Skoda Octavia vRS review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

In the scheme of things these days, I’m driving a lot of cars that have plenty of power and punchy acceleration, writes Brian Byrne. They’re almost all electric. That’s not a criticism; I’m very much pro-EVs, as regular readers will appreciate. But I recently had time in what is possibly a dying breed, a modern performance petrol car with old-school credentials. And it was a really enjoyable experience.

The Octavia vRS is the latest generation of a well-respected nameplate, more than 20 years on from its introduction as a 180hp performance family car with extra punch. Now in its fourth iteration and a facelift last year that included a 20hp performance bump, the Octavia vRS is a 265hp powerhouse. For those longtime hot hatch heads, that’s the same engine as in the cousin current (and probably the last as we know it) VW Golf GTI.

Octavia has been a very successful model for Skoda since they first rolled it out more than seven million customers ago. The current style continues the understated ethos which all versions have had, a saloon look with the cargo-loading advantage of a lift-back over a capacious boot. Straight edges and enough character line curving to soften the sharpness just enough. The refresh a year ago brought updates to the bumpers front and rear and to the grille, and there are new-generation LED Matrix headlights standard in the vRS and animated indicators in the revised rear lights. Unmistakably Octavia, unmistakably for today, and for quite a few tomorrows. The vRS has its own exterior black details.

They've gently added fresh elements and materials to the interior, including sustainable materials in the dashboard and trim panels. The vRS gets an artificial leather seat trim. Octavia is technically in the C-segment family cars space, but extra room for those in the rear has always been a feature and remains so. Be aware that, while getting in and out of the Octavia has never been an issue for me, the vRS suspension is 15mm lower than the standard car, so you have to stoop that little bit more.

All in all, the Octavia is a nice car to be in. But of course, the vRS is about a bit more. The 2.0 turbocharged engine is familiar across the Volkswagen Group in a range of power outputs. Well evolved, reliable, and smooth in any variation that I've driven. Even in this, one of its sportiest applications, it remains a quiet pussycat picking its way through slow traffic, tractable and refined. When you want it quickly at max, notably in overtaking or on a busy motorway entry merge, it springs a feline leap that's totally in control, just a tad of sound rasp to accompany the jump. The 7-speed dual-clutch automatic shows really impressive fast changes under such pressure. Years ago, putting this kind of ooomph onto a front-drive car would have resulted in scrabbling wheels and savage torque steer. But today's technology has totally tamed such behaviour and efficient transfer of horsepower to the tarmac is the order of the day. Probably around six seconds to 100km/h is the sprint, not bad for a car that can double as sedate family transport at other times. That latter is also made easy because the Octavia vRS's suspension is not in any way hard, a matter that my passenger commented on during a run to the seaside while I had the car. Coping with power and the handling that requires, and yet balancing the comfort needs is a Skoda speciality, I think.

The modern car is almost 140 years old. The versions that we have been driving over the last 30 years or so are a far cry from the originals. Now motoring is in the throes of the biggest powertrain change since the advent of the turbocharger, which itself will disappear in the process. It's nice to be able to still enjoy old-school motoring.

PRICE: Octavia from €31,430; review vRS €56,020. WHAT I LIKED: A refined family car with sports-car capabilities. 

New generation Citroën Aircross

A new Citroën C5 Aircross will go on sale in first European markets in the second half of this year, writes Brian Byrne. It's the second generation of the C-segment SUV and will offer more room for rear passengers and luggage.

Powertrains will include a plug-in hybrid with a claimed range in excess of 100 km on electric power.

A fully electric version will have a rated range of up to 680 km.

The new car's styling is designed for improved aerodynamics as well as offering a stronger image than the predecessor vehicle. 

So, what's an electric car like to drive?

Stellantis models such as the Jeep Avenger are available with electric, hybrid and petrol powertrains, in the Avenger's case all at the same price.

First, there are dedicated electric vehicle (EV) models and cars designed to use various powertrains, including electric, hybrid, petrol, and even diesel, writes Brian Byrne. This means that someone not familiar with cars may not always be able to tell by sight if their neighbour has gone electric. One giveaway is if the vehicle doesn’t have a traditional radiator grille. Even then, some brands, like Audi, have retained vestigial faux grilles because they still suggest power.

Mercedes-Benz went to great lengths to set their EV versions of their mainstream cars apart. They gave them an ‘EQ’ designation and also made significant visual differences from their C-Class, E-Class, and S-Class stablemates. However, this approach has been abandoned, and in the future, an ‘EQ Technology’ suffix will simply be added to mainstream segment nameplates for electric or electrified hybrid powertrains.

The new generation MB GLC electric testing in the Arctic: it will be badged 'with EQ Technology', not as an EQ GLC.

