Table of contents for 1897 in Auto Express

ON 1 September, I’ll be driving to work with my eyes on stalks, eager to spot my first new-reg 75-plate car before I finish my morning coffee. It’s a biannual event – or annual, depending on how far you rewind – that I’ve enjoyed since I was a child, and the enthusiasm is yet to falter. There’s something about seeing a brandnew car with that glossy, perfectly printed Perspex on its nose just hours after it left the showroom. And if I know our readers at all, I’m sure I’ll not be the only one who’ll get that tingly feeling on that day. We may not see the same nationwide hysteria we did in the late eighties or early nineties – the days before competitive car finance became so prolific…

THE family hatchback sector has been under massive pressure from more fashionable SUVs, with their rugged styling and higher driving position being popular with buyers. But Peugeot’s 308 product head, Vera Charpentier, told Auto Express that Peugeot still sees a future for the hatch body style, with buyers proving to be wedded to the two-box shape. “They have high loyalty, and a premium and battery electric vehicle predominance,” she told Auto Express. The 308 sits in the top five in its class for sales across Europe, with the dominant Volkswagen Golf topping the chart and the Skoda Octavia, Toyota Corolla and BMW 1 Series separated by a few thousand units alongside the 308. According to Peugeot, 73 per cent of 308 hatchback customers are loyal to Peugeot, and 62 per…

SOMETIMES the old ways are the best. As a case in point, two years ago the new (and much improved) Tesla Model 3 was launched without an indicator stalk, which caused some backlash to say the least. Now, however, the company has listened to reason and brought back the old-fashioned indicators. Unfortunately, for the time being it’s only customers in China who will be able to get their hands on the Model 3 with an indicator stalk. Cars sold in the UK still feature touch-sensitive panels on the steering wheel for the indicators. During our testing, we’ve found that these can be irritating to use in certain situations, such as on roundabouts or on other occasions when you’ve turned the steering wheel, but need to indicate. What’s more, existing Model…

THE Bigster is Dacia’s most versatile car to date. Along with being its largest SUV, it comes with either mild-hybrid or full-hybrid engines, and a plug-in version is expected in 2026. The only thing the Bigster hasn’t got covered is seven seats – see the Jogger MPV for that. We’ve already driven the Bigster in its two-wheel-drive forms (the Hybrid 155 and TCe 140), but given Dacia has tried hard to shift its image from that of a budget-focused brand to a more adventurous and rugged car company, it was time to get behind the wheel of the Bigster 4x4. All-wheel drive models are limited to just the one 1.2-litre mild-hybrid, three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. It comes in two trim levels, Expression at £27,465 and Extreme at £29,265, the latter…

FEW cars are as long-lived as the Jeep Renegade. It was the company’s smallest SUV when production first started in 2014 – now superseded by the Avenger – and more than a decade later, it’s still going. We’d like to say it’s still going strong, but the Renegade has never really excelled in one area; competitors have long had the measure of it in most respects. Yet that hasn’t stopped sales, and to celebrate one million units of the Renegade and the equally ageing, soon-to-be-replaced Compass being sold across Europe, Jeep has introduced a special edition called the North Star. There was a bit of confusion when we booked the car in, because it came a week after we’d driven the Jeep Avenger The North Face, a car that has…

BUYING TIPS: SMALL CARS THE best small cars on sale today come with a truly grown-up blend of driving enjoyment, advanced safety features and in-car technology, which means they are now able to offer a level of refinement that was once the preserve of larger, more expensive vehicles. On top of all that, they are generally affordable to buy, economical to run, and reasonably inexpensive to insure. But it can be tricky to figure out which cars are more adept than others in these categories, which is where our handy list comes in. Iconic cars such as the Fiat 500e and MINI Cooper will be the first models you think of when it comes to small cars, but the category is now much broader. Stepping into the supermini or small-SUV…

BUYINGTIPS: ESTATECARS THE estate car used to be the bastion of total sensibility, prioritising practicality and boot space above style or image. But nowadays, it’s SUVs that rule the roost for the vast majority of new car buyers due to their more versatile cabins and trendier image. While the increasing popularity of SUVs could therefore have put the estate genre of car out to pasture, this has hardly been the case. That’s because as real car enthusiasts know, there’s almost no compromise when it comes to an estate car in terms of efficiency, driving dynamics or cost of ownership – something you can’t always say about an SUV. This is especially true in 2025, because it’s efficiency, in particular, which is now put under the microscope for most buyers as…

