Some cars have a mysterious ability of putting you in a certain type of driving mood. For example, my 1996 BMW 320i makes lovely straight-six noises between 2,000 and 3,000rpm, and as a result I drive it mostly at cruising speeds. The Toyota Aygo on the other hand is one of those cars I found myself driving faster than strictly necessary most of the time. It’s a small city car with only 82hp, so it isn’t that fast by any means. But there’s more to driving fun than outright speed, and after two weeks of driving it, I can easily say it’s the second most fun I’ve had in a car this year (the first was in a 2014 Mustang GT convertible).
The Ford Transit is one of those vehicles that sell in huge numbers, but they never really catch your attention when you’re going about your day. Until, that is, you have one within an inch of your rear bumper on the highway. Apart from its ability to draft on other cars like a NASCAR racer, its versatility is what has made the Transit one of the most popular commercial vehicles in Europe for nearly 50 years, and having spent two weeks with the new one, it looks set to continue being just that.
I was never planning on writing anything about this rental car, and as such I didn’t pack my SLR camera as I left for vacation to North America. But such was the driving experience that I had to make do with my smartphone, and at least write a little something. Also, the fifth-generation Mustang recently went out of production after nearly ten years of service. So in short, this is my goodbye to the best generation of Mustangs yet.
The Kia Soul never struck me as a standout car when it came out in 2008, and after six years of being in the market it has received a facelift. On first impressions, the Kia Soul is meant to be a stylish alternative to a hatchback or small MPV, but to be honest I never was smitten by the looks of the previous Soul. The interior wasn’t that nice either, what with low-rent materials scattered throughout. However, going with Kia’s new-found mojo of designing good-looking cars, things look a lot better for the new Soul, which might just make my job of convincing you that it’s a good car that bit easier.
When the current Kia Sportage made its first appearance in 2010, it struck me as one of the best-looking crossover SUVs I’ve seen in a long time. Fast forward to this mildly facelifted 2014 version, and things are much the same. Competitors such as the Toyota RAV4 and Ford Kuga have since been newly released, but despite them being a bit younger, I personally think the Sportage still beats them in the looks department. The only car I can think of that’s in the same segment that looks better is the rather more expensive Range Rover Evoque. Apart from looks though, my two weeks with the Sportage revealed other reasons for why it’s a rather good car to live with.
What do you buy when you just want a cheap run-around, that you don’t mind bearing a few small scratches from other careless drivers coming out of parking spots? Most people would go for a small hatchback and then call it a day. Me? I’ve bought an 18-year-old E36 BMW 320i, and considering that it was just a regular run-of-the-mill 3-Series in the ‘90s, convincing you that it’s a standout car might be a bit difficult.
The new Cee’d GT is Kia’s very first attempt at producing a hot hatch, which was enough reason for me to travel nearly 260km to Zurich to get a hold of a test car. But apart from being keen to know what it’s like as a first attempt, I also wanted to know how it compares to the already established big names of the hot hatch world. In other words, will it give Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen Golf GTI owners nightmares? Or will they laugh at the poor fools who ended up buying one? I had two weeks to find out.
Ford’s three-cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine has won the International Engine of the Year award for 2012 and 2013, which made me very eager to give it a try. It isn’t a powerhouse by any means, but it has made it to the list thanks to promises of great fuel efficiency. It powers several of Ford’s models, including the Fiesta, Focus, Tourneo Connect, C-Max, and B-Max – the latter of which will be the focus of this review.
When the Toyota RAV4 first appeared in 1994, it was one of a very few number of small crossover SUVs. Back then, the Corolla-based RAV4 was meant to be a compromise between a hardcore off-roader and a small sedan. While it managed to strike a good balance between the two, there was no denying that it was made on a budget – carrying probably one of the least-inviting interiors of any car. However, fast-forward to 2013 and things have changed quite a bit. Not only is there a seemingly limitless choice for small crossover SUVs, but the new RAV4 feels like a completely different vehicle to its ancestor.
While the design of the new RAV4 isn’t revolutionary, nor does it leave people stunned by its beauty, the sharp angles are well-executed and give it a very contemporary look. Compared to the original RAV4 it’s also bigger in size too, which helps create extra space in the interior. While the car is bigger than its ancestor, it is still a small-sized SUV – it feels like a hatchback with a high driving position. One of my personal favourite roads is doing one lap around Lake Geneva. It’s a mix of driving through scenic roads, little towns and villages, as well as the occasional open and empty stretches. You basically start from Geneva and head to Montreux, then into France and onto Evian, then back into Geneva again. In total it’s around 172km, and considering that I haven’t done this wonderful route in years, I was very thrilled to be able to do it in the highly-praised Ford Fiesta ST.
Looking at this “Race Red” Ford Fiesta ST, it’s definitely a car that’s eye-catching. Its 17-inch wheels, low stance and roof spoiler add to that sporty look too. Despite the bright colour, it doesn’t make the driver seem like a desperate attention seeker, and it shouldn’t bring the driver any shame if they were to pull up at a dinner reception or posh restaurant. It’s also the kind of car that seems at home everywhere, whether it’s in a millionaire’s garage or a street parking outside a waiter’s apartment. |
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