Peugeot 308 SW ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

The 308 hatch can be a difficult car to recommend in hatchback form as we found when we tried one last year. It's not that it's a terrible model in isolation it's just that with rivals as talented as the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus you can't help but notice its shortcomings. However in SW guise or estate if you wish there should be more to get excited about, read on to find out.

Mitsubishi Mirage ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

If you're on the lookout for a practical five door supermini with minuscule running costs then you might want to head in the direction of your local Mitsubishi dealer. 

Peugeot RCZ HDi ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

The Peugeot RCZ needs no introduction, put simply it's one of our favourite coupes and our preferred model from the French giant. Bringing it in line with the rest of the range its now lost its striking gaping mouth grill in addition to a series of other minor changes here and there. The idea is to freshen it up as it celebrates its third birthday. We hit the road in our favourite HDi 156 variant to see if it still holds appeal.

Honda CR-V ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

One of the very first manufacturers to cash in on the crossover craze was Honda with their Civic-based CR-V which put strong on-road capability ahead of off-road skills. Now in its fourth generation the new CR-V occupies one of the most crowded market segment as most manufacturers have a rival model gunning for sales so the new car has to be good. Read on to find out how it stacks up.

Peugeot Bipper Tepee ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

More than ever cars nowadays are designed with plenty of visual appeal but there are still some out there that offer buyers pure no-nonsense, practical transport at an affordable price. Peugeot's Bipper Tepee is one of those cars, based on the brand's popular Bipper commercial van. The Tepee adds rear seats and windows in a bid to offer value transport for those who don't crave a car with kerb appeal. The question is whether it holds enough appeal in other areas to compete with the latest crop of clever supermini-based MPVs that have flooded the market such as Ford's B-Max. Read on to find out.

Kia Rio CRDi ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

It’s no secret that the supermini class is not only brimming with talented offerings from a range of manufacturers but it is also one of the hardest fought sectors. Kia’s previous Rio failed to make much of an impact as it was woefully dull to look at and drive but the all-new Rio promises to be a true contender. Key to the Rios success is not only its more appealing design but its headline-grabbing economy. The smallest 1.1 CRDi engine claims to offer 88.3 mpg on a combined cycle. Read on to find out if the Kia Rio is as good as the figures suggest and whether it can now be considered a viable alternative to the current class leaders the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo.

Peugeot 208 HDi ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

We have already been impressed with Peugeot's little 208 in various petrol guises but now we get to see how it fares with diesel power under the bonnet. Here we try the smaller of the two diesel units on offer the 1.4 litre HDi in Active trim which sits near the bottom of the range. Offering penny pinching economy and free road tax we find out how the 208 fairs and whether it can rival the very best in the class.

Kia Sorento ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

At first glance this 'new' Sorento may appear to be a mildly revised version of the outstanding car but actually Kia state that it only shares its roof, doors, bonnet and windscreen with the old model. So where have all of the changes been made? Well there are changes to the exterior but most are under the skin as this Sorento actually sits on an all-new platform shared with its Sante Fe cousin. When we sample the previous generation last year we found it to be hugely practical and rugged if a little dull and cumbersome to drive. The new model promises to change this, read on to find it if it succeeds.

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack ON THE ROAD

Review & Photographs by Rob McSorley

The Volkswagen Passat is one of those cars that is often the default choice for both private and fleet buyers who want a no-nonsense family car offering plenty of space and refinement. But what about those who like the reassurance of all-wheel-drive for driving in trickier conditions? Volkswagen is widening the appeal of the Passat Estate with this, the new Alltrack. It comes with permanent four wheel drive, raised suspension and beefy body mouldings and rivals the likes of the Audi A4 AllRoad and Volvo XC70 by offering similar levels of space and kit. Its trump card however is its price which undercuts both rivals by over £5,000 kicking off at £28,580. We find out if its a credible rival.

Kia Cee'd Sportswagon ON THE ROAD

Review & Photos by Rob McSorley

Having already been impressed by Kia's second generation Cee'd when we tested the hatch in September last year the brand are building on its success with this, the new Sportswagon. Aimed at small families who need a little extra space in the luggage department this new addition to the Cee'd family offers subtle good looks and plenty of additional space in the boot. When we tested a fully loaded 'Tech 4' hatch we felt that although it came loaded with standard equipment it was a little too pricey and were convinced lower trim levels would shine more brightly. So here we are testing the most basic trim level logically named '1' to see how it compares.