LEAPMOTOR C10 REVIEW: BRIAN BYRNE, IRISH CAR

The medium-large D-segment crossover segment in Ireland is experiencing growth both in sales and in competitor models and brands, writes Brian Byrne. Incoming Chinese vehicles feature high in this, partly because where they come from, it is a dominant size of car, particularly in what they call 'new energy' vehicles. Pitched competitively against established European makers, and Tesla's Model Y SUV, they're attracting buyers. 

BYD and MG, early arrivals, are well established here, numbers nine and 16 respectively in the 2026 brands performance to date. The Leapmotor brand is less than a year in Ireland, and is gathering speed. I'll be interested to see if, a year from now, it will have established a viable space in a crowded market.

The C10 I'm writing about this week is in that D segment, and, by a slim margin from the C-segment B10, is Leapmotor's biggest seller in this market. First visual impressions are, well, kind of meh. In that the car doesn't make an immediate impact. Style is understated, to say the least. But then you look closer and see that the lack of 'wow' detail actually makes for a very clean design that won't date for a long time. There are subtleties in the sheetmetal that take a little time to resonate. Then the coherence of the whole shape slips quietly into place. So, if 'bland' was my first thought, 'blend' took its place.

Inside the review car, 'brash' was the next thought, thanks to the almost orange colour of the vegan leather seats and trim, quite a lot of it on the dashboard. There is a more sober option involving navy and ivory, which would be my preference. Either way, all the bits are very well put together, and suggest that the finish will stand up to fairly severe hard use without being blemished. So, for the full-on family use to which this car is pitched, it should serve well.

The Leapmotor ethos of total lack of knobs and switches, and just a couple of physical gadgets on the steering wheel, is a pain. It's the small things that really get you, like having to find the place in the large central screen's menus that affects the adjustment of the side mirrors using the steering wheel gizmos. Also, the virtual 'buttons' on the main screen are far too small to decipher and tap without significant distraction from the road ahead. Then there's the inability to link to Apple CarPlay, at launch promised with a software update but now not happening at all. The onboard navigation just doesn't hack it compared to a phone's Google Maps, and being unable or unwilling to allow this could really stunt Leapmotor's acceptance into Ireland and Europe. The car is unlocked and locked using an NFC card tap on the exterior mirror, and the same card has to be placed on the phone charge pad to allow driving. That is technology rampant to the point of ridiculous.

After that grumble of complaints, it might seem strange that I got to like the C10 very much. I did. To drive, it was quiet, very comfortable, and handled even in tight places like a much smaller car. A couple of longish runs were untiring experiences. The C10 is roomy front and back, and the fully reclining front seats could even make for an emergency bed if caught out on a long overnight without accommodation. 

The 218hp electric motor can power the 2.3-tonne car to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds, and while the nominal range of 420km comes with the usual caveat, the car did prove to be surprisingly energy efficient, given its size. There's also a hybrid option, using the range extender system where the power is always put to the wheels by electricity, the motor keeping the battery charged.

The car's size is also a relevant matter when it comes to value for money, and the Leapmotor C10 gives a lot of solid car for the euros handed over. Especially in the pure electric version, where the maximum incentives kick in. For those who don't get as fussy as I do about dependence on screens, it is a car well worth taking for a trial spin.

PRICE: From €38,996; Hybrid version from €45,420. WHAT I LIKED: How it started to win me over despite my grumbles.  

KIA K4 REVIEW: BRIAN BYRNE, IRISH CAR

If any single brand illustrates well the shift in powertrain preferences, it's Kia in Ireland, writes Brian Byrne. In 2024, across all models, almost 27 per cent of Kias sold were diesel-powered. This year, to date, that proportion has shrunk to around 3.2 per cent (but wait for a caveat below). In the same period, electric models have gone from 16 per cent of sales to the point where now four in every ten Kia registrations are EVs. A trend has now become an inevitable destination direction.

But there's still a strong demand for variations on the internal combustion engine, as hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and straight petrol, combining to another 40 per cent of the Kia sales. If you're wondering where the remaining registrations were, it's that caveat — a rapidly growing diesel-electric hybrid in the brand's best-seller, the Sportage, with more than half of them using that engine, the others driving with petrol HEVs and PHEVs.

The newest petrol model Kia came to Ireland in March, the K4, available only with a petrol-mild hybrid engine for the moment, though a full hybrid is on the way. In an automotive streetscape dominated by so many crossover-SUV cars, this unambiguously hatchback format makes its own quite distinctive impression. Long, low, and lean are three words that come to mind. The front is strongly styled but without being over-designed. There's a nice clean look to the profile, where character-lining is subtle. From the rear, where the roofline extends to a quite deep integrated spoiler shadowing the hatchback screen, the full-width rear light bar linking the down-hooking tail-lights adds perceived extra width to a car that's already quite wide.

