Table of contents for 1909 in Auto Express

AFTER being unexpectedly revealed while proving its worth during Euro NCAP safety testing, the MGS6 EV has now been officially unveiled in full. This all-electric newcomer has been designed to move families and their stuff with ease, while offering lots of standard equipment at a reasonable price. The entry-level SE Long Range variant will cost from just under £38,000, with the line-up topping out a little below £44,000 for the upper-spec Trophy Dual Motor. All MGS6 EVs feature five seats and plenty of cargo space. MG quotes 674 litres of capacity with the second row of seats in place, growing to 1,910 with the seats down. There’s also an extra 124-litre space under the bonnet. All models include a 10.25-inch driver’s display, with a 12.8-inch touchscreen above the centre console.…

JUST when we thought the fanfare was over after the new GLC’s reveal in Munich, Mercedes has given us another piece of the story. With the market launch still a good six months away, and a burning desire not to let BMW’s ‘Neue Klasse’ iX3 steal the spotlight, the brand flew its electric contender out to Las Vegas to allows us an early drive. We’re in the Dumont Dunes, a 150-metre-high sand mountain range that’s normally the playground for buggies and radical Jeeps. Mercedes test chief, Peter Kolb, is here to prove the GLC is a “clean machine [that] can still plough through the mud”. Kolb is realistic: “No customer will bring their car here. But if the GLC proves itself [in] these adverse conditions, customers will have no problems…

WHAT WE SAID “A CAR THAT DOES ITS BEST WORK AROUND TOWN–IT’S ONE OF THE MOST STRESS-FREE MODELS WE'VE DRIVEN IN BUILT-UP AREAS” OUR favourite used city car doesn’t take up much room, but has the style and presence to outshine cars twice its size. The Fiat 500e is the second version of the 500 for the modern era, built on the appeal of the car it succeeded. It has cutesy looks, and is a little more chunky, but at 3.6 metres long, it’s still among the smallest cars on the road. And with an electric powertrain, it’s better suited to urban driving than ever before, too. There are two powertrains to choose from, the range kicking off with a 92bhp motor and a 24kWh battery – modest numbers, but…

WE'VE always liked the second-generation Vauxhall Insignia. In fact, we think so highly of the model that this is the fifth time in a row that it has scooped our Best Used Family Car award. In 2017 the Insignia also claimed Best Large Family Car in the Carbuyer awards – and repeated the feat in 2018. It was also the Auto Express Family Car of the Year in 2018, and then took the same gong the following year. With all those accolades behind it, it’s no surprise that it comes highly recommended. Vauxhalls were always favourites among fleet buyers, but things had moved on by the time the Insignia Mk2 arrived, and the company found sales much harder to come by, with premium alternatives selling in bigger quantities. Historically one…

WHAT WE SAID “THE DUSTER MK2 WAS A BIG ADVANCE – IT’S AN IMPRESSIVE CAR WITH A ROOMY CABIN, SPACIOUS BOOT AND ROBUST BUILD” BRITS have long loved a bargain, so when the original Dacia Duster hit the UK in 2013, buyers couldn’t get enough of this top-value midsize SUV – to the point that quality initially took a nosedive because the company couldn’t keep up with demand. But things were soon sorted, and by the time the second-generation Duster arrived in summer 2018, Dacia had gained a reputation for producing good cars that were better value than just about anything else on the market. At first glance it’s hard to tell the difference between first and second-generation Dusters, because Dacia didn’t exactly go overboard with the restyle. But the…

JAGUAR is set to reinvent itself soon, as a maker of ultra-expensive, exclusive EVs. But the I-Pace is where the company’s electric journey began, and it’s fair to say that overall it did a pretty good job. Some owners have had problems with their cars, for an array of reasons, but there are lots of people out there who have had a smooth ride, so if you’re taken by the idea of I-Pace ownership, you need to track down a car that’s been cherished and has a clean bill of health – there are plenty out there. The first I-Paces were delivered in March 2018. Just one spec was available – the 395bhp EV400 with a 90kWh battery pack that gave an official range of up to 298 miles. Expect…

WHAT WE SAID “IT’S A CAR THAT PUTS A SMILE ON YOUR FACE. IT’S GREAT FUN TO DRIVE, IS BRILLIANTLY ENGINEERED AND HAS A RANGE OF A EXCELLENTENGINES” BRITAIN used to buy more drop-tops than any other country apart from the US, but now we buy very few, partly because not many car makers still offer them. The rush towards electrification has reduced the number of softtops significantly, but one brand that isn’t giving up is MINI. Just last year, it launched its fourthgeneration Convertible, making the previous model seem appealing, thanks to the keen prices. That’s not least because each year from 2018 to 2023, the MINI was our Convertible of the Year in our New Car Awards. It won the title six times in a row because it’s…

