Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid Debuts
Suzuki has enhanced their Vitara range with the addition of a new hybrid. The new Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid goes on sale in Ireland priced from €28,995.
The current generation of the Vitara was updated in early 2019, with higher specification and 48V mild hybrid technology added in 2020.
Suzuki Vitara Hybrid in Ireland
The new Vitara Hybrid uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine, 140V lithium-ion battery and inverter, Motor Generator Unit (known as MGU), a 12V lithium-ion battery as well as a conventional 12V lead-acid battery to power components requiring lower voltage such as lights, instruments and heating / air conditioning. The power output is 115 hp, while CO2 emissions are rated at 121g/km.
The new Hybrid system has two switchable modes- Eco and Standard. The Vitara Hybrid is equipped as standard with Auto Gear Shift (AGS) that automatically shifts the manual transmission and gear ratios that are optimised to help provide a good combination of performance and fuel economy. The transmission also has a manual mode with steering wheel mounted shift paddles.
Anything else?
The SZ-T model features a strong specification including 17-inch silver painted alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, white stitching for seat trim fabric, smartphone connectivity, rear parking camera, keyless entry/start, navigation, climate control, Dual Sensor Brake Support, Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Traffic Sign Recognition, and Adaptive Cruise Control.
The new Vitara Full Hybrid is also available in SZ5 trim, priced from €30,995. Moving up to SZ5 adds 17-inch polished alloy wheels, suede seat upholstery, Panoramic sunroof, front and rear parking sensors and availability of ALLGRIP 4WD as an option.
The new Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid joins the Vitara Mild Hybrid, already on sale here priced from €26,535.
The Vitara is produced at the Magyar Suzuki plant in Hungary.
Suzuki has recently launched new models in Ireland - the S-Cross and Swace.
Polestar 2 Arrives In Ireland!
Polestar, the Swedish premium electric performance brand, has arrived in Ireland. The brand's first model to officially go on sale here is the new Polestar 2. Styled as an electric performance fastback, pricing for the new Polestar 2 will start from €54,500 in Ireland.
Polestar 2 is said to bring avant-garde design and a unique ownership experience to the premium compact electric segment. First launched internationally in 2020, it was the first car in the world to feature Google built-in through the car's Android Automotive OS infotainment system – including the Google Assistant, Google Maps with support for electric vehicles and the Google Play Store. An 11-inch touch screen display brings the new interface to life, with natural voice control.
Polestar 2 battery and range
In Ireland, the Polestar 2 model range will include three versions, offering a mix of performance and range.
The Standard range Single motor version will feature a 231 hp / 330 Nm electric motor and a 69 kWh battery pack good for a WLTP range of up to 474 km.
The Long range Single motor will increase battery size to 78 kWh with a corresponding jump in its WLTP range of up to 542 km.
he Long range Dual motor variant has two electric motors and the same 78 kWh battery, with a total output of 408 hp and 660 Nm, with a WLTP range of up to 482 km.
Buying Polestar in Ireland
Polestar cars are purchased online through a simplified, 100% digital process, which is complemented by physical retail locations known around the world as Polestar Spaces and Polestar Destinations.
These bespoke retail environments allow consumers to interact physically with the brand, meeting with Polestar Specialists to explore the car in more detail, including test drives.
The first Polestar Destination in Ireland is planned to open to the public in Dublin later in 2022.
In the meantime, the Polestar 2 will soon be available to order here from the Polestar Ireland website.
Consumer test drives will start with a four week roadshow in Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork and Galway, from 9th May.
Kieran Campbell, Market Lead for Polestar Ireland, said:
“It’s clear there’s huge appetite for new premium electric cars here in Ireland, so the arrival of Polestar couldn’t be better-timed. With its avant-garde styling, advanced technology and impressive sustainability credentials, Polestar 2 is the perfect car for Ireland’s transition to electric vehicles.”
Jonathan Goodman, Polestar’s Head of Global Communications and Polestar UK, said:
“We’re excited to bring Polestar to Ireland. As we continue our rapid and global roll out of the Polestar brand, Ireland was the logical next step in our plans. We’re proud to offer an exciting and advanced EV in the premium segment here.
