The Terios is a compact, supermini with all wheel drive. The car has a rugged looking exterior design, supermini dimensions, and can adapt to overcome various weather elements, yet remains stylish and sophisticated.

Daihatsu gave the Terios a taller cabin which changed its looks dramatically over what has become the traditional supermini. As odd as it looks the car has some real quality features worth taking note of.

The Terios has more cabin space than superminis of the past have had, and it provides a stable, comfortable ride. The car’s increased cabin space is more family friendly and increases the car’s potential list of buyers. The boot is now large enough to accommodate more family friendly items.

The cars unique style allows it to compete more easily in its sector, its build quality rivals many of the better well known brands, and the four-wheel drive system makes it more of an all weather vehicle and that is bound to come in handy.

The Terios is a supermini, but that has not hindered it’s off road capabilities much. Despite its size, the Terrios can and does function in the capacity of a 4X4 vehicle. Daihatsu’s reputation for building reliable and durable cars is exemplified with the Terios.

Practicality

The Terios is a very affordable car. It has a low purchase price, low running and fuel costs, and because of its uniqueness it should have a good resale value.

The Terios has increased in cabin space and can comfortably accommodate four adult passengers. It also has a fairly large boot and rear seat that fold down to increase carrying capacity. The cabin is also wider and more reasonably accommodates adult passengers.

The main controls and dials are large and simple. Displays are easy to read and the overall simplicity of the fascia mirrors the simplicity of the car. The functions are easily seen and functional.

For its size the Terios drives and handles well. Road and engine noises are not too bad, and the seats are reasonably comfortable and supportive. Cabin noises are more apparent at higher speeds.

This car is highly accessible. The doors open plenty wide enough and the seats sit high for easy sliding both into and out of the vehicle. The boot is easily accessible as well.

Parking the Terios is an easy feat. The car’s small size combined with ease of steering and good all-around visibility make parking a stress-free event. The driver sits up high further facilitating the task, and parking sensors are included with the standard package.

Life Style

The Terios has good driver appeal. It is easy to handle and operate, steering is really nice, and the car offers several valuable safety features. The car’s off road capabilities make navigating harsher terrain a breeze and yet it is capable of delivering a smooth, inexpensive, and comfortable ride in town.

The Terios could be used as a family vehicle. It offers enough seating for four and could reasonably accommodate a small family. It is durable enough to provide transportation for various family outings and has more boot space to accommodate most of the items that tend to come with family life (strollers, sports gear, etc). The cabin is also made of quality materials that could easily withstand a lot of abuse that children are sure to dish out.

The Terrios would make a fantastic first car. It is small in size and inexpensive to buy and run. Insurance would be low, and driving and parking the Terios is relatively easy. The driver sits up high and all-around visibility is excellent. The 4-wheel drive feature will come in handy as a new driver attempts to navigate various weather conditions.

Diahatsu has always been known for producing durable and dependable vehicles. Their use of inferior cabin materials has hurt them in the past, but they seem to be making up ground with some of their newer models that sport more high class, quality cabin materials; even if they are plastic.

Security and Safety

The Terios is eye catching but not an expensive car; therefore, thieves will probably pass it by. Nevertheless, Daihatsu has not overlooked the importance of a good security system. The car comes standard with remote central locking and an engine immobilizer.

Safety standards were not overlooked either. The car comes standard with twin front and side airbags. The cars most impressive safety features include its 4-wheel drive capabilities and centre locking differential.

Finishing Touches

The car is equipped with a standard stereo and CD unit, that delivers good sound quality.

The car looks best in bold brighter colors such as red or blue. The cabin is comprised of mostly dark colors such as grey and black.

Summary

The supermini offers drivers a great driving experience whether they are chugging through the streets of town or are speeding down the motorway. It offers excellent value for the money and is likely to retain value longer than many of its competitors. The car sports a modest conservative engine so it is not likely to appeal to thrill seekers but does do an adequate job of powering the car both on and offroad.

