The Golf has been the golden one for Volkswagen, writes Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales)… Ever since its launch in 1974 when it set a new standard in the hatchback sector it has gone on to become the standard by which any rivals are judged and to which competitors are compared. True, some are roomier, softer sprung, sharper handling and cheaper, but overall the VW Golf is an incredibly … [Read more...]
Toyota RAV4 Plug-in GR Sport – Road Test
“Better late than never is probably what you can say about the impressive Toyota RAV4 PHEV”, advises Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales). We have always been fans of the Toyota RAV4 but when it launched the petrol-hybrid in 2016 we bemoaned the fact there was no plug-in derivative to improve emissions when other manufacturers were putting them into showrooms. So, Toyota has been slow to roll … [Read more...]
Skoda Kamiq SE 1.0TSI 95 PS – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) test drives Skoda’s latest small ‘crossover’… As the retail motor trade goes through a reset at the moment, squeezed by new technology and rising prices which private buyers are reluctant to embrace or pay, models like the Skoda Kamiq are standing out. It’s a straightforward petrol model for a family, with up to five seats, price-pitched perfectly for many … [Read more...]
Suzuki Swift 1.2 Ultra MEV 2WD – Road Test
The fourth generation Suzuki Swift is already a landmark model, just months after its introduction. Robin Roberts reports… While it builds on the success of previous models over the last 40 years and is one of the most capable city cars on sale it is also the last of its kind since Suzuki announced it will step up its battery electric vehicle range and in that will be a model to replace the Swift … [Read more...]
Toyota Yaris Premiere Edition – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) puts Toyota’s latest Yaris through its paces… The Toyota Yaris has been one of the brand’s most successful models with over 10 million made, and it’s not resting on its laurels. This Spring the familiar Yaris hatchback range was increased with the addition of the Premiere and GR models which have brought more electric power and greater refinement to the … [Read more...]
Honda Civic e:HEV Advance – Road Test
Robin Roberts (and WheelsWithinWales) fully assesses the Advance version of Honda’s family favourite Civic… Honda has a lot of pride in the Civic, and it’s justified. Honda started making Civic models in 1972, nine years after it expanded from motor-bikes into cars with the N360 and then the 1300, and Civic put the brand on the world map for automobiles. So the Civic is the company’s longest … [Read more...]
Latest version Suzuki Swace estate car – Road Test
Kim Henson reports on living with Suzuki’s Swace estate car during 750 miles of mixed everyday motoring… (All words and photographs by, and copyright, Kim Henson). These days SUVs rule, it seems, or at least they do for some buyers. However there are many motorists who prefer the ‘traditional’ estate car approach to styling and construction. While Suzuki offers competence galore with the … [Read more...]
Honda Jazz e-Hybrid – Road Test
The latest Honda Jazz e-Hybrid Advance Sport test driven by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). A lot of airtime and column centimetres/inches have been taken up with the new Wales’ default 20 mph urban limit, but I’ll let you into a little secret, you can do 100 in a Honda Jazz Advance Sport, and it’s perfectly legal. The fact is I am not talking about the sporty Jazz’s speed, … [Read more...]
MINI Cooper S Convertible – Road Test
The MINI Cooper S Convertible Exclusive test driven by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The British MINI is as traditional as a cup of tea, and next year it will be particularly apt because it’s the Convertible’s 20th anniversary. Launched four years after the new generation MINI hatch was unveiled by parent BMW in 2000, the MINI Convertible has moved through four generations … [Read more...]
BMW X1 – Road Test
The BMW X1 xDrive2.3i petrol-hybrid M Sport tried and tested by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). As the motor industry increasingly turns in on itself and concentrates on niche models it’s good to see the BMW X1 arrive, genuinely offering something for everyone. Sport, xLine and M Sport trim levels currently span seven models including three or four cylinder petrol-hybrid units … [Read more...]
Toyota Corolla Hatchback – Road Test
The latest Toyota Corolla Hatchback Design 1.8 Hybrid tried and tested by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). However you look at it, the Toyota Corolla is remarkable among models and, perhaps not surprisingly as a result, is the world’s best-selling nameplate over six decades. Now in its 12th generation, the Corolla is the first to use the company’s fifth generation hybrid petrol … [Read more...]
Road Test – ‘Roots’ Bamboo Bikes
Kim Henson reports on test-riding Roots Bamboo Bikes in and around Lostwithiel in Cornwall… In an article published on Wheels-Alive on 6th January this year (2023) on Wheels-Alive I described how the Roots Bamboo Bikes (which use sustainable bamboo – ethically-sourced and fairly-traded – for their frames) were developed in Ghana and how they came to be sold in Lostwithiel. In that feature I … [Read more...]
MG Sales Record – and Revisiting the MG3 in a short Road Test
Chris Adamson looks at the continuing growth of MG, and drives the 2016 MG3 New MG registrations in the UK topped the 3,000 mark last year (2015) setting a record figure for the famous British brand since its acquisition a decade ago by Chinese car giant SAIC Motor. This was almost 1,000 more than in 2014 and surpassed the 2013 and 2014 sales figures combined. Driving the sales success was … [Read more...]