Car IndicatorsFreelance motoring writer and member of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers with a love of cars, motorbikes and running.
I lied about the love of motorbikes. They scare me to death - although I would like to own a Ducati 996 in red which I would just look at but never ride. No, not ever.
THERE is something rather reassuring about a Lexus. You generally know what you’re going to get: excellent build quality, a beautifully finished interior, impressive refinement and a level of comfort that makes even a long journey feel less arduous.
The all-new Lexus ES 350e takes those traditional qualities and wraps them in a thoroughly modern package. This eighth-generation luxury saloon … Read the rest
THE Toyota RAV4 has long made a strong case as a practical, capable family SUV.
The plug-in hybrid adds a new dimension because with a full battery, it feels much more like an electric car than a petrol hybrid, delivering its acceleration quickly and smoothly in a manner that can quickly become addictive.
The GR Sport model also adds firmer … Read the rest
DURING my week with the Genesis G80 Electrified, people often stopped to ask the same question: “What is it?” The G80 has the size and presence of a proper luxury saloon, but the Genesis badge is still unfamiliar to many. That gives it a certain exclusivity, and the car itself feels every bit as special as its price suggests.
The … Read the rest
THERE’S a moment when you collect a car for a road test when you start to form an opinion before you’ve even turned a wheel. With the Mazda6e, I was expecting a stylish, well-equipped electric car, but I’d also heard some reservations about how it drove.
Turns out I needn’t have worried quite so much . . .
My wife … Read the rest
THERE are few cars in Mazda’s history that have been as important as the CX-5. Since its launch in 2012, more than five million have been sold globally, while UK sales have now passed 103,000.
It was the car that brought together Mazda’s Kodo design philosophy and Skyactiv engineering in a particularly appealing package, establishing the CX-5 as one of … Read the rest
THE new MG4 EV Urban could be the best electric car that MG have produced so far. I’d have it over a Cyberster any day of the week . . .
It’s taken the ‘Best Electric Small Car’ trophy at the What Car? 2026 awards and after spending a week with one, I can see why.
It’s not quite an … Read the rest
THERE are so many Chinese SUVs arriving in the UK these days that it’s tempting to assume they all follow the same formula: generous equipment, impressive technology, a competitive price and styling designed to stand out from the crowd.
The BYD Atto 2 DM-i is a bit different. For a start, it isn’t particularly attention-seeking. The styling is conservative, the … Read the rest
THE Kia EV3 is a compact electric SUV designed to be small enough for everyday life while still offering the range, practicality and equipment required to serve as the main family car.
It’s a difficult balance to achieve, particularly when electric vehicles tend to become rather large once manufacturers start adding sizeable batteries.
Kia has managed it very well, and … Read the rest
THIS week’s press car follows on directly from the Toyota C-HR+, which so impressed me with it’s sportiness and style.
However, where the C-HR+ is the sporty, slightly mischievous member of Toyota’s electric family, the bZ4X is its more practical sibling. It takes much of the technology of the C-HR+ and wraps it in a considerably larger, more conventional … Read the rest
THE hot hatches of the 1980s and 1990s understood something that seems to have been forgotten. Lightness of touch.
Also, responsive steering and enough performance to make you smile without putting your licence at immediate risk.
The new Toyota C-HR+ reminded me of those cars and that wasn’t something I had expected – certainly not from a Toyota electric SUV.… Read the rest