23 July 2025

21 motorcyclists die on Ireland's roads every year


Between 2020 and 2024, an average of 21 motorcyclist fatalities and 177 serious injuries occurred annually, writes Brian Byrne

According to the RSA's Motorcyclist Spotlight Report: Fatalities and Serious Injuries, 2020 to 2024, half of all fatalities happened on weekends, and 74% occurred on rural roads, with Dublin and Cork reporting the highest numbers of both fatalities and serious injuries. Junctions were the locations of 27% of deaths, and 63% involved collisions with other vehicles, mostly cars (59%) and light goods vehicles (13%). 

Serious injuries peaked between May and September. Failure to observe was the most common cause of serious injuries in multi-vehicle collisions. 

New Jeep Compass coming


The new-generation Jeep Compass will be coming to Ireland before the end of the year, writes Brian Byrne. The new version will be available with hybrid and full-electric powertrains.

The range will include a 4xe variant designed specifically for off-road, with raised suspension, off-road bumpers, and an anti-scratch bumper shield.

It will also feature heavy-duty seat fabrics and scratch-resistant surfaces, and the wheels are fitted with 19-inch rims and tyres with a higher sidewall, optimised for slippery terrain.

More details and pricing will come closer to the new car's launch. 



Learn how to use your aircon


Car air conditioning systems improve comfort and safety, but improper use can lead to health issues, writes Brian Byrne. These can include colds, sore throats, or burning eyes caused by drastic temperature differences. 

To avoid these, Skoda recommends setting the temperature no more than 5°C lower than the outside temperature, ventilating the cabin before turning on the A/C, and using automatic settings whenever possible. Regular maintenance, including cleaning and disinfecting the system and replacing the cabin filter, is also crucial for a healthy driving environment.

When you get into a hot car, don’t switch on the air conditioning immediately. Let the cabin ventilate naturally first. Open all the doors briefly or roll down the windows during low-speed driving to avoid thermal shock from a sudden blast of cold air. Gradually raise the cabin temperature towards the end of your drive to make the transition to outdoor heat feel less abrupt.

Air conditioning has health benefits. It improves concentration, prevents overheating in children, and creates a cleaner environment in the car, benefiting allergy sufferers and everyone in polluted cities. In winter, it dries out the air, so if you bring snow and moisture inside, like on your shoes and clothes, it helps prevent window fogging. 

It’s a good idea to leave the air conditioner on automatic mode all year round. It evaluates the interior conditions and adjusts the cooling accordingly, even considering the sun’s direction. 

16 July 2025

ID.3 battery endurance test very positive


A four-year endurance test of a Volkswagen ID.3 has shown that almost 91 percent of battery capacity was retained after covering more than 160,000 kilometres, writes Brian Byrne. The test was carried out by the German independent automotive evaluation company ADAC.

Unlike what might be the norm for actual owners, the testers were more hard on the battery, using rapid charging stations for 40 percent of charge sessions and charging up to 100 percent many times, which would not be recommended.

During the endurance test, the ID.3 received several software updates – including the Electric Vehicle Route Planner, which plans the charging stops on a longer route so the destination is reached as quickly as possible. In addition to the charge level, the system also takes into account the current traffic situation and forecasts. Alongside various bug fixes, the updates included an increase in charging capacity to up to 170 kW.

The testers also found that the axles, suspension, and steering coped well with the vehicle weight and did not show any significant issues or problems. 

15 July 2025

Honda Jazz review: Trish Whelan, Irish Car


Honda’s 2025 Irish sales have already seen a 138 per cent increase over the whole of 2024, which augurs well for the rest of the year, especially with the approaching 252 registration plate on 1 July. While Honda’s HR-V is their biggest seller, it is closely followed by the fourth-generation Jazz small car. 

Jazz is a small five-door hatchback manufactured by Honda since 2001 over four generations of the model and marketed worldwide. This supermini is known for its practicality, spaciousness (Jazz defies its small size as it is almost a mini MPV), and very good fuel efficiency particularly its hybrid powertrain. 


Style-wise, the car is just over four metres long, has a clean profile with a lovely silhouette that’s aerodynamically efficient and looks very stylish. It is easy to get in and out of, which makes it practical for a family runabout and for senior citizens wishing to downsize. This was the Advance Sport version, which has a new grille design, front and rear bumper gloss black finishes, an aerodynamic rear spoiler, black door mirrors, and exclusively designed 16-inch alloy wheels. 

