Blog posts
Sport, Normal or Eco? We work out how best to configure our crossover. The Nissan Qashqai has a Sport driving mode. This surprises me a bit, because the Qashqai isn’t the sort of car you would think of as being sporty in any way, shape or form. That’s not meant as a criticism: the Qashqai is very good at what it does. But I would describe it using words like practical, durable and sensible. Sport? Not so much.
Compact hybrid SUV arrives to face a grilling from our high-mileage photographer. Well, this is a result. Put the aggressively muscular Civic Type R and adorable E electric supermini to one side and I wouldn’t have pegged Honda as a particularly style-oriented brand, yet the HR-V crossover I’ve just taken delivery of is actually something of a looker.
Capable new pick-up takes the Kuga platform and tops it with F150-inspired styling. Ford’s new Maverick expands the brand’s US and Canadian light-duty pick-up range to three. Slotting in below the bodyon- frame F-150 and Ranger, this unibody truck is built on the same platform as the Escape/Kuga SUV. Less thirsty than the often-huge alternatives, the four-door crew-cab Maverick won’t come to the UK, where Ford says it has buyers covered with the 20cm-longer Ranger. A 2.
French brand’s performance division gives the luxury saloon a go-faster makeover. There’s something about handfinished and skunkworks cars that speaks to the imagination, which makes the origin story of the new range-topping DS 9, the E-Tense 360 4x4, quite appealing. In the ongoing quest to establish itself as a credible premium car player, DS has produced a fast version of its flagship saloon.
Popular crossover is facelifted with a focus on improving the quality of the interior. Sales of the Volkswagen T-Roc have exceeded expectations in many markets, including the UK, so it’s no surprise that the changes made halfway through its planned life cycle are rather subtle. There are tweaks here and there but nothing that fundamentally alters its appearance, performance or driving character in any great way. A new-look front end is the key exterior design change.
The first shipment of right-hand-drive electric SUVs has arrived in the UK. It has been a long two years for European Tesla fans. The Model Y has been on the road in the US since 2020, but only now has the compact SUV arrived here. Based on the Model 3 saloon, the Model Y adds a degree of functionality, a chunkier stance and a heftier price. Starting at £54,990, the (officially 331-mile) Long Range tested here is one of two variants, alongside the £64,990 Performance.
A ferocious performer, the 996 GT2 is a blistering 911 that still flies relatively under the radar. Total 911 presents your complete guide to buying one Written by Kieron Fennelly Photography by Ali Cusick Porsche Turbos have an illustrious record in motorsport. The 934 and 935 dominated sports car racing in the 1970s and when Group C took over from Groups 4 and 5 in the 1980s, Porsche’s 956/962 ruled the roost until the factory withdrew after six victorious seasons.
Sports Saloon F30 335i M Sport Saloon Practical, fast, tuneable, and great to drive. This generation of BMW’s 335i is arguably the best – and it is affordable too... Six-cylinder petrol 3 Series have always held a bit of a soft spot in our hearts and the F30 in 335i guise is undoubtedly one of BMW’s finest. And in an era when diesel 3 Series started to predominate the 335i found itself a more exclusive choice, bought more by private buyers than fleet managers.
Market Watch Diminutive, but definitive, BMW’s seminal 2002tii Coupé is an appealingly affordable classic. Words: Guy Baker Photography: Various 2002tii Coupé Few classic cars are more recognizable than BMW’s ground-breaking 2002, and the 1971-1975 2002 tii Coupé is the best of the breed. Simple to look after and great fun to drive, the rear-wheel drive tii offers greater reliability than a 2002 Turbo – and far better value. With good examples guaranteed to appreciate.
The unmistakable boxy silhouette of the Saab 900 has arguably become one of the most iconic shapes to come out of Scandinavia’s automotive industry, perhaps along with the Volvo 850 estate. Brought in to replace the Saab 99, the 900’s primary guise was as a four-door family saloon. However, not wanting their customers to miss out on the brisk Nordic weather – or perhaps more likely to appeal to warmer, overseas markets – the 900 also spawned convertible variants, such as this one.
How Ford’s personally augured vehicle prospered in the Mustang’s shadow. Words: David Osborne. THE STORY OF FORD’S EVERYMAN COUPE Facts, figures and history on the car which brought the Mustang magic to Europe. FORD CAPRI (1969-1986) THE MARKETPLACE / THE CARS / THE BEGINNING To understand the significance of the Capri one must first appreciate the impact of the Mustang and the precedent it set within Ford.
Coventry’s game changer holds steady in the sub £20k market, having bounced back from a lockdown plateau. MARKET TRENDS JAGUAR XJ6 SI-SIII (1968-1987)The XJ6 galvanised Jaguar’s strategy for more than five decades – and while the full name plate may have died with the X350 series, it left a legacy of affordable three-box luxury for enthusiasts to enjoy.
Mid-engine supercar with Italian connection cops a cruel execution DRIVEN TO EXTINCTIONIf you want a supercar that straddles the lines between exotic, sophisticated, and pragmatic, the main option you once had in Australia is on the way out. If you can still find an Audi R8 in a showroom by the time you read this, it’ll be one of the last. But it’s not for a lack of success. The R8 wasn’t a sales giant here, but nor was it by any means a failure.
We investigate the function of modern vehicle cooling systems and their role in ensuring reliability and operating efficiency. Techtalk Feature: Vehicle cooling systems Keeping it coolIn internal combustion engines, the conversion of the chemical energy of fuel into kinetic energy creates heat as a waste product. This heat, along with the heat created by the friction of various moving components, needs to be reliably controlled and dissipated to protect the engine and its components.
When Roger Knight and his friend Jim Gleeson decided to enter the gruelling LeJog rally in a low-mileage XJ6 4.2 Coupe, they were diving in at the deep end with no previous experience. Words Rob Hawkins Photography Gregory Owain.