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Wednesday, 10th of February 2010

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Featured road tests and consumer reviews

Our road test reports are clear, concise and comprehensive. All vehicles are rated on performance, ride & handling, build quality & reliability, safety & security, space & practicality plus ownership and value. Whether you are looking for a new or used car; RoadTestReports.co.uk will provide you with all everything you need to make an informed decision. These reports are complemented by car reviews submitted by the members of the public who drive the vehicles day in day out.

Featured road tests

Skoda Octavia Estate Full Road Test Report

1.6 TDI CR Greenline - It appears to be a marriage made in heaven, on one side you have Skoda which appeal to the Guardian reading, sensible people concerned with the state of the country and the world, while you have the g... read more

BMW X1 Full Road Test Report

xdrive 23d - SUVs aren’t the most popular type of car in these times of heightened environmental awareness - especially in metropolitan areas, where green campaigners have made ownership of one the latest social f... read more

Suzuki SX4 Full Road Test Report

1.9 DDis 4 Grip 4WD 5 Door - The SX4 is one of a growing number of models aiming to be all things to all people. Part small family car, part SUV, the SX4 is a great budget alternative while still offering much of the function and... read more

Suzuki Jimny Full Road Test Report

SZ4 - Mini 4x4s don’t get much smaller than the Jimny. With much of the height of its bigger rivals, the Jimny has the ride and off-road ability of a more sizeable competitor yet with all the impracticaliti... read more

Nissan X-Trail Full Road Test Report

2.0 dCi 150 Aventura - The X-Trail was first launched back in 2001 and was among the first of a new generation of so-called soft-roaders. In 2007 came the all-new X-Trail and, like its predecessor, this model is a lot more ... read more

Honda Civic Full Road Test Report

Championship White Civic Type R 2009 - The ‘normal’ Type R not good enough for you? Waiting for something from Honda to really make you excited? Well, this car might make you sit up and notice. The strictly limited edition Championship Whi... read more

Toyota Rav4 Full Road Test Report

2.2 D-4D SR180 - The first RAV4 hit the streets way in 1994. Initially in 3-door guise, it bravely pioneered the still highly popular soft-roader niche. Since then the ‘RAV’ has been completely re-designed twice and g... read more

Subaru Forester Full Road Test Report

Diesel - Heavily facelifted this year, the Forester has now caught up with the rest of the SUV crowd with the option of a diesel engine. The Japanese brand is boasting top fuel economy with the lowest insuranc... read more

Fiat Panda 4x4 Full Road Test Report

1.2 - Need a 4x4 but don’t want to break the bank? Want to get your tyres properly muddy occasionally but don’t wish to be branded as some kind of maniac eco-saboteur? Fiat’s thrifty, diminutive and surpris... read more

Honda CR-V Full Road Test Report

2.2 CDTi - The vehicle we tested was the 2.2 CDTi which makes up the majority of the CR-V sales for Honda in the UK.... read more

Thanks to UK Carline who provided the Honda CR-V for the Road Test Report.
Contact Darren Godbert at UK Carline on 01995 641111 or email darren@ukcarline.com

