News and brief Views about the new Mazda MX-30 R-EV Crossover. By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). News Mazda is never afraid to be different and it shows in their latest MX-30 R-EV Crossover launched to the UK’s motoring media recently. Keeping its quirky ‘suicide’ rear passenger doors for easy access to the back seats the real change is up front under the bonnet in the … [Read more...]
Kia Niro EV 2 – Road Test
The new KIA Niro EV 2 – all electric Crossover/SUV plugged in and test driven by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Kia has been in the forefront of the modern drive towards electric cars and its highly successful Niro compact Crossover/SUV/Hatchback is the latest aimed at the mass market. It completes the latest generation Niro line-up which started with petrol models and then … [Read more...]
Kia Niro self-charging mild hybrid – Road Test
The latest KIA Niro 1.6 GDI HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) Grade 4 reviewed by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). After being initially launched in Britain in 2016, the Kia Niro Crossover SUV has risen to become the marque’s second best seller in the UK and the third most popular in Europe, consistently increasing sales each year. Constant improvement has seen the core of the range … [Read more...]
Latest Mazda CX-5 – Road Test
Mazda CX-5 165 PS 2.0 Newground 2WD mid-sized Crossover… …sampled by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). While not having a huge range, Mazda has a well-defined line up in significant sectors. Most people will blurt out MX-5 if asked to name their most identifiable model, so you may be surprised to learn that the crossover CX-5 has been their global best seller since 2014. Over … [Read more...]
Volkswagen Taigo – Road Test
VW’S NEW TAIGO NEATLY FITS INTO THEIR CROSSOVER LINE-UP… …tried and tested by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Volkswagen is an inherently conservative car maker which has thrived on compromises to please its customers and its latest line up is no exception, but excels nevertheless. Broadly similar in style to its Volkswagen crossover stablemates, Taigo actually falls between the … [Read more...]
Latest Nissan Qashqai – Road Test
New 2022 model year Nissan Qashqai Tekna+ Auto given an outing by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The Nissan Qashqai was arguably the first of the current crop of modern Crossover/SUV styled family cars and the latest version faithfully builds on its pedigree so can still be considered the benchmark for rivals to try and match. And it’s built in Britain. Not only has it just … [Read more...]
SEAT Arona – Road Test
The latest SEAT Arona 1.0 TSi Xperience Lux 110 PS DSG compact crossover, tried and tested by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). SEAT broke new ground for itself when launching the Arona subcompact crossover in 2017, slotting beneath the slightly larger Ateca. Now it’s strengthened its appeal with a completely new look outside and in together with a host of technical upgrades and with … [Read more...]
Latest Nissan X-Trail – Road Test
LONG SERVING NISSAN X-TRAIL EVOLVES INTO A SOFTER CROSSOVER. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Nissan introduced the original X-Trail in 2001 when it was a hard-core proper dual-purpose 4x4 workhorse which sold in huge numbers around the world. From 2007 the X-Trail moved from hard-core 4x4 to SUV/Crossover and in 2017 received further restyling and specification changes to soften its … [Read more...]
Kia XCeed PHEV – Road Test
The Kia XCeed 1.6 GDI PHEV ‘3’ auto Crossover/SUV… …Tried and tested by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The all-new Kia XCeed PHEV is their strongest challenger yet to family car rivals. The XCeed PHEV combines a powerful petrol-electric powertrain with very low emissions and ownership costs, quality fittings and finish embodied in a roomy Crossover cum SUV styled five-door … [Read more...]
Latest Suzuki Ignis 1.2 Dualjet Hybrid SZ5 ALLGRIP– Road Test
Suzuki’s revised Ignis Hybrid, in top of the range SZ5 ALLGRIP form… …test-driven by Kim Henson. (All photographs by Kim). About an hour ago, a relatively small but big-hearted blue car departed from my home after spending a week in my care, and I was as sorry to see it go as the summer skies that have also recently gone away. Here’s why… During the last few years, since its introduction … [Read more...]
