Heartland heroes

IN THE WORLD of hot hatches, I tend to think of the Volkswagen Golf GTI as king, with this going back to my youth. You see, my older brother and I used to attend various modified car meetings around o

Grumpy and small ► There’s much to ...

THE COOPER S WAS A SOGGY effort and this isn’t any better. You can forgive a hot hatch appalling ride but when it’s on top of a transmission that’s hard to gel with, an uninspiring soundtrack and impr

ESSENTIALS Volkswagen Golf GTE Price: £40,140 Powertrain: 1.5 4cyl plug-in hybrid, 268bhp 0-62mph: 6.6 seconds WLTP efficiency: 196mpg Official EV range: 81 miles Annual VED: £620 Toyota Prius Excel P

Abrisk Mini and a Great British adventure: a pairing to rival jam and cream or salt and vinegar. Yes, I might be hungry, which is why we’re starting in the implausibly picturesque Robin Hood’s Bay, a

1 FIAT GRANDE PANDA PRICE: £20,975–£23,975 The Panda was distinctly endangered for a while there (though you can still buy the old petrol one in Italy), but it’s been given a new lease of life with an