Dramatic styling marked the 2016 arrival of the Toyota C-HR suv and now that’s been facelifted and given a technical make-over inside as well. Toyota’s Coupe-High Rider, to give it the full title, is one of the brand’s best selling models in Britain and has hit the sweet-spot in showrooms over the last eight years but with newer rivals sweeping in there was a need to modernise the … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Mazda CX-30 2.0 AWD Takumi
Mazda has a modest UK range but every model comes with a lot of heart and soul, like the revised CX-30. Originally derived from the hatchback Mazda3 but smaller than the CX-5 SUV, the CX-30 came to the UK for 2020, but of course we all know what happened then as the pandemics swept through the country. Britain and Mazda persevered and now their feature-packed compact SUV has been given a … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: BYD Atto 3 Design
There is no doubt that China’s BYD car company is a new major challenger to legend European manufacturers with its Atto 3 cross-over. Not only does it have Europe’s familiar family cars in sight but it will be aiming to pick off sales from the Korean and Japanese brands which have had it much their own way up to now. Build Your Dreams, to give the company its full name, launched in Britain with … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Skoda Octavia Estate SE L TDI
Diesel cars are a dying range but I must say long live the Skoda Octavia Estate turbo-diesel. It’s going to become a model we will look back upon and ponder; wonder why such a thoroughly good all rounder has to be replaced by much more expensive, less practical and, frankly, less satisfying electric rivals. It’s one of the oldest model names in the Skoda stable and still accounts for about … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Honda Jazz Advance Sport
A lot of airtime and column centimetres have been taken up with Wales’ default 20mph urban limit, but I’ll let you into a little secret, you can do 100 in a Honda Jazz Advance Sport, and it’s perfectly legal. The fact is I am not talking about the sporty Jazz’s speed, rather its ability to return 102mpg: yes over a ton. Even on a busy day you’ll probably exceed 60mpg from this incredible Tardis … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Alfa Romeo Stelvio Lusso 2.0
Diversity has driven the car industry for over a century responding to the changing society it serves, so we shouldn’t be surprised when a traditional sporting brand looks at something different,writes Robin Roberts. Premium brands including Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Maserati and Porsche are examples which come to mind, but there is also the more affordable sporting Italian marque … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Honda Civic Type R GT
Honda is best known for its sensible family cars, and then there is the rebel Civic Type R, writes Robin Roberts. In my experience, every family has a rebel in its ranks, the wacky wayward one who may be a boisterous brother, an unconforming uncle, a shout-out-loud sister or audacious aunty. The Honda Civic Type R comprises just two versions separated by £2,000 trim additions which raise it … [Read more...]