Nissan Qashqai review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

It's just 21 years since Nissan unveiled their first Qashqai as a concept car at the Geneva Motor Show, writes Brian Byrne. Designed to offer an SUV-style vehicle without the fuel guzzling and lack of ride comfort that those cars featured, it would replace both the popular but waning large Primera saloon and the compact Almera hatchback. Looking like a hatch on steroids, the concept retained 4WD but didn't have the bulk or height of the company's X-Trail SUV. Most buyers would be in urban or suburban locations, Nissan's designers and marketing people reasoned.

I remember being at that show and I don't recall being blown away by the concept. Which, it seems, was the reaction from many journalists like me. When, later in development, Nissan forecast that six in ten buyers would likely go for a 2WD version, a common reaction was that the car would fall between the two proverbial stools and please no one. How wrong that proved to be. By the time the third generation came along in 2021, almost 3 million Qashqais had been sold in Europe (and nearly 16 million in China). Since 2009, Qashqai has been Nissan's biggest selling car in Ireland.

My reason for reviewing this one is a mid-cycle refresh which has made some detail changes that cumulatively enhance the car. The essential shape hasn't changed, but a complete rejig of the front quite transforms the car's recognisability on the road. When I first saw the photographs I wasn't exactly impressed, but a day or so with the car in the metal and I got to like it. Some smoothing of the rear bumper style also sets the latest version away from the immediate predecessor. I have previously commented on how the designers provided edgy shapes along the profile, managing to meld curves and angles into unexpectedly attractive elements. All that is still there, making the overall style of a very attractive car.

Upgrades inside include trim elements with a more premium feel to an interior that already had a high level of perceived quality. Thankfully, while providing more colour and a bit of extra digital style to the instrumentation and infotainment, the knobs and buttons for climate management are all still in place. As a driver I felt I was allowed be in control, which is too often not the case these days. Nissan is one of a number of carmakers who have adopted Google Assistant and Maps directly into their systems and I like that. The trim changes include a frame around the base of the central screen that makes it seem to rise from the dashboard though it's really positioned just as before.

Qashqai sits in the middle of a segment that can be classed as compact crossover, so interior room is par with the likes of the Volvo XC40 or Toyota's Corolla Cross. There's a decent boot capacity of 480L, all the foregoing reasons for its popularity as a family car.

Qashqai now comes with a choice from just two engines, a 1.3 petrol with mild hybrid electric boost, and the e-power full hybrid based on a 1.5 petrol hybrid with a similar size electric motor that powers the all-electric Leaf. That last is important because in this Nissan version of full hybrid, the electric motor has the only direct drive link to the wheels. The petrol engine keeps the car's battery charged up to whatever the electricity demand is for different driving conditions. The result is a smooth and torquey performance like a pure electric vehicle, but without having to worry about running out of energy as long as there's petrol in the tank. There are advantages in that the petrol engine can be run in a way that maximises efficiency, and there's no need for a multi-ratio transmission. I'm not sure anyone is in agreement about whether this or the traditional Toyota-style hybrid is better than the other, but I do like the concept of e-Power. And it gave me a consumption figure of 5.7L/100km, not bad for a car of its size and performance. I did like the fact that it includes the 'one-pedal' ability to drive with less use of the brakes when set to high regeneration on overrun. 

All the safety systems expected are there. I must at some stage do a 30-year comparison on this aspect in cars. It no doubt has substantially improved crash frequency and outcomes, at a cost. A cost I hope we all feel is worthwhile. I do.

PRICE: From €36,800; e-Power versions from €42,000. WHAT I LIKED: A quality build in style. 

Longer range, faster charging from Volvo's ES90

The upcoming ES90 electric car from Volvo is claimed to provide a driving range of up to 700km, writes Brian Byrne. It will also be capable of adding 300km of range in just ten minutes at an appropriate 350kW charging point.

The faster charging is due to an 800v electric architecture combined with new battery management software. The ES90 will be the first Volvo with the 800v system.

As part of the company's sustainability effort, 29pc of aluminium and 18pc of steel used in building the car is recycled product.

 

Skoda up their RS game

Skoda have advanced their RS performance range with a brand-new Kodiaq RS and an improved Octavia version, writes Brian Byrne. Since first introduced in 2000, the RS 'Rally Sport' designation has garnered a very well considered reputation originally built on racetrack performance.

