Honda returns from ‘the dead’, with its best compact crossover ever
IAIN ROBERTSON At long last, Honda has awoken from its torpor and produced a car worthy of the brand badge, states Iain Robertson, its revised but ostensibly all-new HR-V...
Ford whips its Fiesta ST into ‘Limited Edition’ territory
IAIN ROBERTSON Although the current Fiesta ST was only introduced around a year ago, Iain Robertson believes that launching a special version of the compact hatchback may have beneficial...
A symphony of sound emanates from the latest hot Audis’ exhaust-pipes
IAIN ROBERTSON No matter how he describes it, Iain Robertson adores the sound of a proper engine working, which is a signature that has proven more difficult for carmakers...
Ferrari P80 – where the P could stand for Prototype, or Pornography
IAIN ROBERTSON In a break with tradition for these pages, Iain Robertson is avoiding a critical appraisal of the latest car and allowing you to view a stunning one-off...
Suzuki’s ‘BOOM!’ factor lies in its prodigiously capable 1.0-litre motor
IAIN ROBERTSON Having hinted at it previously, in testing the latest Suzuki Vitara, now powered by the firm’s unfeasibly teensy petrol engine, Iain Robertson can confirm that it is...
Gareth Butterfield reviews the new four-door version of the Honda Civic
I’VE got a friend who is a die-hard Honda fan. He’s owned several over the years, buying them from new and then keeping them until he fancies a change....
MG proves that low-cost can also provide maximum-fun with MG3 racer
IAIN ROBERTSON Demonstrating tremendous insight, highlights Iain Robertson, history-aware MG (Chinese-owned since 2005) has tackled several ‘problems’ in one fell swoop by introducing a low-cost route to circuit racing...
Hyundai grasps the nettle, with its second Hydrogen Fuel Cell car in the UK
IAIN ROBERTSON Bringing the very latest in hydrogen and electric powertrain technology, with a range of up to 414 miles, writes Iain Robertson, the Nexo FCV joins the EV...
In a pure power race, Seat draws its fists back for the punchiest Leon ever
IAIN ROBERTSON Unprecedented product launches are a real surprise these days but, writes Iain Robertson, in the wake of the Geneva Motor Show, Seat has revealed its hottest hot...
Ranjit’s Recommendations: Mumbai comes to London
When a restaurant menu says that a little extra time might be taken to cook the food, I have now learnt to accept it for good reason. This is...
TPMS – Nightmare, or essential safety item?
IAIN ROBERTSON Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) have come a long way since Renault first installed them on its Scenic model at the turn of the Millennium, writes Iain...
Catch the Santa Fe express, Hyundai’s largest UK SUV
IAIN ROBERTSON Hyundai’s original Santa Fe model, Iain Robertson recalls, was a ‘blobby’ but slightly clunky soft-roader that drew attention to the brand but did very little for its...
Gareth Butterfield spends an exciting week in the Abarth 124 GT
DAY ONE I’VE been very excited about this car arriving. It’s basically a Fiat 124 which has been to the Abarth finishing school. And when Abarth tinkers with any...
Ur-Quattro influences new Audi A1 but serves to court size controversy
IAIN ROBERTSON When he first saw the latest Audi A1, Iain Robertson admitted to infatuation, as much for its retrospective styling, as its keener, more focused driving position and...
MALTA DIARY: Queen Elizabeth II – a life-long relationship with Malta; former residence to be restored and maybe become a museum
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: When Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II was asked last year by a newspaper to name her...
VW wants to ‘give’, with its ID Buggy EV platform…believe it at your peril!
IAIN ROBERTSON Fans of the Cali-look buggies of the seventies will need to look twice, reports Iain Robertson, when they spot VW’s latest iteration on the theme, mainly because...
Volvo takes sporting route with V60 R-Design but not at the cost of safety
IAIN ROBERTSON Completing the circle of V60 estate car models in its range, with a most capable sporting variant, which Iain Robertson extended as much as legally possible on...
If you desire ‘it’, then the latest Audi A4 shows you how to get ‘it’ in fine style
IAIN ROBERTSON Bearing in mind that Audi is a UK best-seller, because in its ranks, writes Iain Robertson, exists the fantastic A4 model and regardless of the parameters by...
Gareth Butterfield tests the Fiat Tipo
THIS is the new Fiat Tipo. Handsome, isn’t it? It’s a bit of a bargain, too, on the face of it. It’s possible to buy a Tipo for less...
