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...]
Mazda CX-30 SkyActiv – First Impressions
Kieron Fennelly puts the CX 30 through its paces – and describes its clever, innovative SkyActiv engine… Mazda is one of the smaller manufacturers, rather like Volvo. However, unlike the Swedish company which is part of the Chinese concern Geely, Mazda continues to plough an independent furrow. For many years, Ford was a major shareholder, but Dearborn gave up its 33% in 2010 when it also sold … [Read more...]
Latest Kia XCeed – Road Test
NEW KIA XCEED ADDS TO THE BRAND’S RECORD SALES MODEL LINE-UP… …explains David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). So what is the new Kia XCeed? Well it’s the latest member of the Ceed C-segment family that until recently was made up of the Ceed five door hatchback, Ceed Sportswagon estate and the newer ProCeed Shooting brake models. The Ceed family of models is Kia’s third best-selling model … [Read more...]
Nissan Qashqai – Road Test
THE LATEST NISSAN QASHQAI CROSSOVER; STILL THE LEADER OF THE PACK. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) reports… The British built Nissan Qashqai is today generally recognised as the founder of the Crossover vehicle market sector when it was launched in 2007. It offered SUV styling with family hatchback sizing and practicality, and with 2WD and 4WD traction options. But it was in fact the … [Read more...]
Suzuki Vitara 1.0 Boosterjet SZ-T – Road Test
Suzuki Vitara 1.0 Boosterjet SZ-T – Road Test. Kim Henson test drives the latest version of the 1.0 litre three cylinder Vitara... (All words and photographs by Kim). The Vitara has been a popular Suzuki model for more than 30 years since the original was launched, and the previous generation SUV (which made its debut in 2015) continues the trend in being a well-respected vehicle. The latest … [Read more...]
Kia e-Niro – First Impressions
KIA’S ROAD TO GREENER MOTORING WITH THE e-NIRO… David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) takes a test drive. Alternatively fuelled vehicles, pure electric, petrol-electric hybrids and plug-in hybrids saw a 21% increase in UK new car sales last year to 141,270 units, but only 15,474 of those vehicles were pure electric models. So far this year only around 2,000 battery electric cars were sold in … [Read more...]
Suzuki Ignis 1.2 Adventure – Road Test
Kim Henson assesses a special edition of Suzuki’s compact five door ‘crossover’/SUV city car… (All words and photographs by Kim). Suzuki’s Ignis arrived in the U.K. early in 2017, at once appealing to buyers due to its ‘stand-out-from-the-crowd’ looks, also its sprightly performance and commendable fuel consumption. Buyers also like the car for its generous interior space (within a compact body … [Read more...]
Suzuki SX4 S-Cross 1.4 SZ5 ALLGRIP – Road Test
David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) test drives the Suzuki SX4 S-Cross 1.4 SZ5 ALLGRIP 4WD automatic crossover... 2017 saw the SUV/Crossover/4WD market sector continue the trend set in 2016 for month-on-month record increases in sales, not just in the UK but Europe as well. In the UK one out of every five new cars sold was an SUV or Dual Purpose vehicle. 2018 has started in the same vein … [Read more...]