I should say it took me a while to get used to getting in and out of what's a low car in these days, but inside the K4 is exactly what we have become used to in all current Kias. Solid design elements on the dashboard in trims, emphasising both good build and quality materials that will clearly wear well for the life of the car. The wide instrumentation housing that incorporates a full-size infotainment screen and substantial driver's information cluster also has between them a panel for climate setup. That is a bit obscured by the steering wheel, but all the necessary on-the-run adjustments are by physical controls on the centre dash. As also is the volume control for the radio. Ahead of the centre console transmission shifter are the USB sockets, and I mention that only because they don't take hunting around to find.

The seats in my GT-Line specced car were vegan leather, easily kept clean and very comfortable. As a C-segment hatchback, it is commendably roomy for the rear passengers, thanks to a decent wheelbase. The two-tone seats material finish in dark and light eased what might have been an over-gloomy interior. The boot behind has a capacity of up to 438L.

As it happened, when I was visiting family in the US in the summer of 2025, my rental was a K4, recently arrived in that market, so I've had a double experience with the car. It was the fastback style version, which I don't think is nearly as well executed as the hatchback we have.

My review car was powered by a 115hp 3-cylinder petrol engine, with the mild-hybrid assistance. The transmission was an automatic 7-speed dual-clutch, though the vast majority of K4s registered here since its arrival have been 6-speed manuals, against the trend. The engine package was smooth in operation, well soundproofed, with a 12.3s 0-100km/h that was leisurely compared to what we have become used to in EVs, but quite adequate. A 1.6 petrol HEV option with up to 180hp is incoming next month.

The low stance and width of the car, along with the good wheelbase, made for comfortable driving with a sense that everything was well settled on even some indifferent road surfaces. Being closer to the road made everything seem a bit faster, too. This particular compact family hatchback segment has remained resilient against the crossover crush, so Kia is right to make sure it has a proper contender in the space.

PRICE: From €31,500; Review car from €38,500. WHAT I LIKED: Being reminded that the compact hatch is far from dead. 

 

NISSAN MICRA REVIEW: BRIAN BYRNE, IRISH CAR

If there was only one thing I would like to have on every car resulting from the advent of EVs, it's the 'one-pedal' system which uses the braking effect of the electric motor to regenerate energy and slow the car at the same time, writes Brian Byrne. With that technology, on pretty well most of any journey I rarely have to use the brakes, as I can usually calibrate my regeneration action to bring the car to a full halt at standard junctions or roundabouts. It gets so intuitive that when I switch back to an ordinary ICE car, it can take some time to get used to the fact that it's not there. Meaning some hurried pedal shifting for the first couple of brakes-needed occasions. 

I was thinking about that when recently spending time with the current Nissan Micra. Which has the feature, though the company wasn't the first to introduce it. When the second generation Leaf came with the facility, cars like BMW's first i3 (not to be confused with the current EV version of the 3 Series) had already made it popular. That said, the Micra is in many respects a masterclass in making a small electric car. It looks good, with a perky but not OTT style. It's sized properly as a small B-segment hatchback with no pretensions to be an SUV. The interior styling and fittings are modern, with enough traditional shapes to keep older owners happy. Most of all, the pair of screens integrated in an angled housing are clear, with big colourful graphics for both information and the virtual buttons that manage a selection of functions. Key functions are operated by toggle switches under the central unit. 

Once settled in the driver’s seat, it's a standout that a lot of thought was put into the ergonomics. My driving position was excellent. Nothing was out of my sightline when I needed to see it. The white symbols on the steering wheel controls stood out strongly. A quirk, though, is that the steering column-mounted transmission selector doesn't have a Park function, and it can be fiddly slipping it into N when stopped and then operating the electronic parking brake. The seats in my review car, which was the top Evolve grade, were especially supportive. The external details in that grade included two-tone paint and more distinctive alloys.

On size, the Micra is a tad longer and wider than its close cousin, the Renault 5 E-Tech, and will give away height and length to the coming Cupra Raval and VW ID Polo competitors when they get here. As with all these, the Micra is essentially a four-seater in comfort, though rear legroom behind a long driver might be challenging. Boot capacity at 326L is average for the segment.

This generation of the Micra only comes with electric drive. There are two battery options, 40kWh and 52kWh, only the bigger one in the Evolve grade, and it is rated at a maximum 416km range — real world is likely closer to 330km. The version with the smaller battery is really only designed for urban use, with a rated maximum 317km (c.260km). It comes as no surprise that the larger battery is the most popular buy.

The motor is powerful enough to provide an 8s acceleration to 100km/h if needed. Like all EVs, the powertrain is quiet, which may be partly why there was some road noise evident, depending on the surfaces.

Some cars take a little time to get used to, others less so. When I got into the Micra, I felt immediately at home. That reflects overall good design thinking. 

PRICE: From €29,995; review car €32,995. WHAT I LIKED: A car well thought through. 

