The first thing that strikes you about the Kia Soul is the way it looks like a child’s toy that has been designed by a hyperactive, caffeine-addicted, Attention Deficit Disorder sufferer. The thinking behind the aesthetic design is obviously Kia’s attempt to shake of the drab and cheap impression that many people have of the brand. The boxy body, with odd curves, tall roofline and high ground clearance does look a lot more striking than anything else that has rolled out of Kia’s Korean production line, but is it all a bit too much for the classically reserved British palette?

Early predictions suggest that the Kia Soul will most probably fit very nicely into the market; unavoidable really considering it is trying so hard to impress every single type of car owner. The sporty looks will attract the youngsters, the ecologically-sound engine will impress the ‘Green’-set, the roomy interior will persuade those of us with families and the price-tag will convince those who have recently been credit crunched by the credit crunch. For one car to attempt to corner four vastly different markets is a very brave move but one that could potentially blow up in Kia’s face.

The Kia Soul is rolled out with 1.6 Litre Petrol or Diesel option, both providing an impressive 124bhp and producing 55.4 mpg, so it is relatively powerful for its class and isn’t too thirsty for petrol either. Its notable 137 g/km Co2 emissions are also worth mentioning in this increasingly environmentally aware society. All in all everything under the bonnet performs above expectation, which is a rare boon for Kia, who seem to stick rigidly to the engineering principle of ‘never surprise or overwhelm’. That is until the Soul popped up out of nowehere.

When inside the Kia Soul, you will discover that it is a relatively comfortable and pleasant place to be. The interior has obviously been as well considered as the funky-looking exterior. Clearly laid-out controls, good driving position and firm but comfy seats show that Kia have the owner’s pleasure at the forefront of their designing minds. The Kia also comes with air-con as standard to keep you feeling cool, whilst the Soul continues looking cool.

The handling is light, progressive and responsive, which is everything the prospective supermini owner is looking for in a car. The 16inch basic wheel option is also oddly superior to the 18-inch option, which somehow manages to multiply the feedback of every tiny bump millions of times. Other than that, the Kia Soul provides a generally smooth and enjoyable ride.

The Kia Soul could be yours for around £12,000, which slots it in at the lower end of family-sized hatchbacks. Its nearest competition is likely to be the new Fiesta, which we already know will beat the Kia Soul in every conceivable way. What Kia will be hoping for is to make a little headway into the market and convince a few cynics that Kia can manufacture Cars with character and good performance.

The Mazda 6 has been featured as one of the best new Cars of 2009 and here are some of the reasons why.

First of all, it’s very roomy and fuel efficient with a very reasonable price tag.

Secondly, with six airbags and electronic stability control standard on all models, safety is paramount.

Third, it’s an amazing drive. The 4-cylinder engine gives loads of power (and the optional V6 gives plenty more).The Mazda 6 is amazingly good on the curves and yet it has a smooth, quiet ride that makes it a pleasure to drive.

The inside of the new Mazda 6 does not look unlike the old Mazda 6, which is really quite a good thing. The black dashboard is a bit dull, but it doesn’t reflect in the windscreen like some light colour dashboards do. Seats can be covered in a cloth and leather combination or simply cloth or leather. The back seats are quite roomy although it doesn’t offer the stretch out space of the Accord. A great improvement though is the boot. The 2009 Mazda 6’s boot is a massive 16.6 cubic feet, it also has non-intrusive hinges that won’t squash your whats inside when you close the lid.

Mazda has super sized both of the 6’s engines for 2009. The base motor is now a 170 horsepower 2.5 litre four cylinder. The standard six speed manual is perfect for the owner who prefers to drive a manual car. It handles light on the clutch and has a precise gear stick. But the optional 5 speed automatic is just as good.

What came out on top about the Mazda 6 was its amazing handling. If you like bendy roads, you’re going to love the Mazda 6. It’s a delight to drive and yet the ride is really comfortable.

Overall the Mazda 6 is brilliant to drive and is reasonably priced, so given the opportunity, a test drive is definitely recommended!

