Trump tariffs: car makers struggle to mitigate loss of billions in profit

Car makers with exposure to the giant US car market are scrabbling for solutions to mitigate the predicated loss of billions in profits as a result of the sudden and highly punitive tariffs imposed by president Donald Trump. General Motors said it had “pulled out the Covid playbook” in a bid to reduce costs after… Continue reading Trump tariffs: car makers struggle to mitigate loss of billions in profit

Chunky new Jeep Compass brings hybrid, PHEV and 404-mile EV

In keeping with the 4xe’s more extreme billing, it has a 10mm suspension lift to boost ground clearance and give 31deg departure, 16deg breakover and 27deg approach angles. The Compass First Edition will be priced at £35,700 in mild-hybrid form and £39,200 as a EV. PHEV pricing will be revealed later. Q&A: Ralph Gilles, chief… Continue reading Chunky new Jeep Compass brings hybrid, PHEV and 404-mile EV

Touchscreens in cars? The truth is we need them

A while back, someone made the case on this website for cars with no digital screens. We look at screens all day anyway, and they’re distracting and just plain lazy design, the author posited. The author in question was, er… me. So allow me to set the record straight by disagreeing with myself. Yes, car makers’ screen addictions… Continue reading Touchscreens in cars? The truth is we need them

An imperfect car is often easier to love

Just as I watched the last episode of Reacher and feared my television well was running dry, a new series of Bosch: Legacy arrived to make going to the gym less boring. So begins another series in which the star bounds around saving the day, breaking a few rules/laws/bones as necessary, and ultimately gets paid… Continue reading An imperfect car is often easier to love

Land Rover Discovery Sport

As the old saying goes, ‘if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it’ and you get the feeling that with this latest update Land Rover’s baby Discovery has taken a step backwards when it comes to interior usability.  Previously, you had a central touchscreen and a cluster of rotary knobs and buttons for the climate controls,… Continue reading Land Rover Discovery Sport

The punchy diesel estate is the Concorde of the 2020s

Is strident, pragmatic, long-distance motoring now enjoying its Concorde moment? Is it all downhill from here? Having just returned from the Alps in something a bit special, I fear it might well be. I’ve loved big, car-based escapades ever since thrashing a mate’s Peugeot 206 down to Arezzo as a 17-year-old. It croaked on arrival… Continue reading The punchy diesel estate is the Concorde of the 2020s

Inside iCaur, the new UK-bound Chinese 4×4 brand channelling Jeep

When Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo visited Chery earlier this year, he was shown the full line-up of cars from its multiple brands. Like most large Chinese car companies, Chery’s brands attack nearly all sectors, from practical family SUVs to slippery electric premium saloons. But the car the Italian executive walked up to first was the… Continue reading Inside iCaur, the new UK-bound Chinese 4×4 brand channelling Jeep

Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid and Turbo S E-Hybrid

On the move, both the Turbo’s hybrid powertrain and its clever suspension have enormous potential to surprise and impress, and in a variety of different dimensions.  The system is the same in both the Turbo and the Turbo S; it’s simply that the V8 engine can work so much harder in the faster version, to… Continue reading Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid and Turbo S E-Hybrid

Leapmotor C10: £36k electric SUV gains extra power and range

The Leapmotor C10 has been updated in China, gaining more range, extra power and an upgraded infotainment system. Chief among the updates is a switch from 400V electricals to a more powerful 800V system. Leapmotor has yet to confirm specifics, but this should bring a significant increase in the car’s maximum charging speed – currently… Continue reading Leapmotor C10: £36k electric SUV gains extra power and range

“Blunt” SUVs significantly more likely to cause pedestrian deaths – study

Pedestrians hit by SUVs and pick-ups are significantly more likely to be killed than those hit by lower-riding hatchbacks and saloons, according to a new study. Conducted by Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the review compared data from collisions involving SUVs and ‘light trucks’ (pick-ups and small vans)… Continue reading “Blunt” SUVs significantly more likely to cause pedestrian deaths – study