As you may or not be aware Chevrolet have decided to end their new car business in Europe meaning that the sale of new Chevrolet Vehicles in Western and Eastern Europe will finish by the end of 2015. They still plan to provide service and supply Chevrolet original parts in the same manner and they expect parts to be available for a minimum of ten years after the end of 2015. This means if you are a fan of the several models that are available in the UK you will soon only be able to buy used Chevrolet cars. So below are a few of the models you will not be able to buy from new come the end of 2015.

The Chevrolet Captiva is a big seven-seat SUV which offers the practicality of similar SUV’s that usually come in at a higher price. A Used Chevrolet Captiva at the moment will start from roughly £6000 compared to the similar used Vauxhall Antara which starts from roughly £8000 you can soon see why the Captiva is good value for money. The ride is reasonably comfy and it is a quiet car when cruising too.  It also comes well equipped with high spec features as standard.

The Chevrolet Cruze is based on the same platform as the Vauxhall Astra, just as the Chevrolet was to the Antara, and essentially makes it a rival car to the small family cars such as the SEAT Leon and Volkswagen Golf too. The Cruze is strongly engineered and well-built but the interior does leave a little to be desired when compared against some of Chevrolet’s competitors. The Cruze also managed to score a five-star rating from Euro NCAP after partaking in stringent crash tests whilst also being provided with six airbags and traction control as standard which makes the Cruze a sensible option whether buying from new or used. One of the Cruzes’ biggest selling point is the value for money it provides. A base model from new starts from roughly £15000 but you could actually pick up a Used Chevrolet Cruze starting from roughly £4000 if you’re lucky. The only underpinning factor I can gather from the cheap used costs is the cars poor residual value from new, which will be disappointing for new Chevrolet buyers but brilliant for used Chevrolet buyers.

The Chevrolet Spark is the smallest car that Chevrolet offer and has been manufactured to compete against their rivals’ city cars such as the Citroen C1, Toyota Aygo and Volkswagen Up. As with a lot of Chevrolets they do have value for money as a big selling point however the 1.0 and 1.2 litre petrol engines offer below-par emissions and fuel economy which should be taken into consideration when comparing against Chevrolet’s rivals. A Used Chevrolet Spark can be picked up from roughly upwards of £3500 although the Spark does benefit from some 0% finance deals which you may want to look into too.

The Chevrolet Volt is the Chevrolet I will finish with. It’s a shame that this model will no longer be available as a new Chevrolet Volt or a Lease Chevrolet Volt by the end of 2015. This is Chevrolet’s original electric range extender vehicle or e-REV for short. Chevrolet’s intention was to give the driver the advantage of an electric car without any of the drawbacks. As the sister car to the Ampera, the Volt is able to travel up to 50 miles using batteries alone but once that energy has depleted then you can only go a further 500km before coming to a complete stop. It is an aesthetically pleasing car that comes well equipped and will be a popular used model when Chevrolet stop in manufacturing in 2015.

When making your decision on which BMW you are going to choose there are several factors that you need to take into account. Big determining factors will be the cost, the equipment featured with each model, the performance of the model, the practicality, the reliability, the ride and handling, the safety and security of the car and the space available in the cabin. Below is some helpful details of a few of the BMW models you can find on the UK used car market.

Whether somebody loves or hates the BMW 1 Series one thing you can guarantee with the 1 Series is that you will be noticed. The car really stands out from the crowd and a prominent double grill makes the 1 Series instantly recognisable. The 1 Series is much more comfortable than the competition, the Audi A3 and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Each spec available under the 1 Series manages to provide impressive, rear-drive agility which creates the comfortable ride.

Although it is one of the newer BMW models you can already find a Second Hand BMW 2 Series available on the UK used car market. It has been designed to rival cars such as the Audi TT, the Toyota GT86 and the Volkswagen Scirocco and it certainly just as attractive as its rivals. The 2 Series shares the majority of its parts with the 1 Series so you should not worry about any new car niggles that you would usually have to take into account with a new car. You will have to take into account that because this model is fairly new the cost of a used model is still going to be pretty high, especially compared against BMW’s own 1 Series. It does handle brilliantly and the cabin is really high quality alongside some really efficient engine choices which can justify why they’re a bit pricey.

