Table of contents for 1800 in Auto Express

MERCEDES EQE Price from: £68,810 MERCEDES is hard at work on a new generation of electric saloons, as previewed by its EQXX and CLA concepts. In the meantime, it already has an i5-sized EV on the market in the form of the EQE. Available with a choice of rear or four-wheel drive, and a 90kWh battery for all variants, the EQE isn’t designed to match the i5’s driving involvement. Its maximum charging speed (170kW) can’t match the BMW’s, but the EQE will officially do 380 miles on a charge. AUDI A6 E-TRON Price from: £80,000 (est) ONE of the i5’s key rivals is likely to be Audi’s first proper crack at an all-electric saloon: the A6 e-tron. Unlike the more expensive e-tron GT, the A6 will be based on the…

Make the most of our BIGGEST subscription discounts of the year in our Early Bird Christmas Sale! Gift subscriptions start from just £25.99, and with savings of up to £108 on an annual subscription, they’re not to be missed. EARLY BIRD SALE – ENDS 31ST OCTOBER! Visit subscribe.autoexpress.co.uk/earlybird to claim your special offer or call 0330 333 9491 using offer code P23XME Calls to 03 numbers will be charged at your standard local rate. This offer closes on 31st October 2023. The number of issues published in a 3, 6 or 12 month period will vary for each magazine. Discounts are based on the shop price of a single issue. The number of issues ordered will be displayed upon checkout. Offer only available on subscriptions delivered to UK addresses. All…

“The sketches suggest that the car will have a cleaner, more sophisticated look” WITH the official unveiling of the new Kodiaq just around the corner, Skoda has teased the second-generation SUV with a series of sketches. Due to go on sale by the end of the year, it’ll be the first of the brand’s SUVs to get plug-in hybrid power. Having already seen the car’s hi-tech new interior, driven pre-production prototypes (Issue 1,786) and learned all about its range of new and more efficient engines, its exterior styling is the last piece of the puzzle. Evident in these drawings is the Kodiaq’s evolutionary approach to the new generation, combining traditional Skoda design cues, such as the scalloped bonnet and vertical grille vanes, with a new curved line just above the…

THE Formula E World Championship transfer market is fully into its silly season, with a hive of activity in driver signings. The sport sees the return of a former champion, with Nyck de Vries coming back to the all-electric series. The 2020/21 champion, who was dumped from his Alpha Tauri F1 seat earlier this season, will join a Mahindra squad that’s moving into 2023/24 with an all-new driver line-up. The second seat will be taken by Eduardo Mortara, who is moving from Maserati. That line-up means that there’s no space for Lucas di Grassi; the 39-year-old Brazilian will re-sign for ABT Cupra, returning to the squad where he took the 2016/17 Formula E title when the team was known as ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport.…

@AxleIngram Running costs 256.8mpg (official) £67 fill-up Electric motor Power/range 107bhp/48 miles THE Mercedes GLA has been a popular choice in the small premium SUV market, and we even named it our Compact Premium SUV of the Year from 2020 to 2022. Now, there’s revised model. So what has changed? And in the face of new rivals such as the Alfa Romeo Tonale and latest BMW X1, is it still a front-runner in the class? Cosmetically, Mercedes hasn’t messed with a successful formula. Base models feature a subtly reprofiled grille (AMG Line cars get a near-identical item to before, though) which is located above a tweaked bumper. Save for some revised graphics for the LED tail-lights, the back end is pretty much the same. There’s a fresh ‘Spectral Blue’ paint…

@JordanKatsianis Running costs 22.4mpg (official) £105 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.1 seconds/196mph PORSCHE’S current 911 range looks complicated. Ignoring the three bodystyles, there are no fewer than 14 variants. So you might think that no avenue has been left unexplored by the company, but you’d be wrong. Above these series-production 911s is a range of limited-run specials. Some are little more than stickers-and-stripes efforts but others, like this Sport Classic, are a whole lot more interesting. It’s also the most expensive 992-generation model so far, yet despite costing more than double what you’d pay for a basic Carrera, it has already proven to be extremely popular. Available in just one combination of engine, gearbox and body, the Sport Classic offers a unique mix of elements from the current 911, bundled…

