THE Mini has always been a car big on style and desirability but, well, mini on practicality, even the bigger BMW produced, latter day versions of the model. That has now changed, slightly, with the hatchback, particularly the five-door version. It is bigger, longer by 72mm and has more boot space, up by 67 litres and, together with the three door version, is the model’s first foray into the hatchback market.
IF you like technology, you’re going to love this new Audi TT – the dashboard alone will be enough to clinch some sales – I’m sure of that – it’s like something off the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars. The centre console where the instruments sit also doubles as the sat nav screen – no longer is it in a 7in screen in the middle of the dash.
AS regular readers will know, this is the second of our recent test cars to arrive sporting a Big Red Nose – and it’s all to mark Toyota’s sponsorship of this year’s Red Nose Day.
The Comic Relief charity smashed through the £1-billion landmark on Friday night – surely a fitting way to mark its 30th anniversary of raising money to help good causes across the world. Lexus NX buyers however, won’t be in need of charitable support, with prices for this most striking of cars starting from just under £30,000.
IT’S not every day that your test car turns up sporting a big red nose, but that was precisely what happened with this week’s Toyota Yaris test car.
A bit of a surprise, maybe, but it did make me smile – and there’s a good reason for it. Toyota is an official partner to this year’s Red Nose Day and is aiming to raise £1-million for Comic Relief and part of their campaign is to sell as many of the official red noses for cars, trucks, vans and even mobility scooters as they possibly can.
THE Nissan Qashqai has been around since 2007 in its various guises and while always having been a worthy presence in the mid-sized SUV market, I’ve always thought it to be a bit ordinary – it’s never really stood out.
But those comments can’t be levelled at this new model – it looks superb, really eye-catching – at least, it certainly caught my eye when I spotted the first few examples on the roads.
IF YOU’RE looking for a radical looking new car, then the Audi A4 will probably not be for you – they really don’t change very much from one model to the next, they just evolve, subtlely. But as someone once said, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and the Audi A4 definitely ain’t broke. Sit in the car, shut the door, open the glovebox and have a good fiddle with the switches and you’ll realise one thing – it oozes quality. Everything feels beautifully tactile and a sheer delight to interact with.
THE Volvo V60 R Design is, in my opinion, one of the most attractive estate cars on the market today thanks to its heady mix of sharp yet classy styling, comfort, safety and technology. The Swedish manufacturer has managed to create a very good looking car, something slightly different from the traditional boxy estate, yet retain all the practicality a load lugger should possess, with the whole package being topped off by a set of of smart alloys.
BLACK seems to be the new white, and this rather smart looking Skoda Yeti Black Edition is a rather special extension of the Yeti brood. The recently updated model features new styling front and aft and equipment upgrades, but other than that, Skoda have stuck to the practical, functional, go just about anywhere formula which has proved to be quite a hit for the brand.
THE Vauxhall Insignia is a familiar sight on our roads and is a firm favourite of the fleet driver thanks to its mile-munching capabilities and huge boot, perfect for all manner of “stuff”.
Recently refreshed, this is the latest Vauxhall Insignia, featuring a few subtle external styling tweaks and new lighting designs, freshening up the car without venturing into anything too radical.
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