Hyundai i30 Tourer gets five-star Euro NCAP

The latest version of Hyundai’s i30 Estate – the Hyundai i30 Tourer – has gained a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating – the same as the i30 hatch. Hyundai has placed plenty of emphasis on the safety stuff in their cars too, with the i30, i20, ix35, ix20, i40, Veloster and latest i30 all getting a five star Euro NCAP rating. And now the new i30 Tourer has joined the gang with its very own top rank safety rating.

Approved mechanics essential for quality service

DRIVERS need to make sure their car is being properly serviced by a qualified mechanic, says the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). To help drives do this, it has launched a government-backed scheme called the Professional Register. While there are around 175,000 people in the UK who call themselves automotive technicians, the IMI says it can only recommend around 27,000 as having the required skills and competence to carry out work to the required standard in their specialism.

VW Scirocco GTS launches – but not in UK

There’s a new Scirocco available across Europe from this month – the VW Scirocco GTS – but it’s not coming to the UK. The GTS is more of a trim level than a stand-alone model and you can grab it with a variety of engines – 1.4 litre TSI, 2.0 litre TSI and 2.0 litre TDI – as the GTS trim just adds cosmetic tweaks to the Scirocco and nothing in the way of power or performance upgrades. Those cosmetic tweaks amount to  thumping great black stripes up the bonnet bordered by thinner red stripes (which all continues over the top and down the back of the GTS), red covers for the door mirrors, 18″ alloys, a spoiler at the back (nicked from the Scirocco R) and a more butch back bumper with diffuser.