Following our recent sponsorship of Leon Smith OBE we managed to catch a few minutes with the Davis Cup-winning captain to hear his thoughts on everything from his most memorable sporting moment to his favourite car!

Leon led the Great Britain team to victory in the Davis Cup and was recently awarded an OBE in the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Leon is supporting our sports kit giveaway, Gear Up for Sport, through which teams aged 4–15 can win sports kits for their club.

Here he chats to Vivienne McLaren, Head of Marketing at Arnold Clark.

Would you like to know how to install and fit your child car seat for free? Good Egg car seat safety is taking their expertise on the road in Scotland this summer to make sure your children are strapped in safely.

Did you know that seven out of 10 child car seats are either fitted incorrectly or incompatible with the child or car? The safest way to make sure your child is travelling safely is to use a car seat that is compatible with your child’s weight and height as well as your car. There are many different car seats on the market and it can be confusing as to what your child needs but thankfully Good Egg Safety can help.

Our safety partner Good Egg will be taking their expertise to you this summer via their independent car seat checking events. These five-minute checks will highlight if your car seat is fitted correctly or not and you will be shown how to make sure your child is safe when travelling. They will check that your seats comply with laws surrounding child car seats, offering advice should you have any questions.

Michael McDonnell, Director of Road Safety Scotland, said:

‘Many parents would be horrified to learn their child car seats are not fitted properly and, therefore, not providing the protection their children need. This campaign seeks to highlight that, not only by raising awareness of the issue and providing advice and guidance, it also has a very practical element in that people can check the website, find the nearest car seat clinic and get the child-seat-car combination checked by an expert. It takes five minutes and could save a life.’

Good Egg Safety’s qualified experts will also inform you if your car seat is incompatible with your car, which can sometimes be the case, and they’ll recommend what you can do about it.

Sir Arnold Clark, Chairman and Chief Executive said:

‘With the 2016 Good Egg In-Car Child Safety campaign, parents, grandparents and guardians can understand the dangers of incorrectly fitted car seats and ensure they’ve done everything in their power to protect their children. We are proud to be supporting the initiative and its incredible work raising awareness of car seat safety. I would encourage every person responsible for transporting children to read the guide and keep it on-hand in their vehicle – being familiar with its contents could well save a life one day.’

To find out where your nearest car seat checking event is download the Good Egg schedule. Events will run from 11am–4pm.

You can find out more about these events on the Good Egg In-Car Child Safety Campaign Facebook page or website.

To celebrate the launch of the new DS 3 Givenchy Le Makeup edition, we’re giving our customers the chance to win a luxury hamper chock-full of Givenchy makeup, to the value of £500.

All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is take any new or delivery mileage DS for a spin between 11th and 17th July 2016.

DS 3 Givenchy Le Makeup

DS has teamed up with haute couture brand Givenchy to create this one-of-a-kind, limited edition DS 3.

Sure to be a hit with makeup fanatics, the DS 3 Givenchy Le Makeup is available in hatchback or cabrio form, and comes with a stunning suite of features tailored for beauty mavens.

Stored in a special compartment in the armrest, you’ll find a bespoke Givenchy makeup kit, which can be expertly applied in front of the specially installed LED sun visor mirrors.

Powered by a 108 bhp, three-cylinder PureTech 110 1.2-litre turbocharged engine, this model isn’t just a pretty face.

Alongside the glamorous extras and plush leather seats, you’ll also find the best in-car technology, such as a seven-inch touchscreen, rear parking sensors, hill-start assist and much more as standard.

A dozen members of the staff from our Greenock Volkswagen branch raised £2000 for Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity by participating in a Millport cycle.

On the 7th May, some of our Greenock Volkswagen staff decided to give something back by participating in a charity cycling trip, fundraising for a worthy cause – sick children in Scotland. In the afternoon, they jumped on the ferry from Largs, travelling to Millport town centre, where they collected their bikes.

