Latest news with #NissanQashqai
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Six police 'wrestle' man into van after crash
A man was seen to be "wrestled with" by police officers after a Nissan Qashqai crashed in the city centre in the early hours of Sunday, July 20. Merseyside Police officers were called to the scene at Erskine Street at 12.53am following reports of a crash. Officers arrived to find the car having crashed, with no other cars involved and no injuries. A man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of drunk driving. One witness told the ECHO they saw a man being "wrestled by at least six police officers". READ MORE: Life in Merseyside town that 'everyone is moving to' READ MORE: We went to find the reason why dozens gather in car parks at night A photo from the scene shows at least five police cars, a police van and an ambulance at the scene with the white Nissan stranded on the central reservation near to Screwfix in the city centre. For the latest news and breaking news visit Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Join the Liverpool ECHO Breaking News and Top Stories WhatsApp community to receive the latest news straight to your phone by clicking here. Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here
South Wales Argus
4 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Four in court from Newport, Caerphilly and Rhymney
The four defendants were accused of shoplifting, drug-driving, and using a phone at the wheel. Their cases were heard at Newport Magistrates' Court and Cardiff Magistrates' Court. Here's a round-up of the cases. Jason Thomas, 37, of Ty Coch in Rhymney, admitted shoplifting and criminal damage. Thomas was alleged to have stolen £290 of goods from Victoria Garden Centre in Tredegar on November 28. He was also accused of damaging fencing at the garden centre. Thomas pleaded guilty to both offences at Newport Magistrates' Court on July 8. The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared. Thomas was granted bail and will return to court on July 30. Ronald Connors, 50, of Rembrandt Way in Newport, has pleaded guilty to using a phone whilst driving. Connors was behind the wheel of a Nissan Qashqai on Rembrandt Way on July 25 when he was caught using his mobile phone. The defendant switched his plea to guilty at Newport Magistrates' Court on July 8. The case was adjourned, and Connors will be sentenced on July 30. Rachel Wiegold, 54, of High Street in Abertridwr, went equipped with a de-tagger to McArthur Glen Outlet Village and stole from two shops. Wiegold was accused of shoplifting £439-worth of items from Cosmetic Co. and clothing valued at £131.98 from Sports Direct on March 27. She was also charged with going equipped for theft – relating to taking the de-tagger to the shops. She pleaded guilty to each of the charges, and the case came before Cardiff Magistrates' Court on July 8. The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, and she will return to be sentenced on July 23. Wiegold was granted bail, and has been banned from entering McArthur Glen. Craig Roberts, 37, of Chaffinch Way in the Duffryn area of Newport, has pleaded guilty to driving whilst under the influence of drugs. Roberts was driving Volkswagen Golf on the M4 between junctions 32 and 30 at Cardiff on January 19. When tested, he recorded having more than 240 micrograms of benzoylecgonine – the main metabolite of cocaine – per litre (µg/L) of blood and 5.7µg/L of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. The legal limits are 50µg/L and 2µg/L respectively. Roberts pleaded guilty to two charges of drug-driving at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on July 8. The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to prepared, and Roberts was hit with an interim driving ban. The defendant was granted bail and will return to court to be sentenced on August 5.
