News in brief

Daihatsu extended warranty....and more

Japanese firm increases cover, young driver fears, pick-up power boost....and more.

Auto Express Car Reviews

22nd April 2008

Five-year plan on all Daihatsus
Now there’s extra cover for Daihatsu customers. The car maker is offering a five-year unlimited mileage warranty on all its models. The deal includes five years’ free roadside recovery, and runs until the end of the year. There’s also £500 off the Materia supermini until the end of June. A manual version now starts from £10,495.

Fresh fears over novice drivers
Young motorists are not qualified to use our roads, according to Young Marmalade, a provider of affordable cars and insurance to first-time drivers. More than one-quarter of men aged 17-19 are involved in a collision in their first year of motoring. And only 14 per cent of novices take Pass Plus, the post-test advanced driving scheme. The specialist insurer is calling for compulsory post-test training.

New Hilux diesel gets more muscle
It's the most powerful pick-up in Britain! Toyota has announced a new version of its Hilux will feature a 3.0-litre D-4D diesel engine and a Motorsport performance kit. As a result, it has 194bhp and 430Nm of torque at 1,600rpm. Only 500 examples of the new model will be built, with prices set to be revealed closer to the launch in the summer.

Wet weather tyre testers wanted
Fancy a free set of performance tyres? Goodyear is looking for ‘typical UK motorists’ to test its wet weather HydraGrip rubber. Participants should drive regularly on a variety of roads and be prepared to write consumer reviews, plus share their thoughts with Goodyear experts. Log on to www.mygoodyear.co.uk for a chance to join the scheme.

Web crooks put off used buyers
Online fraudsters are scaring off buyers – so says car data firm HPI. Its research found that 70 per cent of people saw purchasing a used vehicle on the Internet as risky. A third cited not seeing before buying as their main concern. But nearly half of those questioned admitted to not carrying out basic checks when buying second-hand.