Author: Robin Roberts

Honda’s tightened its hold on the SUV sector with this month’s announcement of the ZR-V, squarely aimed at families and retail buyers. The Japanese car-maker has a very loyal following and while it wishes existing owners will consider the newcomer when they want to change, it also hopes to hook in buyers from other brands as the sector now accounts for almost six-in ten new cars registered. For the Honda ZR-V, the emphasis is on proven powertrain technology, very high equipment levels, sporty handling and good economy. Although Honda’s clever magic seats have disappeared in the newcomer, it does provide…

Motorists’ complaints about electric vehicles and dealers selling them are rising, reports The Motor Ombudsman. The latest increase may be put down to a greater number of consumers getting behind the wheel of pure battery-driven models, and the cost of living crisis driving more individuals to recoup financial losses, as pressures on household budgets continue to build. The trouble-shooter dedicated to the motor trade said it received 291 complaints in Q2 versus 273 in Q1, with service and purchase issues dominating concerns and taking up almost a third of complaints. In many instances the problems centered on failing new technology…

Speeding convictions and fines will rise this autumn in Wales after the new default 20mph limit is introduced and Welsh Government ordered the removal of warning repeater signs and funded more camera vans. Existing 20mph repeater signs and soon-to-be illegal 30mph repeater signs will be taken down, offered to English authorities or recycled as scrap. Wales is the first part of the UK to introduce a default 20mph limit. Answering a Freedom of Information request from WheelsWithinWales, the Welsh Government said 20mph repeater signs will not be permitted on the newly reclassified roads and councils will have 12 months to…

The Kia Soul EV was the first modern zero emission model from the Korean manufacturer, one of the earliest compact electric cars and that experience has been put to good use. Originally, the Soul Maxx zero emissions model of 2019 was affected by the pandemics but with that behind us the new third general Soul EV is poised to sweep up sales. The original Maxx powertrain has been refined and we have been testing it with the long-range 64kWh battery and stronger 210bhp motor, which is arguably more practical for many owners than the medium-range 39.2kWh battery and 134bhp motor…

To some motoring journalists the Holy Grail of a range is the entry-level model of any series. Mentioned in price lists but rarely seen in showrooms or on the road, these starter models are often just a price point to get into a sector and destined to become the model of choice in daily rental fleets. Now, I had a former colleague who always bought the entry level model in a range he paid for with his own money and his argument, which is hard to contradict, was that the same engineering expertise and development expense has gone into the…

The Nissan Ariya not only turns heads but has the ability to change minds about electric vehicles. Striking styling both outside and in comes with deep carpets, arm-chair comfort, double-glazed windows and cabin-filling air conditioning, so its better equipped than many homes costing four or five times the Ariya’s list price. It also has a genuine range of about 300 miles. What you get for your money is a lot of technology, luxurious trim and driving systems which you can really use to maximise efficiency, enjoyment and go over 300 miles on a single charge. It’s not a cheap car,…

Built in Sunderland since 2006 when it was launched, the Nissan Qashqai has been an enduring success story. It was one of the first modern generation Crossover models and instantly won hearts and minds, not forgetting bank accounts, of British buyers, rolling into new generations in 2013 and 2021. It was Britain’s best selling car in 2022 and it’s also picked up UK awards for reliability and low running costs so it’s as relevant today as it was 17 years ago. The introduction of the e-Power model last year was a landmark, harnessing Nissan group’s experience with electric drive and…

The sector has pulled in completely new brands from China alongside off-shoots of European and Asian manufacturers who all want a piece of this increasingly important “green” branch of the high earning business. SEAT first launched its sporting Cupra sub-brand in the 1990s on hotter models of its petrol-powered line up, taking its name from Cup Racing and reflected its performance on tracks and rally stages around the world. But things were changing in the naughties and the competition in the market place revolved around developing electric models so SEAT looked into the parts bins of its parent Volkswagen Group…

SEAT Leon has raised its game in the very competitive family car sector as the industry slowly pulls away from the Covid pandemic and components shortages. It was unfortunate timing for the comprehensively revised Leon to be announced three years ago to date and all the changes are only now really appreciated. The new-look SEAT Leon comes in six trim levels from just under £23,335 with a choice of Hatchback or Estate style, petrol, diesel, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, six-speed manual and DSG automatic transmission, rising to £33,525. Our test car sits mid-range and is a nod to…

Move over supercars, there’s a new head turner on the road, the Volkswagen ID. Buzz. Talked about for a few years and on sale last year in Britain, the very retro Buzz is one of the rare newcomers that manages to break with modern convention by being old-school conventional. Borrowing styling cues from the famous VW dubs of a few decades ago yet sweeping up the latest technology along the way it’s a package which cannot fail to please. It’s a modern people mover par excellence which does what you’d expect and a few things you’d not expect, while looking…