Bridgestone’s Driveguard safety ‘run flat’ tyres are now available to help more motorists. Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency) reports, and road tests the tyres... Family motoring safety has just turned the corner. In a significant move for tens of thousands of parents, Bridgestone has extended its acclaimed run-flat tyre range to most popular saloons and hatchbacks as well as small and … [Read more...]
Features by Robin Roberts
Hyundai Ioniq hybrid – Road Test
Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency) assesses the new Hyundai Ioniq hybrid Premium SE 1.6 GDI. There has been a headlong rush towards hybrids, and one-time minnow Hyundai is now a big fish… Hyundai showed us the fuel cell ix35 over a year ago and probably more significantly it launched the Ioniq five door mid-sized hatchback in the UK last autumn as the first car with three powertrains, a … [Read more...]
Welsh Government backing for Circuit of Wales denied…
Welsh Government has turned down backing for the proposed Circuit of Wales, writes Robin Roberts. Welsh cabinet politicians yesterday (Tuesday 27 June) said the deal was too risky and it questioned the claims about thousands of jobs being created during and after the £400 Million project was built, and likely spectator numbers bringing in money. It has taken over six years for the scheme to … [Read more...]
Honda HR-V Compact SUV/Crossover Road Test
Honda’s latest HR-V – Driven by Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). SUV-drivers are very style conscious so I was pleased as punch when a few I know quite well praised the Honda HR-V. One asked what it was while another said they loved the sweeping lines, and both said they would certainly think of buying one next time around. Honda’s compact SUV was deliberately styled to give it a … [Read more...]
BMW X4 3.0d M Sport coupé styled SUV – Road Test (in brief)
BMW X4 3.0d M Sport SUV – Assessed by Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). Ticking boxes is what it’s about with the BMW X4, the five door mid-sized SUV with coupé styling. This beefy brother to the 3 Series and X3 SUV was introduced to fill a niche of the market where Audi, Porsche, even Land Rover, have been plugging away with their sports SUVs. Without losing the 3 Series agility, … [Read more...]
New Vauxhall Crossland X sub-compact SUV First Impressions
Vauxhall’s latest… the Crossland X SUV… Assessed by Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). Size really matters in the burgeoning SUV sector and the new era of sub-compact models is being joined by the Vauxhall Crossland X. It’s shorter and lower than the sibling Mokka X AWD and close to the Astra Hatch but it features an elevated seating position and a user-friendly interior to the … [Read more...]
On-line Car Buying News
Robin Roberts reports on current trends in researching and buying cars on-line. Ford is streets ahead of rivals on-line, that’s the conclusion of a marketing study by Mediaworks… The analysis by Mediaworks looks at the success of selling brands on the web and it contains a few surprises. Coming after two other reports had showed that younger buyers are most influenced by advertising, and … [Read more...]
Arranging loans against classic cars gains in popularity…
Robin Roberts reports on the growing trend for loans to be taken out against classic car values. As widely reported, the values of classic cars have been increasing in dramatic fashion over the last few years and such vehicles are currently seen by lenders as good bets as assets against which to loan money. HNW Lending is one example; here are the headlines: HNW Lending has now … [Read more...]
Volkswagen Amarok Aventura 3.0 V6 Double Cab Pick-up Road Test
VW’s Amarok Aventura 3.0 V6 Double Cab Pick-up… …assessed by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency) Big, bold and you can bet it’ll turn heads, the VW Amarok double cab pick-up is the alternative luxury SUV whether it’s for family, leisure or work use. Built with America squarely in its sight over one of the biggest bonnets you’ll ever see looming in your rear view mirror, the Amarok is … [Read more...]
Diesel dilemma for car buyers
Diesel car sales decline… with knock-on effects for secondhand models. Robin Roberts reports. The decline in diesel new car sales is forcing down used prices as well. There is a knock-on effect on financing plans increasingly being used by car makers to bolster income, report analysts to Reuters. Pollution concerns and the likelihood of city centre charging is also affecting the business … [Read more...]
Repair costs compared between different makes within the Volkswagen Group
Thinking of investing in a Volkswagen, an Audi, a Skoda or a SEAT? The comparative cost of repairs within the Volkswagen Group makes interesting reading... By Robin Roberts and Kim Henson Volkswagen has been in the news a lot lately, and not always for the right reasons. However, the German manufacturer still reigns supreme when it comes to car sales, with the company shifting 10.3 … [Read more...]
Circuit of Wales latest news update…
Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency) reports on the current situation regarding the proposed Circuit of Wales... Wales Audit Office said there were "significant shortcomings" in the way £9.3 Million of taxpayers' money was spent on plans for Circuit of Wales at Ebbw Vale. Funding was based on a "flawed" appraisal by Welsh Government, said the public finance watchdog. Welsh … [Read more...]
New Ford Mondeo – Road Test
Latest Ford Mondeo Vignale 2.0 Powershift auto 4WD... Assessed by Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). When a giant moves it may not be often but everyone takes notice. Ford held onto the Vignale coach-building name for 42 years before applying it to a hand-finished Mondeo which appeared in 2016, and now it’s picking up momentum and will be appearing on more bespoke cars. Ford … [Read more...]
Latest Vauxhall Insignia – First Impressions
First Drive of the new Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport. By Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). The smooth new Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport will ruffle some feathers among rivals. Bigger, lighter, more economical and better equipped than the original Insignia launched in 2008, the Insignia Mk2 is now on sale as a five-door hatchback from £17,115 to £26,445. It will later … [Read more...]
European Car of the Year 2017; Peugeot 3008 Road Test
Peugeot 3008 announced as the 2017 European Car of the Year, at the Geneva Motor Show… By Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). The all-new Peugeot 3008 SUV has been named the 2017 European ‘Car of the Year’ at the Geneva Motor Show by a judging panel comprising 58 European journalists. The 3008, Alfa Romeo Giulia and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class took the top three places. The all-new 3008 … [Read more...]
The new 2017 Dacia Sandero Stepway – First Impressions
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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]