Busy, Busy, Busy at BMW – Raft of new model changes includes 4 Series. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) samples the latest Coupé. My email Inbox this week has been loaded with press releases about the latest changes to the 2017 BMW range of passenger cars. New is the most used word in the titles of these releases. In fact most of the amendments are for detailed styling changes, upgrades to … [Read more...]
First Impressions
Our brief encounters with new models on the U.K. market
Revised SEAT Leon range – First Impressions
SEAT updates their best-selling Leon line-up of hatchbacks and estates. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). In common with other brands in the Volkswagen Group that produce C-segment family cars based on their highly rated MQB platform, namely the VW Golf, Skoda Octavia and Audi A3, SEAT have now rolled out their ‘refreshed’ range of Leon SC three-door coupé, five-door hatchbacks and ST … [Read more...]
Volvo V90 D4 AWD Cross Country – Kim’s (brief) First Impressions
Kim Henson briefly samples Volvo’s state-of-the-art V90 D4 AWD Cross Country estate. In line with developments in engineering and computer systems generally, the rapid pace of change in terms of automotive technological innovation is clear when driving any vehicle produced in the last year or two, and especially so in the case of so-called ‘premium’ brands. This generalisation is certainly … [Read more...]
Latest Honda Civic – Kim’s First Impressions
Kim Henson samples contrasting examples of the latest (10th generation) Honda Civic… (All words and photos by Kim). Ask any Honda Civic owner, or anyone in the motor trade, or any diagnostic specialist, who has had anything to do with the model, or Hondas in general, and I am convinced that nearly all (if not 100 per cent) of these people will tell you that the Civic is an excellent motor car … [Read more...]
Latest Honda Civic – History and First Impressions, plus Honda news
New 10th Generation Honda Civic British-built for global markets. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) reports… News The new 10th generation Honda Civic five door family hatchback is now in production for global markets and it is only being built in the UK at the company’s Swindon factory. Production at the same location will also include the ‘hot’ Civic Type-R, but not a Civic Tourer estate, … [Read more...]
New Audi A5 Cabriolet and Q5 SUV – First Impressions (plus latest Audi news)
Audi UK reveals a new pair of fives – The new A5 Cabriolet and Q5 SUV. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). News After seven consecutive years of record new car sales in the UK Audi has started 2017 with a record three months of sales and a record new ‘17’ registration plate month of March. Having grown their model lines from 17 to 52 across 18 ranges in the last 16 years, more new … [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...]
Latest Volkswagen Golf – First Impressions (plus VW news)
Updated VW Golf – More Specification – Less Money. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) takes a close look and samples the new versions at their UK press launch… The seventh generation VW Golf has received a mid-life refresh with more equipment, mildly refreshed styling and updated engines – and on average they cost £650 less than the corresponding outgoing models. Prices now start, (after … [Read more...]
New Land Rover Discovery – First Impressions
New Land Rover Discovery Breaks cover in the UK… David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) has been comprehensively test-driving the latest version. We’ve seen the pictures, read the Marketing and PR blurb, I’ve actually seen one in the flesh, but it was only last week, just as the all-new models were arriving with first customers in the UK, that I got behind the wheel of the new heavyweight seven … [Read more...]
Skoda Kodiaq First Impressions
New Skoda Kodiaq large SUV joins the sales trail. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Yet another all-new model range joins the booming SUV market, this time it is the Skoda Kodiaq range of large five or seven seat, 2WD or 4WD on/off roaders. Prices start from an eye-catching £21,565, rising through a range of 24 derivatives to £34,050, and deliveries to UK customers start from 6 April. … [Read more...]
Suzuki New Swift First Impressions (and hot off the press Suzuki news)
Kim Henson test drives Suzuki’s latest and technically advanced Swift on a variety of roads in and around the French Riviera… (All words and photographs by Kim). To say that Suzuki has been going from strength to strength in recent years is a major understatement. In fact the firm is now the ninth largest car manufacturer in the world, and in sales terms is ahead of (for example) Mercedes-Benz … [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...]
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...]
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...]
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...]
New 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander models – First Impressions
2017 Model Year revised Mitsubishi Outlander SUVs test driven. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). 2017 is a notable year for Mitsubishi Motors as it is their centenary year of passenger car production, although the Mitsubishi name, meaning Three Diamonds, first appeared in 1870 as a mining, steel production and ship building business. Their first production passenger car – the Model A – … [Read more...]
Mitsubishi ASX – Revised 2017 Model; Launch and Road Test
2017 Revised Mitsubishi ASX Crossover Debuts in the UK. Report by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). The revised, higher specification 2017 Mitsubishi ASX mid-sized Crossover/SUV range is now on sale in the UK with prices starting from a competitive £16,184 on-the-road or £169 a month PCP finance plan over three years. All models have a five year, 62,500 mile warranty and, keeping … [Read more...]
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