When it was originally launched in 2013, the Renault Captur followed the Nissan Juke as a pioneer in the new compact crossover segment. A lot has changed since then and it’s now a crowded marketplace, with serious competition from the likes of the Volkswagen T-Cross, Ford Puma, Skoda Kamiq, Nissan …
Read More »Ford Puma review
Once in a while a new car comes along that creates an instant buzz. The distinctive all-new Ford Puma is one such vehicle. Winner of a ‘car of the year’ award (What Car?) before the first customer cars have even been delivered, it should not be confused with the dinky …
Read More »Volkswagen T-Cross review
You don’t need me to tell you that SUVs and crossovers are all the rage. That winning combination of high driving position, space, rugged good looks and perceived safety is still driving the new car market. The T-Cross, Volkswagen’s new kid on the block, is the baby of the brand’s …
Read More »Ford teases all-new Puma crossover
The much-loved Ford Puma is making a comeback, except this time round it’s morphed into a compact SUV. On sale in 2020 and slotting in between the EcoSport and all-new Kuga, Ford claims the Puma “fuses stunning exterior design; best-in-class luggage capacity and flexibility; and 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrain technology”. The …
Read More »Fiat 500X review
Fiat has given the 500X a significant upgrade, so we took it for a spin to find out whether the 500’s big brother has the X Factor… The Fiat 500X is now a familiar sight on our roads, but it’s fair to say that it hasn’t reached the iconic status …
Read More »Ford Fiesta Active review
We road test the rufty-tufty version of the UK’s best-selling new car, but is the Ford Fiesta Active distinctive enough to stand out in the compact crossover crowd? Ford claims the Active combines “SUV inspired styling with Fiesta driving dynamics”. A bold claim, and at first sight there are only …
Read More »Hyundai Kona review
The striking Hyundai Kona joins the fiercely competitive battle of the compact crossovers, but is it just a case of style over substance? What is it? Up until recently, the likes of the Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur virtually had the small SUV sector sewn up. However, within …
Read More »Seat Arona review
The compact crossover sector has increased four-fold since 2015 and the latest example to hit the showrooms is the all-new Seat Arona. Sitting below the acclaimed Ateca SUV in the range, the Arona will do battle with the likes of the recently-launched Kia Stonic, Hyundai Kona, VW T-Roc and Citroen …
Read More »Volkswagen T-Roc review
The good looking T-Roc is VW’s intriguing newcomer in the hugely competitive compact SUV sector. Slotting in below the Tiguan and above the upcoming T-Cross, in terms of size it sits somewhere between the two Nissans that arguably started the small crossover craze – the Juke and Qashqai. Looking not …
Read More »Nissan Juke’s “blindfolded” J-turn record
A Nissan Juke has set the world’s first ‘blind’ J-turn record with the driver using only the car’s Intelligent Around View Monitor (AVM) on-board camera technology for guidance. Stuntman Paul Swift spun the car 180 degrees with all the windows blacked out, using only the Juke’s four exterior cameras to …
Read More »