Audi's booted A3 brings style to the small premium sector

The Audi A3 has been given the boot. The three box saloon version will take to the roads in the UK in September as the brand seeks to take over BMW's number one spot in the premium car segment.

Over the past 10 years, Audi sales in Britain have doubled to 123,522 in 2012, around 4,000 shy of BMW's total. Up to the beginning of this month, Audi had snatched the top spot with 61,350 sales against Beemer's 50,924.

It is hoped that the A3 saloon will help maintain the lead. With a distinctive coupe-like styling, this is Audi's first compact saloon in the UK although the car was originally developed for the Chinese and US markets which favour the more traditional three-box styling over hatchbacks.

For the UK, A3 product manager Rob Morris said the saloon will be very much a niche model compared to the hatchback, but it gives the brand a body style none of its rivals have.

He added: "We expect to attract customers moving up from smaller hatchbacks into something more premium as well as those downsizing from larger models. The majority of A3 sales will still be the hatchback with the saloon accounting for around 10 percent annually."

For Audi globally, the A3 is certainly an important model accounting for 20 percent of the brand's total sales according to product marketing chief Benjamin Holle. Since its launch in 1996 some 3.5 million have been sold.

The car comes to the UK at launch with 1.4- and 1.8-litre petrol engines and a 2-litre turbo diesel with prices aimed at undercutting key competitors. The range will start with Sport specification as standard and priced at £24,305, around £50 cheaper than the Mercedes CLA 180 sport and well below the £28,285 Volvo T3 R-design. It is also faster than both and at 109g/km has the lowest emissions.

A 1.6-litre turbo diesel will follow in December and the hot S3 quattro saloon is due in the first quarter next year.

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.co.uk).

The Volvo that can park itself

Imagine pulling up outside an airport and heading for the check-in desk while your car goes off to park itself.

It will send a message to your smartphone once safely tucked in a bay, and come to pick you up on your return - all without a driver on board.

Science fiction? No. Volvo is already demonstrating an autonomous parking system in a V40, and is serious about having it in a production car before the end of this decade. And Volvo is not alone. Audi demonstrated a similar idea at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas at the start of the year.

The prototype self-parking V40 is even smart enough to recognise when another car pulls out into its path, or if a trolley-wielding pedestrian has stepped out in front of it, and come to a gentle stop.

It works through a highly sensitive camera with advanced exposure control and a radar sensor which will form the basis of other Volvo safety advances in next year's new XC90.

"Customers will soon be ready to embrace autonomy in cars and pay for it," says the senior technical leader for Volvo safety technologies, Erik Coelingh.

But while autonomous parking can be made to work, there are a couple of major issues to resolve before it is ready to be offered to customers. The first is that it can only work if the car is able to recognise vacant parking spaces, so a vehicle-to-infrastructure link has to exist. "The one piece of vital information is 'is there a parking space available'," says Coelingh.

The second obstacle to commercialisation is that, under current legislation almost everywhere in the world, totally self-driving cars are not allowed. The car which parks itself would be legal only in private parking areas.

But when up to a third of all people who drive in cities are just looking for somewhere to park - wasting time and fuel adding to their stress levels - Volvo believes it is only a matter of time before legislation catches up with technology and lets the car take the strain.

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.co.uk).

Kia UK hinting at more sporty GT models

Kia's first sporty hatchback, the pro_cee'd GT, goes on sale next week, but already the company's UK operation is clamouring for similar performance and styling upgrades to be applied to other models in the range.

A GT version of the five-door cee'd will be added at the start of 2014, but UK bosses are convinced that a full line-up of more performan
ce-oriented models would help them maintain the momentum which has produced five straight years of record sales.

Top of their wish-list is a GT version of the Sportage crossover, which is now Kia's best-selling model in Britain, but they believe sporty versions of the Rio and Picanto would also go down well. UK leaders think there is a good chance of a performance version of the Sportage appearing in a couple of years or so.

Performance models are relatively low-volume sellers - Kia is expecting to sell between 500 and 750 pro_cee'd GTs in the UK in a full year - but they have an important halo effect on the mainstream cars they are based on. In Kia's case they would also help to elevate public perception of the brand.