BUYING TIPS: ELECTRIC CARS WITH tighter emissions rules and a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars approaching in 2030, more buyers are making a switch to electric. If you’re in the market for an EV, then it’s worth weighing up the pros and cons of a few models to find the ideal one for your needs. While silent running and instant power delivery will be a common feature, there are still differences in terms of performance – not every EV will sprint off the line like a hot hatch. You might also find that a smaller model offers enough space for your needs; with bespoke platforms that are designed exclusively for electric powertrains, some cars are able to offer more interior room than a similarly sized…

BUYING TIPS: LUXURY CARS TO be considered one of the best luxury cars on the market, a vehicle must offer the most sumptuous experience possible, be made of the finest materials and feature the latest technology for driver and passengers alike. It’s a very big ask, which is reflected in the asking prices. That’s been the case for many years, and perhaps not surprisingly, most of the brands that deliver the best luxury cars in 2025 would have been your first stop for a truly high-class car 25, 50 or, in some cases, more than 100 years ago. Today’s luxury-car elite is more powerful, more technologically advanced and more effortless to drive than ever before. The models showcase the deep heritage and continuous technological innovation that has made the likes…

UNDER the skin, the Forester is an evolution of the last version, but the changes are so extensive that this new model is far more than a mere facelift. The styling, interior tech, chassis and powertrain have all received extensive modifications. For the former, the tweaks include a completely new front end, which looks much fresher and more modern than its predecessor’s, while along the sides the window line has been dropped towards the rear to improve visibility both over the driver’s shoulder and for back-seat occupants. It’s all allied to a chassis that’s 10 per cent stiffer than before, while suspension changes have reduced body sway – the cause of head shaking over big bumps. ENGINES & PERFORMANCE SUBARU says it has made a total of 24 revisions to…

BUYING a second-hand car will bring huge savings when compared with going for a showroom-fresh model, but it can be fraught with danger. Even vehicles bought from a dealer can have a hidden history, so unless you are buying from a very good friend or relation, we would recommend doing as many checks as you can before handing over your hard-earned money. The first step is a data search. These are often called an HPI check, after the company which initially offered the service. Now there are plenty of other suppliers, and the competition means prices are low enough to make it affordable to research a car before you view it. Our top-scoring check for the past five years has been Total Car Check, and its newest challenger is called…

YOU had to be there. And I was – on all three public days of the British Motor Show. The show stand for the Best Cars of the Year (Best CotY) – not to be confused with the Auto Express New Car Awards – put together by myself and fellow judges, including a motoring TV celeb or two, served as base camp. Space limitations meant we couldn’t exhibit every qualifying all-new model from all car-producing nations, but Chinese, French, German, Italian, Romanian and South Korean firms were keenest to be part of the Best CotY display, where their latest models battled (and are still battling) for the coveted title of New Car World Champion 2025/2026. Some, such as the workhorse Dacia Bigster (from £25,215) and posher Hyundai Santa Fe costing…

WITH more than two million T-Roc sales under Volkswagen’s belt, the small SUV has become such an important part of the firm’s model range that you’d be forgiven for thinking it’d been around for generations. But now, eight years after its debut, we have the secondgeneration T-Roc, and it’s set to be a significant car for the brand. Pre-sales of the Mk2 T-Roc are open now, with first deliveries expected before the end of the year. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but we suspect a small increase over the current car, which starts at just under £30,000 in entry-level Life guise rising to £45,000 for the hot R model. VW’s small SUV will compete against familiar rivals, with the Toyota C-HR, MINI Countryman and an array of hatchbacks providing stern opposition.…

A RAFT of changes have been announced for the UK’s vehicle registration process, which will give drivers greater freedom and autonomy when it comes to recording modifications and repairs to their pride-and-joy. The DVLA has announced that from 28 August, drivers will no longer have to notify the authorities of any like-for-like repairs or restorations to their car, provided that the end product looks just as it did when it left the factory. While drivers historically haven’t needed to inform the DVLA of every small change they make – such as adding a spoiler or new set of wheels – rules previously stated that drivers must flag any significant repair or replacement work, particularly to a car’s frame or bodyshell. Now, however, there’s no requirement to do so, provided the…