Kia and Hyundai, serious and successful contenders in electric vehicles, have adopted nameplates EV and Ioniq respectively, and separate styling, to differentiate their electric cars from combustion models. It’s likely that electric versions of their multi-powertrain Niro and Kona will phase out. Stellantis brands, including Opel, Peugeot, Citroën, and others, offer their models in multi-powertrain guises, so you’ll have to look for small differences to tell them apart.

Regardless, with the growing adoption of EVs across the market, the share of sales exceeding 15 per cent this year, people will soon become accustomed to seeing electric cars on the road. Like any other car, electric vehicles have four road wheels, lights, and body styles that match those of conventional combustion engine vehicles.

Inside, an electric car has a dashboard, instruments, steering wheel, and pedals. However, only two of those last, as all electric and hybrid cars operate in an automatic mode. Pure electric cars don’t even have gears, except for a couple of sporty Audis and Porsches that do have a two-speed transmission, but are outliers.

The instruments are slightly different. EVs show battery energy percentage instead of fuel levels, and the remaining range is calibrated based on recent driving speed and style. Instead of the rev-counter used in combustion engines, which meant nothing to most car owners, there’s an indication of whether the car is consuming energy or creating it on over-run or braking regeneration.

When you turn on the ignition in an electric car, you’ll hear nothing. There’s no engine to start up and idle, and the electric motor doesn’t do anything until you push the accelerator after seeing a READY sign. In some brands, like VW and Volvo, you don’t even turn on anything; just getting into the car does that job. I do prefer to have a Start-Stop button, though.

Moving off in an electric vehicle is a very quiet ‘swish’, as the electric motor operates from the moment you press the accelerator without requiring a power boost like a combustion engine. Depending on whether you’re driving a mass-market or luxury EV, you may or may not hear the external pedestrian warning sound that’s required in all electric and hybrid vehicles while driving at low speeds. As the electric car accelerates, the most noticeable thing is the not-so-noticeable motor noise. However, there will still be sound — as there’s none coming from the engine compartment, tyres or wind noise will be more noticeable. Additionally, there’s no shifting up through gears, which has two effects: a lack of the three or four accelerative ‘highs’ that manual shifting can generate, and a very linear speeding-up sensation. Electric cars also have immediate and strong torque. There are apocryphal stories of fast wear on EV tyres, especially the common rear-wheel-drive ones, likely due to overuse of that acceleration potential by some owners.

We’ve also been seeing higher power figures for electric and electrified cars, in some cases substantially more than equivalent models in combustion vehicles. In larger cars, this is probably necessary because they are significantly heavier due to the weight of the large batteries needed to provide extended range. There’s a point where there’s no advantage to a larger battery, either in terms of sustainability or cost-effectiveness, because much of the spent energy is used for lugging a larger battery around.  

Electric cars show a noticeable difference in handling. The extra weight is generally spread under the vehicle’s floor, providing a lower centre of gravity and stability. However, this weight can be felt during cornering and on uneven surfaces, especially traffic-calming speed bumps. This requires drivers to take these slowly. Fortunately, more suitably tuned suspension systems are addressing this issue. The effect is more pronounced in mid- and higher-level cars where longer ranges are required. For instance, the recent crop of smaller urban-focused EVs like the Renault 5 are likely to feel more nippy.

Another significant difference for new EV owners is the reduced frequency of service visits. Weekly trips to refuel and pick up items at a convenience store won’t be necessary, as the car is charged at home while parked most of the time, except for long country drives. The hours saved over a year can be substantial. Charging at home also leads to significant cost savings, especially when using a smart meter package to charge the car at the lowest night-time tariff.

In essence, driving an electric car is similar to driving conventional cars. If EVs meet your needs, they can offer quieter, smoother, more relaxed, and cheaper motoring experiences. What’s not to like? 

Ami Buggy announced

Citroën has revealed a buggy version of its tiny Ami electric vehicle, writes Brian Byrne. Not due for delivery in first markets until August, the latest version of the two-seater quadricycle is aimed at what the French call 'baroudeurs', people with adventurous spirits.

It will have no doors and a soft top roof, but roll-down zipped door covers are available as an accessory for poor-weather driving.

The standard Citroën Ami is available in Ireland from €9,999. 

Appeal as peak motorcycling season starts

Image: Serious injuries among motorcyclists 2019-2023: Summary report.

Almost a third of some 1,556 motorcyclists hospitalised between 2019-2023 received clinically serious injuries which have a higher probability of long-term consequences, writes Brian Byrne. And almost half of these were single-vehicle accidents.

That's just one very concerning item from research carried out by the Road Safety Authority based on hospital data over the period.

Meanwhile, the number of motorcycle deaths this year is ten at the time of writing, compared to seven in the same period in 2024 and four in 2023.

