The Audi Q4 e-tron really is shaping up to challenge in the pure-battery electric car sector with its first compact SUV. As befits Audi, the Q4 e-tron is available with a wide choice of power units, 125, 150 or 220kW outputs from two battery capacities, rear or all-wheel-drive and four trim levels including a well-specified launch edition. Depending on the battery pack chosen … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia e-Niro3 64kWh
The electric car offensive is intensifying with latest models such as the Kia e-Niro now offering a practical alternative to conventional cars. Ok, its price is potentially a major barrier compared with petrol or diesels including the Niro ICE series but if you have a business or the freedom to choose what you drive, then the e-Niro is undoubtedly one of the best modern low-emission choices you … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Cupra Formentor V2 e-Hybrid 204ps
The head-turning Cupra Formentor e-Hybrid is a genuinely new model in the booming family SUV sector where its stablemate SEAT brand has done so well. Formentor’s the first model designed and developed for the brand and this spring picked up the highly valued five-star safety award from Europe’s toughest crash testers. This new brand formerly launched with the Formentor last December as the … [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 emission-free driving without restricting … [Read more...]
First drive: Mazda3 186ps GT Sport
Just when you think things couldn’t get better, Mazda has improved its acclaimed Skyactiv engine technology, writes Robin Roberts. Constant engine development and software revisions have improved combustion and power, reduced emissions and extended economy in the latest e-Skyactiv X. We tried it out in the newest popular Mazda3 186ps GT Sport, costing from just over £28,000. The … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Volkswagen Polo Active 95
Today’s Volkswagen Polo clearly demonstrates city cars do not have to lack the refinements of much larger models. For 46 years, the VW Polo has been seen as the city car with status. While some drivers opted for cheaper competitors from rivals, the Polo-person was perceived as a more mature driver who appreciated sound engineering and valued a stronger resale price. However, … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Lexus ES300h Takumi
Life is full of surprises but few are as welcome as the Lexus ES300h Takumi saloon delivers. A larger successor introduced in 2019 to the Lexus GS series, it has the advanced petrol & electric powertrain developed by parent Toyota over some 25 years. The experience shows. While some car makers are only now coming to terms with hybrid power, Lexus has been setting the standard over three … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Peugeot 2008 GT Line 130A
I have a soft spot for the Peugeot 2008 GT Line, having extensively used one during the 2020 lockdown and experienced the previous series sitting in the family stable. But they were invariably the six-speed manual versions and I jumped at the chance to experience the eight-speed automatic derivative. The Peugeot 2008 has always been a favorite among the modern SUV models and the 130 … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Vauxhall Mokka-e SRi Nav Premium
There’s trouble brewing for rivals to the new 'green' family car from Vauxhall. The latest Vauxhall Mokka-e is not a stand-alone model but one of the offerings in a compact SUV series which includes both cheaper petrol and diesel engines and indicates the future direction of its model series as it drives towards the pure electric future in the 2030s. Mokka-e gets the new look Vizor front end … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Jaguar XF Sportbrake R-Dynamic SE P250
Style and sophistication are embodied in the practical and purposeful Jaguar XF Sportbrake and a serious alternative to SUVs. Introduced in 2017 to widen the appeal of the medium sized XF saloon it sits alongside the now expanding range of Jaguar SUVs and offers a different driving proposition for those who want room but also require a more compact car. The XF series is a huge … [Read more...]
