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First Impressions

Our brief encounters with new models on the U.K. market

New Ford KA+ Zetec First Drive Road Test

9th January 2017

Babies have a habit of growing up, just like the new Ford KA+. Ford, the leading new car sales brand in the UK for 40 successive years and 51 years for commercial vehicle sales, have recently introduced their latest challenger for sales, the new Ka+ City Car, although it is still the Fiesta ‘Supermini’ that remains the UK’s bestselling car overall. From its origins as a compact city car in … [Read more...]

Latest Jaguar and Land Rover models – News and First Impressions

23rd December 2016

Two new SUVs drive Jaguar and Land Rover to record sales in 2016… A Festive Round-up by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Jaguar news At the annual Christmas Ride and Drive media event held at Eastnor Castle Herefordshire by Jaguar Land Rover, it was announced that the new Jaguar F-Pace SUV launched in April this year is not only Jaguar’s first ever SUV but it has become the … [Read more...]

New Citroën C3 Supermini Line-up – First Impressions

17th December 2016

Making the Difference for Citroën – The latest C3 Supermini Range. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Differentiation of the Citroën brand within the PSA Group is the current aim in separating from the Peugeot and DS brands, a hard task when most share the same platforms, transmissions and latest fuel-efficient petrol and diesel engines. En-route to this differentiation of models is … [Read more...]

Renault Mégane Sport Tourer First Impressions

12th December 2016

Renault’s Mégane Sport Tourer... Assessed by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The eagerly awaited estate version of the new Renault Mégane brings additional room and practicality to the range. Mechanically the same as the immensely popular Mégane Hatchback, the Sport Tourer offers a basic boot space with a low load floor of 521 litres (18.40 cu.ft), but folding away the … [Read more...]

NEW Renault SCENIC and Grand SCENIC news and first drive views

6th December 2016

Our guide to Renault’s newcomers is Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). The fourth generation Renault SCENIC and Grand SCENIC MPVs, or ‘people carriers’ are now on sale. SCENIC prices rise from £21,445 to £30,645 while the Grand SCENIC enters at £23,375 and tops at £32,445. The SCENIC five seater and Grand SCENIC seven seater models are each offered in four trim levels that owners of … [Read more...]

New Audi A5 and S5 Coupé First Impressions

30th November 2016

Keith Ward samples the latest A5 and S5 Coupé models… YOU may think at a glance that the new Audi A5 Coupe looks pretty similar to the still-stylish nine-year-old outgoing version. In fact it is billed as “all-new from the ground up”, being 47 mm (1.85 in) longer but up to 60 kg (132 lb) lighter on its new platform. It also has a bigger boot at 465 litres (16.42 cu.ft), claiming to be the … [Read more...]

New Audi Q2 First Impressions

4th November 2016

Form a ‘Q’ – For the new Audi A2 Compact SUV… …says David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Since the order books for the new Audi Q2 premium compact SUV opened in August this year there have been over 18,000 registrations of interest, half of them from non-Audi owners, with current Range Rover Evoque drivers seemingly the most interested. The expected 15,000 units of Q2 available for the UK … [Read more...]

BRIEF IMPRESSIONS – CARS DRIVEN AT THE SOCIETY OF MOTOR MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS’ TEST DAY SOUTH 2016

25th October 2016

The annual SMMT Test Days provide accredited motoring writers with the opportunity to drive a selection of new cars from a variety of manufacturers. Kim Henson enjoyed this year’s event, as always… Words and all photos by Kim. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) hosts an annual driving event specifically for motoring writers hailing from the south of the UK. I always find … [Read more...]

McLaren 650S Spider Road Test

24th October 2016

‘If you want a convertible McLaren road car then there is only one option – the £220,000 650S Spider and Chris Adamson has had the privilege of driving one’. Words and all photos by Chris. The McLaren name will always be associated with motor racing, historically that has been through Formula One although, at the moment, the Woking team is struggling at the back of the grid. But the brand has … [Read more...]

On a pinnacle of success – Jeep’s 75th Anniversary Range Review

20th October 2016

Jeep Range Roundup, on the firm’s 75th Anniversary. By Keith Ward, reporting from the top of the North York Moors... IT is 75 years since the birth of Jeep as an iconic World War II US military vehicle. And the celebrations are in full swing over here, this side of the pond. Last year the Yank brand, now owned by the FIAT group, recorded its best-ever sales in the UK. So far in 2016 they have … [Read more...]