Kia sold 66,000 cars in the UK in 2012 and is on course to top 70,000 this year - the total for the first-half of the year is expected to be around 37,000. But with only one all-new car to come between now and 2015 - a replacement for the Soul early next year - additional sporty derivatives would give a sales boost to the current range.

"The pro_cee'd GT was driven by demand from Europe and with its arrival we are moving on to the next chapter in our history," says the company's UK president and CEO, Paul Philpott. "In Europe, brands like ours are defined by their C-segment cars, and we now have a model which adds excitement to the range. We took it to Motorexpo in London last week and spent the whole day taking city bankers for test drives."

There will be two versions of the pro_cee'd, priced from £19,995, plus a limited run of 500 high-specification '1st Edition' models at £23,995. Fifty of these are coming to the UK.

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.co.uk).

Ford Focus 1.0T EcoBoost ON THE ROAD

Review by Rob McSorley

Having owned three Ford Focus’ over the years the prospect of trying out the new mark three was pretty exciting. Then I learned that the car I would be testing would have a 998cc petrol engine nestled under the bonnet. Surely an engine of such small proportions lugging around a c-segment hatch is a recipe for disaster. Much to my surprise this couldn’t have been further from the truth

You see the engine under the bonnet is no ordinary petrol motor. Its Ford’s brand new 1.0T EcoBoost unit that claims to be small but mighty in the power it serves up and achievable economy. The question is how good is the Focus in its third iteration and can an engine as tiny as this cope with such a tough task and still return decent economy? Read on to find out.

New Top Gear Reasonably Priced Car

Words by Rob McSorley

We at DriverVIBE absolutely love BBC2’s Top Gear, not because it offers an accurate representation of the motoring world for your average Joe but for the sheer entertainment it provides. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May travel the globe to bring viewers the most outrageous reviews and group tests of both new cars and models they have purchase themselves.

One of the most interesting parts of the show has to be the “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” segment which sees all manner of celebrities clamber behind the wheel of the show’s cheap and cheerful motor tearing around the Top Gear test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. At approximately 1.75 miles long the track is a real challenge even for The Stig with corners aptly named "Crooner Curves", "Willson Bend","Hammerhead" and "Bacharach Bend" 

All manner of celebrities have rocketing around the track since the shows successful relaunch in 2002 all gunning to beat each other to be crowned the fastest celeb. Stars have included Jamie Oliver, Terry Wogan, Stephen Fry, Simon Cowell and John Prescott. The fourteenth series in 2009 saw an influx of A-list celebrities getting in on the action such as Ryan Reynolds, Will.i.am. Cameron Diaz, Matt Le Blanc and Tom Cruise

A pivotal part of the feature has been the cars chosen by the show that receive a serious thrashing every time they are taken out on the track. Sometimes with hilarious results as many celebrities struggle to stay on the track veering off onto the grass, into the tyres and even managing to damage the car in the process. 

The first “Reasonably Priced Car” was a £9,995 Suzuki Liana saloon. Hardly known for its decent handling it saw Ellen MacArthur crowned the reigning champion at the end of the first seven series’ that it featured with a lap time of 1:14.7. The slowest person to cross the finish line was Richard Whiteley who took a leisurely 2:06.00.

The second car to be used by the show was a Chevrolet Lacetti which was used from 2006 to 2010 and saw Jay Kay crowned the fastest around the track with a lap time of just 1:45.83. The slowest celebrity was Jimmy Carr who spun off during the timed lap earning him a lap time of 2:08.9. At the end of the car’s time with Top Gear it was decided by the team that it would be unsafe to allow the car to be sold on or driven on public roads so it was decided that it had to be destroyed. In true Top Gear tradition crushing the car in the usual way just wouldn't be entertaining enough so the team took the car to the demolition site of the two 550 ft chimneys at Lafarge Cement's Northfleet Works. The Lacetti was placed in the path of the falling towers and was partially crushed rendering it undriveable.