Both of the latest cars use the new 2.0 TSI engine with 265hp on tap. Acceleration figures in the region of 6.4s feature on both. The Kodiaq is AWD while the Octavia is FWD.

The latest cars also have distinctive exterior styling touches, with items like spoilers also further enhanced to improve aerodynamic performance.

Irish availability and prices to come. 

New Alfa Romeo Junior is ‘unmistakably Italian’

Alfa Romeo Ireland ignited passion among motoring enthusiasts with the official Irish launch of the new Alfa Romeo Junior, unveiled to us at Gowan Auto on Valentine’s Day, with the advertising tagline ‘Learn to Love Again’, writes Trish Whelan. 

‘Junior’ was designed to inspire a new generation of drivers with its unmistakable Italian style, cutting-edge technology and ‘exhilarating performance’. The Junior is the first fully electric model from Alfa Romeo. It will soon be joined by a hybrid version. 

The Junior Elettrica is now on sale at the brand’s dealerships nationwide priced from €34,995 - €51,495 which includes SEAI grant and VRT relief. 

At launch, Ciaran Cusack, Communications and Brand Manager at Alfa Romeo Ireland, said: “The Alfa Romeo Junior represents a bold new chapter for the brand, combining iconic Italian design with modern electrification. We believe it will capture the hearts of drivers who crave style, performance, and innovation.” 

The full EV ‘Electric’ with a 54-kWh battery comes in two power variants with 156hp and a range of up to 410km WLTP as well as the sportier 280hp Veloce and 345Nm torque that can do 0-100km/h in 5.9 secs - the epitome of Alfa Romeo’s sporting DNA. Annual road tax is €120. Charging the batteries from 10pc to 80pc takes less than 30 minutes when using a 100-kW DC fast charging station. 

A petrol hybrid option ‘IBRIDA’ will be available later this year in a 136hp 48-Volt Hybrid VGT (Variable Geometry Turbo). It will be available both in a front-wheel drive and a Q4 all-wheel drive variant with automated rear-wheel drive axle management, a first in the segment.

 

 

Peugeot launches third-generation 5008 SUV

Peugeot recently launched its very stylish third-generation 5008 SUV which is bigger and much improved than the previous model and with a huge amount of standard specification, writes Trish Whelan. 

The 5008’s long 2,900mm length provides more interior space for up to seven people with an adjustable second row bench seat that can slide 150mm forward and which can also recline. There is now easier access to the third row of seats. 

A huge change is the colourful curved digital display that stretches across the dash. It sits above the compact flat topped steering wheel. It is a stunning feature to behold. It combines a head-up display. Peugeot’s I-Connect system allows you stay connected with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 3D connected navigation and receive over-the-air software updates. Boot space is 348 litres with all seats in use, expandable to a huge 2,232 litres of cargo space with the second row folded down. 

Both the mild hybrid and fully-electric versions are offered at the same starting price of €50,995; in the case of the latter, this price is after state subsidies. The hybrid gets a 1.2, three-cylinder turbo petrol engine and self-charging 48-Volt hybrid system that give a combined power output of 136bhp. In urban areas, this hybrid can run on electric power for 50pc of the time. The E-5008 electric version with 210bhp and a powerful 73kWh battery offers up to 502km of range on a single charge. Using a fast charger it can charge from 20-80pc in 30 minutes; with a 7kW wallbox it will take 8hrs to charge fully. 

Joining the line-up later in 2025 will be a new 230bhp long-range 98kWh battery version with a range of up to 668kms, with production starting in April. The all-electric dual motor 4-wheel drive with a range of 500km WLTP will start production in May. 

Two trim levels are offered. The Allure version gets a 21-inch panoramic display, seven seats, 360 vision & drive assist, Eco LED headlights, customisable i-toggles for short cuts, 19-inch diamond alloy wheels while GT trim adds Pixel LED headlamps, handsfree tailgate, black diamond roof, rear central armrest, heated seats and steering wheel, and gloss black mouldings.

 

 

Alfa Romeo Junior review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

The Alfa Romeo brand has three distinctive elements, writes Brian Byrne. Sporty styling, a shield logo incorporating a cross and a grass snake and a heritage of success in motor racing beginning when one of their drivers was an ambitious young man named Enzo Ferrari who later went on to manage the company racing team and eventually left to build his own cars. Alfas were raced well between the world wars, and also in the 1950s when Formula One was inaugurated and subsequently in various international sports car championships.

