Table of contents for 1759 - 1760 in Auto Express

I’M going to take a bit of a flyer declaring this pre-Christmas, but I reckon it’s safe to say the best-selling car of 2022 will be the British-built Nissan Qashqai. Year-to-date numbers give it a lead in the sales charts of more than 4,500, with last year’s number one, the Vauxhall Corsa, in second place. I’m not sure even Vauxhall’s super-salespeople will be able to overturn that during the traditionally slow sales month of December. The Qashqai’s sales success, whether it stays at number one or not, is hugely significant for Nissan in a year that its all-new Ariya was named Auto Express Car of the Year – taking 10 years’ worth of EV learning from the Nissan Leaf and putting it into the stunning and brilliant Ariya. The latest…

JAGUAR has updated its F-Pace SUV, streamlining the range and introducing minor upgrades and efficiency gains. The biggest tech change is a larger 19.2kWh battery for the PHEV model, so the car can travel up to 40.4 miles on electricity alone. This drops it into the eight-per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax bracket for company car users, while also improving its official economy figures to 176.6mpg and 37g/km of CO2 emissions. The simplified range starts with R-Dynamic S, which includes 19-inch alloys, a digital instrument panel and Pivi Pro infotainment set-up with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Customers can order the revised F-Pace now, with prices starting at £48,660 and stretching to £84,940 for the SVR model.…

“The C 63 S is a surprisingly easy car to drive, even when you’re pushing the limits of grip” Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.4 seconds/174mph THE appeal of cars like the Mercedes-AMG C 63, BMW M3 and Audi RS 4 has always been their blend of practicality and performance. Everyone loves the idea of a car that can be used for mundane motoring, but which is always ready for a bit of fun when the opportunity presents itself. It’s an alluring compromise. But the balance of that compromise is a delicate one, and arguably it’s never been trickier. The scope of what is deemed necessary to make a vehicle practical is broader than ever, and often the elements involved don’t blend all that easily with the ideals of a performance car.…

Q When Volkswagen R goes all-electric, how will it differentiate itself from other four-wheel-drive performance EVs? What will define electric R models? A “We must define the DNA for the R models in the electric world. This is a very important thing to do. We are at the beginning of this process at the moment. It’s very important for us to have a clear strategy for what we want for these cars, and we’re discussing different concepts to offer our customers the best R models possible.” Q The R brand hasn’t ever ventured into creating smaller, Polo-sized hot hatches. Does Volkswagen plan to broaden the R range in the future with more compact performance models? A “All-wheel drive is a must for a Volkswagen R product, and we won’t make…

Special contributor STRANGE old year, 2022. But in the world of high-performance cars, it’s hard to think of a more vibrant 12-month period when it comes to the creation of the core product: namely great – and in some cases breathtakingly brilliant – driver’s cars. But even as the fossil-fuelled era draws gradually to a close, there’s clearly a wave of enthusiasm flowing out of the design and engineering departments at most of the world’s best automotive companies right now. And it’s a wave that’s already gifted us with some fantastic last-hurrah high-performance cars, all of which are at least partially powered by petrol, and the best of which will surely become legends of the future, long after the lights have been turned off and the world has moved on…

IN an exclusive chat, Fiat boss Olivier François told us that the brand’s future line-up would be made up of cars based on two pillars: the 500 and a model that would be the spiritual successor to the Panda – and our exclusive image (right) shows what the latter could look like. Whereas the 500 will be more style-focused, the ‘Panda’ will have a simpler, more boxy shape designed to offer an electric vehicle at a budget price. François added that the Fiat range would be all electric by 2027.…

JANUARY saw Auto Express run two major stories about the state of UK roads policing. The first was based on police data, which revealed there had been a 16 per cent reduction in the number of road traffic officers since 2015. Meanwhile, 38 of the UK’s 45 police forces had adopted the Nextbase National Dash Cam Safety Portal and were relying on footage sent in by the public to prosecute drivers for traffic offences. Although the argument in favour of dash-cam footage was that this greatly reduced the time it takes to deal with a reported offence, our follow-up a couple of weeks later saw Tim Rogers, driver training lead at the Police Federation and a highly experienced traffic cop, criticise what he called “invisible policing”. Rogers pointed out that…

