SEAT Ateca Pricing And Specs For Ireland
The SEAT Ateca will reach Ireland in August, with pricing starting at €24,750. The Ateca will be SEAT’s first ever SUV, and in keeping with SEAT tradition, the Ateca gets its name from a Spanish village.
The new car promises a spacious, practical and versatile interior with seating for five and a large 510 litre boot in front wheel drive models (485 litres in all-wheel drive versions).
The Ateca will be available with a range of petrol and diesel engines, all of them turbocharged, including a 1.6-litre TDI diesel (115hp), 2.0-litre TDI diesel (150hp or 190hp), three cylinder 1.0-litre TSI petrol (115hp) and a 1.4-litre TSI petrol (150hp) with cylinder deactivation under partial load to save fuel. There will be manual or DSG automatic transmissions available, and front wheel drive and all-wheel drive variants.
There will be three equipment lines for the Irish market at launch: S, SE and XCELLENCE.
The entry-level S trim (from €24,750) includes 16” alloy wheels, air conditioning, Media System touch with a 5-inch screen, electric parking brake, as well as safety systems like seven airbags, drowsiness detection, tyre pressure monitoring and Front Assist.
The SE trim (from €27,290) adds 17” alloy wheels, LED rear lights, climate control and rear parking sensors.
The top of the range XCELLENCE model (from €31,120) has leather upholstery, multi-colour ambient lighting, roof rails and window frames in chrome, a high-gloss black grille, dark tinted windows, 18” alloy wheels, full LED headlamps with welcome light, SEAT Drive Profile, rear parking sensors with rear view camera, and keyless entry and start.
The new SEAT Ateca will be in Irish SEAT dealers this August.
Caroline Kidd
Revamped Peugeot 2008 Arrives In Ireland
The Peugeot 208 hatchback received a revamp last year and now it’s the turn of its crossover sibling, the Peugeot 2008.
The Peugeot 2008 compact SUV has been a hit for Peugeot in Ireland, with the combination of chunky SUV looks, practical interior and affordable pricing winning over buyers since its launch in 2013.
A new model has just gone on sale here with updated styling, new equipment, new colours and a new top of the range GT Line trim.
The most obvious exterior change is a new vertical grille with Peugeot lion badge at the centre and chrome grille surround. Two new colours have been added, Ultimate Red and Emerald Crystal.
Access, Active and Allure trim levels are joined by a sporty GT Line, which comes as standard with the Grip Control advanced traction system, 17” alloys, satellite navigation, dark-tinted side windows/rear screen, aluminium sports pedals, gloss black roof bars, a body coloured spoiler with gloss black trim, and black door mirror shells.
Elsewhere in the range, equipment levels remain high with entry level Access models including 6 airbags, air conditioning, Bluetooth, 2 x 12V sockets, LED daytime running lights, LED 3D claw rear lights, aviation style handbrake, front electric windows, cruise control + speed limiter, spare wheel, roof bars, tyre under-inflation detection and height adjustable driver’s seat.
Active trim includes automatic dual zone air conditioning, a 7” touch screen, automatic headlights, automatic windscreen wipers, electrochrome rear view mirror, front fog lights, 16” alloy wheels, front and rear electric windows, leather steering wheel, rear parking sensors and electrically folding door mirrors. The new model introduces rear privacy glass on Active models.
The Allure trim adds a cielo panoramic roof with ambient lighting, chrome door mirrors, one-touch electric front and rear windows, chrome side window weatherstrips, height adjustable passenger seat, cornering assist fog lights and Mistral Oxford Black premium half leatherette trim. The new 2008 model adds a rear view parking camera, front and rear scuff plates, wheel arch and body sill extensions, special 16” Aquila alloy wheels, MirrorLink and Apple Car Play as standard to Allure trim.
Active City Brake and Park Assist are also now available as options.
In terms of engines, the new 2008 is available with the 1.2 litre PureTech petrol in three different power outputs (82bhp, 110bhp, 130bhp) and the 1.6 litre BlueHDi diesel (75bhp, 100bhp, 120bhp). Manual and automatic transmissions are available including a new 6-speed automatic gearbox. CO2 emissions range from just 90g to 114g/km, and all power trains keep fuel consumption under 4.9 litres/100km.
Petrol models start at €19,400 (1.2-litre 82bhp in Access trim), while diesels start at €20,785 for the 1.6-litre diesel with 75bhp in Access trim. Active models are available from €20,445, Allure models from €22,400 and GT Line from €24,835.
The new Peugeot 2008 is available from Peugeot’s Irish dealer network now.