CITROEN E-C5 AIRCROSS REVIEW: BRIAN BYRNE, IRISH CAR

A recent piece from my colleague Derek Reilly, of the NEVO Irish electric vehicle platform, pulled together several studies that show electric vehicles reduce driver stress, writes Brian Byrne. They're quieter, with less vibration than combustion-powered vehicles, and easier to handle in traffic because there's no gear-shifting. The science-based research by York University in the UK on London taxi drivers, DS Automobiles on EV customers also in the UK, and Fiat Professional on delivery van drivers, showed that operators of EVs have lower heart rates, increased driver focus, and appreciate simpler driving, leading to a more relaxed and stress-free experience.

I'm not surprised. I've driven a lot of electric cars over the last couple of years, and know from my own experience that all of the above have applied in my own case. It's nice to know that the science backs it up. A recent time spent with the ë-C5 Aircross was a case in point. Temperatures were up, as were, it seemed, driver tempers — several indicators included more impatience and use of horns, and a visible step up of the already poor driving habits of many drivers, which have generally deteriorated during the last decade. Driving the ë-C5 Aircross, nothing ruffled me.

The car is the second generation of the nameplate, and built on the same Stellantis platform that underpins the Jeep Compass, Opel Grandland, and the current Peugeot 3008 and 5008. The Citroën has its own unique style. The front is imposing, with lean-looking (but very effective) matrix LED lights. The profile shows off an almost slab-side of sheetmetal below the window line, cleverly leavened by a styled drop at the end that is mirrored with a sharp, almost coupe, lowering of the rear roofline. Though there are several potentially clashing elements at the back end, the designers have done a really good job of making the whole coherent.

Inside, a straight-top dashboard provides a sense of width, and there's an immediate perception of good quality in the materials. (Oddball information: some of the plastics are made from recycled grapevine shoots, an unusual first in the automotive industry.) The central infotainment screen hangs under the dash line and is well designed to give intuitive access to navigation, radio, and main climate controls — a mix of virtual and physical. The driver's information pod is equally well sorted for quick assimilation of what's going on. The 'flying' console has the familiar Stellantis transmission selector easy to had, and underneath is storage enough to keep a handbag out of the way. Citroën as a brand is concentrating very much on comfort, and the key areas of seating, ergonomics, and suspension are all tweaked to make that happen. 

In size, the ë-C5 Aircross sits between the Kia EV5 and Volvo's XC60, and is significantly longer than its first generation. So it's a quite roomy car, and the rear passengers are blessed with good legs and headroom — there's no 7-seat variant coming. The 565L of boot space is big, and there's underfloor hidden capacity there too.

The C5 Aircross is available with petrol, mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and the electric powertrain of my review car. It's a 210hp motor that offers quite a brisk acceleration, smoothly and without noise. The battery range is rated at 520km, in real life I reckoned closer to 400km was manageable, and to me that's OK (another reveal from those researches was that range anxiety has slipped well down the list, and most buyers forget about it after a couple of days of ownership and settle into a charging routine).

For those interested in car-derived vans, there's a commercial version available. I haven't driven it yet, but from the comments of colleagues, it seems to be very well received. Meantime, the review car left my temporary ownership with no bad feelings.

PRICE: From €39,939. WHAT I LIKED: Comfort and electric serenity. 

LEXUS RZ 350e REVIEW: BRIAN BYRNE, IRISH CAR

What a difference a steering wheel makes, writes Brian Byrne. When I recently reviewed a Lexus RZ 500e, it was fitted with the butterfly-shaped yoke (‘yoke’ in this instance being what they call it rather than the more generic Irish use of the word to describe something odd). If you read it, you’ll recall that I was less than entranced.

I recently spent time with the RZ 350e, the lower-power version. It had a normal steering wheel, properly round, unlike the variety of flattened, hexagonal and other variations of round that are current in the car design industry. I so appreciated it, especially in the lock-to-lock workouts we do when parking or the manoeuvring necessary in multi-storey car parks and similar. It made such a difference to my overall experience with the car that I was much more inclined to take it out just for the fun of it.

The RZ is the first Lexus built on the e-TNGA dedicated electric car platform, with Toyota and Subaru relatives. It's mid-sized, crossover in format, and aimed directly at Tesla's Model Y but with a lot more premium attitude. The styling at first view is perhaps a little jarring, with some angles awry, then one quickly gets to like it. I had the odd thought that if, in 30 years' time, somebody wanted to remake the Back to the Future movie franchise, they might use the RZ as the vehicle star. I should say, though, that the driving experience between the Lexus and the DeLorean is not comparable — I have driven the latter, and it was brutal.

