Like other small cars, the Picanto has never been on my radar.  It isn't huge, it doesn't have a big V8, nor does it have any kind of 4x4 system, so why did I fly all the way down to Grosseto, Italy to drive one then?  Well, I was going to say that your answer is in the question, I love Italy, but that isn't the reason at all - no, seriously, it isn't!…….

When this, the second generation XF arrived in 2015, it was re-fettled using aluminium which made it significantly lighter, and, coupled with new diesel engines and transmissions, made it one of the most efficient cars in its class…

Jaguar realised that if they want to make more money and keep up with Porsche, BMW and Audi, then they'd better create an SUV.  So they did, and a rather good one at that….

Deux Smurf came with a set of General Grabber All Terrains, and they were a little past their sell by date for off-road use.  As winter was approaching, quickly, I decided that a new set of boots were needed, sooner rather than later…..

In our mind, the outgoing Sportage still looks as fresh as a daisy, which is testament to its designer, ex-Audi designer Peter Schreyer who also had a hand in styling the new model. Retaining its sloping roofline, bulging arches and minimal glass, the new model is still recognisable as a Sportage, but with a more ………

For the 12 days during which the AT35 was parked outside Muddy Towers, this was my daily explanation: 

“Did you ever watch the episode of Top Gear in which they drove a Toyota Hilux to the North Pole?  Well, the same company who modified the Hilux, Arctic Trucks, have also sprinkled their magic on the Isuzu’s D-Max.” …

It’s an important car for Kia as it accounts for nearly a third (29%) of all Kias sold in the UK.  Launched in 2010, the third generation Sportage sold over 96,000 in Europe during 2014, and nearly as many were sold in the UK over the six-year on-sale period….

A 3 ltr, supercharged 6 cylinder, rear wheel drive, 6-speed manual beauty that pumps out 380ps of absolute awesomeness and I want one - I want one soooo badly that it almost hurts. Apart from being a 2-seater sports car, the F-Type is quite…

It was whilst I was searching for a new car for Muddy Madam that I remembered the good old Freelander 2 that I borrowed from Land Rover a few years ago for an article I was writing for the now defunct Land Rover World magazine….

Loved by many, loathed by a few traditionalists, there’s no denying that BMWs MINI has taken the world by storm.  Now with 5-doors and AWD, the Countryman pushes the marque forward into another category and joins the likes of the Jeep Renegade, Fiat 500X and the brilliant Mazda CX-5, amongst others…..

The Kuga isn’t a sports car, but equipped with the 178bhp 2ltr TDCi power unit, it certainly moves.  I particularly enjoyed taking it along the open and twisty roads around the Pennines, and with the combination of 19” rims, well-weighted electric steering and its all-wheel-drive system, it inspired confidence and gave me a huge grin……

After being fed and watered I set forth for the A90 and headed south.  It was probably at this stage where I began simply enjoying the driving experience as opposed…

Fast forward to 2015 and we’re on the 3rd generation Panda, and not only do we have the option of a 4x4, but we also have the range topping 4x4 Cross……

Toyota's best selling pickup is now in its 8th incarnation and ready to take on the world. I was going to write that there are so many improvements to the new Hilux that you would need a short break in the Lake District to read about them all, but that…

Just over 22 years ago, not long after I’d bought my first Range Rover I was offered a set of almost new 31-10R-15 BF Goodrich All-Terrains wrapped around some retro Wolf-Race alloys that had just come off a written-off Range Rover……

The Evoque has been a huge success for Land Rover, and even after all this time opinions are still divided amongst enthusiasts.  I wrote once in Land Rover World magazine that maybe it has something to do with who they’re aimed at and …

There's a certain appeal to this adaptable SUV, its sleek lines, refined road manners, family orientated classy interior and of course there's typical Volvo safety features, no wonder it's been the marques best selling model since 2009…..

This, the 5th generation Cherokee, is the first under Chrysler's new owner, Fiat, and gone are the days of a boxy silhouette, instead, like many of todays other SUV's, comes a sleek new look.  Look closely though and you'll notice the odd nod to its heritage; the angular ……

In 2013, the second generation Soul arrived with greater interior space in a revitalised higher quality cabin.  It handled better too, thanks to a new chassis that’s based on the C’eed’s and its SUV Crossover styling is more dramatic thanks to…

The Sorento is Kia’s flagship vehicle and is said to have changed the way the world saw Kia when it was launched back in 2002.  Now in its third incarnation, the Sorento marks the start of the next stage in Kia’s transformation from a purely value-driven company into a world-class manufacture of premium quality cars.  Question is, has it succeeded?…..