Another of the newer BMW models is the 4 Series. As with the 2 Series there is less opportunity to find a Used BMW 4 Series simply because they have only been available, from new, since early 2014 so it is unlikely buyers will be ready to sell their car just yet. BMW really have hit the nail on the head when it comes to the styling of the 4 Series. Rolling up to meet your friends in the coupe or the convertible will make a style statement in itself simply because, I believe, most coupes and convertibles make really great first impressions, even if it is a bit flashy.

If you are more interested in the sports cars that BMW have to offer then you will more than likely be looking at the Z-range models. The entry level model is the BMW Z1, now this model is no longer in production so you will only be able to find a Used BMW Z1 as they are no longer available from new. One unique and notable part of the Z1 is that the doors do not swing open, they actually drop down into the sills. This is a pretty rare car to find on the UK used car market as it wasn’t an official UK import, and only just over 8,000 were built, however a fair few of them have been shipped in by keen buyers. Despite being over two decades old the Z1 is a sweet handler but you may find it a little expensive for what it is.

The BMW Z3 is another of the Z-range models that has been discontinued. Despite this model being discontinued it is a compact, good-looking two-seater that has managed to maintain a credible re-sale value. So when you’re looking at a Second Hand BMW Z3 keep this in mind otherwise you may be expecting to find one cheaper than you are actually able to. I would definitely suggest to give the car a test drive before making any purchase because the handling is pretty average and doesn’t match upto some of its similar rivals like the Mazda MX-5, so you will just need to check that you can cope with the handling.

The only Z-range model that is still in production is the BMW Z4. The reason this model is still in production is because the Z4 looks fantastic, has a cabin that simply oozes style, is great to drive, has strong engines available and provides capable handling with a supple ride. When looking for your Used BMW Z4 assess whether you’ll be using and filling the boot space regularly because if that is the case then this model may not be suitable for you due to its limited boot space, especially when the roof is down.

Moving away from the sports cars and onto the larger SUV models, the entry level model of the X-range is the BMW X1. The X1 is a refined cruiser crossover enabling you to keep your costs down when it comes to fuel and the CO2 emissions are low, especially for a car this size. The X1 isn’t hugely practical and the interior doesn’t reach the expectations we relate with a BMW model. BMW have managed to reach their goal of creating a small SUV that can still be considered a premium model however I do think the likes of the Audi Q3 and VW Tiguan are a little further advanced in appealing to their target market and satisfying their target market’s needs.

One of the biggest SUV’s BMW have to offer is the BMW X5 which is surprising agile for the sheer size of the car. BMW offer a wide range of engines to choose from, all of which provide you with a strong performance whilst also retaining an equally impressive fuel economy. When searching for your Second Hand BMW X5, as I do with every used car, I would suggest you have a test drive of the car before you hand over any money. The refinement of the BMW X5 is an area BMW could improve on because there is a lot of road noise on motorways so if you cannot cope with the noise then maybe have a look at the other alternatives such as the Mercedes-Benz AMG ML or the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

Audi is one of my favourite manufacturers and forms part of what is known as the “German Big 3”. The other two luxury automakers being BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Audi have designed models to fit every preference from the superminis right up to the large 4×4’s and have become synonymous with high quality and reliability.