Inside, the sensory coherence from the quality of the trim is high. The operator space looks and feels driver-designed with real rotary and switch controls where they should be, including a proper start-stop button, and instruments with simple and readable graphics (though I would have liked the driver display to be somewhat brighter; it could get lost in bright outside conditions). The heft of the wheel was Goldilocks-right for my mitts, and the transmission selector on the centre console was exactly where it should be for backing-and-forthing in tight spaces. It's a big car, a bit shy of five metres long, so anything making things somewhat more nimble for the driver is good. 

There's plenty of occupant accommodation front and rear, in seats that I found to be generous and which proved as comfortable as something with the Lexus badge and pricing ought to be. The 522L of cargo capacity aft suggests the car with four adult occupants would do the Irish Grand Tour quite well. And my time with the car left me in no doubt that the designers had engineered the suspension to make such trips comfortable regardless of the quality and type of roads used.

I have mentioned this to be lower power than the 380hp of the 500e, which also was AWD. This FWD version tops out at 224hp, which for me was plenty, and adequately pokey with a 7.5s sprint to 100km/h possible. Does anyone need their passenger car to have the 4.6s capability of the 500e? Not least for what the cost would be in premature replacement of tyres.

When Toyota set out to create a premium brand, way back in the day, there were many car industry types, especially those already producing 'luxury' motors, who didn't believe they could. But the Japanese are nothing if not dogged and meticulous, and patient, and the Lexus brand eventually achieved a deserved elevated space in the automotive hierarchy. The RZ 350e represents that achievement well, and at a reasonable cost point.

PRICE: €66,280; WHAT I LIKED: Feeling that bit more up in the world. 

SEAT ARONA REVIEW: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

It's less than three years since the Volkswagen Group announced that it would stop producing SEAT passenger cars, in favour of concentrating on the Cupra performance brand, writes Brian Byrne. But last October the group changed its mind. Officially, the Spain-based subsidiary is now the affordable entry brand to Volkswagen's overall portfolio. Possibly because of that first short-term decision, the SEAT market share in Ireland slipped downwards over the last few years, but that slippage appears to be slowing and for three of the first six months of 2026, sales have shown a healthy uptick compared to the same months last year.

The Arona has consistently been the brand's best seller since it was first launched in 2017. Partly because of the overall strength of the B-segment crossover-SUV category in the overall car market. When a small family buyer needs something larger than a hatchback but doesn't want to go up a segment size, in this case from the Ibiza hatch, the crossover offers a bit more space without increasing the footprint much, and retaining the ease of use. 

There's been no generational change in the Arona since it first arrived, but there have been two refreshes, the most recent for the 2026 model year. None have involved changing the shape or interior size, though the latest one is lower and a tad longer than the previous version. Put one beside the other and you'll see a larger grille with a diamond-mesh pattern, a different front bumper design with integrated front foglight, and new alloys. More important is the brightness of the new LED headlights. The overall shape of the car is remarkably fresh still, reflecting the fact that SEAT within the Volkswagen Group often had more style chops than the parent company's own-brand equivalent cars. In this instance, the review car also had a sleek presence thanks to the contrasting black roof and roof rails.

There have been improvements inside, mainly in materials, which now include soft-touch dashboard surfaces, some texture to the door trim panels, and fresh design to the air vents. My review car was in FR grade, which also provides more supportive seats, the integrated headrests of which were perfectly comfortable for me — regular readers will know I've had difficulties with such in other brands.

There was a certain old-world feeling, perhaps for budgetary reasons, with the traditional handbrake and an actual fit-in key for the ignition. The traditional part of the car that I very much appreciated was the retention of physical switches for climate control. In cars where these have disappeared in favour of screen menus, they will also be coming back in future years because of new regulations designed to cut driver distraction. I was far from alone amongst my colleagues globally when I criticised the screen systems at first introduction, but it has taken a long time for the industry to catch up.

I've been driving a fair number of large cars recently, yet I didn't feel cramped in any way in the Arona. Particularly, the door opening leaves room for me to get in and out without bumping my head. Also, the design of the inside door handle means that one doesn't have to lean back out to reach it — this is something of an issue in some, indeed more than some, cars.

Given that the car is on one of VW's rather older small car platforms, there's actually a reasonable knee-room for those in the back, while the crossover-style takes the sting out of headroom for all but quite tall people — it's still a more comfortable space for two rather than three, though. The 400L cargo volume is par for the segment.

The Arona is aimed at basic motoring needs. There's no high-tech electrified engine, simply a 1.0 petrol 3-pot, in my review car with the more powerful 115hp output. Also, thankfully, with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic that works well with the little engine. The motor's 3-cylinder buzz is audible, but it's not really intrusive. The powertrain package, over a variety of roads and terrain, came back with an average of around 5L/100km, which I figure to be quite usefully frugal.

The ride and handling are well capable of dealing with what the car can do, making it pretty safe for family use.

Overall, I left it back with the thought that, for many, it's not all about the tech. It's that the car does what it says on the tin. In this case, fulfilling its newly committed place as an affordable entry to an automotive emporium of many prices.

