Category : Road Tests
Road Test: BMW 225xe Sport Active Tourer
The all-to-common problem with plug-in hybrids is the cost of the technology means it’s fitted to large vehicles with usage that often doesn’t suit short EV ranges and the thirsty petrol engines they rely … Read More »
Road Test: BMW 330e iPerformance M Sport
Having shown what it’s capable of with the futuristic i3 and i8, the iPerformance line-up is where BMW’s plug-in technology competes for the mainstream. Particularly the plug-in hybrid 330e, which combines the driver appeal … Read More »
First Drive: BMW i3 94Ah
Despite its futuristic styling, the BMW i3 was a big step towards normalising electric vehicle ownership when it launched three years ago. Not only was the ‘megacity car’ a clever product – lightweight, space-efficient … Read More »
Road Test: Volkswagen Passat Estate GTE
Increasingly segmented and technology-driven, the humble half-hour dealer test drive has become an inadequate way to get familiar with the latest cars. Like most plug-in hybrids, the Passat GTE certainly warrants more than a … Read More »
First Drive: Kia Optima PHEV
Kia sees a much bigger role for the Optima in its European fleet presence and, while it’s the estate that’s likely to be the volume model, the brand’s first plug-in hybrid has a role … Read More »
Road Test: Lexus RX 450h F-Sport
I have to be honest and say that the prospect of an RX450h on my drive for a week did not fill me with excitement. Looks that could frighten children and an SUV – … Read More »
First Drive: Kia Niro
In the first six months of this year, Kia sold more Sportages in the UK than it did during a record 2015. Once a brand synonymous with small, cheap cars, it’s now famed for … Read More »
First Drive: Hyundai IONIQ
Petrol, or diesel? It’s not so long ago that, for most fleets, picking a suitable drivetrain was a binary choice. But technology is altering the playing field, and the Hyundai IONIQ offers a glimpse … Read More »
Road Test: Mercedes-Benz C 350 e Sport
It might not have seemed it in 1982, but when Mercedes-Benz took the covers off its electric prototype car at the Hanover Trade Fair, it was unveiling what was to become an important technology. … Read More »
First Drive: Toyota Prius
Arguably launched before its time, the first Prius was a 20th Century solution to 21st Century problems. Years before legislation twisted the arms of other brands, it gave Toyota a platform to lead on … Read More »
First Drive: Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine
The stats behind Volvo’s first plug-in hybrid SUV, the XC90 T8 Twin Engine, read like a recipe for success in upper-echelon company car fleets. So it should come as no surprise that it’s already … Read More »
Road Test: Toyota Auris Hybrid Business Edition
Such is the familiarity and outward normality of the Auris Hybrid that, now in its sixth year on sale in the UK, it’s easy to overlook the role it’s played in exposing people to … Read More »
First Drive: Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Still growing exponentially and beloved of company car drivers, the C-SUV segment is synonymous with diesel power, particularly in fleet. It’s a crowded sector and a tough one to crack, even following segment norms, … Read More »
Road Test: Range Rover Hybrid
Few of us will get to choose a Range Rover as a company car. For those that do, it’s likely that fuel consumption and CO2 emissions may not be a top priority. But if … Read More »
First Drive: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
Mitsubishi has enjoyed phenomenal success with the Outlander PHEV since it was launched in 2014. The intuitive controls make it one of the best plug-in hybrids available, while the low NEDC CO2 emissions add … Read More »
First Drive: Volkswagen Passat GTE
Remember the Passat W8? Not many do seeing as Volkswagen only sold a handful of the sober-suited hot-rods around the world, but its 4.0-litre W8 configuration unit did go on to better things, forming … Read More »
First Drive: Nissan LEAF 30kWh
It’s indicative of the relatively low consumer understanding of electric vehicle technology that the most important update for the Nissan LEAF since it launched in 2011 isn’t flagged up by a badge or marked … Read More »
First Drive: Toyota Mirai
Although Toyota isn’t aiming for Corolla-esque volumes with the Mirai, the brand’s first production hydrogen fuel cell car is probably the most important new model it’s launched in the UK since the original Prius.
Road Test: Volkswagen Golf GTE
Never mind the fact that the Golf GTE is not particularly fast; ignore the fact that it really won’t get anywhere near its claimed 166mpg; instead, just focus on that 39g/km CO2 emissions rating … Read More »
Road Test: Ford Mondeo Hybrid Titanium
Press the start button in the Mondeo Hybrid and something unusual happens – it’s silent. We’ve become so used to Ford’s fleet stalwart rumbling into life with the clatter of a cold diesel engine … Read More »