Living with a Suzuki Baleno – Report 30 of 42
IAIN ROBERTSON The two-and-half-year marker has arrived and Iain Robertson has determined that his intention to create the longest long-term test car report has already been achieved but that...
Return to Tunisia Part 2; Bardo National Museum
Tuesday. Bardo National Museum wasn’t far from our Hotel. I didn’t know anything about it so I was curious to see what was there. It’s an old 13th Century...
Volvo grubbies its lovely alloys with new V60 Cross Country (XC)
IAIN ROBERTSON It is a slow burn but Volvo, a carmaker that seldom performs by convention, continues to add to its growing model portfolio, reports Iain Robertson, as tests...
Latest T-Roc R could be a sign that VW has finally lost all of its marbles
IAIN ROBERTSON Joining the Golf R, Cupra Ateca and any number of other platform-sharing models in VW Group’s broader portfolio, reports Iain Robertson, is a zapped-up, four-piped, spatted and...
Ségala, a land of contrasts – Meanderings through France n° 180
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny Set at the foot of the Massif Central in between Rodez and Albi the Ségala has been a tough...
Views of Bangkok’s river banks
It’s the heart of the city, the height of activity, lit up at night with glittering wooden river boats criss-crossing between its banks, providing an enviable venue for evening...
Entrancing new Peugeot 208 redresses the compact car scene
IAIN ROBERTSON Think for a moment, recommends Iain Robertson, about how much automotive enterprise is employed to bring both petrol and diesel, as well as all-electric versions of a...
BMW may soon discover the point at which ‘too much’ is more than enough
IAIN ROBERTSON Power is a strange desire, in which adequate is seldom enough, writes Iain Robertson, a factor that entices the German carmakers into producing surfeit models, where the...
Audi’s e-tron scales the heights
IAIN ROBERTSON As title sponsor of the World Downhill Ski Championship, Audi would have been mad not to seize a promotional opportunity like this, states Iain Robertson, as a...
Factual books for early-2019
IAIN ROBERTSON Seldom an ardent fan of fiction, Iain Robertson has sifted through some of the best factual books released so far this year, with an inevitable bias towards...
Gareth Butterfield spends a week in the fun and frivolous Abarth 124 GT
DAY ONE I’VE been very excited about this car arriving. It’s basically a Fiat 124 which has been to the Abarth finishing school. And when Abarth tinkers with any...
MALTA DIARY: The long and rocky road to the total freedom of the Maltese Islands 40 years ago – Part Two
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: With Dom Mintoff’s resignation as Prime Minister and hence the Government’s resignation in...
Ford cranks up the power for ST versions of its Focus
IAIN ROBERTSON The return of the ST is something in which Ford-lovers can revel, suggests Iain Robertson, especially as the power is up, in a car that is unflawed...
Welsh Witterings: Do you see what I see?
The task of moving home and business has found me riding on a wave of memories. Each time I have emptied a drawer or cupboard memories have been churned...
Jaguar applies bespoke Portfolio details to its full-size luxury XJ
IAIN ROBERTSON Competing in the high-end executive sector, the stakes are steep for getting a contender wrong but, as Iain Robertson highlights, adopting an alternative route to market can...
Gareth Butterfield tries to find out why buyers keep coming back to the Honda Jazz
PEOPLE often ask me what car I’d recommend to them if they just want a fuss-free, practical and reliable hatchback for their A-to-B runabout. And, if I like them,...
New logo and name for sportiest Seat Ateca
IAIN ROBERTSON In trying to work out what its logo implies, Iain Robertson remains undecided between a sports clothing firm (Kappa?), or a sinister organisation (Spectre?) that James Bond...
MALTA DIARY: The long and rocky road to the total freedom of the Maltese Islands 40 years ago – Part One
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: The late Dominic Mintoff was born in Cospicua on 6th August, 2016, midway...
Living with a Suzuki Baleno – Report 29 of 42
IAIN ROBERTSON Appreciating that long stints at the steering wheel are not preferred safety practice, Iain Robertson contemplates his recent four hours and forty minutes spent at the helm...
Ranjit Recommends: Stem + Glory
The name of the restaurant illustrates the epitome of the Vegan cuisine; stems from plants and tastes glorious! Indeed, this is the restaurant’s inaugural London branch that is tucked...
Mazda’s latest CX-30 creates ‘Car as Art Form’
IAIN ROBERTSON Declaring that his fascination for Mazda Cars may have reached its zenith, Iain Robertson revels in the phenomenal light-catching and reflective beauty of the Japanese company’s latest...