Category Archives: Road Tests

SEAT Arona FR Limited Edition: a grey-t little SUV

SOMETHING that’s a smaller version of SEAT’s pretty decent Ateca is a car that’s heading in the right direction – onto a lot of driveways.

Since it arrived on sale in the UK, the Arona has been one of the Spanish firm’s best sellers, selling in even greater numbers than the Ibiza, on which it’s based. Continue reading

VW TIGUAN LIFE eTSI 150: best seller now a bigger proposition

THERE was no real compelling reason for Volkswagen to make wholesale changes to their popular Tiguan SUV – but that hasn’t stopped them.

Not content with over 7.5 million sales worldwide since it hit the streets, the new third generation version has been extensively revised both inside and out to make it an even better proposition for the family SUV buyer. Continue reading

KIA EV9 GT-Line: Boxing clever with latest flagship model

IN the market for a big seven seat electric car? Well, they don’t come much bigger than this.

Bigger than your average parking space (though having said that, what car isn’t these days?) Kia’s gargantuan EV9 evokes memories of the box-on-wheels Land Rover Discovery, and makes a compelling case for itself with its impressive list of standard kit and its high end electric vehicle technology. Continue reading

SUZUKI SWIFT HYBRID: evolving for its loyal followers

SWIFT by name and swift enough by nature, Suzuki’s compact supermini has a loyal following – and it’s evident that’s not likely to change much in the near future.

Despite the fact there’s still a perceived demand for small petrol cars, the best selling Ford Fiesta is no more, and other rivals to the Swift are heading down the electric only road. Continue reading

LEXUS LBX: new baby has premium appeal

THINK of Diversity and you’re more likely to think of a dance troup than a major car manufacturer deviating away from what they know best.

But that’s just what Lexus have done with their latest offering.  Acknowledged as a maker of safe and luxurious SUVs and saloons,  the new LBX is anything but. It’s as small as Toyota’s Yaris Cross, has about as much rear space for passengers as the aforementioned,  and comes with a hefty price tag for such a small car. Continue reading

TOYOTA C-HR: a true model of efficiency

IN a world that changes on a daily basis, there comes along the
occasional car that disproves the theory that things can’t improve.

Toyota’s latest version of the C-HR is such a vehicle. And as such it
will do its bit to ensure that the Japanese giant’s reputation for building decent hybrid cars remains unsullied. Continue reading

NISSAN LEAF: end of the road for electric pioneer

HOW quickly things change in the electric car world. This is the second generation LEAF which hit the roads in 2018 and offered owners the ability to travel a fair bit further on a charge of its battery pack than some of its opposition could do at the time.

But the hard fact is 168 miles just doesn’t pass muster six years on, and Nissan have decided to stop production to concentrate on new BEVs (battery electric vehicles) it has up its sleeve, like the new Ariya sampled a couple of weeks ago. Continue reading

NISSAN ARIYA e-4ORCE: big SUV is one for the family

ONE of the first things you notice about electric cars is the distinct lack of a good old fashioned front grille.

In its place will be a large slab of solid bodywork, because with no engine upfront needing cooling air flowing over it, the slats of old are about as much use as mudflaps on a tortoise.

But it’s still all about airflow and low drag co-efficient, hence the slippery shapes you see on the roads. Continue reading