Table of contents for 1860 in Auto Express

IT was interesting listening to MG last week, talking about the “brutal” level of discounting going on in the new-car market. That’s potentially great for consumers, with the deals that will be available as makers scrabble to hit Zero-Emission Vehicle targets that seem increasingly not fit for purpose (see page 12). But if the controversial ZEV mandate is not actually driving change and helping people willingly make the move into electric cars, then it’s just a penalty on doing business. I saw some sales figures last week that made for shocking reading about who is buying electric cars. Both the private and fleet markets are fairly static this year compared with 2023, which isn’t great when the fleet sector has traditionally blazed a trail on EVs thanks to the company-car…

THE reaction to the new Jaguar logos and brand repositioning (see issue 1858) caused a stir across the world last month – especially the video that featured plenty of people, but no cars. The strength of opinion may have surprised the company, but managing director Rawdon Glover told Auto Express that nothing has changed his resolve. “Transformation is never straightforward, and we know that Jaguar is a brand that’s loved and respected for its heritage,” he said. “But the reality is that has not led to people buying more cars. The need for change is clear. “What we wanted to do was to get the world’s attention, and we’ve done exactly that,” he continued, highlighting that the brand has recorded more than 170 million social media interactions. “There are only…

THE Lotus Emira range is set to expand in 2025, with the introduction of two new models designed to elevate the two-seater’s position as a key sports-car player. The Emira Turbo and Turbo SE are based on the existing four-cylinder car but boast up to 400bhp, plus an extra 50Nm of torque. The base Emira becomes the Emira Turbo, with the same 360bhp and 430Nm of torque as before. While performance figures for this variant are unconfirmed, we don’t expect any changes over the outgoing car, which does 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds and can crack a 171mph top speed. Lotus says the Turbo comes with “new core performance features” such as upgraded brakes and fresh 20-inch 10-spoke lightweight wheels in gloss silver. There’s new ‘Emira Turbo’ branding, pedals, and a…

DRIVERS are at risk of invalidating their insurance by something as simple as fitting a towbar, with little information being provided by insurance sales websites. One driver contacted Auto Express fearing a six-figure bill after Allianz-owned insurer Flow cancelled his policy post-accident, saying if he’d listed his towbar as a modification, it would not have offered cover. The driver purchased Flow insurance via the Money Supermarket website and told us he ticked the ‘unmodified’ option when applying, after clicking the website ‘help’ link to determine what the question meant. Money Supermarket confirmed the wording states: “If you or a previous owner has made a change from original specification, such as alloy wheels, air-conditioning, bodywork, exhaust system or tinted windows, add it here. If you’re unsure, check your car’s history to…

CHRISTMAS shoppers are being advised to hold off buying e-scooters as gifts this year, despite suggestions from the Government that they could be legalised on UK roads. As part of Warwickshire County Council’s new Scoot Smart Campaign, councillor Jan Matecki warned Christmas shoppers: “By gifting an e-scooter, we risk putting young people in harm’s way – not only legally, with fines and licence points, but also in terms of safety.” This follows comments from the then Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, who described e-scooters in a meeting with the Commons’ Transport Select Committee as “a really effective part of an integrated transport strategy”. She added that full legislation surrounding e-scooter usage was now “clearly required”, given that the UK has been operating trial rental schemes since 2020. With this in mind,…

WE’VE already covered the new MINI Aceman in detail – both online and in the magazine. Our first drive back in October (Issue 1,855) allowed us to experience the small electric SUV on a variety of roads in southern Denmark. However, our initial test was restricted to an extended spin in the higher-spec Aceman SE – the more affordable E variant wasn’t available at the time, meaning we couldn’t deliver an all-encompassing verdict on which car should command your hard-earned cash. On paper, the E represents a significant £4,500 saving over the equivalent SE. For your money you get a smaller battery (38.5kWh usable capacity, compared with 49.2kWh in the SE) and a less powerful motor. Yet with 181bhp and 290Nm, the E is no slouch – it picks up…

WHILE Captain Quint and the other blokes in Jaws may have needed a bigger boat, after living with a BMW iX1 for several months, I’ve realised I don’t. That’s why I welcomed the opportunity to try the new MG3 for size – and so far, it’s proving a perfect fit. The 293-litre boot might not be the largest of all the superminis on the market, but I’ve found it’s big enough to swallow the carry-on bag and backpack I take with me on work trips. There’s room left over for a large duffle bag too. Sure, the MG might not work for a family of five, but I’m predominantly a party of one, so it’s more than enough. I’m sure I could cram in more stuff if I had to,…