Kevin Harrington, from Greenock Volkswagen, who took part told us that the cycle totalled 10.25 miles, with all participants cycling together in one group. He added that this exercise has been great for teambuilding and bonding with colleagues. After the fundraiser, they went to a local pub for a (well-deserved) celebration, where they met a representative from the charity, who told them about the importance of the fundraising efforts. The charity representative also commented that all fundraising, no matter how big or small, helps the young patients at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow.

Alan Fulton, General Manager of Greenock Volkswagen remarked,

‘I am very proud of my colleagues for giving up their own time to raise funds for such a worthwhile charity. Well done to everyone involved!’

The charity cycle was fundraising for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, which provides assistance to young patients at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children, and their families. The funds will go towards enhanced medical equipment, research, family support services and other necessities.

Kirsten Sinclair, Director of Fundraising at Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity said,

‘We are incredibly grateful to the staff at the Volkswagen Greenock branch for their generosity and for Arnold Clark’s continued support, which will help us provide the best possible care to the babies, children and young people who are treated at Scotland’s largest children’s hospital. More than 450 children from across Scotland are treated at the hospital each day, and so we’d like to thank everyone who took part in the cycle for their wonderful support.’

Arnold Clark has recently supported St Andrew’s First Aid through the donation of a long wheel base Transit van. The van will enable the charity to continue their invaluable work throughout the country.

Founded in 1882 to teach First Aid to the masses, the charity provided Scotland with its very first ambulance service. The charity now trains over 20,000 people every year across Scotland.

The team are often present at community gala days, shopping centres and large scale events such as T in the Park, the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden and the Burns an’ a’ that Festival. They provide first aid tutorials, emergency assistance at events and book space for their volunteers so they can tell the public about the vital work they undertake. During one CPR awareness event at intu Braehead shopping centre, the volunteers demonstrated CPR to over 250 shoppers, getting one step closer to creating a nation of lifesavers.

Volunteers teaching shoppers CPR.

Managing Director of Arnold Clark Eddie Hawthorne said,

‘We’re delighted to support this vital organisation and we’re confident our donated vehicle will help them to educate the public about the importance of First Aid and provide critical support at more events.’

The team are also looking forward to the annual First Aid Awards, which will take place on Friday 27th November at The Glasgow City Hotel. It’s a very prestigious black tie event that has been created to recognise individuals, volunteers and businesses that are leading the way in first aid.

One of their most recent ventures was the BandAge15 schools project. The team worked with four schools in deprived areas of Glasgow, teaching pupils a fully certified First Aid course and an added Peer Facilitation course. They trained over 400 pupils in first aid and created over 30 peer facilitators.

St Roch’s Secondary pupils graduating from the course.

Stuart Callison, CEO of St Andrew’s First Aid expressed his gratitude:

‘I would like to thank Arnold Clark for generously supporting St Andrew's First Aid. The vehicle they have donated will enable us reach more people across Scotland, especially those in rural and remote areas, and help us on our mission to create a nation of lifesavers.’

Volunteers working at the 2014 Commonwealth Games

DVSA is gathering public opinion on proposed plans to alter the GB driving licence test.

The changes that have been proposed are to:

• Increase the independent driving element of the practical driving test from 10 minutes to 20 minutes
• Request that drivers under instruction follow directions from a sat nav during the independent driving element of the test
• Abolish the reverse manoeuvres ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn in the road’ to be replaced with more everyday manoeuvres such as driving into and reversing out of parking bays
• Ask one of the two ‘show me, tell me’ questions, currently asked prior to setting off on the test while driving.

The consultation launches today and the deadline is 25th August 2016. If you are interested in offering your opinion you can respond online here.

Why are the changes needed?

Changes to the driving test have been proposed to keep up with evolving driving technology and habits – according to DVSA, 52% of drivers now have a sat nav. It is becoming a part of everyday driving and learners need to know how to drive safely while using a sat nav.

The independent driving section of the driving test was added in 2010, and drivers are asked to follow signs to a particular destination without being given directions or instruction for approximately 10 minutes. DVSA research indicated that this part of the test has been successful and the response over the last five years has been positive because drivers can relate to it once they have passed their test and are driving on their own.