MERCEDES is putting the finishing touches to a new generation of its smallest SUV, the GLA – and our spies have caught the forthcoming model out in the open. The all-new car will share its underpinnings, including its cutting-edge MMA platform and hyper-efficient electric or hybrid powertrains, with the new CLA. The new GLA will go on sale within the next 12 months, and cost from around £40,000 in hybrid form, or £45,000 as an EV. Despite the car in these photos being under camouflage, we can see lots of new design details that will draw from the forthcoming GLC SUV set to appear at the Munich Motor Show in September. They include a big illuminated grille and sleek headlights that bleed into it. The rear end will feature dramatic…

SUZUKI has made a bit of a habit of cutting through the fluff in offering customers the sort of car they really need, not what they think they need. The new Swift Allgrip is a case in point, because while superminis from across the spectrum are being dressed up to resemble an SUV, or just turned into them wholesale, Suzuki is doing the exact opposite with its allwheel-drive Swift, which wears its supermini clothes as something of a disguise. Under the Allgrip’s cute bodywork, which is identical to that on the standard front-wheeldrive car, is a full-time all-wheel-drive system and extra ground clearance. It’s powered by the same 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with a small hybrid drive unit, matched to a five-speed manual; the two-wheel-drive car’s optional CVT gearbox isn’t…

BUYING TIPS: FAMILY HATCHES LIKE skinny jeans, family hatchbacks were popular throughout the noughties and early 2010s. However, tastes have changed and buyers are now after something more fashionable with a little more space. In the case of the automotive industry, our shift towards SUVs means many manufacturers have ditched their long-running hatchback name plates in favour of more desirable and, perhaps more importantly, profitable crossovers. That said, a few truly great hatches remain on the market for those who value simplicity and low running costs more than a loftier ride height. With powertrain options ranging from fuel-sipping petrols to full EVs, plus hybrids sitting somewhere between, the relatively condensed size of a hatchback means it should, in theory, cost less to run than a bigger, bulkier SUV. That’s not…

BUYINGTIPS: EXECUTIVE CARS EXECUTIVE car buyers used to have it easy. There were a few premium brands to choose from, and they each had a line-up of different-sized saloons. Now, though, there’s a huge range of options from a wider variety of brands – they’re offering different body styles, from traditional saloons to sculpted hatchbacks. Plus, buyers need to carefully consider whether to stick with old-fashioned petrol or diesel, make the switch to a more fuel-efficient hybrid or go fully electric. The very best executive cars still combine comfort with impressive performance and cutting-edge technology. The trick is finding the best one for you and your wallet. Executive cars have been the go-to choice for company-car drivers for decades, and back in the day the default engine was diesel. But…

BUYING TIPS: PLUG-IN HYBRIDS FOR those not quite ready to make the switch to a fully electric car, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are often described as a great ‘stepping stone’ option. They provide pretty much the ideal solution for the EV-timid, because they combine a traditional internal combustion engine with battery-electric power, just like every other hybrid car. The difference is that they're powered by much larger batteries, which allow them to cover much greater distances under electric propulsion without using a drop of fuel. Many plug-in hybrids now offer more than 60 miles of all-electric range, with the very latest capable of travelling nearly 100 miles on battery power. This means that owners who are able to charge up their car at home or at work, and rarely exceed the…

WHEN reviewing every car the mid-size family SUV segment has to offer, we’ve come across many options with both good and bad points. The KGM Actyon has shown us that it has some very obvious strengths (most notably its space and practicality), but in other areas there’s a significant amount of room for improvement. Those coming from KGM’s more rugged models, such as the Musso pick-up and Rexton large SUV, will find some similarities here, but not a great deal more sophistication or refinement. ENGINES&PERFORMANCE KGM has kept things simple by offering buyers a single engine option. It comes in the shape of a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that offers up 161bhp and 280Nm; numbers that compare favourably against the VW Group’s 1.5 TSI petrol, which has 148bhp and…

HOTKIT Ledlenser Price: £26.95-£159.95 Contact: ledlenser.co.uk PREMIUM torch maker Ledlenser has revamped its range with a selection of new features to make them easier to use. The fourth generation of the brand’s P-Series has 16 models ranging from a compact keychain torch to professional-grade search lights. All now have aluminium components which are made from at least 75 per cent recycled material, and removable rubber ‘bumpers’ for protection and to prevent rattling if stored in a car’s door pocket. The best seller is expected to be the new P7R (£129.95), which has evolved with a claimed 50 per cent improvement in light output and a 21 per cent longer beam than its predecessor. It also has more intuitive controls, thanks to a Mode Select Ring on the torch body, which makes…