The cabin is inviting and well thought-out with lovely materials. Key features for me were the far-forward windscreen with ultra-thin A-pillars and huge triangular A-pillar windows that allowed excellent front-side visibility, especially when approaching a roundabout or negotiating corners with kerbs in housing estates. The cabin was flooded with light, giving a lovely sense of spaciousness with all the glass. 

Seats have anti-fatigue features that Honda says provide limousine-class levels of comfort, and indeed I found them to be extremely comfy. The front ones are manually adjusted and can be heated. 

The free-standing 9-inch touchscreen with a smartphone-like display works with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, has a Garmin navigation system, and built-in apps; Honda Personal Assistant allows you to check the weather, find your favourite radio station, or choose a restaurant along your route. There’s a volume button on the side of the central screen and big knobs for temperature control, air direction, and fan. Your current speed is shown top centre with enlarged white numbers on the instrument cluster. There are two USB ports, front and rear. 


Storage areas include a wide centre armrest, two gloveboxes, and decent door bins. Both Jazz and HR-V come with rear Magic Seats (pictured up) that can be configured in several ways to accommodate boot space, which is 304 litres with all seats in use; they can be folded flat for extra load space, allowing a huge area for bulky items as they utilise the car’s full height from floor to ceiling. Just flick up seat cushions and pull down the levers to secure them in the upright position, leaving you with a boot capacity of 1,205 litres, comparable to many larger cars. Below the floor is a separate waterproof area for wet or mucky items. A niggle was the clarity of the reversing camera, which was not as good as I would have expected. 

My car had regenerative braking and deceleration control paddles, sports pedals, Economy, Sport, and Normal drive modes. Trims are Auto Elegance, Auto Advance, Auto Advance Sport and Auto Crossbar Advance. The entry Elegance grade includes 15-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, climate control air conditioning, Honda CONNECT, rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors. Advance moves to 16-inch alloys, adds privacy glass, water-repellent fabric upholstery, Garmin Navigation, 2 rear USB ports, and a heated steering wheel. The top Crosstar Advance trim, for outdoor families, has a tough, muscular style, raised ride height offering easier access and a more commanding view of the road ahead, integrated roof rails, and LED front fog lights. 


My latest test drive was in the E-HEV petrol hybrid, only offered with a 122hp 1.5 engine matched to a CVT automatic transmission and a lithium-ion battery. This powertrain automatically selects from three drive modes: Electric, Hybrid, or Engine, to provide the best fuel return and low emissions. Jazz hybrid is an easy and fairly effortless car to drive, with plenty of oomph when needed. Torque is a big 253Nm to get you going. The car handles well like other Honda models. When appropriate, you can drive up to 80km/h in EV mode for fuel efficiency. Honda claims an impressive fuel economy of 4.6 L/100km. During my days with the car, I achieved 5.0 L/100km. 

Honda Sensing technology includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot alerts with cross-traffic monitor - when reversing it can detect approaching vehicles from either side and warns you on the central screen - Collision Mitigation Braking System, and Intelligent Speed Limiter. 

Jazz has achieved a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. Honda Ireland says the model is one of the safest cars in its class. Prices are from €31,495. My Advance Sport €34,950. Prices exclude dealer delivery and related charges.



 

14 July 2025

Peugeot 5008 leads large SUV in Ireland


The Peugeot 5008 is Ireland’s best-selling large SUV with sales surging 38 percent year-on-year as of 13 July 2025, writes Brian Byrne

Now with the added benefit of an electrified powertrain, the 5008 is available in hybrid and all-electric variants, and proving its appeal across a broad range of drivers. 

In 2025 to date, one in four 5008 buyers has chosen the electric version, making it the best-selling electric 7-seater model in Ireland. 

10 July 2025

Two new powertrains and Evolution trim for Renault Symbioz


Renault’s Symbioz is now available in two new powertrains - the TCe mild hybrid 140 manual (pictured above) and the E-Tech full hybrid 160, broadening the appeal of the compact family SUV to Irish drivers, writes Trish Whelan. 

For 252, the TCe 140, with a 6-speed manual gearbox is now available in the new entry Evolution trim bringing the entry price of the range to €31,995. This powertrain features a 1.3 4-cylinder petrol turbo engine boosted by a 12v mild hybrid system and with consumption of 5.8 L/100km. 

A new E-Tech hybrid 160 engine is introduced with the new Evolution trim from €34,995 and comes standard with 10.2-inch touchscreen, rear parking cameras and sensors, and auto climate control as well as additional features from he launch model. The E-Tech hybrid is pictured below.