PRICE: From €28,175; review car €36,146. WHAT I LIKED: A car for its place. 

Kia PV5 review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

I've long been intrigued by the discrepancy about van-derived cars between us in these islands and our continental cousins, writes Brian Byrne. What seems to be a level of snobbery versus practicality, shared by the Irish with the UK, means we very rarely choose what is technically termed a Leisure Activity Vehicle (LAV) as a family car. In comparison, such cars are very popular in France, and enjoy a slightly smaller but still high buyer cohort in Spain. Somewhat less so in Germany, Europe's largest car market, but still significant among budget-conscious family buyers. 

Over my decades in this business, I have driven most of them, and I have always felt their advantages — toughness and durability, height and space, and the fact that vans are designed for drivers who work in them all day — very much outweighed their utilitarian style.

It's a busy space, rather dominated by Stellantis conversions of their Peugeot, Citroën, Opel and Fiat compact vans. Also Renault with their Kangoo and Mercedes Citan derivative versions, along with Volkswagen's Caddy and ID Buzz passenger vehicles and Ford's Transit Custom iteration. This year there's a Korean contender, the PV5, which has been garnering some very favourable commentary, and, here, a surprising level of registrations — especially since it is only available in EV form. (It's worth noting that the Stellantis group last year flirted with making its LAVs available only in EV form, but since then has quietly reversed course and is now offering petrol and diesel powertrains again.)

Against the competition, the PV5 has a much more clean-cut look than most others, notably a cab-forward styling sloping steeply to a bonnetless front. Deep side front windows also help it stand out, as does, in some colour choices, nice two-toning which my car didn't have. It is bigger than the standard LAV alternatives, but smaller in most dimensions than the more directly competing longer ones, including VW's Buzz, Citroën’s Berlingo XL, Peugeot's Rifter Long, and Fiat's Doblo Maxi. At the back, there's a high lift-up tailgate that can make a very useful shelter from showers while parked at the picnic spots.

The efficient style is repeated inside, with a flat dashboard and neat screens for infotainment and driving information. Storage options reflect the needs of the commercial driver in terms of size and capacity, and that's no bad thing for a family's requirements too. The two front seats — there will be a 3-seat option if there's demand — are comfortable in artificial leather, supportive, and incorporate individual armrests. It's an easy cab to get in and out of. For three in the rear, there's lots of space, and more legroom than might be expected. The rear seatbacks recline, too, and with a brace of USB ports on the front seatbacks, the teens' devices will be kept going for the long trips. The boot capacity of up to 1,300 litres should take all their leisure gear, with room to spare.

The PBV5 comes with a 71kWh long-range battery, and a rated range of 412 km in the passenger version. A heat pump climate system is standard and is estimated to improve the range by up to 10 per cent.

Since launch, I have had several opportunities to drive the PV5 over a wide range of activities and types of road, including some mountain driving on narrow and twisting journeys. Whether in the hills or on main roads, the driving experience is very pleasant and untiring, and the high seating, along with the extensive glass area up front, offers really good visibility and a sense of being above the traffic and the hedges. The EV powertrain means there's also a level of serenity not achievable with ICE motors, especially a diesel.

Since February, almost a hundred passenger versions of the PV5 have been registered in Ireland. That's out of about 430 LAVs altogether. Given that a third of those are EVs, it's clear that the Kia PV5 is getting the lion's share (sorry, Peugeot!) there. Something about the car has struck a chord with family users. It will be interesting to see how far this goes.

PRICE: €42,550. WHAT I LIKED: The different style and competent drive.

Opel Frontera review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

When I took out the new Opel Frontera for review, I got to thinking about how car sizes have changed, writes Brian Byrne. Because I'm old enough to remember from way back. The Frontera is a B-segment SUV-style car, while the Opel Kadett sold through the 1960s and 1970s was the equivalent of what we call a C-segment — compact family car — today. Why am I comparing two different segments? Because the Kadett was the smallest Opel then available. The new Frontera is longer, wider, and taller than was the Kadett (we did have one in our small but growing family), and even in its lightest form is roughly twice as heavy. The standard technology then was very rudimentary by today's standards — I particularly remember the non-powered steering, which I was reminded of about 20 years ago when Opel gave me the opportunity to get back into one. I suppose that timeline of experience allows me to appreciate the improvements much more than do many of my significantly younger colleagues.

With Opel now owned by the Stellantis group, it's inevitable that different brands share the same platforms and even sheetmetal in places. So the Frontera, which replaces the previous Crossland and is now the entry-level in the German brand's SUV lineup, is a companion car to Citroën’s C3 Aircross and to the new Fiat Grande Panda. If you compare the body style of the Opel and the Citroën, they are almost the same — the differences are only to the front and rear ends, and are fairly superficial. Which is not a criticism, because I find the shape and format quite good-looking and very practical.

