Others have said that the problem has occurred when they are driving and they will suddenly see smoke rising from underneath the bonnet. The manufacturer of Minis, BMW, has, up until now, stated that there was no problem with the cars. In an about turn, the company has just stated that they are investigating a problem with the cars and it appears that the fault is affecting models built between 2006 and 2011.

It is believed that the malfunction is because of a circuit board which controls the cooling system. If this circuit board fails then the water pump is unable to cool the car and this can cause the engine to catch fire. Several incidents have been reported in the UK but only two are being investigated by authorities. In the United States there are 12 incidents currently under investigation.

It is expected within the next few weeks that owners are going to be given a recall notice. A spokesperson for the manufacturer has stated that the chance of something actually happening to your car is very low and they have urged people to continue using the vehicles.

He specifically pointed out that there have been no injuries or deaths because of the fault. He stated, “Vehicle owners are going to have to go to the dealership and have a new water pump installed, this is all that is required. It should be a relatively simple and easy problem to fix.”

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Perhaps the main benefit of the new Civic is that it offers drivers a number of environmental benefits whilst still having high levels of performance and power. This is designed to ensure that motorists can use their vehicles to the best of their ability, making the car an asset to any individual.

With any new car, there will be a number of new features and altered technologies designed to enhance the performance and functions which are offered. The new Honda Civic 2012 is no exception to this and there are a number of innovative features which are included in the improved design.

‘Idle Stop’

Perhaps one of the best features of the Civic 2012 is the ‘Idle Stop’ functionality. This is an automatic system which is designed to improve fuel efficiency and lower fuel consumption levels. The benefit of the system is that, as it is automatic, driver input is not required and therefore it does not disrupt the usual driving pattern.

The system works by monitoring the cars motion and automatically disconnecting the engine when the car is not moving for a long period of time. This means that if a driver is stuck in congested traffic then the car will automatically turn itself off. To re-engage the engine and restart the car all the driver needs to do is touch the acceleration pedal – just as they would do if they were pulling away with the engine running. This means less fuel is consumed but the driver doesn’t have to alter their driving style in any way.

ECO Assist

Another of the main features included in the Honda Civic is that of ECO assist. This is an intuitive system which helps drivers to monitor their habits in order to make them more conscientious and efficient when on the road. This is done through a colour changing speedometer which changes depending on the efficiency of the driving. The system will also advise drivers on the best times to change gear, ensuring that they develop good habits for future driving.

Lighting

Conscientious lighting is also included in the new Civic 2012, with the headlights becoming illuminated when the car is unlocked. This allows drivers to locate their car with ease and is a great feature for the vehicle. The system also works when the car is locked, with the headlights becoming illuminated for 15 seconds afterwards.

Suspension

The cabin of the new Honda Civic 2012 features their innovative ‘Magic Seats’ which help to create more space within the actual car. Because of the use of this, Honda was required to change the suspension used on the Civic in order to accommodate this feature. This led them to use a suspension system which utilises ‘fluid-filled bushes’ instead of a traditional one, providing great handling and performance whilst ensuring interior comfort is kept at a high standard.

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In fact, with those who have excellent credit the chance to get the new Spark sedan with just a £169 deposit is not too bad at all. In fact, it’s almost a spark of genius given the fact that the next sixty months are set at monthly payments of a lowly £168 as well, which is very affordable for a new vehicle.

Of course, the Spark is not just any vehicle, as the stylish and sleek five door car is small and squat making it easy to slide into any home garage or drive.  With 1.2LS+ and a five year warranty attached to the new deal that is underwritten by GMAC UK PLC the deal starts to look better by the minute.  The vehicle is also available in a number of colours with chrome fittings for each selection, but right now the lime green that it’s advertised with is looking like a pretty sharp choice.

Outside of the appearance of the car, the best aspect of the Chevy car deals is the fact that they come with the five year warranty that pretty much covers everything for the first three years.  If anything should go wrong with the vehicle at all buyers can visit any of the 100 dealers across the UK to sort out the problem without any questions asked.  The three year full warranty entails the first three years of use or up to 60,000 miles whichever event should occur first depending on your driving habits.

