We all want more for our money these days and the Audi A1 brings big car luxury features to a more affordable market. The A1 was introduced as the marque’s challenger to the growing number of superminis in 2010, initially with three-doors and then a five-door Sportback was added in 2012 and this first generation continued along with a lively S1 derivative … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Toyota RAV4 PHEV Dynamic
Toyota’s original SUV is now its flagship hybrid and most powerful. However, it’s not all about power as it also delivers excellent economy and a long electric-only range with good real-world performance. For MY2023 it’s sold in Design, Dynamic and Dynamic Premium specifications, a far cry from when it hit our roads in the mid-1990s. Prices start at … [Read more...]
First drive: Mazda CX-60 SUV
The new Mazda CX-60 now going on sale is the most powerful model ever from the company. The range-topping SUV is Mazda's first plug-in hybrid and it combines their acclaimed Skyactiv-G 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 100 kW electric motor and a 17.8 kWh high-capacity battery. Together these produce 327ps and use an eight-speed automatic … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Lexus UX 300e Premium Plus
Lexus has always been the quiet executive car brand and reaches a new level of refinement with its UX 300e pure battery version of the existing hybrid SUV. Some 15 years experience building hybrid cars were brought to bear when it created the UX 300e and it lacks nothing its stablemates have but adds 2020s propulsion, safety and communications … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: BMW 220d M Sport Coupe
To those of a certain age there was only one sporting car, a rear-wheel-drive coupe, and this simple formula mix are the ingredients in the BMW 220d M Sport we have just tested. Front-wheel-drive hot-hatches largely replaced the iconic ideal must-have for enthusiasts but they never replaced the balanced handling and driving satisfaction of a RWD … [Read more...]
Easter special: Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible
When you cut off the top of an Easter egg, you still have chocolate so can enjoy it even more and it’s the same with the Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible. The basic egg is good enough but if you’re lucky there will be some more treats inside, which is what we found with the incredibly satisfying 650bhp 6.0 litre 12-cylinder twin-turbo petrol … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia EV6 GT Line S 77.4kWh AWD
It’s official, Kia’s new generation pure-electric EV6 is the top-performing Car of the Year 2022. Earlier this month it beat 60 other new cars, electric and with internal combustion engines, to the coveted CoTY award judged by 59 motoring journalists from 22 European countries. It is the first Kia to win the internationally acclaimed award and set a very … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Mazda6 Saloon 2.5 194ps GT Sport
When it comes to choosing your new car it’s not always obvious that the better choice is not your first choice. Buyers who pour over print or on-line reviews can become numbed to the choices and models laid out before their eyes. Badge envy may blur vision and the surreal experience is sometimes far from reality. You have to physically get into a … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Genesis GV80 Lux 5 seater
Premium SUVs have had it their own way for a long time in Britain, but things could be about to change. The arrival of the Genesis GV80 this autumn will give those who want to be different, to make an automotive statement, a new way to express themselves. Genesis chief creative officer is Peruvian-born Belgian Luc Donckerwolke, who before joining … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Toyota Highlander Excel 2.5 Hybrid AWD
Individuals are getting larger and so are our cars, so it was the right time for the Toyota Highlander to be introduced to the UK market. Highlander is the company’s largest SUV and has been brought to European showrooms for the first time after 20-years on sale in Japan and America, brimming with fourth generation self-charging hybrid system to maximise … [Read more...]
