Phill On Wheels • 15th April 2026

I switched to an electric car and saved £££s!

With fuel prices going through the roof, now seems a good time to talk about my switch to leasing an electric car, which has gone rather well in terms of not spending a fortune. While this is specifically about my experience of leasing, rather than buying, the day-to-day savings will apply to anyone changing from a petrol or diesel. Spoilers: they are considerable.

Phill On Wheels • 27th March 2026

BMW's i3 launch was WILD! First look at the NEW electric 3 Series

I went to Munich for the unveil of the new BMW 3 Series – specifically the all-electric i3. It was quite the gig, and it's a very interesting car. Here's what happened.

Auto Trader • 16th August 2019

Crossing Ireland in a Volkswagen California - YouTube

The Volkswagen California camper van has a long and illustrious heritage, and we wanted to found out what all the fuss was about. So we took one on a road trip to Ireland to find out what it’s like to actually live in. Or with.

Auto Trader • 29th July 2019

2019 Ford Focus ST first drive review - YouTube

Ford’s reasonably-price hot hatch returns in all-new form, with an engine from the Mustang. After we were all wowed by the Focus RS, can the humble ST still impress? And does it have what it takes to beat rivals like the Volkswagen Golf GTI, Hyundai i30N, Honda Civic Type R and more? We went to France to find out.

Auto Trader • 14th June 2019

2019 Mercedes-Benz V-Class first drive review - YouTube

Mercedes has given its big luxury people carrier a mid-life facelift. We went to try it, and had a go in the Marco Polo campervan too

Auto Trader • 18th May 2019

2019 Toyota Supra first drive review - YouTube

The new Toyota Supra is here, and it’s got a heck of a lot of heritage to live up to. We went to Spain to drive it for the first time and see whether it’s got what it takes to beat sports cars like Porsche’s Cayman and Alpine’s A110.

Auto Trader • 19th April 2019

2020 Kia Soul EV first drive review - YouTube

The Kia Soul is back, and it’s all electric, with an impressive range of 280 miles on a single battery charge. Although it won’t arrive in the UK until Christmas, we had our first go in the Soul EV on the streets of Frankfurt.

Auto Trader • 16th April 2019

2019 Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupe first drive review - YouTube

The CLA Coupe is a four-door Mercedes-Benz based on the A-Class. Think of it as a mini CLS. But is it any good? We went to Germany to find out.

Auto Trader • 22nd March 2019

2019 Range Rover Evoque first drive review - YouTube

This second-generation Range Rover Evoque largely improves on the attributes of the original, with striking looks and some state-of-the-art features. It feels evolved, more grown up than the car it replaces, and while it’s not perfect, it’s still a car worth checking out for anyone in the market for a small luxury SUV.

Auto Trader • 21st December 2018

Living with a… Volkswagen Amarok - YouTube

Pick-up trucks aren’t the utilitarian workhorses that they used to be. In fact, they’re getting much more car-like in their features, and that’s tempting some people away from SUVs and into a truck. But what’s it like to live with a pick-up rather than a car? Auto Trader’s senior road tester Phill Tromans spent six months with a Volkswagen Amarok to find out.

AutoTrader • 19th December 2018

2019 Skoda Kodiaq vRS first drive review - YouTube

Skoda adds more power and a sporty attitude to its seven-seater SUV. We’re big fans of the standard Kodiaq, so can the vRS version add some extra excitement? Phill Tromans went to Spain to find out.

Auto Trader • 11th December 2018

2019 Audi E-Tron first drive review - YouTube

Audi joins the all-electric SUV game with the E-Tron 55 quattro, a rival to Jaguar’s I-Pace and Tesla’s Model X. Phill Tromans heads to the UAE to see what it’s like.

AutoTrader • 11th August 2017

Renault Clio 2016 review

The Clio is one of Renault’s most popular cars, and takes on the likes of the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo. Has a 2016 refresh kept what is an ageing hatchback relevant against its newer competitors? Phill Tromans finds out.

AutoTrader • 22nd July 2017

Range Rover Velar 2017 first drive review

Phill Tromans finds out more about the new Range Rover Velar. This sporty new SUV from Land Rover will compete against the likes of the Porsche Macan, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe and BMW X6.

AutoTrader • 21st July 2017

Porsche 911 GT3 road trip

The Porsche 911 GT3 is a monster of a car; lighter, more aero and more powerful than a standard 911, and built for speed. But what fun is that when big speeds aren’t an option? We headed to Switzerland to see if a GT3 can be fun while staying on the right side of the law.

AutoTrader • 9th June 2017

Volkswagen Arteon 2017 first drive

The Volkswagen Arteon will arrive on UK shores towards the end of the year, and aims to tempt customers away from the Audi A5 Sportback and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. We went to Germany for a first look at it.

AutoTrader • 2nd June 2017

Skoda Kodiaq 2017 review

Skoda is known for building practical and affordable cars, but its new SUV, the Kodiaq, adds seven-seat versatility and a premium cabin into the mix to make it one of the brand’s most desirable cars yet.

AutoTrader • 28th April 2017

Peugeot 3008 review

The Peugeot 3008 competes in a tightly packed five-seater SUV market, with rivals like the Seat Ateca and Nissan Qashqai sweeping up customers. Has the French car got what it takes?

AutoTrader • 9th March 2017

Mercedes E-Class Coupe first drive review

The new E-Class Coupe sheds two doors from the saloon and goes for a sexier look. Does that mean a more engaging drive? And how does it compare to the likes of BMW’s 6 Series or Audi’s A5? Phill Tromans takes a first drive in Mercedes’ new machine to find out.

AutoTrader • 22nd January 2017

2017 Porsche Panamera 4 E Hybrid first drive review

The Panamera's plug-in hybrid option adds an electric motor to a petrol V6 engine, giving it a 31-mile electric-only range and all-wheel drive. It's targeting the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series, but aims to offer a more sporty drive when the right roads appear.

Auto Trader • 17th August 2016

VOLVO V40 R-DESIGN – Scenic Snowdonia Drive

A bit of sponsored content I did for Auto Trader, on behalf of Volvo.

/DRIVE • 14th February 2014

Driving Saudi Arabia - The Hidden Kingdom with a McLaren 12C - YouTube

What's the best car to drive across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? Why, A McLaren 12C of course. We cover more than 2000 kilometres looking for motoring nirvana.

crankandpiston.com • 24th November 2013

The Workshop Idiot: Final Challenge

Phill is faced with the ultimate challenge for a mechanical novice - complete a full 10,000km service on a Chevrolet Malibu. Will he know what the heck he's doing? Will he succeed in his final test? Will he spill oil everywhere? The answer to at least one of those questions is "maybe".

crankandpiston.com • 10th November 2013

The Workshop Idiot: Short Circuit

In the second video in the series, Phill has to deal with a short circuit on a Chevrolet Tahoe headlight. Once again, he has no idea what he's doing.