NEW BRITISH BUILT TOYOTA COROLLA 2.0 HYBRID TOURING SPORTS. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). In March this year the Corolla name returned to the Toyota line-up of passenger cars 14 years after the Auris name replaced it. Like the Auris range it replaced, the 12th generation five-door Corolla Hatchback and Touring Sports estate petrol and hybrid models are being built in the UK at … [Read more...]
Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer – Road Test
LONG LIFE VAUXHALL INSIGNIA SPORTS TOURER STILL MEASURES UP… …By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Launched in 2008 and facelifted in 2013, followed by continuous upgrades to specification. the Vauxhall Insignia range of five door D-segment Grand Sport hatchbacks, Sports Tourer and Country Tourer estates is a story of evolution and the latest models are still as fresh and competitive … [Read more...]
Latest Ford Focus – Road Test
FORD’S NEW FOCUS FAMILY GAINS ACTIVE MEMBERS… …by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Ford has added a new member to its Active family - the Ford Focus Active available as a five door hatchback or estate. It joins their Fiesta Active and Ka+ Active line-up. Ford Active models are termed crossovers models combining mild SUV styling whilst retaining the brand’s strong driving dynamics. … [Read more...]
Peugeot 308SW estate – Road Test
Peugeot 308 SW Tech Edition 130 auto estate car… Tried and tested by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Anyone who doubts the future of estate cars should take a long look at the Peugeot 308 SW series and see what it offers for the family who want space without the bulk of an SUV. The 308 series of hatchbacks and estates has been a backbone of the range for decades with different … [Read more...]
Latest Kia Proceed – Road Test
KIA’S NEW PROCEED – A SPORTS STYLED ALTERNATIVE TO AN ESTATE CAR. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) test drives this fascinating newcomer. The ProCeed is what Kia calls a shooting brake and people of an older generation might remember shooting brakes as saloon cars, Hillmans, Humbers, Standards and such like, with a boxy load area, sometimes made of wood, with two side hinged rear … [Read more...]
Kia Optima Sportswagen Diesel – Road Test
REVISED KIA OPTIMA SPORTSWAGON FEATURES NEW DIESEL ENGINE OPTION. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). For customers getting bored with their SUV or just plain put off by the ever increasing number of them on roads worldwide, perhaps it’s time to move on to the tried and trusted, more exclusive and traditional large estate. Despite manufacturers putting all their eggs in one basket … [Read more...]
Volvo V60 estate – Road Test
THE 2019 V60 CONTINUES VOLVO’S HERITAGE OF PRODUCING ESTATES. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) test drives the latest version… Last year Volvo in the UK outperformed the new car market with sales. Whereas the market fell by 7%, Volvo increased their sales by 9% to achieve 50,319 registrations with their award-winning new range of models This year the brand is aiming for 60,000 plus … [Read more...]
Estate of the art? Audi’s smart A6 Avant load carrier – Road Test
THE NEW AUDI A6 AVANT – A VERY POSH LARGE ESTATE… Tried and tested by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). The fifth generation Audi A6 Saloon and Avant estates are slowly coming to market. The 2.0 litre 40 four cylinder TDI and 3.0 50 V6 TDI turbodiesel (both with mild hybrid support) models with standard fit automatic transmissions were launched in September last year to the UK media and … [Read more...]
Latest Volvo V60 estate – Road Test
New Volvo V60 continues the company’s heritage of producing estates... …assessed by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). For over 60 years Volvo has built roomy, practical estate cars and the second generation V60 mid-sized estate follows that tradition with a classy dynamic and elegant new range. Sold by Ford eight years ago, Volvo is now under the parentage of the Chinese Geely … [Read more...]
Audi RS4 Avant – Road Test
The Audi RS4 Avant 2.9TFSI quattro – pace and space. The Audi RS4 has come of age and matured into a stunning model in its latest semi-estate or Avant version, writes Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). RS4 production has been on and off since it was launched in 1999 and it is currently the fourth generation of the most driver-focused model in the immensely popular and wide Audi A4 … [Read more...]
Mercedes-Benz E-Class 350d AMG Line Estate – Road Test
Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency) test drives another luxurious yet practical load carrier from Mercedes-Benz… The fashion of buying saloons and hatchbacks is looking distinctly outdated with the clamour for must-have SUVs showing no signs of easing off. But the other interesting trend is the turn towards quality estates which hold onto their value over longer periods, and which is … [Read more...]
Vauxhall Insignia Country Cruiser – Road Test
David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) assesses the latest – 210 hp – Tourer addition to the Insignia range. Vauxhall’s first generation Insignia range of D-segment Hatchbacks and Tourer estates was launched in 2008 as a replacement for their Vectra models. The Insignia models received a facelift in 2013 and the second generation, rebranded Insignia Grand Sport for the five door hatchbacks and … [Read more...]
Mazda 6 Tourer – Road Test
Keith Ward test drives the Mazda 6 Tourer (estate car). WHILE a new, fourth generation Mazda 6 is on the far horizon, with a global unveiling at this month’s Los Angeles Motor Show, the current version continues to hold respect here. That is particularly in estate form, an old faithful which accounts for 70 per cent of the model's 8,000 UK sales to date (end of October) this year and is looked … [Read more...]
Skoda Octavia SE Technology Estate – Road Test
Keith Ward test drives a spacious Octavia estate from Skoda… Keen to maintain its status as their best-selling model in the UK – the choice of almost 30 per cent of their customers – Skoda this Spring (2017) gave a mid-term facelift to the popular Octavia. It’s a familiar formula: outwardly a restyled front end (wider grille, re-shaped lights) and indoors an obligatory catch-up with the … [Read more...]
Latest and Outstandingly-economical Dacia Logan MCV – Road Test
2017 Dacia Logan MCV Runs on Air – Well Almost! By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Before I tell you anything about the 2017 Dacia brand, their sales, their low prices, I must explain the headline. My Dacia Logan MCV (Maximum Capacity Vehicle) family five door estate with a 1.5 Renault sourced dCi 90 hp turbodiesel engine returned an unbelievable 86.07mpg during my week long test driving … [Read more...]
Latest Volvo V90 estate – Road Test
Sporty looking D5 Powerpulse and R-Design model added to the Volvo V90 estate range… By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Volvo has been producing big estate cars for over 60 years, having been established in 1927. And under their current ownership/partnership of the Chinese Geely Holding company since 2010, the premium Swedish brand now goes from strength to strength introducing high … [Read more...]
New Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer – First Impressions
Vauxhall's Latest Insignia Sports Tourer – More Litres to the Pound. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) takes a first look. With the second generation Vauxhall Insignia five door D-segment hatchback having been launched in the UK in April with the grand title of Insignia Grand Sport, now the Sports Tourer variants are joining the line up. To follow in September is the Country Tourer estate … [Read more...]
VW Passat GTE Hybrid Estate Road Test
Chris Adamson test drives Volkswagen’s spacious plug-in hybrid Passat estate... Volkswagen is fighting back from the emissions rigging scandal and the latest Passat shows that they are returning to their technological best with a stylish and hugely practical plug-in hybrid. First unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September 2014 – before all the ‘diesel-gate’ crisis – the Passat GTE Hybrid … [Read more...]
Kia cee’d Sportswagon Road Test
Upgraded Kia cee’d Sportswagon – Good Size and Well-priced. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). In line with the Kia Pro_cee’d and Cee’d family of three and five door hatchbacks, the five door Cee’d Sportswagon estate has numerous styling changes and a selection of new or revised lower CO2 emission engines and transmissions. A new GT-Line trim level adds a sporty visual element to the … [Read more...]