The company also has a heritage of periodically hitting financial rocks and its ownership, including by the Italian State, has shifted several times. It nearly became merged with Nissan at one point, and Ford also pitched a bid, but eventually Fiat took over. Today Alfa Romeo is part of the 14-brand Stellantis automotive conglomerate, which has brought a certain amount of sneering today about Peugeot switchgear and powertrain mongrelisation in current Alfas. That doesn't doesn't really matter a damn, because the sniffing is either from the cigars and brandy brigade now browsing mobility scooter catalogues or others too young to remember 'real' Alfas but who want to sound knowledgable beyond their experience. What's really important is whether the cars suit today's potential owners.

The Junior is the new smallest Alfa Romeo, a B segment crossover-SUV replacing the MiTo 3-door hatch which finished a decade of existence in 2018. The Junior name has a 1960s sports coupe heritage, the body styling is attractive Alfaesque, and for those who like to sniff the relations are Peugeot 2008, Opel Mokka and Jeep Avenger among others.

I liked the shape of my review car and the styling details that weave well classic and modern. I loved the colour, which is the defining red of the brand. The latest shield motif built into the fascia is an intriguing black modern interpretation of the traditional badge.

Inside the cockpit stylists have created what could some might figure as a mish-mash of angles and lines, but most elements work well to me. An Alfa double-cowl shape over the driving instrumentation is a little exaggerated but I suppose it honours tradition. The centre screen is set a little lower than we're used to, and did require fairly definite finger-pokes to operate virtual buttons. Key heating-ventilation controls are proper switches, but seat heating required an additional double-tap through the screen menus. None of which was problematical, but what I would like are brighter graphics on the switches rather hidden in shadow.

The seats in my mid-grade Speciale were suitably sporty and for me very comfortable. The non-adjustable integrated head restraints were, fortunately, perfectly angled. The SUV designation in B segment cars can be a little ambitious in terms of rear passenger space, and in the Junior that space is about passable.

The Alfa ethos is about performance. The Junior is powered with either the familiar Stellantis 1.2 mild hybrid petrol that I'm fond of (not available here in the car yet, but promised soon), or the battery-electric of my Elettrica review car. This had the 156hp version which offers acceleration to 100km/h in a fairly leisurely 9s, but the Veloce variant extracts 280hp and a sub-6s sprint. Both electrics have the same 54kWh battery, so the more powerful version gets a lesser rated range of 347km compared to the other's 410km. Both ranges will be actually less in cold weather — my car used an indicated 90km over an actual 56km journey, for instance, with outside temperature at 4deg and sticking at 100km/h on the motorway part. A lowered suspension and tweaks to the handling and steering settings differentiates the Alfa from the other branded cousins.

A gimmick in the Junior Elettrica is an artificial engine note going up and down 'through the gears' to simulate what those older sporty Alfas sounded like. It's only inside, though, so there's no impressing the onlookers outside.

Taking the car as a whole, does it measure up to its pedigree? It looks the part. It has the interior feel-good part. It even, gently, can sound the part. 

I'm old enough to be cigars and brandy, but I'm actually a non-smoking wine man, so I'm not sneering or sniffy. The Alfa Junior's proposition is for today, and all the better for that.

PRICE: €43,768. WHAT I LIKED: Remembering that sporty cars don't need to be powerful. 

Grandland PHEV is a long range champ

Details released of the plug-in hybrid version of Opel's new Grandland show that the car can offer a range of up to 1,115km on a full tank of fuel and a fully-charged battery, writes Brian Byrne. The car will be available in Ireland in the summer.

The powertrain of the Grandland PHEV is based on a 1.6 turbo petrol along with a electric motor, giving a total output of 195hp.

In a test more stringent than the WLTP cycle used to compare fuel efficiencies — temperatures were much lower, and the car was fitted with winter tyres as required at this time of the year in Germany — the Grandland PHEV achieved an overall consumption of 4.6L/100km at an average speed of 80km over the cycle. It was driven until it ran out of fuel. Slightly more than a third of the distance travelled was electrically powered.

Price and specification of the Grandland PHEV will be available closer to launch. The car is currently available in pure electric from €39,065 and in mild-hybrid petrol from €40,995. 