THEY might just seem like boring strips of rubber, but wipers are crucial to your safety. They are expected to continually drag water, dirt and even ice from the surface of your windscreen to keep it crystal clear. They also have to do this in all weathers. Because wiper blades tend to deteriorate gradually, we often often won’t notice they are worn until they finally split, or an MoT tester fails them. With a new set fitted, you’ll wonder how you put up with them for so long. It’s an easy DIY job to replace most wipers, so we’d suggest you can save cash by swapping them yourself just before the annual test or a service, rather than pay garage prices. But which is best? We tried seven at various price…

THE Peugeot 308 has been updated with a sleek new face, a bold, light-up nose and a series of headline tech changes. This includes greater range for the electric version, as the firm looks to keep its venerable hatchback and SW estate relevant in an increasingly SUV dominated market. The most obvious addition is the illuminated badge, with the French brand following the likes of Vauxhall and Volkswagen by lighting up the Peugeot emblem on top-spec 308 models for the first time. The grille has been given a sharper and more aggressive look with the addition of a raft of body-coloured inserts. The new ‘three-claw’ daytime running light signature replaces the vertical bar of the outgoing car, and on the GT and new GT Premium trims there is short vertical…

SO, the rules on what classic-car restorers need to declare to the DVLA are changing. It sounds like a win for those considering the revamp of a rusty Rover, or an overhaul of a moss-covered Mini, but like so many DVLA policies, the implications for the consumer aren’t clear. As a relatively recent restorer myself – that’s my BMW 2002 (left) – these changes were not only news to me, they had me worried that I’d not followed the correct process when I finished stripping back my seventies classic to the metal. Who knew drivers had to “flag any significant repair or replacement work, particularly to a car’s frame or bodyshell”? Not me. Of course, when I resprayed the car, I updated the V5C, while informing my insurer of the…

THIS is the Audi Q3 Sportback, the next stage in the German brand’s onslaught of combustionpowered models. It’ll join the existing Q3 SUV later this year, will cost from £38,300 and will be available from launch with a selection of petrol, diesel and new PHEV powertrains. The Q3 Sportback is designed to compete against similarly sized compact SUVs such as the BMW X1, X2 and Mercedes GLA, but the brand is betting on this sleeker body style to help keep the Q3 at the top of its segment’s sales chart. Key differences between the Q3 SUV and the new Sportback largely relate to the body, which is 28mm lower. The entire roofline is new, with smaller windows and a reshaped rear glass screen giving the Sportback a more distinctive look.…

THE recently revealed Farizon SV electric van is now available with up to seven seats, with the firm revealing the new model to the public alongside news of a 1,000-unit order from a Hong Kong taxi firm. It’s only available in China for now, but UK and European orders for the panel van opened here a couple of months ago. Special adaptations for the taxi include a lower cabin step, plus a power-sliding side door that provides a 900mm opening. To the rear, a set of double doors open to reveal a 630-litre load bay that can take six large suitcases. Inside, the seven seats are split across three rows, with two in the middle and three at the rear; the latter are accessed via a “wide central aisle”. Each…

EVERY so often, the worlds of fashion and cars collide, for example in the eighties when the Peugeot 205 Lacoste edition was created. Then there was the Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Versace in 2006, and a couple of years ago Paul Smith created a unique technicoloured take on the old Land Rover Defender. This time, as part of its 125th birthday celebrations, Fiat has linked up with fashion house Armani to craft a limited edition of the all-electric 500e, which has been christened the Fiat 500e Giorgio Armani Collector’s Edition. Obviously a collaboration with such a high-end fashion brand wasn’t going to come cheap, but a £34,035 price tag is nothing short of alarming. For one thing, that makes it £3,000 more expensive than the most well specced version of the…

“WHICH car should I buy next?” That’s the first question I’m typically asked when people find out I’m a motoring writer, or by friends who are trepidatiously venturing into the new-car market. A long conversation typically follows, covering budgets, use cases, favourite brands and body styles, if those considering an EV can charge at home and so on. And these conversations are not unique to me, all the Auto Express staffers have them. So we decided to bundle up all our road test and car-buying knowledge into one big guide. It covers our 10 favourite cars in 10 popular markets, with model overviews, starting prices and each car’s pros and cons. And because Auto Express has its own marketplace (powered by Carwow) offering great cars at tasty prices, each listing…

