RAISE YOUR FORD FOCUS DRIVING EXPERIENCE WITH AN ACTIVE X HYBRID MODEL… …says David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). (Photographs by David, plus some from Ford). Only a relatively few years ago the decision we had to make about the engine we wanted for a new car was petrol or diesel. Nowadays it’s far more complicated because other options are now making their sales presence felt as we head … [Read more...]
Road Tests
Our in-depth appraisals of new cars available in the UK
Fiat 500X Sport SUV – Road Test
The Fiat 500X Sport hot-shot small SUV… By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Fiat know a lot about turning the ordinary into the extra-ordinary, like they have with the hotter version of the very popular 500 series. Their best selling city car for some 60 years, the Fiat 500 range has been boosted by the X Sport small SUV given a beefier 150 bhp 1.3 litre four-cylinder engine in … [Read more...]
New Suzuki Swace – Road Test
MAKE WAY FOR THE SWACE – A MID-SIZED ESTATE FROM SUZUKI VIA TOYOTA. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). The Suzuki Swace hybrid 5-door mid-sized estate is the second recent model to join the Suzuki range from their partnership with Toyota formed in 2019. Toyota also manufacture the Across large-ish Plug-in-Hybrid SUV which is based on the new RAV4 PHEV. The addition of Swace and Across … [Read more...]
Citroën C5 Aircross plug-in hybrid – Road Test
The new Citroën C5 Aircross 180 PHEV Auto test driven by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The Citroën C5 Aircross has been a winner for the French marque from its 2017 launch and it’s about to take them into a new era. Within six months of going on sale, over 50,000 models had been delivered and its latest updates include a PHEV Plug-in Hybrid Electric version. That brings a … [Read more...]
Ford Fiesta mHEV mild hybrid – Road Test
MILD ELECTRIFICATION FOR THE UK’S BEST SELLING CAR in 2020 – THE FORD FIESTA. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) puts it to the test… One of the many recent updates to Britain’s best-selling car in 2020 was the introduction of mild hybrid support for their 1.0 litre, 3-cylinder turbo petrol 125 and 155 hp petrol engines used in the Fiesta and other Ford model ranges. But it’s the … [Read more...]
Fiat 500 Hybrid – Road Test
Fiat 500 Lounge Hatchback 1.0 70hp Mild Hybrid Fiat 500 models can be a classic Italian dish for drivers claims road tester Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The 500 put Fiat back on the road after WW2 as the Cinquecento and it saved the company again with a comprehensive make-over in 2007, since when three-million have been sold. A new refreshed line-up is going on sale Spring … [Read more...]
New Suzuki Across – Road Test
SUZUKI’S NEW ACROSS LARGER PLUG-IN HYBRID SUV – THANKS TO TOYOTA. Assessed by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Partnerships between automotive manufacturers are now commonplace as they share costs to bring to market more and more lower exhaust emission models. These are needed to meet ever more stringent CO2 targets and financial penalties if their overall range CO2 emissions fail to meet … [Read more...]
Jeep Renegade Trailhawk 4xe PHEV – Road Test
Hybrid electric power features in the Renegade… …Jeep’s landmark 80 year history position in the off-road sector is now joined by the Renegade’s claim to fame as the first of the brand’s electric models, writes Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The Renegade was a defining vehicle for the brand being the first Jeep model to be made outside the US as it’s assembled in Italy, Brazil and … [Read more...]
Volvo XC40 Recharge PHEV – Road Test
ELECTRIFICATION AND SUVS – ARE THESE THE WAY FORWARD IN 2021? Volvo XC40 Recharge plug-in hybrid urban SUV tried and tested… …by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Although overall new car sales stalled globally in 2020 due to Covid-19, sales of electrified models grew substantially. In Europe electrified models outsold diesel powered cars for the first time and the demand for SUVs … [Read more...]
Nissan confirms faith in Sunderland plant, and X-Trail seven seater Road Test
Nissan commits to the UK, says David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). News announced today, 22nd January 2021, the Japanese car manufacturer has committed to continuing long-term production of some of its models in the UK following the recent post Brexit trade deal with the EU. The Sunderland Plant had recently been operating at less than half its 500,000 annual capacity and has 6,000 direct … [Read more...]