One of the most desirable models is the Audi Q5 because it features the superb interior that Audi is renowned for alongside strong diesel engine choices. The handling on the Q5 makes for an enjoyable drive because of how sharp it can be although this can then be countered by a rather firm ride. If I was actually to invest in a Q5 I would probably go down the route of a Contract Hire Audi Q5. The reason I say this is because after the payments are made on the contract hire I would more than likely end up upgrading from the Q5 to the top of the range Q7. The Audi Q7 provides all the benefits of the Audi Q3 but also gives you that menacing characteristic I like in the larger 4×4 models. It is a lot better suited to the road than rough terrain but I am strictly a road user, so this is not a problem for myself. It also contains three rows of seats, compared to the Q5’s two rows which will make things a lot easier for anybody with a big family like myself. One thing I may consider with the Q7 is to look at a good quality, Used Audi Q7 because this way I could own the vehicle outright and not have to worry about keeping up with payments.

One of my favourite Audi’s has recently become the Audi TT. The reason I say recently is because up until roughly 2 months ago I was never keen on the aesthetics of the TT which meant I never truly had a proper look at it. This was up until 2 months ago when my friend Jamie brought a Used Audi TT and at first I gave him a bit of stick for buying a “hairdresser’s car” however with Jamie persuading me to have a proper look into it I decided to have a look around. I must say as soon as I saw the bright red leather seats and beautiful chrome interior I did think wow but it was not enough for me to change my opinion, not until he let me have a drive in it that was. It was thoroughly enjoyable to drive and surprisingly comfortable considering I am 6 foot 4. Jamie did mention that he was considering the option of a Lease Audi TT Roadster because essentially he wanted to be flashy and drive around in a soft top however for the costs he was looking at he felt it was worth paying the cost upfront and owning the car himself, even if he can’t put the roof down on a hot summers day and catch a few rays.

Audi’s high performance RS models are some of my particular favourites. I have a real obsession with the Audi RS3. This model isn’t exactly cheap but with what Audi has provided in terms of performance, engine and equipment it is not hard to see why. It is fitted with a 2.5 litre, five-cylinder turbocharged engine that can only otherwise be found in the Audi TTRS. So believe me when I say this car is quick. Despite my favouritism towards this model Audi actually discontinued the manufacturing of the RS3 in 2013 so you can now only buy a Used Audi RS3. The Audi RS3’s exterior is similar to that of the Audi A3, which I have been a fan of since one of my friends invested in one. The only odd thing, regarding the shape of the RS3, is that you can only find it in the shape of a five-door Sportback rather than the more traditional sporty three-door hatch I feel it would look even better with. However when Audi are providing something extra such as a rear spoiler and a body kit alongside nineteen inch alloy wheels the fact you have an extra two doors pales in comparison to the benefits.
Moving on from the RS3, another favourite of mine is the Audi RS5. In my opinion the RS5 is the most refined and sophisticated of the RS models. It has been styled to meet a purpose and the handling and traction are fantastic. The whole car from the body shape to the interior to the amazing V8 engine has been completed to the usual high quality we have come to expect from Audi. It is an upgrade to the A5 and is seen by Audi as the natural successor to the highly successful RS4.

The Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo is a brand that has been around for decades and has become a popular manufacturer in the United Kingdom. With their individual designs they have really become a firm favourite in the UK car market, none more so than the Used Car Market. Here are some of the Alfa Romeo models you may wish to consider, if this Italian manufacturer is the company that is getting you excited about buying a used car.

Alfa Romeo 156 – The 156 is a great looking car with a crisp engine, whichever you choose and this crisp engine gives it a great sound when revving the engine. Despite this it should be fairly economical too. A Used Alfa Romeo 156 will tend to have a considerable amount of miles on the clock, so bare that in mind when making a purchase.

Alfa Romeo Spider – A Used Alfa Romeo Spider is a beautiful looking car, providing the previous owner/s have taken good care of it. Although this is a sports car it is still an affordable option with second hand costings, starting from roughly £2,000. Now for a car that, I believe, has the potential to be a future classic, the price tag will surely be worth the outlay.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta – The Giulietta has real character with its beautiful exterior. A good quality second hand Alfa Romeo Giulietta are likely to start from roughly £8,500. Do keep in mind that this model was built with the ideology of low fuel consumption and low running costs. The comfort of the car was also a main priority for owners who tend to travel long distances. If you do like the look of this vehicle there is the option for you to take a look at their leasing options. A Contract Hire Alfa Romeo Giulietta maybe a great option if you like to change your cars every 2-3 years.