The big difference is inside, in the style of the dashboard and instrumentation. The Opel's screen and driving instrumentation are tied together in an angled unit that, for me, works very well (I do like the more innovative Citroën approach, but on balance felt that little bit more comfortable with the Opel's somewhat traditional take). The Frontera's seats and door trims in my review car were cheerful and modern, and on a day trip during the recent very hot spell, proved very comfortable for the two of us on board. There's also decent rear leg and headroom thanks to the SUV format and a good wheelbase, and the 460L cargo capacity is generous (just to continue my opening comparisons, it's substantially more than was in that C-segment Kadett).

The Frontera shares the powertrain options of several other Stellantis B-segment cars: a 1.2 turbo three-cylinder petrol mild hybrid and a 113hp EV unit, the latter of which was in my reviewer’s car. There are two battery options: 44kWh and 54kWh, the larger one in my car, with a rated range of 400km. My rule of thumb on mixed real-world driving is 75 per cent of the claimed range, but the Frontera worked out rather better for me.

I suppose the other comparison from more than half a century ago is the safety systems. The Kadett had safety belts. A padded and telescopic steering column was also introduced during its model run. That was it. In the Frontera today, there are no fewer than 19 different safety and security features listed, including the dratted driver monitoring camera. That doesn't even include the seatbelts, collapsible steering column, traction control, ABS brakes, or airbags and more that we now just take as a given. 

In its current place, Opel is producing cars that are very much suited to today's driving environment and needs. The Frontera is right in that groove.

PRICE: From €24,606; Review car €31,165. WHAT I LIKED: Practicality with a vibe. 

Skoda Enyaq 130 review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

When I first took out a Skoda Enyaq for review, in the summer of 2021, a neighbour asked whether she could have a look at it, writes Brian Byrne. I took her out for a drive, and that afternoon she put in her order. Due to the somewhat unexpected popularity of the model, along with component supply issues related to the pandemic, it was close to the end of the year before she got delivery. She’s still driving it, and it has done Trojan duty in her busy teenagers—now university—family space.

I also remember that my younger teenage Australian granddaughter, staying with us at the time, found the car to be 'cool', a phrase she repeated many times during that review period. Now, at the stage of looking for a car for herself as she starts university back in her Oz homeland at the end of this year, I'm sure she'd be just as impressed with the latest version. The Enyaq would be a bit large for her, but I do know she's been looking at electric. Possibly because her mum pays the household electricity bill!

My review car this week is the facelifted version of the Enyaq, in its 130 Edition trim, one produced in limited quantities. I've long held the view that Skoda has moved within the Volkswagen Group universe from the poorer relation to the rich uncle, in perceived quality terms of their related models. The Enyaq is no exception. 

As an update, the basic shape of the car hasn't been altered much, though it's marginally longer and taller than the original. The main change is cosmetic, front and rear. The pseudo-grille of the 2021 version has been cast into the once-upon-a-time bin and now offers a very sleek and techno look, while the horizontal lines at the back are visually held together by clever sculpting to provide a rear-three-quarter of considerable character. The 21-inch alloy wheels are handsome.

Anyone choosing the Enyaq for the second time will feel very at home in the car. There hasn't been much mucking around in what was already a strong space. The same dashboard shape, dominant infotainment screen, nicely set back from the glare driver information pod, and the very welcome manual controls for picking the climate screen, drive mode, and access to ADAS settings. The eagle-eyed will spot the subtly upgraded steering wheel, especially the Skoda text rather than the old Indian head logo. I had a feeling that there had been an upshift in the quality of the trim, which, if so, only enhances the previous very good. The room for three in the back is more than ample, and if there are only two, they can well separate with the pull-down backrest that forms an armrest and cupholder slots. The airy panoramic sunroof comes with the 130 Edition. The boot capacity remains the same as before, at a capacious 585L. The tailgate can be opened by a virtual kick under the rear, as long as you have the key fob with you.

The 130's powertrain is the 286hp system used in four of the six variants available of the Enyaq, with an 82kWh battery rated WLTP at 563km range. The power output is substantially higher than before, and despite pulling more than 2.3 tonnes, it's a nippy car when you want it to be, offering a sprint to 100km/h of 6.7 seconds. We who drive lots of electrics are spoiled for smooth and silent travel, but the high-quality ambience of the Enyaq seems to add even more.

PRICE: From €43,790 OTR; review car €48,973. WHAT I LIKED: No attempt to overcook something already just to taste. 

Citroën C3 Aircross review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

Be good. Have fun. Be happy. Feel good. Citroën’s C3 Aircross comes with those little messages on fabric tabs, one on each door, writes Brian Byrne. In a fraught world, such a little idea, possibly considered by some to be a frivolity, might well be more important than we realise. With our cars often being our cocoon from more tricky parts of our day, any reminder of positive things can’t be anything but good.