Volvo upgrades XC60

Volvo are refreshing their best-seller XC60 SUV for this year, with styling tweaks and improvements to the user experience of the central screen, writes Brian Byrne. Full details and pricing for the Irish market are yet to come, but the car will be available to order from early March.

The plug-in hybrid XC60 will come with revised front-end detail and new colours as well as different wheel design options. The big changes are inside, with a larger screen and a new version of the operating system with Google features used by Volvo. The display is higher definition and graphics generation is faster.

The interface will also be rolled out to other Volvo cars built since 2020.

New Kia EV6 now available in Ireland

First models of Kia’s new EV6 have landed in Ireland priced from €49,510, writes Trish Whelan. 

The significantly revised EV6 features a refreshed exterior design, a more luxurious and modern interior, improved battery performance and a broader range of convenience features including a new steering wheel and saw pad design, Kia’s next-generation infotainment system and connected car Navigation Cockpit with expanded over-the-air software updates and upgrades. 

The lineup for Ireland consists of Earth and GT-line (€54,300), specifications, both coming with the 84kWh battery as standard. The Earth model gets 19-inch alloys, vegan leather seats, heated front seats and steering wheel, power adjustable front memory seats, dual 12.3-inch dash screens, front and rear parking sensors, powered tailgate, adaptive smart cruise control, blind-spot collision avoidance, highway driving assist and high beam assist. The top GT-line adds its own styling features, 20-inch alloys, a glass sunroof, heated rear seats and highway driving assist 2 featuring lane change function. 

Since its launch in 2021, the EV6 has achieved over 3,000 sales in Ireland and was the first Korean car to win the European Car of the Year title in 2022, also winning the Irish Car of the Year title in the same year.

 

Opel Grandland review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

The C-segment SUV is the biggest market slice of the overall car market in Ireland and it is fair to say that Opel haven't been performing well in it, writes Brian Byrne. Fair, because they say so themselves. That may well be about to change, with the arrival of the new generation Grandland as their top offering in the SUV space. When it is joined shortly by an updated Mokka and a new Frontera, the brand will have the youngest line-out of crossover-SUVs in the market.

The new Grandland comes with the sharp lines that Opel have been developing as their family look, beginning with the current Astra. It is longer, wider and taller than the version it replaces, and with that comes a longer wheelbase, promising more room inside for rear seat occupants, and an improved ride comfort which this gives especially in a larger car. Small details make the new car stand out both within the brand and from the competition including a lit-up 'blitz' badge on the front and a constantly red-lit Opel name on the back. 

Some interesting metal-sculpting along the door panels and around the rear pillar areas establish a profile that merits a second look. Front and rear design treatments emphasise width, as does the flat bonnet with a central ridge drawing the eye forward. The overall effect is standout without being in your face design. There's an impression of strength, reinforced as soon as you open and close the door, feeling the weight and hearing the satisfying clunk of structural integrity.

Similar edged design elements are repeated with the interior styling, across the dashboard, doors and console. The landscape screen is tidy, wide but blessedly not gigantic, and Opel have acknowledged longtime feedback from customers that screens should not replace proper switchgear for many functions. The message is gradually getting through. A smaller driving information screen is where it should be, in front of the driver, all very straightforward ... again, the message is getting through.

There's plenty of storage — that old best in class cat has been trotted out again. Included is a refrigerated box under the armrest, keeps the Cadbury's bar from slouching when you turn the heat up. A 550L boot cargo volume is standard across all powertrain versions, so the hybrid or BEV batteries don't steal capacity. The extra width and height of this Grandland make a difference to how it feels inside. And a rethinking of seats design has, the carmaker claims, made them more comfortable for long distance driving. Certainly, as my first drive experience was a 2-day run that included motorways in the Republic and some stunningly scenic drives through the Mourne Mountains, assertions of comfort seemed to stand up.

The car I drove was powered by that hybrid system I've become very impressed with in other recent review Opels. Classed as a mild-hybrid (MHEV) it nevertheless has the capability of significant in-town electric driving, enough to make it overall frugal with the fuel, particularly given the car's size. The nuts and bolts are a 3-cylinder 1.2 petrol, with the electric motor and battery, totalling a 135hp output. Being a hybrid, it's automatic, in this instance a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission. Seemed to all work very well under a variety of conditions on that introductory trip. There's also a full electric version (BEV), and with the grant and VRT rebate that is actually cheaper than the hybrid.