JEEP celebrated its 80th birthday in 2021, so it was only right for Auto Express to mark the occasion. A trip to the US allowed us to put a 1943 Willys Jeep alongside a 2022 Grand Cherokee. The Willys’ owner Ken Howell also has a 1982 CJ, which he described as “the last Jeep built from a true military vehicle”. In spite of this, the enthusiast said the latest car was “beautiful”, and was particularly impressed by the quality and comfort it offered.…

YOU hear people talk about new-car smell, but what many may not appreciate is the effort that goes into ensuring the cabin materials don’t give off an unpleasant whiff. A visit to Nissan’s UK technical centre in Cranfield, Bedfordshire allowed us to learn more about this highly scientific endeavour from odour-evaluation engineer Peter Eastland, who challenged us to identify a range of scent notes. He’s one of three chief Nissan sniffers globally, with counterparts in Japan and the US.…

THREE years after making its debut as a concept, and after a self-imposed delay for further development, the Alfa Romeo Tonale was finally revealed in February. Alfa spent much of that time improving the quality, infotainment and connectivity, as well as enhancing the plug-in hybrid powertrain, following intervention by CEO Jean-Phillippe Imparato when he joined in March 2021. It’s that engine/motor combination which would be key to the car’s success, pairing a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 15.5kWh battery and rear-mounted motor for a combined 271bhp. It’s the fastest version in the range, sitting above a 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol. Alfa’s DNA driving model is fitted across the range, and engineers told us the steering would be the most direct in the segment. Frequency Selective Dampers are standard, with Alfa…

A COMFORTABLE, well equipped, big cruiser was how we summed up the Citroen C5 X: a quirky blend of executive hatchback and crossover. We liked the resolute focus on luxury, deeming it “an attempt to offer stand-out comfort in the class”, with a spacious cabin and a pleasing mix of materials. The plug-in powertrain proved to be as good as it is in other Stellantis Group models. Price may prove to be the C5 X’s undoing for retail customers, with top-spec models costing more than £38,000, or £500 a month.…

VOLKSWAGEN has long delivered the X-factor when it comes to its vans and van-based people carriers, but the ID. Buzz is the funkiest in decades. Unashamedly taking design cues from the classic Type 2, it delivers a charm all of its own, especially with the two-tone paint scheme featured in VW’s first images. Choose one of those models, and you’ll also get a matching colour scheme inside. The hues aren’t the only appealing thing about the ID. Buzz’s interior, either. VW has also eliminated the use of leather, while the carpets and seat fabrics are made from recycled plastics. It’s an important step in VW’s desire to make production of the Buzz carbon neutral. Based on the same platform as the ID.3, the ID. Buzz uses a 201bhp electric motor…

THE Magento 2.0 is possibly Jeep’s most extreme model yet, and in many ways one of its most important, setting the scene for an all-electric Wrangler. The concept might only offer up a range of 124 miles, but its 70kWh battery feeds a 625bhp motor that powers all four wheels. While it sports classic ‘rock crawler’ styling, its on-road performance is remarkable: 0-62mph takes a mere two seconds. If there was ever a Jeep to drag the brand’s purists into the electric age, this is it.…

DRIVER’S cars have always been instrumental in forming BMW’s identity. So when a new, sporty model arrives from the brand, we’ll take notice. Back in April we had the chance to pit the new 2 Series Coupé, in its most potent form to date, the M240i, against rivals from Audi and Porsche. There are fascinating contrasts between the models – for a start, their engines. The BMW has a 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six, the Audi TT gets a 2.5-litre five-cylinder, and the Porsche 718 Cayman has a 2.0-litre flat four. Of those, the TT is the most potent, with a thumping 395bhp on tap. However, the Cayman has lower weight on its side, and it sends its drive to the rear wheels only, while the BMW and Audi both offer…