The May Bank Holiday weekend is traditionally the start of peak motorcycling activity and the RSA has appealed for both motorcyclists and car drivers to be aware of each other as they drive during these summer months, especially at junctions and in areas of high traffic flow.

Wearing proper protective gear, riding within the speed limits and according to road and weather conditions, and avoiding risky driving behaviour are all among safety guidance issued by the RSA this week.

MG ZS Hybrid+ review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

This car is one of the reasons the car business in Europe is scared, writes Brian Byrne. The Chinese-owned MG brand is one of several such pushing their cars into European markets, and selling uncomfortably well. While the EU concerns include whether Chinese brands are being illegally subsidised by their state, a more tangible concern is the quality of the cars, both mass-market and premium. They're just very damned good. For the consumer, quality and value are not always match-fellows, but in cars coming out of China these days, the two characteristics are intimate.

The MG ZS Hybrid+ is a second generation of the original compact SUV model and went on sale towards the end of 2024, therefore is as fresh as anything in today's showrooms. It's sized a tad larger than Nissan's Qashqai and a little smaller than Toyota's Corolla Cross, but that bracketing puts it into a very competitive and busy segment here.

There's not a lot you can do to ring changes in the shape of a crossover in this space, and it's safe to say that the MG ZS will fit on any driveway without looking like a cuckoo in the nest. There's good strong thoroughly modern detailing in the front end, a pleasant profile, and smart looks about the rear, set off in the review car by some nice chrome-style elements around the tailpipes. The 18-inch alloys on the top Exclusive of three grades available are quite striking.

The same consideration to providing a car that will appeal to any buyer in the segment has been carried through to the interior. There's style to the dashboard design and its component elements. A good bright infotainment screen set down out of the way of glare has easily viewed and operated panels, with a row of switches underneath to manage defrost, emergency flasher, home and radio volumes. Even if the general climate controls are touchscreen, the graphics are big enough to operate handily enough. One downside is the lack of Bluetooth connection for CarPlay, but most can live with that. On the driver's side, the instrumentation is pretty clear and informative, though I could do without the brown stripes decorations.

The centre console has some things storage and a snazzy transmission shifter and big start-stop button. The steering wheel controls are OK, though I'm not a fan of the toggle bits. The MG motif in its octagon is a reminder of an automotive heritage that still twangs the memory strings even if it is owned by SAIC Automotive.

This top level version is only €5,000 more than the entry car, and for that you get a bigger infotainment screen, leather-style seats and trim that are well presented indeed, heated seats and steering wheel and electrically adjusted driver's seat, full LED lighting front and rear, a really good surround-view rear camera and inbuilt navigation that's quite a tidy system.

There's just the one powertrain, based on a 1.5 petrol unit and electric motor-battery setup that offers a total output of 196hp. Performance is adequately brisk and smooth, and given the size of the car a fuel consumption of around 6L/100km was satisfactory to me. I was impressed at how much on highway speeds that the car was travelling in electric mode.

The ZS Hybrid+ all looks good. It all feels good.The car is priced very well on the buyer side and comes with a 7-year warranty. Even though the ZS didn't quite make the five stars in the EuroENCAP, the competition in Europe is right to be scared.

PRICE: From €28,999; Review car €33,995. WHAT I LIKED: This is a real contender in an important buyer space.

 

Fast, fast Elroq for order

The new Skoda Elroq RS is now available to order in Ireland at a starting price of €53,350, writes Brian Byrne. First customers can expect deliver of the electric compact SUV in August.

A 335hp equivalent electric motor gives the car a capability of a 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.4s. The rated range is over 550km, according to the maker.

The car will be the flagship of the Elroq range, and is the most powerful and fastest-accelerating production model to date from Skoda.  

Pricing and specifications revealed for new VW Transporter, Caravelle

The new generation Volkswagen Transporter van range is now available in Ireland at a starting price of €39,265, writes Brian Byrne. It's the seventh generation of the van and the Caravelle derivative.

They offer significantly more space and higher payloads than the previous versions and they also have a higher towing capability. There are two wheelbase and two height options.

Three new 2.0 diesel engines offer outputs of 110hp, 150hp and 170hp, with choice from 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatics. There will be an AWD variant. An electric version, the e-Transporter comes with the option of three power outputs between 136hp-286hp and with a rated range of up to 331km. Prices for this version start art €53,695 after grants.

The new Caravelle comes with the possibility of 6-,8- or 9-seater formats, at a starting price of €62,725. There's also an electric version with two power options.

The new range comes with a 5-year warranty and five years of roadside assistance and service plan. 

Audi A6 deliveries during summer

First deliveries to Irish customers for the new Audi A6 saloon will be this summer, writes Brian Byrne. The car is now available to order from €64,940.

The car is available with petrol and diesel engines, and options include 4-wheel steering and adaptive air suspension.