After this point Chevrolet supplements the deal by offering a 4^th and 5^th year of extended warranty that offers another two years of coverage until the car reaches five years of age or until the mileage gets up to 100,000.

Plus, if this is not enough to draw your interest along with the low monthly premiums and great warranty package Chevy is also tossing in another six year anti-perforation corrosion warranty to protect against wear and tear that does not come with any mileage restriction, which means that your car is guaranteed to look great for the fat least the first half of its life

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The Veloster is Hyundai’s latest effort as creating a stylish coupe without making any compromises, and the first impression is that they have pretty much hit the jackpot this time. To start with it looks good, with a clever door arrangement that is somewhat similar to the much loved Mini Clubman. There is one door on one side and two on the other, but unlike the Clubman, the double doors are geared for the UK and open into the pavement.

The first model being rolled out at the back end of 2011 has a 1.6l petrol engine, perfectly adequate for urban driving. Word has it that later models will include the choice of a high power turbo version and also a diesel. This will be great boost for all petrolheads as the Veloster benefits from such a sharp chassis that it is easily handle more speed and power.

Once behind the wheel, the Hyundai Veloster is a lot of fun to drive. It is very agile, with good grip and is a rewarding drive for all motoring enthusiasts. The engine performs perfectly and it really is a joy to take it through its paces and to put your foot down when the speed limit allows it.

Although from the outside it looks as if those taller drivers may have some issue, it is extremely spacious inside and only those bordering on basketball height will feel cramped in any way. The interior is very well thought out and carries the designated amount of passengers in consummate comfort.

The suspension makes light of the bumps and potholes synonymous with British roads, and as you would expect with a coupe, it remains firm at all times and prevents any major rattles or shakes entering the cabin. Hyundai are renowned for their reliability, and all new models come with a 5 year unlimited mileage warranty and in their later models this has proved to very rarely used.

The cleverly designed and well equipped Hyundai Veloster great value for money as it is cheaper than most of its rivals. Overall, this is a great coupe that delvers on all levels and will bring great joy to anyone who is savvy enough to buy one.

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The Hyundai i20 benefits from a long wheel base, giving it a confident and athletic stance and more space inside than you would imagine. This car has the perfect combination of being small and nippy enough to cut through the traffic and make parking a breeze, but also having enough space inside to comfortably accommodate passengers and the shopping.

The cabin of the i20 has been impeccably laid out, a vital feature that lets down many of its contemporaries. Light, spacious and very airy, everything is within easy reach which makes driving a pleasure. Every model of the i20 comes with remote central locking, electric front windows, air conditioning, and full stereo/CD audio system complete with auxiliary connections. It also has 6 airbags, ESP and the front head restraints are active.

You have a choice of 2 engines in your Hyundai i20, 1.2l or 1.4l, and these have manual, automatic, diesel and petrol variations. These are all you want in this car and they all perform perfectly within the i20. The fastest 0-60 mph is 11.6 seconds, courtesy of the 1.4l 5 speed manual, while the 1.4 manual 5 speed engine delivers the top speed of 112 mph.

The level of safety and security that the i20 delivers is second to none. The top quality body structure, brakes, suspension and the personal safety aspects all add up to one of the safest vehicles on the road. As well as the ESP, Electronic Safety Programme and the multiple airbags, the i20 also boasts side impact bars and a seat belt reminder system. Other safety features include child proof door locks to the rear and engine immobiliser.

As far as value for money is concerned, Hyundai have got this exactly right too. Priced between £9,266 and £13,266, including VAT, you are getting an awful lot of car for your money. The i20 looks great, is an absolute pleasure to drive and we are going to be seeing many of these vehicles on our roads.

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Nissan became the first major car manufacturer to release a mass produced all electric vehicle earlier this year when it made the Nissan Leaf available world wide.