Featured consumer reviews

Syd Taylor, Staffordshire

Chevrolet Cruze LS 125PS Diesel

For motoring in some syle at very sensible money that won’t bring your bank manager out in a sweat - and at the same time offering a level of opulence that would bring a smile to the ghost of Elvis - this compact sedan provides more than you might expect, for less than you might anticipate. Cruze prices start at £11,495. The 2.0litre 125PS diesel LS tested here costs £14,9950.). At first sight to the British motorist, this sleek, dark and purposeful car has the air of a man of mystery. It looks purposeful - but to what end? It holds secrets impossible to pigeonhole. What sort of man or woman might one expect to find behind the wheel? Is it a force for good or a harbinger of hard times? I’m pleased to tell you that like the famous chocolate with the wrapper off - all is magic within. Coming from General Motor’s former Daewoo plant in Korea, but soon to be produced in Ohio for the American market, it’s a quantum step forward in quality terms from previous Daewoo models. While the world is full of hatchbacks, Chevy are giving us a Focus sized ’sedan’ (four door saloon car if you’re a ’proper’ chap) based on the new GM floor-plan, upon which the new Astra is also built. While the cabin does not exude the opulence of luxury class cars, it reassures with a pleasing level of ergonomically and aesthetically tailored design - allowing driver and passenger alike, a comfortable reassuring ambience that enforces no extremes and yet incorporates an element of ’flair’ to lift it above the mundane. In a phrase, the cabin imposes dignity - but dignity with a touch of dash. There’s a chrome high-tech feel to the business like appendages in the LS, second from top spec. model tested, while the upholstery and surrounds are sober suited, styled for comfort, easy on the eye and - one has to say - easy on the pocket too. Eschewing the more obvious retro references favoured by lovers of Americana, it none the less embodies through style cues, a notion of ’Transatlantic’ taste: witness the bold Chevy logo on the front grille. Drive away and the clutch engages positively with the torquey (300Nm at just 2000 rpm) engine feeling ready to go from the off. Controls are readily, immediately, unequivocally and assuredly to hand. Drive half a mile along the road and despite the short acquaintance you feel you already ’know’ the car. It’s a motorcar that you feel sure won’t let you down and most certainly will never engender a frown. You know from the support that the seats give to your back that the designers knew exactly what they were doing - and the same sense of confidence attaches itself to the dynamics of the car in motion. The merest hint of torque steer serves only to establish a feeling of contact with the terrain. Drive boldly and performance from the 2.0litre,125PS diesel (you can have a 150PS diesel if you choose the LT variant) is - despite what has been muttered elsewhere and by those who should know better - more than adequate,with an achievable top speed of over 120 mph. Economy too is jolly good, with 45mpg easily achievable overall. Pussyfoot about and you would, no doubt, get around 60mpg on a decent run. Never do the mechanicals feel under stress and you’re always in for a smooth and quiet ride.(one of the benefits of a saloon over a hatchback). Handling is good too, with rapid travel never disturbing the Chevy’s equilibrium. Want to stop? Braking is as easy as thinking. Acceleration is amply sufficient: lively enough for a car half the size - brisk enough to elicit an ’Oh Dear!’ From the vicar - but slam the anchors on and all is sacred and holy once more. Was that a flash of silver? A cloud of dust? Well no, actually - but this car certainly has a ’Yipee yi yey!’ quality to it. And nothing could be finer than a trip to Carolina in a Chevy of this pedigree. In case you haven’t guessed, I like this car because it’s different. Not only that, but because it’s different in a good way. It has the hallmark of originality so lamentably lacking in the current new car market. It ticks all the boxes, but manages to box clever and makes the driver feel part of quite a special machine. It’s a car for the sensible individual who likes a dash of individuality - but not at the expense of good solid sense and taste. There’s nothing here to frighten your granny and yet there’s plenty to appease the young at heart. At the price it surely has to be a bargain. As the man said ’Why pay more?’ You can if you must, but for me, all’s OK with the cars in the Chevy corral. With this model pitched most competitively at a challenging market sector, I have to say that Chevrolet have definitely won their spurs. I’d love to see prospective purchasers galloping down to the showroom. We’ve come a long way from the covered wagon and it’s good to see that happy trails are here to stay.

