Subaru XV 2.0 SE ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

Little known to many Subaru have actually been making crossovers for a very long time. Actually before they were even cool. It all started in the early 90s with their Legacy estate which came with AWD and jacked up suspension for those living in more rural locations. 

Here we are testing the brand’s latest offering the rugged XV. Essentially a fourth generation Impreza hatchback with increased ground clearance and body cladding this compact Subaru is aimed squarely at Kia’s Sportage, Peugeot’s 3008 and Mitsubishi's ASX. With Subaru’s symmetrical permanent four wheel drive system and a five year warranty up it’s sleeve is the XV a better car to drive and own? Read on to find out

VIBE Car of the Year 2012

Review by Rob McSorley

We have just crowned Ford's superb 1.0T EcoBoost as our Car of the Year.

Now read the full verdict

Ford Focus 1.0T Ecoboost Review

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SEAT Ibiza 1.4 TSi FR DSG ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

Since parent company Volkswagen took the reigns at SEAT in 1990 it has strived to carve the Spanish brand a neat section of the market with products that are more daring and sporty than Skodas or Volkswagens. SEAT could be described then as the wild child of the family, perhaps the unruly teenager that likes to have far too much fun.

The Ibiza has been SEAT’s best-selling model for a very long time, few realise that its been about for nearly 30 years and is now in its fourth generation. Earlier this year the Polo-based hatch received a thorough reworking to keep it fresh in the face of increased opposition. Until the new Cupra (Cup Racing) comes along the sportiest model is the FR (Formula Racing) which as of 2012 is available in a number of body styles and power outputs. We test the most potent petrol model to find out if it’s any good.

Chevrolet Orlando 2.0 VCDi Exec ON THE ROAD

Review by Rob McSorley

Photos by Mat Brooks

The Chevrolet Orlando is a bit of an unknown entity in the UK. As the name suggests it was originally intended to be manufactured in the states where it has been a huge hit as it was primarily designed for the American market. Now a few years into its life it's a curious looking MPV with its chunky, almost retro Americanized styling but is actually an indirect replacement for the ugly, unloved Tacuma. We got our hands on a top spec LTZ model to find out if the C-Max and Scenic have reason to be concerned.

Shoestring Superminis

By Leo Kimitri

Thanks to the rapidly increasing cost of insurance (and of course petrol, road tax, servicing etc.), car ownership levels among young people are plummeting. In a bid to soften the blow, Peugeot is extending its “Just Add Fuel” scheme which rolls all major motoring costs into one fixed monthly payment, so that it now covers drivers as young as 21. While this still leaves under 21s out in the cold, at least those residing in the hinterland between 21 and 25 now have another option when they come to buy a car. But just how tempting is Peugeot’s three year long package?

Volkswagen Beetle Design 2.0-litre TDI DSG BRIEF ENCOUNTER

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

It's no secret that currently retro is cool. You could be fooled into thinking that it all started with BMW's runaway success the MINI but Volkswagen’s Beetle predated it by a good few years. 

Sadly in comparison the 'new' Beetle seemed like a poor regurgitated imitation of the original Beetle. If you squinted hard enough it sure looked like a Beetle but everything else was pretty ordinary including its bland VW parts bin interior (dashboard vase aside) and so-so drive from its Golf derived underpinnings.

2012 saw the launch of this, the second generation car which promises to up the game in response to the now more crowded sector occupied by not only the MINI but Fiat's 500; not forgetting the 'anti-retro' Citroen DS3.

New Peugeot 2008 Revealed

Well here it is, the new 208 -based 2008 compact soft-road to sit beneath the hugely popular 3008.

What do you think?

PLEASE VOTE

Top 12 of 2012 & DriverVIBE Car of the Year

Happy New Year and Welcome to DriverVIBE.

Put down your party poppers and raise your glasses. Its time to look back at my Top 12 cars of 2012 that you will be wanting parked on your drive during 2013.

The categories are;

Most Improved

(Winner & Recommended)

Best Economy

(Winner & Recommended)

Most Fun

(Winner & Recommended)

Biggest Surprise

(Winner & Recommended)

Most Family Friendly

(Winner & Recommended)

Best Technology

(Winner & Recommended)

Special Award

DriverVIBE Car of the Year 2012

Most Anticipated Car of 2013

Peugeot 3008 1.6 HDi Allure ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Leo Kimitri

Peugeot’s 3008 is a hard car to pigeonhole. It doesn’t have rugged 4x4 credentials (four wheel drive isn’t even an option on the 1.6 diesel), it’s not as flexible as a normal MPV and it’s much taller than a standard hatchback. The benefit of this according to Peugeot, is that the 3008 combines the benefits of all three. But does it also combine the drawbacks of all three? We spent a week with the 3008 to find out…