Renault lays claim to being the originator of the people carrier or MPV concept. For years the Espace was uniquely Renault and then it was joined by the Scenic. Since then, every car company has jumped in on the act. I've had the new 2010 edition Renault Grand Scenic on the road in recent weeks. It's a slightly stretched version of the Scenic, with more seating and space.

The new car market seems to be on the rebound, according to reports from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), which showed a 38 per cent increase in new cars for February compared with February 2009. A total of 12,325 new cars were registered in February compared with 8,950 in February 2009.

Awkward but necessary, driving while pregnant can be an uncomfortable experience. The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) advises mothers-to-be to drive safely and comfortably. The law requires you to wear a seatbelt, even if you're pregnant, and wearing a seatbelt while pregnant will not harm your baby - in fact the risk of injury could be reduced by up to 70 per cent if you are involved in a crash.

After all the gritting and salting to roads to keep traffic moving during this winter's unprecedented bad weather, the wheel arches and undersides of many cars are now caked in corrosive debris. Whilst every effort should be made to clean it off, motorists may be causing unseen but terminal damage to their car's tyres by using pressure washers incorrectly.

Ford took the wraps of the new generation Ford Focus estate at the Geneva Motor Show last week. The estate version of the Focus accounts for a small but significant portion of Focus sales across Europe. The new Ford Focus range will feature a mix of low carbon diesel engines and frugal petrol engines. For the Irish market, where over 50 per cent of sales are now diesel, the diesel powered models will be the most popular.

Mazda6 got a styling facelift for the Geneva Motor Show. All three body styles - saloon, hatchback and estate - get a new front end design that is aerodynamic and sporty, while the interior receives chrome and piano black elements for a higher quality ambience.

Nissan unveiled the new Micra, the fourth generation of the iconic city car, at last week's Geneva Motor Show. Boasting breakthrough packaging and small-car engineering, the new, fourth generation Nissan Micra is on course to create a whole new set of industry standards.

With a new bodyshell, new engines and fresh, bold styling that introduces a new kind of dynamic aesthetics, Kia claims that the latest Kia Sportage is an urban-friendly compact SUV for today's families, consuming less fuel and emitting less CO2. This new Sportage is longer, wider and lower than the previous model.

The new Volkswagen Sharan made its debut at last week's Geneva Motor Show. The new model is reported to be based on an advanced new platform. It features twin sliding doors, a seven seat configuration and a range of frugal yet powerful petrol and diesel engines. Volkswagen claims that the new Sharan will set new standards of efficiency, practicality and refinement in its class.

Almost 30 per cent of travellers report that they have had their luggage lost or stolen while travelling abroad, according to a recent AA poll. Almost 50 per cent of these occurred while travelling to Europe. A further 20 per cent occurred while travelling to the US and the remainder while travelling to destinations as far as Australia, South Africa and Canada. The AA surveyed 11,000 members through its AA Motorists Panel.