Submitted: 01/02/2010 19:42:26

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Chris Richmond, Norfolk

Ford Transit Connect T200

Let’s start with the good points: The driving position is nice and high, with a short bonnet which makes it easy to manouvre into tight spaces, the ride quality is also good. There are very basic features - nothing fancy to distract you, and not a lot to go wrong with it, and the styling is up-to-date. The gearbox is almost silent - especially in reverse due to the stronger MTX-75 Mondeo gearbox with syncromesh reverse. The engine (mine being a TDdi) sounds very smooth - none of that diesel clatter like the Escort diesel, and none of the fiddly bits like a TDCI. The lighting is slightly intelligent, so that you can still see what you’re doing in the dark when the doors are closed, but lights go off when you start the engine. The central locking is also very handy. There is plenty of room in the back due to it’s cube-style shape and it’s nice to have the height without having to compromise on width and weight limits of a bigger van. The engine is pokey for only 75 horsepower and the turbo is quiet. The large and wide-angle mirrors are a brilliant idea. The rear bumper is solid which means there’s hardly any damage to the van if you back into anything. You can’t fault the handling in ice and show - she handles perfectly! (watch those poor Vauxhall Combos struggle!!! hehehe) But now for the faults... Interior is made out of cheap plastic which scratches easily, exterior plastic colour fades quickly and is hard to bring back to colour. The alternator wiring loom is too short and prone to breaking and chafing, causing the battery light to come on when it finally breaks. The sound system isn’t anything special. The clock slows down 1 minute every 3 weeks. Passenger seat isn’t comfortable at all. Should have come with a 6-speed box, or higher ratio 5th gear for motorway journeys. Apart from the above, I am happy with it. I’d only replace it for the newer 2009-10 version, as the styling is nicer :-)

Submitted: 21/01/2010 10:42:39

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Glenn , England

BMW 3-Series Touring 330d SE Touring

Had this car for just over 2 (fault free) years now; bought as a low mileage used car from BMW for 60% of original list price. The negatives are few - radio isn’t the best; not keen on runflat tyres (can’t repair punctures which means a new tyre every time); and rear wheel drive isn’t great in the snow! Other than that this car ticks all the boxes. It’s great to drive, does around 40mpg and has performance to match any hot hatch. Now mine has run out of warranty I’ve had mine remapped and the rolling road now reports 300bhp & 485lb/ft with improved fuel economy. It’s now able to match a 335i in a straight line. Even better though is how easy it is to drive with virtually no effort whatsoever. As long as you don’t need a massive load carrier this has to be one of the best estates you can buy if you enjoy driving.

Submitted: 19/01/2010 15:31:40

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Dan , Lancashire

Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi (140) Estate Titanium

A top car: acres of space all over, plenty of gadgets like voice control etc... for those who like it. The bluetooth connectivity is a dream and ease of use all over is high, all intuitively laid out. The noise at the lower speeds is noticeable but not as bad as some would suggest and on the motorway it is elegantly subtle. I’m not sure what the problem is with the gearbox that some have mentioned, mine is lovely and smooth. I find the car perfect for eating up the miles and swallowing up the family and all luggage, not to mention the best looking estate about.

Submitted: 19/01/2010 14:20:54

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K Martin, Perthshire

Citroen C1 Vibe 1.0

I love this car! I’ve done just over 80k since I bought it new. I haven’t looked after it particularly well - it’s never been serviced properly. I always over rev it (you kinda need to - the cars only fault!) and I’m not very nice to the clutch! Despite all this, the car is still as tight as a drum! The only work I’ve had to do to the car is replacing wear and tear items - brakes, spark plugs, filters etc. Everything else is still working as well as the day I bought the car! This is pretty bloody impressive for a 6k runaround! It’s also great fun to drive, the handling is superb. I’ve been fortunate enough to drive a lot of cars... 35k Mercs, Beamers, Hondas, Renaults etc. I can honestly say that out of all the cars I’ve driven, if I had to chose the best I would go with the C1. It’s fun, it’s cheap and it’s ridiculously reliable... it’s a wee trouper! Love it!

Submitted: 19/01/2010 13:55:37

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The best consumer review received between January 22, 2010 and February 22, 2010 will win a Parrot RKi8400! Equipped with a 200 W MOFSET amplifier, the Parrot RKi8400 can offer you a new musical experience. Totally integrated into the vehicle’s audio system, conversations and music are transmitted via the speakers for maximum listening quality.
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