Author: Robin Roberts

Electric car registrations are accelerating driven by huge manufacturer discounts. The UK new car market grew by 6.6% in March, typically the busiest month of the year, with 380,627 new vehicles registered, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Registrations in Wales saw the smallest rise of just 5.85% to 12,275 cars in March compared to a year ago but nationally, the performance marks the best March – and best month overall – since 2019 but behind the statistics is the dramatic decline in diesel registrations pushed by escalating fuel costs. Growth was driven primarily by private demand,…

SEAT knew what they were doing when launching the original Arona compact crossover in 2017 and it has become one of the brand’s best sellers with revisions in 2021 and 2025. Using platforms and powertrains from within the Volkswagen Group it reduced costs but not quality when pitching into the all-important family sector. Being not too big under 4.2 m long and taking up to 828 litres of luggage with small and mid-sized engines, it offers real challenges to competitor models, ironically including parent VW models which use the same technology. Arona has been constantly revised and improved and now…

Volkswagen has eased off the throttle to becoming a pure electric brand and wisely continues to develop its semi-electric mild hybrid line up. The Tiguan MHEV is one of the third generation of this highly popular model, its best seller worldwide including 29,800 registered in Britain last year. In a world and market where change happens and then goes in a different direction, you have to give buyers what they want for their needs. And the Tiguan fulfills many roles very well as a people’s car. It features attractive, premium styling, a wide range of drivetrain options, a high-quality interior…

The UK new car market rose by 7.2% in February to 90,100 registrations, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, but EV demand is slowing again. The growth brings the highest February volume in 22 years, although the month is conventionally lower volume and therefore more volatile, with many buyers preferring to wait for the March number plate change. Demand was largely driven by recovering private retail registrations, up 17.6% to 35,227 units, while fleet uptake grew by 1.8% and the lower-volume business segment declined by -12.7%. Fleets remained the largest source of…

Welsh Government has pulled support for 10,000 people and 130 companies who are members of the Welsh Automotive Forum, writes Robin Roberts. The 27 year old trade cluster has published its intention to voluntarily dissolve at the end of this month when funding ceases through Industry Wales, which is also being closed down by Welsh Government. WAF was established in 1999 to assist local suppliers and businesses threatened by the breakup of Rover Group in the Midlands which had itself been created out of the disintegration of British Leyland. Welsh Government was then so concerned about the implications for local…

From really humble beginnings in Britain, Skoda has evolved through Volkswagen Group membership into one of the most diverse and desirable brands you can afford to buy.  OK, their cars are no longer the off-cuts of a one-time communist cut-price country, but they now stand wheel to wheel with the best big brands from Europe, so you have to pay comparable prices. And that’s not a bad thing. Skoda is often seen as the poorer relative of its parent group but the reality is that all their engineering has a sound base, it’s just delivered in a different and for…

Exactly what driving and mobility will be like in future is still uncertain, but for sure, Chinese brand Xpeng aims to be part of it. Like US rival Tesla, Xpeng has roots in technology, software and brainpower rather than horsepower, and it also set its sights on the sky and has produced not a spaceship but a flying car complete with its own land aircraft carrier. Orders for the Xpeng Land Aircraft Carrier and flying car have been piling into the company and it hopes to announce production plans this year. Meanwhile, down to earth it has turned its attention…

Competition in the UK car market is tough, very tough, and Chinese brand Skywell is ramping up the challenge. Introduced early 2025, it quickly realised it had to raise its game and this year intensified its sales drive with better driver technology, improved comfort and lower prices helped by ev-grants and importer discounts. There are under 20 UK dealers for the brand and about a quarter are spread through south and west Wales, where buyers appreciate value for money and the practical features of the Skywell BE11 suv. There are just two versions, with a choice of 72kWh Standard or…

There has been an encouraging start to this year’s new car registrations, but pure battery car have slowed while Chinese makes have gained ground. Car makers now want a rethink on the support for electric cars and proposed pence-per-mile road tolls for them. It also saw a Chinese brand take second place in the UK top ten and three occupied the top ten slots. Regionally, English dealers saw a 5.3% rise, Wales declined 0.15% and Scotland dipped 7.31% but Northern Ireland suffered the biggest downturn at 11.26%. The UK new car market grew by 3.4% in January to reach 144,127…

Genesis was slow coming into Britain but it has accelerated is pace and progress. After a long spell in the US, Genesis arrived in the UK in summer 2021, initially into the business-backed fleet sector where it promised unrivalled VIP buying and service arrangements through direct sales and ‘studios’ with a “we come to you” business model for exclusivity. After gradually building up its brand and range from pure petrol or diesel models it eased into the ev-sector as well. Behind the scenes it also migrated from a stand-alone brand as the halo of the Hyundai Group – which also…