PORSCHE has once again triumphed in our Used Car Awards with its 991-generation 911, thanks to rock-solid residuals, strong reliability and an incredibly engaging driving experience. For a car that is renowned more for slow and considered evolution over its six-decade existence, the jump from the 997 to the 991 generation brought with it big upgrades to the interior, design and technology – making this model a particular sweet spot as a second-hand buy. The 991 arrived in 2011 and was in production until 2019. Over that time, the range of 911s was vast, from entry-level Carreras, through to the trackfocused GT3 and hyperspeed Turbo. Any one of these would be worthy winners, and each shares an ability to engage on a twisting road like few others, without compromising on…

THE UK’s best-selling van is still our favourite used choice. Not only is there strength in numbers when it comes to availability, but the first generation of Ford’s mid-sized Transit Custom came in a broad range of trims and bodystyles, too. This really gathered momentum with the arrival of the facelifted Transit Custom around 2017, when the van gained a fresher look, inspired by Ford’s passenger car line-up. While the pre-facelift model is good, we’d happily spend a bit extra for the later van, especially because it comes with more modern tech inside and slightly sharper dynamics. Diesel still dominates the engine choices, with the 2.0-litre EcoBlue line-up offering torquey power delivery and a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes. There was a plug-in hybrid, too, but it’s rare and…

THE company-car segment has long been a pivotal part of the new-car market, but these days, business drivers have more premium tastes than in the past. Mercedes’ A-Class hatchback and its swoopy four-door CLA relative have been very popular. But with neither offering a fully electric variant, and with EVs incentivised on current Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax ratings – the brand has missed out on a chunk of the market. Now the Mk2 CLA is here, and while ICE options will follow, it is launching with an EV powertrain. Its on-paper specs look promising beyond the BiK numbers, too, including the prospect of a WLTP range as high as 484 miles, plus a changing speed of 320kW. With numbers like that, there’s only one rival. The Tesla Model 3 has always…

FIRST TEST Wreckreation Available for: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC Price: From £29.99 Rating: IF you love noughties classics such as Burnout, Need for Speed and Micro Machines, then Wreckreation is the game for you. We’re certainly fans of good old-fashioned driving games. Too many have become realistic simulators that require expert skills, which at times foregoes the fun of gaming. In Wreckreation you drive around a huge open world, discovering the map to unlock events and side quests, all the while gaining points on your driving licence to progress. It’s a tried and tested format and the grind doesn’t feel too onerous. There’s a variety of race types from time trials to road rages and good old-fashioned point-to-point sprints. It’s fun to smash others off the…

SOME people say EV pioneer Tesla is faltering. Sales figures are declining worldwide and it appears interest in the brand is waning. The reasons for this may be many, but it can’t be down to the cars themselves – especially since the Americans have proven with the Model Y facelift that they aren’t resting on their laurels. To make the Model Y even more attractive, Tesla is turning a decisive screw: that of the price. While still not confirmed for the UK, a new entry-level ‘Standard’ model has just gone on sale in Germany for 39,990 Euros (approximately £35,000). Despite its deliberate simplicity and reduced specification, it offers a lot more than a Volkswagen ID.4 – a car that currently starts from £36,995. Despite that diminished specification, the 4.8-metre-long Model…

WHAT WE SAID “WHICHEVER POWERTRAIN YOU PLUMP FOR, IT'LL BE FRUGAL, WHICH FITS IN PERFECTLY WITH THE FABIA’S MONEY-SAVING BRIEF” THE Fabia is the perfect supermini for those who want a Volkswagen Polo but can’t afford one. As one of the more premium options in the sector, the Polo isn’t a cheap option, but the Fabia takes all of the VW’s best bits and incorporates them into a package that’s every bit as good, at a usefully lower price. Sure, you have to forego some of the Polo’s posher cabin materials, but you get the same engines, transmissions and tech, all wrapped up in a smart five-door supermini. Whereas previous Fabias came in estate and hatchback forms, this one comes only as the latter, but it’s a roomy one, with…

