The hot-hatch has been reborn for Gen-Z, and there’s a thumbs up from their parents too if they want to enjoy driving a Toyota Yaris hybrid. The one-time must-have cars for the young drivers of the 1970s seemed to die out in the first decade of this century, but someone forgot to tell Toyota. It launched the original Yaris in 1999 and the second … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia Stonic GT-Line S
When a prolific manufacturer keeps rolling out new models it's all too easy to overlook their older vehicles, as is the case with the Kia Stonic GT-Line S. Kia is on a roll with its brand in Britain, bringing new EVs to market in a constant stream and more are on the horizon as it enriches its range and wins awards within the industry.So it was good to … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Subaru Forester Touring
Revised, repriced and released this Spring, the Subaru Forester is ready to take on rivals in the serious SUV sector in 2025. Launched in 1997 on the back of a very impressive rallying impact by Subaru, the Forester was aimed squarely at the expanding SUV sector but in particular the country dweller who’d appreciate simple yet effective full-time … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Mazda CX-80 Takumi
The new flagship Mazda CX-80 is poised to make a big impression in the luxury multi-seat SUV sector. New car sales went and are going through a tough time but it must be said that in 2024 Mazda did better than most. Mazda UK sales director Laura Brailey told us global registrations for the brand rose 11% last year to a record 1.4 M and in Britain it … [Read more...]
Mid-week roadtest: Mazda CX80
Mazda has launched a new flagship CX80 to do battle in the luxury seven-seater SUV sector in Britain. After a tough year for car sales in 2024, Mazda did better than most and wants to attract new buyers to the brand with the CX80 which is slightly bigger than the five-seat CX60 SUV it introduced in Spring 2022. They share the same platform which has been … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Volvo XC40 Ultra B4 Mild Hybrid
Think family cars and I bet the next image in any driver’s eyes is a Volvo. Once associated with the immensely practical, purposeful and frills-free Estates, the company has undergone a rejuvenation and now offers a range of sophisticated SUVs brimming with the latest safety technology. They also started off big to sell to the US market but realised they … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Audi A3 Sportback 35TFSi
Twenty-nine years ago the first Audi A3 established the premium compact class and today the fourth generation sets a high standard which rivals really struggle to match. From that initial model in 1996, the A3 series has evolved into a comprehensive range of saloons and semi-estates or coupes with individual emphasis on sophistication or sportiness to … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV
The obvious doesn’t always stare you in the face and it’s therefore easy to overlook, at your cost. Take the Hyundai Santa Fe, the big, very big, seven-seater SUV which is probably eclipsed in many eyes by its Korean stablemates along with much more expensive competitors from German and British car plants. BREAKING NEWS: Hyundai voted best brand … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Honda HR-V Advance Style Plus
A quarter of a century after introducing the Insight as Britain’s first petrol-electric hybrid, the latest Honda HR-V is probably more relevant today. While rival hybrids have grown in size compared to the Insight of 25 years ago, there is not that much difference in the footprint of the HR-V. It is now in its third generation and sharing a Honda portfolio … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia Sorento HEV 2
The motor trade and industry has had a bad year, but you’d not know it from sales of Kia models including their big seven-seat Sorento SUV. While rivals have rushed to shrink their ranges and look only towards pure electric models which we know are coming over the decade, Kia has slowly and very carefully tweaked its line up so they still offer potentially … [Read more...]