Last year Opel celebrated 125 years of automobile production. Through those twelve and a half decades the company has provided both sensible workaday vehicles and cars conceived with passion. Sometimes being both together. The previous Grandland really never had the passion bit. But now? Well, now it's looking the part, which is a good start. More when I get a full turn in it.

PRICE: €39,065 for the BEV, the review MHEV starts at €40,995. WHAT I LIKED: They've got the looks right. 

Hyundai's Inster EV drives a value proposition

Hyundai in Ireland have set a highly attractive price for their new Inster small electric car, which is now being delivered to first customers here, writes Brian Byrne. But the €18,995 starting level may not last beyond summer, according to the Irish distributor.

Meantime, it seems that 90pc of the initial 400 firm orders made 'sight unseen' in the last few months are for the higher-spec Elegance version at €21,995. The key difference between the two is a slightly larger 49kWh battery that the 42kWh on the entry car, offering a rated 360km of range.

The big surprise when potential customers see the Inster in the metal is the roominess, especially for passengers in the rear. 

Hyundai Ireland are expecting to sell 1,000 units of the Inster this year. A van version is coming towards the end of the year. 

New driver number regulation for insurance renewals

Driver numbers will be required on all motor insurance renewals in the state from the end of March, writes Brian Byrne. The number is on driving licences and those of all named drivers on policies must also be provided.

Failure to provide the driver number will mean motorists will not be able to renew their car insurance.

The numbers will subsequently transferred to the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID) which is aimed at keeping uninsured drivers off Irish roads. An Garda Síochána can access the database through their mobility devices, enabling them to spot drivers without insurance.

On the Irish plastic card driving licences, the driver number can be found in field 4d on the front of the licence. It contains nine numbers and no letters. 

Grandland moves Opel upmarket in segment

Opel is moving more upmarket in the C-segment SUV market with the new Grandland, which is now on sale in Ireland with electric and hybrid variants, writes Brian Byrne. The segment is the biggest one in the Irish market.

The car is the top of the line in the brand's SUV range here, with the Mokka at the smallest end and the upcoming new Frontera to fill out the middle.

The electric Grandland has a 73kWh battery outputting 213hp and with a rated range of up to 523km. The 136hp hybrid (MHEV) powertrain is based on a 1.2 3-cylinder petrol engine with a battery-electric motor capable of fully electric city driving for up to 50pc of the time. A plug-in hybrid version is planned.

Cargo capacity of the Grandland is 550L in all versions. In-cabin storage totals 36L including a refrigerated space under the front central armrest.

The new generation of the car is longer, wider and taller than the car it replaces. 

VW teases '€20,000' entry electric car

Volkswagen will showcase a concept entry-level electric car at the beginning of next month, but it won't go into production until 2027, writes Brian Byrne. The carmaker is floating a price in the region of €20,000.

A first glimpse of the concept car was given at a  works meeting in VW's headquarters at Wolfsburg. Workers were told that the company has a target of making e-mobility 'attractive for everyone'.

Volkswagen plans nine new models by 2027 including the production version of the already-announced ID.2all for less than €25,000. 

Toyota is top seller in January

Toyota was the best selling car brand in January, with five models in the top ten by nameplates, writes Brian Byrne. It's the fifth year in a row that the brand has held top spot in the most important buying month.

The cars were the Yaris Cross, RAV4, Corolla, Toyota C-HR and Yaris.

The market share of petrol-electric hybrids increased markedly, and in January represented 14.1pc of the total market by powertrain. 

Car sales up for January

Volkswagen's ID.4 was top electric car seller in January.

In what the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) says is a 'promising start' to the year, new car registrations for the month of January were up 7pc (33,521) compared to January 2024 (31,407), writes Brian Byrne. 

Light Commercial vehicles (LCV) are down 16pc (6,270) compared to January last year (7,478). While HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are showing an increase of 8pc (489) in comparison to January 2024 (454).

Imported Used Cars saw a 5pc (5,604) rise in January 2025, when compared to January 2024 (5,325).

Electric Vehicle (EV) sales experienced the highest monthly sales recorded to date, 4,925 registrations in January, representing 20pc increase when compared to 4,093 in January 2024. 

