Category : Road Tests
Road Test: Infiniti Q50S Hybrid
That’s a tough segment to crack. Volvo and Lexus have struggled in the past, Jaguar and Alfa Romeo are readying new models, and Infiniti is a relative unknown at present. UK sales last year … Read More »
First Drive: Volkswagen e-Caddy Maxi
However that looks set to change. While Volkswagen was at pains to point out that it isn’t launching anything yet, and that they are purely an engineering exercise, we have tried both an e-Caddy … Read More »
Road Test: Lexus GS 300h SE
For Lexus, it’s been a valuable development. The CT 200h arrived as a competitive premium C-segment rival in 2011, and the four-cylinder IS 300h finally made large hybrids a viable proposition against the default … Read More »
Road Test: Renault Kangoo ZE ML 20
Yet new models are on the way, with Nissan promising its e-NV200 and both Peugeot and Citroën showing electric vans at last year’s CV Show, though we’ve yet to see any of these on … Read More »
First Drive: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
Thing is, with electric cars, we’ve heard all of this before. Every single one seems to be launched with the claim it is a ‘game changer’. The problem is it’s a game not many … Read More »
Road Test: Lexus CT 200h Advance
But Lexus made the shrewd move of not joining the crowd. Now adopted across the range, the CT took on what has traditionally been a diesel-heavy sector with a single drivetrain option – a … Read More »
Road Test: Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid
The Panamera S E-Hybrid, a high performance, low-carbon luxury car, competes in a corporate-dominated market sector, and offers a glimpse of some of the Group’s most advanced hybrid technology. So this is a really … Read More »
Road Test: Volkswagen e-up!
Volkswagen has been hinting at this model since its concept car namesake was first shown in 2007, and it forms part of plans to put an electrically-driven model in every sector that the Group … Read More »
Road Test: Renault ZOE Dynamique Intens
Range isn’t much of an issue in this segment. Superminis typically cover mostly local, short routes where the claimed 130-mile NEDC range on offer from the ZOE is plenty. We tested the car in … Read More »
First Drive: Lexus GS 300h
Lexus has continued to invest in hybrid drivetrains while others stick with diesel. Since 2005, starting with the RX 400h, every model in the Lexus range has had a hybrid option, from the CT … Read More »
Road Test: Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid
Under the bonnet is the familiar 215bhp D5 diesel engine, powering the front wheels. The rear wheels are driven using a 70bhp electric rear axle, supplied by a lithium-ion battery under the boot floor. … Read More »
Road Test: Lexus IS 300h F Sport
It sounds excellent on paper. There’s a combined 220bhp on offer from its petrol-electric drivetrain and, as this is a parallel hybrid, the electric motor can provide up to 100% of the driving power. … Read More »
First Drive: Kia Ray EV
Like most manufacturers, Kia is investing heavily in its future drivetrains at the moment. Micro-hybrid, parallel hybrid, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell powertrains are under development and due for a production launch within … Read More »
First Drive: BMW i3
The i3 is the first of BMW’s new plug-in vehicle sub-brand, and not only has it made strides in the engineering of the car itself, but it’s taken six years studying the reasons why … Read More »
First Drive: Ford Focus Electric
Battery electric vehicles are still a relatively small market in the UK and Ford believes this is a niche car. So training and equipment will be focused on the Dagenham Ford dealerships in the … Read More »
First Drive: Volkswagen e-up!
Both will be propelled by a similar electric motor, driving the front wheels, and a Lithium-ion battery pack. This battery pack is built into the floor between the two rear wheels, partly under the … Read More »
First Drive: BYD e6
To give some background, BYD, an acronym for Build Your Dreams, has been involved in the domestic automotive industry for ten of its eighteen year history. But it’s growing, with ventures including Denza, a … Read More »
First Drive: Hyundai ix35 FCEV
This first batch, of 1,000 vehicles, is being built alongside conventionally powered ix35 SUVs at Hyundai’s plant in Busan, South Korea. It’s an updated version of the car decision makers and journalists have been … Read More »
First Drive: BMW ActiveE Prototype
Based on the 1 Series Coupe, the ActiveE is the latest in a line of BMW and MINI test cars built to glean data about real-world usage to inform the production version of the … Read More »
First Drive: Lexus IS 300h
Sector: Compact executive Price: £24,495–£38,485 Fuel: 60.1–65.7mpg CO2: 99–109g/km Forget the sub-100g/km for a moment and take a look at the styling. Different. Striking. Bold. That first one is key, as really it’s pretty difficult to get too excited by … Read More »