BMW’s 2017 Models Introduced – Plus First Impressions of the New 240i Coupé

14th October 2016

BMW Wheels out their 2017 Model Year vehicles. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) reports, and test-drives the 240i Coupé… News 2017 model year changes At their annual end of year UK automotive media briefing, BMW released images of their new 5 Series Saloon and Touring estate ranges which will be in the UK from February next year. Although not their largest-selling model ranges the 5 … [Read more...]

Updated Mazda3 First Impressions

14th October 2016

First Drive of the Latest Mazda3. By Keith Ward. Having passed earlier this year a global production figure of five million, Mazda’s best-selling 3 model, renewed in 2014, gets a mid-term makeover. Nothing radical - Mazda buffs will spot a revised grille and foglight surround - but such subtle exterior styling changes, plus catch-up new technology and a freshened interior with a modest £200 … [Read more...]

New MINI Seven First impressions

13th October 2016

MINI Brand now with Maxi UK Sales and More New Models for 2017. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). News MINI has just enjoyed their best ever UK September sales with an 18% increase over September last year. This has resulted in a near 10% increase for the year-to-date as the brand heads towards another record year with an expected 70,000 registrations. The UK remains the number one … [Read more...]

Suzuki SX4 S-Cross – Revised Models for 2017 – First Impressions

13th October 2016

Updated Suzuki SX4 S Cross Models – Tom Scanlan tries 'em out! The British car buyer seems to be in a confident mood – car sales are booming. Among the smaller manufacturers, as far as we are concerned, is Suzuki. They are spending lots of money on advertising and results show that it works. Now, on sale next month (October) is what Suzuki describes as a 'major facelift' of their SUV, … [Read more...]

Infiniti QX30 First Impressions, plus Motor Industry Update

10th October 2016

Keeping Calm and Carrying On… The UK Car Manufacturing Industry. British built Infiniti QX30 first drive. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Good news from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) is that despite the uncertainty of the Brexit vote to leave the EU, the UK’s car production for global markets achieved a 14 year high in August and a 12% increase year to … [Read more...]

Toyota Mirai (Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car) Test-driven

26th September 2016

Chris Adamson tests the 2016 World Green Car – the new hydrogen powered Toyota Mirai… (Words and photos by Chris). Dwindling and increasingly expensive reserves of petroleum products and increasing pollution of our planet from burning fossil fuels means that a cheaper, cleaner and more efficient way of using the earth’s resources is needed if we are to retain our access to personal transport… ie … [Read more...]

Latest Volvo S90 and V90 First Impressions

19th September 2016

New Volvo S90 and V90 Premium Brand Executive Models Arrive. By Robin Roberts and Miles Better News Agency. Swedish swish and sophistication come as standard in the latest Volvo S90 and V90 series… The new large premium saloon and estate models in Momentum or Inscription trims embody features from the large XC90 SUV with an emphasis on “relaxed confidence” through design, driving technology, … [Read more...]

Audi A4 Allroad quattro First Impressions

29th July 2016

Audi’s Answer for Smooth and Rough Motoring – The New Audi A4 Allroad quattro. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Audi’s ‘model explosion’ of new vehicle introductions continues with the arrival of the A4 Allroad quattro, a more rugged model than the A4 Avant quattro estate on which it is based. Having just added two new variants to the large SUV market, the SQ7 and Q7 e tron, Audi is … [Read more...]

Audi News and First Impressions of Audi’s Latest Q7 Quattro Models

21st July 2016

Two Electrifying New Audi Q7 Quattro Models – ‘Fast’ and ‘Frugal’… Reviewed by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). News Electrifying new models but in two ways. First, electrifying performance from the SQ7 4.0 V8 TDI 435 hp 900 Nm (664 lb.ft) quattro, the UK’s fastest and most powerful diesel SUV, priced from £70,970 on-the-road. Second, the most frugal Q7, the e tron 3.0 TDI quattro … [Read more...]

New Toyota Hilux – News and First Drive Impressions

14th July 2016

The Latest Version of the Legendary Vehicle that is the Toyota Hilux... Assessed by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) – who also explains the UK taxation situation relating to 'Light Commercial Vehicles'. The Toyota Hilux has been the mainstay of the global Pick-Up market for almost 50years. Launched in 1968, more than 18 million have been sold worldwide. To date and closer to home in 2015 … [Read more...]

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Contributors

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Our well-respected contributors live and breathe motor cars; aren’t we lucky?

Contributors to the site include talented, highly-respected people (so they tell me) on the hallowed membership list of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and from the similarly well thought-of Western Group of Motoring Writers. In addition there are valued contributions from other knowledgeable and capable motoring writers who have something useful to say about all aspects of driving and running vehicles in the 21st Century. All of our team are passionate about motor cars!


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