The most recent “Reasonably Priced Car” was Kia’s very decent Cee’d five door hatchback which was referred to by the team as the "See Apostrophe Dee" during it’s time on the show. It was the first car to be driven around the track by more high profile celebrities and saw the Friends star Matt LeBlanc post the fastest lap time of just 1:42.1. At the bottom of the pile was the well known Damian Lewis who returned a time of 2:09.1 which is the slowest time ever recorded by a celebrity. However the track was covered in snow at the time.

Last week it was announced that when Series 20 begins in the Summer Clarkson, Hammond and May will reveal a new “Reasonably Priced Car” to replace the Kia currently used. We thought that we see if we could guess what the new car would be before the big reveal. With new car prices creeping up all the time there are very few cars out there that could be described as reasonably priced. We are hoping that it isn't left up to the trio to decide what the car will be. Their skewed view of what is affordable to the average Joe would most likely see a car such as a Porsche 911 join the popular feature. Below are the three cars that we think would make an ideal “Reasonably Priced Car”.

Dacia Sandero £5,995

Dacia - Renault’s bargain sub brand - recently launched their cheapest model the Sandero in the UK with a starting price of just £5,995. It is officially the cheapest new car in Britain by a fair margin mainly because of a number of cost-cutting measures. Firstly the base spec model has black bumpers, steel wheels, wind-up windows and doesn't even come with a stereo. It comes fitted with a 75 bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine that propels the Sandero from 0-62 mph in 14.5 seconds. More importantly it is a firm favourite of James May who often disrupts Top Gear’s news segment with the latest Sandero news. The little Dacia is our top choice for the next “Reasonably Priced Car”

Suzuki Alto £7,199

Suzuki’s smallest car the Alto costs £7,199 in basic SZ trim and comes with an equally tiny 1.0-litre 68 bhp petrol engine which sees it reach 60 mph in 13.5 seconds. With it’s narrow tyres and low kerb weight it should be very entertaining to see hurtling around the Top Gear test track at higher speeds. In comparison to the Dacia Sandero it has plenty of standard equipment including body coloured bumpers, electric windows and a CD player. It should also prove to be very reliable as Suzuki really have no idea how to produce an unreliable motor. It may be that the Alto is a little too small but we think it could well feature on the new series of Top Gear.

Skoda Rapid £12,905

Saloons have always proved popular with the Top Gear team as two of the previous three cars have been saloons despite the UK’s lack of enthusiasm for them. Recent Skodas have shrugged off their bargain image and prices have also crept up too but the recently launched Rapid changes that. At a shade under £13,000 it seems expensive compared to the Dacia and Suzuki but it is a much bigger car. It straddles the supermini and compact hatch segments but it still undercuts the latter on price. For your hard-earned cash you get a 1.2-litre 75 bhp petrol engine that results in a 0-62 mph time of 13.9 seconds but can return up to 61 mpg.

If you think you have a better idea of what the next "Reasonably Priced Car" will be we would love to hear from you.

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.com).

Peugeot 2008 UK Media Launch

Words & Photos by Rob McSorley

Remember the last time a car maker came up with a model so amazing it could be five cars in one? Citroen tried hard to keep up the visard with their crazy Pluriel but it failed in every single way. It doesn't seem to have put Peugeot off though as they are marketing their new 2008 crossover as a tantalising mix of estate car, MPV and 4x4

If not difficult enough the 2008 faces stiff competition from rivals such as the newly launched Renault Captur and the established Nissan Juke without forgetting Ford's mighty B-max.

Luckily for Peugeot it seems that they have hit the ground running and have had to double production to meet strong demand for their newest model. Considering customers haven't yet seen or experienced the car it's a monumental achievement.

To find out if the little crossover is any good we were invited to bustling Birmingham for the UK media launch at the swanky Hotel La Tour. The location was chosen - according to Peugeot - to tie in with their " See the City in a Different Light" marketing campaign. With the opportunity to clamber behind the (small) wheel of various versions across a range of driving environments we were eager to see if it's any good.

Sitting on the same platform as last years 208 supermini the 2008 benefits from the same space efficient design with a cabin that can comfortably seat four stocky adults. Passenger space is a lot more generous in the rear despite sharing the smaller cars 2538 mm wheelbase with plenty of leg, head and elbow room. It wouldn't be too difficult to seat there across the rear bench if necessary. 

