Cumbria Times

Front Page Business Arts Cars Lifestyle Family Travel Sports SciTech Nature Fiction

Polestar 5 UK Launch Review

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

It pleases me greatly when car manufacturers decide to stage their UK drive events in the North of England. Challenging roads, relatively traffic free, and no long drive down the M6 for me! I was therefore delighted to get the invite to drive the new Polestar 5 in Northumberland, a county I know well. An added bonus would be a night in the Bailiffgate Hotel, opposite Alnwick Castle.

P.ublished 24th October 2026

AA Issues Driving Advice As Storm Austen And Storm Boelo Bring Challenging Conditions

Photo credit: Pexels

The AA is urging drivers to prepare for challenging conditions on the roads as Storm Austen, the first named storm of the 2026/27 season, brings strong winds across southern England and Wales and heavy rain to parts of Scotland today (Friday), with Storm Boelo set to follow this weekend.

P.ublished 23rd October 2026

Paris Motor Show 2026 – Worth The Trip!

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

Citroen 2CV

I haven’t been to the Paris Motor Show since before the Covid-19 pandemic, and I gather the subsequent shows were somewhat half-hearted. This year it promised to be a return to form, so the decision was made to make the journey. Although I travelled by Eurostar, which was quick and efficient, the journey time, which included train travel to London, was rather longer than necessary.

P.ublished 17th October 2026

Citroen's 2CV Concept Wows Paris

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

I've just returned from the Paris Motor Show and one car drew the largest crowd on the dedicated press day. Citroën is reviving an icon by unveiling the 2CV Concept, a modern response to the mobility challenges of tomorrow.

P.ublished 15th October 2026

Electric Versus Diesel – A KGM Musso Shootout

KGM has been producing pickups for eons and earlier this year it launched its latest diesel-powered model. Perhaps of more interest in these times of rising fuel costs is their fully electric version. I had a quick drive in one just over a year ago and came away impressed. However, an extended time with any vehicle is really needed for a full assessment.

P.ublished 10th October 2026

Jaguar TYPE 01 – From Pink Ads to Actual Cars

Two years ago, Jaguar left the car world asking a fair question: had the brand turned into a fashion house and quietly stopped making cars? It was one of the most heated conversations in the industry, and well beyond it. Now, with the Type 01 revealed in New York on 6 October, we finally have an answer in the metal.

P.ublished 9th October 2026

Geely's New Monjaro EM-i To Debut In Paris

The all-new Geely Monjaro EM-i will make its European debut at the Paris Motor Show on Monday 12th October, marking the first time the model has been seen in Europe.

P.ublished 6th October 2026

The Farmer’s Dog – My Return Visit

Once a year, a friend and I journey south for The Scramble, a car show par excellence held at Bicester Heritage. This former RAF site is now home to over 50 speciality automotive businesses and counting. It is a great venue and once again it was an absolute delight to wander around a fine array of cars, in warm autumnal sunshine.

P.ublished 6th October 2026

Luxury SUV The BMW Way – X7 On Test

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

I remember when the BMW X5 was launched in 1999. It was the German manufacturer’s first foray into the world of the SUV. The emphasis was more on sporty on-road driving rather than off-road prowess. I must confess to coveting one, and once a year or two had passed, I did contemplate a second-hand purchase, but values remained strong.

P.ublished 3rd October 2026

CTEK brings Charge Your Car Day to The Motorist with a live automotive Weekender

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

CTEK, a global leader in battery charging and power management, is returning to The Motorist, Sherburn in Elmet, for the second year running, bringing Charge Your Car Day to life with a full Charge Your Car Weekender on 3 & 4 October 2026.

P.ublished 28th September 2026

Mazda6e – A Week Behind The Wheel

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

I book my press car loans months in advance, with little idea of where I will be going that week. With petrol prices rising on a daily basis, I was pleased to recently take delivery of a fully electric Mazda6e. With many miles to cover, and with access to a home charger, I would surely be quids in.

P.ublished 26th September 2026

Ineos Grenadier Meet For Owners And Enthusiasts

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

The North York Moors National Park will be the scenic venue for the second Ineos Grenadier meet. Last year’s event was such a success, that Russ from Ardventures has decided to repeat it. This year promises to be even bigger and better. A full weekend is planned for the 23rd to 25th October, with camping available on site for those who wish to stay for the whole weekend.

