Ford has put a lot of eggs in its family car basket as it seeks to build sales in difficult and highly competitive times. The best-selling Fiesta has been given a new name at the top of its range, a crossover series called Active, which is probably more widespread in appeal than the stablemate and slightly dull EcoSport suv. Now, not so many years ago the Active would have been a regular version … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: New Vauxhall Corsa 1.5 Turbo D 102hp
The fifth generation Vauxhall Corsa range is now in UK showrooms and ready for the ‘20’ new registration plate sales month of March, writes David Miles. This time around the Corsa is only available as a five-door hatchback and sells in the ‘supermini’ sector of the new car market. The Corsa has been Vauxhall’s best selling range with over 2.1-million sold since it first launched … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Honda HR-V Sport CVT
The word ‘crossover model’ is often over-used and exaggerated, but not with the Honda HR-V in its top Sport CVT trim, writes Robin Roberts. The original Hybrid Recreational Vehicle from 1999 was a more sober-suited trendsetter but a lot has happened in two decades as fashions changed. More manufacturers have poured into the market for practical but performance edged cars, some without any real … [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...]
Sunday drive: New Mitsubishi ASX
The 2020 model year Mitsubishi ASX has received a significant makeover for New Year sales from £20,295, writes David Miles. The first generation ASX since 2010 accumulated an impressive 1.36-million global sales with 31,000 in the UK, making the ASX Mitsubishi’s third best selling passenger range taking 22.6% of overall UK sales. The ASX is the starting point in Mitsubishi’s SUV model line up. … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Ford Mondeo Vignale 5dr
Size can make a world of a difference to buyers and that’s where the Ford Mondeo packs them in, writes Robin Roberts. It has consistently won awards for its internal dimensions, roominess and popularity with families and business users and it’s easy to see why. The trend towards compact cars has seen the Mondeo segment shrink in numbers if not individual dimensions, but if you really … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia XCeed 1.4 TGDi FE automatic
Kia Ceed has been one of the outstanding success stories of the first two decades of the millennium and as we enter its third a new chapter begins with the XCeed, writes Robin Roberts. Hatchbacks have given way to SUVs over the last ten years and now this sector is further developing with the full size models being joined by compact versions which do everything of their larger … [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: 2020 Range Rover Evoque 2.0-litre D240 HSE
Launched earlier this year the second generation baby Range Rover – the Evoque now starts its 2020 model year sales with prices ranging from £31,295 to £50,425 plus options. The original compact SUV Evoque launched in 2011 was seen by us motoring folk to be the replacement for the Land Rover Freelander practical family sized and potentially affordable SUV. But the Evoque gained an … [Read more...]