Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency) test-drives a cost-effective and practical new model from Dacia… A Dacia is the first new car of choice for used-buyers who want to move up the motoring ladder. From its UK launch in 2013, the Renault-owned Dacia brand sold 17,000 in 12 months and it’s rapidly climbed ever since, adding about 5% each year to 26,500 sales last year. Around 95% of UK … [Read more...]
Contributors
Bridgestone’s innovative, motorist-friendly Driveguard tyres now available to fit more cars…
Driveguard tyres can enable a car to remain controllable and be driven for 50 miles after a puncture; many more sizes are now available... Kim Henson reports. Bridgestone’s award-winning DriveGuard tyre is now available for thousands more motorists, with 19 'summer' sizes (i.e. not the 'winter' range) being made available from the original 10 last year. Since its launch in 2016, the … [Read more...]
Kim’s Tips – Get it Taped!
Keep a roll or two of tape in your vehicle – it can come in very handy… Says Kim Henson. I have often been thankful for the various ‘get you out of trouble’/emergency aid things that I endeavour to keep in my car’s boot, wherever I travel. I am not talking about a need (usually impractical) to carry huge tool kits, etc, but (usually) compact items that could just help you get home, or perhaps … [Read more...]
Diesel drivers unfairly penalised…
The latest money-making scheme to fleece drivers receives a hostile reception from the FairFuelUK Campaign and many people... Kim Henson elaborates. For many years British drivers have been encouraged to spend their hard-earned cash on diesel-powered vehicles, being told that they were 'Cleaner, greener, more economical, etc, etc...' As a result, many buyers have done just that, with … [Read more...]
New Vauxhall Mokka X 1.4T Auto 4WD Road Test
Vauxhall’s new Mokka X 1.4T Auto 4WD tried and tested… By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). The compact Vauxhall Mokka Crossover/SUV was first launched in 2013 and it received a major refresh at the end of 2016. One of its additions to differentiate it from past versions was to bear the additional branding of X. Its main competitors, there are numerous others, are the Nissan Juke, … [Read more...]
Improved mileage range Renault Zoe R90 Z.E. 40 First Impressions
New Renault Zoe R90 Z.E. 40 might power-up more electric vehicle sales. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) tells all. Perhaps it has been the issue over ‘dieselgate’ and falsified emissions of diesel cars and the demonising of diesel powered vehicles with their higher NOx emissions, or perhaps the latest electric powered cars with their improving driving range, or is it the thought of … [Read more...]
Mazda MX-5 RF First Impressions (and a little bit of history…)
Kim Henson samples the latest in a long line of impressive Mazda MX-5 models, in the elegant and eye-catching shape of the latest ‘RF’ or ‘Retractable Fastback’ version. (All words and photographs by Kim, except single image of roof half-open, from Mazda). First introduced 27 years ago, Mazda’s MX-5 model has long been renowned as one of the best two seater sports cars in the world. It has … [Read more...]
Circuit of Wales update…
Circuit of Wales paid chairman’s second company… Robin Roberts elaborates... As Welsh Government scrutinises a detailed financial proposal to build the £425M Circuit of Wales, it has emerged that nearly £1M was given by the developers to another consultancy headed by the project's chairman. Michael Carrick set up the Heads of the Valleys Development Corporation, which has received £9M grants … [Read more...]
SEAT Ateca Road Test
Keith Ward test drives SEAT’s Leon-based Ateca SUV… Drivers in Europe reportedly experience a puncture every 75,000 miles on average. Well, it happened to me recently and turned out to be a happier experience than it might have been. Lucky break number one: It was nothing as dramatic as a night-time blowout at motorway speed. I was only made aware by a tyre pressure drop warning symbol on the … [Read more...]
MoT Test – Don’t let your car fail!
A million cars on UK roads will undergo their first MoT test over the next few weeks and a third are expected to fail… Robin Roberts reports… In the first quarter of 2014, the SMMT was excitedly telling us about 688,000 63-plate and 465,000 14-plate cars that went through showrooms and onto the roads as Britain recovered from the financial crisis of 2008/09. It was a slow recovery which had … [Read more...]