WHETHER you want economy, luxury or sportiness, there’s something in the Octavia line-up for you. Don't be put off by the Skoda badge, either, because even though it sits at the affordable end of the Volkswagen Group spectrum, the Octavia is far from bargain basement. The Mk4 is our car of choice, and it has been on sale since 2020. At launch, buyers could pick between turbocharged petrol engines (1.0 TSI, 1.5 TSI and 2.0 TSI), a 2.0-litre TDI diesel and even a plug-in hybrid. All offered a decent balance of performance with economy, but for those who wanted something rapid, the vRS was just the job. This also came with PHEV, petrol or diesel engines, the latter offered with optional four-wheel drive. Whichever engine or gearbox you go for…

WHAT WE SAID “IT REPRESENTS GREAT VALUE, NOT LEAST BECAUSE ITS RELIABILITY IS EXCELLENT, AND SO IS ITS WARRANTY” YOU would expect any new generation of car to be more accomplished than its predecessor, but the rate at which Kia’s Sorento has come on in leaps and bounds is deeply impressive. Sure, prices have gone up at the same time, but this is still a car that represents great value, not least because reliability is excellent, and so is its seven-year warranty. Launched in September 2020, it was offered with a petrol hybrid (the 1.6 T-GDi), or the same 2.2 CRDi diesel engine that appeared in the Sorento Mk3. All of these came only with an automatic transmission; the hybrid had a six-speed unit, while the diesel featured an eight-speed…

THE bigger they are the harder they fall. All of the cars in this category represent spectacular value as used buys because they cost a pretty penny when new, but are now available for comparatively little. Just beware of the running costs, because while purchase costs are relatively low, the same cannot be said for fuel, insurance and maintenance bills. Items such as brakes and tyres tend to be expensive to replace, so make sure your contingency fund is topped up. However, drive an Audi A8 – or even just be a passenger in one – and you’ll soon see why it’s worth making sacrifices to buy one. Audi has used only the best materials, there’s ample power, and the adaptive air suspension means the ride comfort is sublime. You’ll…

THE W205-generation C-Class Coupé came along in 2015 and was a huge hit for Mercedes, taking the fight admirably to the BMW 4 Series and its forebears. True, it’s 10 years old now, but we think it still looks fresh. The 'Panamericana' grille that Mercedes has used on its models in recent years suits its proportions and gives the C-Class a purposeful look, along with a swooping body line and svelte profile. Away from the lovely 3.0-litre, twin-turbo V6 in the C 43 and the rampaging 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 in the C 63, the C-Class Coupé has a mix of appealing petrol and diesel engines. The 2.1-litre four-cylinder diesel is efficient, and in C 250 d guise gets 500Nm of torque, but it’s grumbly at low speeds. The petrols suit…

ELECTRIFICATION can feel like a voyage into the unknown for those who have lived with petrol or diesel for ages, but hybrids offer a hassle-free, flexible gateway to EV ownership. Those dipping their toe into the water for the first time could do a lot worse than by starting with hybrid experts Toyota. The Yaris is the perfect place to begin, because it’s not only a superb hybrid, but also a brilliant supermini. The hybrid tech is completely unobtrusive as it’s working, with the only clue to its operation being the sound of the engine cutting in and out when needed. The fully automatic powertrain makes its voice heard when pushed hard, but if you’re looking for an urban runabout that can do 70mpg and cope with the odd longer…

OFTEN it can be tricky to choose our overall champion, and this year was no exception; the team debated the pros and cons of all the cars in the running, taking into account the things that stood out about our top three choices. In the end, though, we managed to settle on this year’s winner with one easy question: if it was your money, which car would you buy? With that in mind, the answers that came back resulted in a near-unanimous decision: the BMW 3 Series is our Used Car of the Year for 2025. It’s a car with heaps of appeal. Whether you’re in the market for a fuel-sipping diesel or a firebreathing M3 – or anything in between – the 3 Series line-up has you covered. Plug-in…

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OWNER VIEWS ON THE UK’S BEST CARS AN all-new, second-generation Vauxhall Grandland hit showrooms last year, and it has a lot to live up to if its forebear’s performance in this year’s survey is anything yo go by. Vauxhall launched the Grandland X in 2017, but when it was facelifted (as shown in the photos here) in 2021, it became known simply as ‘Grandland’. The original version doesn’t look anywhere near as futuristic, but that doesn’t matter because all of the owners who fed into this year’s survey own the facelifted model, and it’s fair to say they’re huge fans of this mid-sized SUV. Whereas the pre-facelift model notched up 23rd place in last year’s Driver Power survey (with a high in 2021 of seventh), the facelifted model makes its…