IN 2022, Auto Express continued its campaign to improve accessibility for disabled drivers at EV chargepoints. Having won the endorsement of wheelchair basketball legend Ade Adepitan, we played a pivotal role in bringing this important issue into the public eye. A key moment for our campaign came in the spring, when the British Standards Institute (BSI) published its draft PAS 1899 standards. These Government-backed proposals were supposed to vastly improve EV charging accessibility. Public charging firm Osprey designed and built a new type of EV charging bay in line with these standards, so we brought some disabled volunteers to a site in Oxfordshire where they had been installed to try them out. But the results weren’t as positive as we had hoped. Our three volunteers used walking sticks rather than…

FUEL prices were constantly in the headlines in 2022 when they rocketed to unprecedented highs, with petrol breaching the £2-per-litre mark at some retailers. Rishi Sunak, who was Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time, cut the rate of fuel duty by 5p per litre in an effort to ease the burden on hard-pressed motorists, but this proved to be too little, too late. Accusations of greed and inaction were thrown at retailers and the Government respectively, until prices finally settled down later in the year.…

YOU’D be right to assume it helps to be a car fan if you work at the Bentley factory in Crewe. The Pyms Lane Motor Club hosted its inaugural Colleagues, Cars and Coffee event this year, giving staff the chance to show off their beloved motors, with awards given to the best. A Citroen Mehari owned by Louis Tyson, technical assistant to the member of the board of engineering, was crowned supreme champion, with a huge variety of other cars on show at the factory in Cheshire.…

CUPRA’S product offensive shows little signs of slowing. As well as the Terramar mid-sized SUV and the Tavascan, the firm’s answer to the VW ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq, it showed the UrbanRebel concept. The small EV is officially a concept, but bosses told us that the exterior design is 95-per cent complete. The car will be based on the VW Group’s Small MEB platform, with a battery that should be good for a range of around 273 miles on a charge.…

WE scooped MG’s new roadster, declaring it the model that’ll take the brand back to its roots – in part at least, because MG is forging a very successful path making affordable EVs. The Cyberster will be a Mazda MX-5 rival, but with more evocative styling; patent images show aggressive headlights and a squared-off tail. While the concept had a 500-mile range and a three-second 0-62mph time, MG4 tech in the production car could see a 273-mile range and 0-62mph in about seven seconds.…

WE put the best of British up against each other in issue 1,734, with the all-new Range Rover going head to head with the magnificent Bentley Bentayga Land Rover was on to a winner with its luxury SUV. Both feel opulent, but while the Bentayga focused more on the driver, we rated the Range Rover’s ability to make all of its occupants feel like royalty. Its tech was slicker and, not that it matters too much at this price point, it was also less expensive.…

FEW supercars represented such extreme highs and lows as the McLaren Artura. On the one hand, the 3.0-litre V6 and e-motor deliver “ballistic” performance. We also said it felt better quality inside than any other McLaren, and very “grown up and capable” on the road. Why the lows, then? Well, despite our test car being a near-production model, we had several reliability issues. That’s poor for something costing £189,000 – worse when it should be your most popular model.…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.9 seconds/112mph Running costs 435 miles (Chinese test) 150kW charging THE BYD Seal made its first European appearance in October at the Paris Motor Show, signalling the Chinese company’s intention to bring the model to Europe. When it does arrive, expect it to drop the Seal name for the Atto 4 tag, but we’ll stick with the former for now, given our drive is of a Chinese model here. Many manufacturers have outlined that they’ll stop building pure-petrol and diesel cars, but BYD actually ceased production of pure ICE cars earlier this year to concentrate on PHEVs and EVs. We got behind the wheel of the long-range Seal to see what to expect. The Seal is the third car, after the UK-bound Atto 3 and Dolphin, on…

OBVIOUSLY this is all pure speculation on our behalf, and don’t blame us if we get them all heroically wrong due to unpredictable global circumstances and/or market developments that mean enthusiasts can get their thrills in different ways, but here’s what we reckon these cars might be worth in 10 years’ time. Maybe… NOTE 1 Only the GR86 and M4 CSL are officially limited in production numbers. NOTE 2 UK classifieds already list a GT4 RS for £240,000, so don’t laugh at our anticipated 2032 value of £300k. Weep maybe, but don’t laugh. “This is all speculation; don’t blame us if we get them all wrong” Mercedes-AMG SL 55 4MATIC+ PRICE NOW £147,475 VALUE IN 2032 £28,000 Toyota GR86 (limited to “around 430” units in UK) PRICE NOW £29,995 VALUE…

