Robin Roberts (WheelsWithinWales) gives his preliminary assessment of Honda's new HR-V hybrid... The new generation HRV uses two electric motors driving the front wheels to assist the regular 1.5 litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine but it’s not a plug-in hybrid. The 131 PS maximum powertrain develops 253 Nm (187 lb.ft) at 4,500 rpm and is essentially a boosted version of that in the Honda Jazz. … [Read more...]
Features by Robin Roberts
Ford Puma ST – Road Test
Ford’s future lies in models such as the Puma ST, says road tester Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Drivers of a certain age will fondly remember Ford’s sporting derivatives of fairly ordinary, nothing-to-shout-about family cars. The world has moved on in the last five decades and families have also changed and want something more than a saloon or hatchback. So it was only a … [Read more...]
Scrapped For Cash…
Britain's best selling car is also top of the scrapheap... Robin Roberts reports... Scrap Car Network data indicates that Brits scrapped a third more cars in 2020, with the humble Ford Focus leading the way with over 2,535 of the model being scrapped. It says a record 37,000 cars were scrapped last year. Models of Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Peugeot all featured in top ten cars that drivers … [Read more...]
VW Golf Life 1.0 TSi – Road Test
ANYONE FOR GOLF? ROBIN ROBERTS (AND MILES BETTER NEWS AGENCY) PLAYS A ROUND WITH THIS VW MODEL… The VW Golf has often been held up as the benchmark for family hatchbacks and is frequently the best selling car in Europe, although not always in Britain. After the Beetle which rebuilt VW’s brand and fortune following WW2, the Golf was really the model that put the German company on the road to … [Read more...]
Electric car sales are charging ahead on British roads.
Robin Roberts writes... Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show EV registrations hit a record and hybrid sales last month were higher than September 2020, the previous best for the dual fuel vehicles. There are signs that companies have started to buy more hybrids and BEVs and are ditching diesel models. RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said, “Despite the ongoing effect of the … [Read more...]
Upgraded Nissan LEAF – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency) connects with the latest Nissan LEAF. It was the first and for some it’s still the best modern electric car you can buy in Britain. The Nissan Leaf is the world’s best selling electric passenger car and a benchmark for newer rivals, a genuine five-seater with a good practical range over 200 miles and comes with a sensible choice of domestic or fast … [Read more...]
Mazda MX-30 (fully electric) – First impressions
ALL ELECTRIC NEW MAZDA MX-30 news and first drive views by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Making its move into the electric generation of modern cars, the Mazda MX-30 lands squarely in the middle-ground of the market. Based on the stable-mate CX-30 crossover which costs about £2,500 less, the MX-30 has a 35.5 kWh lithium-ion traction battery which has added weight to the … [Read more...]
New Skoda Octavia PHEV – Road Test
Skoda Octavia iV PHEV, SE L plug-in hybrid Estate... ...tried and tested by By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Skoda really is on a charge with its award winning Octavia range. The most successful Skoda ever sold in Britain, with over 500,000 delivered in four generations, has picked up a clutch of awards, notably the latest for its family values as selected by an international … [Read more...]
Government cuts grants to buyers of electric vehicles…
The Government is immediately slashing the grant for battery electric vehicles, lowering the price ceiling while altering the qualification for electric vans – and further reductions will come. Robin Roberts reports... Its unheralded announcement about the changes effective today have been criticised by car makers, dealers, motoring organisations and fleet companies, who say it sends the wrong … [Read more...]
Hyundai Tucson (fourth generation, facelifted, mild hybrid) – Road Test
THE LATEST TUCSON SUV – A CORNERSTONE MODEL FOR THE HYUNDAI RANGE. By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Hyundai has built its UK reputation on family values, competitive pricing and an ever-expanding range of SUVs. While it’s just announced its latest player on the street, the Bayon SUV, it success has largely been down to the Tucson, itself comprehensively facelifted for … [Read more...]
Jobs to go at Aston Martin Lagonda’s St Athan plant
Nearly 200 jobs or 30% of the Aston Martin Lagonda workforce is going at St Athan. Robin Roberts reports... The luxury car maker confirmed the losses today (10th March 2021) after Unite spelled out the situation. New management has taken over at AML and the backers have changed, suggesting it does not have the same financial support it had just 12 months ago when the first DBX SUV models were … [Read more...]
Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.0 Lusso Ti – Road Test
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.0 Lusso Ti mid-sized SUV… …driven by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Diversity has driven the car industry for over a century, responding to the changing society it serves, so we shouldn’t be surprised when a traditional sporting brand looks at something different, writes Robin Roberts. Premium brands including Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, … [Read more...]
SMMT Budget response, plus top ten new car sellers in Britain in February
The Budget is first aid for the motor industry but will not fix underlying long term ailments, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders... ...writes Robin Roberts. “Today’s budget provides some encouragement to an automotive sector hit hard by the pandemic and additional trading costs but it falls short of the support needed to transform the industry and market to the net zero … [Read more...]
Latest Citroën C3 – Road Test
Citroën C3 PureTech 110 tried and tested… …by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). When a car-maker refreshes and updates one of its best selling models their rivals and customers had better take notice and the new Citroën C3 deserves that attention. Not to be confused with the Citroën C3 Aircross compact SUV styled models, the C3 supermini sized hatchback underwent an extensive … [Read more...]
Aston Martin’s St Athan plant will be vital in the company’s future
Aston Martin St Athan plant will play a crucial role in the company's recovery and future plans... ...by Robin Roberts. The luxury car maker will almost double production at St Athan and its Garden, Warwickshire sites this year after working through stock it's held and which has plagued them since its 2018 shares floatation. The British company plans to make 6,000 vehicles this year … [Read more...]
Fiat 500X Sport SUV – Road Test
The Fiat 500X Sport hot-shot small SUV… By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Fiat know a lot about turning the ordinary into the extra-ordinary, like they have with the hotter version of the very popular 500 series. Their best selling city car for some 60 years, the Fiat 500 range has been boosted by the X Sport small SUV given a beefier 150 bhp 1.3 litre four-cylinder engine in … [Read more...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
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