Latest Seat Arona – Road Test
SEAT’S ARONA COMPACT SUV COMES UP SHORT IN SOME AREAS… …says David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). In the much-troubled year of 2020 new car sales across the globe stalled and even the must-have Crossover/SUV styled vehicles saw their sales flatten. According to JATO Dynamics, the authoritative compiler of new car sales figures, although such vehicles still accounted for around 40% of new … [Read more...]
Volvo V90 B6 estate car – Road Test
Volvo’s V90 B6 AWD petrol engined estate given a festive outing... ...by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The estate car has been a part of British life for decades. Originally developed to take shooting parties around estates during the grouse and deer culling seasons, they soon found new uses before and after. That was a long time ago and today’s family car of choice has become … [Read more...]
Latest Honda Civic Type-R – Road Test
EXTENDED HONDA CIVIC TYPE-R RANGE – THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAIL. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) tells all… Although the UK production of the Honda Civic family 5-door hatchback range of models, including the hot-shot Type R, ceases in the UK at their Swindon Plant in July 2021, the high performance Type R range of models available has been extended and a wide range of spec changes and … [Read more...]
Lexus RX450h – Road Test
REFINEMENT GALORE OFFERED BY THE LATEST LEXUS RX 450H LARGE SUV… …says David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). The Lexus brand came to SUV prominence in 1998, actually year 2000 in the UK with the introduction of the original RX as a luxury, comfortable easy to drive large SUV. Now in its fourth generation spanning two decades the petrol-electric hybrid RX 450h 5-seater and RX L limousine style … [Read more...]
Aston Martin DBX – Road Test
The Aston Martin DBX premium SUV – built in Wales Aston Martin is a survivor in a world of hard knocks and is looking for a smoother ride with their latest DBX sports utility vehicle, writes Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Images courtesy and copyright Mediaphotos.co.uk After 100 years of making some of the most sought after sports cars in the world it has applied its … [Read more...]
Volvo V60 Recharge – Road Test (plus Volvo range electrification news)
VOLVO GOES ON EMBRACING ELECTRIFICATION FOR ITS MODELS + V60 RECHARGE ROAD TESTED. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Volvo, part of the Chinese Geely industrial conglomerate, is now well known for their commitment to full electrification of all their models by 2025. They have recently confirmed they will develop and assemble their own electric motors at their powertrain plant in Skovde … [Read more...]
All-electric Vauxhall Corsa – Road Test
Vauxhall Corsa-e Elite Nav 11kW plugged-in… …and driven by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Britain’s oldest car-maker is gearing up for the electric future, beginning with the Corsa-e. The highly popular small hatchback is a natural starting point aimed at those who mostly commute or have low mileage lifestyles. It has dabbled in the EV sector between 2012 and 2015 with the … [Read more...]
Latest Nissan X-Trail – Road Test
LONG SERVING NISSAN X-TRAIL EVOLVES INTO A SOFTER CROSSOVER. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Nissan introduced the original X-Trail in 2001 when it was a hard-core proper dual-purpose 4x4 workhorse which sold in huge numbers around the world. From 2007 the X-Trail moved from hard-core 4x4 to SUV/Crossover and in 2017 received further restyling and specification changes to soften its … [Read more...]
Toyota C-HR Dynamic Hybrid 2.0 – Road Test
HIGHER PERFORMANCE TOYOTA C-HR HYBRID COMPACT SUV TRIED AND TESTED Continuous improvement is the philosophy of Toyota and few car makers have as much experience of EVs and Hybrids, launching its Hybrid Synergy Drive in 1997, and rolling out more models every few years, writes Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). The Toyota C-HR is a good example of continuous improvement, first … [Read more...]
Fiat 500 Hybrid – Road Test, plus Fiat, Bentley and SMMT ‘electric’ news
FIAT’S NEW 500 HYBRID ON THE ROAD TOWARDS FULLY ELECTRIC MOTORING. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) reports… The little and large of new models being introduced have several things in common but the most relevant is all-electric power. At one end of the size scale Fiat have recently introduced their 500 City Car petrol-electric Hybrid range and UK order books are open for their all-new … [Read more...]
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