It wasn’t long ago that Volvo announced that they were doing to discontinue making Estate cars. At the time, this was considered akin to the “Judas” moment when Bob Dylan performed live on an electric guitar rather than the more traditional acoustic. There’s very little need to delve into the legacy of the Volvo Estate. You don’t have to be that old to have at least one…
Elon Musk is, without question, one of the most consequential figures in modern technology and business. His leadership has propelled Tesla from a niche electric car startup into a global force that has reshaped the automotive industry. Yet questions loom whether Musk's erratic leadership style, controversial public behaviour, and divided focus are actually harming the company he helped build. Is Elon Musk ruining Tesla? The answer, like…
As we navigate finding a suitable insurance policy for my 17yr old daughter and her freshly acquired Driver’s Permit, we’re now confronted with the reality that for many young drivers in the UK passing the driving test is just the first hurdle. Finding affordable car insurance is the real challenge. So why is insurance so expensive for young drivers, and what can be done to make it…
I elected to swerve on reviewing the all-electric VW ID.3 because I was awaiting the release of its bigger, more SUV-like sibling, the ID.4. You won’t be at all surprised to learn that the ID.4 is built on the same platform as the ID.3. These form the underpinnings of VW’s new all-electric architecture, termed “MEB” (I’m not going to tell you what MEB stands for – it’s…
Chinese EV maker and NYSE-listed Nio announced to much fanfare the launch of its first battery powered saloon at the company's annual "Nio-Day" event in Chendou this past Saturday. The car is aimed squarely at Tesla's Model S and also hopes to eat some of Mercedes-Benz's S-class and BMW's 7-series lunch, too. The unimaginatively-named ET7 is set to be priced at £50k for the entry-level model with…
At last, Honda’s first all-electric city car – the Honda e – has arrived to our sunny shores. What’s it like, I hear you ask, and is it better than its direct competitor, the Mini Electric? Let’s find out! Firstly, style. The Honda e has a refreshing take on previous generations of small Honda’s. You’ll have to be of a certain age to remember the 1st generation…
In response to the growing demand for an all-electric SUV, Hyundai launched their compact Kona crossover in EV form in mid-2018, arriving to UK shores in the middle of last year. This is certainly a feather in the cap for the surging South Korean brand, and I’m happy to report that the vehicle is very well put together. It should come as no surprise that the Kona…
I was invited to see the new Polestar 2 (full) EV at a private viewing in London’s east end. Annoyingly, it was just a “physical viewing” (their words, not mine) meaning no test drive on offer… For background, Polestar is the new EV spin-off division of Volvo. Lest we forget that Volvo is now owned by Geely, one of the bigger Chinese EV manufacturers out there (anecdotally,…
At the Shanghai Motor show in April, Porsche unveiled their latest SUV named, somewhat unimaginatively, the Cayenne Coupe. One may find themselves asking if the world really needs another SUV but if you are a firm proponent of this style then the latest Porsche with its eye-catching design could be right up your strasse. For context, this is the third SUV in the German sports car’s line-up…
On a recent weekend away, friends of mine were given a loaner car for their trip. Despite not being thrilled that they had to, yet again, part with their BMW due to unforeseen mechanical issues they were pleasantly surprised with the car that they were given: a 2018 Peugeot 3008. Pulling into the driveway of our shared AirBnB cottage we all commented on the sleek lines of…