These days it is a commonly held opinion that buying products based entirely on sentiment is probably a bad idea. For example, I’m sure everyone at some point, whilst leafing through the racks in a music shop, has stumbled upon a ‘gem’ from the past. I’m definitely not the only person who has shelled out hard-earned money on an absolute stinker of an album based purely on the fact it was part of a parent’s vinyl collection which proved to be entertaining as a child. In the spirit of honesty, the album in question was Wings Greatest Hits…and yes, I am ashamed. However, whilst looking for a used car a few months ago, my mind was lured back to my childhood. My Father was a Ford enthusiast; updating to the latest model Escort or Sierra every couple of years or so. So naturally, the first thought to pop into my head was, “I guess I'll buy a Ford”. If I were to let sentiment completely over-rule my better judgment I would have scanned the pages of Autotrader for an 1987 Escort LX 1.6. I’m not that sentimental though.

After checking a few websites, reading a few reviews and being schooled on the ways of the Ford by my sage and learned father, I decided that for a practical runabout a Used Ford Focus would be a great choice. The combination of price, performance, practicality and Ford’s awesome reputation just seemed to scream “buy me!”

I believe that to enjoy a car to its maximum capacity, you should choose one that matches your personality, driving style and general demeanour. This is the only minor drawback when considering buying a Ford Focus; they are ten a penny in virtually every town and thus any individuality is lost once you hand over your money and put the keys in the ignition. However, with so many engine and trim options available, it would be impossible to find a model that didn’t get my blood pumping.

After numerous test-drives and much deliberation, I chose a used Focus 1.6 Zetec. Part of this choice was based upon the quality of the vehicle during the test-drive and the rest was based on the fact it was an ex-demonstration model at a very reasonable price, which (the dealer had assured me) was definitely going to be snapped up soon if I didn’t get my wallet out…but then again I guess he was bound to say that.

Initial impressions were great. The trademark Focus responsive handling proved to be very much intact as I tested my new purchase on the country roads near my home. The engine was punchy, eager and made the right amount of noise to slap that textbook new car grin firmly on my face. My second task was to take my dad for a spin to see if my Focus lived up to his Ford expectations. He didn’t look too happy as we were driving around and I began to feel slightly uneasy, as though I had let him down by buying an inferior car. After 20 miles or so I pulled over and asked him what he thought.

“Its a shame”, he said. “Its a shame I’m not driving it.”

So there we had it; the vote of confidence from the man who drove nothing but Fords for the best part of 27 years. If it passed his approval test then I was 100% sure that I had made the best choice. The only factor that perplexed the old man were all the readouts on the electronic dash. The engineers at Ford seem to be very keen to give you every single atmospheric measurement and observation possible, only stopping short at providing you with the shipping forecast.

In summary, it may not be the most individual of Cars, but there is a damn fine reason for that. The Ford Focus is without a doubt the best performing and best value small family car for its price range. In these economically dire times, value for money is an absolute must and a used Ford Focus will definitely supply that.

In todays current climate we all have to consider cutting down on luxuries etc, one fairly large proportion of our monthly budgets goes towards the cost of the petrol we put in our Cars.  This makes it so important to have a car that gets you the most mileage for your money.With fuel efficient Cars being the future of tomorrow we have many more options than we did even five years since.  There are several types of fuel efficient Cars you might want to consider two in particular are the Citroen and Peugeot.Both these Cars are available in the UK with plenty of good deals. 

A lot of fuel efficient Cars are run on diesel.A diesel engine tends to be much more economical on fuel consumption per mile.Most diesel engines offer an average of 30 miles or more to the gallon.That is significant especially if you have a massive tank.You could in fact achieve 400 miles from a tank of fuel.

A VW beetle or the Jetta are also highly fuel efficient Cars.A VW beetle can get an average of about 27 miles per gallon.That is quite a lot when you consider trucks and other Cars weigh in at approximately 20 to 25 miles per gallon.

However the most fuel efficient motor is going to be the hybrid.A hybrid uses solar energy to make the vehicle drive.The engine will use solar power and keep recycling the power for as long as the sun is appearing.The fuel in these Cars is for powering the engines solar power system as well as for driving when the solar power is exhausted.Electric motor Cars are the same.You have fuel just in case you are out of electricity to convert to power.In some of these vehicles you can travel more than 30 miles, sometimes even over 100 miles without using more than a couple of gallons of fuel.This equates to hours of driving without needing to top up with petrol.

The prices of the fuel efficient Cars are decreasing.They are becoming more affordable.The Prius is definately one of the most sought after hybrids.  The mileage and comfort of this car is exceptional.When looking for a car then fuel efficiency must surely be a major consideration!

