When size matters, the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport has big appeal. The market for large hatchbacks and saloons is supposed to be shrinking as ubiquitous SUVs take over, but why be like everyone else when you can be different and look the part? This hatchback offers extremely good room for five with a boot capacity over 1400 litres so it … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Honda Civic 1.0 VTEC EX Hatchback
The UK market has been the largest for Honda sales in Europe accounting for over a third of their 100,000 new cars sold in the EU and Civic has been an icon, writes David Miles. But the World changes, sales fluctuate, the public seems to want SUVs not conventional hatchbacks or saloons, electrification and hybrid are fashionable words and, yes Brexit has … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Mercedes-Benz A250 AMG Line
When Mercedes-Benz launch a car, you’d better take notice, particularly if you are looking at the A-Class, writes Robin Roberts. As the oldest car-maker it knows more than a thing or two about design and engineering, and after really establishing its reputation with executive and luxury models it turned its attention to smaller models. It launched the … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Mercedes-Benz A 180d Sport
The UK is the largest global market for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class range of five door hatchbacks and four door saloons with over 340,000 sold since the first generation arrived in 1997, writes David Miles. Last year a record 43,527 of them were sold in the UK making it the UK’s eighth best selling model range and this year it has moved up the … [Read more...]
Mid-week motoring: First drive Toyota Corolla
One of the best known names on a car has returned, writes David Miles. Some 14 years after the Toyota Auris name replaced the Corolla we see the return of the World’s best-selling car brand name – Corolla - and it’s on sale in the UK from the new registration plate change month of March. The past generation Corollas achieved over 46-million global … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Ford Focus 1500 ST-LineX Auto
Britain’s best selling family car has just got better, and it’s going to get better still, writes Robin Roberts. The newest Ford Focus had barely arrived in showrooms in the autumn before changes were being made to benefit from the latest WLTP emissions legislation, so the 150ps version tested here is now replaced by a 182ps derivative in ST-Line X form. … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Ford Focus Titanium X 1.0-litre petrol
The latest generation Ford Focus was initially revealed to the motoring media in France in June this year but it wasn’t until September that models arrived in UK showrooms, writes David Miles. Now full UK sales are underway as the latest generation Focus five door hatchback and estate models aims to maintain their best selling family car title in the … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Honda Civic 5dr 1.6 diesel
Built in Britain for global sales the 10th generation Honda Civic is available in five door hatchback body style and now a Civic four door saloon, built in Turkey for European markets, has been added to the range, writes David Miles. Also a new 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine with manual and automatic gearbox choices has joined the … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Lexus CT200h Premium
The Lexus CT200h set the bar for the hybrid revolution in the compact premium sector when it arrived in 2011, and its raised its game still further with the latest version, writes Robin Roberts. Using the well-engineered powertrain from its sister company’s Toyota Prius introduced in 1997, the Lexus CT200h has been further retuned and it is and … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia Ceed 2 1.6 GRDi Eco
Kia has firmly planted itself in the UK family market with the mid-sized Ceed. This rival to the Focus, Astra and Golf has been comprehensively re-engineered for 2019 and it’s wider and longer, has good headroom and a decent sized boot and comes very well equipped and finished. The new Ceed comes in five-door hatch or sports wagon bodystyles, based on … [Read more...]