Another reason to implement changes is to improve safety in order to decrease the deaths of young people caused by road collisions on UK roads. Currently road collisions are responsible for more than 25% of all deaths of those aged between 15 and 19. (DVSA) Government statistics also indicated that 1/5 of casualties as a result of a traffic collision where at least one of the drivers was aged 17–24.

Evolution of the driving test

The first official driving test was introduced in 1935. Although the main premise of an on-road test remains the same, there have been some changes along the way. In 1996 the theory test was added, this is the first stage of the test that needs to be passed before a practical test can be taken. In 2002 the hazard perception element was added to the theory test. There were changes to the practical test in 1990 when a ‘debrief’ was included upon termination of the test. In 2003 the ‘show me tell me’ questions were added and in 2010 the independent driving element was included.

There is a need for the driving test to evolve as cars, technology and roads change over time and new drivers need to be prepared for the real-life driving situations they are likely to find themselves in.

The Arnold Clark Events team has been nominated for two categories of the prestigious Drum Scottish Event Awards.

The two categories we have been nominated for are Small Event of the Year and Events Team of the Year.

The Small Event of the Year category refers to the annual Arnold Clark Motability event that takes place in May at the SECC. In 2016 Arnold’s Motability Roadshow celebrated its tenth anniversary.

Hosts Peter and Roughie captivating the Motabillity Roadshow event-goers.

Alterations to the Motability scheme eligibility criteria by the government, logistical obstacles and the evolving way in which we market to customers meant that to continue and build on our previous years’ success we needed to adapt our approach to the event. Over 120 cars were brought in to the SECC to display with several Motability experts offering advice as well as a range of various exhibitors including arts and craft suppliers, health and beauty specialists, sports teams, clothing suppliers, food and drinks suppliers and Motability – the official organisation.

The Events Team of The Year category is a well-deserved nomination for our small but dedicated events team. They plan and execute between 60 and 70 internal and external events for the Arnold Clark Group each year.

The Scottish Event Awards are the only awards dedicated to celebrating the successful and creative events sector in Scotland and are set to take place on 5th October at the Radisson Hotel, Glasgow.

The Roadies team at one of our outdoor events held throughout the summer months.

The nomination follows our entire marketing team receiving the Drum Marketing Award for In-house Marketing Team of the Year in May this year. In addition to three AM Awards, two Auto Trader Click Awards and the Car Dealer Award for Most Influential Franchised Dealer in the 140 Most Influential Dealers on Twitter.

Glasgow Alexandra Parade Hyundai, the UK’s largest Hyundai showroom, opened this month after significant expansion and renovation.

The 857 square metre, three-storey development has 20 new Hyundai vehicles and 150 used cars on display. The branch is now decorated in Hyundai’s new brand identity with a warm bronze exterior that is easily recognisable from a distance.

The new branch offers the same high level of customer service and familiar faces as the previous Hyundai branches, as well as lounge seating areas and tablet computers for customers to browse in comfort.

Previously there were two Arnold Clark Hyundai branches in the city but due to the success and popularity of the brand the decision was made to combine the two branches into one flagship store.

David Munton, Arnold Clark Hyundai Franchise Manager, said,

‘This exciting new venture for Arnold Clark and for Hyundai consolidates the very best we have to offer customers in Glasgow. With this flagship branch, we can offer variety, value and an exceptional level of service, all from a convenient central location.’

The branch offers sales, servicing with express check-in and has its own Parts & Accessories department. There are seven workshop bays including one dedicated MOT testing bay.

Keep an eye out for new Hyundai models in the pipeline.

The Ignition Festival of Motoring is nearly here, and Arnold Clark is on board to give you the best experience possible.

The brand-new festival is set to open on Friday 5th August, and lasts three days. Taking over the streets of Glasgow, Ignition has something for everyone, with countless supercars, classic cars and electric vehicles. The action packed weekend also features some of the world’s biggest motoring stars, with celebs such as David Coulthard and Mark Webber attending.

On the lead up to the event, we will be letting you know exactly what to expect and offering our tips on how to get the most out of this year’s festival with our Road to Ignition series.

This week, we’re kicking off with the fastest and most exciting vehicles you’ll find at the festival – supercars!

