather than the country living/ loving driver who needs a serious off-roader. That’s not underselling the Lexus UX as it is … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Volvo XC40 B5 AWD R-Design Pro
To their credit Volvo Cars was the first established car maker to commit to all-out electrification and is the only brand to offer a plug-in hybrid variant of every model in its line-up, writes David Miles. I was scheduled to test drive Volvo’s latest award winning SUV, the compact XC40 but in its PHEV plug-in hybrid form.Unfortunately, Covid arrangements at the Volvo vehicle … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Skoda Kamiq SE 1.0 95ps
Skoda is making inroads with its family friendly SUV range, writes Robin Roberts.The large Kodiaq and mid-sized Karoq have now been joined by the compact Kamiq as this SUV sector wipes away traditional saloon and hatchback models across Europe and throughout the USA. No volume manufacturer can be without at least one SUV and VW sub-brand Skoda has enormous resources to utilise as it extends … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Kia XCeed ‘2’ 1.0 T-GDi
So what is the new Kia XCeed, asks David Miles. Well it’s the latest member of the Ceed C-segment family that until recently comprised the Ceed five door hatchback, Ceed Sportswagon estate and the newer ProCeed Shooting brake models, making it Kia’s third best-selling model range after the Sportage mid-sized SUV and the Picanto city car. They account for around 10% of Kia’s total annual new car … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Jaguar E-Pace 250hp petrol AWD
The rejuvenated Jaguar brand is on the hunt for new buyers in the booming SUV sector and its compact E-Pace is squarely aimed at the compact segment within these mushrooming models, writes Robin Roberts. To meet as many wishes as possible, the E-Pace series is available in standard or R-Dynamic styles, each trimmed to S, SE or HSE specifications and the choice of three diesel and two … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Lexus UX 250h
The new UX 250h petrol-electric hybrid urban SUV is described by Lexus as their ‘gateway’ model to their range of SUVs which already includes the well respected NX mid-sized models, the larger RX versions and the 7-seat RX L variants, writes David Miles. Lexus says UX stands for ‘urban explorer’ and they expect it to become their best selling SUV range attracting new customers to the … [Read more...]
First drive: VW T-Cross
With SUV styled vehicles now taking close to, or in some countries, over 40% of the new car market, manufacturers from budget to luxury brands have wasted no time in covering all angles in terms of size, performance and price, writes David Miles. Another new SUV range is now joining the fray, the Volkswagen T-Cross, an urban SUV which sits below in size and price their popular T-Roc … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Vauxhall Viva Rocks 1.0
The greatest challenge to any car designer is getting the most of what you are given, and when Vauxhall’s team wanted to create a very compact SUV they looked to the Viva.The original Viva was a boxy saloon built in Ellesmere Port, now home of the Astra, from 1963 to 1979 and that spawned what you might call an SUV – a Services Utility Vehicle. Better known as the Bedford HA van it was a … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Fiat 500X 1.4 MultiAir 140hp DCT auto 2WD
Such has been the huge growth in demand for SUV/Crossover types of vehicles that manufacturers right across the car industry have flooded the market with their offerings so it’s easy to forget or overlook some of those that have been with us for a while.One such range is the Fiat 500X compact SUV, first launched in the UK in 2015, with five doors and the choice of 2WD and 4WD models. … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Ford EcoSport 1.0 manual 2WD
The latest Ford EcoSport compact SUV is the best yet after a troubled start in 2014, but it's still behind rivals, says David MilesUnder Ford’s then current ‘One Ford’ global vehicle policy, to meet the demand for SUVs, which started in 2010 and has grown rampantly since then, Ford brought their Brazilian designed chunky looking EcoSport to the UK and Europe in 2014.Poor European sales due … [Read more...]
