VOLVO'S POWER TO THE PEOPLE 

VOLVO is offering British car buyers one year's free electricity to charge their new plug-in hybrid car, with the launch of its new Take Charge campaign.

The offer is available across Volvo's range of plug-in hybrid models. The Swedish company's aim is to maximise the fuel and emissions saving potential of its hybrid technology by encouraging people to plug in their car and keep the hybrid system's high-voltage battery charged.

This will ensure their car can make full use of electric power, reducing tailpipe emissions and fuel consumption on any journey.

The offer is automatically available to any customer purchasing a new Volvo plug-in hybrid, from now until June 30, 2020.

The electricity costs for charging their car will be calculated from May 2020 and repaid to them at the end of the 12-month period, based on a third-party-provided average cost of electricity in the UK.

Just how much energy each customer uses will be monitored via the Volvo On Call app.

£5K OFF IN CITROEN SWAPPAGE

CITROEN UK has introduced a new swappage scheme - effective for the remainder of 2019 - across some of its most popular models.

Customers who have owned a car or van of any make and model for more than 90 days, which was first registered before January 1, 2013, can trade it in and receive a swappage discount of £5,000 off a new, lower emissions C3 Aircross Compact SUV, new C5 Aircross SUV or C4 Cactus Hatch.

The Citroen swappage scheme comes after the Mayor of London launched a similar scheme to help low income and disabled Londoners to scrap older cars.

As a result, Citroen customers who live in one of 32 London boroughs and meet the criteria for both schemes can benefit from up to £7,000 in savings.

The newly introduced offer will allow customers to upgrade to the French brand's SUV line-up as well as the C4 Cactus hatchback.

HYUNDAI BOOST FOR NOISE CONTROL

THE world's first Road Noise Active Control system, which dramatically reduces noise in the cabin of a vehicle, has been developed by Hyundai.

It builds on the Korean brand's current Active Noise Control technology, which actively reduces noise by emitting soundwaves inverted to incoming noise.

ANC is a software-driven technology that analyses the in-cabin sound to decrease engine and road noise, versus than the passive method of blocking it through sound insulation.

The existing noise insulation method involved sound insulations and dynamic dampers, which not only increased weight but also failed to block the buzzing infrasound completely.

In contrast, ANC utilises much lighter parts like microphones and controllers to control the noise and reduces infrasound more efficiently.

EXPERIENCE KEY TO ‘GOOD' DRIVING

NEW research has revealed that 60 weeks is the average amount of time motorists think it takes to become a ‘good driver' after passing your test.

The research, conducted by pre-17 driving lessons provider Young Driver, found that on average people believe it takes well over a year of experience behind the wheel to become confident with the skills needed.

More than one in six (17 per cent) believe it takes more than two years.

Newly qualified drivers are statistically more likely to have an accident behind the wheel, with one in five involved in a collision within the first six months after passing their test.

One in four of the 1,000 motorists Young Driver questioned admitted they were an extremely nervous driver after passing their test, whilst one in 10 said they were over-confident behind the wheel - both of which, combined with a lack of experience, could cause dangerous driving situations.

It's estimated that the average British learner only has 40 to 50 hours of driving practice under their belt before they pass their test and Young Driver is urging parents to help their youngsters get more experience before they get to the test centre and start driving solo.

MG BUCKS SALES TREND

MG Motor UK has retained its crown as the UK's fastest growing car manufacturer, recording a 24 consecutive month of year-on-year volume growth.

The marque, which places value for money motoring at the heart of its model line-up, logged a record-breaking 835 registrations in October - the most MG has achieved in any October since the brand re-launched.

MG's sales performance for the month comes on the back of a strong year for the brand, with the latest figures resulting in a 36 per cent year to date increase in growth compared to the same period in 2018.

For the first time, the manufacturer has amassed 10,000 sales since January.

Meanwhile, SEAT has also set a new sales record, delivering 498,700 vehicles worldwide - some 11.1 per cent more than in the same period last year.

In the UK, sales have risen by almost 10 per cent so far this year with a figure of 59,700.