P.ublished 24th September 2026

Two Generations, One Yaris Cross

After two weeks of living with two generations of the Toyota Yaris Cross, it has finally come time for me to decide whether the new car really is an improvement. I first started taking an interest in the Yaris Cross when I began noticing just how many of them were appearing on the road. It is one of those cars that seems to have quietly become everywhere without you really noticing it happen.

P.ublished 21st September 2026

Vauxhall’s Vivaro Life Ultimate – But Is It?

I’ve been driving vans since my teenage years. Memories loom large of heavy steering, obstructive gearboxes and most of all, that familiar diesel clatter. I own a 16-year-old panel van, and though far more sophisticated and therefore easier to drive with power-assisted steering and a turbo boosting the power, that unmistakable background drone from the motor is still ever present.

P.ublished 19th September 2026

Geely EX2 Launch Review

The rush to offer small, affordable EVs continues apace and this time it is Chinese manufacturer Geely’s turn. Yet another trip south was required for an early drive of their EX2 contender. This new model is certainly one of the most affordable electric cars now on sale in the UK, with prices from £20,990 up to £25,490 for an Ultra model with all the bells and whistles.

P.ublished 17th September 2026

Kia Expands Its Van Range - PV7 Launched

The new Kia PV7 will arrive in showrooms in the second half of 2027. It's bigger and more versatile than its little brother, the PV5 - a full 300mm longer than the long-wheelbase Volkswagen ID.Buzz. Kia says its passenger model will be able to seat up to nine occupants in four rows.

P.ublished 15th September 2026

Memorable Drives - The Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

Family-owned car dealership, JCT600, redeveloped one of its sites to provide an opulent home for three of its prestige marques, Bentley, Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce. Oh, to have a bulging bank balance, as the Geldard Road site would be one of my go-to destinations.

P.ublished 12th September 2026

Has Audi Remembered What Made the A2 Great?

Michael Atkins
Motoring Correspondent

When Audi first introduced the A2 in 1999, it was unlike almost anything else the company had produced. Small, lightweight and focused heavily on efficiency, it looked more like a vision of the future than a conventional premium hatchback. Now, more than 25 years later, Audi has brought the name back with the new A2 e-tron.

P.ublished 12th September 2026

Has Polestar Just Made The 4 Better?

Michael Atkins
Motoring Correspondent

Polestar has just revealed the new 4 SUV, and it might be one of those cars that makes you question why the original existed in the first place. Rather than replacing the Polestar 4 Coupé, the new SUV sits alongside it, taking the same fundamental design and editing it into something considerably more practical, without getting rid of what made the Coupé interesting.

P.ublished 7th September 2026

Supercar Sunday At Grantley Hall

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

Fab Ferraris.

Sunday 6th September saw supercars from across the country make their way to Grantley Hall, near Ripon. This prestigious hotel hosted what was to be their largest event of this type.

P.ublished 7th September 2026

Mazda’s New Cx-5 – A Yorkshire Test

Having attended the Scottish launch of Mazda’s new CX-5, I was keen to try in on my home patch. I didn’t manage to drive an all-wheel-drive version, so the press office kindly sent one north for me to try over an extended period.

P.ublished 5th September 2026

Kia EV2 – UK Launch Review

At last, we are seeing a raft of smaller, more affordable EVs hitting the market. As I have said previously, not everyone either wants or can afford a large, expensive EV. So, electric cars for the masses it is then, and what a good thing that is. Kia’s foray into this market is the new EV2, one of the most hotly anticipated new cars of this year.

P.ublished 1st September 2026

Harrogate's Classic Car Sunday A Great Success

The grey and damp of last Sunday morning was enlivened by the colours and sounds of an eclectic selection of classic and sports cars that congregated in Prince’s Square, Harrogate. They had gathered for the latest edition of Classic Car Sunday, a ‘cars and coffee’ style breakfast meet up for like-minded car enthusiasts.

P.ublished 1st September 2026

Lepas – The Brand Launch

A warm and sultry night in old London town was the location for the formal brand launch for Lepas in the UK. Regular readers will already have seen my review of the Chinese manufacturer’s first car, the L8, Lepas-L8-Launch-Review However, this was a chance to meet the full team and find out what the future plans are.

P.ublished 29th August 2026

Expert Tips For Driving In A Downpour + Little-Known Law You Need To Know

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay

After one of the hottest and driest summers on record, the last thing most Britons would be expecting is heavy showers and thunderstorms. However, that’s what the Met Office is predicting this week, with a Yellow weather warning.

