The new flagship Mazda CX-80 is poised to make a big impression in the luxury multi-seat SUV sector, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). New car sales went and are going through a tough time but it must be said that in 2024 Mazda did better than most. Mazda UK sales director Laura Brailey told us global registrations for the brand rose 11% last year to a record 1.4 M and in Britain it … [Read more...]
Road Tests
Our in-depth appraisals of new cars available in the UK
Ford Capri Premium AWD – Road Test
The Ford Capri name is back and turning heads some 55 years after the original model, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). The first Ford Capri, designed by the same man who styled the Ford Mustang, was produced from 1969 to 1986 and covered three generations with two million models registered. Originally made in Ford’s Halewood, Liverpool plant, the new all-electric Capri uses the … [Read more...]
New Isuzu D-Max – Road Test
Kim Henson test drives the latest, boldly restyled and significantly upgraded Isuzu D-Max pick-up, in V-Cross Double Cab 4x4 form. (All words and photographs © Kim Henson and Wheels-Alive). For a long time Isuzu vehicles have rightly and widely been recognised for their reliability, toughness, practicality and reasonable running costs. Sales of the D-Max pick-up range have been rising year by … [Read more...]
Ford Puma ST-Line X – Road Test
The Ford Puma has consistently featured in Britain’s top ten popular cars for all the right reasons, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). From launch in 2019 as natural evolution of the Fiesta hatchback, the Puma SUV has fitted the bill for thousands of families. Its fairly compact dimensions enclose a deceptively practical and versatile body with a clever mild hybrid 48-volt power pack … [Read more...]
KGM Tivoli K40 V2 – Road Test
The familiar Tivoli mid-sized SUV has been relaunched and refocused to take on rivals which offer less to an increasingly cost-conscious client base. Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) test drives the latest Tivoli. Introduced in 2015 under a SsangYong badge before the manufacturer ran into trouble, and then relaunched as KGM with improvements inside and out in 2024. We now have just one … [Read more...]
Cupra Tavascan V1 – Road Test
A brand which has accelerated from racetrack to road has to be something special, so the Cupra Tavascan deserves consideration if you’re looking for an edgy everyday car. Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) puts the car through its paces… Developed from the SEAT Sport series into the Cup Racing range nearly 30 years ago the Cupra line up represents the most powerful and advanced sophisticated … [Read more...]
Skoda Superb SE L Estate 150 PS diesel – Road Test
Value for money rarely comes with the sophistication and refinement of the Skoda Superb SE L Estate, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales)... Skoda introduced the Superb range in 2001 and it has gone through to the fourth generation, growing in size at each point until the current version based on a stretched version of the VW Group’s MQB Evo platform, also underpinning the largest models … [Read more...]
Volkswagen Passat R-Line – Road Test
The latest Volkswagen Passat is not only the sleekest shape to carry the name but also probably the most sophisticated, reports Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). It will surprise many to know that the original Passat was unveiled in 1973 and in 52 years there have been over a dozen derivatives, being sold as a hatchback, saloon and estate at various times around the world. It is the … [Read more...]
MG Cyberster Trophy – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) writes: “A century after the brand was created, MG sports cars have been reimagined for today’s motoring generations.” The 2024 launch of the MG Cyberster turned heads with the two-seater convertible’s dramatic styling and opened eyes with its performance as the world’s first fully electric open-topped sports car. It was a brave decision by MG’s Chinese … [Read more...]
Lexus UX300h – Road Test
It’s been a bad 12 months for the British car market, but not for Lexus, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). The luxury Japanese brand has just enjoyed a 4.5% rise in sales in 2024, mostly due to a strong surge in its electric models. But wisely, Lexus has decided to keep a wheel in both tracks of development, one set in the electric mode and the other in the hybrid highway. And it’s … [Read more...]
Toyota Prius Design PHEV – Road Test
Toyota Prius Design PHEV – Road Test The Toyota Prius was ahead of its time when created and today’s model still sets standards for others to aim at achieving. Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) reports... Conceived in the mid-1990s, the Toyota Prius was the world’s first mass produced hybrid car when it was launched in 1997 and we have now seen five generations or evolutions of the car, … [Read more...]
Mazda3 Saloon 186 PS Exclusive-Line – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) test drives the Mazda3 saloon... While every maker wants to be distinctive and have desirable cars they also tend to follow fashion and sometimes end up with dull models which look no different to one another, but thankfully the Mazda3 range offers an alternative. Its range has developed from saloons to hatchbacks and cross-over models, but among them is a … [Read more...]
Kia Niro HEV ‘2’ 1.6 GDi – Road Test
Kim Henson test drives the five seater Niro ‘compact crossover SUV’, in HEV self-charging hybrid form… (All words and images © Kim Henson). It is no surprise to me that Kia is doing well in sales terms. The firm’s comprehensive range provides vehicles to suit a wide range of preferences and practical needs, and for U.K. buyers the company’s line-up currently includes petrol-powered, hybrid … [Read more...]
Volvo XC40 Ultra, B4 Mild hybrid – Road Test
Think family cars and I bet the next image in any driver’s eyes is a Volvo, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). Once associated with the immensely practical, purposeful and frills-free estates, the company has undergone a rejuvenation and now offers a range of sophisticated SUVs brimming with the latest safety technology. They also started off big to sell to the US market but realised … [Read more...]
Suzuki Vitara Ultra Allgrip – Road Test
Suzuki Vitara Ultra ALLGRIP – Road Test The highly popular Suzuki Vitara has been given a make-over for 2025 to enhance the appeal of this already highly competitive medium sized SUV. Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) reports... The Vitara hybrid remains a strong selling model in the range and Suzuki has redefined its styling, raised the level of standard equipment and technology as well as … [Read more...]
Audi A3 Sportback 5dr 35TFSI S tronic MHEV – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) writes... Twenty-nine years ago the first Audi A3 established the premium compact class and today the fourth generation sets a high standard which rivals really struggle to match. From that initial model in 1996, the A3 series has evolved into a comprehensive range of saloons and semi-estates or coupés with individual emphasis on sophistication or … [Read more...]
MG ZS Trophy Hybrid+ Road Test
MG is a becoming a brand to be reckoned with and strengthening its standing in the British market by taking a step back, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). The famous octagonal badge has been seen on UK made models since 1924, but it has also been a century of change, most notably when it was saved by an unknown Chinese brand called Nanjing in 2005 and then almost immediately resold to … [Read more...]
Hyundai Santa Fe Ultimate 1.6T PHEV – Road Test
The obvious doesn’t always stare you in the face and it’s therefore easy to overlook, at your cost, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). Take the Hyundai Santa Fe, the big, very big, seven-seater SUV which is probably eclipsed in many eyes by its Korean stablemates along with much more expensive competitors from German and British car plants. The Hyundai Santa Fe was launched as the … [Read more...]
Honda Civic i-DTEC – Genuinely economical! Retrospective road test – and buying used.
Kim Henson writes... While some drivers will only buy new cars, for others there are some excellent secondhand buys available at a fraction of the price of a new model, and running costs can be light on your wallet, BUT you need to proceed with care. Here Kim explains, using his own Honda Civic as an example… (All words and photographs by, and copyright, Kim Henson). Writing often about new … [Read more...]
Honda HR-V Advance Style Plus – Road Test
A quarter of a century after introducing the Insight as Britain’s first petrol-electric hybrid, the latest Honda HR-V is probably more relevant today, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). While rival hybrids have grown in size compared to the Insight of 25 years ago, there is not that much difference in the footprint of the HR-V. It is now in its third generation and sharing a Honda … [Read more...]
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