Latest news with #simonthompson
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
VW Caddy Cargo eHybrid is a smooth, silent van that's a Golf in work gear… hardest choice is which cabin trim to have
One geezer was convinced it was electric when I pulled up beside him at Wickes because he didn't hear it coming CADDY HITS THE GREEN VW Caddy Cargo eHybrid is a smooth, silent van that's a Golf in work gear… hardest choice is which cabin trim to have Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) EVERYONE knows what a Golf is. It's the go-to family car. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 The Caddy Cargo eHybrid is essentially a Golf in work gear Credit: simon thompson 3 The Caddy is a plug-in hybrid. The best of both worlds Credit: simon thompson Solid. Dependable. Reassuring. Classy. Yet classless. Not so long ago, Golf 8.5 was updated with a next-gen plug-in hybrid system that doubled its electric range to 80-odd miles. So you could glide around your neighbourhood without waking the petrol engine for much of the week. Saving your pocket and the planet. Then let the 1.5-litre turbo do the heavy lifting on longer journeys. It's not just me who rates it. Autocar recently crowned it Hybrid of the Year, praising it as 'one of the most versatile cars on sale today'. Why am I telling you this when I'm reviewing a van? Because the Caddy Cargo eHybrid is essentially a Golf in work gear. Same petrol/electric combo with a 19.7kWh battery pack. Same composed feel behind the wheel. Same on-board tech. Just a little less electric range at 73 miles. And a bigger boot, obviously. Inside the Volkswagen ID One geezer was convinced it was electric when I pulled up beside him at Wickes because he didn't hear it coming. No, mate. It's a plug-in hybrid. The best of both worlds. But it is smooth and silent at low speeds, I'll give you that. Now let's get the tape measure out. Caddy Cargo eHybrid comes in two sizes, short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase, like the regular 2-litre diesel. 3 This motor has the same on-board tech as a Golf Credit: simon thompson The SWB has a load length of 1.7 metres and a load volume of 3.1 cubic metres. Stretching to 2.1 and 3.7 for the LWB. Both can swallow two Euro pallets. Maximum payload is 740kg. Your next choice is the cabin trim. Key facts: VOLKSWAGEN CADDY CARGO eHYBRID Price: £28,435 exc VAT Engine: 1.5-litre petrol plug-in hybrid Power: 150hp 0-62mph: 9 secs Top speed: 112mph Economy: 40mpg CO2: 12g/km The cheapest, called Commerce, has cruise control, a lockable glovebox, and a 10in infotainment screen. All you need. Commerce Plus makes life a little comfier with electric lumbar support and a driver's armrest. Commerce Pro adds heated seats and built-in satnav. I'd go Commerce and spend any spare cash on a 230v socket in the cabin, LED cargo lights, and roof rails that can take up to 100kg. Job done. One last thing. Ford's Transit Connect is actually a rebadged VW Caddy. Like the VW Transporter is a rebadged Ford Transit Custom. So if you're interested, do your homework to find the best deal.
