Is the "tread alert"...
Is the "tread alert" message finally getting through? According to a new survey it is - in one part of the country at least. The 2004 North West England Tyre Safety Campaign registered a four per cent fall in the number of cars with rubber below the legal minimum tread depth of 1.6mm. Only 12.2 per cent of vehicles tested by police during the month-long initiative were deemed illegal, down from 16.6 per cent the previous year.
Corsa’s recalled...
Corsa’s recalled over steering fear
A second safety recall in as many months has been announced on the Vauxhall Corsa. The last one affected the car’s ABS. But this time, 6,086 models are being called back to have a new steering shaft fitted as there’s a risk owners may lose steering control. Proton has also been forced to hand out replacement jacks to 5,245 UK owners of its Gen2 and Satria Neo.
Cover is blown on ultra-green cabrio
The sky is the limit for Loremo, the ultra-efficient German car maker. It has released sketches of an open-top model, set to debut at March’s Geneva Motor Show. The new car weighs only 450kg, so its tiny 20bhp two-cylinder diesel gives 0-60mph in around nine seconds and a top speed of nearly 120mph, plus returns economy of more than 100mpg!
Five-year plans for Terios, Sirion
It’s a high five for Daihatsu! Both the Terios mini-SUV and Sirion supermini now come with a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty, plus free UK roadside recovery for the same period. The Terios 1.5 S costs from ÷£12,995. It gets air-con, power-steering and all-wheel drive as standard. The Sirion starts at ÷£7,495 for the 1.0-litre version, with its ultra-low CO2 emissions.
Tax-exempt Ibiza ready to clean up
Exceptional economy, low running costs and a sporty driving experience. That’s what SEAT says its new Ibiza ECOmotive delivers. Priced from ÷£10,995, the three or five-door squeezes every last drop from its 1.4 TDI diesel – returns of 74mpg and 99g/km CO2 emissions mean it’s exempt from road tax.
Price is right on Mazda oil-burner
Diesel versions of the new 2 will cost from only ÷£9,499, Mazda has announced. That’s for the entry-level TS, while the higher-spec TS2 is priced ÷£10,999. The latter adds alloys, powered, heated and folding door mirrors and steering wheel-mounted audio controls. Both five-doors use a 1.4-litre 67bhp petrol engine which emits 114g/km – so road tax costs only ÷£35 a year.