Anything else?
Polestar was established as a new, standalone Swedish premium electric vehicle manufacturer in 2017. Founded by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding, Polestar cars share technology and engineering with Volvo Cars.
The Polestar 2 electric performance fastback is the company’s first fully electric, high volume car. The Polestar 1 was built between 2019 and 2021 as a low-volume electric performance hybrid GT with a carbon fibre body, 609 hp, 1,000 Nm and an electric-only range of 124 km (WLTP) – the longest of any hybrid car in the world.
Polestar is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. The brand's cars are currently available in markets across Europe, North America, China and Asia Pacific. They are currently manufactured in two facilities in China, with additional future manufacturing planned in the USA.
From 2022, Polestar plans to launch one new electric vehicle per year, starting with Polestar 3 – the company’s first electric performance SUV.
Polestar 4 is expected to follow in 2023, a smaller electric performance SUV coupe.
In 2024, the Polestar 5 electric performance 4-door GT is planned to be launched as the production evolution of Polestar Precept – the manifesto concept car that Polestar released in 2020 that showcases the brand’s future vision in terms of design, technology, and sustainability.
Mazda CX-60 For Ireland In 2022
Mazda has taken the covers off their next new model to arrive here. The new Mazda CX-60 is the company’s first plug-in hybrid for Europe. It's also the most powerful road car Mazda has ever produced.
The brand says that the new CX-60 is the most important model it has introduced for over a decade. The new five seat SUV will slot in above the CX-5 in the Mazda range.
Features of the Mazda CX-60
The new CX-60 will be a flagship for the brand and promises outstanding exterior and interior design to the finest Japanese craftsmanship, along with the latest innovations in human-centric technologies and a world-class powertrain.
In the cabin a new Mazda Driver Personalisation System will recognise the occupant of the driver’s seat and automatically adjust the surroundings – seat position, steering wheel, mirrors, HUD, even the sound and climate control settings – to fit their physique as well as personal preferences.
The Mazda CX-60 has a front-engine and rear-wheel drive layout. It is the brand's first plug-in hybrid and uses a Skyactiv-G 2.5-litre, four-cylinder direct injection petrol engine with a 100 kW electric motor, new eight-speed automatic transmission, and a 17.8 kWh high-capacity battery.
Mazda CX-60 plug-in hybrid
This combination of engine and motor delivers a total system output of 327hp and 500 Nm of torque. This makes it the most powerful road car Mazda has ever produced. It will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 5.8 seconds. WLTP combined CO2 emissions are just 33g/km. The Mazda CX-60 e-Skyactiv PHEV offers 63 km of motor-powered driving with the vehicle running at 100 km/h or less.
The new Mazda CX-60’s Skyactiv Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture is said to feature numerous enhancements to offer excellent driving dynamics. Adopting Mazda’s human-centric approach, these include bodyshell rigidity that ensures drivers can feel vehicle response without lag. The seats make it even easier for every occupant to maintain balance while the car is moving. The suspension stabilises vehicle posture while driving. There is a unique to Mazda vehicle posture control system - Kinematic Posture Control (KPC).
The positioning of the high voltage battery between the front and rear axles and as low as possible within the bodyshell gives the new Mazda CX-60 PHEV a particularly low centre of gravity. This, combined with a permanent all-wheel drive system incorporating shaft-driven transfer of torque between the axles, is said to give the car handling characteristics on par with the best in the premium segment.
Anything else?
The Mazda CX-60 is equipped with several new active safety systems: See-Through View - a next-generation 360o view monitor which improves visibility when driving at low speeds; Turn Across Traffic Assist; SBS-R pedestrian detection; Emergency Lane Keeping; i-Adaptive Cruise Control (i-ACC); and BSM Vehicle Exit Warning.
Over the coming years Mazda will continue to develop electrification across a wide range of new products. The Mazda MX-30 REV will combine full-time electric drive with a rotary engine-powered generator to offer unlimited range.