Powered by an 110bhp electric motor, the Leaf is capable of completing 100 miles between charges and has a top speed of 92mph. Thanks to these impressive statistics, the Leaf has been heralded as the beginning of a new era in automotive design; but is it a case of too little, too soon?

Possible cost savings

The increasing running costs required as a result of car ownership are becoming a major headache for all motorists. In a survey conducted by UK based price comparison company MoneySupermarket.com, 65% of drivers admit that they will take running costs into account when they purchase their next vehicle; with 5% claimed that they had already been forced off the road altogether.

Nissan’s Leaf model has therefore been presented as the answer to motorists’ problems, with the average driver completing 12,000 miles annually standing to save approximately £1,600 per year on fuel alone. A basic 1.6 litre Ford Focus which is capable of 40mpg will cost the average driver almost £1,900 per year in fuel costs to complete 12,000 miles. In comparison, it would cost just £300 to charge up the Leaf with mains electricity in order to complete the same mileage.

In addition, a number of insurance companies will now offer discounts of up to 5% for owners of environmental cars. With the average driver now paying £892 for insurance each year; this equates to an annual saving of £44.60. This may not sound much, but accompanied with the fact that the Leaf is exempt from road tax charging results in a combined additional saving of about £200.

otorists therefore stand to save approximately £1,800 every single year by buying a Nissan Leaf over a standard petrol version of the popular Ford Focus model.

The obstacles

The potential £1,800 annual cost saving is mouth watering but doesn’t really show the whole picture; with the Nissan Leaf costing £25,990 to buy from new. This is almost £10,000 more expensive than a brand new petrol version of the Ford Focus.

With a annual running cost saving of £1,800 over the Focus if prices remain at their current rates, it would take over five years to recover the additional cost of buying the Leaf before the owner started to benefit from a cost saving.

Additionally, the Leaf is far more impractical than the Focus. While it would take just a couple of minutes to fill the tank of the Focus with fuel; even with its quick recharge function enabled, it would take 30 minutes to recharge the Leaf’s battery to 80% of its total capacity (i.e. an additional 80 miles before another recharge is required). This is obviously an inconvenience, particular when the lack of availability of recharging stations around the country is considered.

While the impracticalities would be tolerable for someone with a daily commuting distance of less than 100 miles, the time it takes to recover the cost difference between buying a brand new Leaf over a Focus can perhaps be considered to be the final nail in the coffin.

Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is the most obvious green car alternative, being as it is perhaps the most famous green car on the road. Introduced in 1996, it has become the car of choice for supporters of the green movement who are keen to show off their allegiance.

Capable of 65.7 mpg, the Prius would cost the average driver doing 12,000 miles per year just £1,140 per year in fuel costs. This is on top of the fact that it is exempt from road tax and will also be eligible for the 5% discount offered by some car insurance companies. This equates into a possible saving of almost £1,000 per year over the running costs required with a Ford Focus.

However, the Prius suffers from the same problem as the Leaf as it is over £4,000 more expensive than the Focus. It would therefore take four years to recover the additional costs required to buy the Prius before cost savings were experienced.

Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion

The Polo Bluemotion is a new hybrid which has been launched by Volkswagen which uses diesel fuel. It is capable of 80.7 mpg, and although diesel costs more per litre than petrol, the improved mpg still means that it cheaper to run then the Prius, costing the average driver doing 12,000 miles per year about £950 per year in fuel alone. Like the Prius and Leaf, it is also exempt from road tax and eligible for the 5% insurance discount. All of this combined opens the possibility to a possible saving of £1,200 compared to the running costs of a basic Ford Focus.

emarkably the Polo Bluemotion is available from just £14,860 to buy from new; this is over £1,000 cheaper than the less fuel friendly Ford Focus. It also beats the Leaf when it comes to practicality, with the Polo being no different to run than a conventional petrol motor.

However, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. The 74bhp 1.2 litre diesel engine is very underpowered and requires quite a lot of revving to get moving; a feature which isn’t awful good for your fuel consumption.

