Curvier, Chubbier Fiat Panda Faces Competition From VW Up Competition For City Cars Makes Choosing Tough rating **** out of 5 For – cheap, practical, cute Against – so is everything else Fiat’s new Panda looks like a curvier and chubbier version of the old one and it has to be good because the competition is hotting up. […]
No footballers, no drug dealers – just good, classless, neutral image engineering rating **** out of 5 Volkswagen seems to be on a roll at the moment with all its brands apart from SEAT powering ahead allowing the possibility that it might, perhaps briefly, achieve its world domination ambition several years early, overtaking General Motors and […]
Ultimate Sports Car Soft Top Not Gull-Wing Doors Means Wind In The Hair Mind-Blowing Performance Best Limited To The Race-Track rating ***** out of 5 For – fast, cute, high tech Against – induces chronic envy syndrome Imagine that you’ve won the Euro millions lottery and the only new car that fits the bill is a Mercedes SLS […]
Small SUV To Fight BMW’s X1 Call It Cute-Ute, Or Soft-Roader, But Watch It Leap Off The Shelves Looks Terrific Compared With The BMW, But So Would Quasimodo rating **** out of 5 For – understated, classy, useful Against – pricey Whitby, Yorkshire – BMW created the luxury compact SUV segment with its X1, and now Audi has […]
Dramatic Design Sets It Apart Makes Germans Look Bland, Understated Who Would Buy A Two-wheel Drive Range Rover? **** out of 5 “tow from the snow? Sorry. No can do. I couldn’t afford one with four-wheel drive.” Just imagine the humiliation For – style, panache, go-anywhere Against – in-yer-face looks might deter some I’ve been agonising about the […]
Golf-Sized Lancia In Disguise Trumpets Luxury High Prices May Do For It, If Cutthroat Competition Doesn’t Chrysler Brand Says Buy American Dream, But This Is Italian rating *** out of 5 For – pretty, stylish, roomy Against – too expensive, rubbish auto gear-box It must be tough selling cars. For years we’ve been told if you buy a […]
Weird Looking Baby SUV Is A Bridge Too Far Qashqai Design Was Brave, Innovative, Highly Successful This One Is Daring Too, But Misses The Target ** out of 5 Nissan Seeks Out The “Urban Player” With No Embarrass Genes For – singular looks, terrific interior, decent value Against – if you’re old enough to afford this car, you’ve […]
Vauxhalls just get better and better They are premium cars desperate for a premium badge rating **** out of 5 For: Beautifully built, fabulous road holding Against: High depreciation Ever since Vauxhall’s rust-ridden nadir in the 1960s, its products, starting with the Cavalier have just got better and better. Thanks to designers and engineers poached from premium manufacturers […]
Plug-In Hybrid Promises Economy, No Range Anxiety I’ve been driving the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid here in Britain, a new high-technology car which will keep the number crunchers at the Nissan Renault alliance awake at night. Toyota hasn’t yet published the full specification of the car. That will happen when it is launched in the […]
The Americans Get A Small Car From Lancia If Fiat Sells Pandas Disguised As 500s For More Money, Why Not This? Ypsilon Moved Upmarket With Luxuries Like Leather, Xenon Lights *** out of 5 For – attractive, well equipped, drives well, stands out in the crowd Against – pricey; can it compete with bigger cars? Chrysler dealers in […]
