Author: Robin Roberts

Honda is revamping its range of offerings as the new era in electric mobility approaches, but it’s also keeping some tried and tested models. With 13 of the top 20 UK models now SUVs in a sector that has grown to almost 56% of annual registrations, Honda could not ignore what buyers want. It’s city-car Honda e, which has not been selling well, has been joined by the e:Ny1 compact SUV bringing more room and range for families and hence wider appeal. It will also assist Honda in selling 22% electric models across its range as mandated by the EU…

Subaru is a bit of a lone-wolf in the car world. Part of Fuji Heavy Industries and founded 70 years ago, it’s the brand’s golden anniversary in Britain next year after it launched with a compact and capable little estate car and pickup at prices which made hundreds of farmers and country-folk very happy. It also became a byword for British fans of the World Rally Championship in the 80s and 90s but few can remember its single-season shot in the rarefied ranks of Formula One. Not the obvious choice for many looking for a big estate, the Outback easily…

If you are selling Britain’s most popular family car it is difficult to improve on it, unless you offer an estate version like the Ford Focus Active X. The groundswell of sales lift towards MPV or SUV bodystyle across Europe but in Britain there is still strong demand for estates and some brands have given away sales to competitors by ending these highly practical, economical workhorses. Wisely, Ford has decided to keep offering the Focus Estate series and it’s not a token amount. The choice of Focus Estates run to 14 models in a 28 strong range which includes five-door…

A lot of airtime and column centimetres have been taken up with Wales’ default 20mph urban limit, but I’ll let you into a little secret, you can do 100 in a Honda Jazz Advance Sport, and it’s perfectly legal. The fact is I am not talking about the sporty Jazz’s speed, rather its ability to return 102mpg: yes over a ton. Even on a busy day you’ll probably exceed 60mpg from this incredible Tardis of the tarmac. Put simply, it packs more than you can imagine into a body just over 4 metres long but it somehow manages to give…

Having a finger in every pie is very satisfying for KIA. It means you can offer the wide range of buyers something and you are not hit too hard if tastes change and a design goes out of fashion. With the resurgence of interest in estate cars for load-lugging over and above the more limited hatchback shapes it was natural that their highly successful Ceed family car would be joined by a ‘bigger brother some the same mother’. And being KIA, the style was very important so the five-door Proceed appeared as a semi-estate in 2018 after a few years…

Subaru made its name in Britain with some compact go-anywhere estates before its reputation accelerated through the World Rally Championship. Both disciplines relied on a thoroughly designed and engineered all-wheel-drive system which would put much more expensive and complicated if less reliable rivals to shame. Subaru were better where it matters, as their marketing speak says, but that’s not to decry the new generation and their interpretation of a modern SUV with its pure electric platform and powertrain. Essentially a joint development with Toyota, the Subaru Solterra fulfills many rolls with ease and ability. It’s not a particularly inexpensive 4WD…

The new car market grew 24.4% in August with 85,657 new vehicles registered, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. While August is typically a quieter month with many buyers choosing to wait until the September numberplate change, an increase of 16,799 units means the sector is now entering a second year of growth. Despite this improved performance, the market still remains -7.5% below pre-pandemic levels. The increase was fuelled by a surge in registrations by large fleets, rising 58.4% to 51,951 units, while business registrations grew 39.4% to 1,635 units. Conversely, private demand…

Having the right face can open many doors and this is the thinking behind the latest Genesis GV60 ev. It is the first model to use the company’s new pure electric platform, winning independent awards for its sophistication and performance and has just been updated with a raft of features designed to make owning, driving and enjoying the ‘baby-Genesis’ a better experience. So, after a very impressive experience with the original GV60 earlier this year I eagerly took up the opportunity to try the updated model, which includes facial recognition software and a fingerprint to unlock the doors for a…

The British MINI is as traditional as a cup of tea, and next year it will be particularly apt because it’s the Convertible’s 20th anniversary, traditionally marked with a gift of china. Launched four years after the new generation MINI hatch was unveiled by parent BMW in 2000, the MINI Convertible has moved through four generations which include a completely electric version. It’s a neat soft-top package providing four-seat open air motoring compared to most rag-tops two seats unless you go for a much more expensive and larger car from a premium maker. The MINI Convertible, tested in Cooper S…

As the motor industry increasingly turns in on itself and concentrates on niche models it’s good to see the BMW X1 arrive, genuinely offering something for everyone. Sport, xLine and M Sport trim levels span seven models including three or four cylinder petrol-hybrid units, four-cylinder diesels and an electric version to ensure there is something for every requirement or preference. To that mix you can add two or four wheel drive for soft-roading and outdoor pursuits and an enormous range of expensive accessories to personalise your car and make it your own. This is the third generation X1 which launched…