From really humble beginnings in Britain, Skoda has evolved through Volkswagen Group membership into one of the most diverse and desirable brands you can afford to buy. OK, their cars are no longer the off-cuts of a one-time communist cut-price country, but they now stand wheel to wheel with the best big brands from Europe, so you have to pay comparable … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Xpeng G6
Exactly what driving and mobility will be like in future is still uncertain, but for sure, Chinese brand Xpeng aims to be part of it. Like US rival Tesla, Xpeng has roots in technology, software and brainpower rather than horsepower, and it also set its sights on the sky and has produced not a spaceship but a flying car complete with its own land aircraft … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia EV4 GT-Line
The Kia EV4 is a landmark model for the brand and possibly the UK car market. The EV4 breaks new ground for Kia as the first zero emissions model made in their Slovakian factory and their first hatchback model to have an electric powertrain. Building on the success of the more utilitarian EV3 BEV, the new model is aimed at the markets for Hatchback and … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: GWM Ora 03 GT
Here’s a Chinese whisper - the GWM Ora 03 GT is a good modern BEV. To some it looks like a version of the MINI it has helped build in its homeland of China in a deal with BMW, but it comes at a price which really takes on the bigger names. There are three models in the GWM Ora 03 range, and after the EV-grant the costs are £21,245 Pure, £25,235 Pro and GT … [Read more...]
First drive: Mazda6e
It’s not turned a wheel on British roads but already been rated as one of the safest cars you will be able to buy. The all-new Mazda6e achieved a maximum five-star rating by Euro NCAP in its recent series of tests. In the two categories of Adult Occupant and Child Occupant protection, Mazda’s latest all-electric model scored an excellent 93%. The Mazda6e … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia EV3 GT-Line S
Some cars immediately impress, others take a bit longer and they stand out against models which made no measureable impression after a much longer period behind the wheel. The Kia EV3 GT-Line S is an example of the series which seems to get better each time it’s driven. We first drove the new Kia EV3 last December and were impressed, but a lot’s happened … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Tesla Model Y AWD
It can be hard learning to drive, but relearning brings a whole new skill set into the driver’s seat of the latest Tesla Model Y dual motor. Tesla is a pioneer in the new age of electric cars and after their first Model X SUV hit the market in 2015 it then rolled out the Model 3 saloon two years later and completed its range with the larger SUV Model Y in … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Ford Explorer Premium AWD
Ford has been a hesitant entrant into the modern BEV market, but is quickly making up ground with models such as the Explorer SUV. While it used its own technology for the Mustang electric sports car, to cut costs and development time it turned to Volkswagen to create the Explorer SUV derived from the ID.4 platform and powertrain. That’s not a bad thing … [Read more...]
Easter roadtest: Ford Capri Premium AWD
The Ford Capri name is back and turning heads some 55 years after the original model. The first Ford Capri designed by the same man who styled the Ford Mustang was produced from 1969 to 1986 and covered three generations with two million models registered. Originally made in Ford Halewood, Liverpool plant, the new all-electric Capri uses the Volkswagen … [Read more...]
Toyota unveil new Urban Cruiser EV
Toyota presents the all-new Urban Cruiser, a model that will bring powerful design, interior spaciousness and rich technology content to the market for compact battery electric SUVs. Urban Cruiser, developed from the Urban SUV Concept, will give Toyota a strong presence in a fast-growing and highly competitive market segment in the UK and Europe and … [Read more...]
