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First Drives

First Drive review: 2016 Range Rover Evoque convertible

First Drive review: 2016 Range Rover Evoque convertible

Land Rover is calling this addition to the Range Rover Evoque range the “world’s first luxury compact SUV convertible”, which sounds like an...
Published 04 April 2016
First Drive review: 2016 Skoda Octavia vRS 4x4

First Drive review: 2016 Skoda Octavia vRS 4x4

The Skoda Octavia has always seemed such a reasonable car — reasonably shaped, reasonably constructed, reasonably priced...
Published 31 March 2016
Toyota Prius Excel

First Drive: 2016 Toyota Prius Excel

Originally the torchbearer for ecologically sensitive road use, the Toyota Prius is entering a phase of midlife ubiquity as the jobbing Uber operative’s...
Published 22 March 2016
Mini Cooper convertible review

First Drive review: 2016 Mini Cooper convertible

Britain loves a convertible. Any car manufacturer will tell you: the UK is a soft touch for a soft-top. It’s Europe’s second-biggest market for...
Published 15 March 2016

First Drive review: 2016 Kia Cee'd 1.6 CRDi

Once upon a time, I drove a Kia Cee’d into the car park of a Premier League training ground. This was in the course of my duties as a journalist
Published 29 February 2016
DS 3 review

First Drive review: 2016 DS 3 Prestige PureTech 130...

Take a good look at the new DS 3 and you'll notice that the little French fancy has done away with its Citroën badges...
Published 25 February 2016
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First Drive review: Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine plug-in...

More middle class than a skiing holiday, and twice as Swedish as meatballs, the Volvo XC90 has always offered high status enhancement...
Published 23 February 2016
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First Drive review: 2016 Porsche 911 Turbo S

There's a reason the Porsche 911 Turbo is nicknamed the Widowmaker. It stares down other sports cars, pushes in front at queues and leaves rivals...
Published 15 February 2016
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First Drive review: 2016 BMW 330e SE plug-in hybrid

What a pleasure it has been these past years to witness the enthusiasm with which the car industry has faced up to the challenge of developing responsible...
Published 10 February 2016
2016 Kia Sportage review

First Drive review: 2016 Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDi 2 2WD

Peter Schreyer, the man behind the original Audi TT and the design whizz often credited for turning around Kia's fortunes...
Published 04 February 2016
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First Drive review: 2016 Jaguar F-Pace SUV (prototype)

Sliding across a frozen Swedish lake in Jaguar's sleek 4x4, the F-Pace, Nick Rufford gets chills down his spine. And not just because it's -27C.
Published 25 January 2016
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First Drive review: 2016 Ford Focus RS

The Drift mode in the latest RS gives a new meaning to ‘taking it for a spin’, says Giles Smith. Orange-and-white plastic, say your prayers
Published 22 January 2016