WHAT’S INCLUDED? 39% off the cover price Get a 6-issue trial for just £1! Your subscription will then automatically renew every 13 issues at just £36.99. Free Delivery Never miss an issue with delivery to your doorstep at no extra cost. Free Auto Express Keep Cup KeepCup: The original reusable, barista standard cup. Lightweight, durable, and fits most car holders. Your stylish, eco-friendly caffeine companion. Flexible options We offer hassle-free cancellation or the option to pause anytime SUBSCRIBE NOW 1 Order online Visit subscribe.autoexpress.co.uk or call 0330 333 9491 2 Enter the offer code DOCT24PR and choose the offer that suits you best. 3 Check out securely Complete your order, and await the arrival of our first issue. Sit back, relax and enjoy! SCAN TO SHOP Scan me with your…

REPLACING worn carpets in your car is an expensive exercise, so a set of protective over-mats makes lots of sense and can even look good, too. There are two new, tailored-to-fit options from Michelin to choose from, so to see if they live up to the brand’s high-quality image we put them up against a premium set from Halfords. Our test car was a Renault Clio and we looked for a good fit front and rear, plus no movement as we got in and out. We used a wire brush for 50 passes on the surface to recreate everyday use, and ground in a mixture of salt and grit, assessing the vacuumed results on the pile. Although it was the most expensive here, we put the Michelin Luxury offering ahead…

THIS time of year, it’s an occupational hazard for the Auto Express team to be cornered by friends, colleagues or family asking for advice about buying a new car. It’s the second most dreaded question after “What’s your favourite car?”. That one is tricky because the answer changes with your mood – like your favourite song. The pitfalls of the “What Car Should I Buy?” question are slightly different – partly because you know you’ll cross paths with that person again once they’ve bought their new car. But the problem is mainly that, in many cases, they’ve already got an idea of what they want – or may even have decided – and are looking for an expert to validate their choice, rather than advise. It’s a mistake you only…

THOSE who live within, or know anything about, the UK will confirm that at times of crisis, Brits reach for the kettle and have a cuppa. ‘Keep Calm and Drink Tea’ is a national slogan. So it’s a minor tragedy that Typhoo – a beverage brand and a British institution – has just fallen into administration due to the usual double whammy of dwindling customers and financial woes. These are the sort of problems many vehicle manufacturers know well. For decades, Ford topped the UK car sales charts, but it’s now slumped to fifth place and has just announced 800 further job cuts in Britain. Traditionally, Vauxhall claimed the No.2 spot, but has now plummeted to 10th, and the latest atrocious news from the firm is that it’s killing off…

WE’VE known it’s coming for some time now, but finally, the covers are off the electric Ford Puma Gen-E. It’s quite clearly based on the existing petrol car, but subtle tweaks mark out the Hyundai Kona and Jeep Avenger rival – not least the unique Electric Yellow paint you see here. Under the metal sits Ford’s familiar global B-car platform, adapted to house a relatively modest 43kWh battery for a maximum range of 233 miles. The company does say that in an urban environment that range can be as much as 325 miles – presumably making use of the car’s regenerative braking system. While markedly similar to the ICE car, the Gen-E takes an evolutionary approach to its styling. The grille has been replaced by a flush panel, with a…

THE government has announced a review into the controversial ZEV (zero-emissions vehicle) mandate after major pushback from across the car industry, with the next steps expected to be laid out in January. Business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds told guests at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) annual dinner that “the [car] industry is facing a greater set of challenges today than at any point in the last 50 years”. Referring to the ZEV mandate put in place by the previous Conservative administration, Reynolds said, “I don’t believe the policies we have inherited are operating today in a way anyone intended them to” and that he was “profoundly concerned” by the current state of the market. Now, after meeting with industry bosses and the SMMT last week, the…

DAN Balmer (below) has been revealed as the new European boss of Lotus Cars, promising to “read the room” with Hyper Hybrids and investment in driver-assistance tech. Balmer told Auto Express the firm will be promising investment in EVs, as well as ‘Hyper Hybrid’ tech. Balmer, whose 32-year career includes stints at Rolls-Royce, BMW and Aston Martin, has been with Lotus for over three years – mostly in Asia and the Middle East. He reiterated the Lotus mantra of “born British, raised globally”. With 7,617 cars sold in the first nine months of 2024, he is aiming for 12,000 this year, ramping up to 30,000 by the end of 2026. He said the sales mix of its cars and EVs currently sits at 50:50, but lifestyle vehicles like the Eletre…