Alfa Romeo Mito – A fun fact for you, the Mito received its name by merging the first two letters of the two cities where the Mito is built; these being Milan and Torino. A Used Alfa Romeo Mito is likely to set you back roughly £7,000. This model was aimed at potential customers who wanted a different alternative to the very popular FIAT 500. They designed a great looking and desirable model with a sporty image twist that still maintains high scores in safety tests. If you aren’t keen on buying second hand, there is the option to look at the Lease Alfa Romeo Mito, with prices starting from roughly £160.00 plus VAT per month.

There are some great Alfa Romeo’s out there in the UK Car Market, you will find thousands of Used Alfa Romeo Cars online if you have an interest in buying one. These can be found using different classified advertising websites or just by simply searching for a “Used Alfa Romeo <Model> <Area>” using Google UK.

Audi has created a special edition TT model to celebrate having sold half a million units of the nippy sports car.

Production of the Limited Edition TTS will be limited to 500 vehicles, of which 120 will be coming to the UK.  It will be fitted with the same engine as the current TTS and will be available in two unique colours. The Coupe will come in Nimbus Grey and the convertible Roadster in Imola Yellow.

The colours will be matched on the inside; grey leather upholstery with grey and yellow stitching is standard. Each model will also feature its unique numbered plaque in the door trim.

The Limited Edition Coupe will start from £38,860 while the Roadster will be priced from £42,320.

More information about current TT models is online at AutoVillage.co.uk, while there are also listings for used models.

Just as we thought things in Geneva couldn’t get much more interesting after news of the Audi A3 E-Tron concept, this happens!

Volkswagen is making the headlines again today with the announcement that the incredibly efficient and futuristic XL1 is set for production in 2013! Now we’ve read about this car before, and concluded it would never happen, but now we stand corrected.

Just from looking at it, you know the XL1 is going to offer something out of the ordinary, and it most definitely does; Volkswagen claim it could do up to 313mpg with emissions at 21g/km of CO2. The styling is quite frankly mental, though not without purpose, as everything is done in the name of aerodynamics with the XL1; they have removed the wind mirrors in favour of two small cameras and the rear wheels are faired inwards and covered by a round carbon fibre panel, though we are still dubious as to whether or not this will feature on the production model; the cover would probably just end up causing complications which lead to higher MOT and servicing costs.

Now, the efficiency is the most revolutionary aspect of this car, and it is all thanks to a 47bhp 0.8-litre diesel engine and a 27bhp electric motor, which means 74bhp overall, which may not sound a lot, but when you’re dealing with a car that only ways 795kg, you’d be surprised.

The XL1 can do around 30 miles on electric power alone and you can charge the car battery from a home socket.

Volkswagen are adding a new model to the Volkswagen Golf with the GTD variant which is expected to debut at the Geneva Motor Show. For now however, Volkswagen have kindly revealed the Mk7 Golf GTD with some new pictures.

The GTD is to be the flagship model of the Golf range, hardly surprising when you find that the new GTD is to be the most powerful diesel Golf ever! As big fans of the Golf already, this fact alone makes our hair stand on end!

The Golf bonnet contains a 2.0-litre four-pot common rail diesel engine which can generate some serious power; 181 bhp to be exact, coupled with 289Ib-ft of torque. With such power, the Golf can reach an almighty speed of 143mph and it can do 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds. Despite these impressive stats however, the Golf GTD’s true value lies in its economy; VW are claiming the new model to be capable of 67.3mpg.

We are not sure about the pricing yet, though if they are telling the truth about the economy, you can expect low running costs, coupled with few servicing charges as the Golf has a good history with reliability. Not to mention the good residual values these cars have allowing a used golf to maintain a good percentage of its value over a 3 year period.