At the time of writing, I’ve driven a couple of versions of the C3 Aircross, the B-segment crossover from the French brand with a pedigree that’s a mix of innovation and quirkiness. Now part of the Stellantis group, and the technological inter-brand commonalities that come with that, Citroën is still determined to make its own mark.

This is the second generation of the European C3 Aircross, completely restyled with a strong exterior design that includes sculpted and muscular front bumpers, larger wings, LED headlights, and distinctive daytime running lights. It looks imposing, and my review car in red with a contrasting black roof certainly held a presence. Horizontal shapes and lines on the tailgate add visual width to the car as it drives away in front of you.

Citroën is associated with comfort, and the new C3 Aircross takes that to the next level with interiors in soft materials, funky designs appropriate to the slightly offbeat theme, providing a calm and comfortable cabin. The latest version of the brand's Advanced Comfort seats is completely redesigned, with 10mm of high-density foam added.

The traditional driver’s information pod behind the steering wheel has been replaced by a long, narrow display at the base of the windscreen. A 10.25-inch centre infotainment screen is slightly angled towards the driver. Both feature colourful and easy-to-read graphics. There are physical controls for climate management, with a wireless charging pad tucked in below, along with USB-C ports, cupholders, and the Stellantis flick switch-type selector for the automatic transmission. The compact, multi-function steering wheel has a flat top and bottom, which initially felt odd when doing lock-to-lock manoeuvring, but I got used to it. 

Second row passengers have fairly good head and leg space, the latter depending, though, on the front occupants not being overly lanky. My review car was the 7-seat option, quite rare in a B-segment car. With all seven seats in use, the boot volume is nominally 40 litres, but nil in practice (maybe you could stack a pair of umbrellas there, but they'd likely fall out when you opened the door). In my hybrid version, there's 300L of cargo space with those rear seats folded, 330L with the petrol manual option.

Power in my car was the now-familiar (and easy to like) Stellantis mild hybrid-assisted 1.2 three-pot, with a six-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. Nobody will ever call it the smoothest combination ever, but it has a comforting, lusty sound when pushed and rewards the owner with a decent economy, along with the advantages of automatic. I have also driven the electric version, and everything written here also applies except that the powertrain is quieter, maybe a bit zippier, and has a rated range of 400km.

Citroën has its own patented suspension technology, which gives its modern models an appreciably more comfortable ride than some other cars in the segment space, even ones that are related. It's the nature of the market for this small SUV that it's not going to be asked to manage rally-like handling, but I suspect that even if pushed in its standard form, drivability limits would be at the outer end. For my needs and those of most owners, it offers an entirely appropriate mix.

I didn't have to read the little 'happy tags' at any time to be smiling while driving the C3 Aircross. But it was nice that they were there.

PRICE: From €27,760; electric from €28,452; Hybrid from €29,620. WHAT I LIKED: The push to positivity. 

Mercedes-Benz CLA review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

Mercedes-Benz has a very long tradition of producing coupe-styled cars, notably the legendary 300 S Coupe (and roadster convertible) of the early 1950s, writes Brian Byrne. The theme continued with the 220 SE Coupe of the late 50s and early 60s, followed by, amongst others, the third-generation SL that was iconic of the brand all through the 1970s and 80s. 

The thing about those, and coupes from other car brands, was that they were all 2-door automobiles, access to and space in the rear seats very much an afterthought. In December 2003, the carmaker that had invented the automobile broke new ground again with the CLS, the first 4-door executive coupe, with adequate space for four people. Based on the E-Class saloon underpinnings, the CLS went through three generations until production ceased in 2023 due to a seriously diminished demand.

But the format's original success had encouraged Mercedes-Benz to bring it to their smaller A segment, and when the CLA was introduced for the 2013 model year, it began a steady success performance that has remained very consistent in overall sales. The third generation arrived in Ireland earlier this year, and sales since its European launch last year suggest it will maintain the momentum.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a saying ascribed to the founder of another global carmaker, and Mercedes-Benz seem to have taken it to heart with the styling of their newest CLA. Very much a further gentle evolution of the Concept Style Coupe first shown at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. But the underpinnings are completely new, with this CLA being the first model on the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA). This 'skateboard'-type platform is designed primarily for EVs, but is capable of using traditional ICE engines — this generation CLA has the model's first electric variant. In styling, it also marks a shift by M-B, which is dropping separate styles for electric cars, a sign that EV powertrains are now a mainstream choice. My review car is the petrol hybrid.

The interior is the latest full-width iteration of the Mercedes-Benz digital dashboard known by the incredibly ugly name MBUX. Now with a Virtual Assistant based on ChatGPT4o, Google Gemini and Microsoft Bing. Physically, it is quite different from the more sporty and cosseting style of that first CLA, where the relatively small screen sat on top of the centre air vents, this dashboard is full-width flat glass, comprising integrated driving information and infotainment screens and allowing for an optional extra screen for the front passenger to play with (which, rather thankfully, wasn't on my car). The graphics are bright and clear, the lower part of the centre screen holding a line of easily-read virtual buttons for climate management and a few other functions. Below the centre vents, the hazard, camera, and volume are operated by physical controls. There's appropriate brightwork detailing throughout the well-designed and premium-quality space.