Forbes
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Long Term Review: Three Months With The Renault Austral E-Tech
The Austral's hybrid powertrain is very accomplished The past three or so years have marked a significant turnaround for Renault. The familiar French brand has emerged from dull, budget-friendly shadows and become a trendy, highly relevant manufacturer. Everyone has seen (and swooned over) the new Renault 5 and the company is deftly striking the right balance between staying true to its heritage while forging a new path for its future. Following the pandemic, Renault completely overhauled its lineup, introducing a range of new models. Spreading its expertise across hatchbacks, SUVs, electric and hybrid models, its cars now reflect a modern, more premium approach than ever before. After replacing the Renault Kadjar in 2022, the Renault Austral is the most traditional family SUV-style pick of the range. Competing with the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, Hyundai Tucson, Kid Sportage and Ford Kuga, it sits in a highly competitive market. Even as the pre-facelift version, the Austral is stylish To really get to know the Austral, Renault has lent me a techno esprit Alpine for six months, specified to £38,395 ($51,620). Although Renault has recently facelifted the Austral, this is the pre-facelift version. Typically, I only spend a few hours with a car at an international or home market launch or, at most, a week with it once it's been publicly unveiled. Driving the car over an extended period gives a much better insight into the realities of living with it. After three months of driving the Austral, here's the verdict so far. First Impressions Of The Renault Austral Renault is now competing with more premium manufacturers Admittedly, I drove a Renault Austral at a launch event last year and it didn't leave much of an impression. Since Renault has updated its models, the interior feel across all its SUVs is very similar, so the Austral didn't necessarily stand out. With new names for each of its SUV models, I struggled to distinguish between them when I was less familiar with the brand. However, having had an Austral on the driveway these past months, I've started to get a feel for where it's positioned in relation to other family SUVs. The techno esprit Alpine version I'm testing is the mid specification option, above techno and below iconic esprit Alpine. Regardless of trim, all versions come with the same 1.2-liter turbocharged petrol engine combined with a hybrid system to offer 200 hp. Unlike some of its rivals, there's no manual version or plug-in hybrid option. For most drivers, manual cars are more of an annoyance than a preference, especially in an SUV and unless you have access to charging, a plug-in hybrid isn't always the best option. In 2022, the Austral replaced the Kadjar So far, I've been impressed with its fuel economy. Over a variety of different long and short journeys, totalling more than 1500 miles, on average, the car is consistently achieving between 58 to 59mpg. With just a 55-liter tank, it's also very affordable to fill up considering it can cover over 600 miles before it needs refuelling. The fuel gauge is constantly reassessing based on your driving style, so most of the time it ends up going further than you anticipate. What Tech Does The Renault Austral Have? The tech-forward interior is super easy to use For reference, my typical daily driver when I'm not driving a press car is a 2009 Volkswagen Polo. I love it but the extent of my Polo's tech features include an FM radio and heated wing mirrors, one of which no longer works. Stepping into the Renault Austral, the digital driver's display and central iPad-like screen are the focal points. It also comes with a head-up display which is very useful. Instead of developing its own native system from scratch, Renault uses a Google operating system. Most of the time, I connect my phone using wired or wireless Android Auto. After the phone has been connected once, as long as you've got your bluetooth enabled, it pairs up quickly. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay makes the car feel like an extension of your usual media experience One of my favourite features is that the Android Auto system integrates with the driver's display and head-up display. Basic directions show on the head-up display and a map comes up on the screen in front of the steering wheel, so you rarely need to glance at the central screen for navigation. To comply with new legislation, the vehicle's safety systems like speed limit warnings and lane keeping functionality activate every time you turn the car on. Unless you're on a particularly long journey with lots of changing speed limits, its alerts don't feel too invasive. Unlike other cars that start making sounds the second you exceed a speed limit, the Austral gives you a few moments to slow down before it gives you a warning. The family SUV is well equipped to deal with passengers and luggage Clearly someone at Renault had their thinking hat on when the company decided how to integrate its safety features. On the right hand side of the steering wheel, the My Safety button can be configured with your preferred safety settings. Just two taps of the button can disable things like speed limit warnings. This is infinitely easier than models from other manufacturers that have you searching through digital touchscreen menus to find out how to toggle something off every time you get in the car. Keyless entry is often a bug bear for me seeing as most of the time it never seems to work and it can be a theft risk. Nevertheless, I've never had as seamless an experience with the Austral's keyless entry. When you approach the car with the key in a bag or pocket, it opens every time, even when you approach from the trunk and want to load luggage first. If all the doors are closed, when you walk away it locks itself and the wing mirrors fold in automatically. The distance feels right too, so you're still close enough to hear the car lock when you walk a few paces away. What Is It Like To Drive The Renault Austral? Most modern cars have annoying safety features but the Austral makes it easy to turn them on and off ... More as you wish For a family SUV, 200 hp might not sound like a lot but the Austral feels far more enthusiastic than I expected. This is thanks to its hybrid system which gives you additional power at slow speeds. It helps to give an extra boost off the line and can take over to run the vehicle on electric only for short periods of time. Sometimes, the engine doesn't even need to start up when you turn the car on for the first time. Its hybrid system smooths out power delivery for the most part. I found that when speed is kept at around 33 to 35mph, the seven-speed gearbox is indecisive and tends to stick to a lower gear which can make the engine a bit noisy. Once the gear change initiates, it calms down again and no other gear changes feel noticeable after that. From every angle there's something to like Since it's not a plug-in hybrid, the battery recharges using the engine and regenerative braking. Behind the steering wheel, there's two flappy paddles to control the level of regeneration. It's barely noticeable as the car flips between the engine and e-motors and the battery always seems to have enough power when you need it. What's Next? A powered tailgate makes it easy to load items into the trunk Now it's summer time, I've got a few longer trips planned with the Austral. A couple of family holidays will see the back seats get some good use along with the trunk. It handles the weekly shop with ease, so I'm interested to see how it handles luggage for a road trip. This will also give me a chance to do some more fuel economy testing and work out how many miles I'm averaging from a single tank of fuel. Although I'm very attached to my Polo, life with the Austral so far has been a significant jump up in technology and ease of use. Three months in, I'm very tempted.
