Tag Archives: platinum

I was due to take Kia’s Soul for a weeks test directly after the launch at Kilmainham last week. It’s always nice to do that because it means you’re among the first journalists to give a new car a proper test. Since there were a few cars available, I asked for anything other than silver, which was good on two counts. The red one I took away had more equipment and the fire-engine red paintwork attracted huge attention while I had the car. In fact, I haven’t had so many comments about a car in a long time and all of them were universally positive. When you come down to it, the new car looks quite similar to the original Soul, but the details have been honed and refined and the result is very pleasing from all angles. From the back, it reminds me of nothing else but a bigger Volkswagen Up, but from other angles, it has an identity …

Mazda released their latest 3 saloon and hatchback a few months ago and at first glance, it’s obvious that the car has been completely redesigned from the ground up. The styling is influenced by Mazda’s new Kodo design language, already seen on the larger 6. With its flowing lines, it must be the best looking mid size car out there, especially in saloon form. From any angle it looks right, but the side profile is particularly arresting. It’s not only the looks that have been overhauled, the 3 is built around an entirely new platform, which uses high strength steel to be both stiffer and lighter than before. This is all part of Mazda’s SKYACTIV range of technologies, designed to increase fuel economy and reduce emissions. Essentially, Mazda use conventional engineering solutions in the pursuit of efficiency. This includes chasing weight savings, better aerodynamics and more efficient engines. There are two engine choices, the range starting with a 1.5 litre …