Powering over a ploughed field, fording a small stream, tackling a tight woodland track, the Ineos Grenadier hardly seemed to break a sweat. Probably no surprise, really, for this was a pretty gentle outing all told for this all-new yet highly traditional body-on-frame 4×4 that aims to fill the wheel tracks left by the Land Rover Defender. The original classic …
Fiat 500 Icon, a charming electric car
The electric Fiat 500 could hardly be easier to drive. In ‘Normal’ mode, it’s like a conventional fossil-fuel car. For the record, ‘Sherpa’ is another mode that limits the maximum speed to around 45mph when the batteries are getting low, along with a red warning alert. The input of power by your right foot is as smooth as could be …
The All New Nissan Qashqai, The ‘Peoples SUV’
Arguably the first SUV happened to be the Nissan Qashqai, that was way back in 2007. Now, years on, has its popularity made it the ‘Peoples SUV’. The Qashqai makes for an attractive upgrade into the massively crowded SUV/crossover market. Qashqai has always been a strong contender. After all, it started the trend with the first Qashqai and has always …
Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi an attractive and very versatile package
Difficult choice isn’t it?. You’re prepared to go more than £40K for a big family SUV. Kia Sorento? Yes, it could well be. The latest Kia Sorento was examined by its design and engineering team from every possible aspect to improve a car that was already very competitive in terms of what it offered for the money. The list of …
The Suzuki Swace SZ5, a real estate car
A stylish Suzuki? Isn’t that a contradiction in terms? Looking at it outside our house, however, I was filled with admiration for the looks of the new Suzuki Swace. Ever since I first set eyes on a Pontiac Bonneville estate car in the pages of Automobile Year 1958, I have always been a sucker for the classic form of the …
The Škoda Superb TDI Estate – what more could you need?
It’s always good to test out the unusual, somewhat ‘extreme’ scenarios when having a press car for a week, as it allows a complete insight into the extent of a car’s capabilities. Well, I can safely check that box when it comes to my time with the Superb SE L estate. Originally, I had a Karoq booked, which had to …
Reviewed | The Audi A5 Coupé 35 TFSI S tronic
“Shhhh…he can hear what we’re saying!” whispered my two back seat passengers. I sure could…the Audi A5 Coupé was so quiet. Setting off gently for the first time, I did find the car extraordinarily quiet. After a while, I reckoned that this was an impression, having previously been in my own old and relatively noisy family hack. Nonetheless, among the …
Škoda Octavia vRS Estate, it’s the everything car…
Can it really be 20 years? It doesn’t feel possible that a fifth of a century has fled away since that unforgettable moment when a Škoda Octavia vRS first came my way. In the case of the Škoda vRS, we had been given a degree of advance warning in the excellence of the standard Octavia, which Škoda started producing on …
The sterling qualities of the Mazda CX-5 and Mazda6
To be lent one terrific Mazda may be regarded as good fortune; to borrow two in succession might look like tearing the arse out of it (as my dear old Mum used to say when she thought anyone was overdoing it a bit). In the case of the CX-5, the changes are all invisible from the outside. Ever since it …
Reviewed | The Suzuki Across Hybrid SUV
The Suzuki Across, a rapid and spacious plug-in hybrid SUV costing twice as much as the marque’s next-most-expensive model. Nothing wrong with that, given Toyota’s high reputation, and ‘badge engineering’ has, from time to time, long been standard industry business. Grandads, for example, may remember those little 1960s Mini, Austin, Riley, and Wolseley. Or Rolls-Royce and Bentley in the 70s. …