We're hanging on to our cars for longer in the face of rising prices and reluctance to go electric, according to research by weekly motor magazine Autocar. It was told by the DVLA that 798,363 used cars met their maker this year and were scrapped for good led by the Focus, Astra and Corsa and was a vast drop in the numbers scrapped compared to 2022 when 857,107 vehicles were removed. Changes to … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Ford Focus Active X Estate
If you are selling Britain’s most popular family car it is difficult to improve on it, unless you offer an estate version like the Ford Focus Active X. The groundswell of sales lift towards MPV or SUV bodystyle across Europe but in Britain there is still strong demand for estates and some brands have given away sales to competitors by ending these highly practical, economical … [Read more...]
Ford Fiesta is not a keeper unless you secure it
It may be coming to the end of the road next year, but the Ford Fiesta is the most stolen model, according to research from a car leasing company. Rivervale Leasing submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to find the most stolen car in 2022 in the UK as well as the total number of vehicles stolen. The top 15 cars stolen in … [Read more...]
Newslines 21 January
Cardiff has come tenth in a list of the best UK cities for electric vehicles. Looking at charging points, costs, population and power outputs of points, Forbes Advisor put the Welsh capital alongside Brighton but they are a long way below top ranked Sunderland and Coventry. The cost of car insurance has increased by £64 year on year, according to the latest figures from … [Read more...]
Ford lead in Wales and buck UK fall
Ford turned its poor UK performance on its head and emerged the top selling car brand in Wales last year. While it struggled in other regions and was knocked down from top to fourth place nationally, in Wales it enjoyed loyalty from its owners and 20 satisfied dealers. The result is the revised Puma was the most popular cross-over registered in Wales in 2021, just outselling the … [Read more...]
Used car sales dented by disease controls
The UK’s used car market declined -8.9% in the first quarter of 2021 according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. With 1,687,755 transactions, the overall decline saw large falls in January and February of -27.1% and -19.4%, as lockdowns depressed demand and again closed showrooms. March saw the market show signs of recovery with a 32.2% year-on-year rise, amounting to … [Read more...]
Toyota Yaris tops for reliability, German marques low
THE Toyota Yaris is the most reliable of the UK’s best-selling cars. From nippy city runarounds to larger family motors, British drivers have always had their favourites when it comes to getting from A to B with as little fuss as possible. Now warranty specialists MotorEasy have run the numbers on the top 10 models to see which of them really delivers in terms of swerving hefty repairs … [Read more...]
Scrappage soars in shutdowns and Ford Focus leads
Scrap Car Network data indicates that Brits disposed of a third more cars in 2020, with the humble Ford Focus leading the way with over 2535 of the model being scrapped. It says a record 37,000 cars were scrapped last year. Models of Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Peugeot all featured in top ten cars that drivers thought should hit the scrap heap. The disposal website, which represents the UK’s … [Read more...]
Cardiff buyers Focus in pandemic
Ford Focus was Cardiff’s most sold used car during the pandemic, revealed by Motorway.co.uk, the UK’s fastest-growing online marketplace for used cars. Motorway analysed all the cars sold on its platform during the pandemic, between March 2020 and February 2021, and found that more people in Cardiff have sold a Ford Focus on the platform than any other car in the last year. It was closely … [Read more...]
Diesel electric hybrid Ford Focus unveiled
An advanced diesel electric hybrid Ford Focus will make its public debut today at the Cenex LCV show. The one-off model built in a collaboration by Ford, Control Power Technologies and the ADEPT consortium including Ricardo, Faurecia, Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium and Nottingham University uses a 1.5 litre diesel engine and 48V electric motor it’s invented called a SpeedStart. It … [Read more...]