P.ublished 27th August 2026

I’ve Been Twingoed And I Liked It!

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

The right cars at the right time. That would seem to sum up French manufacturer Renault at the moment. First it introduced us to the all-electric Renault 5, a car that is selling exceptionally well. They are everywhere, with most in vibrant colours making them easy to spot.

P.ublished 22nd August 2026

Fiat Panda - Is It Really That Grand?

Michael Atkins
Motoring Correspondent

Back in 2024 the Stellantis group revealed to the world the brand-new Fiat Grande Panda. It got a great reception for its styling cues and character, but the manufacturing of this model only started in late 2025. Although it has been on the market for over 9 months now, it is still a rare sight here on UK roads.

P.ublished 17th August 2026

Don’t pay more for your car hire: my top ten tips for keeping the bills down if you’re driving abroad

Jane Hawkes
Consumer Expert

Image by ErikaWittlieb from Pixabay

Millions of Britons heading overseas this summer could be paying far more than they need to for their car hire. That’s the warning from our consumer expert Jane Hawkes, who is advising holiday makers to book car hire well in advance and be confident in saying no to upselling at the desk.

P.ublished 15th August 2026

Family Cars Don’t Have To Be Dull – Cupra Formentor

For those that don’t already know, Cupra is the high-performance arm of Spanish car manufacturer SEAT. In 2018, Cupra was spun off to become its own sub-brand, with all future models from the marque wearing Cupra’s arrow-shaped emblem. The company’s first standalone model was the Formentor, a car that put the Cupra brand firmly on the map.

P.ublished 15th August 2026

Lepas L8 Launch Review

Rewind a couple of years, and most UK car buyers had never heard of the Chinese car giant Chery. They certainly do now with the company storming the UK sales charts with its Omoda and Jaecoo brands. Just last month, the Jaecoo 7 and 5 models were in fourth and seventh positions, respectively, in the chart of UK registration figures.

P.ublished 8th August 2026

Flat Battery? CTEK To The Rescue

As regular readers will know, I have an ageing fleet of cars. When I am organised, I usually have each car connected to a CTEK trickle charger. However, there are times when I want to head out for a drive, only to find a car with a flat battery. If you’ve ever messed around with jump cables, you will know what a performance that can be.

P.ublished 4th August 2026

First Drive – Isuzu’s D-Max Electric Pickup

Isuzu first showed us its D-Max EV at the Commercial Vehicle Show earlier this year. It made the headlines, being the first fully electric pickup in the UK to provide over 1-tonne payload, 3.5-tonne towing capacity and permanent four-wheel drive.

P.ublished 1st August 2026

BMW iX3 Review – Polished, Poised And Distinctly BMW

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

This is an exciting time for BMW. The company’s UK CEO, David George, has confirmed that we can expect to see more than 40 new vehicles by the end of 2027. The first of the ‘Neue Klasse’ (New Class) range of cars is the iX3, launched earlier this year to UK media at the firm’s UK base in Farnborough. I was lucky enough to attend.

P.ublished 25th July 2026

Harrogate MG Show 2026 Fast Approaching

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

Sunday 2nd August will see MGs from across the UK flock to Pateley Bridge near Harrogate for the 40th annual MG show. Bigger and better than ever, the event will also incorporate the MG Owners Club Northern National gathering.

P.ublished 22nd July 2026

Vauxhall’s Mokka With Added Fizz – New GSE Launch Review

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

Vauxhall has a long history of performance models. It all began with the Astra GTE way back in 1984. Taking on the Golf GTi, the fuel-injected hot hatch boasted a naturally aspirated 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine producing 115bhp. This was enough to launch the GTE from rest to 60mph in a competitive 8.5 seconds.

P.ublished 22nd July 2026

Win A New Ioniq 3 With Hyundai

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

Hyundai Motor UK has launched its biggest-ever competition, giving one member of the public the chance to win an all-new IONIQ 3.

P.ublished 18th July 2026

New Musso Rhino Launched By KGM

Let’s start by saying I’m a big fan of pickups. In my rural neck of the woods, they are popular with both working owners and those who use them for leisure purposes. With the recent tax changes, their popularity is in decline as double-cab models are now classified as cars for benefit in kind.

