The latest new cars being tested by the CompleteCar.ie team.
Matt's out in Austria driving the new Skoda Peaq, the Czech manufacturer's new seven-seat EV. Driving impressions are embargoed until later in September, but he thinks the angular looks of the car are smart, especially in eye-catching Race Blue paint.
The rear-seat accommodation in the Mazda6e is vast, with a flat floor all the way across, wide-opening back doors and climate control. Our test car came with the optional Premium Tan Nappa leather with suede cloth and it feels lovely to touch and sit on. Not everyone will like the colour, but there's black or 'Stone' coloured synthetic leather instead at no cost.
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Offered with hybrid or electric power, and as a hatchback or an 'SW' estate, the third-generation 308 is a practical and stylish five-seat, five-door car. It was facelifted and given a series of minor tech updates for the 2026 model year. This model here is powered by a turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with 48-volt mild-hybrid system including 21kW electric motor and 0.9kWh lithium-ion (NMC) battery. Irish pricing: 308 from €33,995, 308 Hybrid from €38,495.
Irish sunshine and the Wicklow mountains bring out the best in the Mazda6e. Shane spent a few days with it and reckons it's one of the best-looking EVs on the market. No wonder it was voted World Car Design of the Year (yeah, Shane is on the jury...).
It has been a long while since we've driven an example of the Skoda Kamiq, so the addition of a new trim level gave Shane an excuse to revisit the smallest SUV the company makes. It's not actually that small, and it's well capable of being used on the motorway, even if it is a little loud. Somewhat surprisingly, it drives better than the Skoda Scala hatchback, and it has a big boot and decent quality throughout. Some buyers still want such simplicity - this is petrol-powered and has a manual gearbox. It's the car the new Epiq EV is set to compete with for buyer attention.
I spent some time last week with the latest version of the Ford Mustang (not technically on sale in Ireland but it’s in the UK and you could try asking your Ford dealer nicely...). It’s a great looking car, and with its rumbling V8, it’s fun to drive, but my favourite part was that the digital instrument panel is so variable. You can pick from the expected Sport and Track layouts, or you can choose reproductions of the original ‘64 Mustang dials, the 1980s ‘Fox Body’ Mustang instruments, or even the later Cobra SVT versions. Digital doesn’t have to mean humourless.
Dave has travelled to Germany to be one of the first in Europe to get behind the wheel of the Mazda CX-6e. The electric SUV follows hot on the heels of the recently introduced Mazda6e. The CX-6e features a 78kWh battery and has up to a 484-kilometre range, while inside there’s plenty of space and a massive 26-inch display screen stretching across the dashboard.
Neil has popped over to the UK to drive a pair of new Morgans: - the latest Supersport 400 with its tweaked straight-six BMW engine and retro-futuristic styling, and the tiny three-wheeled Super 3 with its 1.5-litre Ford engine and manual gearbox. The Supersport 400 is a proper supercar - 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds - but with verging-on GT comfort for longer runs (especially with the optional hardtop). The Super 3 is the ultimate toy - enormous fun to drive, light and efficient, and brings a smile to the face of every child who sees it (especially the child in you).
