New car sales crashed in Wales last month. Registrations were 42.16% below the same month last year at 4,470 compared to 7,728 as the country was emerging from lockdown and buyers went on a spending spree. It is the steepest fall of the UK nations and contrasted with a 29.5% drop for the country as a whole to the lowest July figure in 23 years and before the two-plate system started in a bid to … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia Sorento 4 1.6HEV
The Kia Sorento 4 is full of surprises in a market which often delivers nothing out of the ordinary, writes Robin Roberts. I mean; what car comes with an beach, a wood-burner, a café or its own forest? They are part of the “nat sounds” available in the highly sophisticated infotainment system and are a calming or relaxing influence in a car which is already in the lowest stress … [Read more...]
Wales’s car sales sky-rocket after lockdown
Car sales in Wales last month rocketed over 6,750%, the biggest jump in mainland Britain, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Only Northern Ireland exceeded this leap in 12 months when showrooms recorded 13,629% rise. Scotland saw a 5,686 jump but English dealers trailed with just under 3,000%. Last month, total UK new registrations reached 141,109 cars compared to 4,205 some 12 … [Read more...]
Volkswagen sales of EVs soar & Porsche power on
Figures being released today will show the steady advance of electric car sales. April saw further evidence that more manufacturers are racing to secure a share of the market for new EVs. New AutoMotive’s monthly data release tracks new car registrations in Great Britain and shows that the market for new EVs is distributed between an increasing number of manufacturers. Volkswagen took the … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Kia Sorento ‘3’ 2.2 CRDi
The original Kia Sorento was launched in 2002 as a utilitarian all-terrain vehicle and the various generations have accrued over three million global sales, says David Miles. Today's fourth generation Sorento is a vastly more sophisticated model than the first even though it still has the potential to be a 4x4 workhorse. With seven seats its more family-use orientated and with the 1.6 turbo … [Read more...]
Dealers happy with manufacturers relationships
It is positive that despite the significant disruption faced over the past twelve months, dealers are on average fairly satisfied with the relationship with their respective manufacturers, said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association. Average levels of dealer satisfaction with the support received through the pandemic by respective manufacturers remained … [Read more...]
Tradelines 10 March
The Land Rover Defender has been named Supreme Winner Women’s World Car of the Year 2021. The triumph is the first time a Land Rover has won the top prize at the awards and is the latest in a series of international honours for the most capable Land Rover ever made. SsangYong will introduce the 21-model year Rexton into the UK market fairly soon. The Rexton facelift boasts a new look front end … [Read more...]
Budget does little for car sales
The Budget is first aid for the motor industry but will not fix underlying long term ailments, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. “Today’s budget provides some encouragement to an automotive sector hit hard by the pandemic and additional trading costs but it falls short of the support needed to transform the industry and market to the net zero future to which both the … [Read more...]
Newslines 9 February
A £750M bus and train network in South Wales will be marginally delayed from 2023, due to implications of coping with the Coronavirus crisis. Transport for Wales was nationalised after passenger numbers collapsed last year and operator Keolis-Amey couldn’t make it pay and Welsh Government has pumped in £167M to keep the public transport services running. The reported deal with Korea’s Hyundai … [Read more...]
Ford Fiesta is again Wales best seller
Welsh car buyers have restored the Ford Fiesta to top spot in the sales chart in January as UK registrations hit a 50 years low. Ford dealers registered 122 Fiestas last month, comfortably ahead of the 104 Kia Sportage, which was the top SUV among Welsh families and they were the only two models to exceed 100 sales in the month. Ford suffered badly in Wales last year but it has come back … [Read more...]