HOW OUR GUIDE WORKS PERFORMANCE: This is the manufacturer’s claimed acceleration time for a car, and is measured from 0-60mph or 0-62mph (0-100km/h), in seconds. ECONOMY/EMISSIONS/RANGE: Combined WLTP economy in miles per gallon, emissions in grams per kilometre of CO2 and maximum claimed range for EVs. Figures are achieved in the latest WLTP tests, but will vary according to equipment and are unlikely to be representative of everyday efficiency. INSURANCE: Group rating as quoted by the Association of British Insurers. WARRANTY: Next to each manufacturer’s name is the basic warranty period in months and miles for the mechanical parts. EVs and hybrids will have dedicated battery cover. LIST PRICE: This is the on-the-road figure and includes VAT, delivery to dealer, the first 12 months’ of emissions-based road tax, number plates…

ALL-NEW LEAF ON SALE 2026 THE Leaf, Nissan’s EV pioneer, has morphed into a stylish crossover and will hit UK roads early next year. As with the Juke and forthcoming Qashqai, it’ll continue to be built at the firm’s Sunderland plant, securing jobs in the north east of England. It’s designed to rival cars such as the Skoda Elroq and Kia EV3, and two batteries will be offered – the larger of which will be capable of up to 386 miles of range. Prices are expected to start around £33,000, but given the localised production, it’s highly likely the Leaf will benefit from the Government’s full £3,750 EV grant. ALL-NEW JUKE ON SALE 2027 THE next model to come out of the Sunderland plant will be the funky-looking Juke. As…

WE’VE only just seen the covers come off the new BMW iX3, but the firm is already preparing the performance-focused iX3 M edition, and we’ve caught it on the road for the first time. Under the camouflage, we can see the iX3 M has a revised, lower bumper, the diffuser at the rear has gone, and the bonnet has gained a bulge, too. The test car sits on huge five-spoke wheels, which we assume will be changed for more intricate rims on the production car. They give us a good view of the brakes, which seem larger than normal, too. Given that the next-generation, electric M3 is going to have up to 1,341bhp from a quad-motor set-up, the iX3 M could offer something similar – it’s based on the same…

THE iconic Mk1 Ford Escort has been remastered by British outfit Boreham Motorworks using motorsport know-how, modern technology and a bespoke four-cylinder engine that spits out 325bhp and revs to an astounding 10,000rpm. Boreham Motorworks calls its Mk1 RS a “Continumod”, because each of the 150 “blueprint-accurate” examples it will produce is to be built completely from scratch, rather than based on a donor car, and come with an approved continuation chassis number from Ford itself. Boreham says it’s “dedicated to preserving and enhancing the legacy of some of Ford’s most iconic vehicles”. The RS is offered with two petrol engines, the first being a reimagination of Ford’s Twin-Cam four-cylinder unit with fuel injection and expanded to 1.8 litres. It produces 182bhp, can rev to 9,000rpm and comes with a…

WHEN it comes to under-the-radar family cars, the Hyundai Ioniq is right up there. Admittedly, it won’t raise any pulses, but if you’re in the market for a frugal family car that’s well equipped, cheap to buy and won’t let you down, this five-door hatchback might just get you mildly warm under the collar. At launch, the Ioniq came in hybrid and electric forms, but the latter packed a mere 28kWh battery, so while it was claimed to be capable of 174 miles, the reality fell a fair way short. Hyundai fixed this in two ways. Initially (in July 2017) the firm launched a plug-in hybrid that was capable of up to 39 miles in electric mode, and then, in September 2019, a facelift increased the size of the EV’s…

THE demise of Ford greats such as the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo is a tragedy, but at least the firm hasn’t given up completely on eye-catching petrolpowered cars that are great to drive. Think of the Puma as a Fiesta for the modern age and you’ll get the idea. It arrived in 2020 with a 1.0-litre petrol engine (in 124bhp and 153bhp forms), but within months there was also a 197bhp 1.5-litre option in the Puma ST. All came with six-speed manual or seven-speed dualclutch automatic transmissions, although the twopedal ST featured a 168bhp 1.0-litre engine. Trim levels for the regular Puma are Titanium, ST-Line, ST-Line X and Vignale – all come with plenty of standard kit. The idea of a high-performance small SUV might seem ridiculous after the brilliance…

WHAT WE SAID “BMW HASN'T LOST SIGHT OF WHAT MADE THE ORIGINAL 3 SERIES SO SPECIAL–AND IT’S CERTAINLY STILL GOT IT” THIS year marks 50 years of the BMW 3 Series, so it’s fitting that we’ve picked it as the best compact executive you can buy. It took a while for what was once BMW’s smallest model to gain traction in the UK, but when it did, it became the car of choice for salespeople and executives everywhere, who wanted something more prestigious than a blinged-up Ford Sierra or Vauxhall Cavalier. The thing is, BMW hasn’t lost sight of what made the 3 Series so special back then, and it’s still got it. The latest model offers all of the same, but in an even more enticing package. Those key…