The boot too is much larger at 360 litres and has a low, wide opening for easy loading. A nice feature are rear seats that fold completely flat in one action extending carrying capacity to 1194 litres.

The cabin design itself is lifted straight from the 208 with the same touchscreen navigation centered design and small steering wheel and high placed dial arrangement. We like the layout a lot. The only real differences are a variety of new materials that adorn the dashboard, door panels and seats. Some of which were a little odd for our liking.

The handbrake design differs however and is stubby, similar to that found in Fiat's Panda although we found it awkward to use and offers no real benefit over a traditional one.

In our eyes Peugeot have hit the jackpot with the 2008's styling. It's nicely chunky and more butch than the 208 with pronounced arches and raised suspension. The front is dominated by distinctive headlights with Peugeot's corporate grill which will feature on the new 308 soon. The rear is probably the best angle with claw-like wrap around taillights and a roof line that gets considerably taller towards the rear highlighted by the additional trim over the rear doors.

Unsurprisingly the new 2008 drives very much like the car on which it's based offering high levels of refinement and ride comfort to make any journey soothing. It also benefits from the same composed handling but suffers more in the corners with less controlled body roll with a tendency to wallow over larger crests. It's very pleasant if lacking involvement with steering that although direct if too vague.

Our initial drives enabled us to sample the 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine producing 82 bhp and the popular 1.6 4-cylinder diesel engine offering 115 bhp. 

The smaller unit is relatively punchy with a smooth delivery of power and characterful 3-cylinder thrum but it struggles to lug the 2008s extra weight around without a good thrashing. Fuel economy therefore suffers. It's also mated to an awful five speed box that has an awkwardly long throw and is far too notchy.

In comparison the larger diesel engine was much better suited to the task in hand with a healthy 270 Nm of torque. It's a refined unit with enough gusto to make light work of overtaking and carry large loads. It also comes with Peugeot's excellent six-speed gearbox which has a slick action making it a pleasure to use.

The range comprises of four trim levels from the base level Access+ to the top spec Feline which all come with a very good level of standard equipment which includes air conditioning, cruise control, electric windows, electric mirrors, remote central locking, one touch folding rear seats, LED daytime running lights and rofbars. Prices kick off at £12,995 for the 1.2 VTi Access+ rising to £19,195 for the plush 1.6 e-HDi Stop & Start Feline placing the 2008 at the same price point as its Nissan, Renault and Ford rivals. 

The highlight of the launch event had to be the demonstration of the companies Grip Control system in action that can be specified across the range. Put simply it consists of a switch located in front of the handbrake with various settings for different types of terrain. It controls the traction control system to improve grip levels. In conjunction with the the cars increased ground clearance and under body protection it grants the 2008 access to areas other two-wheel-drive vehicles could only dream of.

To give the system a good testing we took to the indoor ski slope at Snow Dome in Birmingham. We had the opportunity to drive a 2008 without Grip Control which barely made it onto the incline before losing traction completely. With Grip Control fitted and all-weather tyres it was easy to climb the steep slope covered in snow from as little as 2,000 rpm. The system shuffles power between the two driving wheels for optimum progress. Coming down the slope the system enables safe steering even when applying the brakes. At all times whilst driving in the snow the 2008 felt controlled and assured which gives plenty of confidence. Impressive stuff!

At the end of the launch event we had no doubt that Peugeot are onto a real winner with the new model. It builds on the strong talents of the 208 - our favourite supermini - whilst bringing added practicality with some off-road ability when specified with Grip Control. It also looks smart and is very refined for a car of its size. Nissan's Juke and Renault's Captur better watch out! 

In the coming months to see what the new 2008 is like to live with we will be spending more time with it and posting an in-depth review. Check back soon to see our verdict.

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.co.uk).

Suzuki Swift Sport ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley 

Light hatchbacks with brawny engines have been with us for over 30 years and how we have come to love them. The latest to join the fray is Suzuki’s second generation Swift Sport which has some rather big boots to fill as the original Sport caused quite a stir when it arrived in early 2006.