THE new Jaecoo 7 mid-size SUV is now available priced from £29,800, meaning the Chinese model will rival the Volkswagen T-Roc and Toyota C-HR. Two 1.6-litre petrol powertrains are offered, with or without plug-in hybrid technology. The PHEV is the more expensive, at £35,065 – roughly £4,000 cheaper than a plug-in hybrid C-HR – but the Jaecoo 7 is larger than its rivals with bold, blocky, styling and a 4WD option. Two trim levels will be offered: Deluxe and Luxury. Deluxe is two-wheel drive only, but has a panoramic sunroof. Luxury trim costs £32,850 on the all-wheel-drive 1.6-litre petrol model and £35,065 on the plug-in hybrid. Deliveries are expected from January.…

TOYOTA’S much loved GR Supra is set to bow out in style with the new 429bhp A90 Final Edition – a track-honed special limited to only 300 models worldwide. The company is pulling the plug on the latest version of its performance car, but an array of changes and updates to this last iteration will ensure it goes out with a bang. Among the highlights are an upgraded chassis, a racier cockpit and a bolder design. Plus the A90 Final Edition sees the output of the six-cylinder 3.0-litre engine rise from 381bhp to 429bhp, with torque up from 500Nm to 570Nm. Other enhancements include superior cooling and a titanium exhaust. The brakes get updated pads and new discs, plus there’s uprated suspension and wider tyres. The Supra A90 Final Edition…

“You can tell there’s some real class to the A6’s chassis – there’s depth to its engineering” AUDI no longer has to make excuses when it comes to its EVs. First came the Audi e-tron, a compromised SUV based on an ICE platform, then the Q4 e-tron and e-tron GT arrived, with borrowed underpinnings from elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group. It has taken until now for Audi to produce a ground-up EV based on its own PPE platform, tailored for Audi customer tastes and which it can proudly call its own. And on first impressions it has been worth the wait. Admittedly, we’ve already seen a couple of cars on this platform – the Porsche Macan and Audi Q6 e-tron – but this A6 e-tron is arguably more interesting. Not…

UNLIKE mere mortal cars, what’s effectively a mid-life refresh is enough for a new name at McLaren, because in the eyes of the masters, an update for a supercar requires more power. It turns out 710bhp (or 720PS – hence the name) wasn’t enough, so the 30bhp increase brings with it a new title, the 750S replacing the 720S despite it being an evolution and not an entirely new model. As well as increasing the power, McLaren has taken the opportunity to tweak the car’s looks, with wider intakes at the front to increase cooling, funnelling air to the mid-mounted V8. The back end is more notably different, with influences from the track-focused 765 LT going into the diffuser design, while the central-mounted exhaust is a nod to the P1…

WINNER MG MONTEGO LOOKING back on these two with hindsight is a wonderful thing, and driving the two back-to-back revealed a fascinating insight into just how much the motoring landscape has changed. One thing the Montego makes clear is that family car buyers in the past were spoiled when it came to humdrum cars that could put a smile on your face; in MG form, it looks fantastic and feels like an event to drive. Find an example with power steering, and as long as you don’t have tall passengers, it’d be a wonderfully fun car to live with every day. PROS Keen throttle response Fantastic seats Purposeful looks CONS Heavy steering Rear headroom No ABS option RUNNER-UP FORD SIERRA WHILE the Sierra was a huge sales success at the…

CHRISTMAS is the big season for family games, but it's not just about sitting around the dining table these days. As technology develops, more and more car manufacturers are getting in on the act, so we’ve pulled together a selection of latest games you can actually play in your motor. Whether you’re waiting for a car to charge while driving home for Christmas, hanging around a shopping centre as the family are picking up those last few gifts, or even hiding on the driveway to avoid post-sprout fragrances, there are now plenty of ways to keep yourself amused while the wheels aren’t turning. BMW THE German firm has really stepped up the in-car family gaming experience. Using the AirConsole system, there are currently 19 games to choose from, including the…

“WHEN YOU USE THE HEATER CONTROLS, A FOX AVATAR APPEARS SITTING ON A CHAIR. IT’S POINTLESS, MAYBE, BUT IS ALSO SOMEHOW UPLIFTING” ALL modern cars have to pack in plenty of driver-assistance and safety features to secure the highest possible Euro NCAP rating, and how much they interfere or annoy varies widely across brands. One you rarely want to turn off, though, is the speed-limit alert – but we have found a recent software update on our Smart #1 has made the system too efficient for its own (or rather our) good! While my husband and I were driving along the A3, the binging alert kept going off. Initially we weren’t really sure what we were being warned about, because we were travelling well within the relevant speed limit. However,…