RANGE is crucial for any electric vehicle. Mercedes knows as much and embarked on an incredible technological experiment to extract as much from a full charge as possible, resulting in its breathtaking Vision EQXX concept that made its debut at CES 2022 in Las Vegas. However, rather than simply install a huge battery to maximise range, Mercedes optimised every area of the car, with slippery aerodynamics that give the EQXX its unusual shape and an incredibly low drag coefficient of just 0.17Cd. Lightweight materials (including a battery with a similar amount of energy to a Mercedes EQS limo, but weighing 30 per cent less and taking up 50 per cent less space) and clever 3D printing of certain components also optimised mass. Synergies with Mercedes’ F1 team on battery management,…

FORD killed off the Mondeo name plate in the UK (and it wouldn’t be the last announcement with news of a famous model to be axed here in 2022) but revealed an all-new model for China. The sleek saloon’s design gave a hint of how Ford’s future global range could look in a few years to come. With a 12.3-inch digital dash and a 27-inch central screen, the new Mondeo packed plenty of tech, but its combustion-only engine line-up for China wasn’t quite as advanced.…

OUR first sample of the Jogger showed that the brand has not lost its touch for designing cars that are a practical break from the norm. With a huge cabin and seven seats, allied to a sub-£15,000 starting price, it’s certainly a traditionally styled MPV to choose with your head, if not your heart. Unusually for a new car, it has no direct rivals, so we compared it to five used SUVs – even if we thought it had the potential to draw in family-hatch buyers.…

WITH Vauxhall now firmly embedded in the Stellantis empire, hopes were high for the new – and overdue – Astra. It’s certainly a step up in terms of design, inside and out. Its taut lines, the latest incarnation of the Vizor grille, wing-shaped rear lights and smart vertical brake light all give some much-needed standout in the car park. Not that you’d miss the bright yellow paint of our test car, though. The interior tech has given the familiar nameplate a shot in the arm. It’s not perfect, mind, because despite two clear, crisp 10-inch screens, it all felt a little clunky in use. Still, our first taste proved that it packed the technology to rival the latest Mk8 Volkswagen Golf, which remains a key rival. The move to Stellantis’s…

THE launch of a Maserati supercar is rare, but it’s always hotly anticipated. We already knew the Italian firm would rise to the aesthetic challenge, but little prepared us for how the MC20 would devour British roads. We loved the gearbox, the ride and the exceptional straight-line pace delivered by the firm’s new 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6. We said that we wished it sounded a little more dramatic, but otherwise the car “earns a place among the highest level of the supercar elite”.…

WITH petrol and diesel on the way out, but still a level of scepticism around EVs, the option of hydrogen power is often raised. To find out more, we took a Toyota Mirai – a hydrogen fuel cell car – to Staffordshire, where JCB was showing off its latest hydrogen-powered diggers. The firm has invested a lot in the tech and reckons it could be a great solution for the construction industry. Our experience also taught us, however, that the UK’s hydrogen filling station network needs a lot of work.…

ALMOST in readiness for its Fiesta news later in the year, we lifted the lid on Ford’s EV blitz, with three new cars to be launched by 2024: a medium-sized crossover, a ‘Sport Crossover’ and an electric Puma. The models will be based on VW’s MEB architecture, so batteries of up to 77kWh, rear and four-wheel drive and up to 295bhp will be on offer. We also pondered on the future of the Fiesta, given the difficulties in making cheap EVs profitable.…

“A MOMENTOUS point in our history” was how Lotus boss Matt Windle described the launch of the Eletre. It’s not hyperbole, either: the firm that made the concept of a lightweight sports car its own is now embarking on an electric future that includes an SUV. Such models are profitable enough to ensure the future of brands, but the Eletre retains enough weight-saving principles to still be considered a ‘proper’ Lotus. Tech borrowed from parent company Geely should help Lotus in that area, too.…