And in 2023 the company will launch a new model that is larger than the CX-60 and features three rows of seats - the Mazda CX-80.
Mazda is launching five new electrified products that feature its multi-solution platform architecture in the next three years.
After 2025, the company will launch its brand new Skyactiv EV Scalable Architecture - unique technology which will allow Mazda to efficiently build electric cars of all sizes using one common platform.
New Car Registrations Ireland February 2022
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) has released the official 221 new vehicle registration figures in Ireland for February 2022.
New car registrations for February were down 12.2% (12,031) when compared to February 2021 (13,698).
Registrations year to date are down 4.6% (37,058) on the same period last year (38,838).
The bestselling brands in Ireland up to the end of February were 1. Toyota, 2, Hyundai, 3, Skoda, 4. Kia and 5. Volkswagen.
Used car imports for February (3,807) have seen a decrease of 33.9% on February 2021 (5,758). Year to date imports are down 37.6% (7,848) on 2021 (12,579).
In the month of February 1,620 new electric vehicles were registered compared to 805 in February 2021. So far this year 4,320 new electric cars have been registered in comparison to 1,782 in the same period 2021.
Electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and standard hybrids continue to increase their market share, with a combined market share now of 44%. Despite a large decrease in market share for internal combustion engine type vehicles, petrol remains dominant 27.39%, with Diesel accounting for 25.92%, Hybrid for 24.23%, Electric for 11.66% and Plug-in Hybrid for 8.01%.
The bestselling cars so far this year are 1. Hyundai Tucson, 2. Toyota Corolla, 3. Toyota RAV4, 4. Toyota C-HR and 5. Kia Sportage.
Light Commercials Vehicles (LCV) are down 30.9% (2,292) compared to February last year (3,316) and year to date are 12.0% (7,341). HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are up 7.56% (242) in comparison to February 2021 (225). Year to date HGV's are up slightly 2.14% (574).
Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General, said:
“New car sales are 12.2% down on February last year and 4.6% down year to date, while they remain 21.9% behind that of pre-COVID (2019) levels.
Despite strong demand for new and used cars, supply continues to be a major issue, with any potential recovery unlikely to happen until the second half of 2022 at the earliest.
Despite this challenge, the number of new electric cars continues to grow with registrations doubling for the month of February when compared with the same month last year. There are now over 50,000 Electric Vehicles (combined EV and PHEV) on Irish roads, and there is increasing consumer interest for these vehicles. As highlighted in the recently issued report on reducing light fleet carbon emissions, commissioned by SIMI, it is essential that our charging infrastructure keeps pace with this acceleration in the electrification of the Irish car fleet. In this context ongoing support from Government in the charging network is vital if we are to convince more consumers that an electric vehicle is a viable choice of car for their driving needs.”
Kia Ireland Launches KiaCharge
Kia Ireland has launched KiaCharge, a European-wide integrated public charging service, designed to give drivers easier access to public vehicle charging.
KiaCharge gives owners of the brand’s BEVs (battery electric vehicle) and PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) access to more than 1,400 charge points across Ireland, from a single account.
Drivers can access more than 315,000 additional charging points across 28 other European countries without the need for additional contracts.
From launch, KiaCharge provides access to major charging networks, including ESB, EasyGo and IONITY. There are plans to further expand KiaCharge coverage throughout 2022.
This means drivers don't have to sign up to separate accounts with multiple charging point operators or pre-pay with others.
Kia BEV and PHEV owners can access KiaCharge via a smartphone app or RFID card.
Instead of numerous individual transactions, payments are made via a single itemised monthly invoice.
The service offers two fully flexible tariffs, ‘Easy’ and ‘Plus’. The ‘Easy’ tariff for light users offers a one-off €2.49 charge to access the service. With no monthly subscription fees, most charging stations instead require a €0.49 ‘session fee’ when users plug in, with users paying per kWh of electricity.
The ‘Plus’ tariff is for those who rely more heavily on public charging. There's a €3.95 monthly tariff, with no up-front charge or session fees. Like the ‘Easy’ tariff, users also pay per kWh, but earn an additional 15 per cent discount per kWh from most networks (except IONITY).
