Although the UK production of the Honda Civic family 5-door hatchback range of models, including the hot-shot Type R, ceases in the UK at their Swindon Plant in July this year, the high performance Type R range of models available has been extended and a wide range of spec changes and technical improvements included. The Swindon Plant is currently building up buffer stocks of all 10th … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: SEAT Mii electric
SEAT is dipping its toe in the market waters in its Mii pure electric five-door city car with the promise of many stablemates over coming years, writes Robin Roberts. The Mii petrol models replaced with the first all-electric car from the Spanish subsidiary of the German VW Group shows how international the focus has become because it’s made in Slovakia.Developed from the Mii city car … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: New VW Golf Life 1.5-litre TSI 130hp
The new eighth generation Volkswagen Golf arrived in the UK at the end of March and after the lockdown period deliveries are now underway so this is our first opportunity to test drive the latest Golf 8, writes David Miles. The new Golf 8 model as it’s known is initially available in five door hatchback form and it has a lot to live up to as its ancestors sold more than 35-million units over … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Vauxhall Astra 1.2 145ps EliteNav
If proof was needed that sleeping giants are a threat, then the Vauxhall Astra proves it with the facelifted models now reaching showrooms, writes Robin Roberts. The model has been a staple of the Vauxhall brand for 40 years as the eighth-generation arrives and it’s arguably the best, and has benefitted from input by new owners Peugeot Citroen. A new or revised range of engines … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Nissan Micra Tekna IG-T100 CVT auto
The 100hp turbo petrol engine is perky in performance and the design of the five-door supermini sized hatchback body is blindingly more eye-catching than the previous four generations of Micra which have been served up since 1983, writes David Miles. Most recently Nissan further revised some of the power units available in the updated range and these EU6 compliant units include a … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Mercedes-Benz A 180d Sport
The UK is the largest global market for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class range of five door hatchbacks and four door saloons with over 340,000 sold since the first generation arrived in 1997, writes David Miles.Last year a record 43,527 of them were sold in the UK making it the UK’s eighth best selling model range and this year it has moved up the top ten sales chart to fourth position. … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Ford Focus Titanium X 1.0-litre petrol
The latest generation Ford Focus was initially revealed to the motoring media in France in June this year but it wasn’t until September that models arrived in UK showrooms, writes David Miles.Now full UK sales are underway as the latest generation Focus five door hatchback and estate models aims to maintain their best selling family car title in the troubled new car market.The new Focus … [Read more...]
First drive: New MG3 is safe and sound
Having been through many periods of ownership, including BMC and British Leyland, today MG is in the hands of SAIC, China’s largest car manufacturer, writes David Miles.They sold 6.9-million new cars last year globally, 3.52-million in the first six months of this year, and MG is now the global brand for SAIC outside China and for the domestic market their brand of different models is … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Peugeot 308GTLine 130 automatic
The Peugeot 308 has been European Car of the Year and is very much up to date now after a comprehensive reworking, writes Robin Roberts.The Peugeot 308 succeeded the 307 in September 2007 with the first generation running until 2013, then voted CoY in 2014 with the second generation and in 2017 it was given a very comprehensive styling, equipment and powertrain makeover. This essentially gave … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Lexus CT200h Luxury
The Lexus CT200h is in its sixth year of production and for a final throw of the dice before its replaced it has some useful styling and equipment updates for the 2018 model year.The CT200h is the steppingstone model into the premium Lexus brand which celebrates its 30th anniversary next year of being introduced by Toyota.The CT200 range was a big move to providing a range of premium … [Read more...]