JUST when you think the Porsche Cayman couldn’t get much better, the GT4 RS blows pretty much every other current sports car out of the water. It blends a version of the 911 GT3’s 4.0-litre flat-six which barks all the way to 9,000rpm, sharper steering than the regular Cayman GT4 and gut-wrenching brakes, all to astonishing effect. Steve Sutcliffe said it was “one of the sharpest, most entertaining, best-sounding and just plain best-to-drive cars you’re ever likely to experience”.…

SMART has seen sales of its current cars slow. However the #1, due in 2023, is poised to reverse that. It’s an “urban companion compact SUV”, Smart says, developed under joint Daimler and Geely ownership, and based on the latter firm’s SEA architecture. Like Geely-owned Polestar, Smart will ‘name’ its future models with a number – in this case after a hash – not to signify size or market position, but to signal the order in which the models will go on sale. The #1 will be a similar size to the MINI Countryman, so it’s the largest Smart ever, and its maker claims the five-seat SUV is as spacious inside as a Mercedes E-Class saloon. Like the exterior, the cabin is neatly styled, and it’s full of advanced technology.…

THE next Q5 will be the swansong for Audi’s biggest-selling nameplate globally before the brand embarks on its all-electric future. Our scoop showed what the new car, due in 2023, could look like following a series of spy shots. It’ll be based on the same MLB architecture as the current car, albeit with a raft of revisions. Audi’s technical boss Oliver Hoffman said it will be “the best” Audi ever launched. As with the current car, there will be petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid versions.…

BMW is no stranger to controversial styling, so the oversized grille on the new 7 Series and electric i7 should come as little surprise. Beyond this, both models drip with cutting-edge tech: all-wheel steering, a 48-volt motor-based active anti-roll system and an “extremely thin” 101.7kWh battery fitted under the i7. Luxury will be at the heart of both models, with a 31.3-inch screen that drops down from the ceiling, so passengers can stream films via an Amazon Fire tablet.…

JUST weeks after we drove the new Range Rover, its Sport sibling was shown. JLR design boss Gerry McGovern said “it blends Range Rover luxury and capability with sporting character. It’s a redefinition of sporting luxury”. Like the full-fat Rangey, the Sport boasts clean lines, but the rear has a closer connection to the Velar and Evoque. There’s no electric version yet, but there are three plug-in hybrids available, two petrol and a diesel.…

THE Ford Fiesta ST has been the king of the hot hatches for some time, but that all changed in May, when the Hyundai i20N wrestled the crown out of its hands. The Ford remained thrilling to drive, and subtle updates gave it a new face and more kit, but the i20 felt just as hardcore while being even better value for money. As with the standard i20, the N is a little more practical than the Fiesta, too. Third place went to the VW Polo GTI; it was very quick, but felt a little aloof in this company.…

THE Alfa Romeo Tonale’s unveiling in February set enthusiasts’ tongues wagging, especially after the top brass said dynamics and quality would be excellent. We loved the car’s styling and strong dynamics when we sampled it in May, but were less impressed with the underwhelming 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain. And despite claims upholstery fit and finish would be improved by the time full production came on line, we declared the general interior quality a step behind premium rivals’.…

0-62mph in 2.0 seconds, 1,972bhp. No, not the latest supercar or a new product announcement from Elon Musk, rather the headline stats of Ford’s latest Transit Supervan. At the hands of Le Mans winner Romain Dumas, it was one of the stars of this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it set a remarkable time of 46.58 seconds up the hill. It wasn’t the fastest vehicle on the day, as we’ll see, but it was certainly the most surprising. This year’s creation is the fourth Supervan in a lineage that began all the way back in 1971, but this is the first to have all-electric power. It packs four motors, a 50kWh battery and a bespoke control system. And although it sports mostly unique composite panels incorporating aggressive aero and…

THE Emira is the car Lotus is backing to return it to the world’s sports car stage. It’s pitched against the Porsche Cayman, boasts a 395bhp 3.5-litre supercharged V6, and a 0-62mph time of 4.3 seconds. Our man Steve Sutcliffe reckoned it sounds the business and looks sensational, while interior quality marks a big step up. He said it’s a strong effort, but hopes Lotus will improve the steering and gearbox to turn the Emira into a class leader.…