THE video game industry is currently booming, with the latest consoles delivering incredible graphics, highly authentic gameplay and even virtual-reality integration. And for those gamers wanting to hit the track, there’s everything from realistic driving simulators to fun, arcade-style racers. At first glance, many of the games featured over these four pages test may look familiar to you, with release dates from a few years back. However, you shouldn’t be fooled. A lot of games studios have moved away from the traditional cycle of releasing a new product every year, in favour of downloadable content packs to keep existing titles feeling box fresh. New cars, tracks and even gameplay tweaks are added on a regular basis. There are plenty of options to choose from, so we’ve tested some of the…

THE third-generation Qashqai was the first to be available as a hybrid, and this model’s highest scores are for its powertrain, which takes 23rd place overall, and a more impressive 12th for its sound – the one top-20 score. The smoothness of the gearbox also achieves a 23rd place, but these are the only scores in the top half of the rankings, so it’s all downhill from here, unfortunately. The next best ranking is 26th for both ride quality and driving pleasure, which isn’t too bad, but 28th for rear-seat legroom, 30th for front-seat visibility and 31st for boot space leave room for improvement. There are several other areas that see scores in the 30s, such as the sat-nav in 34th place, the switchgear user-friendliness (36th), and the value for…

JAGUAR’S future is now clearer after the brand showed its Type 00 concept at Miami Art Week. After weeks of controversy over its rebrand, direction and logos, Jaguar will be hoping the reveal of the Type 00 shifts focus back to its plans to become an all-electric luxury car maker. The concept is a precursor to a four-door GT to be seen next year, ahead of deliveries in 2026. The name, pronounced “type-zero-zero” combines Jaguar’s historic use of ‘type’ with 00 to signify the resetting of the brand and its zero-emission future. “Type 00 is the first line drawn for new Jaguar – its origin story,” said managing director Rawdon Glover, describing the dramatically styled car with its bluff front, long bonnet, sweeping roof and coupé profile, as well as…

AUDI’S next new model in its range-wide revamp is the Q5 Sportback, a sloping-roofed SUV with the likes of the Mercedes GLC and Range Rover Velar in its sights. Priced from £52,450, the new Sportback costs £2,500 more than the equivalent Q5 SUV, and will be available to order from January. Key differences between the SUV and Sportback relate almost entirely to the body, which the latter featuring a more streamlined silhouette. Unlike the previous Q5, though, this one was designed from the outset with a second bodystyle in mind, allowing Audi’s design team to push the roofline lower, narrow the windows and give it a more aggressive stance. There are a few compromises to take into account with the Sportback, such as a less versatile luggage area than the…

BMW has released the first official images of its updated iX SUV that’s due in showrooms next year. The striking model has been a technical flagship for the firm since its introduction in 2021, employing advanced manufacturing techniques for the chassis and electric powertrain. To keep the iX competitive, BMW is planning updates to the car’s battery, electric motors and tech, plus some subtle tweaks for the styling. Changes will start with the battery, which is said to have more cells and therefore an even higher capacity than the 111.5kWh unit fitted to today’s high-spec model. The German manufacturer hasn’t specifically said how much the battery pack will grow by, but it has confirmed a 10 per cent increase in overall efficiency, thanks to elements such as friction-reducing wheel bearings…

WHILE the Supra (above) is on its way out, Toyota isn’t ready to say goodbye to its Yaris supermini, announcing a series of changes for the 2025 model year. Chief among them are new options for the range-topping GR Sport trim, with a fresh Storm Grey paintjob. The rest of the line-up gets the option of a new Forest Green paint. The Yaris received a larger 10.5-inch screen for its higher trims earlier this year and this is retained for the 2025 model. The engine line-up is unchanged too, so every car gets a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol hybrid with 114bhp or 129bhp. Given the limited number of revisions, any change to the pricing (currently from £22,640) should be minor. Production starts in February, with UK specifications still to be confirmed.…

IF ever there was the perfect model to launch a fledgling car brand, the stylish and sporty Formentor was it – and it struck a chord with a lot of buyers too. It was Cupra’s top seller in 2023, but to keep it fresh, it’s been just been given a facelift. That means the Formentor – like the recently updated Leon – gains the ‘shark’s nose’ of Cupra’s all-electric line-up. This includes new headlights, a more flush grille and completely revised bumper. At the rear you’ll find a rather snazzy full-width light bar with Cupra’s emblem illuminated in the middle. There are two plug-in hybrid Formentors – with 201 or 268bhp – but the VZ First Edition trim we test here comes only on the more powerful version. The basic…