The styling of the car has resulted in a very low drag coefficient of 0.23, helping to make the car more fuel-frugal than its predecessor.

Sound insulation is also claimed to reduce onboard external sounds by 30 per cent. 

Kia EV3 wins 2025 World Car of the Year

The Kia EV3 has secured the prestigious title of 2025 World Car of the year, writes Trish Whelan. 

Winners were selected by a highly respected jury of 96 international automotive journalists from 30 nations. The announcement was made at the 2025 New York International Auto Show. The EV3's victory brings Kia's total of wins at the World Car Awards to six since 2020. 

EV3 is available here with a 58.3kWh battery and a 436km range; the Long Range variant with up to 605km range is fitted with an 81.4kWh battery. The EV3 can charge from 10-80pc in 31 minutes. Prices are from €36,790-€47,190.

 

Irish drivers have gone automatic

In 2024, two out of every three cars sold in Ireland had automatic transmissions, writes Brian Byrne. Ten years ago, less than 14pc were autos. And as recently as 2019, the proportion was one in three. It’s a big change since when I started to drive, when the only automatic I ever drove was a local gentry Bentley in which I sometimes had to bring the owner and his car home from our family pub, for his safety and that of everyone else on the road.

Amongst the young drivers of that time, automatics were sneered at as something a real driver wouldn’t have any truck with. Also in an environment of expensive fuel, they were significantly more thirsty than the manual gearboxes that were the absolute norm in this part of the world. All that has changed.

There are real reasons for the big shift evident today, so to speak. The adoption of the Borg Warner-built dual-clutch automatic manual by Volkswagen two decades ago not only changed the clunky earlier automated manual options to much faster moves between the gears, but also did them faster than any stick shift. In addition, the DCT systems are even more fuel frugal than manual transmissions. 

The electrification of powertrains has also been responsible for the shift to automatics. Initially the province of Toyota, almost all makers providing combustion engined cars now offer hybrid petrol-electric versions. By their nature, hybrids use automatic transmissions to manage the shifts and mixes between electric and engine modes. Equally, battery electric cars normally don’t have gearshifts because of the instant torque characteristics of an electric motor.

In 2024, 45pc of cars sold in Ireland were electrified or pure electric, so these were classed as autos. In addition, some compact car models such as the Peugeot 308 are only sold here in automatic form. The balance of the increased auto interest is likely due to the realisation that having a car that doesn’t require stirring a manual box, especially in the urban driving that is the most common conditions, is less stressful. And because there’s no fuel consumption penalty, it makes it a very viable option to order even if there's still a bit extra to be paid. 

BYD expanding Irish footprint and range

BYD Sealion 7.

Chinese carmaker BYD will be launching three more models in Ireland during this year, bringing the total offering to eight nameplates, writes Brian Byrne. This was revealed during the recent Irish launch of the Sealion 7 at a starting price of €45,435. It's just two years since the first BYD, the Atto 3 was launched here by importers Motor Distributors Limited, which was followed by the Dolphin, Seal, and Seal U hybrid SUV.

The upcoming models will be launched in June, September and November. In 2026 a B-segment hatchback and a large SUV will be added to the range.

The BYD dealer network in Ireland includes outlets in Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Wexford, Kerry and Galway, and the brand will be further expanding during this year. 

Dacia Spring review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

When I first properly drove a dedicated electric car, the original Nissan Leaf in 2010, it was trumpeted as the dawning of a new motoring age, writes Brian Byrne. The dumpy but smile-inducing car was smooth, quiet, and potentially very economical. The 180km range was tight, but adequate as a runaround once you had a way to charge it at home and on the road. Importantly, it was aimed at the compact family hatch market even if a bit pricier than a combustion-engined equivalent.

Since then the electric vehicle has truly arrived, and now there are more than 30 brands selling in excess of 100 models of electric cars in Ireland. Three in ten EVs currently sold are by five of those brands. Dacia is not in that set, slotting in at number 23 in the EV league this year.

Thing is, the top five models here range in price from €32,000-€50,000. Regular readers will know that I've been getting a lot of electric cars over the last couple of years, almost none of which are for the market segment that doesn't have big bucks to spend.

Dacia tilted for that cohort in Ireland last summer, with the brand's first EV, the Spring. Classed as a small SUV, the car originated via a partnership with Dongfeng in China. 

Looks first and, as Dacia have been doing across their models, the Spring has a smart and chirpy look. A bit larger than a Fiat Panda, a little smaller than Renault's Zoe EV which ceased production last year. Some styling details like that panel behind the front numberplate — repeated in the rear bumpers — lift it from the ordinary, and the brand logostyle is likely to remain modern for some time.