Stuff.tv
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- Stuff.tv
The fab new Kia Sportage Hybrid will keep me going until I get my hands on the plug-in
Stuff Verdict The Kia Sportage in GT-Line hybrid guise packs in plenty of appeal although the forthcoming PHEV version might suit school run folks slightly better. Pros Tried and tested format is nicely honed Respectable performance from all versions Lots of room and plenty of comfort too Cons There's no fully electric option Can feel a little wafty when pushed Exterior looks might prove divisive The Sportage has gone gangbusters for Kia over its many generations; I liked earlier editions of the family-focused SUV and so did plenty of others based on the large numbers of them I see being driven around. It's no surprise, then, to see the Korean carmaker stick to the format – albeit in a much fresher incarnation here. The new edition is a much stronger package, with lots of in-car tech complimenting those already solid practical foundations. There's lots of strong competition in the family SUV arena, with the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, Ford Kuga and fellow Korean brand Hyundai with its Tucson, all vying for attention. However, Kia is coming on strong on the pricing front, with prices starting at £30,885 for the base level petrol model. I've just been driving a pre-production Kia Sportage Hybrid though, which comes in at £36,925 and is my own preferred pick of the new crop. Kia will also introduce a PHEV edition of the Sportage later on down the line. If it's anything like the rather good hybrid, I'd probably head for that one instead as I'm lucky enough to have a home charger. In the meantime, there are three model variants to choose from, starting out with the Pure, followed by the GT-Line and topped off with the snazzy GT-Line S. How we test cars Every electric car reviewed on Stuff is tested on a range of road surfaces and, where possible, in varying weather conditions. We use our years of experience to compare with rivals and assess ergonomics, technology features and general usability. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products. Find out more about how we test and rate products. The styling I like the continuity of the current Kia range and the styling of the new Sportage is on a par and just as impressive as any of the angular lines seen on the likes of the Kia EV3 or Kia EV9. Things get off to a cracking start with the front end. There's quite a lot going on and the imposing grille and the quite dramatic lights might not be to everyone's approval. I like the overall effect though, and I also think this car looks great in plain old white. And that's from someone who doesn't like white cars. However, Kia's so-called 'opposites united' design approach works to even better effect on the duo tone models with a nice line on colour contrast and funky alloys across the range including 19s on the GT-Line hybrid driven here. I loved the chunky door mirrors too, which offered up a good view backwards to compliment the generally good sight lines delivered by the sizeable expanse of glass all round. As usual, things taper towards the back and there's some compromise to be had, but overall, the high-riding position makes it easy to get the Sportage in and out of less generous spaces. Around at the back, there's a very generous boot hiding behind the neatly styled tailgate. Meanwhile, the interior feels like a real success story with an excellent combination of materials and low-key trim colours. The dashboard is dominated by lots of kit that will be familiar if you've already sampled recent Kia's and it's all easy to use and works as it should. After driving the GT-Line hybrid, I was also really impressed with the comfort levels. Those front seats were really accommodating and the room in the back is very decent too. The drive Kia is offering the Sportage in a range of powertrains, from a meat-and-potatoes 1.6 turbocharged petrol, a mild hybrid as well as a self-charging hybrid and a soon-to-arrive plug-in hybrid armed with a 13.8kWh battery. Anyone wanting full electric with similar dimensions and practicality will have to opt for the similarly soon-to-arrive Kia EV5, due later in the year. Driving the Kia Sportage GT-Line hybrid was everything I'd expected from such a proven workhorse. Sure, there's a little bit of roll and a touch of bounce from the suspension if this car is pushed but, driven casually as it probably would be in everyday family ownership