BUYING TIPS: SUVS SUV: those three letters have evolved into a very broad term in today’s car market. Anything that looks a little chunkier or rides a little higher than a standard hatchback, saloon or estate can wear the SUV label, which means there’s an awful lot of options out there. That makes a final decision tricky; there’s an overwhelming selection available, and each has their own strengths. Some cars can blur the lines between traditional classes both in terms of size and price, while the option of petrol, diesel, various hybrid types and fully electric options add a little more complication to the pile of choices. Fortunately, we’ve had the opportunity to run through every SUV on sale in the UK today with a fine-toothed comb, and have rounded…

BUYING TIPS:HOT HATCHES EVER since the first Volkswagen Golf GTI and Peugeot 205 GTi graced our roads, the best hot hatches have offered performance and driving thrills wrapped up in a practical and reasonably affordable package. It’s a recipe that has given us some of the most user-friendly performance cars on the market, many with price tags and running costs to make them genuinely attainable. Today, hot-hatch affordability is under more pressure than ever. The huge capabilities of the top models have pushed prices up, along with insurance ratings, while the advanced components needed to achieve supercar-beating pace generally mean higher running costs than hot hatches of old. To add insult to injury, the very few entry-level models such as the Ford Fiesta ST and Hyundai i20 N have disappeared…

BUYING TIPS: SPORTS CARS WHILE the market for sports cars has become smaller in recent years, there are still plenty of models that can deliver the most exhilarating experience on four wheels. There’s also a mix of body styles, layouts and power outputs to choose from. Yet their core purpose remains consistent: to prioritise driving enjoyment and engagement. There’s a sports car to suit nearly every budget. For less than £30,000, the Mazda MX-5 offers a pure, traditional roadster experience with its low power and rear-wheel-drive set-up. Those with a little more cash can secure some American muscle in the shape of a Ford Mustang, which takes a very different approach to driving thrills. Cars such as the Porsche 718 Cayman hit the sports car sweet spot, offering lots of…

CAN a car be haunted? I’m not talking about some dilapidated wreck that’s been languishing in the outbuilding of an abandoned stately home for 50 years, hiding the kind of horrifying past that no online history check will ever show up. This is a showroom-fresh Volkswagen ID. Buzz. You’d think the answer would be ‘no’. And yet, there have been some strange goings on of late. In the dead of night – sometimes in broad daylight, too, but that doesn’t really fit the narrative – the ID. Buzz started opening its own door for no apparent earthly reason. The passenger-side sliding door was always the culprit. It’s electrically powered, so it can be opened from the key fob or a button inside the car, but it started opening itself at…

Price: £330 Rating: Contact: halfords.com WHEN upgrading your tool kit, buying an all-encompassing set can be tempting because they provide a range of spanners, wrenches and bits for less than the cost of putting them together individually. We’ve had experience of cheap-to-buy sets which dazzle with lots of tools, but our tests highlighted their quality limitations. But what about the other end of the market? We’ve been trying Halfords’ 200-Piece Socket and Ratchet Spanner Set to see if it’s worth the expense. From the minute you pick it up, you know this is a serious bit of kit because it’s not something you’d want to carry far – it weighs a hefty 21kg. Open the case, which securely holds all the tools (unlike cheaper rivals) and you are spoilt for choice. The…

I DO enjoy the sense of occasion one gets from sifting through, selecting and switching on a DVD or Blu-ray from a collection. Nevertheless, I am also aware of the benefits of subscription services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, both granting you access to a vast library of movies to watch at the press of a button. I am, however, highly dubious about whether cars should be subjected to the subscription model, which has raised its head again with VW’s plans to charge more for extra horsepower (Issue 1,896). In-car subscriptions involve you paying a fee each month for features. Audi, for example, allows users to pay monthly, annually or in a lump sum to activate tech such as adaptive cruise control. Perhaps the most publicised example was when…

IF you’re really lucky, you might have 75 grand to spend on a new 75-plate car – and that could bag a brilliant Porsche Macan GTS, or a Toyota Land Cruiser with a fiver in change. But what if you want to assemble a perfect three-car fleet instead? We’ve set a £75k budget that covers all of the bases. 1 BMW i3 - £10,599 ELECTRIC cars are at their best when they’re small – zero tailpipe emissions around town in a car that’s dinky enough to squeeze through narrow gaps and into tight parking spaces is a winning formula. And the groundbreaking BMW i3 is one of the smartest around. Even 12 years on from its debut, it boasts one of the finest smallcar interiors of all time, while performance…