Inside my top-level review version the finish was good, the little copper details that come with the grade and a stitched artificial leather upholstery both doing their bit to enhance what's designed to be a budget car. Size-wise you'd be entering difficult territory if you tried to fit more than two medium stature people in the back.  The boot has a 300L nominal capacity, with a double floor so that cables can be stored without flopping around. The charging socket is in the middle of the front of the car.

The main differences between the two grades available here are the copper details and upholstery, and crucially whether to get the basic clip-on gadget for your mobile phone to be used as entertainment and navigation or a Bluetooth-enabled touchscreen. The first is frustrating and not to be recommended. The second is basic, but works, and does so best for navigation if you use your Google Maps app rather than the inbuilt Here version. Climate controls are knobs and switches. 

There are two power motor options, offering either 45hp or 65hp. Both have the same rated range of 225km, but my experience indicated a back to the past of the original Leaf with 180km. Even with a better now charging network, that's short, especially as the charging speed is also pretty slow.

The car drives quite well, if not particularly nippy as electrics go. But it wouldn't be for me for reasons related to the driver seat. Fully adjusted down, it was still a major head-banging contortion to get out of the car. For the same reason, once in, my eye-line was at most an inch under the top of the windscreen. So if you're a six-footer or plus like me, the Spring just won't work. 

You might also be concerned about the extremely poor single star the original car received in its 2021 EuroENCAP crash test. The revised 2024 version, which seems to be mostly cosmetic in its changes, has not been retested.

PRICE: From €16,990 after grants. WHAT I LIKED: The looks, but not much else. 

Review: Renault Symbioz EV - Trish Whelan, Irish Car

Renault has introduced a host of new vehicles over the last year, all signalling huge leaps forward in terms of design, interior style, comfort and drivability. These include the multi-award winning New Scenic, flagship Rafale, updated Captur, and Symbioz hybrid compact SUV. The latest is the new all-electric Renault 5 voted European Car of the Year 2025, and a new Renault 4 due here soon. Designed to fit in the line-up between the B-segment Captur and larger Austral, Symbioz is the French carmaker’s new entry level model in the all-important C-segment. Renault say it is designed for both city traffic and family life. 

Symbioz is an attractive looking motor that isn’t over-the-top in exterior styling, and this will be appreciated by those buyers not looking for a get-in-your-face type SUV as their family car. In the front, the radiator grille is styled as micro-diamonds and is adorned with a graphic effect and, at the rear, the Symbioz signature emphasises the car’s sharp lines. 

My review car was the top Esprit Alpine grade in a lovely exterior of Ceramic Grey Metallic. Distinctive features include a matte grey F1 strip, special 19-inch Esprit Alpine wheels and Alpine badging on the front wings. The cabin is flooded with light from the panoramic solarbay sunroof which has four different opacity configurations; the technology involved does away with the need for a blind. Really comfy seats were covered in black fabric and synthetic leather with nice designs on the bolsters. The upholstery is stitched in Alpine blue and the distinctive badge features a blue/white/red flag on the seat backs and dash. My seat had power adjustments. 

The dash and instruments layout are the same as the 2024 updated Captur, and work just fine as you get to see all the information clearly. The vertically aligned 10.4-inch central touchscreen display and customisable 10.25-inch digital driver screen come with colourful graphics and connect you to the openR link multimedia system technology with Google built-in. You can plan a trip, adjust the temperature or the opacity of the panoramic sunroof by saying ‘Hey Google’ and giving your instructions via the Voice Assistant. There are permanently-on virtual buttons and piano-style switches for climate, heat controls for the steering wheel and for the front seats. There’s a wireless phone charger on the dash and two small C-type USBs front and back. Cubbies include a narrow but deep area below the front armrest, a glovebox that reaches far inwards, a storage area nearer the floor out of sight of the driver, and generous door bins. 

Rear space could be tight enough with tall people seated in front even with the big knee indents on the front seat backs; the middle seat is slightly smaller than the outer two and there’s a tunnel here to manoeuvre feet around. With the rear bench seat folded down, luggage capacity expands from 492 litres to a very good 625 litres. 

Trims are Techno, Techno Esprit Alpine, and Iconic Esprit Alpine. With full hybrid technology, the car switches automatically between different traction modes to reduce the use of the petrol engine and fuel consumption. Full hybrid E-Tech vehicles don’t need to be plugged in as they recharge themselves when you brake or decelerate. The four-cylinder 1.6 hybrid unit outputs 145hp and produces 250Nm torque. It's mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission system that we are familiar with from other Renault cars. The system always starts in electric mode allowing you remain in full-electric mode up to 80pc of the time in the city with fuel savings of up to 40pc compared with a conventional combustion engine. From 0-100km/h takes 10.6 secs and road tax €180. An E-Save function optimises fuel consumption by maintaining the battery charge to ensure there is always sufficient power to negotiate slopes without losing speed, or to overtake with only the electric motor as boost. 