P.ublished 11th July 2026

Living With The Skoda Fabia 130 Edition

For the past few days, I have been living with Skoda's latest version of the renowned Fabia. Please don't assume this is an article about any ordinary version though, this is about the limited edition 130 Edition. The model first arrived late last year to celebrate the manufacturer's 130th anniversary.

P.ublished 9th July 2026

Reinventing A Classic - Renault 4 Reborn

The motoring press has been most impressed with the new Renault 5. Praise has been heaped on it from all quarters and it’s easy to see why. However, lurking quietly in the shadows is another new and equally exciting EV from the French manufacturer, namely the Renault 4.

P.ublished 4th July 2026

New BMW X5 Revealed

The new fifth-generation BMW X5 has just been revealed. It is the first BMW model engineered to support five drive systems, including hydrogen, as part of its global line-up. A few key facts:First all-electric BMW iX5, with a WLTP range of up to 525 miles and fast 460 kW DC charging.

P.ublished 3rd July 2026

Range Topping Defender OCTA In The Dales

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

I’m a big fan of the Land Rover Defender and have been lucky enough to drive it in all body styles and with most of the different engines too. I was therefore intrigued when Land Rover launched the OCTA edition, clearly something special, but with distinctly premium pricing.

P.ublished 29th June 2026

Nearly Time For The Festival Of The Unexceptional - Tickets Still Available

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

Those who like cars, will love the 2026 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional. Thousands of memory evoking cars will return to the lawns of Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire once again on Saturday 25th July along with the best line-up of entertainment seen since the show was launched 12 years ago.

P.ublished 29th June 2026

Mazda6e – UK Launch Review

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

Mazda has undoubtedly been one of the slower manufacturers to electrify their range. Up until fairly recently, the MX-30 had been the company’s only fully electric offering, and it has now been discontinued. Fear not, as I have just returned from the UK media launch of the new Mazda6e, and after a long drive through North Wales, I am ready to give my verdict.

P.ublished 27th June 2026

The Morgan Coupé is Back After a Decade

Morgan have just unveiled their latest creation, once again partnering with Italian design consultancy Pininfarina. The Midsummer Coupé is a demonstration of the new chapter the Malvern-based company is entering into - coachbuilding. The Midsummer is no new name to the Morgan line-up.

P.ublished 25th June 2026

Hot Dog Season – Beware Or Risk A Fine!

As is now the case, we are being warned to expect very high temperatures this week in most parts of the UK. It is summer after all, so what do we expect. And, I’m old enough to remember the hot summer of 1976. Yes, really! Most dog owners are exceptionally responsible and will walk their dogs during the cooler parts of the day. But what if you need to travel by car?

P.ublished 22nd June 2026

Mitsubishi Returns With An All-New L200 Pickup

Mitsubishi stopped selling its range of vehicles in the UK in 2021, but now the Japanese company is back with two new vehicles. At the recent launch event, I got to sample both the L200 pickup and the Outlander PHEV. The latter is a story for another day. This is the seventh generation of the L200 and it has been on sale in other markets for quite some time.

P.ublished 20th June 2026

Honda's New Super-N Compact EV Launches

Honda has revealed that its new Super-N compact EV will be priced from just £18,995 when it goes on sale in the UK. Designed to deliver an exciting and uplifting small car experience and fine-tuned on British roads, Honda says the Super-N promises a unique dynamic performance and an affordable route to electric mobility that fully showcases the brand’s’ joy of driving’ philosophy.

P.ublished 19th June 2026

Bentley's Visitor Centre Opens To The Public

Bentley Motors is now welcoming members of the public to its visitor experience centre, CW1 House, located next to the factory in Crewe where it’s free for everyone to sit in a Bentley.

P.ublished 13th June 2026

Is Audi Saving the Desirable Supercar?

Audi this past week released their latest model, the Nuvolari a reimagination of their Concept C study car from last year. It is their replacement for the much-loved R8, and it certainly wasn't on many people's radars. The Nuvolari will be the fastest production car to ever leave the factory in Ingolstadt, reaching a top speed of 218 mph.

P.ublished 13th June 2026

Arctic Trucking – A Week Of Adventures

Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor

The Arctic Truck AT35 is designed for those who intend to boldly go where no pickup has any right to go, whether that’s wandering through the frozen wastelands of Scandinavia and Iceland or wading through deep rainforest in warmer climes.

P.ublished 13th June 2026

	Sunrise	7:00AM
Sunset	4:49PM