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
VW Caddy Cargo eHybrid is a smooth, silent van that's a Golf in work gear… hardest choice is which cabin trim to have
EVERYONE knows what a Golf is. It's the go-to family car. Advertisement 3 The Caddy Cargo eHybrid is essentially a Golf in work gear Credit: simon thompson 3 The Caddy is a plug-in hybrid. The best of both worlds Credit: simon thompson Solid. Dependable. Reassuring. Classy. Yet classless. Not so long ago, Golf 8.5 was updated with a next-gen plug-in So you could glide around your neighbourhood without waking the Saving your pocket and the planet. Advertisement Read More on Motors Then let the 1.5-litre turbo do the heavy lifting on longer journeys. It's not just me who rates it. Autocar recently crowned it Hybrid of the Year, praising it as 'one of the most versatile cars on sale today'. Why am I telling you this when I'm reviewing a van? Advertisement Most read in Motors Exclusive Because the Caddy Cargo eHybrid is essentially a Same petrol/electric combo with a 19.7kWh battery pack. Same composed feel behind the wheel. Same on-board tech. Just a little less electric range at 73 miles. And a bigger boot, obviously. Inside the Volkswagen ID One geezer was convinced it was electric when I pulled up beside him at Wickes because he didn't hear it coming. No, mate. It's a plug-in hybrid. The best of both worlds. But it is smooth and silent at low speeds, I'll give you that. Advertisement Now let's get the tape measure out. Caddy Cargo eHybrid comes in two sizes, short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase, like the regular 2-litre diesel. 3 This motor has the same on-board tech as a Golf Credit: simon thompson The SWB has a load length of 1.7 metres and a load volume of 3.1 cubic metres. Advertisement Stretching to 2.1 and 3.7 for the LWB. Both can swallow two Euro pallets. Maximum payload is 740kg. Your next choice is the cabin trim. Key facts: VOLKSWAGEN CADDY CARGO eHYBRID Price: £28,435 exc VAT Engine: 1.5-litre petrol plug-in hybrid Power: 150hp 0-62mph: 9 secs Top speed: 112mph Economy: 40mpg CO2: 12g/km The cheapest, called Commerce, has cruise control, a lockable glovebox, and a 10in infotainment screen. All you need. Commerce Plus makes life a little comfier with electric lumbar support and a driver's armrest. Commerce Pro adds heated seats and built-in satnav. Advertisement I'd go Commerce and spend any spare cash on a 230v socket in the cabin, LED cargo lights, and roof rails that can take up to 100kg. Job done. One last thing. Like the So if you're interested, do your homework to find the best deal. Advertisement Ten things YOU should know as a car owner To help you feel more confident as a car owner, here are ten things you should be familiar with about your vehicle: When is your MOT due? When is your car tax due? Find out here Is it illegal to drive barefoot? What do Is it illegal to drive without road tax? Can you be fined for breaking the highway code? How to What does Is it illegal to
Scottish Sun
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
New CarPlay Ultra transforms your dash – and ditches the tech that drives us mad
Read on to find the features you'll love with the new system ULTRA COOL New CarPlay Ultra transforms your dash – and ditches the tech that drives us mad Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SOMETHING a bit different. It's not a car review. It's a world-first look at Apple CarPlay Ultra. Most of you with a newish car will hook up your iPhone and use the central touchscreen for music and maps. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Apple's first motoring collab is with Aston Martin – but expect CarPlay Ultra in more motors soon Credit: simon thompson 3 It's all very slick. All very easy. All very Apple. No handbook required Credit: simon thompson 3 There's some cool updates on the central touchscreen too Credit: simon thompson CarPlay Ultra allows you to use two screens. So you can have Waze or Apple Maps filling the driver's display in front of you. Finally. Apple's first collab is actually with Aston Martin but you can guarantee CarPlay Ultra will be popping up in other motors in the near future. There's some cool updates on the central touchscreen too. Swipe right for an Apple Watch-style dashboard with up/down toggles for weather, clock, calendar and more. There's a simple button to deactivate the bloody annoying driving assistance tech. We like that too. Plus, car-specific buttons for hill descent control and noisy exhaust mode. Radio station favourites are linked to your device. So when you're driving you've got talkSPORT and when your partner's at the wheel they've got Magic FM. Or vice versa. It's all very slick. All very easy. All very Apple. No handbook required. The funny thing is, when the DBX arrived in 2020 it didn't even have a touchscreen. Now it's top of the class. Dreamy lines. V8 engine. Cutting-edge tech. Aston Martin is on it.