WINNER 1st Abarth 500e THE 500e wins because it best fits the hot hatchback brief. It’s quicker than the MINI (if only just) and it feels livelier and the most eager to please. Its main strengths lie in its massive personality and huge grin factor – regardless of the speed at which you’re driving. It’s by no means perfect; the biggest downside is its high price, but more competitive monthly finance rates would see it grab back the extra half star that we gave it on our first encounters. INTERESTED? Scan the code for further information ● Huge fun to drive ● Lively performance ● Decent ride ● Funky cabin ● Small back seats ● Tiny boot ● Some cheap interior plastics ● Limited brake regen adjustment RUNNER-UP 2nd MINI…

SAME CLASS BMW i3s IT’S a shame that BMW has no concrete plans to replace the recently shelved i3 city car, because even 10 years on from its original release, it remains one of the smartest EVs available on the market. Within its dinky four-metre footprint is a five-door, four-seat city car using carbon fibre and aluminium in its construction to keep its kerbweight down to just 1,200kg or so. As a result, it’s quick – especially in the case of the i3s. Prices start from as little as £15,000 for a 2018 model. ● Sprightly performance ● Fantastic interior ● Impractical rear doors ● Short range SAME MONEY Cupra Born IF you have £35,000 to spend on a sporty hatchback, then a nearly new Cupra Born makes for a…

@PeteBaiden Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 411/1,614 litres Running costs 36mpg (test) £78 fill-up NO the flag isn’t wrong. While Dacia is a Romanian brand, it has quickly spread throughout Europe in recent years. And I was stunned at just how popular it has become during a trip around Poland with my family. If you think they’re common on the road here, that’s nothing compared with Poland. They are everywhere! I didn’t see many Sanderos or Joggers, but the rugged small SUV was commonplace. They were especially popular in the capital Warsaw and other big cities I visited, such as Gydnia and Wroclaw, but there were also plenty in the countryside and smaller towns. I looked up the sales figures in Poland and, lo and behold, it’s in the top 10.…

IF you want a work light that can slip into a tool box or bag, you need something compact. And there are two new options on the market from Philips and Laser. They are very different types of product, so to see which has the edge we turned out the workshop lights and compared them not just with each other, but also with our compact favourite from Clarke. We checked the brightness and spread of the main beam and torch, plus looked for power-saving modes, battery charge and state indicators, and good mounting options. We also checked the lights’ protection ratings and charging, and factored in cost. With our trio closely matched on price, the winner will depend on how you use it. The lightweight, slender Philips has the benefit…

THE Discovery Sport has a lot going for it, including very high levels of satisfaction with its ride and handling. It takes first place in this year’s Driver Power survey for driving pleasure, second for steering response and sixth for ride quality. But the Land Rover’s overall performance is marred by those old JLR bugbears of suspect reliability, high running costs and poor value for money. In all of these, the British SUV couldn’t have done much worse, with rankings in the 70s. While exterior styling gets a mid-table 44th rating, interior style is ranked 26th. However, the Discovery Sport delivers a second place for its boot space and a fourth for rear legroom, which are excellent results. WE SAID “In spite of its luxury feel, the Land Rover Discovery Sport…

Tell Driver Power what you think of your car-ownership experience and help 1,000s of others make the best choices. Every year, thousands of car owners take the Driver Power survey, sharing thoughts, opinions and experiences of the cars they own and drive. This not only helps potential buyers, but gives feedback to manufacturers to shape the next generation of cars. The survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete and by taking part, you’ll also be in with a chance of winning a £100 Amazon voucher. take part now Type bit.ly/AEX_DP into your web browser SCAN WITH your smartphone * Terms and Conditions apply, visit website to find out more.…

