Toyota, probably the worlds most sensible car company has put its problems behind them; sales in the US are returning to normal and they are number one in a host of markets around the world. In Europe, however the story is quite different and they face increasing pressure from rivals as diverse as Volkswagen to [...]
Volkswagen has dropped the Passat name from the shapelier CC model but is this enough to justify the bigger price tag? Originally launched in 2008 as the Passat CC, VW have dropped Passat from the title and relaunched the car as the VW CC. Partly in an effort to simplify things but also [...]
Winner of the Continental Irish Compact Car of the Year 2012 and the best selling car in Ireland. It seems Ford can’t put a foot wrong with the Focus or can it? Ford has always played a safe hand in terms of the Focus with conservative redesigns since its dramatic launch in 1998. [...]
With fuel prices on the rise and financial hardships looming downsizing is the new black and the compact luxury S.U.V. is becoming the car of choice. The Volvo XC60 was one of a host of compact luxury SUVs that emerged on the market over the last couple of years. However the arrival at the end [...]
Despite the fact that the car market has been besieged by a host of new types of cars from crossovers, to four door coupes we still remain unusually attached in this country to booted versions of our hatchbacks! Unfairly derided as just a Golf with a boot, the Jetta is finally and deservedly shaking off [...]
With its no-nonsense styling, wheel arch extensions and scuff plates Skoda’s Scout points at more crude and capable intent than the regular Octavia; but is it really prepared for anything as the name Scout might suggest? What’s under the Bonnet? Powering the Scout is the VW group’s excellent new-generation 2.0-litre common-rail-equipped turbodiesel that pumps out [...]
The smallest and most economical member of the Range Rover family, the Range Rover Evoque has style to burn and offers an impressive blend of performance on and off-road. Aware that not everyone is particle to the big, heavy, thirsty and expensive cars synonymous with Land Rover, the engineers responded with a smaller lighter and [...]
With the threat of Arctic conditions and the imminent big freeze January seemed like the perfect time to test drive Skoda’s new 4×4 system. We spent a week behind the wheels of Skoda’s Superb Combi………… and not a snowflake in sight! Why would I want one? With more leg room than a Mercedes S-Class, if [...]
Geraldine Herbert finds that the V60 oozes quality, is a beautiful comfortable car and is very engaging and pleasant to drive. If every Volvo had an opportunity to showcase how far estate cars have evolved it is with the V60. Designed to attract a different kind of buyer the V60s curvier and sportier package epitomizes [...]
Can BMW’s New X3 address the critisisms of its predecessor? Geraldine Herbert finds out. With the release of the 2011 BMW X3, it’s clear that significant efforts have been made to address the criticism of the first model. The originally x3 was criticised for having the least BMW-like driving characteristics and questionable interior build quality, [...]