Time to go green?

Fuel costs are out of control, as demonstrated by the fact that 65% of motorists admitting being forced to consider alternatives to next time they purchase a vehicle. When motorists reach this stage, there will be three main alternatives.

The Nissan Leaf can effectively be ruled out; not only is it incredibly impractical, but it is also very expensive. This obviously justifies the incredibly technological advancement made with the vehicle, but simply negates the running cost savings available and hence makes the vehicles unaffordable for the majority of motorists. Toyota’s Prius model suffers from a similar problem, because if fuel prices remain at their current rate it will take 4 years to recover the additional cost of buying the model before running cost savings become available.

Volkswagen’s hybrid Polo is therefore presented as the answer to this problem, with its low initial purchase costs finally heralding the introduction of a hybrid which is available to the masses. However this does come at a price; with the power available from the engine being rather lacklustre. This reduction in available power would likely be acceptable to someone who already owns a car with a 1.2 litre engine or less, but would come as a spectacular shock to someone with a 1.6 engine or bigger.

It looks like the car manufacturers have a lot of work to do before environmental vehicles are adopted by the majority of motorists.

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All of the models had scores valued at 94% or higher. The Skoda Superb and Skoda Fabia were also pointed out as best buys for the survey. Richard Headland the editor says you have to ask the experts if you are going to know about cars and they are the ones that drive them daily. Motorists said that Skoda cars exemplify what they love best practical and good value.

UK Brand Director for Skoda, Robert Hazelwood said he was very happy with the results of the survey. It is just more proof of how high our services and products are rated by readers. Skoda is proud of the customer service that leads the industry, excellent engineering and great value in all of our cars.

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New government plans to make cars more environmentally friendly and drivers more environmentally conscious point to the future looking bright for hybrid cars.

Owning a hybrid car can only be a good thing: they look great and they are great for the environment and your wallet, saving you plenty on expensive fuel costs. Despite the great features of a hybrid car there is always room for improvement! Here are some useful tips on how to fully maximise the hybrid potential.

1.       Adapt your driving style

Hybrid vehicles are cheap to run and have virtually no emissions at the point of use. However it should be noted that power is still needed to charge the battery and they can take several hours to charge. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint while driving remember that air conditioning and electrical gadgets can increase energy usage.  Adapt your driving style so that you are not too heavy on the accelerator, if you’re too heavy on it then the fuel economy of the car will suffer which is not good for any hybrid lover.

2.       Drive speed down

Don’t go zooming around in a hybrid, tame the beauties with a tender caring speed that does not waste energy. The faster your drive the more aerodynamic drag your car has to deal with. Keeping the speed down can really increase the mileage. When driving at a constant speed you don’t lose any energy by making the car work harder to go faster or slower. Driving at a constant speed maximises your fuel usage.

3.       Government subsidies

As 2011 marks the breakthrough year for electric cars and mass manufacturing , the UK government has launched a £5,000 electric car grant scheme. Not only can you save the environment you can also save money .  Over the next18 months, the government plans to set up around 11,000 charging points in streets, car parks and big supermarkets. This is on top of those already installed, further driving the need to reduce climate change through car emissions.

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Mr. Reilly told the BBC that this is causing car manufacturers to really struggle in a highly competitive market. The shipping costs and fluctuating currency rates further add to the problem, as well as there being a lengthy supply chain. He added that although the current Government understood the present crisis, it was due to bad decisions made years ago that Britain has lost most of its firms that made small components.

He also said that the industry had given up lots of businesses between the 1970’s and the 1990’s. This meant that at the Vauxhall factory in Luton they imported many components. As there is a major shortage of local suppliers. He also said that he thought this was the most critical of the issues facing the car industry in the UK.

He concluded by saying that it wasn’t enough having Vauxhall, Nissan and Toyota producing car in Britain, as they would never be able to compete against those countries who’s car plants are surrounded by components suppliers. After being forced into bankruptcy in 2009, General Motors is now in the majority control of the Canadian and US Governments.

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