HALF a century of development has led to the 11th generation of Honda Civic. The hybrid-only hatch proved to be an impressive piece of engineering when we finally got behind the wheel. We found it as fun to drive as ever, with a much-needed improvement in interior quality and some great tech. But it’s efficiency where the Civic lands its killer blow; we didn’t match its claimed 56.5mpg, but we achieved more than 46mpg without really trying. It’s proof there’s still life in petrol-electric powertrains.…

OUR New Car Awards is one of the key events of the year. Not only do we aim to provide the most definitive guide to our readers about the best models to buy, regardless of category, but manufacturers and key industry figures also take note of our findings in the annual event. This year’s winner was the fantastic Nissan Ariya. Fully electric cars like this have come so far in such a short space of time, and the Ariya proves that once again. We found the Japanese EV to be a hugely strong performer across the board; thanks to a 63kWh battery, it’s possible to cover up to 223 miles on a single charge. And that’s with just the entry-level battery pack. Go for the 87kWh option and that figure…

RANGE ROVER RANGE ROVER SPORT LAND ROVER DISCOVERY…

VAUXHALL has treated its Mokka Electric to a larger battery and a new motor that bring more power and greater efficiency. Due on sale in March, the revised model gets a 54kWh battery pack to replace the old 50kWh unit. The extra capacity lifts the Mokka’s WLTP range figure to 252 miles – an improvement of 43 miles, but still short of key rivals such as the Kia Niro EV. The new front-mounted motor generates 154bhp and 260Nm of torque. It’s more efficient, helping to deliver that range, but brings a 20bhp power increase as well; this allows the Mokka Electric to crack 0-62mph in less than 10 seconds. As before, it’ll go on to a limited top speed of 93mph. The car supports 100kW DC charging and gets an…

“If MST’s Mk2 recreation was a sensation, then the Mk1 build has turned Escort fever up to a noisy 11-plus” THE car is most definitely the star. I have been fortunate enough to drive some very fancy stuff during my time doing this job – but rarely has anything provoked such a response as MST’s vivid red Escort Mk1 recreation on this dreary November day in North Wales. Actually, I tell a fib. I do recall similar enthusiasm, and that was for my own Escort Mk1 Mexico, way back in the early nineties, the very last Escort I ever drove. Where are you now, REP 300M? Not on the road, according to the DVLA. You’ve probably seen the MST machine already. It has become something of an Internet and Instagram…

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2022 kicked off with one of the smallest – yet biggest – tests of the year. Superminis hold a vitally important spot in the UK’s new-car market, and with four of the country’s 10 best selling cars in the 12 months leading up to the contest coming from that very segment, the market for compact, affordable hatchbacks is still clearly in rude health. Judging by the standards of the three cars we assembled, that certainly seemed to be the case. The newcomer in the contest was Skoda’s latest Fabia. Now entering its fourth generation, here was a car that had grown a little larger than its predecessor – and become even smarter and better equipped, too. Such a promising car deserved stiff opposition, so we didn’t go easy on the…

THIS face-off between two ultra-luxurious EVs proved just how quickly the market is moving forward. On our first encounter with the Audi e-tron in 2018, it proved to be a fabulously comfortable, relaxing EV with fantastic tech. Despite this, the BMW had it comfortably beaten. The iX is even more silent and relaxing, yet sharper to drive. The BMW is much more efficient, too, while its iDrive tech is among the best, and its cabin feels truly special, too. It’s an incredible, if pricey, achievement.…

AN all-new Mercedes SL arrived in January, and with it came a move towards the sportier end of the segment, thanks to a new bespoke platform from AMG. Available in 63 and 55 forms with four-wheel drive, the V8-engined models pack the punch you expect from an AMG. Mercedes later confirmed a 2.0-litre 43 model, while rumours of a plug-in hybrid 53 model remain. What was confirmed is that the SL had been reborn as a proper convertible sports car without losing its cruising ability.…