Two IONITY bolt-on tariffs can also be added to avail of ultra-high speed charging and can reduce the standard per kWh fee by up to 65%.
Owners of new Kia EV6 models registered this year can avail of a 12 month free subscription to IONITY Power. This means the monthly fee, normally €13, is waived so the customer just pays for the charging session at €0.27 per KW/h used. This offer is validated on eligible vehicles using a VIN input during account registration of their KiaCharge account .
Toyota bZ4X Electric Pricing For Ireland
Toyota Ireland has announced that the all-new Toyota bZ4X, the first Toyota electric car, will arrive in Ireland in June.
It's the first model from a new line-up of bZ - beyond zero - models promised by the Japanese brand.
The new electric five seat SUV will be available here in three grades - Advance, Sport and Premiere Edition.
The new Toyota bZ4X will go on sale priced from €43,402 and can be reserved online now through the Toyota website. Toyota expects that the 2022 bZ4X allocation will be pre-sold before its arrival in June
The new SUV will use a 71.4 kWh battery. With a fully charged battery, the new electric SUV from Toyotais said to have an expected range of more than 450 km. The brand says that even after 10 years of driving, the battery is targeted to still operate at 90% of its original performance.
There will be a single version with 204 hp and a dual motor, all wheel drive version of the bZ4X with 218 hp.
DC fast charging is available up to 150 kW.
As Toyota’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV), the new Toyota bZ4X is also the first to use the company’s new BEV-dedicated platform. based on eTNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture).
Irish Car Of The Year 2022 Is The Kia EV6!
At an awards ceremony at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, the Kia EV6 was named as the Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year for 2022.
Motoring journalists from print, online and broadcasting hosted the event, which was attended by Ireland’s leading car brands, importers and distributors.
Kia took the top award with the all-electric EV6, which also won the Continental Tyres Irish Large Car of the Year category award at the ceremony.
It is the second time that an electric vehicle has taken the award, when Kia won the 2020 Irish Car of the Year title with the Kia e-Soul.
Joint-Chairman of the Irish Car of the Year Committee, Anthony Conlon said:
"The Kia EV6 is a great car and as the second electric vehicle to win the title, it is proof, if any proof was needed, that the era of electric motoring is already well and truly here in Ireland. Just look at our field of runners for this year’s awards, more than half of the contenders are available as either partial or full electric vehicles.”
Joint-Chairman of the Irish Car of the Year Committee, Cathal Doyle said:
“Congratulations to the Kia team on a very worthy win and what an achievement to score back-to-back titles with two great electric vehicles. The Kia EV6 came out as the clear winner and was hugely popular with my motoring journalist colleagues.”
Tom Dennigan from awards sponsor, Continental Tyres said:
“After missing out on a 2021 Irish Car of the Year awards programme, we are delighted to be back with these awards for 2022 as the whole programme provides a great guide to Irish motorists on what the best and latest cars coming onto the Irish market are. I am sure that the Kia EV6 will benefit hugely here from winning this much coveted award.”
Ronan Flood, Managing Director of Kia Ireland, said:
"We are honoured to receive this prestigious award. The competition was extremely tough this year with many new high profile entrants to the market. It is to the credit of our designers and engineers who created this cutting-edge model that EV6 emerged as the choice of the jurors for this year's Irish Car of the Year.”
The aim of the Irish Car of the Year awards is to highlight for consumers the best new cars that have launched in Ireland in the past year. Cars are divided into categories with a number of category winners awarded, as well as an overall Irish Car of the Year
The category winners:
- Continental Tyres Irish Compact Car of the Year: Dacia Sandero
- Continental Tyres Irish Medium Car of the Year: Citroen C4
- Continental Tyres Irish Small Crossover / SUV of the Year: Opel Mokka
- Continental Tyres Irish Medium Crossover / SUV of the Year: Renault Arkana
- Continental Tyres Irish Large Car of the Year: Kia EV6
- Continental Tyres Irish Luxury Car of the Year: Mercedes-Benz S-Class
- Continental Tyres Irish Performance Car of the Year: BMW M3/M4
The Continental Tyres Irish Van of the Year title for 2022 was awarded to the joint entry Citroen e-Dispatch / Opel Vivaro-e / Peugeot e-Expert.
