Author: Robin Roberts

A comprehensive survey by Rivervale Leasing found that the escalating cost of energy is the most common concern, as 21% say that they think the potential of higher home charging tariffs could stop the UK from switching to electric. Vince Pemberton, Chief executive officer at Rivervale Leasing admits, “It’s not the strongest environment at the moment for buyer confidence. “There might be a higher upfront cost in going electric but the longer-term saving is substantial. I don’t think this is made clear enough” Pemberton continues, citing rocketing fuel costs among other factors. “If you’re lucky enough to have a driveway or…

If you’ve ever spent a night sleeping in your car it can be a very disconcerting place to wake up, but that was one of the tests engineers set themselves creating the new Honda Civic e:HEV, writes Robin Roberts. Sleeping on the job took on a whole new purpose for them to evaluate the interior and the view out of it after a night’s kip in the car. What is seen when opening the eyes, how relaxing it is and what does it feel like to stretch and touch the controls to start up, adjust heating and ventilation and then…

To those in the know, Suzuki has a very strong engineering history and its 4×4 models’ capabilities are legendary and affordable. It’s the same story with the new Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid just tested as the more powerful electric motor has been introduced to not only increase power but also efficiency and economy, and it’s reflected in a lower exhaust emissions figure as well which, of course, means it is cheaper to tax and business users’ penalty is lower. In March 2022, the Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid was added to the line-up, bringing a 140V electric motor with standard and…

EV charging network InstaVolt is raising its price 15.7% to 66ppKWh from Monday. The rise applies to all payment types and the company says the steep rise is due to the enforced 20% VAT rate on public chargers compared to just 5% levied on domestic points. Other public point providers are expected to follow suit as the electric supply industry faces enormous increases this autumn. “As has been well documented, the global cost of energy is at a record high. As a responsible business committed to the continued investment in the UK’s public charging infrastructure, we’ve taken the difficult decision to…

Suzuki has a knack of bringing to market just what buyers want at the right time. It has built all manner of models including city cars, sports cars, lightweight offroaders and pickups and more recently SUVs which will not tip the bank balance into the red. Essentially applying good design and engineering but keeping it simple to reduce cost has paid dividends for Suzuki and given them a strong customer base with a high retention loyalty. Their move into the SUV sector with models such as the S Cross brought five-seats and good carrying capacity to the masses but if…

The coming of the electric car age is going to make us all re-evaluate our motoring lives and what we expect from them, much in the same way as the diminutive Mini drove a change in our lives over 60 years ago. So it seems reasonable that the MINI Electric might just do what its petrol forebears did and change our views towards electric cars of today. While some brands are locked in stretching the range, padding up features and weight and asking a lot of money for what is essentially a very simple technology, the MINI Electric takes a…

To those of a certain age there was only one sporting car, a rear-wheel-drive coupe, and this simple formula mix are the ingredients in the BMW 220d M Sport we have just tested. Front wheel drive hot hatches largely replaced the iconic ideal must-have for enthusiasts but they never replaced the balanced handling and driving satisfaction of a RWD coupe. BMW itself has built some memorable FWD hatchbacks but for a lot of their owners they are in a different class to RWD car and the seductive curves of a coupe. The thoroughly practical hatchbacks contrast with the stylish sportsters…

While most car makers want to get us into their small to medium sized hatchbacks and crossover models, Honda e is unashamedly a model intended for commuters and staged longer journeys. It’s essentially a city car with style and sophistication. With a maximum 125miles between recharges it’s not going to be suitable for regular long runs but the fact it takes only 30 mins to charge to 80% on a 50kW point means it can cover ground in a more relaxed manner. In July 2021 we had a first drive in the Honda e Advance and were generally impressed by…

While not having a huge range, Mazda has a well-defined line up in significant sectors. Most people will blurt out MX-5 if asked to name their most identifiable model, so you may be surprised to learn that the crossover CX-5 has been their global best seller since 2014. Over 70,000 are now on UK roads and it makes up 25% of Mazda British sales. Produced from 2012, in the UK it replaced the smaller Tribute and larger CX-7 and was the first model to introduce the Kodo design language for the styling and their Skyactiv engines which included cylinder deactivation…

UK new car registrations fell -24.3% in June, according to the latest figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The month saw 140,958 new vehicles registered, the weakest June performance since 1996. Last year, Welsh car dealers were coming through the pandemic with 6,130 registrations but last month slumped to 4,924 new cars recorded. Year to date their running just over 2% below the first half of 2021. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) continued their growth streak, however, with a 14.6% increase in volume, as market share continued to grow, reaching 16.1%, up from 10.7% a year…