EVERY evolution of the BMW 5 Series has represented a major step for the German firm. But the latest car is arguably one of the biggest leaps in the company’s history. BMW has sold more than 10 million examples over more than half a century, but now, in its eighth generation, the 5 Series has gone all electric. Petrol and plug-in hybrid models will still be available (Page 9), but in Europe BMW expects around 50 per cent of orders to be swallowed up by the i5, which comes in two flavours from launch. We’ve tried both – the rear-drive eDrive40 and four-wheel-drive M60 xDrive M Performance. The first of the pair will be the bigger seller, because it should hit the spot with the traditional 5 Series customer base…

A FIFTH of car occupants killed on British roads in 2022 were not wearing seatbelts, government data has revealed, while drugged driving-related casualties topped 1,000 for the first time. Overall there were 1,711 fatalities on the roads last year, a 10 per cent rise compared with 2021, but two per cent down on pre-Covid figures from 2019. The total number killed or seriously injured – the so-called KSI statistic – fell three per cent to 29,742, while the figure for casualties of all severity fell 12 per cent against the 2019 total, to 135,480. Pedestrian deaths were down 18 per cent on 2019, while car-occupant casualties accounted for 44 per cent of road fatalities and 53 per cent of all road injuries. In 2022, 1,331 reported fatalities involved cars, while…

WHILE all eyes are on the Kodiaq, Skoda has also set prices and specifications for the new Kamiq small SUV. Available in three trims, with three engines and two transmissions, the baby crossover will still lead on value, and offer updated tech and design tweaks. SE opens the books at £24,030 for the 94bhp 1.0 manual. You get air-con, 16-inch alloy wheels, a touchscreen and digital driver’s display. This trim can also be paired with a 114bhp 1.0, or a 148bhp 1.5 litre with the option of a DSG auto box. SE L and Monte Carlo (below) trims start from £27,175 and £29,275 respectively, and add larger screens, bigger alloy wheels and new LED-lighting designs.…

@AutoExpres HOT TOPIC VW vs Chinese cars FROM: Gordon Clark PRICE is the biggest issue. A reliable car with a good specification, at a reasonable price, is what I want. If China can provide that, that’s where my money will be going. They just need to prove the reliability factor first. FROM: David Watson MY Chinese EV has the steering wheel from a Golf, seats from a Polo, door handles from an Audi Q7, and a sunroof from an A3. How exactly are Volkswagen going to be of better quality when they’re made from Chinese components? Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ◼ “Chinese are turning away from European cars to domestic ones, because they’re better now.” Graham Key ◼ “I’m sure it will get to the point where all German…

Alfa Romeo – Yes, moving in 2024 Audi – Yes, before the end of 2023 BMW – Yes, planned for 2026 BYD – No plans Citroen – Expected by end of 2026 Cupra – Already agency model Dacia – No plans DS – Planned for 2024 Fiat – Expected by end of 2026 Ford – Planned, initially for EVs Genesis – From 2024 as part of expansion GWM Ora – No plans Honda – By end of 2023 Hyundai – No plans Jaguar – By end of 2024 Jeep – Planned for end of 2024 Kia – No plans Land Rover – By end of 2024 Lexus – No plans Mazda – No plans Mercedes – Already agency model MG – No plans MINI – Yes, from 2024 Nissan –…

@DeanGbsn IF you’re into cars, then diecast models are likely to have been a major inspiration in early life. Enthusiasts of a certain vintage will have collected Dinky Toys, and later came Matchbox and Corgi Toys, but in 1968 an American upstart arrived in the shape of Hot Wheels. Founded by US toy giant Mattel, Hot Wheels drew inspiration from the late-sixties car scene that pervaded the brand’s home state of California. That meant a range of brightly coloured muscle cars and hot rods that weren’t necessarily accurate replicas, but served Hot Wheels’ mission to make them as fast as possible on the bright-orange track sets that the company also launched. Fast forward to 2023, and Hot Wheels is celebrating 55 years of making diecast cars of every description. Compared…

