The new Skoda Scala SE 115 hp 1.0 litre petrol, manual – more than Rapid… By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The Skoda Rapid might be a hard act to follow, but the Scala five-door hatchback launched this summer has really overtaken it already. Within weeks of its launch the Skoda Scala started winning awards for its family-friendly practicality and praise for its styling around … [Read more...]
Mini Happy Returns – News and MINI Road Test
60th ANNIVERSARY EDITION MINI AND 10 MILLION MINIS BUILT AND COUNTING. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). (Photographs by David, and from MINI). The original Alex Issigonis designed British Mini was launched in 1959 under BMC’s Austin and Morris brands priced from £497 to £537. It had an 848cc, 33 hp normally aspirated transversely mounted four cylinder petrol engine and until its … [Read more...]
News from Mini – and John Cooper Works (JCW) hatch version First Impressions
MINI NEWS AND JOHN COOPER WORKS HATCH FIRST DRIVE VIEWS. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) reports… At last week’s MINI UK media test driving day the BMW Group brand brought along their 60th anniversary Edition Hatch model as well as the revised John Cooper Works (JCW) Hatch version to be sampled. With a 60th anniversary Edition model already scheduled into my forthcoming road test diary … [Read more...]
Kia Ceed 1.6 T-GDI – Road Test
Out and about with Kia’s Ceed 1.6 T-GDI GT hot-shot family sized hatchback… …By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). It’s all change with Kia as it moves up a gear. The Korean carmaker has recorded its best-ever UK half year sales figures with 53,232 new cars delivered to customers by the end of June 2019. That performance bucked the general market trend and surpassed 2018’s … [Read more...]
Kia Picanto 1.0 T-GDi GT-Line S – Road Test
Stands out from the crowd – the Kia Picanto 1.0 T-GDi GT-Line S… …tested by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The Kia Picanto city sized 1.0 T-GDI GT-Line S is a rarity, and it’s all the better for that. In a market dominated by so many look-alike, take-it-or-leave-it cars, the Picanto 5-door city car not only visually stands out but leaves others standing in the Formula Fun … [Read more...]
Ford Fiesta ST2 – Road Test
HOT TO TROT – THE FORD FIESTA ST2 3-DOOR… By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Fast Fords have been a mainstay of company sales and motorsport for decades and the newest Fiesta ST continues this remarkable tradition. The baby Ford has consistently been Britain’s best selling small car and its higher performance sporting stablemates have been eagerly snapped up by those who want … [Read more...]
Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport – Road Test
Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport Elite Nav 200 hp... Test-driven by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). When size matters, the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport hatchback has big appeal. The market for large hatchbacks and saloons is supposed to be shrinking as ubiquitous SUVs take over, but why be like everyone else when you can be different and look the part? This large hatchback offers … [Read more...]
Latest Kia Proceed – Road Test
KIA’S NEW PROCEED – A SPORTS STYLED ALTERNATIVE TO AN ESTATE CAR. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) test drives this fascinating newcomer. The ProCeed is what Kia calls a shooting brake and people of an older generation might remember shooting brakes as saloon cars, Hillmans, Humbers, Standards and such like, with a boxy load area, sometimes made of wood, with two side hinged rear … [Read more...]
Honda Civic 1.0 VTEC Turbo EX – Road Test
LAST POST SOUNDS FOR THE BRITISH BUILT HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) reports… When the 10th generation Honda Civic hatchback was introduced in 2017 Honda proclaimed in their presentation material that, “The all-new Civic Hatchback is to be built in Europe and exported globally, Honda’s UK plant in Swindon continues key role in Civic production, €270m investment in … [Read more...]
Audi A1 Sportback – Road Test
Audi A1 Sportback 30 TFSI S line supermini hatchback. By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Audi’s experience in the premium sector also extends to its supermini sized A1. The A1 was first shown in 2010 as a 3-door, the 5-door Sportback came 12 months later and arrived in Britain in 2012, and it’s a successor to the Audi A2. Today, Audi’s entry level model comes in a … [Read more...]