Jaguar F-TYPE SVR

Just when we thought the Jaguar F-TYPE couldn’t be any more bonkers, the SVR made its debut at the 2016 Geneva Motorshow.

This muscled up F-TYPE features ceramic brakes, forged wheels and a brand new titanium exhaust. Four-wheel-drive also comes as standard, allowing the SVR to use its 576bhp effortlessly.

This track-focused monster is lighter and wider than ever before, but comes at a price. It can be yours for £110k, a premium of 20k over the slightly tamer F-TYPE R. Look out for it at the Top Gear Performance Grid at Ignition.

Ford Focus RS

Although not technically a supercar, the brand new Ford Focus RS is definitely one to look out for over the course of Ignition.

With a price tag of £31k, it almost seems a bargain with its supercar-like acceleration and impressive track day performance.

Following the hot hatch trend of four-wheel-drive, the Focus RS possesses 345bhp, which places it near the top of its class in terms of performance. However, unlike it its competitors, the Focus RS has a unique feature, Drift Mode. Pushing this button tweaks the four-wheel-drive system to allow for sideways driving. Though of course we don’t recommend pressing this button on the road.

We recently supported Ross Murdoch on the road to Rio by providing him with a BMW 1 Series to help him get around during his training.

Ross, 22, is from Balloch in Scotland, and has competed in the London 2012 Olympics and the Commonwealth Games in 2014, where he achieved a bronze medal for his 100m breaststroke and a gold medal for his 200m breastroke.

This year, Ross has been concentrating on preparing himself for the Rio 2016 Olympics, where he will be representing Team GB in the 100m breaststroke.

We managed to catch Ross before he set off for Rio to hear about everything from his greatest sporting moment to how many poolside rules he’s broken!

Ross is supporting our sports kit giveaway, Gear Up for Sport, through which teams aged 4–15 can win sports kits for their club.

Buying your first car is an exciting time; it can also be confusing with so many things to think about.

PCP, PCH, HP or cash?

Deciding how you buy your car is an important decision. There are three main types of car finance you need to consider; personal contract purchase (PCP), personal contract hire (PCH) and hire purchase (HP). Each one has its pros and cons, our finance guide goes into more detail. Or of course if you’ve been saving up you can choose to buy your car with cash.

Choosing which one is best for you will depend on a few questions you'll need to answer, do you want to own your car at the end of the period, do you want to upgrade to the latest model at the end of the finance period and what is your monthly budget? These are just a few of the things you need to ask yourself when choosing how to finance your new car.

What about aftercare, do I need a service and MOT plan?

Keeping your car well maintained can decrease the risk of it breaking down in the future. You can avoid larger repair bills by keeping your car regularly serviced.

In basic terms a service plan is a plan, paid for up front, that will pay for the future services and/or MOT tests for your car.

A service plan bought when you buy your car will cover your services and MOT tests for the length of the plan usually two, three or four years. This means you don’t have to worry about the added cost at the time of the service, or if service costs increase with inflation.

In the first article of our Road to Ignition series, we looked at the loud and eye-catching supercars that will feature at this years festival, such as the brand new Aston Martin DB11 and the McLaren 675LT.

Here, we look to the future with some of the best electric and hybrid vehicles you’ll find on display this year.

Lexus RX 450H

Lexus has made vast improvements over the previous model with this new RX 450H, which has added smart technology, a more efficient engine, and most importantly, a sportier set up and drive. It features a 3.5-litre V6 engine paired with two electric motors, giving the Lexus just over 300bhp. That is enough to power the Lexus to 62mph in just over 7.5 seconds, not too bad for a heavy hybrid. Despite a limited range, the Lexus is capable of driving in full electric mode, which makes it extremely economical in and around town.

Tesla Model S P90D

The Tesla Model S is a car straight out of the movies, and with the top spec P90D available, it ticks all of the boxes. The P90D comes with a range of options with the most important being Ludicrous mode. If spec’d with this £8,700 option, the Model S features a separate lithium ion battery pack along with a list of other complicated upgrades, essentially making it even faster. The P90D reaches 0–62mph in a barely believable 2.8 seconds, making it one of the fastest saloons ever. Sounds good to us!