The basic Swift hatch is widely praised for its roomy, well built cabin and neat exterior design and this new Sport adds strong performance and crisp handling to the package. We hit the road to find out how good it really is.

Refreshed Suzuki Swift Revealed

Words by Rob McSorley

Three years after its original launch images have surfaced of Suzuki's revised Swift supermini ahead its launch later in the year. Details at the moment are a little sketchy but the obvious differences are easy to spot.

On the outside the Swift benefits from a restyled front bumper with more aggressive intakes incorporating LED daytime running lights on higher models in the range. There are similar changes to the rear with a reshaped bumper with narrower number plate recess along with new alloy wheel designs and new wing mirrors housing the turn signals. 

Changes to the cabin are likely to be less noticeable amounting to new trim fabrics and updates to some of the switchgear. Equipment levels across the range have always been generous so its unlikely that this will change when the Swift is launched.

Under the bonnet the engine range is not going to change offering UK buyers a choice of 1.2-litre VVT petrol and 1.3-litre diesel units (in addition to a 1.6-litre petrol in the Swift Sport). Changes to the way the Suzuki drives are also unlikely as the current model rides and handles very well compared to many of its rivals.

The biggest news for Brits is the expansion of the range with the addition of two new models. The first will come in the form of a five door version of the warm Swift Sport offering additional practicality lacking in rival cars from Peugeot and Ford. A five door Sport is already available in other markets but is a first for the UK. 

The second new model will be a four-wheel-drive Swift again already available in other markets. Buyers will be able to choose between two different versions the first with additional body cladding and under body protection and another version without. The more rugged models will rival Fiat's popular 4x4 and Trekking versions of the Panda.

Prices are yet to be revealed but are likely to remain largely the same as the current car but further details will follow in the coming months.

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.com).

Revised Alfa Romeo MiTo

Words by Rob McSorley

Alfa Romeo have released first details of its revised MiTo small hatchback before it goes on sale across Europe in the coming months. The new MiTo is going to be advertised through the brand's new "Live Rock" campaign, which is set to debut on 16th June.

Changes to the exterior are limited to a new grill design similar to that found on the larger Giulietta, a new "burnished" finish to the headlight surrounds and revised 15-inch alloy wheels on some models. In addition there is a new Anthracite Grey exterior paint finish.

Further changes have been made inside including revised dashboard trim and three new upholstery combinations designed to freshen up the ageing interior.

Gadget fans will be pleased to hear that the revised MiTo can now be specified with a Uconnect infotainment system that comprises of a five-inch touch-screen display with Bluetooth/iPod/USB/AUX connectivity. The new system will enable Alfa Romeo to compete with rival systems found in Vauxhall's Adam and Audi's A1.

The biggest news however is the addition of a new 0.9-liter Turbo TwinAir petrol engine that develops 105 bhp and up to 145 Nm of torque. It results in a 0-62 mph sprint taking 11.4 seconds and will reach a top speed of 114 mph. Alfa Romeo say that buyers can expect 67.2 mpg on a combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 99 g/km. Compared to the existing 85 bhp TwinAir unit the new engine is 0.9 seconds faster to 62 mph and produces just 1 g/km more CO2 so will still be road tax exempt.

Prices are expected to be revealed closer to the launch of the revised MiTo in the UK

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.com).

Volvo S60 D5 ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

Svelte coupe-esque sports saloons hardly ever appear in the sentence as Volvo but this S60 couldn't be more different from past Volvos. It's a direct rival to the BMW 3 series and Mercedes C-Class and is said to be Volvo's sportiest and most focused drivers car yet. Read on to find out if it lives up to the hype.

Revised Vauxhall Insignia Revealed

Words by Rob McSorley

Today Vauxhall have released first pictures of its revised Insignia range which includes the popular Hatchback and Tourer body styles.

Changes to the styling include a larger front grill with prominent badge, revised lower front bumper and new headlights with standard LED daytime running lights across the range. The rear has also been heavily revised with new taillights that stretch onto the tailgate as seen on the Cascada cabriolet. There’s also a revised rear bumper and new alloy wheel designs across the range.

