Kim Henson test drives the latest, boldly restyled and significantly upgraded Isuzu D-Max pick-up, in V-Cross Double Cab 4x4 form. (All words and photographs © Kim Henson and Wheels-Alive). For a long time Isuzu vehicles have rightly and widely been recognised for their reliability, toughness, practicality and reasonable running costs. Sales of the D-Max pick-up range have been rising year by … [Read more...]
Features by Kim Henson
In life, sometimes there are things that you just have to do. In my case many of them relate to my twin loves of 1) motoring, and 2) using writing to convey to others (and share with) my fascination for the subject.
I have been passionate about cars for as long as I can remember, and have always had a thirst for knowledge concerning how and why they work, and how to keep them operating as they should. In addition, I’ve always enjoyed driving, and trying to fairly assess and compare the various good and bad points of different makes and models.
Kim’s Tips; Springtime Checks – Make sure your vehicle is sound, safe and ready for the coming spring and summer!!
With welcome sunshine after a prolonged dull, wet winter, now is a good time to check your vehicle, writes Kim Henson. (Photograph and all words © Kim Henson and Wheels-Alive). Cold, wet weather (such as we in the UK have experienced for many months!) is unhelpful in terms of encouraging drivers to inspect their vehicles, but with sunshine making an appearance again and temperatures rising a … [Read more...]
Kia Niro HEV ‘2’ 1.6 GDi – Road Test
Kim Henson test drives the five seater Niro ‘compact crossover SUV’, in HEV self-charging hybrid form… (All words and images © Kim Henson). It is no surprise to me that Kia is doing well in sales terms. The firm’s comprehensive range provides vehicles to suit a wide range of preferences and practical needs, and for U.K. buyers the company’s line-up currently includes petrol-powered, hybrid … [Read more...]
Honda Civic i-DTEC – Genuinely economical! Retrospective road test – and buying used.
Kim Henson writes... While some drivers will only buy new cars, for others there are some excellent secondhand buys available at a fraction of the price of a new model, and running costs can be light on your wallet, BUT you need to proceed with care. Here Kim explains, using his own Honda Civic as an example… (All words and photographs by, and copyright, Kim Henson). Writing often about new … [Read more...]
Kim’s Tips – Ford Focus watery misfire
Does your Ford Focus misfire and stutter after wet weather? If so the problem could be easier to isolate and fix than imagined. Kim Henson tells more… This true story should really be under the ‘Steve’s Tips’ heading, rather than ‘Kim’s Tips’, and results from a conversation with my friend 'Steve on the Isle of Wight'. He told me that his family’s petrol-powered Ford Focus was running … [Read more...]
Keep it Clean!
Kim Henson advises ensuring that the wheel arches and underbody structure of your car are kept clean, to prolong its life and make it more pleasant to work on. Recent wet weather in Britain has resulted in many roads being strewn with mud, accumulations of leaves, etc. Inevitably these deposits are transferred to the undersides of passing vehicles, via their tyres. In turn the resulting debris … [Read more...]
Beaulieu International Autojumble 2024 – Kim’s Report
This year’s eagerly-anticipated International Autojumble at Beaulieu took place over the sun-bathed weekend of 14th and 15th September. Kim Henson was there and here’s what he found… (All words by, and copyright, Kim Henson; photographs by, and copyright, Kim Henson and Chris Adamson, as individually credited. Grateful thanks to Chris for the use of his images). To me there is something … [Read more...]
INEOS Grenadier range – Brief (Off)Road Test
Kim Henson test drives (off road) three examples from the INEOS Grenadier line-up… (All words and photographs by, and copyright Kim Henson). INEOS has been taking the 4x4 world by storm in catering for the many potential buyers who still prefer the ‘traditional’ approach to off-road vehicles. In describing the firm’s Grenadier, INEOS says, it’s “… a serious off-roader that no-one’s building … [Read more...]
Isuzu ‘New Look’ D-Max V-Cross STEEL Edition Double Cab – Road Test
Kim Henson assesses Isuzu’s D-Max Double Cab (five seater) pick-up, in special STEEL Edition guise – limited to just 300 examples. In the spring of this year I tested the mid-range, comprehensively-equipped Isuzu D-Max DL40 Double Cab during a week of mixed motoring, and was impressed by its build quality, toughness and comfort; built for hard work but easy to drive and to live with in daily use. … [Read more...]
Classic Car Loan Project Reaches 100 Drivers!
100 Not Out! The Classic Car Loan Project (CCLP), which gives younger enthusiasts a classic car for a whole year, has just reached the 100 driver mark. Kim writes, "This is a magnificent achievement for the Classic Car Loan Project, set up to encourage young people into the world of classic cars and thus helping to preserve interest for the future". They tell us: (All words and photographs … [Read more...]