It’s no secret that buying a used car can save you a lot of money. But, nevertheless, it still pays to be savvy when choosing your new set of wheels.

You might initially have more change in your back pocket than if you were to buy new, but if you choose poorly, you could start facing repair work and maintenance bills not long after purchase.

It’s always important to remember that a used car is never going to be as perfect as the day it was made, but some problems caused by wear and tear are harder to fix than others.

There are certain things you can look out for to make sure you’re purchasing a used car that’s going to be reliable and safe. This handy checklist will keep you on the right track.

If you can, do some online research first and go and check out the car in person. Take this checklist with you, ticking things off as you go.

Test drive

Once you’ve ticked off all of the main points on our checklist, you can then get in the driver’s seat and take the car for a spin.

But don’t get too excited – there are still plenty of things to be thinking about!

Warm up the engine

Often, problems don’t become evident until a vehicle is properly warmed up. Make sure you drive the car for a good enough amount of time to get a real feel for it. If you’re test-driving a car from a dealer, you should be allocated around 20–30 minutes which will be plenty of time to warm the engine up fully.

Take a route that suits you

It’s important to drive the car as you normally would. If you’re visiting Arnold Clark to take a test drive, just ask a member of our sales team about different route options and they’ll happily recommend one that suits your lifestyle.

Drive at higher speeds

If possible, take the car on a motorway during your test drive. Lots of issues such as vibrations, alignment issues and noisy wheel bearings are only evident at higher speeds.

Our top tips for test drives goes into a little more detail of how to get the most out of your test drive before you commit to buy.

Don’t scrap it. Swap it.

Toyota is asking you to reconsider scrapping your old car or commercial van, and to trade it in for a new one.

If you’ve got a car that’s over seven years old (09 plate or older), you could swap it for a new AYGO, Yaris or Auris.

How do I qualify?

To qualify for the offer, you must have owned your car for over three months. You must also be named as the registered keeper of your old car, and be a resident at the UK address shown on your V5 document.

The trade-in vehicle must have a valid MOT, road tax and be insured at the time of ordering the new car.

Trade-in Allowance

When trading in for a new car, you’ll receive a Trade-in Allowance, which is discounted from the cost of the car.

The allowances are:

• AYGO – £1000
• Yaris – £2000
• Auris – £2500

Deadline

You must order your new Toyota by 31st September 2016 and your new car must be registered and financed with Access Toyota before 31st December 2016.

View full terms and conditions

Start your ignition! The countdown is nearly over for this year’s Ignition Festival of Motoring. Over the course of our Road to Ignition articles we’ve shown the most exciting and best vehicles to look out for. Happening this weekend, from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th of August, Ignition is set to kick off, opening its doors to the public for the first time. Each day starts at 10am, with Friday finishing at 8pm, and Saturday and Sunday finishing at 6pm. We recommend you get there early, not only to beat the queues, but also to be one of the first to experience this brand-new car festival. In this article we’ll tell you about the events and highlights that can’t be missed!

Special Guests

Over the course of the weekend, Ignition will be providing its fair share of motoring superstars. From Formula 1 giants to touring car and drifting legends, there really will be something for everyone.

Here’s a look at some of the guests you could bump into.

Mark Webber

The nine-time Grand Prix winner and 2015 World Endurance Champion Mark Webber will be attending the event on Friday 5th of August. He will be showing us how it’s done on the Ignition street circuit, designed to run between the SECC and Hydro. For a glimpse of Mark on the track, look out for him at 11.30am and 4.00pm!

David Coulthard

David, alongside the Red Bull Racing team, will be bringing Formula 1 to the streets of Glasgow as he takes to the track in the Red Bull Racing RB7. Giving spectators the unique chance to hear and see a Formula 1 car, the show will definitely not disappoint. Be sure to look out for David and his team on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th of August.

Shane Lynch

Popstar turned pro drifter Shane Lynch started his motoring career at the age of fifteen, and following the success of his well-known boy band, went on to race in the British GT Championships. Ten years ago he took up drifting, and performs with one of the biggest drifting teams in Europe, Japspeed. Japspeed will be performing along with Shane over all three days of the Ignition Festival.