YOU probably won’t have heard of the Lucid Air, and why should you, given that it’s built in California and won’t be going on sale in the UK any time soon. Yet in its way the Air could be one of the most significant cars on the planet right now, and there are numerous reasons why. One, it’s been created by the same core team that helped Elon Musk set up Tesla, so they know a thing or two about how to make world-altering EVs. Two, while it won’t be going on sale in the UK, it is available in parts of Europe (Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Norway) with a version that costs the equivalent of just 80 grand and delivers a real-world range of over 400 miles, a…

@johnmcilroy WE like the Citroen C4 and e-C4 at Auto Express – and you appear to agree, having voted it top dog in our 2023 Driver Power customer-satisfaction survey. But things move fast in the EV market, so Citroen has taken advantage of a new powertrain within the Stellantis Group to beef up the electric edition’s credentials. Specifically, the new version of this funky crossover – Citroen’s slightly left-field take on family transport – mixes a 154bhp electric motor with a larger 54kWh battery that’s the same size physically as the old 50kWh unit but has greater energy density. Citroen claims that even with more power than the old 134bhp motor, the new specification increases the potential range of the e-C4 to 261 miles, a gain of 17 per cent.…

SAME CLASS Honda e THE Honda e isn’t pitched to buyers as a hot hatchback; instead, its maker wants it to be seen as a tech-laden city car with gorgeous cabin design and an exterior that’s unlike anything else on the road. But while it ticks those boxes, it also delivers for the keen driver. Find a twisty road and the Honda e is loads of fun; sophisticated suspension and the rear-mounted electric motor help to push the car out of tight turns with enthusiasm. However, there are flaws. In the real world you’ll struggle to cover more than 100 miles on a full charge, which considering a hefty £37,395 price tag, is too much of a compromise. ● Gorgeous design ● Fun to drive ● More spacious than Abarth…

Audi TT LIFE with our new Final Edition TT Roadster was all going so well. Until special contributor Steve Sutcliffe left it with Maple Parking at Gatwick Airport for a couple of days, thinking it’d be safe and sound. When he collected the car, Steve couldn’t believe what he saw. The front right wheel rim had a whopping great big scrape on it and he was gutted. Several conversations and E-mails later, Maple Parking has admitted liability and has agreed to refurbish the wheel at no cost to Steve. To be fair, the company’s customer service has been very good indeed. But Steve still needed to get the tracking checked at Kwikfit, which it did for free, declaring it to be within tolerance, so no major damage done. Now Steve…

Children get a taste of Bentley with trike BENTLEY’S new Mulliner-inspired 6-in-1 Trike (above) is designed for children aged from 10 months and upwards, thanks to its adjustable seat. Features inspired by Bentley’s cars include the seat’s shape, diamond-in-diamond quilting, special wheels with permanently upright centre caps and a unique colour. Even the pedals are the spitting image of those in Mulliner cars. With a detachable handle so that parents can have control, it’s perfect for the child in need of a stylish ride. It costs £595 from shop.bentleymotors.com. Pirelli logo indicates sustainable tyres PIRELLI has created a bespoke logo for tyres that contain at least 50 per cent bio-based or recycled material, helping buyers choose more sustainable rubber. The new Pirelli mark features two arrows in a circle. It’s used…

Austin Rover Maestro and Montego Sam Skelton (Amberley Publishing, amberley-books.com) Price: £15.99 Rating: AN interesting and refreshingly honest perspective, this book details the cars’ history while freely admitting that they were mediocre and outdated. It’s well researched, written and illustrated. A great addition to a British Leyland library, but the buying guide could offer greater depth. North Coast 500: Britain’s Ultimate Road Trip Emma Gibbs (Collins, collins.co.uk) Price: £25 Rating: THE NC500 attracts thousands with its great roads, stunning scenery and a glut of interesting places to stop. This guide takes you through the main attractions, plus a few further off the beaten track that could well be worth the detour. If you’re planning a North Coast road trip, this is a great resource to have in your glovebox. Transit King…

