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2014 Subaru XV – less choice, more refinement

The 2014 Subaru XV (pictured) gets a bit of a tweak The Subaru XV arrived in the UK in 2012, and it’s a perfectly able and reasonably-priced compact crossover from Subaru. But within a year of launching the XV Subaru decided to inject a bit more appeal in to the XV with a price cut of £2,300 across the range and now, not more than six months later, they’re fiddling with the XV range again. The 2.0 litre petrol XV gets new valve-train components to cut engine noise and revised suspension, with extra soundproofing improving NVH levels across the range, a revised power steering system for added stability and feel  and thicker and reshaped suspension lower arm and extra reinforcement around the base of the A-Pillar for better crash performance.

2013 Range Rover lands in the Middle East

The new Range Rover – fresh from its world debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show – has now arrived in one of its key markets – the Middle East. There’s no doubt that the UK will be a big market for the new Range Rover, and the US will become even more so if Land Rover can demonstrate the new Range Rover is not just the best luxury SUV there is, but that it’s properly bolted together too. But beyond Land Rover’s home market and the US, it’s the Middle East that beckons as a mainstay of Range Rover sales, so an early presentation to the wealthy clients of Range Rover dealer Al Tayer Motors – the award-winning Land Rover dealers in the UAE – was a must.

Renault toasts triple anniversary

IT’S A BIRTHDAY bonanza for Renault this week, with three important anniversaries set to be celebrated at the Rétromobile Show in Paris. It’s 30 years since the debut of the Espace people-carrier, and although the model isn’t sold in the UK any more it still has a cult following across Europe. Each of the four versions makes up part of Renault’s installation.