It’s shaping up to be an action-packed weekend with activities available for all ages and groups. Come visit our stand outside the Hydro to collect your free goodie bag – see you all there!

Arnold Clark Motorstore will soon be arriving in Nottingham.

Branch facilities

The Nottingham branch will have 400 nearly-new and used cars to browse on site alongside Car & Van Rental facilities, a fully equipped valeting area and a Service department.

The branch will also have private consultation booths, a waiting area with hot and cold drinks available, a kids’ corner and Wi-Fi access.

Knowledge and expertise

The general manager at the branch will be David Lee, who has a wealth of automotive knowledge gained through working in the industry for eight years, seven of which have been spent with Arnold Clark.

Hello Nottingham!

Brian Webster, Arnold Clark Motorstore Franchise Manager, said:

‘We’re very excited about the opportunity to bring both the Arnold Clark and the Motorstore brand to Nottingham and the rest of the East Midlands area. As a company we’ve been looking for the opportunity to invest in such a vibrant city for many years and now that we’re here we can’t wait to open.’

22nd Motorstore

Our Nottingham branch will be the 22nd Motorstore to open. The first, Motherwell, was opened in 2001.

Be part of it

The opening of the new site will bring with it employment opportunities for the area, as we welcome applications for 75 positions across all departments including Sales, Servicing and Car & Van Rental. Take a look at our careers page for more information.

Come and say hi

Nottingham Motorstore

Lenton Industrial Estate

Redfield Road

Nottingham

NG7 2UJ

Have you got a car aged three or older?

You’re in luck!

If you take your car for a manufacturer service throughout May, June and July, we’ll give you a free £20 gift card to spend at Marks & Spencer, Amazon or Tesco.

145 locations throughout the UK

You can book your manufacturer service at any one of our 145 UK locations.

So, #WhatWillYouBuy?

Once your car has been serviced and you’ve got your voucher in-hand – what will you buy?

You might remember our friends Pam, Gneil, Tyrone and new addition Margot. They’re all desperate for you to buy them with your voucher, but of course, the choice is yours.

Why not spend a lovely night in with some of Marks & Spencer’s delicious food, put the money towards your weekly shop at Tesco or get that book you’ve been dying to read from Amazon?

See what our #WhatWillYouBuy friends have been upto.

Competition terms and conditions: This promotion is not endorsed, sponsored, administered by, or associated with Facebook. All entrants will be considered, and the Arnold Clark Marketing team will pick the winners. The winners will be announced in the comments section. The winners will receive their prize by post. There will be four winners in total. By entering the competition you consent to us using your photo for promotional purposes.

When you turn 18, the world is your oyster and one of the most exciting new freedoms to enjoy is the purchase of your first car.

So what should your priorities be when you make that all-important investment? Certainly, you’ll be considering exciting features like the sound system and trim, but you also have to give some thought to peace of mind, running costs and roadside assistance. After all, it’s important to start your new chapter as a driver as you mean to go on.

Luckily, Peugeot has recognised that most new motorists would prefer to get everything sorted at the same time, with just one, simple monthly outgoing. So they’ve created an all-inclusive package designed to take care of all your motoring needs called ‘Just Add Fuel’.

Minimum age 18, maximum age 75. Drivers are required to install the telematics box and consent to data capture and transmission to qualify for insurance. All drivers must hold a full UK licence and meet eligibility criteria including limits on driving convictions and claims. Insurance is subject to cancellation if you receive four warnings for poor driving. Excesses apply. Three years’ motor insurance is provided and underwritten by UK Insurance Limited, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. This offer is not available in Northern Ireland. Written quotations available from PSA Finance UK Limited t/a Peugeot Financial Services, Quadrant House, Princess Way, Redhill RH1 1QA. An initial rental (amount dependent on size of monthly payment) and final rental is payable. JAF is incorporated into a personal lease contract; you will not own the car. Excess mileage charges may apply. Routine servicing included, excludes wear parts. A guarantee may be required. Peugeot Motor Company Plc is acting as a credit broker and is not a lender. To finance your lease we will only introduce you to Peugeot Financial Services, the exclusive provider of Just Add Fuel. Rentals quoted for a typical customer and will vary according to age, postcode, initial rental and annual mileage.