CO2 / tax 0g/km Free Range 374 miles (Performance) £26 fill-up @32p/kWh Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.3 seconds/162mph NO car brand has done more than Tesla to drive the transition towards electric transport for the masses. When the US firm was launched in 2003, a year before Elon Musk began investing in it (he became CEO in 2008), its mission from the outset was to build only battery-powered EVs. It’s been a rocky road for Tesla, but the Model 3 was the first EV in the world to sell more than one million units, which was achieved in summer 2021. The Model 3 is also a best seller in the UK, but Tesla is a brand that doesn’t have a squeaky-clean reputation when it comes to build quality and reliability. So should…

Sneak peek reveals X2’s illuminated nose THE next-generation BMW X2 has been teased (above), with pictures giving us our first official look at the coupé-SUV before it’s revealed later this year. The X2 will use the same platform as the latest X1, but should feature a more heavily sloping roofline than before and, as we can from the darkened image, illuminated kidney grilles. We expect the X2 to be available with both combustion-powered mild and plug-in hybrid powertrains when it launches, plus there will be an all-electric iX2. Nissan calls time on combustion engines WHILE the UK Government has delayed the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars until 2035, Nissan has announced that every new car it launches in Europe from now on will be pure electric.…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m) Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 0113 222 2010 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0808 164 1923 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with…

@AxleIngram ● Dutchman odds-on to clinch title this weekend ● McLaren look to build on Japanese podiums “Sixth place in the Sprint will wrap up Verstappen’s third driver’s title” FORMULA One heads to the Middle East for the next stop on the calendar. The Qatar Grand Prix this weekend could see Max Verstappen wrap up the 2023 Driver’s Championship – and he could do it before the main race takes place. That’s because the Losail Circuit, which returns to the F1 calendar for the first time since the inaugural race in 2021, hosts the fourth of this year’s six sprint weekends. The Dutchman needs to score three points – that’s sixth place or higher in the Sprint – to wrap up his third consecutive title on Saturday. Verstappen has put…

@JordanKatsianis Running costs 39.7mpg (official) £121 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.7 seconds/118mph THIS is the Lexus LM, a new type of flagship for the Japanese manufacturer that boasts unparalleled luxury and incredible features. Easily breaking a six-figure price point, it enters a new genre for the brand, and just like Lexus did 30 years ago with the LS saloon, it has the potential to change the luxury-car game. Available in base seven-seat form and this top-spec four-seat Takumi model, the LM is Lexus’s new-age idea of a superbly equipped modern luxury car, and it makes a very compelling case for itself. A square-sided people carrier wouldn’t naturally assume luxury status, but these sorts of high-end vans have been finding an audience amongst chauffeurs and transport companies in Asian markets for…

THE onset of electrification and the increasingly global nature of the car industry mean we’ve rarely had as wide a choice when it comes to what we drive. But there are still some models which haven’t made it to the UK (yet). Here we pick out eight sold abroad that we’re sure Brit buyers would love to get their hands on… ACURA INTEGRA FOR those with a long memory, the Integra means only one thing – Honda’s performance icon of the nineties, which was the first Type R sold in the UK. But the Integra name was revived in 2021 in the US under Honda’s upmarket Acura brand, and while the hatch is as smart and capable as you would expect, it’s what’s coming next that has us looking across…

FOR an emotive purchase such as a hot hatchback, finances aren’t going to be the crucial decider that they would be for a family hatchback or SUV. But they will still hold plenty of influence for some buyers. With the MINI nearing the end of production, prices are currently very competitive. Place a £5,000 deposit on a MINI Electric Resolute for a three-year PCP agreement with a 10,000-mile annual limit, and it costs £455 per month, undercutting the Abarth by a chunky £145. Our pick of the Abarth range, the entry-level model, comes in at £545. The lower rate of interest offered by MINI’s finance team helps here; you’ll be paying 2.9 per cent APR compared with 7.9 per cent for the Abarth. Elsewhere, the costs are closely matched. We…