The car is the brand's smallest sedan, but there's no sense of tight space for the front occupants, while there's a surprising amount of leg-room behind me, suggesting that travel as a rear passenger won't be any hardship. The boot's 455L capacity is adequate rather than generous.

My review car's 4-cylinder 1.5 petrol engine with mild hybrid technology was developed by Mercedes-Benz specifically as a compact unit for vehicles on this MMA architecture. In the CLA 200 configuration, it offers 163hp and a 0-100km/h of 8 seconds. With the standard 8-speed dual-clutch automatic, it proved to be a smooth-shifting performer, with the low stance suggesting an even speedier progress. A little snarly engine note on acceleration, touching the forelock to earlier motoring times, is artificial and provided at no extra cost. 

I don't normally mention driver assistance systems these days, but it's worth noting that those in the CLA are operated by no less than five radar sensors, eight cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and, they say, a water-cooled supercomputer. Along with all that AI-Assistant stuff, it's something like a data centre on wheels, with possibly equivalent energy consumption wherever that's managed out of the car. In fuel use, M-B claim diesel-like frugality (there's no diesel option), and the 5.1L/100km I got was right on the button with the claimed consumption. All my travel in the car was smooth, quiet, and suitably Mercedes-like.

PRICE: From €57,960; Review car €64,621. WHAT I LIKED: Updated underpinnings of what has become a classic style. 

Renault 4 E-Tech Electric Review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

There are little things that are really big in satisfaction impact in the car business, writes Brian Byrne. One of these is the button that Renault and its Dacia subsidiary provide — a simple system to switch off annoying ‘driver assistance’ settings. It’s a single button, a real one, to the left of the steering wheel in most of their cars. You tap it twice to slip into a ‘personal’ selection of ADAS features, which leave out selected annoyances such as the attention monitor camera and the lane departure ‘assist’. You can also switch off the speed warning, but perhaps with the new 30 km/h urban limits coming in, it might be wise to leave that operating. Besides, most of us, including me, don’t particularly want to drive at speeds above the limit.

Why do I like this button so much? Because it is just that. There’s no need to tap through several layers of the screen menu, either before you drive away or when you already have and forgot to make the switch.

This whole thought was prompted by my recent excursions with the new Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, the French carmaker’s less sexy-looking of two related B-segment electric cars, the other being the 5 E-Tech. Mind you, beauty is, as always, in the eye of the beholder, and for my look, I’m probably more attracted to the R4. It may seem a bit more square than the R5 hatchback, but then I was never a boy-racer type even when that was a thing in my earlier driving years. And the original Renault 4 of the 1960s through the mid-80s had far from any racing ideas, as a frumpy but nevertheless visually engaging family carry-all. An automotive tote bag, if you like.

The new R4 E-Tech is, in its class, also geared towards the family need rather than the sporty hatch R5. It’s longer, taller, and with some extra wheelbase, it also offers more rear legroom than the other. In addition to extra headroom inside, it stands higher, thus making for easier entry and egress. In the cargo stakes, you can load 29 per cent more stuff in the R4. To further distinguish it, they call it a crossover, verging on a small SUV. The to-me cheerful turquoise of the review car might not be to everyone's taste, but I thought the whole thing looked really good along with the contrasting black roof and wheel arch covers and the roof rails.

Inside, apart from the extra space as mentioned, and of course model badging, the R4 is identical to its companion car, in style, controls design, and fittings. There's a solid look to the housing for the combined infotainment and driver instrumentation screens, a slight bend in the middle allowing the former to tilt towards the driver. There's a good set of real toggle switches on the centre stack for climate control, while the screens themselves have what are currently my favourite graphics designs in the business. The gently hexagonal style of the steering wheel is actually more comfortable to use than it looks. Renault is also maintaining its reputation for comfortable seating here. Anyone who got in for a look was genuinely pleased with what they saw, even one person who drives a substantially more expensive EV.

The powertrain motor outputs 150hp, which offers a peppy 8.2 s to 100km/h. My calculations over my time with the car suggested a real range in or around 340km. Which worked out quite well for me in a period where I had to do a number of longish runs, including an airport drop-off that left me with 13 per cent battery when I got home. A colleague said she would be freaking out at that, but because the operating system is by Google, it tells you when you start out what charge will be left at the destination. So I wasn't worried. Just to note that the car's 75kW charging system gave me a 70 per cent top-up in 30 minutes.

I left it back with a lot of positive things to ponder. Not least that there's now really good competition in reasonably priced, small family electric cars.

PRICE: From €26,995 after grants. WHAT I LIKED: A modern automotive family tote can look and feel pretty cool.