MULTI-Purpose Vehicles were once in vogue, and lots of car makers produced purpose-built people carriers with brilliant packaging and astonishing versatility. Those days are largely over, but there are still numerous van and estate-based MPVs that do a great job. One of our favourites, especially as a used car, is the Dacia Jogger – for many great reasons. When orders for the Jogger opened in 2021, Dacia claimed it blended the practicality of an estate with the spaciousness of an MPV, alongside the styling of an SUV, creating a family car in a class of its own. Just one turbocharged petrol engine was offered, the 1.0-litre three-pot TCe 110, but at the start of 2023 the Hybrid 140 joined the range, with an electrified 1.6-litre petrol unit – Dacia’s first…

WHAT WE SAID “THE FRONT END WILL DART INTO TIGHT CORNERS, FOLLOWED BY A LIVELY REAR THAT WILL LIFT A WHEEL” WHILE Ford had already found its hot hatch feet with the competent Mk5 Fiesta ST, Mk6 was a step-up in every aspect – so much so that it’s considered to be one of the hot hatch greats. Produced between 2013 and 2017, the ST Mk6 arrived five years after the Fiesta on which it’s based, but it was worth the wait. In the early 2010s its main rival, the RenaultSport Clio, fell from form by switching to an automatic gearbox. The Fiesta ST, however, had a slick six-speed manual with power going to the front wheels from a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which developed 180bhp and had 290Nm of…

SCOOPING its second gong in this year’s Used Car Awards is the Jaguar I-Pace. Not only is it strong enough to be our favourite executive car of 2025, it’s also got the credentials to walk away with the electric car prize, too. At a time when rivals such as Mercedes and BMW were still finding their feet with electric vehicles, Jaguar marched right past the pair of them and stepped straight to the front of the posh-car queue with the I-Pace. This was the brand’s first attempt at a fully electric car, and it threw everything at it. That’s clear from the moment you prod the D button on the centre console and roll silently away. There’s a huge amount of sophistication to the way the striking Jag drives –…

“THE CLA’S ON-PAPER SPECS LOOK PROMISING BEYOND THE BIK NUMBERS, INCLUDING THE PROSPECT OF A RANGE AS HIGH AS 484 MILES, PLUS A 320KW CHARGING SPEED” ESSENTIALS Mercedes CLA250+ AMG Line Premium Price: £51,770 Powertrain: 85.5kWh battery, 1x e-motor, 268bhp 0-62mph: 6.7 seconds Test efficiency: 4.1 miles/kWh Official range: 462 miles Annual VED: £620 Tesla Model 3 Long Range Rear Wheel Drive Price: £44,990 Powertrain: 75kWh battery, 1x e-motor, 295bhp (est) 0-62mph: 4.9 seconds (0-60mph) Test efficiency: 3.8 miles/kWh (LR AWD model) Official range: 466 miles Annual VED: £620…

HOT KIT Falken Euroall Season AS220 Price: From £116 Contact: falkentyre.com JUST as the cold weather starts to bite, Falken has introduced a new all-season tyre aimed at the biggest sector of the tyre market, with 65 different sizes for mid-size cars and SUVs, ranging from 15 to 20 inches. The Euroall Season is said to be suitable for petrol, diesel, battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid vehicles. It’s designed for all weathers and has the three peaks winter marking, which means it is legal in European countries that require winter tyres to be fitted in certain months. The new AS220 features an innovation called VARIO CORE, which is said to combine the latest technology for lightweight construction, tread design, materials technology and aerodynamics. This includes a rounder sidewall profile, an…

BYthe startoftheseventies, the Porsche 911 was getting long in the tooth and sales had slowed down. Porsche felt that it needed a replacement, so it developed something completely different: a front-engined, water-cooled grand tourer with an all-aluminium V8. With passive rear-wheel steering courtesy of what’s known as a Weissach axle, and a 4.5-litre powerplant in the nose, the 928 was fast and brilliant to drive. When it was unveiled in 1977 it caused a storm and was awarded European Car of the Year in 1977 (the only sports car to take the honour in its 61-year history). The 928 is now a bona fide classic – and rarer than you might think. It’s been 30 years since the last 928 was made, yet the 911 remains in production to this…