Latest Jeep Renegade PHEV – First Impressions
New Jeep Renegade 4xe news and first drive views… By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Jeep has turned a corner with its new PHEV plug-in hybrid electric Renegade. Without compromising its famous off-road abilities the Renegade 4xe adds emission lowering and power enhancing electric drive and it’s the first electrified Jeep to be sold in Britain. It uses the familiar … [Read more...]
Kia Niro PHEV – Road Test
KIA’S ONE OF THEIR THREE-OF-A-KIND – THE NEW NIRO PHEV PLUG-IN HYBRID. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) is your guide... There is increasing pressure for UK MPs to ban all sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and potentially phase out sales of hybrid models by 2035. This pressure is from the Committee on Climate Change, the Government’s independent advisory body who want the … [Read more...]
Ford Puma 1.0 (125hp) – Road Test
Ford Puma Titanium 1.0 MHEV 125 hp 6-speed… …tried and tested by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The Ford Puma is the company’s latest crossover and its strongest new generation of family cars to date. The name has been used before by Ford and between 1997 and 2002 it was on an unusual model, a compact three-door coupé. That was based on the latest Fiesta and ironically the new … [Read more...]
Ford Puma – Road Test
ON THE PROWL FOR CROSSOVER SALES – FORD’S NEW PUMA. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) gives his verdict… Ford revealed its new five door Crossover – also you could call it a compact SUV, towards the end of last year with UK deliveries scheduled to begin in January. However the COVID-19 lockdown derailed the early delivery to over 7,000 early adopter UK customers awaiting this new addition … [Read more...]
Latest Suzuki SX4 S-Cross 1.4 Boosterjet Hybrid SZ5 ALLGRIP– Road Test
Suzuki’s new SX4 S-Cross Hybrid, in top spec SZ5 ALLGRIP form… …put through its paces by Kim Henson. (All words and photographs by Kim). Slightly larger than the Vitara SUV, the S-Cross ‘Crossover’ SUV (the first examples of which were sold in 2013) is intended to be a family-friendly practical multi-purpose vehicle, and, like the latest versions of the Vitara and the Swift Sport hatchback, … [Read more...]
Kia XCeed – Road Test
WHEN IS A FAMILY HATCHBACK SOMETHING ELSE? – THE KIA XCEED EXPLAINED. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). So what is the new Kia XCeed? Well it’s a Crossover styled member of the Ceed C-segment family that is also made up of the Ceed five door hatchback, Ceed Sportswagon estate and the ProCeed Shooting brake models. The Ceed family is Kia’s third best selling model range after the Kia … [Read more...]
Latest Suzuki S-Cross 48-volt self-charging Hybrid – Road Test
SUZUKI BACK ON TRACK WITH HYBRID 48-VOLT S-CROSS AND OTHER MODELS. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Fire-up the S-Cross I’m back road testing new cars again now the UK’s pandemic lockdown rules have been relaxed to a certain extent. The rule changes mean that car manufacturers, importers and dealerships are getting back on track and some of us motoring media types are partially able … [Read more...]
Honda HR-V Sport CVT – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) assesses Honda’s likeable HR-V… The word ‘crossover model’ is often over-used and exaggerated, but not in the case of the Honda HR-V in its top Sport CVT trim. The original Hybrid Recreational Vehicle from 1999 was a more sober suited trendsetter but a lot has happened in two decades as fashions changed. More manufacturers have poured into the market … [Read more...]
Latest Nissan Juke – Road Test
STILL SETTING THE PACE – THE NEW NISSAN JUKE. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) tells all… Launched over a decade ago the first generation Nissan Juke sold in huge numbers with over 1.5 million finding global homes. It brought the then aspirational idea of five door SUV styling to the masses of car buyers who previously had opted for supermini sized hatchbacks. Although prior to Juke … [Read more...]
Kia Niro Crossover Hybrid – First Impressions
Kia Niro Crossover Hybrid – First Impressions. Chris Adamson drives Kia’s popular Niro hybrid… (All words and photographs by Chris). Hybrid petrol electric vehicles have been appearing on the high street in increasing numbers over recent years but one that seems to have slipped in under the radar is the Kia Niro crossover. One of the smaller SUVs it first appeared in 2016 and so far has … [Read more...]