Latest Honda Civic Type R – Road Test
2019 Honda Civic Type R… By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Honda is best known for its sensible family cars, and then there is the rebel Civic Type R. In my experience, every family has a rebel in its ranks, the wacky wayward one who may be a boisterous brother, an unconforming uncle, a shout-out-loud sister or audacious aunty. The Honda Civic Type R comprises just two … [Read more...]
Mercedes-Benz A-Class – Road Test
LATEST MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASS – BRITS BUY THEM MOST… David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) puts one of the current models through its paces. The UK is the largest global market for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class range of five door hatchbacks and four door saloons. Over 340,000 have been sold since the first generation arrived in the UK in 1997. Last year a record 43,527 of them were sold in the … [Read more...]
Brand new Toyota Corolla – First Impressions
GOODBYE TOYOTA AURIS – HELLO AGAIN TOYOTA COROLLA. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) explains and drives the new line-up… 14 years after the Toyota Auris name replaced the Corolla we see the return of the World’s best-selling car brand name – Corolla –å and it’s on sale in the UK from the new registration plate change month of March. The range is priced from £21,300 up to £30,340 with 21 … [Read more...]
Peugeot 508 Allure – Road Test
Peugeot 508 Allure 1.5 BlueHDi 130hp, manual, hatchback If style alone sold cars, the new Peugeot 508 coupé styled large five door hatchback would be soaring success. Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency) gives his assessment… In an age when we are told SUVs and Crossovers are the golden ticket in the lottery of life, the new 508 makes you think again and realise there is still room for a … [Read more...]
New MG3 – Road Test
The latest MG3... ...Tried and tested by Chris Adamson. If you are in the market for a sophisticated, sporting and aspirational modern hatchback then here is a recommendation – don’t even start considering the new MG3. However, if you want a budget priced, economical to run and spacious five-door then the new Chinese built MG3 could be just the answer. Wrapped-up in an acceptable if not … [Read more...]
Latest Ford Focus – Road Test
New Ford Focus now tried and tested in the UK… David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) gives his assessment. The latest generation Ford Focus was initially revealed to the motoring media in France in June this year, but it wasn’t until September that models arrived in UK showrooms. Now full UK sales are underway as the latest generation Focus five door hatchback and estate models aims to maintain … [Read more...]
Vauxhall Corsa GSi – Road Test
The Corsa GSi is hot but gets flustered… …says David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the top-selling Vauxhall Corsa supermini sized hatchback range has recently seen high specification low price Griffin versions, with three and five door body styles and with the choice of 1.4-litre petrol 75 or 90 hp engines, added to its line-up priced from as low … [Read more...]
Honda Civic 1.6 Diesel – Road Test
Honda Civic 5-door hatchback 1.6 diesel – Fuel and tax-efficient. By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Built in Britain for global sales the 10th generation Honda Civic is available in five door hatchback body style, and now a Civic four door saloon, built in Turkey for European markets, has been added to the range. Also a new 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine with manual and automatic … [Read more...]
SEAT Arona FR TSI – Brief Road Test
SEAT Arona FR 1.5 TSI EVO 150 Compact SUV Briefly Tested. By Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). Working requirements mean that sometimes we can only spend a comparatively short, but informative, time in a test car. A quick run in a few hours can often highlight the pros and cons of a car so the best and worst features stand out. Other times you need to spend a few days in the … [Read more...]
Latest Kia Ceed – Road Test
More than a name change – The new Kia Ceed five door family hatchback… Tried and tested by David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Formerly known as the Kia cee’d, the C-segment new generation five door hatchbacks are now known as Ceed. When first introduced in 2006 the car was given the name cee’d meaning Community of Europe with European Design to promote the fact that it was built and … [Read more...]