Caroline Kidd
2016 Dacia Duster Range Goes On Sale In Ireland
The popular Dacia Duster has been updated just in time for the new 162 registration period. The 2016 Dacia Duster Duster has already made quite an impact on the Irish market since launch in 2012. It has sold 5,786 models in Ireland to date.
‘Duster Phase 2’ gets a refreshed look inside and out, and there is now more equipment available from standard. The value pricing remains with an entry price for the range of €16,690. It's a price increase of €300, but all cars now come with digital radio.
Inside there is a new dashboard design with a dark carbon effect finish. There is also a new satin chrome centre console surround, and the lower steering wheel insert changes from piano black to satin chrome finish. This improves the perceived quality in the cabin. Alternative and Signature trim have new seat upholstery.
A new metallic paint finish has also been added to the range, Altai Green.
Available with two wheel drive or four wheel drive, the Duster range is powered by a well proven 1.5-litre dCi diesel with 110bhp, with two wheel drive models falling into tax band B (motor tax of €200 per year).
What are my options for the 2016 Dacia Duster?
Alternative and Signature trim will be joined by a new top of the range Prestige trim. The new trim will be available in both two wheel drive and four wheel drive models. In addition to the Signature trim equipment, Prestige will feature 16” TYROL diamond-cut alloy wheels, MediaNav Evolution multimedia system, parking sensors and rear parking camera.
The MediaNav Evolution has been re-designed with a full-colour menu screen. It's now compatible with Apple’s SIRI voice recognition function and TMC live traffic information. There have been hardware improvements. The system allows access to the AHA cloud platform via a free smartphone app.
Through a 7” multi-media touchscreen users have access to navigation, infotainment and hands-free telephone services, can stream music via Bluetooth or a USB or AUX connection, and can connect to social networks via a smartphone.
New options available across the Duster range include 16” TYROL diamond-cut alloy wheels (available on Signature), rear parking sensors (available from Alterative trim upwards) and rear parking camera (available on Signature trim), as well as new ‘Aspira’ part-leather upholstery.
Dacia Duster pricing
Pricing for the 2016 Dacia Duster in Signature trim starts at €18,690, and at €19,890 for Prestige models. Four wheel drive models start at €20,690.
An EDC automatic gearbox will arrive later this year for two wheel drive models. Pricing will be announced in late 2016.
The new Duster is now available from Dacia’s 26 Irish dealerships.
Read our latest review of the Dacia Duster!
Caroline Kidd
ŠKODA Octavia 1.0 TSI On The Way!
The ŠKODA Octavia is one of Ireland’s bestselling cars and looks set to get a further boost with the arrival of a new engine option in July.
ŠKODA is following the trend for small, turbocharged petrol engines with the introduction of the new three cylinder 1.0-litre TSI with 115bhp, which will replace the old 1.2-litre TSI 110hp in the Octavia range.
Despite the smaller engine capacity, the new engine offers more power and torque. It’s also more efficient and will return up to 63mpg compared to 58mpg in the 1.2-litre TSI. C02 emissions are down from 114g to 103g. Motor tax for 1.0-litre TSI Octavias will be €190 per year.
Reducing engine capacity in favour of turbo charging has become a popular trend in petrol technology. ŠKODA will be the first brand within the Volkswagen Group to use the new 1.0-litre TSI unit in cars built on the MQB platform.
The new Octavia 1.0-litre TSI petrol is available to order now, with Ambition trim cars starting at €22,880.
Caroline Kidd
Women@SIMI 2016
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) has held the 3rd annual Women@SIMI event to mark the contribution that women make to the Irish Motor Industry.
Over 160 women from around the country, and representing different sectors such as Heavy Goods Vehicles, Vehicle Body Repairs, Franchise Retailers and Distributors, gathered in the Conrad Hotel in Dublin for the event.
The aim of the event is to facilitate women working in the Motor Industry in Ireland to meet, network and share their experiences in what is otherwise viewed as a traditional male dominated environment.
The event is now a significant date in the Industry calendar and continues to grow year on year. Women@SIMI recognises the dynamic role played by women in the Industry, as leaders to the next generation of young women coming into the Industry, and as key players driving our Industry forward in their individual professional roles.
Alan Greene, President of SIMI, opened the event and highlighted the need for diversity across the Industry, but also hinted at the challenges faced to make the Industry more attractive to young women: “We need to capitalise on the different skills and mindsets that both men and women bring to a business. Collectively as an Industry we need to change the perception of the Industry, as employers are missing out on unknown opportunities to hire women into the sector. We require more initiatives to promote the variety of careers available within the Industry and a well-marked career path.”
