VW’s Polo Match, assessed on the road by Keith Ward. MINTED in original form more than 40 years ago, the Polo obviously had sweet appeal, tasting since then global sales of 14m-plus. In the UK it is VW’s second best-seller, finding nigh on 55,000 customers last year for a top six placing, despite the hit the German giant suffered, which is ongoing, from the emissions cheating scandal. No … [Read more...]
Features by Keith Ward
On a pinnacle of success – Jeep’s 75th Anniversary Range Review
Jeep Range Roundup, on the firm’s 75th Anniversary. By Keith Ward, reporting from the top of the North York Moors... IT is 75 years since the birth of Jeep as an iconic World War II US military vehicle. And the celebrations are in full swing over here, this side of the pond. Last year the Yank brand, now owned by the FIAT group, recorded its best-ever sales in the UK. So far in 2016 they have … [Read more...]
Updated Mazda3 First Impressions
First Drive of the Latest Mazda3. By Keith Ward. Having passed earlier this year a global production figure of five million, Mazda’s best-selling 3 model, renewed in 2014, gets a mid-term makeover. Nothing radical - Mazda buffs will spot a revised grille and foglight surround - but such subtle exterior styling changes, plus catch-up new technology and a freshened interior with a modest £200 … [Read more...]
Kia cee’d 1.0 T-GDi GT-Line Five Door Hatchback Road Test
Kia’s Family-sized cee’d Hatchback on Test… Keith Ward reports. Since it was first planted in UK showrooms a decade ago, the Focus-sized and curiously named Kia cee’d has flourished enough to sell well over one million across Europe, blossoming into a second generation and further most recently into a mid-term upgrade for the 2016 model year. Headline features are an addition to the engine … [Read more...]
Volvo XC90 Road Test
Keith Ward assesses ‘The Safest Volvo Ever Built’… TOUTED as the “Safest Volvo ever built”, which is saying something, the all-new XC90 is a towering seven-seat SUV, almost five metres (16 ft 5in) long, to take on in the lux market such as the BMW X5, Audi Q7, Mercedes M-Class, new Jaguar F-Pace and Land-Rover Discovery. So just as well it oozes quality. Having replaced the original model … [Read more...]
Audi Q7 Road Test
Keith Ward tries the largest of Audi’s SUVs, the Q7, in the north of England… THIS was the most enjoyable drive of my year so far. Two reasons: the transport and the territory. Four versions have until recently formed the Audi Q7 range, all with quattro permanent 4WD and offering three levels of trim and a lusty V6 turbo diesel tuned to either 218 or 272 PS, at prices dotted around … [Read more...]
Audi’s New A4 Road Test
Keith Ward test drive’s Audi’s latest A4... In 2015 Audi achieved best ever worldwide sales of 1,803,250 cars, a 3.6 per cent improvement over 2014. Sales in the UK at 166,709 increased by five per cent, and are currently (at May 2016) running a further five per cent up. Having already expanded spectacularly its range of models over the last decade, the German four-ring brand is embarked upon … [Read more...]
Suzuki Vitara new S Road Test
Keith Ward road-tests Suzuki's flagship Vitara LATEST to emerge from an ongoing radical revision of high-flying Suzuki’s whole model range is a tech-laden, flagship “S” version of their impressive high-stance Vitara chunky SUV. At £20,899 it zooms straight in as top dog, £900 above the Vitara SZ5, next down the trim scale, to complete the handsome new Vitara range launched last year. Both … [Read more...]
Honda HR-V Road Test
Keith Ward assesses Honda's HR-V... IF you are recalling an HR-V badge from Honda’s past, it was on a model launched just before the millennium, which struggled for success and finally nose-dived in 2006. Fast forward to last summer and into UK showrooms bearing the same badge dashed this purposeful-looking all-new model for which better things are hoped. It’s priced and sized between the … [Read more...]
Volvo V60 Cross Country Road Test
Driven by Keith Ward... VOLVO first used Cross Country as a variant to depict enhanced all-road – if short of true off-road – capability and a rugged image in the late 1990’s on the old V70 estate. Think business exec in his weekend jeans and a checked shirt. These days the CC badge adorns versions of the S60 saloon and V40 hatchback and, most recently, the V60 “sports wagon” as the … [Read more...]
Jeep New Renegade – Taster Drive/First Impressions
Keith Ward samples the new Jeep Renegade... LEADING the military-style charge by Jeep to its best ever sales in the UK and an industry-topping 176 per cent year-on-year increase in 2015 – from however modest a base* (see below) – is this plucky compact SUV. The Renegade, launched 12 months ago and dubbed 4x4 of the Year by a leading off-road magazine, accounted for more customers here than the … [Read more...]
VW Passat Estate Business – Wheels-Alive Road Test
Keith Ward is your guide... This is the eighth generation of the Passat, which since its launch in 1973 has racked up over 22 million sales worldwide and going on for half a million in the UK, where the estate version consistently outsells the saloon, £1,530 cheaper. Its star is not fading – in its latest form the Passat was named Europe’s Car of the Year 2015. And a telling tribute to its … [Read more...]
Skoda Superb estate car Road Test
Keith Ward assesses the Skoda Superb Estate It is worth noting that Skoda has recently (January 2016) manufactured its 18 millionth vehicle since the Czech company started building cars in 1905 – two statistics which may surprise many people. And the milestone steed was a Superb Estate, the model trumpeted as “The most spacious Skoda yet”. You have to believe it. Lower the rear seats and its … [Read more...]
New Kia Sportage First Impressions
First drive of Kia's new Sportage, by Keith Ward THE Sportage sold in record numbers here of around 23,000 in 2015. That has not stopped Kia kicking off 2016 with an all-new fourth generation version of what is easily its best-selling model, and declaring a target for it of 25,000 UK sales in the next 12 months. An 18-strong range is priced between £17,995 and £31,495, so starting £495 dearer … [Read more...]
SEAT Leon X-PERIENCE with snow appeal – Road Test
by Keith Ward (Kim says 'Welcome aboard' to Keith – a highly experienced and very well respected motoring writer – as a new contributor to 'Wheels-Alive'). The name may be a trifle nudge-nudge over-clever, but you can see the thinking behind it. This SEAT Leon X-PERIENCE is actually based on the Spanish maker’s popular ST estate car but distinguished by electronically-controlled permanent … [Read more...]