Used Car Sales Flying High…
Record sales of used cars in the UK. Robin Roberts reports… Britain’s used car market reached record levels in 2016 with 8.2 million vehicles finding new owners – an uplift of 7.3% – according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Meanwhile, 1.8 million used cars changed hands in the fourth quarter, with a 5.5% rise in October making it the second busiest … [Read more...]
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Road Test
Hybrid becomes the most popular power source in the Toyota RAV4 range. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) explains… The RAV4 mid-sized SUV was first introduced in 1994 and billed by Toyota as the first compact 4WD SUV. Since then there has been a continual supply of new and updated models. The latest major change has been the introduction of petrol electric Hybrid two and four wheel drive … [Read more...]
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles – Current Models First Impressions Round-up
Kim Henson gives his first impressions after brief drives in seven different vehicles from the 'Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' ('FCA') line-up... (All words and photos by Kim). Initially it may seem strange that the Italian Fiat concern and the American Chrysler company have joined forces and are forging what appears to be a highly successful partnership. Yet in fact the vehicles from the separate … [Read more...]
Volvo S90 and V90 Range Additions – plus the latest V90 Cross Country First Impressions
More new models added to Volvo’s Premium S90 and V90 ranges. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) reports… News Volvo’s award-winning large S90 saloon and V90 estate ranges see the addition of sporting R-Design derivatives for both body styles, with front wheel drive and AWD drivetrains and AWD Cross Country versions added for the V90 estate line-up. For now all are diesel-powered (and … [Read more...]
Circuit of Wales meets deadline to progress further…
Circuit of Wales has given investor details and a timescale for development of the £425 M motor sport circuit and related businesses to the Welsh Assembly. It has complied with a deadline set two weeks ago by Welsh business secretary Ken Skates and means it will now go to a more detailed plan with rigorous examination of proposals and assertions, and progress towards ground-works starting in the … [Read more...]
All Wheel Drive Jaguar XE Road Test
The Cat gets sharp claws… All wheel drive option for the Jaguar XE saloon’s line-up. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency. When Jaguar launched their XE four door compact executive saloon car range in 2015 it was heralded as a ‘game-changer’ for the brand. It filled the long-held gap left in the brand’s range following the exit of the unloved X-Type put out to grass in 2009. The XE was a … [Read more...]
New Kia Rio First Impressions
Keith Ward samples the 2017 Rio from Kia… (Note from Kim: Wheels-Alive is deliberately covering the new Rio from two different perspectives, offered purely in alphabetical order. Therefore, in addition to read Keith's assessement, for David Miles' equally insightful thoughts, please click HERE). Although vastly overshadowed in the UK by its Sportage and c’eed stablemates, the Rio small … [Read more...]
Kia’s ‘Big Little Car’ – New Rio First Impressions
New Kia Rio Supermini range goes on sale this week. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). (Note from Kim: Wheels-Alive is deliberately covering the new Rio from two different perspectives, so, purely in alphabetical order we will start with David's First Impressions of the newcomer, and to read Keith Ward's equally insightful thoughts, please click HERE). Known as Kia’s ‘big little car’ … [Read more...]
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles forges ahead into 2017 – plus brief ‘First Impression’ drives of some of their latest models
Fiat Chrysler Group sets out its plans for 2017… and we sample some of their cars... By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Italian Fiat and US Chrysler automotive brands have in the past had partners, divorced partners, fraternised with other partners but in 2014 they found each other and it appears a successful marriage is underway as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, now known as FCA. Global … [Read more...]
‘Made in Britain’ – Good News for the British motor industry…
Britain’s car industry is really motoring again. By Robin Roberts. Car production hit a 17-year high in 2016 with exports at record levels and 1.35M shipped worldwide. Half of those went to Europe while Americans took nearly 50% more than they did in 2015 and it became the UK’s biggest single consumer country. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders covered the UK’s 15 … [Read more...]
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