Car Reviews
Independent car reviews on Irish roads. Practical verdicts on value and real world economy to help you choose your next new car.
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Is the Leapmotor T03 just cheap or does it offer real value as a budget EV?
Road Tested by Hugh Maguire. Likes: Perfect around town Cheap for an EV Good equipment for the price Dislikes Limited range Overly sensitive ADAS Not engaging or fun to drive So what’s the story? Come to think of it there are less and less manufacturers producing really small city cars. It seems we live in…
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New 2026 BYD Sealion 5 Review. Range,Specs, Price in Ireland and full road test.
Likes: The “super hybrid” system is very efficient. Incredible range & economy. Plenty of standard kit. Roomy and practical. Ideal for families. Dislikes: Tyre roar on coarse tarmac. A firm overly rigid ride quality. Bland to look at and equally so to drive. Road tested By Hugh Maguire. Is the BYD Sealion 5 the answer…
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Leapmotor B10. A smart buy or just another budget EV?
Road tested by Hugh Maguire. The advance of Chinese car manufacturers into Europe continues unabated. Already here in Ireland we have, BYD, MG, Leapmotor, GWM (Great Wall Motors) Maxus, and XPENG, but not everyone knows for example that Volvo and Polestar are also Chinese based and owned by the huge Chinese conglomerate Geely. These brands have…
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European Auto Industry suffers largest collective write down in decades due to slower than expected EV sales.
By Hugh Maguire. The Backstory: You would think if you listen to some that EV sales are rocketing ahead but in fact while indeed they are growing they are growing way more slowly than expected not just here but across Europe. According to the SIMI new car sales figures in March this year were down…
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We put the latest Toyota Land Cruiser commercial through its paces on and off road.
Road tested by Hugh Maguire. The Toyota Land Cruiser name needs no introduction. It’s famous the world over for its legendary ruggedness and reliability. Many will remember when Top Gear tried to destroy one and despite trying all sorts of methods of destruction it still started every time. While I have no intention of putting…
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The Porsche Panamera 4 E-hybrid. Does it deliver as a drivers car?
Road tested by Hugh Maguire. The original and somewhat ungainly looking Panamera was first launched back in 2009. It had a slow start but over the years sales have gathered momentum with each new version. The model on test here is the third generation of the Porsche Panamera. There are some nine different variants from…
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Does The XPENG G6 Beat Its main rival the Tesla Model Y?
Road tested by Hugh Maguire. XPENG is one of the more recent arrivals from China having being launched here just last year in January 2025. They currently offer just one model the G6 though it has three variations of that model. We already have MG, Leapmotor, Polestar, and BYD, and more are sure to follow over time. There are…
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Has Porsche’s electric Macan got that true Porsche DNA?
Road tested by Hugh Maguire. Porsche is an exclusive high end sports car brand. They are best known…
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Kia enters the mid size electric SUV market with the new Kia EV5. But is it better than rivals from VW, Tesla and Skoda? We test it to find the answer?
Road tested by Hugh Maguire. I can barely keep up with the constant announcements of new models from Kia. While Kia have kept petrol hybrid and even diesel in some of their model line up they have truly grasped the EV market by launching a succession of new EV models. They started out with the…
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Ineos Automotive upgrade the rugged Grenadier and announce the launch of the Grenadier Black Edition.
We drove the latest version of the Grenadier at the Irish press launch and came away suitably impressed. It is truly a go anywhere 4X4 but has enough creature comforts and refinement so that it makes a very good “on road” method of transport too. As it enters its third full year of production, INEOS Automotive has significantly enhanced its award-winning…