Category: Car reviews

The DS 7 Crossback SUV offers a touch of French luxury to take on its established German rivals

The DS 7 Crossback enters a market sector that’s chock-full of talented rivals, but it doesn’t quite boast class leading qualities in enough areas to be considered a proper best-buy. It’s an interesting car with a well appointed, classy interior and plenty of eye-catching features. It’s spacious too, but it doesn’t drive anywhere near as sharply as many rivals, while the inconsistent ride Continue reading “DS 7 Crossback review”

“Hand-built Bentley Flying Spur luxury saloon combines breathtaking performance with majestic luxury and refinement”

The Bentley Flying Spur is the brand’s ‘small’ four-door limousine. It uses an extended version of the Continental GT coupe’s platform, so it comes with four-wheel drive and Bentley’s 6.0-litre W12 engine. Predictably then, performance is stunning – this two-tonne-plus saloon delivers a sub-four second 0-62mph time and a top speed of 207mph.

As with all Continue reading “Bentley Flying Spur review”

We test nine winter essential rechargeable torches that you can keep fully powered up in the glovebox

Carrying a torch in the glovebox is always a good idea, but not so clever if the battery is flat when you need it. So a rechargeable model makes more sense, particularly when it can be revived in the car.

Modern LEDs provide lots of light for a small amount of charge and are tough, reliable and usually last the life of the torch. So which flashlight is the one to slip into your car? We Continue reading “Best rechargeable torches 2020”

A hosepipe is a must to clean your car, but which hose reel kit makes it easiest to handle? We find out…

If you like to clean your own car, a hosepipe is an essential piece of kit. But it can become a nightmare of tangles, leaks and kinks that will lead to frustration and sodden shoes. The answer is to get reel with something that will keep the pipe neatly stowed away when it’s not in use, and has proper watertight connectors.

We tried eight of the best, choosing a variety of manual Continue reading “Best hose reels 2020”

The new 617bhp BMW X5 M Competition is a fine example of what BMW's M Division can doVerdict4BMW’s latest M car is a fine example of what M Division can do to what is, let’s face it, not a natural home for its handiwork. As high performance SUVs go the X5 M Competition is quick and hugely capable, while it’s a technological tour de force and highlights how BMW’s build quality is as good as it now gets. It’ll provide a stiff challenge for a Porsche Cayenne Turbo, and even the more Continue reading “New BMW X5 M Competition 2020 review”

We hitch a ride in the all-new Citroen ami, a Renault Twizy rival designed to bring car sharing to the masses

“When was the last time you sat in a car and couldn’t touch the windscreen?” asks Citroen’s new CEO Vincent Cobee as we climb out of his all-new ami city car.

It’s a valid question, and one to which we can’t fathom an easy answer. The feeling of space inside the ami is quite unlike anything we’ve driven in recent years. The dashboard sits stretched out way ahead of Continue reading “Citroen ami ride review”

Electric Kia Soul EV combines quirky design with enormous capabilityVerdict4.5The Kia Soul EV is a compelling electric car, offering great performance, refinement, comfort and tech. And once you’ve got past the purchase price, the low running costs will mean it makes better financial sense the further you drive. No, the exterior styling won’t be for everyone, but better to be bold than boring.

The first Kia Soul EV appeared back in 2014, following in the tyre tracks of petrol and diesel Continue reading “New Kia Soul EV 2020 review”

The second-generation Renault Captur small SUV is a seriously tempting packageVerdict4Never before have there been so many great small crossovers to choose from, but the new Renault Captur is right up there with the very best. Yes, some rivals stand out as being more practical or better to drive, but few offerings in this class set such a high bar across so many key areas for customers. A great finance package is the clincher, and the arrival of a plug-in hybrid version this summer will add Continue reading “New Renault Captur 2020 review”

We try the new Hyundai i10 out for size against its city car rivals, the Kia Picanto and Toyota Aygo

Car makers have struggled to square the city car circle, working out how to glean meaningful profits from a small, affordable model. The class has stagnated as a result, but there’s been a round of updates and the one leading the charge is the Hyundai i10.

This new third-generation car picks up where its predecessor left off. We heaped praise on the Mk2 when it launched thanks to its Continue reading “Hyundai i10 vs Toyota Aygo vs Kia Picanto”

The new BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe is based on the M135i hatch, but its set-up is a little softerVerdict3On paper the BMW M235i xDrive is a quick and economical car, more spacious than you might think, and well equipped. But in reality, it is not the most convincing car ever to wear the magic M badge. Some will like it but we’re not so sure. A 220d Gran Coupe is a better car overall, and is more suited to the Gran Coupé formula.

The four-door coupe is a weird kind of animal. But it’s a Continue reading “New BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe 2020 review”