After its launch in 2008, the Ford Kuga has grown from the company’s first ‘tall’ hatchback into one of their success stories among UK best sellers, and the story continues this year. Now on sale with some very significant updates and improvements to its technology, equipment and design, the Ford Kuga is taking on rivals including many in the showrooms of more premium brands. Diesel engines have … [Read more...]
Weeked roadtest: Honda Civic Type R MY24
As we look down the road towards an all-electric future, enthusiastic drivers might want to refocus on the Honda Civic Type R. It’s been with us in a few shapes for a quarter of a century and its enduring appeal is undoubtedly its very driver-focused design and engineering which has steadily matured, not really grown up, just got better with age. We tested one version exactly 12 months ago … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Honda ZR-V Sport SUV
Honda has joined the modern space race. It has tested the waters before but this time it’s launched a serious strike for the sector that is steadily capturing more sales than ever and currently takes almost 60% of UK registrations. The new Honda ZR-V is probably its strongest competitor against brands that have been reaping the rewards of the mpv and suv market for a few years. Starting with … [Read more...]
First drive: Honda Civic e:HEV Sport
If you’ve ever spent a night sleeping in your car it can be a very disconcerting place to wake up, but that was one of the tests engineers set themselves creating the new Honda Civic e:HEV. Sleeping on the job took on a whole new purpose for them to evaluate the interior and the view out of it after a night’s kip in the car. What is seen when opening the eyes, how relaxing it is and what does … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: MINI John Cooper Works GP3
Following the success of the two previous MINI GP models introduced in 2006 and 2013, the new limited edition MINI John Cooper Works GP3, is the most powerful and fastest production MINI ever sold, writes David Miles. Just 3,000 of these models will be built at MINI Plant Oxford for global sales with 575 of them available to UK customers. They are priced from £35,345 on-the-road … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Nissan Juke Tekna 1.0 DIG-T 117hp Auto
Launched over a decade ago the first generation Nissan Juke sold in huge numbers with over 1.5-million finding global homes,writes David Miles. It brought the then aspirational idea of 5-door SUV styling to the masses of car buyers who previously had opted for supermini sized hatchbacks. Although prior to Juke there had been small boxy shaped SUVs/4x4s from mainly Japanese manufacturers … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Honda HR-V
With only a few weeks to go until the new 69 registration plate peak sales month of September, Honda like many other manufactures is eager for customers and announced a whole range of offers to attract sales in a new car market still in decline, writes David Miles. Honda for instance is currently offering a Test Drive Event with a £750 to £1,000 incentive plus 5-years complimentary … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Volvo S60 T5 R-Design Edition saloon
In five years the Swedish Volvo premium brand has transformed from roomy, solidly built, conservatively-styled models appealing to older buyers into dynamic SUVs, estates and saloons with much more kerb appeal whilst retaining their high safety reputation, writes David Miles The latest new model is the S60 mid-sized four door saloon range, in essence a saloon version of the highly rated V60 … [Read more...]
First Drive: New Audi A6 Saloon and Avant
Audi success has been built on the sum of its parts, writes Robin Roberts. Whether that’s quattro technology, TT-style or out-and-out performance through the wheels of the R8, but it’s also been piling up sales with estates. The runaway demand for its RS4 and RS6 estate or avant models over years is probably better known than the popularity of its 100 and then A6 wagons, and the A6 last year … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Mitsubishi ASX 1.6 2WD
Mitsubishi has always risen to a challenge. It has produced some memorable models and then moved on but with a few exceptions like the popular Shogun and Pickups, but they have also set benchmarks with models like the Outlander MPV PHEV and it seemed only a matter of time before they entered the booming Crossover sector with their ASX. That was in 2010 and there have been four generations of … [Read more...]