“AS much as these two put a smile on your face, it’s hard to deny that nearly £40,000 is a huge amount of money to pay for a car that ultimately only has the versatility to work as a second vehicle. The fun factor is there in electric hot hatches, but not at a bargain price yet.” “FIAT recently announced that it would be banishing greyscale paint finishes from its range, and our Abarth certainly proves that a lively colour scheme helps an already-outgoing car stand out even more. The Acid Green paint you see in these pictures is a £600 option.” “BUYERS happy to forego sporty handling and performance – but still after something small – will see the Peugeot e-208 as a stylish choice. A facelifted model will…

@stevefowler FEW brands have the lineage of Range Rover. Its cars have been reinvented over the years – and an all-electric version is arriving next year – but the link to the very first model is still clear. To prove the point, I took our long-termer to Jaguar Land Rover Classics, a treasure trove of legendary icons from both of Britain’s most famous brands. As well as restoring, servicing and selling historic models, the site on the outskirts of the UK’s own motor city – Coventry – is home to some of Jaguar Land Rover’s own fleet of its most celebrated models. Unsurprisingly, there’s an original Range Rover in the collection, which you can see in the pictures, a second-generation P38, my personal favourite, the L322 (also pictured), and the…

Alfa RomeoTonale Issue 1,796 Audi TT Issue 1,797 BMW iX New arrival BMW X1 Iss 1,772, 1,781, 1,789, 1,795 BYD Atto 3 Issues 1,789, 1,798 Citroen C4 X New arrival Cupra Formentor Issues 1,792, 1,799 Dacia Duster Issue 1,794 Lexus RZ Issues 1,791, 1,795 Mazda CX-60 Iss 1,758, 1,764, 1,779, 1,792 MG4 Issues 1,788, 1,793 Peugeot 408 Issue 1,796 Range Rover Issues 1,774, 1,782, 1,791 Skoda Karoq Issues 1,781, 1,790, 1,799 Toyota Corolla Issues 1,788, 1,797 VW Caddy Cargo Issue 1,782, 1,794…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk IF you’ve ever worked on a Japanese car or motorcycle, you’ll soon realise your stock of Philips or Pozidriv screwdrivers will struggle to remove or install any of the crosshead fasteners. This is down to the fasteners being made to the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS), which means they look similar to the crosshead Philips but are subtly different. You can spot a JIS driver, because the angle of the four blades is different plus its tip is flatter rather than the Philips’ more pointed end. The result is that a Philips tool will chew up a JIS head because it will bottom out and not lock correctly into the grooves. However, things are fine the other way round because JIS screwdrivers will work in a Philips…

Find out how much your car is worth right now or check the price of a car you’re looking to buy The new Auto Express free car valuation tool will give you an accurate price based on the latest UK car market data, fast. WHY VALUE YOUR CAR WITH AUTO EXPRESS? EASY, FAST & FREE Input a car registration number, add a few other details, then click through to your valuation. FOR BUYERS & SELLERS Get relevant part exchange, private sale or dealer forecourt prices, depending on your buying or selling status. A PRICE YOU CAN TRUST Prices are updated live from the latest UK car market data for a true guide to any car’s value right now. ENTER YOUR REGISTRATION NOW! Scan with your smartphone to receive an instant…

Motoring’s most outspoken and opinionated columnist sounds off “EVs have three major problems: high price tags, over-ambitious range claims and an in adequate public charging network” NOBODY likes a smart-arse who cockily quips, “I told you so.” But I’m here to humbly offer opinions, suggestions, predictions plus facts. And the fact of the matter is that – er, how can I delicately put this? – I bloody well told you so. As soon as pure-electric cars went mainstream, starting with 2011’s Nissan Leaf at £31k, I declared myself a fan of the tech and the driving experience. But I was duty-bound to repeatedly tell you what others refused to. I knew then what I know now – that EVs are dogged by three major downsides: prohibitively high price tags; some…