Kia Sportage Goes On Sale In Ireland (2022)
The new Kia Sportage has arrived in Ireland, and goes on sale priced from €38,000.
The Sportage is a key model for Kia Ireland and the brand's bestselling model here for over 10 years.
The latest generation of the popular SUV will be available in Ireland with a choice of four powertrains at launch, including diesel, diesel mild hybrid, petrol mild hybrid and a petrol hybrid. A new Sportage plug-in hybrid will join later.
Trim levels include K3, K4 and a top of the range GT Line. The Kia Ireland initial product offer features a choice of four powertrains and four trim levels.
2022 Kia Sportage price and equipment
The new Kia Sportage K3 starts at €38,000 and is available with a 1.6-litre MHEV petrol engine with 150PS or with a 1.6-litre diesel with 115PS. Equipment includes 18” alloys, LED headlamps, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera with dynamic guidelines, cruise control with speed limiter, lane keep assist, lane follow assist and forward collision avoidance. There are also heated front and rear seats, power adjustable front seats and 12.3” infotainment screen with Kia Connect (UVO connectivity). The Sportage K3 petrol hybrid (230PS) is available from €42,000 and also features smart cruise control and highway driving assistance .
The K4 trim level is available with the 1.6-litre diesel engine (€40,500) and the 1.6-litre petrol hybrid (€44,500). Features include a matt chrome coated front bumper, door garnish and silver painted rear skid plates. Inside there is beige leather upholstery, driver memory seats, ventilated front seats, curved 12.3” inch driver cluster display, and a wireless phone charger. The K4 hybrid adds blind spot collision avoidance.
The top of the range Kia Sportage GT-line comes with the 1.6-litre diesel mild hybrid with 136 hp. Features include 19”alloys, special GT-line sports upholstery, GT-line exterior styling ,sports pedals and a powered tailgate.
What's new for the Kia Sportage?
The new Kia Sportage has been designed for Europe. It has a new design and was developed on a new ‘N3’ architecture. The latest version has more boot space, headroom and legroom compared to the outgoing Sportage.
The fifth-generation Sportage also debuts a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), hybrid (HEV) and a mild-hybrid (MHEV) petrol powertrain.
The latest Kia petrol and diesel engines are also available, ensuring that the new Sportage can meet all customer needs and requirements. The diesel engine can also be paired with the MHEV tech, to further reduce emissions and improve overall fuel economy.
A new-generation Electronic Control Suspension (ECS) is said to provide optimum comfort and superior safety levels at all times thanks to its continuous damping control.
The technology reacts quickly to the Sportage’s body movements and steering inputs, making rapid damper adjustments to counteract heave, pitch and body roll through corners. It also adapts the damping force of the suspension to comfortably accommodate obstacles and reduce wheel impact from aftershocks.
Anything else?
The packaging of the HEV and PHEV models has been carefully arranged to minimise impact on passenger and boot space. Luggage capacity is up to 591 litres depending on model.
For the Sportage Plug-in Hybrid arriving in Ireland later in 2022, the compact 1.6 turbo petrol engine is part of an advanced powertrain package that also features a 66.9 kW permanent magnet traction electric motor and a 13.8 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack. It will be the most powerful of the range with 265PS.
Gearboxes include a 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual clutch automatic. Both the Sportage Hybrid and Sportage Plug-in Hybrid models are equipped with the latest-generation six-speed automatic transmission.
Fiat 500 Electric Goes On Sale In Ireland!
Fiat in Ireland has announced pricing and details for the new Fiat 500 Electric, the brand's first all-electric car.
The Fiat 500 Electric ('500e') goes on sale priced from €24,995 in Ireland, including the SEAI grant for electric cars and VRT relief for private retail customers.
The range will include a hatchback and cabriolet. There are two battery options available now for the 500e.
