When a car-maker refreshes and updates one of its best selling models their rivals and customers had better take notice and the new Citroen C3 deserves that attention. It underwent an extensive makeover last year but global events overshadowed it so it was good to catch up with the compact five-door model a short time ago. The third generation C3 was launched in 2016 and has secured over … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Honda Civic Type R GT 2.0 VTEC
Although the UK production of the Honda Civic family 5-door hatchback range of models, including the hot-shot Type R, ceases in the UK at their Swindon Plant in July this year, the high performance Type R range of models available has been extended and a wide range of spec changes and technical improvements included. The Swindon Plant is currently building up buffer stocks of all 10th … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Skoda Octavia SE L FE Hatch 2.0 TDI 150hp
The new fourth generation Skoda Octavia Hatch and Estate models are here following the Covid-19 lockdown and UK customers can now take delivery of their new models or now more likely to wait until the new registration plate change month of September, writes David Miles. The Octavia has been a huge global sales success but UK buyers have had a strong association with the models with over 500,000 … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Skoda Scala Monte Carlo 1.5 TSI Hatchback
The five door family sized C-segment Scala hatchback was launched towards the end of last year but it’s only now the range-topping Monte Carlo sports spec level is introduced, writes David Miles. The Scala was effectively a replacement for Skoda’s underwhelming Rapid range and sits between the Czech brand’s Fabia supermini sized hatchback and estate models and the highly rated … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Kia XCeed FE 1.4 Auto
So what is the new Kia XCeed?asks David Miles. Well it’s a Crossover styled member of the Ceed C-segment family that is also made up of the Ceed five door hatchback, Ceed Sportswagon estate and the ProCeed Shooting brake models. The Ceed family is Kia’s third best selling model range after the Kia Sportage mid-sized SUV and the Picanto Picanto city car. All new Kia passenger cars are covered by … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Peugeot 208 GT Line 1.2 PureTech 100
Keep calm and carry on – for now, for this new model road test I slipped behind the wheel of the all-new Peugeot 208 ‘supermini sized’ 5-door family hatchback recently announced as the European Car of the Year 2020, writes David Miles. With the World in turmoil on health grounds and the automotive industry in meltdown with previous poor global sales due to economic reasons now made far … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Ford Fiesta Active Edition 1.0T Ecoboost
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...]
Weekend roadtest: Skoda Superb SE L 1.5 5dr
When a car-maker gives a model a name it risks being memorable, forgettable, laughable, unpronounceable or ultimately it means little, but in the case of the Skoda Superb, it actually means a lot, writes Robin Roberts. It’s the 125thanniversary of Skoda in 2020 and for 85 years it has been making models with the name Superb. There’s probably a strange truth in the fact that many people will … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Suzuki Swift SZ5 Allgrip
Winter weather is a great leveller for motorists, writes Robin Roberts. Heavy rain, snow showers, ice and mud can combine to make any possible winter journey an impossibility unless you have a big and expensive 4x4, or you cannily drive a Suzuki Swift SZ5 Allgrip. This is the hatch that’s a match for many winter road washouts or white-outs. What’s more it will not break the bank or cost you high … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Fiat 500 Rockstar TA hatchback
In my experience, if they are not larger than life, rock stars tend to be small and noisy performers, and the Fiat Rockstar lived up to expectations. Very much the baby in the extensive Fiat family of cars, the 500 has been one of its most successful and in 2019 passed the 3million sold mark. That success has been down to the fact it meets the needs of so many at comparatively … [Read more...]