On first inspection, The Kia Soul is like no other car I have ever witnessed. Essentially the Soul is your common or garden 5-door hatchback, but following the ‘personality’ route favoured by the Mini and the Vauxhall Corsa. There’s something rather interesting about the Kia’s looks; it is part supermini, part chunky SUV and part practical MPV. So why have Kia manufactured a car with identity issues when trying to please everyone very rarely works? Let me put this conundrum into a comestible based idiom. If you were baking 1 pie for 4 people, but every one of those 4 wanted a different filling in the pie, you are likely to end up with a minced-beef, rhubarb, chicken and asparagus mess with a pastry hat on…and nobody wants to eat that. So will anybody want to drive the Kia Soul?

The tall roofline and high ground clearance give the Kia Soul the visual aesthetic of a 4X4, yet Kia are adamantly stating it is a 5 door hatchback (the front wheel-drive only option confirms this). Kia are looking to ape the Mini in terms of handling and performance, by including very punchy and responsive 1.4 and 1.6 Litre Petrol engines and a 1.6 Diesel engine. The Chief Designer of Kia’s European division has even said on record that the design team spent a lot of time looking at the Mini during the Soul’s gestation period.

He also stated that the Soul was going to be an economically and ecologically sound motor, which helps unravel a good deal of the conundrum of this Cars existence. Those clever clogs at Kia have deduced that economic constraints suggest that future car buyers are going to be looking at the cheaper end of the market, so why not take advantage of this and try and build a car for the everyman? For the school run there is enough room to house four kid, for the tree-huggers and long commuters the Kia Soul produces low Co2 emissions, for the youngster of the house the Soul has enough style and individuality to gain nods of approval and for the car enthusiast there is a choice of well-performing engines. A car for all seasons then, surely?

The interiors are in keeping with the showy nature of the Soul’s exterior. In fact the Diva model looks exactly how I imagine the inside of Paris Hilton’s hand bag to look; it’s a rather garish mixture of black and white plastics all adorned with tacky golden trim. But this is the crux of the argument in favour of the Kia Soul.

The whole point of this car is to inject some much needed character and life into the supermini market, which (bar a few select brands) is in danger of turning so po-faced it will disappear irretrievably into a whirlwind of depression. The customisation options available with the Kia Soul exist primarily so the owner can put his/her personality on their vehicle…regardless of how unfashionable and tacky it may be. As an initiative, Kia should be saluted for this.

In summary, underneath the bonnet the Kia Soul is very ordinary. What it is attempting to do is to force some charisma into ecologically and economically concerned drivers. Just because you love the O-zone layer and don’t have a lot of cash floating about, doesn’t mean that you should drive a boring car…and I agree wholeheartedly. 

For 2009, Volkswagen is reintroducing the diesel powered Jetta TDI with a new clean turbo diesel engine that meets emissions standards.Diesel fans appreciate diesel Cars for their excellent power and plus their fuel economy. Those who don’t like diesels say they are smoky, smelly and slow.
Diesels are uncomplicated, enabling you to drive all day and still get great fuel economy. The Volkswagen Jetta TDI almost sounds too good to be true. According to Volkswagen, the Jetta TDI is faster to 60 MPH than a petrol driven Jetta and it’s 50% more fuel efficient.
This is also a particularly practical car. The inside is straightforward, if maybe a bit plain. The driving position is near on perfect featuring a height adjustable driver’s seat and a tilt and telescope steering wheel. There is plenty of space in the back and all round visibility is good.The boot is roomy with a flat floor and sides, making it so much easier to load.
The VW Jetta TDI is powered by a new two litre, 4 cylinder turbo diesel engine and it delivers 140 horsepower compared to the 170 horsepower of the 2.5 litre 5 cylinder engine in the petrol driven VW Jetta. Diesels turn slower than petrol engines, therefore the low horsepower number.
Great acceleration is not the Jetta TDI’s strong point. Accellerate and then there’s a pause, a fairly slow move off, and then a sudden surge of power.
Fuel economy. It is estimated for the automatic Jetta TDI an average of 29 MPG around the towns and an average of 40 MPG on a run. Lowest fuel consumption was 28 miles per gallon whilst putting the Jetta TDI through its paces. Best was a long run with the cruise set at 67, averaging 55 MPG. Even without having cruise control, most of the longer drives averaged 48 MPG or even better.
So, a diesel can definitely save you money and remember, you are going almost twice as far on each gallon.
The VW Jetta TDIis a great diesel car. The Jetta TDI is very fast, quiet, clean and efficient, plus it is comfortable, practical, and great fun to drive.