For Your Bookshelf: “Fast Fords” – 50 years up close and personal with Ford’s finest
Book Review: Fast Fords Reviewed by Kim Henson Author: Jeremy Walton Published by: Evro Publishing www.evropublishing.com 408 pages (hardback), large format (270 x 210mm), and including 300 photographs UK Price: £60 (or £75 for copies signed by the author, Jeremy Walton) ISBN: 978-1-910505-83-0 Over the years there have been many books written about classic Fords, including … [Read more...]
For Your Bookshelf: “Oiling The Cogs” – Reg Bishop’s role in the British Motor Industry’s Golden Age
Book Review – 'Oiling the Cogs' Reviewed by Kim Henson Author: Jim and Guy Loveridge Published by: Douglas Loveridge Publications, Moss View, 85 Warburton, Emley, Yorkshire, HD8 9QP. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/automobiliaauctions/ Important Note: Limited print run of just 200 signed copies. 216 pages (paperback) UK Price: £30 plus postage ISBN: … [Read more...]
New Suzuki Swift Hybrid – Road Test (plus Suzuki’s range electrification plans)
Kim Henson test drives Suzuki’s latest, fourth generation version of its Swift compact supermini... (Photographs and words by, and copyright, Kim Henson). Big news from Suzuki is that the firm plans to introduce its first fully electric car later in 2024, with further EV models arriving through to 2030. In order to make way for the new electric models, Suzuki is discontinuing (by early 2025 … [Read more...]
Honda e:Ny1 electric SUV – Brief Road Test
Kim Henson briefly test-drives Honda’s all-electric e:Ny1 Advance… (All words and photographs by, and copyright Kim Henson). The neat and stylish e:Ny1 is a fully electric SUV, with a powerful electric motor (only) which uses a water-cooled battery to ensure consistent power delivery and to help extend battery life. The battery is low-mounted within the vehicle, helping to optimise interior … [Read more...]
Omoda 5 – Brief Road Test
Kim Henson briefly test-drives the new Omoda 5 SUV… (All words and photographs by, and copyright Kim Henson). Please note: The following report has been produced based on briefly driving a non-UK spec car, and in advance of the UK’s press kit being issued; there may be differences in facts, figures and specifications for UK spec models. Founded in 2023, the Chinese firm Omoda is a new kid … [Read more...]
INEOS Grenadier Trialmaster Edition – Brief Road Test
Kim Henson briefly test-drives (on tarmac) the petrol-powered version of the INEOS Grenadier, in Trialmaster Edition form… (All words and photographs by, and copyright Kim Henson). Despite the proliferation of modern 4x4 vehicles, there are many potential users who still prefer the traditional’ non-nonsense approach to off-road machines. Enter the INEOS Grenadier, which is aimed at filling the … [Read more...]
Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i Touring – Brief Road Test
Kim Henson takes the wheel of Subaru’s all wheel drive Crosstrek… (All words and photographs by, and copyright Kim Henson). I first test-drove a Subaru (an all wheel drive estate car) in the autumn of 1979, and was impressed by the performance of its horizontally-opposed ‘boxer’ engine, its versatility in everyday use, and its spectacular levels of traction (albeit without a differential … [Read more...]
Kia’s impressive line-up sampled…
Kim test-drives Kias – briefly driving five models from the current range, and likes what he found... It is no surprise to me that Kia is doing well in the U.K. market; to start with the firm offers a very wide range of models that currently encompass petrol power, hybrid propulsion and fully electric vehicles. Added to this wide range of buyer choice there is Kia’s market-leading seven year … [Read more...]
For Your Bookshelf: “Classic Racing” (On track action captured at the Silverstone Classic Festival 2012 – 2023)
Reviewed by Kim Henson Author: Peter Osborne Published by: ‘From the Driving Seat’: www.fromthedrivingseat.com 260 pages (A4 landscape pages, paperback) UK Price: £29.95 including p. and p; order direct from the publisher, website details above. ISBN: 978-1-3999-7834-7 This comprehensive book covers, in superb colour photographs taken by author Peter Osborne, and with concise yet … [Read more...]
Beaulieu’s Spring Autojumble 2024
Kim Henson reports on this year’s Beaulieu Spring Autojumble: Here’s his own story of the event… (All words and some photographs by, and copyright, Kim Henson; remaining photographs by, and copyright, Chris Adamson, as individually credited. Grateful thanks to Chris for providing his photographs). Once again I attended the Spring Autojumble, held within the grounds of the National Motor … [Read more...]
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