In the cabin Vauxhall have addressed the criticisms leveled at the button-heavy dashboard so has simplified the design in the revised car grouping switches together in relation to their functions. There is also said to have been a hike in the quality of the materials used and buyers can spec a new eight-inch touch screen infotainment system with the ability to sync with mobile devices as well as downloading apps.

 

Two new engines have been introduced consisting of 167bhp 1.6-litre and 246bhp 2.0 litre SIDI turbo petrol units. It is expected that the new 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine will be launched in the Insignia in the next year or so. Other engines in the range have been revised for extra economy, performance and lower emissions which include the 2.0 turbodiesel which will also get Vauxhall’s new five-speed and six-speed manual gearboxes. Some versions of this engine emit just 99g/km of CO2

Under the skin there have been changes made to the suspension including new bushes, revised dampers and anti-roll bars to improve the car’s refinement, handling and road holding which has always been little more than average. The electric power steering has also gained new software to improve weighting and feel on the move.

The biggest news however is the reduced prices of the revised model that shave thousands off the list price compared to the current car. For example the entry-level model now costs £16,279 which is £1,771 less than before.

The revised model goes on sale today with first deliveries in October.

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.com).

Peugeot RCZ R to debut at Goodwood

Words by Rob McSorley

Peugeot have confirmed that their most powerful road-going car to date the RCZ R will make its international debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 12th July.

The RCZ R concept made its debut at the Paris and Geneva Motorshows and wowed crowds with its more focused styling and performance upgrades.

Under the bonnet the RCZ will feature Peugeot’s award winning 1.6-litre THP petrol engine pushing out close to 260 bhp which is a 30% increase over the current THP 200 range-topper. Despite the extra boost in power output Peugeot are aiming for emissions of around 155 g/km, an excellent achievement given the performance on offer.

Although no performance figures have been released it’s likely that the RCZ R will get to 60 mph in around 6 seconds which is considerably quicker than the current 200 bhp model. The R will also feature bespoke suspension that will be lower and stiffer than the current RCZ along with a Torsen®limited slip differential to harness the huge reserves of power and torque available. There will also be unique wheel designs and styling touches differentiating the new model.

Two production-ready RCZ Rs will be present at the Goodwood Festival of Speed ahead of the cars launch at the end of the year. There will be a static display along with an example being driven by the UK Peugeot 208 GTi Ambassador Bradley Philpot. 

The event and debut of the RCZ R neatly ties in with Peugeot’s 100 year anniversary of winning the French Grand Prix coming 1st and 2nd

All photographs and text are the exclusive property of Rob McSorley (except where stated otherwise). They are made available for your personal viewing enjoyment only. No images are within the Public Domain. The photographs may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, manipulated, projected, used or altered in any way without the prior permission of Rob McSorley (info@DriverVIBE.co.uk).

Kia Carens ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

OK so we all know that people carriers are probably the least exciting cars on the road but Kia's new Caren's has a lot to shout about. Don't worry if you can't remember the previous model, you're not alone. It was completely lacking in sparkle. This Carens is new from the ground up, it's also the final piece of the Peter Schreyer jigsaw that has seen every model in the Kia range transformed into altogether more competitive machines. With stiff competition from a whole host of established models the new Carens needs to be brilliant to succeed. Read on to see if it's any good.

Kia pro_cee'd ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

Since its launch in 2008 the three door pro_cee'd has built up a reputation as a stylish, solid and dependable hatch-come-coupe complementing the other models in the popular cee'd range. As the final member of the new second generation cee'd family joining the five door hatch and estate (SW) this new version aims to build on the success of the original. Read on to find out if it's any good.

Suzuki Jimny ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

What do you think dogs and cars have in common? You would think nothing but actually they both age very quickly and have relatively short lives compared to us Humans. The average life cycle of a car is much shorter than a few decades ago at around six years but there are a handful of models that soldier on for a lot longer. Suzuki's pint-sized mudplugger the Jimny has been on sale since 1970 yet is only in its third generation. The current model has been around since 1998 but has received some very minor tweaks recently but is there still life in the old dog? Read on to find out.