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Welcome to RoadTestReports.co.uk

RoadTestReports.co.uk features road tests on all the major cars and vans plus consumer car reviews and consumer van reviews from the people who actually drive the vehicles day in day out - you. The road tests include performance, ride & handling, build quality & reliability, safety & security, space & practicality and ownership & value.

Latest road tests

Toyota GT86

manual and auto - It’s been a few years since Toyota had a proper sports car in its range, but that’s about to change with the GT86. Co-developed with Subaru, this fine-looking new coupé goes back to basics by combining decent punch with low weight, a fine chassis and straightforward simplicity. It’s a cracker. [...]

Road Test Reports Says 4.5 star rating Full Report
An image of the Toyota GT86 manual and auto

Chevrolet Aveo

1.3 VCDi Eco 95PS manual - With an exterior and cabin redesigned with the young-at-heart, style-conscious driver in mind, the second generation Aveo aims to build on what made its predecessor so popular with one of the cleanest and thriftiest diesel engines around. [...]

Road Test Reports Says 3.5 star rating Full Report
An image of the Chevrolet Aveo 1.3 VCDi Eco 95PS manual

Suzuki Swift

Sport 2012 - The 2012 incarnation of Suzuki’s Swift Sport gets more power, a 6-speed transmission, improved fuel consumption, more speed, sharper handling, some styling tweaks and a fair bit of kit. On paper it’s precisely what a small ‘warm’ hatchback should be, so is there anything not to like? [...]

Road Test Reports Says 4.5 star rating Full Report
An image of the Suzuki Swift Sport 2012

SEAT Exeo

SE 2.0 TDI 143PS Multitronic - For those who can get over the whole old Audi A4 thing, the Exeo has plenty to offer with a pinsharp executive feel and burly performance. [...]

Road Test Reports Says 4 star rating Full Report
An image of the SEAT Exeo SE 2.0 TDI 143PS Multitronic

Porsche 911

2012 - While some will claim it’s hard to spot a new Porsche 911, the latest and fourth completely new car in its model history, is worth looking out for. It’s a little longer and lower, though crucially no wider, so it retains all of the usability the 911 is feted for. It’s also faster, better handling an [...]

Road Test Reports Says 5 star rating Full Report
An image of the Porsche 911 2012

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Featured Reviews

Paul , Surrey

Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch SRI XP 1.6T 180

5 stars - average customer rating

This is my 4th Astra H and definitely the best. Astra’s don’t get enough credit for their handling, which the Stig said would be nigh on perfect if the power delivery of the vxr model was smoother. It’s up there with the Renault megane 225 - surprising? Well here’s where the 180 horse power Sri turbo comes in. Smooth delivery, plenty of power (quite a bit faster then the 1.9 150, which I’ve previously owned) and an exhaust note that sounds great. The good thing about this engine is if you drive very light footed you can get 33-35mpg around town and 40 max on the motorway, although when you use the power that will drop to 25mpg or less. One thing I must say is don’t run cheap tyres on the front as in the wet you don’t get much grip at all, but a pair of decent ones will fix this. Overall I believe the Astra is good value, has nimble handling even on 18’s, the brakes are strong, looks great with the xp kit and I enjoy driving it every day. If you can get past badge snobbery then you’ll enjoy it too!

Submitted: 25/01/2012 10:20:04

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Richard Small, Worcestershire

Vauxhall Zafira 1.9 CDTi 150 Automatic

4 stars - average customer rating

I note all the references to issues with the DPF and EGRV on diesel variants. Unfortunately, the emissions and particulates mitigation measures on modern diesels (of all makes) render them less suitable for short journeys and town driving than the old soot blasters. Consequently, if most of your driving is as above, you may be better off with a petrol model. However, I bought my car as a Network Q vehicle when it had done around 19k miles, and it is now almost at 145k miles! Most of this mileage has been on long, A-road or motorway journeys, avaraging >40mpg, and whilst I have had a few issues, these have been no worse than other cars I have owned, on lower mileages. In summary: My Zafira is the best car I have owned and one of the best I have driven. It is safe, roomy, comfortable, reasonably economical, reliable, not a bad looker, and it handles pretty well too! Finally, has anyone driven their Zafira in deep snow? Who needs 4WD, when you can breeze past BMWs and Mercedes embedded in every ditch and snowbank!

Submitted: 19/01/2012 10:12:15

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Phil , Northumberland

Volvo XC90 D5 SE

4 stars - average customer rating

Well, I understand people’s frustration with low mpg figures but, honestly, what do you expect? It’s a big heavy car and takes a lot of shifting. It’s my wife’s main mode of transport, and she does around 20,000 miles per year with lots of stop/start, shortish journeys. She is lucky to get over 20mpg using it for work as she does. Having said that, we do really get up to 35mpg on a long run (and I do mean long; visiting our friends in South West Ireland from Northumberland is pretty long), if only we could get that sort of mileage all the time. We’ve had the car since new, and have done 140,000+ miles in it. The interior has worn very well with only the shininess of the drivers seat giving any indication of the car’s age. Even the DVD player hasn’t given any bother and has proved a boon keeping the kids quiet on the longer journeys. (15 hours straight the 1st time we visited Bantry! We’ve learned our lesson and now split the journey in Dublin!) Repairs are becoming a little more frequent now; the only one to give real concern being some ’plug’ in the engine giving way, allowing the engine oil to deposit itself over the garage floor. The plug was a simple plastic component (it’s replacement is steel) and costs a tenner. Fitting it cost £600 in labour!! We are keeping the car, as the only thing we can think of that is as practical as this is another XC90. We have considered both the Audi Q7 and the Disco. The Q7 isn’t big enough inside to take all of our holiday gear, and being prior Land Rover owners, we will never have another, as they are too unreliable with service to match! However, we now find it difficult to justify the high running (low mpg) costs to carry on using the XC90 as our day to day workhorse (it does the job admirably, it’s just too costly) and so have just bought a 2.0D Volvo V50 for my wife to use as a daily vehicle. (Excellent service from Mill Volvo Hexham has kept us very happily Volvo customers.) In summary: The XC90 equals superb, comfortable, family transport that has coped with the very worst of Northumberland winters with aplomb (if you’re struggling in snow, you have the wrong tyres on, the standard fit Conti’s are poor, try Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow). Our favourite sturdy workhorse. However, these days it’s becoming expensive at the pumps, and that’s why it loses a star, but everything else is darn near perfect as a family vehicle.

Submitted: 09/01/2012 10:30:18

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