By Brian Byrne.
The Latin for traffic jam is fluxus interclusio. No, that doesn’t refer to ancient Rome’s stone streets crowded with ox-drawn plaustrums and essedums powered by horse carts and chariots for those of us without a heavy classical education. It’s a modern phrase in the special dictionary, Lexicon Recentis Latinitatis, updated regularly by scholars in the Vatican, the only state where Latin is still the primary working language.
I was thinking of that recently when driving Skoda’s current Kamiq small crossover. Not because of the car itself, but its manual transmission. While caught in some of those ‘fluxus’ traffic situations and having to do the stop-go thing with gear stick and clutch. As we move through the next few years, that’s a thing fewer motorists will be experiencing. In the last three years, automatic transmissions in new car sales have gone from two in three to more than eight in ten. That will be gradually feeding through the used car system until eventually the bulk of the national car parc will be automatic.
The Kamiq was also unusual in these days in that it comes as petrol-only in our market. With that kind of engine in third place of preference, behind battery-electric and hybrid, it might seem on the extinction road. But no, the engine still has a solid 20 per cent share of the powertrain type. As the brand says these days, ‘there’s a Skoda for that’.
The Kamiq has been around since 2019, with a facelift in 2023, and is styled as a straightforward small crossover, related to the other VW Group cars SEAT Arona and Volkswagen T-Cross. Skoda always does something different though, and in the Kamiq’s case that difference is more interior room. Making it a good option for a family on the grow but not wishing to go as far as a larger and more expensive C-segment alternative. The facelift sharpened up the front and rear and there were some upshifts to the interior trim and instrumentation. My review had a pack option replacing chrome trims with black, which, paradoxically, added a style strength to the whole thing.
The interior look in some ways has a lot going on in the trim design, yet the various elements do work together. The centre screen is small by today’s general standards, but with good, intuitive graphics, and there are knobs and switches for climate, seat heaters, and audio volume. I liked the modern styling of the driver information cluster, and impressive too is the clear labelling on the steering wheel remotes.
The seats in the review car were a mix of artificial leather and suede, all seeming very practical. The Kamiq is wider, taller and longer than its cousin Arona I drove some time ago, and that extra space is given mostly over to the comfort of the rear occupants, via a longer wheelbase. It makes a significant difference, the Skoda accommodating full adults rather than the mostly child-sized accommodation in the SEAT. There’s 400L of cargo capacity in both. Up front, for this awkward taller, less supple than I used to be, driver, I found my space and ergonomics to be quite Goldilocks in suitability.
The engines in the Kamiq are a 1-litre 3-cylinder with 95hp available in the base Essence grade, or 115hp in the Selection and Monte Carlo trims that offers a quite respectable 0-100km/h in under 10 seconds. Perfectly adequate — nobody buys this kind of car for a hot rod experience. The DSG automatic option is a 7-speed.
Handling is par for the course in this level of car, which again is exactly what it should be for the kind of use it will get. As for that manual transmission, even in the ‘fluxus interclusio’ situations that I encountered on some of the usual commuter gridlocks in my area, it was a tidy shifter to manage, with a nicely balanced clutch action that took some of the hardship out of the equation. I’d still always prefer the now more common autobox, though.
PRICE: From €29,270; Review car €34,170. WHAT I LIKED: Understated style can still make a statement.
NEW POWERTRAIN FOR MAZDA6e
Mazda has unveiled the 2027 Mazda6e, featuring a new powertrain, writes Brian Byrne. The 78 kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate battery supports fast charging up to 200 kW and offers a rated WLTP range of up to 560 km.
The updated model also introduces the Homura Plus grade with a sportier design and expands the Takumi Plus grade with new interior trims. The Mazda6e’s suspension and ADAS functionalities have been refined, improving ride comfort and driving experience.
The 2027 Mazda6e will be available in European showrooms from November 2026.
NEW PHEV VARIANTS FOR VOLVO
Volvo Cars has launched its first long-range plug-in hybrid variants of the XC60 and XC90 SUVs for the European and American markets, writes Brian Byrne. The XC60 offers up to 200 km of electric range, while the XC90 provides up to 160 km, marking a significant increase from previous models.
These hybrids are part of Volvo’s strategy towards providing options before full electrification for owners, featuring a new, larger battery and more powerful electric motor.
The XC60 also gets a contemporary design update as well as advanced safety and driver support features, including Google Gemini AI assistant. Order books will open later this month in Ireland, with production starting this autumn.
ISUZU AND CURRAGH RACECOURSE PARTNERSHIP
Isuzu Ireland has announced a new partnership with The Curragh Racecourse, writes Brian Byrne, becoming the official vehicle and mobility partner from 1st September to the end of November 2026.
As part of this agreement, Isuzu will sponsor a series of four races, creating the ‘Isuzu Ireland Race Series’, with events on 26th and 27th September, 15th October, and 1st November.
The partnership will feature the new 2.2-litre Isuzu D-Max, showcased across seven race days, offering racegoers a chance to view the vehicle up close. The collaboration will engage with The Curragh’s diverse audience, particularly those connected to rural Ireland, agriculture, and outdoor life.
Pictured are Evan Arkwright, Racing & Sponsorship Manager at The Curragh Racecourse with Karl Haughton, Managing Director, Harris Group Ireland.
LEAPMOTOR IS LAUNCH PARTNER FOR NEVO MOTOR SHOW
Pictured at the partnership launch are Simon Andreucetti (Managing Director, Nevo), Mark Brennan (Marketing Manager, Leapmotor Ireland), Stephen McGrath (Brand Manager, Leapmotor Ireland), and Derek Reilly (Content and PR Director, Nevo).
Leapmotor Ireland has been named the Official Vehicle Launch Partner for the Nevo EV Show 2026, scheduled for 7-8 November at RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin, writes Brian Byrne. This partnership marks the Irish debut of Leapmotor’s new B03X compact SUV and the first public showcase of the B05 C-Hatchback since its arrival in Irish showrooms.
Leapmotor will hold exclusive vehicle debuts, allowing visitors to see the models before they hit the wider market. The B03X, developed on a new global platform, will be available in November 2026, while the B05, priced from €28,998, offers a competitive C-Segment option.
The full Leapmotor range, including the T03 city car and C10 large family SUV, will be on display, with test drives available through the myenergi Driving Experience.
The Nevo EV Show has seen a record response, with over 19,000 tickets registered, highlighting the growing interest in electric vehicles in Ireland.
Pictured at the partnership launch are Simon Andreucetti (Managing Director, Nevo), Mark Brennan (Marketing Manager, Leapmotor Ireland), Stephen McGrath (Brand Manager, Leapmotor Ireland), and Derek Reilly (Content and PR Director, Nevo).
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