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...]
Contributors
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...]
Calls for MoT Test changes to incorporate aspects of electric, hybrid and high-tech. modern vehicles
Robin Roberts writes: The MoT test may need a radical shakeup to reflect the arrival of electric power and very sophisticated technology fitted to the latest vehicles. That’s the view of KwikFit, which tests about a million vehicles annually, and head of their service Eric Smith. He points out that currently hybrid models and battery electric vehicles are not tested for emissions and these and … [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...]
Motoring For Fun – A tour in south-west Wales in a Rover Maestro
An idyllic autumnal trip to the far south-west of Wales… Kim Henson drove westwards in a Maestro that has been family-owned since new. (Kim adds: DO NOT GO THERE NOW!! Of course I realise that as I write this – during the 'Covid-19 lock down' – in February 2021, at the moment long-distance ‘motoring for fun’ and touring on holiday in Britain is not possible, nor even permitted. However, I feel … [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...]
Ford Escort Mark 1 and 2 bespoke re-creations arrive
New Welsh supercars with familiar look… …By Robin Roberts (Wheels Within Wales). (All photographs ©Images MST Cars). They’re new supercars coming out of Wales, with familiar faces… After the launch of the Aston Martin DBX from its new state of the art St Athan factory in South Wales last year, altogether different cars are being built in a small industrial unit in North Wales. While the … [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...]
Kim’s Tips – Run the engine frequently to avoid alternator (and other) woes…
Kim says, “Cars don’t take kindly to long periods out of use; if possible run the engine often, and on each occasion move the vehicle forwards and backwards a little, to prevent mechanical seizures”. Just one of the many unforeseen aspects of the awful pandemic through which we are living is that many cars, and especially some classics, have been used very little, if at all, during the last 10 … [Read more...]
TVR factory preparation and conversion starts
Welsh Government and TVR will begin work on its Ebbw Vale factory renovation and enhancement programme in mid-January, writes Robin Roberts. Jones Brothers (Henllan) Ltd has been awarded the principal contract for works including replacement of the main building’s roof, the recladding of the building, extensive groundworks and also preparation of a prototype build area at the side of the intended … [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...]
Electric cars charge ahead…
Electric cars power ahead of internal combusion engine models, as Robin Roberts explains... Despite the wider car industry suffering badly from the effects of the pandemic, 2020 was a landmark year when it came to sales of battery electric vehicles with twice as many sold last year compared to the year before, and a total of more than 200,000 registered since 2010, analysis of SMMT figures by the … [Read more...]
UK New car sales review
Review of new cars sold in Britain last year, by Robin Roberts. The UK new car market fell by almost a third (-29.4%) in 2020, with annual registrations dropping to 1,631,064 units, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. A -10.9% decline in December wrapped up a turbulent 12 months, which saw demand fall by 680,076 units to the lowest level of registrations since … [Read more...]
Driving in Europe post-Brexit…
Dave Moss is your guide to what's now required when driving on the other side of the Channel... Britain's departure from the EU has prompted a flurry of information and advice from the Department for Transport, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the DVLA on rule changes affecting Britons driving in Europe from January 1st 2021. Here we round up some important changes affecting British … [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...]
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