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Car News
CAR NEWS MAY 2021
In this month’s article we look at a new hybrid and small SUVs to the family car range available in 2021.
2021 Volkswagen Polo – Volkswagen Polo gets refreshed looks and more technology. On the outside the headlights now cut down into the bumper and are joined together by a light strip that runs through the front grille.
Inside, traditional rotary air-con controls have been ditched in favour of touch-sensitive sliders. A central front airbag and powerful LED headlights are now fitted to improve safety, with matrix LED lights that can remain on full beam.
Other changes include restyled front and rear bumpers and the Polo badge being moved from the left to the centre of the tailgate. A face-lifted version of the Polo GTI hot hatch will join the line-up early next year. Available from the Autumn of 2021 priced are expected to start from circa £17,500. 2021 Honda HR-V small SUV – the new Honda HR-V small SUV gets hybrid power, a family-friendly interior and sporty looks. This is a lot more aggressive-looking than the old HR-V, with bluffer front and rear bumpers, a larger front grille and thinner headlights.
At the rear, a new LED light bar runs the width of the car, emphasising its stronger stance and with 18in alloys as standard. The new model is hybrid with a 1.5 litre petrol and two electric motors producing 129 bhp. The new HR-V features the latest version of Honda’s infotainment system, presented on a 9.0in central touchscreen.
There will be more room in the rear seats with three seats which can be converted to two. Prices will be released closer to the Autumn but expected to be around £22,000. 2021 Mercedes EQB electric SUV – the new Mercedes EQB electric SUV will be capable of travelling around 250 miles between charges. This is the smallest seven-seat electric SUV with room for 2 child seats at the rear or adults.
Only the Tesla Model X has seven seats as its competitors but is much bigger. On the inside there is the a dual-screen layout, with one given over to digital instruments and the other used for infotainment. There are front and four-wheel drive models to choose from and multiple power outputs, all with a 66.5kWh battery pack – this could be capable of almost 250 miles on one full charge.
Available from later this year it is expected to be priced from £50,000.
By Dhiren Ganesh
DARTFORD TOWN AGAINST CRIME STEPS UP ITS FIGHT AGAINST REPEAT OFFENDERS.
As a result of some great partnership work amongst Dartford’s business community, Dartford Borough Council, Kent Police and the Dartford Town Against Crime scheme (DTAC) now have a new tool to fight persistent shoplifters and criminals that target local traders within the Borough.
DTAC has become one of the first business crime partnerships in the country to assist Dartford Borough Council in obtaining a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) to a repeat shoplifter, banning the individual from entering any of DTAC members’ stores, plus any Co-Op stores in the County of Kent. The CBO, issued on 12th March 2021, also requires the individual to seek help for alcohol and drug addiction, and has a power of arrest attached, meaning any breach will be dealt with by the court. This was all possible by using legislation that allows Community Protection Warnings and Notices to be issued to individuals who commit crime at a DTAC member’s store. Any breach of the conditions can then support an application, made by Police, for a CBO on conviction of a theft offence, which is what happened in this case.
Supported by Dartford Borough Council, DTAC allows businesses in Dartford to work closely with Police and other agencies to prevent crime, and deal with shoplifters who have a detrimental impact on profits and staff safety. DTAC has supported its members for many years, providing a radio network, CCTV support, regular offender updates, advice and guidance.
Council Officer and DTAC Intelligence Manager, Karen Radford said: “This is a great result for Dartford’s businesses and demonstrates that we will target those criminals that target us. It’s a very difficult time right now for our shops working to re-open following the lockdown, but we’re here to help them as much as possible and make Dartford a safe place to visit and shop. I would encourage all businesses to join DTAC so that we can work together to prevent crime.”
If you have a business in the Borough of Dartford and are interested in what DTAC has to offer, please contact the DTAC Intelligence Manager, Karen Radford @ karen.radford@ dartford.gov.uk.
BY STEVE YOUNG