LET’S be honest. Sleighs seem a bit, well, Middle Ages, don’t they? You could say they’re little more than a chariot with skis attached. If you’re delivering presents all over the world, a sleigh no longer strikes us as the best form of transport for a certain Mr Claus. And his sleigh, of course, is powered by…. reindeer. Have you ever actually seen one up close? Or smelled one, for that matter? No one could be thrilled at the idea of sitting so close to the rear end of so many animals for a whole evening, even if it is just once a year… So to help him out, we asked some of the world’s best car designers and their studios to come up with a rather more suitable company…

I-SPY THE king of the in-car games offers a series of books for the kids (or adults) to occupy themselves by ticking off makes of car, types of vehicle, road signs and more. Or there's the old-fashioned “I spy with my little eye”, which has been causing arguments for decades. Just be sure to pick something you can still see after five minutes of increasingly desperate guesses from your companions. BRIDGE BASEBALL THIS is a motorway game where you take it in turns to be ‘on strike’, and every time you go under a bridge where there’s a car or person moving, you move on a base until you reach fourth base and complete a home run. But if you go under an empty bridge, you’re out, and it’s the…

WHAT WE WOULD CHOOSE VOLKSWAGEN Two-tone paint is £2,790. The £2,205 Design Package Plus adds a photochromic glass roof and matrix LED headlights. The £2,310 Comfort Seat package upgrades the front seats, while a heat pump costs £1,050. LEXUS You can choose standard or Takumi trims, but there are no other cost options. Metallic paint in white, beige, black or red is available across the range, while sandcoloured leather is on offer for no extra outlay.…

NORMALLY a long-term test car comes to us box fresh – but although it’s new to me, this Superb has already graced the pages of Auto Express as one of Skoda’s press demonstrators, before coming into my hands as a used car. I’ve wanted a Superb for a while, because I’ve had various Skodas in the past and have liked all of them. The Yeti, oddball name aside, was a great car – fun-to-drive and with a practical interior. The Octavia vRS offered Golf GTI pace, while doubling as the perfect family wagon, and I enjoyed my experience with the less racy, but still practical Karoq SUV. As such, I’m looking forward to putting the Superb through its paces – and one of its first assignments was to spend time…

MINI COUNTRYMAN TWO identical journeys, a month apart, have shown perfectly how much cold weather can affect an EV’s range. A 160-mile round trip from South London to Deal, Kent, was easy in a warmish October half term; the MINI predicted 200-plus miles of range as we left, and after a long weekend, we arrived home with 35 miles still showing In the recent cold snap, we repeated the journey, but the MINI guesstimated a range of just 180 miles. We returned after an overnight stay in Deal, but with 40 miles of that trip left, the car said I had just 50 miles of range. Despite reducing my speed, the prediction was dropping quickly, thanks to the heating required in the icy conditions. The nav also seemed concerned, routing…

FIRST TEST Laser Multi-Head Ratchet Set Price: £88.39 Rating: Contact: lasertools.co.uk LASER Tools often takes an innovative approach to solving problems and this latest Multi-Head Ratchet Spanner Set is a typically clever example of that. The 8872 is essentially a cross between a spanner and a socket set. The 12 heads, which span 8-19mm, are held in a neat rack that can be hung on a wall or slipped into a toolbox or bag, taking up less space than the same number of separate spanners, but doing the same job. We’d have liked to see sizes marked clearly on the holder and, although the size and direction marking on the heads was good, it’s a shame it’s on just one side. The sizes are also not that easy to see in…

Save up to £118 on an annual Christmas gift subscription on the best motoring magazines around. Share your passion and get hassle-free gifts that last all year. subscribe.autoexpress.co.uk/xmas Calls to 03 numbers will be charged at your standard local rate. This offer closes on 31st December 2024. 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 gift subscriptions will begin in January 2025…

PICKING the right seven-seater should involve visits to a dealership to assess cabin size, boot space and other essentials, as well as to check the rest of the family like the car, too. If you plan to carry multiple passengers regularly, it might even be a wise idea to bring a gang of seat-testers along. Beyond practical considerations, it’s worth comparing self-charging and plug-in hybrids to see which better suits your budget or circumstances. The former offers fuss-free efficiency and low running costs, but you won’t be able to use electric power for long. Purehybrid power also promises much lower savings compared with plug-in variants. PHEVs make sense as company cars, but can also be a fine choice for private buyers. If you do most of your driving over short distances,…