Kia has built its reputation in the UK with its family-friendly SUVs so it was probably only a matter of time before introducing its compact SUV. Based on the Rio hatchback, the new Stonic has a longer body and stands slightly higher on the road with added ground clearance over the supermini stablemate. The Kia Stonic comes in eight versions: two engines and four trim grades –‘2’, ‘GT-Line’, … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Nissan Qashqai Tekna+ Auto
The Nissan Qashqai was arguably the first of the current crop of modern crossover family cars and the latest version faithfully builds on its pedigree so can still be considered the benchmark for rivals to try and match. Not only has it been facelifted in 2021 but it has been given the latest audio, navigation, creature comforts and conveniences alongside some nice styling … [Read more...]
Fuel in Wales is some of UK’s dearest
Financially challenged Welsh families are forking out more of their weekly income for fuel than Londoners. The North East has the most expensive fuel in the entire UK, new research can reveal and they spend a bigger percentage of their weekly wage on fuel than any other region in the UK, as petrol prices hit their highest level on record. Motorists in the North East spend £77.93 on a tank of … [Read more...]
Vodka shot in your car’s petrol tank
Filling up with ‘eco-friendly’ E10 petrol could be like giving your car a drink of vodka, causing potential damage and hitting motorists in the pocket, bosses at a greentech company said today. E10 is being rolled out as the new standard petrol grade in the UK, replacing the current E5 grade. And while Dr. Dan Clarke, Global Head of Science and Technology at greentech company SulNOx Group Plc, … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce 2.0
Executive cars can be much of a muchness behind their familiar badges and dark windows while some designs confuse what particular model you’re seeing, but that was never the case with the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Launched in 2016 as the latest four-door saloon from the AR stable it has won numerous European styling and performance awards and it led to the development of the Stelvio SUV as … [Read more...]
New Vauxhall Astra orders open this autumn
The forthcoming eighth generation Vauxhall Astra will be available with petrol, diesel and hybrid powertrains when they get into dealerships early next year and a fully electric model will arrive in 2023. A Sport Tourer will go on sale in about 12 months time as Vauxhall ramp up their offensive and work towards a fully electric line up of all models by 2028. … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Peugeot 2008 GT Line 130A
I have a soft spot for the Peugeot 2008 GT Line, having extensively used one during the 2020 lockdown and experienced the previous series sitting in the family stable. But they were invariably the six-speed manual versions and I jumped at the chance to experience the eight-speed automatic derivative. The Peugeot 2008 has always been a favorite among the modern SUV models and the 130 … [Read more...]
Fuel prices rise for seventh consecutive month
After the seventh month of rising prices petrol is now more than 22p a litre more expensive than a year ago – the biggest 12-month increase seen for 11 years, says RAC Fuel Watch. Unleaded went up by more than 2p a litre (2.24p) in May to 129.27p while diesel also increased by a similar amount (1.95p) to 131.59p. In the seven months since the country last saw the average price of petrol fall … [Read more...]
Difficulties setting values of newest and future cars
Sellers and buyers face a torrid time setting values on the latest hybrid and electric cars. Aside from the myriad of other issues that will affect both the production and adoption of BEVs and advanced hybrid technology, the industry needs to begin to understand what the future value of these cars will look like, and also the level of retail consumer interest. Without a realistic view of the … [Read more...]
Pump prices climbing higher, says RAC Fuel Watch
The average price of petrol shot up by 3.5p to 120p a litre in January – a price last seen the day before the first Covid-19 lockdown on 22 March 2020 and the third consecutive monthly increase, says RAC Fuel Watch. Diesel also went up by more than 3p a litre from 120.05p to 123.43p (3.38p), making for the second rise in as many months. Both fuels, however, are still around 7p a litre cheaper … [Read more...]