Symbioz has a WLTP cycle of 4.6 L/100kms; a total of 1,000kms is available on a full tank of petrol. There are 29 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) onboard including active emergency braking system - urban and pedestrian/cyclist - rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with speed limiter and hands-free Park Assist; my car's spec included full LED front and rear lights, a rear fog light, three driving modes, a 360deg around view 3D reversing camera, good blind spot monitors, all-round parking sensors and a Harman Kardon premium audio system. 

On the road, I found the petrol engine can rev high at times especially driving in urban areas or after accelerating and there was a good bit of road noise coming through into the cabin which often necessitated turning up the radio volume, but on the whole, I enjoyed driving the car on all types of routes. Symbioz was awarded four out of a possible five stars for safety by Euro NCAP and is built at Renault’s Valladolid plant in Spain. 

Prices are from €36,995-€41,395 (€40,370 without metallic paint).

 

 

Volvo announce pricing and spec for new model year

The all-electric Volvo EX40 and EC40 now have a new start price of €48,900 representing a price drop of €3,255 from the previous model year, writes Trish Whelan. 

Volvo Car Ireland say this new price point provides a more competitive offering to its customers as demand increases for electric cars. New exterior colours for the EX40 and EC40 are Aurora Silver, Forest Lake and Denim Blue. Both come with Google built-in and smart interior storage. Each offers a range of up to 576 kms and 569 kms respectively. EX40 and EC40 models are pictured above. 

This comes at a time when Volvo Car Ireland relaunches its bestselling model, the Volvo XC60. The significant refresh features key updates in design and comfort along with a faster and more responsive infotainment system. This refreshed plug-in hybrid starts at €67,145. New exterior colours are Mulberry Red, Aurora Silver and Forest Lake. 

Volvo Car Ireland have now expanded the Black Edition offering on each of these models to include new exterior colour options. Black Edition models include high gloss black badging, 20-inch five-spoke alloys in high gloss and a microtech charcoal interior. 

 Each of these models are now available to order for July delivery.

 

Ford Explorer review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

Time was that Ford was regularly the biggest selling car brand in Ireland, vying with Volkswagen and Toyota for turns in that top spot, writes Brian Byrne. Last year the blue oval sold less than half the cars here than it did in 2014, and only scraped into the top ten at ninth place. You have to wonder what the company has been at? 

Three years ago they announced that their strongest nameplate, Focus, would end production this coming November. They also dropped their seven generations winning supermini Fiesta in 2023. The consensus among longtime loyal Ford owners was that US Ford had decreed only SUVs in future because there's a higher profit margin. In its last full year, 2024, the Focus in Ireland still managed a tight third place against top model crossover Puma and number two seller Kuga. Showing the Ford bosses — though they're possibly not seeing it — that there's still a strong appetite for a compact hatchback. The recent plethora of small EVs from Renault, Citroen, Hyundai et al, and upcoming Cupra Raval and ID.2 also highlight that Ford is well behind in that race, a pace it once dominated with combustion engined Fiesta.

It's also true to say that the company hasn't shone in the EV stakes generally, the US-focused Mustang Mach-E and the more recent Explorer launched in Ireland last autumn so far not making much impact. The slightly larger Capri EV just arrived here is in the same size and price bracket as a raft of competitors from Europe and a tidal wave of Chinese offerings already making initial landfall. There's an electric Puma imminent and a vague promise of electric 'replacements' for Focus and Fiesta, but both are down the road.

So, back to the Explorer which I took for a full review a while back. Sized between VW's ID.3 and ID.4 whose platform it is built on, the Ford is styled pleasantly, doesn't look or feel bulky, and makes a good fist of presenting as its own car. In the black I thought it lost a little, the design really showing itself better in lighter colours. That said, from the rear three-quarter viewpoint it looked swell.

The inside finish impressed, not as a luxury car but one which suggests quality and good finish that at the same time will stand up to a busy family's wear and tear efforts. A proper Ford, in other words. The instrumentation, the vertical aspect centre screen — which is adjustable — and the steering wheel buttons are all easily seen and understood. Even though climate controls are virtual on the screen, they can be reasonably managed, though they're at the bottom of the screen so one does have to look way down to operate them. The inbuilt navigation doesn't compare to using Google via CarPlay, but does give you an EV trip planning ability to make the best of the charging network on a long journey. The fingertip-slide volume control is an annoying version of the VW system's that is equally so. The transmission selector on the steering column is also the VW twist type, which I like.

The car is roomy for five adults — it's lower but wider than a VW ID.4 — and I found through my time with it to be a really comfortable drive. Especially on one of my occasional long 450km day return trips to the west. That also allowed me to evaluate the accuracy of the range, nominally 602km in my Extended Range review car but in reality 460km or so which over a variety of driving conditions proved to be quite consistent, and adequate. A short coffee stop at Kinnegad on the way home showed a good charging speed.