scenarios, the Kia Sportage is a very comfortable car. Performance is fine too, with enough oomph for times when it's needed but, equally, clever use of the power for delivering great fuel economy. I also quite like the circular twist-and-go drive selector located in the central console. This is certainly different to other Korean models, where drive options are on the column, but this format worked well for me. The Sportage was also a doddle to park, with light steering making it an easy thing to wend around city streets. The suite of camera views made reversing into tight spots no big deal either, which when you consider this car is a mid-size, feels all the more impressive. The technology I'm pretty happy with what Kia has going on in its cabins for the current range, with the dashboard of the new Sportage being dominated by a now-familiar 12.3in touchscreen infotainment screen. I also like the way it works, with good levels of control options both in the screen and in the long touch button panel, which sits immediately below it. These offer easy access to climate controls and navigation options. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also present. My test car came with lots of additional goodies, like heated and cooled seats, with the latter option being mighty handy in the hot temperatures. There's other neat stuff too, like the way the instrument panel shows the view down the side of the car when either indicator is on, which has been present on Kia's for a while now. I still think it's a nice touch, although I'm not sure just how useful people find it if they already use their door mirrors. Kia Sportage verdict I think Kia has got the Sportage just about right now and there's something for everyone in the powertrain department. I'll personally be heading in the direction of the plug-in edition when that arrives, with its ability to offer 40 miles of all-electric range being perfect for my needs. However, the GT-Line hybrid car seen here is an excellent SUV that offers a decent driving experience, oodles of practicality plus enough storage space to make it a proper family car option. Stuff Says… Score: 4/5 The Kia Sportage in GT-Line hybrid guise packs in plenty of appeal although the forthcoming PHEV version might suit school run folks slightly better. Pros Tried and tested format is nicely honed Respectable performance from all versions Lots of room and plenty of comfort too Cons There's no fully electric option Can feel a little wafty when pushed Exterior looks might prove divisive Kia Sportage technical specifications Powertrain petrol engine + permanent magnet synchronous motor Battery 1.49 kWh Power 177 bhp Torque 184lb-ft 0-62mph 8.1sec Top speed 121mph Cargo volume 587 litres
CTV News
15-07-2025
- CTV News
Driver dead after head-on collision on Highway 1 in Fraser Canyon
This badly damaged red Nissan Qashqai, on Highway #1 north of Boston Bar, was involved in a head-on collision. The driver of a red Ford Explorer did not survive. (Image credit: BC Highway Patrol) Police are appealing for witnesses and information as they investigate a fatal head-on crash on Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon. The B.C. Highway Patrol was called to the scene just north of Boston Bar around 4 p.m. Sunday, where a red Ford Explorer had crashed into a red Nissan Qashqai, according to a news release. A third vehicle, a black Nissan Pathfinder, was also damaged. 'A 62-year-old Lytton man, who was the driver and lone occupant of the red Ford Explorer, did not survive. A total of five people were involved in the collision, and everyone except the deceased driver appeared to have no injuries or minor injuries,' BCHP spokesperson Cpl. Michael McLaughlin wrote. Anyone who saw the vehicles involved in the lead-up to the crash and anyone with dash-cam video from the area at the time is urged to call 604-702-4039 and quote file number 2025-28918. Authorities also issued a plea to drivers to exercise caution on the roads, particularly on undivided highways. 'Keep your full attention on the road, stay sober, and keep your speed down. We want to avoid more of these tragedies,' McLaughlin wrote. According to media releases issued by police, at least six other people died in crashes this past weekend, including a three-year-old girl in Surrey and a 78-year-old woman in Vancouver. Fatalities were also reported by police in in North Vancouver, New Westminster, Penticton and Armstrong, where a hit-and-run claimed the lives of two people.