Gillian Fanning, Marketing Director of Serfac Limited, Member of the SIMI Management Board, and Chairperson of the SIMI Wholesalers committee, delivered this year’s key note address and spoke about the need for female role models to lead the way in the Industry and help change the perception of the Industry as a male one: “As an Industry we need to work together to change the cultural perceptions and educate women that when you think of a job in the Motor Industry, you don’t just think of a male dominated environment, but one that consists of many different sectors, diverse roles and great career opportunities.”
Women@SIMI again this year delivered a very impressive panel of speakers, with Mary Kennedy, Master of Ceremonies, interviewing Moyagh Murdock, CEO of the Road Safety Authority, and Regina Doherty, Government Chief Whip and Minister of State in the Department of An Taoiseach. Both provided insight into their own career progression and day-to-day roles in State organisations.
Penny Ferguson, Founder of The Living Leader, shared her expertise on Personal Leadership, and encouraged more women to put themselves forward for leadership roles.
Pat Creed, CEO of Bank of Ireland Finance, who sponsored the event said, “We are delighted to be associated with this event as Sponsor for the third year in a row. It is an excellent event and growing in popularity every year. Bank of Ireland Finance continues to be a great supporter of the Motor Industry and it is particularly encouraging to see more and more senior female business executives in this sector.”
Caroline Kidd
Interview With Caroline On Revvbomb!
Saffron from new car site Revvbomb got in touch with me a while ago and she asked me a few questions about my relationship with cars, how I got started as a car blogger and my thoughts on women working in the motor industry.
Revvbomb is a new online car community and magazine for female car enthusiasts.
Caroline Kidd
Ford Ka+ Coming To Ireland in 2016
Ford will be bringing a new five door city car to Ireland later this year and they are touting it as “big value in a small package”.
The Ka+ will replace the three door Ka that’s currently on sale here. Pricing will start at €13,050, which undercuts the Ka by €240.
Ka+ seems to be a better value offering all round, with more space and five doors. Taking inspiration from Ford’s latest design language, the Ka+ bears Ford’s distinctive trapezoidal grille. All models will come with chrome detailing for the front grille, body-coloured bumpers, door handles and door mirrors for a stylish look.
Sitting alongside the Fiesta in Ford’s small car range, the Ka+ will provide space for five passengers within a sub-4 metre total length. The Ka+ is slightly shorter than the Fiesta, but 29mm taller, and Ford claim that the new car will have class-leading front headroom and best-in-class legroom for rear passengers.
270 litres of luggage space, a 60/40 split folding rear bench and 21 storage compartments throughout the cabin mean that Ka+ is shaping up to be a highly practical small car.
Power will come from a new 1.2-litre Duratec petrol engine with more power and improved emissions. Power is up from 69PS to 85PS, and CO2 emissions are down from 115g km to 110g km, with claimed fuel economy of 56.5 mpg. A five-speed manual transmission will come as standard.
Ka+ is built on Ford’s global small car platform, and Ford promise that a unique chassis will deliver agile and enjoyable driving dynamics. Engineers have worked to reduce noise levels and enhance refinement in new Ka+.
A MyFord Dock in the centre of the instrument panel will allow you to store, mount and charge mobile devices such as phones and navigation systems in the car.
All-new Ford KA+ is available to order from June, though the first cars won’t arrive here until later this year.
Caroline Kidd
SsangYong Tivoli XLV Launched In Ireland
The SsangYong Tivoli XLV has just launched in Ireland, with pricing starting from €25,495.
The Tivoli XLV is the big brother to the Tivoli compact crossover but with a few tweaks – there’s a bigger boot and it sports some adapted styling to accommodate that extra space. The pricing has seen a small hike too to reflect the increased volume.
Boot space is up from 432 litres in the Tivoli to a maximum of 720 litres. The Tivoli XLV is a strict five seater: there is no seven seat option.
In styling terms, the Tivoli and Tivoli XLV are closely related, though the Tivoli XLV has something more of the presence of a larger SUV. There is a choice of six exterior colours - Flaming Red, Grand White, Silent Silver, Tonic Grey, Space Black and Dandy Blue - which can be further personalised through the addition of two-tone body and roof colours.
There is just one engine choice available for the new Tivoli XLV – the 1.6-litre diesel with 115PS borrowed from the Tivoli. There is the option of an automatic or manual transmission, and 2WD/4WD models are available. There are two trim levels, ES and EL.
Pricing and equipment for the XLV
While the diesel Tivoli range currently starts at €21,495, pricing for Tivoli XLV starts at €25,495 for the entry level 2WD diesel in ES trim. Emissions of 117g CO2 per km place diesel 2WD models in tax band A4, with motor tax of €200 per year.