THERE’S always been a power race among the German brands, and nowhere is that more clear than in the hot hatch segment. In fact, with the latest Audi RS 3 and Mercedes-AMG A45 S, it’s a wonder whether they are now so extreme (and expensive) that they’ve established a class of their own. The on-paper stats are mind boggling – just 20 years ago, they would more than likely be considered supercar numbers. The Audi is unique in this segment thanks to its turbocharged five-cylinder engine. It’s not short of power either, with 394bhp and 500Nm – the latter available from 2,250rpm right the way through to 5,600rpm. However, the Mercedes is even more potent; AMG’s boffins have squeezed out a staggering 415bhp from an even smaller 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo.…

EVs currently avoid vehicle excise duty – colloquially known as road tax – and fuel duty. The Transport Select Committee’s report looking at alternative tax models to avoid a hole in the Treasury’s coffers concluded that a pay-per-mile road-pricing system is the most practical suggestion thus far, but added that it was open to other ideas. The Government has said a new system will be needed, but not what form it will take and from when.…

FEBRUARY saw us match up three of the best long-rangers of the EV segment, with the all-new BMW i4 facing off against the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3. In the end, the result stood at 4, 3, 2. The BMW took the win thanks to the brilliant driving experience, while the Tesla’s performance, efficiency and superb charging network helped it into a very close second. The Polestar propped up the standings, not quite able to compete with the other two for range or in-car tech.…

SKODA confirmed its first electric vRS model in February, as part of the Enyaq Coupé line-up. The four-wheel-drive, 295bhp vRS boasts a 6.5 second 0-62mph time. Like the rest of the Enyaq Coupé range, it features a sloping roofline, improved aerodynamic efficiency and, Skoda claims, a similar amount of rear headroom to the Octavia Estate. The vRS packs the same 135kW charging capability as the regular Enyaq, allowing a 10 to 80 per cent charge in as little as 29 minutes.…

WITH Honda’s announcement that its entire Civic line-up, apart from the Type R hot hatch, would move to hybrid powertrains, it also signalled that its European range would be electrified. It was a significant moment for the brand, which was an early adopter of hybrid tech, with the launch of the original Insight in 1999, and the first time UK buyers will be offered a hybrid-powered Civic hatchback. Plus, with the closure of Honda’s Swindon plant, it will be the first Civic since 1994 that’s not built in the UK. Badged e:HEV, to keep it in line with hybrid HR-V and CR-V models, it was revealed that the Civic would feature a newly developed 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle engine working in conjunction with a lithium-ion battery feeding a dual electric motor set-up.…

TOYOTA and its luxury sister brand Lexus are both undergoing something of a renaissance at the moment – and nowhere was this demonstrated more emphatically than when the brand-new Lexus NX 450h+ took a shock twin-test win against one of the consistent leaders of the posh SUV segment, the Audi Q5. On our first chance to get behind the wheel of the NX, we struggled to bring to mind another car that had exhibited such a vast improvement over its predecessor. Of course, Lexus has always excelled in some areas – namely refinement, build quality and reliability – but the new model built on its maker’s traditional strengths to deliver a genuinely complete package. Take the infotainment system, for example. In recent times, this had become renowned as the single…

POLESTAR is a small brand with big ambitions, and the unveiling of its O2 concept showed its plans to move beyond compact execs and SUVs. The O2 is based on technology that will underpin the forthcoming Polestar 5, and Polestar boss Thomas Ingenlath said it would be “irresponsible” not to build the 2+2 convertible. One feature that is all but certain to be dropped from any series production car is a camera drone stowed in the cabin to shoot social media-ready video clips.…

“BRILLIANT Brit sets gold standard for SUVs” we said on the cover of issue 1,724. And in the months since the launch of the new Range Rover, it’s been hard to disagree with that statement. While the original was conceived as the ultimate lifestyle SUV, 50 years and five generations later it’s morphed into not only the ultimate luxury SUV, but also possibly the best luxury car money can buy. The fifth-generation model certainly looks like a Range Rover, just one shorn of unnecessary features: fewer lines and creases, more discrete trim inserts, flush door handles and clever ‘hidden until lit’ rear lights. Importantly, we declared the panel fit and paint finish better than ever, pointing to huge investment in Land Rover’s Solihull factory designed to drive up the quality…