The entry into the new 2022 Fiat 500e range in Ireland is the 500e 23.8 kWh. It has 95 hp and a range of up to 180 km measured by WLTP. It is is priced from €24,995 in Ireland.
Next up is the Fiat 500e 42 kWh with 118 hp and a range of up to 320 km (WLTP). It is priced from €26,995.
The Fiat 500e convertible is available from €31,495.
There are four trim levels - Action, Passion, Icon and La Prima. Availability depends on model.
For faster charging, the new Fiat 500 Electric can fast charge at 85 kW. The brand says it takes only 5 minutes to add 50 kilometres or charge to 80% in 35 minutes.
The Combo 2 socket located on the rear right side panel of the car powers the fast charger, for both AC and DC charging.
John Saunders, Managing Director of Fiat Ireland, said:
"The New Fiat 500 Electric has received an overwhelming positive response in Europe, and we expect the same in Ireland. This iconic urban car has the outstanding range of 320 km, best in class safety features, and level 2 autonomous driving, bringing all the associated benefits to urban mobility. 2022 is an exciting year for FIAT in Ireland and we look forward to welcoming all customers old and new into our showrooms nationwide."
New Car Registrations Ireland January 2022
New car registrations data for Ireland in January 2022 has been released by SIMI. Over 25,000 cars have been registered in the new 221 registration period, with hybrid and electric cars showing the most growth in sales.
25,093 new cars were registered in January 2022, almost equal to the 25,140 registered in the same month in 2021.
Registrations of new electric cars reached their highest yet, with 2,714 registered in January 2022 compared to 977 in January 2021.
Market share for hybrid cars is now 26.5%, 8.4% for plug-in hybrid and 10.8% for electric, a record market share.
Petrol and diesel cars have once again seen a fall in market share but petrol cars are now the dominant fuel type for the first time at 28.6%, while the market share for diesel has declined to 22.4% in Ireland.
Cars with automatic transmissions have increased their market share for January to 57.1%, overtaking manual transmissions in popularity for the first time.
The top 10 bestselling car brands in January 2022 were: 1. Toyota, 2. Hyundai, 3. Volkswagen, 4. Skoda, 5. KIA, 6. Nissan, 7. Ford, 8. Renault, 9. Peugeot, and 10. BMW.
The top 10 bestselling cars in January 2022 were 1. Hyundai Tucson, 2. Toyota Corolla, 3. Toyota RAV 4, 4. Toyota C-HR, 5. Toyota Yaris, 6. Nissan Qashqai, 7. Hyundai Kona, 8. Toyota Yaris Cross, 9. Skoda Octavia, and 10. Ford Puma.
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 was the bestselling electric car in Ireland in January.
Used car imports saw a 40.8% decrease in January to 4,041 cars, when compared with January 2021 when 6,821 cars were imported.
Light Commercial vehicles (LCV) are up slightly 0.7% (5,055) compared to January last year (5,022). HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are also showing a small decrease of 1.5% (332) in comparison to January 2021 (337).
Brian Cooke, Director General at SIMI, said:
“New car registrations in January are in line with last year. Sales are still 22% behind pre-pandemic levels (2019), largely due to supply chain issues arising from various lock-downs. With retailers reporting strong order banks and with expected improvements in supply as the year progresses, this should lead to both an improving new car market and a more even spread of sales in 2022. Also the trade-ins against January new car sales will have increased supply of used car stock, which means greater variety and volume for interested used car buyers in the weeks ahead.
On a positive note, electric cars accounted for 11% of the new car market, an increase of 178% on last year. The 2,714 new Electric Vehicles (EVs) on the road in January equate to EV sales for the whole of Quarter 1 last year. The increasing appetite for electric, plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) and hybrid vehicles has seen cars with battery technology accounting for over 46% of new car sales during the month. It is anticipated that the strong growth in EV sales will continue for the rest of 2022.
In this environment it is essential that Government supports the expansion of a national charging infrastructure to keep pace with this demand for EVs. In addition, the grant and taxation incentives must be extended if we are to secure a greater supply of EVs for Ireland and to encourage more consumers to choose low and zero-emitting vehicles.”