Next Ford Focus ST gets 2.3 EcoBoost?
Okay it hasn’t been 100% confirmed yet so treat this as a rumour, but there’s plenty of rumblings and evidence to suggest that the inline 4-cylinder 2.3 litre EcoBoost engine in the outgoing Focus RS as well as in the current entry-level Ford Mustang will in fact find itself under the bonnet of the new Focus ST. Remember, Ford will leave a bit of performance room on top for the new RS so the ST can afford to pull its punches somewhat. But it still needs to battle the likes of the VW Golf GTI whereas the RS will be tasked with taking on the Audi RS3 and AMG A45. So expect around 200kW in your next ST I guess.
New Suzuki Ertiga unveiled
This is it, the new Suzuki Ertiga. A revelation that might make you ask yourself “Do I even remember the previous one?” They’re wallflower cars, humble compact seven-seaters from the land of the rising sun and the Kei car. This new one though, this one looks more substantial now – new engines, new platforms and features. It’s 100mm longer, 40mm wider and its flanks are sinewy with metal muscle. Newer, more ornate lamp clusters and a striking grille treatment complete a car that will have Uber XL drivers salivating. Your move um... Honda BR-V?
Meet the Renault KWID Climber
What is this and why should I care? Well, the KWID is a super-affordable urban runabout that undercuts even the Sandero for value-for-money. It did however face quite a lot of controversy when launched thanks to shockingly low safety credentials, but has since clawed back some of its reputation thanks to being an otherwise robust little Renault. The Climber then continues the long line of special editions, a funky quasi off-road treatment you could compare to their Sandero Stepway models but with orange accents both inside and out. Yours for just R148,900, if you manage to snap one of only 200 models.
Honda Everus EV Concept
As you know the Beijing Motor Show has just been and that means unobtanium galore and for once we don’t just mean exotic stuff. We mean electronic boxes with wheels, electric powered and almost-sentient from every manufacturer you’ve ever head of and a few that were just recently made up. Which brings us neatly to the Honda Everus EV Concept. It will be the blueprint for a China-only electric vehicle which will have the rest of us saying “Why bother?”
Hyundai i20 gets Active
Hyundai have updated their popular B-Segment hatch with an even sharper European aesthetic and a plethora of upgrades to its technology including a seven-speed DCT (dual clutch) gearbox, an ISG (Idle Stop and Go) system, Lane Departure Warnings, collision avoidance and plenty more. Clamber aboard and there’s also a new multimedia and connectivity suite available in four guises including an audio system with a 3.8 inch screen, five inch monochrome or the 7-inch Display Audio system. Under the hood there’s a choice of new motors (55kW, 62kW, 74kW or 88kW outputs) and traditional manual transmissions in certain configurations – all petrol powered. So more of the stuff from Hyundai that have put South Korean cars firmly on the map.