In my short first time with Explorer last October it had felt good. With more time and distance travelled, it became one that I feel is even better. Much better. But with only one in ten Ford sales so far this year being an Explorer, there's a long and bumpy road to travel before the company finds its way back to where it used to be.

PRICE: From €42,120; review car €43,591. WHAT I LIKED: It is more Ford than I expected. 

Renault revises Austral

Renault have revised their Austral SUV with a completely re-designed front and rear ends, writes Brian Byrne. Along with a new lights signature shape, the move brings the car into line with more recent models.

Inside there are improved front seats and new upholstery and better soundproofing.

The car has a 200hp full hybrid automatic powertrain, offering a rated 4.7L/100km in fuel use.

There are three trim levels and the car is expected in first European markets before the summer.

Drivers underestimate their alcohol levels - RSA

Almost half of drivers who tested their alcohol levels at breathalyser kiosks underestimated the levels, writes Brian Byrne. The results are from a 7-month pilot study by the Road Safety Authority who placed the kiosks in hotels, bars, and event venues across Mayo, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Laois, and Westmeath.

The research showed that 45pc of those who tested over the limit thought they were fit to drive. With 64pc of those who exceeded the blood alcohol legal limit of 0.50 g/l having said they were going to drive, young men aged 18-34 were most likely to underestimate their alcohol levels and say they were going to drive.

Sarah O’Connor, Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at the RSA, said the data is a stark reminder that our perception of how alcohol affects us is often flawed.

The study was begun at the Electric Picnic, and also included kiosks at the National Ploughing Championships. 

Review: Nissan Qashqai - Trish Whelan, Irish Car

Nissan revealed its face-lifted Qashqai compact crossover SUV to Ireland in late October 2024 refreshed both inside and out. Qashqai has always been very popular with Irish families for its compact size and practicality. The model has been produced by the Japanese car manufacturer since 2006 with the second generation in 2014 while the third and latest generation was launched in 2021. Qashqai is positioned between the Juke and X-Trail SUV in Nissan’s crossover SUV line-up. This version keeps the same dimensions as its predecessor - an overall length of 4,425mm, wheelbase of 2,665mm which allows for good interior space front and back and boot capacity of 504 litres that can be expanded to 1,447 litres. 

The sharp new design is quite eye-catching, especially in the mid grey exterior colour of my review car. The restyle includes a new brand identity of logos and font, a reshaped front grille and LED-enhanced front and rear lamps, a new rear bumper and new alloy wheel designs - in this case very smart looking 19-inch diamond cut alloy wheels. 

The well-finished interior gets new seat designs and some nice new materials including soft-touch Alcantara upholstery across dash and doors. However, for me the interior needs a bit more relief from the black headliner and the dark PVC and burnt-umber inserts around the cabin. The huge sunroof stretches back to over the heads of the rear passengers and allows those in the rear to see the stars on a clear night. It can also tilt open. 

Seats proved extremely comfy; the driver’s has 8-way power adjustments with lumbar support and two seat memory settings; the passenger’s seat just has manual adjustments. Front seats can slide, recline and tilt. The main feature is the long 12.3-inch central touchscreen. The infotainment system has Google built-in services. However, you have to go through a few sub menus to access some settings - swiping across for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Google Assistant, and Nissan Connect Services. Alternatively, you can just use voice command saying ‘Hey Google’ to get the feature you want without fuss! There are knobs for volume control, air conditioning and for climate controls. The traditional large instrument cluster with two ‘busy’ dials shows all relevant information, but the big Head Up Display on the windscreen shows your current speed very clearly so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road. 

 

There’s a wireless phone charger on the dash and two small C-type USBs with two more in the back. Rear doors open wide to allow using child seats with ease. Adults here enjoy quite good head and legroom, the former despite the slope of the roof and the end of the sunroof. The middle seat back lowers as an armrest with a pair of cupholders inserted. The tailgate is power-operated and the boot has a variable floor to allow you maximise load space and full marks to Nissan for the temporary spare below the floor. 

Grades are SV, SV Premium, SV Tech (my review car), and SVE. Features on my car included Hill Start Assist and Auto Hold, Intelligent Front Emergency Braking with pedestrians, cyclist and junction assist, Forward Collision Warning, a dusk sensor, good blind spot monitors on side mirrors, rear parking sensors, and an excellent 3D Around View Monitor giving a 360deg view all around your car - you can split the screen for close ups of the front, rear and kerbside views when parking. Options were a Cold Pack at €600 of heated seats/windshield/steering wheel, a BOSE Premium sound system at €850, metallic paint €700 or two-tone paint at €1,000. Driving modes are Sport, Standard and Eco. 