The first of its kind for Kia

The Kia Niro is the first dedicated hybrid for Kia and the manufacturer’s first hybrid release in the UK. It shares its platform with its sister company Hyundai’s soon to be released Ioniq.

The Niro contributes to Kia’s pledge to reduce average emissions of its range by 25 per cent before 2020. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) said to be due for release in 2017 will go even further to help this reduction. This further illustrates Kia’s intent on becoming a leading manufacturer in the production of low emission vehicles.

Exterior

The first crossover hybrid from Kia is stylish, boasting soft slopes and smooth lines starting at the familiar tiger-nose grille and following the roof spoiler down to the c-shaped tail-lights.

At 4,355 mm long, 1,805 mm wide and 1,535 mm tall it’s smaller than the Sportage and slightly larger than the cee’d hatchback.

The five-door SUV is not just good to look at but it’s built with a purpose. Drag has been reduced by sleek design boasting a drag coefficient (Cd) of only 0.29 thereby helping to improve fuel economy.

The light build materials such as the aluminium chassis elements, tailgate panel and front bumpers as well as the high-strength steel used in the majority of the body structure ensure that there is no compromise between safety and vehicle weight. Low-weight materials built on a dedicated platform exclusively for electrified cars ensure that the crossover style is practical as a hybrid.

The smooth crossover lines.

Safety and technology

This is the first Kia to feature Android Auto, a system that links Android phones to Google Maps navigation, Google play music, hands-free calls and texts and voice recognition on the car’s infotainment system.

All models in the range feature a speed limiter, cruise control, hill-start assist control and lane keep assist, as well as a DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity. Grade 2 and above introduces a touchscreen navigation system and reversing camera.

As standard the Niro comes with plenty of safety features such as ABS, electronic stability control, emergency stop signalling and hill start assist. There are ISOFIX child seat top tethers and anchor fixings as well as a front passenger airbag cut-off switch for those with small children.

The range-topping First Edition comes with Smart cruise control, blind spot detection, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot detection and a rear cross traffic alert. All other models have the option to add on autonomous emergency braking and smart cruise control.

A total of seven airbags and height-adjustable front seatbelts will put your mind at ease.

Comfort, style and technology in the driver's seat.

When you turn 18, the world is your oyster and one of the most exciting new freedoms to enjoy is the purchase of your first car.

So what should your priorities be when you make that all-important investment? Certainly, you’ll be considering exciting features like the sound system and trim, but you also have to give some thought to peace of mind, running costs and roadside assistance. After all, it’s important to start your new chapter as a driver as you mean to go on.

Luckily, Peugeot has recognised that most new motorists would prefer to get everything sorted at the same time, with just one, simple monthly outgoing. So they’ve created an all-inclusive package designed to take care of all your motoring needs called ‘Just Add Fuel’.

Minimum age 18, maximum age 75. Drivers are required to install the telematics box and consent to data capture and transmission to qualify for insurance. All drivers must hold a full UK licence and meet eligibility criteria including limits on driving convictions and claims. Insurance is subject to cancellation if you receive four warnings for poor driving. Excesses apply. Three years’ motor insurance is provided and underwritten by UK Insurance Limited, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. This offer is not available in Northern Ireland. Written quotations available from PSA Finance UK Limited t/a Peugeot Financial Services, Quadrant House, Princess Way, Redhill RH1 1QA. An initial rental (amount dependent on size of monthly payment) and final rental is payable. JAF is incorporated into a personal lease contract; you will not own the car. Excess mileage charges may apply. Routine servicing included, excludes wear parts. A guarantee may be required. Peugeot Motor Company Plc is acting as a credit broker and is not a lender. To finance your lease we will only introduce you to Peugeot Financial Services, the exclusive provider of Just Add Fuel. Rentals quoted for a typical customer and will vary according to age, postcode, initial rental and annual mileage.