ON Euro NCAP’s 25th birthday, we looked at how the organisation has improved car safety over the past quarter of a century. Back in 1997, it was curtain airbags and seat-belt reminders, but today the focus has shifted to driver-assistance systems that can reduce the risk of accidents. Euro NCAP will continue to raise the bar, it told us, as we head towards an age of autonomous systems. It’ll be down to the organisation to praise those that work well and criticise those that don’t.…

THE Niro is one of Kia’s biggest sellers in the UK, and we got behind the wheel of a pre-production prototype of the new version. Smart new styling, a tech-laden cabin and far better practicality showed the car’s huge promise. Like the original Niro, it’s still a little short on thrills, but it remains effortless to drive – which is what buyers really demand in this class. We said the self-charging hybrid version was best when not pushed hard, but there were no complaints about its excellent economy.…

THIS year marked the 50th anniversary of the first BMW M car entering production, so Steve Sutcliffe took a very special look back at one of the most evocative letters in the performance car alphabet, by assembling some of the M Division’s greatest hits. The venue was Llandow circuit in Wales, where Steve had the opportunity to explore the capabilities of these cars side by side. He started with the M1. This was the first full-production car to wear the M badge, and one which was a happy accident after motorsport plans for the mid-engined coupé were shelved. On our recent encounter with the M1, it became very clear that many of the defining characteristics that would go on to be hallmarks of all the best M cars – beautiful…

“THE best electric van we’ve yet driven,” we said when we climbed behind the wheel of the Ford e-Transit. We’re already huge fans of the regular diesel Transit, but with the motor from a Mustang Mach-E, a 68kWh battery and a range of 196 miles, it sets new standards for the class. It takes 34 minutes to top up from 10 to 80 per cent with a 115kW charger. The van can carry almost a tonne of cargo, and there’s a range of sizes and conversions.…

AUTO Express prides itself on its unrivalled automotive product reviews and, in 2022, we rounded up the best of the best with our annual product awards. The CTEK CS One was crowned the Product of the Year, after the unit impressed us with how it “changed the way battery chargers work”. Awards were also given to a wide range of valeting products, tools and tyres, with these recommendations helping our readers know what the best buys are when it comes to looking after their cars.…

STYLING tweaks, a bit more tech and some improved trim are the bread and butter of any facelift, but such is the fondness and enthusiasm for the BMW 3 Series saloon and Touring estate, that these mid-life revisions really do matter. May’s announcement showed that the latest Three would mirror the recently revised 5 Series, and gain new, slimmer headlights, which make the same-sized grille appear a little larger, plus redesigned bumpers and new paint colours. Popular M Sport versions feature chrome trim, but the optional M Sport Pro pack turns this black, and adds a black rear spoiler and exhaust tips, plus red brake calipers. More significant was the news that the interior would receive BMW’s new ‘Curved Display’ interface, which combines a floating 12.3-inch digital instrument panel with…

IT’S been a year of change for Jaguar. In February the firm announced its Reimagine plan, which outlines a bold new future, while CEO Thierry Bolloré revealed that the price of this would be cars costing around £100,000. But by the middle of the year, things had gone quiet. To find out more, we met with Jaguar’s vehicle programme boss Nick Collins, who revealed that since Bolloré’s announcement, the entire JLR team had been working flat out to deliver these plans. He told us how they’ve redefined both the development process and Jaguar’s brand ethos, which would be “respectful of its rich past, but not bound to it”. The need to deliver JLR design boss Gerry McGovern’s vision means engineering a bespoke architecture, and in the coming years this will…

ONCE again in 2022, we compiled the Brit List – a top 50 rundown of the most influential Brits in the global automotive industry. This year, our expert panel of judges chose Stuart Rowley for the number one spot. Rowley, who comes from Derby, had been working at Ford for more than 30 years. He earned the gong as both chairman of Ford of Europe and chief transformation & quality officer for the firm globally, although he was one of several key execs at the firm to retire earlier this month.…