The range includes this 1.3 138hp four-cylinder Mild Hybrid petrol version matched to a user-friendly 6-speed manual transmission, and a CVT automatic version which is €3,500 more expensive to buy. An e-Power variant uses a petrol engine to charge the battery that powers the electric motor to drive the wheels. It was easy to get a good driving position and I enjoyed driving the car on all types of roads, appreciating the quietness of the powertrain and the comfort onboard. While the claimed fuel consumption is circa 6.1 L/100kms, my average fuel consumption varied from 6.5 to 7.5 L/100kms depending on routes travelled, still good for such a small-engined motor. The car can go from 0-100km/h in 9.5 seconds. Annual road tax is €270. 

This third generation of the model was awarded a maximum five stars for safety by Euro NCAP when launched in 2021. Qashqai is named after the Qashqai people, a Turkic people who live in mountainous Central and Southwestern Iran. This car is priced from €46,300, the CVT automatic version is from €49,800. Prices exclude dealer delivery related charges.

 

Revised Opel Mokka open for orders

An updated version of the Opel Mokka has been revealed and is available to order in hybrid and petrol models now, writes Brian Byrne. An electric version will be here later in the year.

Priced from €29,995, the car is available in three trim levels. The changes include a redesigned front bumper with improved aerodynamics, detail design enhancements and new wheel styles.

The interior has been freshened, with a new multimedia and navigation infotainment system that includes ChatGPT functionality.

Engine options are a 136hp 1.2 petrol with 6-speed transmission, and a 1.2 hybrid automatic. The electric version will have a rated 403km range. 

Renault 5 review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

Whether reviving once-iconic nameplates by carmakers launching new electric cars is a worthwhile marketing tactic is open to argument, especially if the model has long been absent, writes Brian Byrne. At least the Fiat 500 had actually been around in recent decades as combustion-engined models before a dedicated EV version was rolled out. Ford has done it with the Capri, which most of today's potential buyers wouldn't be old enough to have driven the original. And now we have Renault which introduced their new R5 to Ireland in the last few weeks. Nearly three decades since the original R5 supermini left its deservedly iconic status and rolled into the twilight of automotive nirvana. I remember it, but then I'm a tad older than most of you reading this.

Anyway, I've had a first drive in what has already won the 2025 European Car of the Year award and is tilting at more. Even with the short introduction, I've been impressed enough to suggest that Renault has another winner here, at least with the car buying public. That's already being shown in pan-Europe sales, where the car last month jumped to fourth place in the 25 most-registered battery electric vehicle list. With Tesla sales tanking as they are, the March results may well see it climb to a podium place.

Styling plays a big part of a car's success in the B supermini segment, and in that the new R5 has batted a full six. The echo cues of the distant original are there, but today and tomorrow's customers will be attracted for the sheetmetal detail of a thoroughly modern motor. Funkily bright colours, and a fair level of available customisation outside and in will certainly help. A quite clean front with a rakishly sporty bumper line includes very distinctive square corners daylight running lights. The smooth rear hatch is a neat canvas for the rear lights design and the full-width band including the new 5 graphic that appears throughout the car.

As I've said of the current batch of general Renault cars, the company's stylists are on a roll at the moment and that's just as evident inside their latest small car. An integrated housing for the navigation-entertainment and driver information screens has a chunky look, and those screen graphics are bright, clear and intuitive. Padded and textured dashboard and cabin trims have a quality look, and both front occupants have plenty of room and comfort. Be aware, though, that my 6'2" and leggy length does not fit easily in the rear behind somebody long-legged in front. There's good storage space in the centre console as the transmission selector is in current Renault practice on a steering column stalk.

Like the Zoe which it replaces, the new R5 will only be produced in BEV form. There are two battery options, with rated ranges of 310km and 410km respectively — for interest, it's €3,000 extra if a buyer opts for the bigger energy unit. There are three grades available, with a €2,000 'walk' between them.

In what was a relatively short driving experience with the car, it showed itself to be nippy and equally at home in motorway or suburban traffic. A multi-link rear axle makes for noticeably better handling and ride than the Zoe. Overall, I came back from the drive with a smile on my face, which bodes well for how things could turn out when I get a full drive evaluation.

PRICE: From €25,995. WHAT I LIKED: A cute, colourful and competent car with excellent prospects. 

BYD Sealion 7 arrives in Ireland

A new BYD SUV in Ireland, the Sealion 7, marks the fifth arrival from the brand here in two years, writes Brian Byrne. The fully-electric Sealion is priced from €45,435.

There are three grades, an entry level RWD and two AWD variants.  Two battery options offer rated ranges of between 456km and 502km. An acceleration capability of 4.5s to 100km/h is achievable.

High levels of comfort and connectivity feature across the range.