Author: Robin Roberts

Now here’s my prediction for 2024: the BYD Seal is going to make a splash in the sporting saloon sector. Up to now, Europe has been the leading provider and market for four-doors and something a little special in the family sector, but that is likely to change over the coming 12 months. China’s BYD (it stands for Build Your Dreams) launched its Atto 3 SUV and Dolphin hatchback in Britain in 2023 and it’s just rounded them off with the Seal saloon. Still more will be introduced next year as the dealership network rises towards 90 outlets over 12…

The third SUV in their line-up after the Jazz and CRV, the third generation Honda HR-V comes only with a petrol-electric powertrain utilisig two electric motors and an Atkinson-cycle petrol engine for greater efficiency as a hybrid and it showed with our overall and effortlessly achieved economy. It has been produced between 1998 and 2006 and then from 2013 to the present day. The mid-size, five-door SUV is a five-seater with the accent on technology along with comfort. Honda has fitted a comparatively small 1.5 litre engine but the electric motors give it a useful boost and effective all-wheel-drive. The…

I was lucky enough to attend the UK launch of the TT Coupe in Leeds in 1999, a year after it went into production and on sale in Germany and now, a quarter of a century on, production has ceased. In that time there have been only three generations of the car but it developed from Coupe to Roadster and even teased an Off-Road Concept coming with a bewildering range of four, five and six cylinder engines and a host of special editions over its 25 years. Named after the legendary Isle of Man TT Races where Audi predecessors, DKW…

If you have used a Nokia 3310 mobile phone, Apple i-pad or ridden on a new Transport for London electric bus, then you have already experienced BYD technology. The Chinese battery technology business which has powered these landmark products has a global footprint powering many familiar items and is about to become a major player in the electric car market. The biggest company you’ve probably never heard of is now assembling a UK network of over 30 showrooms working with some of Britain’s major groups and in 12 months time will be more than doubling this number on the back…

Audi’s flagship all-electric model is on course to make waves in the luxury sector. The Q8 e-tron is available in both SUV and Sportback coupe bodystyles with different battery sizes, charging and range potential but all get 4WD. There are four trim levels beginning with Sport, moving onto S line, Black Edition and Vorsprung. All versions can be charge up to 80% capacity in about 30 mins. and come with choice of AC and DC cables for a variety of power points. The Audi e-tron was the company’s first pure electric model when it was launched in 2019 and it…

As it slips into middle-age, the Vauxhall Astra has been given a modern make-over. Launched in 1980, the Astra has been the bedrock of the company’s offering in the small family car sector as it moved through eight generations. This year it was given a mechanical boost with hybrid technology adding to the petrol power in a bid to lower emissions and better compete with younger rivals, particularly in the company-car business sector. A regular reps’ runabout, the changes under the skin were matched by a stunning transformation of the styling which has made it stand out from predecessors and…

Honda is revamping its range of offerings as the new era in electric mobility approaches, but it’s also keeping some tried and tested models. With 13 of the top 20 UK models now SUVs in a sector that has grown to almost 56% of annual registrations, Honda could not ignore what buyers want. It’s city-car Honda e, which has not been selling well, has been joined by the e:Ny1 compact SUV bringing more room and range for families and hence wider appeal. It will also assist Honda in selling 22% electric models across its range as mandated by the EU…

Subaru is a bit of a lone-wolf in the car world. Part of Fuji Heavy Industries and founded 70 years ago, it’s the brand’s golden anniversary in Britain next year after it launched with a compact and capable little estate car and pickup at prices which made hundreds of farmers and country-folk very happy. It also became a byword for British fans of the World Rally Championship in the 80s and 90s but few can remember its single-season shot in the rarefied ranks of Formula One. Not the obvious choice for many looking for a big estate, the Outback easily…

If you are selling Britain’s most popular family car it is difficult to improve on it, unless you offer an estate version like the Ford Focus Active X. The groundswell of sales lift towards MPV or SUV bodystyle across Europe but in Britain there is still strong demand for estates and some brands have given away sales to competitors by ending these highly practical, economical workhorses. Wisely, Ford has decided to keep offering the Focus Estate series and it’s not a token amount. The choice of Focus Estates run to 14 models in a 28 strong range which includes five-door…

A lot of airtime and column centimetres have been taken up with Wales’ default 20mph 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, rather its ability to return 102mpg: yes over a ton. Even on a busy day you’ll probably exceed 60mpg from this incredible Tardis of the tarmac. Put simply, it packs more than you can imagine into a body just over 4 metres long but it somehow manages to give…