Standard equipment includes alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, heated front and rear seats, and dual zone air conditioning. EL models add more including cruise control, rain sensing wipers, automatic headlight activation, electrochromic rearview mirror and rear view parking camera. There’s also a newly designed MP3 infotainment system and a 7” high-resolution screen includes navigation, USB/AUX port, Bluetooth for hands-free calls, iPod and iPhone connection.
The Tivoli XLV comes with seven airbags including front, side and curtain airbags plus a driver’s knee airbag, multi-function ESP (Electronic Stability Program), Active Rollover Protection, Brake Assist, Hill Start Assist and ESS (Emergency Stop Signal), a tyre pressure monitoring system and a warning reminder on all five seat belt positions. LED daytime running lights and projection headlights are standard.
Where is it on sale?
The Tivoli XLV is available now from SsangYong’s Irish dealer network: Bill Cullen Premier Cars, Cassidy Motors, Cashman Car Sales, Fahy&Ryan, Hinchys (Ennis Road and Garryspillane), Lynn Motors, Noel Whelan Car Sales, O’Sullivan Auto, Ryans Garage and Waterford Motor Village.
Caroline Kidd
New Car Sales May 2016: What's Ireland Buying?
New car registrations in Ireland have reached almost 100,000 in the first 5 months of this year, which is the highest for this time frame since 2008.
99,740 new cars have been registered in the first five months of 2016, which is a 23% increase on the same period last year (80,889).
According to official statistics released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), the growth seen in new car sales over the last three years did slow down in May 2016 – they were down -6% (6,532) compared to May 2015 (6,919).
Volkswagen has regained its top spot as Ireland’s bestselling car brand ahead of Toyota and Hyundai. The Volkswagen Golf was the bestselling car in May 2016 (312 units), ahead of the Hyundai Tucson (252) and Skoda Octavia (209). The Hyundai Tucson still holds onto its crown as Ireland’s bestselling car to date in 2016 ahead of the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus.
Commercial vehicle sales maintained growth in May 2016. Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) registrations are up 27% for the first five months of 2016 compared to the same period last year, and are up 8% (1,839) on May 2015 (1,705). Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) registrations are up 53% this year to date, and up 38% for the month of May (307) compared to the same month last year (222).
Commenting on the figures, SIMI Director General Alan Nolan said, “The new shape of seasonality in the Industry is settling in with the sector now beginning to turn its focus on the 162 period for new car sales. Since the introduction of the dual registration plate system, the percentage of new car registrations occurring in the second half of the year has been increasing year on year from 14% in 2011 to 34% last year. This new shape to the year does give dealers a better opportunity to focus on used car sales at this stage in the year to help clear the decks in anticipation of the next key sales period for new cars.”
Caroline Kidd.
Volkswagen Passat GTE On Sale
Volkswagen has added a plug-in hybrid to the Passat range in Ireland. Pricing for the new Volkswagen Passat GTE starts at €41,450 for a saloon and €43,715 for an estate, including SEAI grant and VRT rebate.
The Passat GTE is powered by a 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine and an electric motor, and the power output of the two sources combined is 215bhp. GTE models comes with a DSG automatic gearbox and emissions of 39g CO2 mean that the car qualifies for motor tax of just €170.
The car can be driven in pure electric mode for a limited range of a claimed 50km and for longer journeys, the car will operate as a hybrid drawing power from the TSI petrol engine and the electric motor. The lithium-ion battery that provides the e-motor with electricity can be charged at home or at work via a charging cable connected to a mains socket, while some energy is also fed back into the system while driving.
With the 50-litre tank full of fuel and the battery fully charged, the Passat GTE has a theoretical range of more than 1,100 kilometres.
C-shaped LED daytime running lights and a blue bar across the radiator grille that extends into the headlights distinguish the Passat GTE from the rest of the Passat range.
There are special GTE features inside such as an instrument cluster with power meter and an infotainment system that displays information to the driver about each drive system. Many of the Passat GTE's functions can optionally be controlled and monitored via smartphone using the 'Car-Net e-Remote' app. These include charging the battery, activating the air-conditioning functions or seeing where the car was last parked.
The Passat GTE is available from selected Volkswagen dealers: Frank Keane Volkswagen, McAllister Volkswagen, Pierse Motors Limerick, Frank Hogan Limerick, Connolly’s Sligo, Newmarket Motors, Blackwater Motors Cork, Wexford Volkswagen and Sheehy’s Naas.
Caroline Kidd