Author: Robin Roberts

Without compromising its famous off-road abilities the Renegade 4xe adds emission lowering and power enhancing electric drive. It’s the first electrified Jeep to be sold in Britain and uses the familiar 1.3 litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor or generator driving the front wheels coupled with a hefty 60hp electric motor on the back axle using power from a 114kWh 400v traction battery under the back seats. In pure electric mode you might select in toll-charging zones or on daily commutes it will cover 26 miles, enough for most trips, but you have the range anxiety removed by…

Since 2015, there has been a 440% increase in charging points on average across all 15 national parks. The biggest increase is the Pembrokeshire Coast national park which had 1 public charging point five years ago, but now boasts 19 – a 1800% increase. The Broads & North York Moors are the only UK national parks without any public EV charging points. On average, a national park in the UK still only has 21 public charging points, which each needing to cater to 23 EVs per point. Although the increasing numbers are promising, they are still a far cry away…

It’s combined powerful petrol-electric powertrain with very low emissions and ownership costs, quality fittings and finish embodied in a roomy five-door body is the latest addition to the popular Slovakian-built series. The XCeed is based on the better known Ceed platform but with different front and rear ends styling as well as a 42mm higher ride height. You still get just front wheel drive but can select a range of powertrains in the XCeed matched with various trim levels and our 1.6GDI PHEV came with 6sp automatic transmission and ‘3’ grade trim. While it’ll focus your attention with its taller…

If it feels right, it’s right – and that’s a particularly apt saying when it comes to the Alfa Romeo Giulia. What’s more, the sporting saloon looks striking outside and inside and when it gets moving this driver’s smile widens still further. Alfa Romeo has always enjoyed a strong sporting fan club, and I count myself as a member, as it delivers all you’d expect of a family car but with a sharper edge to its handling than many rivals. Giulia has been a regular model in the range over the years and the latest incarnation comes with a choice…

The Ford Puma is the company’s latest crossover and it’s strongest new generation of family cars to date. The name has been used before by Ford and between 1997 and 2002 it was on an unusual model, a compact three-door coupe. That was based on the latest Fiesta and ironically the new car is also derived from the current Fiesta. By lengthening and widening the floorpan using the most modern design and engineering computer systems, the new Puma has been developed as a five-door tall hatchback. And it’s very impressive. The lockdown delayed the new Puma’s introduction this spring and…

The influential Welsh Automotive Forum (WAF) has a new Chief Executive Officer, Robert Paul O’Neil. Rob has been the cluster group’s Operations Manager since 2017 and steps into his new role upon the retirement of Tim Williams, who has been Chief Executive Officer since 1999, and who will remain on the WAF Board to assist in the transition until a new OM is appointed. Growing up in Port Talbot and graduating from Swansea University with a BSc Hons in European Management Science with German and a Masters degree, Robert has worked in the global automotive sector for more than 20 years…

The big SUV Q7 has been a hallmark for families with its seven-seat configuration but the new mild-hybrid 3.0 TFSI petrol version just tested punches out more power and gives passengers more space by fitting just five seats. It’s always been debatable whether a cramped seven-seater was really desirable and how valuable it would be, so Audi has reset the reasoning with their latest quattro go-anywhere model. There is a tight range of Audi Q7 models, the 45 TDI diesel produces 228 bhp and 500Nm of torque and 50 TDI models produce 282 bhp and 600Nm of torque, while the…

One guide to choosing a good car is looking at what police, ambulance and taxi companies use because they are on the road 24/7 and one of the most prolific of vehicles you’ll see is the Skoda Octavia Estate. Without being whincingly expensive to buy and run they fulfill their roles and deliver mile after mile, year after year. For me that’s a good advertisement and testament to the Octavia Estate. Now in its fourth generation on sale, the familiar shape of the estate and stablemate hatch hide an evolution in powertrains, interior design and specification. There is a big…

BMW has never been afraid to go out on limb when it comes to models or styling and it’s generally worked in its favour like it should with the 2 Series Gran Coupe. Announced at the end of 2019 and with a UK launch delayed in March by the Coronavirus epidemic, the newcomer is just getting out to customers. After the 6, 4 and then 8 Series Gran Coupe models, this completes their line up and as the baby in the range it is developed from the latest FARR platform underpinning the more familiar 2 Series and X2 as well.…

The latest third-generation Mitsubishi ASX is now better able to take on rivals than the immediately preceding products with its bolder styling, well revised and updated interior and cutting edge convenient technology. For 2020, Mitsubishi fitted a more powerful 150hp 2.0 litre petrol engine and choice of five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with a welcome return to an all-wheel-drive derivative bringing it into line with the rest of the company’s models. Interestingly, depending on which set of emission test figures you want to use, the ASX Auto has widely different pollution outputs but the Auto is definitely two insurance…