Petrol cars remain the most popular powertrain at 28.24pc, followed by Hybrid (Petrol Electric) 24.89pc, Diesel at 16.31pc, Electric at 14.69pc and Plug-in Electric Hybrid at 14.17pc.

Automatic transmissions account for 71.71pc of market share, while manual transmissions continue to see a decline. 

Increase in NCT failures due to faulty tyres

Eighty-five thousand cars failed their NCT in 2024 because of defective tyres, writes Brian Byrne. That was one in ten of the 856,000 cars that wee failed during the year.

The biggest reason for failure was faults in the steering and suspension, at 14.9pc of the total. Lighting and Electrical came next (14.1pc), followed by the 'side slip test' which measures how a car can maintain a straight line when driven without the steering wheel (12.2pc).

Tom Dennigan, head of premium German tyre manufacturer, Continental Tyres Ireland, commended the NCT service for excellent work to help keep dangerous cars off the road. "However, it is hard not to be alarmed at that growth in test failures that are attributed to defective tyres, an increase of 10,000 from last year," he said.  Tyres are the easiest element of the test to get right — a driver can easily check and see if a car’s tyres are fit for purpose."

He added that many local tyre services will provide a car owner with a free professional check of their tyres. 

Xpeng G6 review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

In what has become a very crowded market, another Chinese brand has joined the electric vehicles competition in Ireland in the form of Xpeng, writes Brian Byrne. The first model, the G6, is directly targeting Tesla's Model Y on both price and specification levels. 

It's only a decade since the company was formed in China with the backing of a highly successful tech entrepreneur, He Xiaopeng. The first car rolled out in 2018, and by 2022 Xpeng were selling in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and The Netherlands. By the end of this year the brand will be a contender in no less than 16 European-related markets and 60 countries globally. Back in their home, Xpeng are front runners in the world's most competitive EV market and have sold more than half a million vehicles. The company is also developing robots and electric flying vehicles.

The G6 is a mid-size SUV coupe, a tad longer than the Volkswagen ID.5. The styling is clean and the technical aerodynamic with a Cd of 0.248 is impressive on paper. Design details in the LED lights and frontage are distinctive without being heavy. A modern and smooth version of what we used to call a Kamm-back rear stylistically works very well, and promises that rear headroom won't be compromised. The overall aesthetic seems well thought through. 

The interior styling and finish is minimalist with a bit more. Artificial leather, the unfortunately de rigeur large centre screen, but unlike the Tesla rival there's also a driver instrumentation pod. The high centre console offers dual phone charging pads, with open storage underneath and a deep storage box that doubles as a driver's armrest. There's a real tilt to comfort features, both front seats have full heating and ventilation and position memory. Details include electric door openers. The finish throughout as an impression is somewhat bland, but trim quality is perceptively high. It's a roomy car for those in the rear and the boot has a good 571L capacity.

The G6 comes with a choice of standard or long-range batteries, rated respectively at 435km and 570km ranges and with a 20-minute time to charge from 10pc-80pc. What is a more interesting figure is that, with a high-power charger, a quick 5-minute charge will add 120km, so for many longer journeys there's likely no need to factor in an extended break to get to destination. Both versions are RWD and acceleration can be as fast as 6.7s to 100km/h if that's your need.

It's a typically very high tech Chinese car in terms of cameras and monitors, and one of those is watching the driver all the time to catch yawning or other signs of tiredness or inattention. When I have a longer opportunity with the car I'll see if these are over-sensitive to irritation level. Other cameras are monitoring your car while parked, and if anything bumps or anyone tries to interfere with it, a video record will be kept and alarm raised via the owner's phone.

In what was a relatively short initial experience with the car — an hour or so — it felt a good place to be, and the aerodynamics certainly seemed to work in a lack of wind noise. The drive itself was seamless and virtually silent. It all reinforced the concept that has become reality, electric cars are not the future. They are the now, and however much the new version of President Trump might rail against them in favour of his fossil fuel friends, he is merely a President Canute against the waves. And like it or not, the biggest waves are coming from China. 

The G6 will be the only model in Ireland from Xpeng this year, but two others already in LHD markets in Europe are the G9 large SUV, and the P7+ coupe. All three have achieved top level ENCAP safety ratings.

PRICE: From €40,990. WHAT I LIKED: This car dances Chinese Smooth.