The Irish Sun
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
New CarPlay Ultra transforms your dash – and ditches the tech that drives us mad
SOMETHING a bit different. It's not a car review. It's a world-first look at Apple CarPlay Ultra. Most of you with a newish car will hook up your iPhone and use the central touchscreen for music and maps. Advertisement 3 Apple's first motoring collab is with Aston Martin – but expect CarPlay Ultra in more motors soon Credit: simon thompson 3 It's all very slick. All very easy. All very Apple. No handbook required Credit: simon thompson 3 There's some cool updates on the central touchscreen too Credit: simon thompson CarPlay Ultra allows you to use two screens. So you can have Waze or Finally. Apple's first collab is actually with Aston Martin but you can guarantee future . There's some cool updates on the central touchscreen too. Advertisement READ MORE MOTORS NEWS Swipe right for an Apple Watch-style dashboard with up/down toggles for weather, clock, calendar and more. There's a simple button to deactivate the bloody annoying driving assistance tech. We like that too. Plus, car-specific buttons for hill descent control and noisy exhaust mode. Radio station favourites are linked to your device. So when you're driving you've got talkSPORT and when your partner's at the wheel they've got Magic FM. Or vice versa. Advertisement Most read in Motors It's all very slick. All very easy. All very Apple. No handbook required. The funny thing is, when the DBX arrived in 2020 it didn't even have a touchscreen. Now it's top of the class. Dreamy lines. V8 engine. Cutting-edge tech. Aston Martin is on it. Apples's big announcements from WWDC with a flurry new features for the gadgets you already own
The Irish Sun
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
New Tesla Model Y is a more chiselled, quieter version of mega-seller… it moves the game on for a tech-rich family motor
I'M struggling to keep up with Elon Musk and his on/ off bromance with Donald Trump. Are they buddies again? Advertisement 6 The world's best-selling car was fugly… but two years on, it's had a sharp new makeover Credit: simon thompson 6 The cabin gets a techy glow-up with the gear selector shifted to the screen - and wraparound LEDs Credit: simon thompson 6 The new Model Y shines alongside its less attractive predecessor Credit: simon thompson Or still kicking lumps out of each other on X? One thing I do know is that Some say it's because Musk backed Trump for President, followed by that awkward hand gesture at the inauguration. Some say it's the Chinese invasion. Maybe in part. Advertisement READ MORE ROAD TESTS But mostly it's due to Tesla halting production of the mega-selling Model Y at its Now everything is sorted and sales are likely to take off like a Space X rocket. Here are ten things you need to know about the new motor. 1. The old one was fugly. Advertisement Most read in Motors That's sorted now. This new one is more chiselled. First glimpse at limited edition EV hitting UK in just weeks with slick new look It's like they've taken a photo of the The lower nose helps it slice through the air, adding a bit more range. 2. They've deleted the Tesla badge from the bonnet. Confident move. Advertisement 3. But the biggest change is at the back. There's a new reflective lightbar which highlights T E S L A written out in full. Also, the rear diffuser sticks out more. So repair bills will be lower if you reverse into something you shouldn't. Which helps with insurance too. 4. The 'frunk' — front trunk — now has a plughole in it. So you can fill it with ice for summer barbecues. Or store muddy boots . 5. Cabin. The gear selector has moved to the big screen — like a Model 3. Advertisement But they've kept the indicator stalk. Unlike a Model 3. The wrapround LED strip is new. The front seats will warm and cool your back. They didn't before. Other things. The seat bases are longer in the back. So they're more comfortable. There's a little entertainment screen to play arcade games. Advertisement The front passenger seat moves forward at the touch of a button for limo-like legroom. 6. Sound. It's now much quieter in here which makes it feel more expensive. There's extra insulation. Acoustic glass. Redesigned door seals. All little details that add up. 7. The boot is a smidge smaller. But you'll never notice. I had to look it up. Advertisement The seats now fold up and down automatically, where they only folded flat before. You had to push them back up. 8. The suspension has been tweaked so it rides better. Batteries and motors are unchanged. But improved regenerative braking tech adds more electrons. Every version should do 300 miles-plus, with the rear-wheel drive Long Range hitting 387 miles. Advertisement There's talk of a bigger battery nudging 500 miles. 9. Price. The standard rear-drive Model Y starts at £45k, which is £2k more than before. Not bad. The all-singing all-wheel drive Long Range is £52k. 10. This isn't specific to Model Y but Tesla's Supercharger network blows everyone else out of the water. Advertisement It's next-level good. Quick. Easy. No cards. No apps. And cheaper too. It doesn't really matter if you like Musk or not. If you want a minimalist, tech-rich family motor, Model Y moves the game on. 6 There's a little entertainment screen to play arcade games Credit: simon thompson 6 The old one was fugly. The world's best-selling car two years on the bounce, yes. But still fugly Credit: simon thompson Advertisement 6 Elon Musk's Tesla brand has been having a tough time recently, but sales are now likely to take off Credit: Getty KEY FACTS: TESLA MODEL Y Price: £44,990 Battery: 60kWh Power: 295hp 0-62mph: 5.9 secs Top speed: 125mph Range: 311 miles CO2: 0g/km Out: Now
