It might be music to some people’s ears that Honda is bringing us more Jazz but their F1 programme looks more like hokey cokey, observes David Miles. Announced last week Honda F1 is quitting at the end of next year, they were first involved in 1964 and out in 1968, in again in1983 and out in 1992, back in again in 2000, out in 2008 in again in 2015 and now out again in 2021. The company says it … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia XCeed 1.6 GDI PHEV 3 auto
The all-new Kia XCeed PHEV is their strongest challenger yet to family car rivals. Its combined powerful petrol-electric powertrain with very low emissions and ownership costs, quality fittings and finish embodied in a roomy five-door body is the latest addition to the popular Slovakian-built series. The XCeed is based on the better known Ceed platform but with different front and rear ends … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Kia Niro 1.6 GDi PHEV ‘2’, 6-speed automatic
There is increasing pressure for UK MP’s to ban all sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and potentially phase out sales of hybrid models by 2035, writes David Miles. This pressure is from the Committee on Climate Change, the Government’s independent advisory body who want the deadline shortened. But information released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders last week show … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Ford Puma ST-Line X hybrid-petrol
Ford revealed its new 5-door Crossover – you could call it a compact SUV – towards the end of last year with UK deliveries scheduled in January, writes David Miles. However the COVID-19 lockdown derailed delivery to over 7,000 early adopter customers awaiting this new addition to the market place and more than 90% have chosen the petrol/hybrid 48V mHEV models. My initial test drive programme … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Kia XCeed FE 1.4 Auto
So what is the new Kia XCeed?asks David Miles. 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 Sportage mid-sized SUV and the Picanto Picanto city car. All new Kia passenger cars are covered by … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Suzuki S-Cross 1.4 Boosterjet SZ-T Hybrid
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, says David Miles. 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 to sample new models. However availability of test cars will be spasmodic and limited due to … [Read more...]
SsangYong Tivoli gets revamped and refreshed
SsangYong Motors launches the new 20-model year SsangYong Tivoli into the UK market. The Tivoli facelift boast new exterior front styling, and the space and capabilities of a traditional SUV and features a whole range of enhancements to the outgoing model. It blends new stylish exterior and interior design with advanced safety and infotainment technologies, as well as efficient new … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Ford Fiesta Active Edition 1.0T Ecoboost
Ford has put a lot of eggs in its family car basket as it seeks to build sales in difficult and highly competitive times. The best-selling Fiesta has been given a new name at the top of its range, a crossover series called Active, which is probably more widespread in appeal than the stablemate and slightly dull EcoSport suv. Now, not so many years ago the Active would have been a regular version … [Read more...]
Newcomers 17 January
Isuzu UK, has launched the updated Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35. Already an exclusive, top of the range pick-up, the Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 retains its eye-catching features including 35" Nokian Rotiiva Tyres, 17" x 10" AT Black Alloy Wheels and Flared Wheel Arch Extensions but also receives a considerable amount of new upgrades in its commercial vehicle price of just under £40,000 exc. … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Kia XCeed 1.4 TGDi FE automatic
Kia Ceed has been one of the outstanding success stories of the first two decades of the millennium and as we enter its third a new chapter begins with the XCeed, writes Robin Roberts. Hatchbacks have given way to SUVs over the last ten years and now this sector is further developing with the full size models being joined by compact versions which do everything of their larger … [Read more...]