Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) writes… Making the right car at the right time is an objective all manufacturers aim to achieve but do not always reach and the 21st century has been decades of decisions and, generally, success for Skoda. After producing some of the ropiest cars sold across Europe in second half of the 20th century, Skoda became part of the massive Volkswagen Group in 1991 … [Read more...]
Road Tests
Our in-depth appraisals of new cars available in the UK
VW Tayron R Line – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) writes: About 80 years ago, Volkswagen began building its empire making a car for the people and it’s never lost sight of that objective which is neatly fulfilled in the Tayron. It is a car very much made for today’s markets around the world and fills the gap between its top of range Touareg and five-seat Tiguan with the widest powertrain possibilities in a … [Read more...]
Hyundai INSTER Cross 49 kWh 115 PS – Road Test
If quirkiness won car awards, the Hyundai Inster Cross would silently sweep up a red carpet and win. So says Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales)... In our week with this highly distinctive city car from the massive Hyundai & Kia group it continuously attracted attention whether moving or parked, including in traffic queues. I can think of nothing since the Nissan Cube which has elicited … [Read more...]
Suzuki S-Cross Ultra Allgrip MY26 – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) writes… The Suzuki S-Cross has been a story of evolution and survival and continues this day as one of the brand’s most popular practical multi-purpose models. It can trace its origins to 2006 and a joint venture with Fiat and a different name, the SX4, standing for Sports X-over 4 Seasons. The third generation built in Hungary for European sales has been on … [Read more...]
Lexus LM 350h Standard 2WD – Road Test
“Sometimes it’s not the first which leaves a lasting impression but the last which comes first in your mind”, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). That’s certainly the case with the Lexus LM350, a rival to the established luxury MPVs from the premium German brands. In the rarefied ranks of executive people movers chauffeuring between airports and hotels or whisking their occupants to … [Read more...]
Polestar 3 Long Range – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithWales) writes: “When you discover your car’s glovebox can only be opened by an electric switch you realise you’re driving something a bit different, a bit special and out of the ordinary.” The discovery was made as we sat transfixed by the sheer complexity of the Polestar 3’s infotainment and driving display contained in a 14.5-inch laptop-like portrait screen in the … [Read more...]
Toyota Yaris Design – Road Test
The hot-hatch has been reborn for Gen-Z, and there’s a thumbs up from their parents too if they want to enjoy driving a Toyota Yaris hybrid. It’s super-economical on fuel too... Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) reports. The one-time must-have cars for the young drivers of the 1970s seemed to die out in the first decade of this century, but someone forgot to tell Toyota. It … [Read more...]
Toyota Proace Max Van – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithWales) writes, "Britain runs on vans of all sizes and capacities, so the entry of the world’s biggest motor manufacturer into this booming sector must be significant." After offering small and medium sized vans through its Professional line, Toyota has added the Proace Max, its first heavy duty range in Europe and it has immediately ramped up the competition against … [Read more...]
Toyota bZ4X all-electric SUV – Road Test
Toyota fans now have a completely electric model added to the range as the industry slowly but relentlessly rolls towards the end of hybrid and internal combustion engines. Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) reports... After dabbling with an electric version of their RAV4 off-roader in the late 90s and pushing ahead with hybrids and stablemate Lexus electric models, it’s now the time for … [Read more...]
Toyota Land Cruiser MY25 – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) puts the latest version of Toyota’s legendary 4x4 through its paces… When you hit 70 years, most things that haven’t fallen off or out may be about to, but that is really the turning point in the case of the Toyota Land Cruiser. From prototypes developed before and after World War Two, the model that became the Land Cruiser was commissioned by the Japanese … [Read more...]
Hyundai i10 Advance – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) puts Hyundai’s city car through its paces… The motor industry’s headlong plunge into SUVs, MPVs and Crossovers has left the market short of compact city cars which are perfectly matched to the real-world needs of many drivers. While some manufacturers stopped making traditional small hatchbacks and are now living to regret their decisions as market share … [Read more...]
Suzuki’s 55 Years of ALLGRIP 4×4 Technology celebrated
(Four wheel drive) ‘Love on a mountain top’… Kim Henson reports on a landmark event staged by Suzuki to highlight 55 years of their clever and effective ‘ALLGRIP’ four wheel drive systems. (All words © Kim Henson; all photographs © Kim Henson, except eVitara image, from Suzuki). At a recent test drive session held in south Wales and centred on the ‘Monster Mountain’ off-road facility near … [Read more...]
XPeng G6 long range – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) test drives this newcomer mid-size SUV… Among the newest of the Chinese car-makers coming to the UK, XPeng has partnered with the people who brought us Subaru and Isuzu in Britain, so let that be a warning to rivals. The Chinese company was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Guangzhou, Guangdong, with offices in Mountain View, California, and Munich. … [Read more...]
Kia EV3 GT Line S – Road Test
Some cars immediately impress, others take a bit longer and they stand out against models which made no measurable impression after a much longer period behind the wheel, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). The Kia EV3 GT-Line S is an example of the series which seems to get better each time it’s driven. We first drove the new Kia EV3 last December and were impressed, but a lot’s … [Read more...]
Toyota HiLux Invincible X – Road Test
‘Reality shows are all the rage and if there was one about vehicles I think the survivor would be the Toyota HiLux’, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). It has faced and overcome challenges such as being blown up in a building, being demolished and drowned in a rising tide, only to start up with what I would term “tinkering”, apart from needing to replace a broken windscreen when it was … [Read more...]
Toyota Corolla Excel 2.0 Hatchback – Road Test
When the world’s best selling car gets a significant makeover, you have to take a serious look at the Toyota Corolla, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). Launched in 1966, the Corolla became the best selling car in the world eight years later, overtaking the Beetle in 1997 for total sales and in 2021 went on to exceed 50 million models, being made in ten countries. It was also the … [Read more...]
Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) writes, “If you have a big family I don’t think there is anything to touch the Hyundai Santa Fe when it comes to room, comfort and interior design features at this price”. Aimed squarely at the US market to begin with, this is a big, very big car, which fills and sometimes overhangs most parking bays. There is large and then there’s extra large, a category … [Read more...]
Ford Explorer Premium AWD – Road Test
“Ford has been a hesitant entrant into the modern BEV market, but is quickly making up ground with models such as the Explorer SUV”, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) While it used its own technology for the Mustang electric sports car, to cut costs and development time it turned to Volkswagen to create the Explorer SUV derived from the ID.4 platform and powertrain. That’s not a bad … [Read more...]
Subaru Forester Touring – Road Test
Revised, repriced and released this Spring, the Subaru Forester is ready to take on rivals in the serious SUV sector in 2025. Launched in 1997 on the back of a very impressive rallying impact by Subaru, the Forester was aimed squarely at the expanding SUV sector but in particular the country dweller who’d appreciate simple yet effective full-time all-wheel-drive. Here was something to pull a … [Read more...]
Skoda Kamiq SE L Edition – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) writes… Skoda has something for everyone in its family friendly range beginning with their baby SUV, the Kamiq. Launched in 2019 as Skoda’s smallest SUV, the Kamiq shares its floorpan with the Seat Arona and Volkswagen T-Cross, but offers more interior room. To maintain family resemblances, the Kamiq shares a similar face to the larger Skoda SUVs, the Karoq, … [Read more...]
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