Eddie Cunningham

Ireland

Motoring Editor at Irish Independent

Motoring Editor, Irish Independent. Car review: Saturdays. Motors supplement: Wednesdays. World Car juror. Father of four patient daughters. Love Offaly, cars.

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Articles

Eddie Cunningham: It’s time to bid you farewell, dear reader, as I change lanes

Mar 7, 2025 | independent.ie | Eddie Cunningham

It has been a privilege to have test-driven some of the greatest new cars of modern times on your behalf at home and abroad and to have done so in the company of some great people. I have fond memories of them, the places and the cars. Why wouldn’t I? Up the side of a mountain in America one week, flat out on the autobahn the next, crossing the frozen Lake Baikal in Siberia, scaling the mountainous sand dunes of Namibia, tearing around a race track in Spain, hovering over a volcano in Hawaii.
Eddie Cunningham: Still buzzing after all these years - why cars continue to hold great allure, even in times of great change

Mar 7, 2025 | independent.ie | Eddie Cunningham

Despite the fact that I have test-driven hundreds of sorts – from a Model T to a Rolls-Royce – I am gripped by the awesome concept and technological ingenuity involved in the myriad elements that make up a car. Maybe such wonder stems from the fact that before I became Motoring Editor with the Irish Independent, I had some truly awful cars. I lifted the bonnet on bangers more times than I care to remember. And why did it always seem to rain when my car broke down?
MG will unveil electric SUV with range of new elements

Mar 4, 2025 | independent.ie | Eddie Cunningham

It will be called the MGS5 EV and is being built on the modular scalable platform (MSP) created for the award-winning MG4 hatchback. This platform has earned plaudits for underpinning keen driving and handling dynamics in its cars. And it will be interesting to see how it works with the extra room and size of the new SUV. MG is promising a “striking” new cabin appearance which has a range of elements unique to the new car.
Audi’s new A6 Avant available soon

Mar 4, 2025 | independent.ie | Eddie Cunningham

With mild hybrid technology, there are two engine variants and the option of air suspension. The two engines are the 2.0 TDI diesel and 2.0 TFSI petrol. It is based on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC). There is new digital lighting technology and intelligent driver assistance systems. Standard are 18-inch wheels, with the range topper getting 20 inches. A 21-inch alloy is available as an option. At 4,990mm, it is 60mm longer than the previous model.
‘Breathing space’ on emissions will mean more BEVs on the market here

Mar 4, 2025 | independent.ie | Eddie Cunningham

That is good news for motorists waiting to get into a less expensive battery electric vehicle (BEV). Already there are a few smaller BEVs on the Irish market, but Hyundai Ireland managing director Stephen Gleeson believes the proposal by the European Commission will speed up the flow of such cars – costing €18,000 to €20,000 over the next few years. The commission is planning to give carmakers three years instead of one to meet new emissions targets.
Kia sets the pace in big push of its new electric range

Feb 28, 2025 | independent.ie | Eddie Cunningham

Kia this week, for example, rolled out three new models at a special event. That sort of unveiling isn’t done too often and gives an indication of the intense drive behind the scenes to make the company a leader in the EV race. The newly unveiled cars include the EV4, which is the brand’s first full-electric saloon and hatchback and the PV5 vehicle, built on a dedicated platform. It comes in Cargo, Passenger, WAV (wheelchair access vehicle) variants.
Saturday review: Silence is golden as new and larger Opel Grandland SUV cruises quietly and comfortably

Feb 28, 2025 | independent.ie | Eddie Cunningham

We may not be seeing an all-out price war but there is certainly an edge to proceedings – especially in the electric compact SUV category. Here are just two examples of how marques are chipping away at the perceived price gap between electric cars (BEVs) and your conventional petrol or diesel equivalent. In so doing they are forcing further downward pressure on prices generally.
As car prices soar, make sure to prioritise safety over style

Feb 25, 2025 | independent.ie | Eddie Cunningham

And I discovered how much of a gap has opened up between what was standard equipment even five years ago and what is standard now. And 10 years ago? A different world altogether. The surge of digitalisation, of course, played a huge part in the proliferation of spec and tech as the microchip took over the motoring world. As has compulsory safety items – the most prominent being advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).
The March of time: why now can be a good time to buy a new car

Feb 25, 2025 | independent.ie | Eddie Cunningham

Those lucky people are getting the full-year, or near enough to that, value for their new motor. More luck to them. I wish them safe driving. But this is still a good time to go looking for a new car. The mad rush of last month, and this month, is abating as many pre-ordered cars for January and February are cleared off the forecourt and the books. The first quarter is a crucial time for dealers.
Second-hand EVs now cheaper than diesels or hybrids amid ‘significant turning point’ for industry

Feb 25, 2025 | independent.ie | Eddie Cunningham

This marks a “significant turning point” in the automotive landscape, according to a special report from DoneDeal Motors. With trade-in values for second-hand EVs stabilising after falling dramatically, it may restore confidence to many who were put off buying new. Prices for EVs seem to have stabilised following a surge in new models over the last three years. Demand for second-hand models rose sharply (by 29pc) in the past 12 months.