THERE’S not a lot that beats that smug, self-satisfied feeling when you know you’ve made absolutely the right decision.
The knowledge that the car you’re going to be driving for the foreseeable future and writing about regularly ticks all the boxes you set out is a rewarding moment.
The arrival of SEAT’s multi award winning Ateca in 1.4 EcoTSi guise with a smattering of seven speed DSG box to test was one of those moments.
NISSAN’S Juke is a car that stands out from the crowd in any scenario – and that’s before you throw a few litres of retina-detaching bright yellow paint at it.
They even made sure the windows were open, because it’s got a custard coloured coating inside too.
Those quirky looks in its compact chunky body have made it a popular choice for those motorists who stray from the conventional. And there must be a lot of them about, because there are a lot of Jukes about too.
SWIFT by name and certainly swift by nature – Suzuki’s latest incarnation of their popular compact supermini proves that yet again they’ve still got the handle on making decent small cars.
It’s lighter, more powerful and more fuel efficient than the model it replaces, yet some have criticized Suzuki for losing their way and dubbing the Swift a shadow if its former self.
IT’S a tough one, this – pitching a new car into the bear pit that includes coupe offerings from Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
But you can’t fault Infiniti for trying, and if buyers are wooed by looks alone then the up-market arm of Nissan has a reasonable chance of getting away without too much of a mauling.
STUDENTS of the natural world will know that the Kodiak is, to put it succinctly, a ruddy great bear.
But now there’s another one around, with considerably less fur and less likely to bite you on the bum.
Skoda – who have had something of a penchant for exotic animal names in the past (Yeti, anyone?) have unleashed their very own ‘Kodiaq’ – and it’s a car that bears (!) close scrutiny.
ISN’T it ‘Ioniq’ that now he’s got the big seat at the table, Trump is trying to take America backwards?
All that coal he’s going to get the good ‘ole boys to dig out of the ground will doubtless be used to power the steam driven cars he’s going to get them to produce. Unemployment solved at a flick of his coiffeured quiff.
IT’S good to see a manufacturer cutting their cloth according to their cabriolet these days.
When others have taken the tin top route, there’s a definite tick in the ‘traditional’ box from Mercedes-Benz with smart fold down fabric roofs adorning their cabriolet models.
The latest to vie for your attention – and subsequent cash – is a rather fetching offering from the three pointed star stable in the shape of the C-Class Cabriolet.
ANYONE out there expecting the new Honda Civic to be much of the same is in for a surprise. Because it isn’t.
Somewhere along the line the decision has been taken to say ‘sayonara’ to the squat, compact shape of the last few variants, and give this 10th generation model a distinctive new look.
So they sat on it, forcing the body to take on a sleeker appearance, longer and with a lower profile yet still with swoops and curves in all the right places.
BEST looking SUV around? No contest really – it has to be the Range Rover Evoque.
It’s been a bit of a head turner since launch a few years back, and the enhancements on the latest versions just add to the package.
The end result is a classy looking machine that has proved to be the entry into Range Rover ownership for many, not that joining the club comes cheaply. The HSE Dynamic model sampled here sits in the pages of the brochure at £43,200 but it’s not put people off.
VAUXHALL really are going for the X factor with their latest models to hit the market.
Hot on the wheels of the all wheel drive Mokka X comes the Crossland X – more compact and bijoux, looking a bit like a fatter and pumped up Adam because it shares that floating roofline from the small hatchback.
But Crossland is pure SUV, albeit on the smaller end of the spectrum, easily picked out by its two tone paintwork and styling.