Table of contents for October 15, 2025 in Autocar

“The concept is a strong signal that the S-Class coupé could return” Mercedes-Benz has revealed the Vision Iconic, a luxury coupé concept with a bold art deco-inspired design that both previews the next S-Class and hints at the return of a two-door coupé and drop-top to the line-up. The flamboyant concept also showcases some of the brand’s most advanced future technologies, including a hands-off, eyes-off autonomous system and steer-by-wire. Unveiled at the brand’s design house in Shanghai, China, the new concept provides the first look at the future face of the S-Class, due in the UK in 2028. The concept features a unique five-slat version of Mercedes’ illuminated ‘Iconic Grille’ that was first seen on the new GLC EV. The panel is larger and more upright than on the current…

JLR finally restarted car production last week, almost six weeks after plants were shut down following a cyber attack that incapacitated its entire global business. The cyber attack on 1 September brought all of JLR’s factories to a halt and forced the company to shut down its internal computer systems in an effort to prevent data from being stolen. As well as resulting in production shutdowns at all of its global plants, this created issues with parts ordering and stifled retailer activity. The resumption of production started last week with the Land Rover Defender and Land Rover Discovery lines at Nitra, Slovakia, and the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport lines at Solihull. A restart date for car production at Halewood is currently unknown but at the time of writing…

Skoda has souped up the Fabia to create the fastest variant of the supermini yet. With a top speed of 142mph thanks to a power output of 174bhp, the Fabia 130 has been created to mark Skoda’s 130th anniversary. The nameplate also pays tribute to the 130 RS, one of Skoda’s most successful motorsport entries – and one of its most famous, given that it was the first to claim a class win at the Monte Carlo Rally, in 1977. The extra 27bhp over the standard Fabia has been achieved through a reworking of the supermini’s turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The unit has also been tuned to deliver its full 174bhp between 5750rpm and 6000rpm. Peak torque is unchanged at 184lb ft. As part of the upgrades, the engine…

HYUNDAI’S DESIGN STRATEGY is the opposite of the more familiar Russian doll-type approach that scales the same core design up and down across a line-up. Hyundai Design Centre boss Simon Loasby likens the approach to that of a chess set, where all the pieces on a board look different and serve different purposes, yet they’re all part of the same game. He calls it “customer-centric design”: you think of the needs of those for whom the car is created rather than trying to produce a bigger or smaller version of the car you just made. This less orthodox approach requires a strong brand behind it to work, yet so individual and impressive in their own right have some of Hyundai’s cars become that the badge can sometimes be forgotten. Xavier…

Autocar’s associate editor James Attwood finds cause to celebrate the car industry’s resistance to the regulatory push towards electric vehicles, arguing that “car firms are at their best when given a problem to solve and allowed freedom to find solutions” (Comment, 17 September). In the absence of a fundamental global switch to renewable hydrogen production, which is simply not happening, EVs offer the best available means of keeping us all mobile while reducing and ultimately eliminating fossil fuel dependency in the road transport sector. Their efficiency and affordability are improving rapidly, and the car industry deserves credit for this. However, it would be naive to think that car makers, if left to their own devices, would do anything other than to continue selling polluting ICE products while evading responsibility for…

While it’s hard to keep up with Kia’s relentless launch schedule – there appears to be a new, differently numbered EV every week – Toyota takes things more steadily. Its approach has the slow but relentless momentum that comes with being the world’s largest car maker. And with momentum also comes inertia – and that complicates changes of direction, in particular the one needed to do electric cars well. Toyota loves its hybrids but has been very slow to come up with the EVs that it does need in Europe. The new C-HR+ is only its second mainstream EV, after the bZ4X. It will soon also launch the Urban Cruiser, of course, but that’s a Suzuki underneath. Didn’t it already have a C-HR? Well, yes – the regular C-HR is…

DS is embarking on a new chapter by launching its second-generation model line-up, with the French premium brand’s future resting on the shoulders of the all-new N°8 flagship crossover and this updated N°4 hatchback. Previously called simply the 4, this has been the best-selling DS in the UK since its 2021 launch, albeit finding just 2303 homes. Such low volumes make you wonder why DS remains committed to the UK, even if this is still its fifth-best-selling market – but new CEO Xavier Peugeot insists the brand is profitable and hopes its new line-up will help it become an influential player in Europe. But how is DS going to achieve this when its rivals are selling tens of thousands of hatchbacks each year? Well, the brand is pinning its hopes…

While it isn’t like the maker of a Teutonic limousine there is evidence that the creators of the latest 7 Series – which, following a long-delayed arrival on BMW’s demo fleet, now finally undergoes an Autocar road test with a combustion engine under its bonnet – courted old-fashioned good fortune in just about every way they could. The number seven is considered lucky the world over – and in China, one of BMW’s biggest global markets for the 7 Series, particularly so. It just so happens, then, that this, the seventh model generation of the car, is codenamed G70. It has been in development since 2017. BMW makes seven versions of it (leaving out the i7 but counting the armoured 7 Series Protection). And it entered production on the first…

“It’s comfortable in town and on country roads, and quite fun to drive” WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if BYD’s value-focused newcomer can dislodge the European small car elite Since the brand arrived in the UK in 2023 with the Atto 3, BYD has enjoyed exponential growth. It sold more cars here in the first quarter of 2025 than in the whole of last year. In September it sold 11,271 cars in the UK, which was more than Renault and essentially matching Peugeot and Skoda – and made this the company’s largest market outside China. BYD has named many of its cars after marine life, including the Seal saloon and the Seal 6 estate, plus the Seal U and Sealion 7 SUVs. It is in fact an impressively varied…

MILEAGE 3960 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if Mazda has improved on the CX-60 and find its ranking among big SUVs An electric car is now the default for company car drivers, but the next best option in terms of tax liability is a plug-in hybrid – and it’s a major part of the reason for the ongoing PHEV renaissance. The logic behind the bandings is, of course, rewarding lower CO2 emissions – but unlike with an EV, the carbon footprint of a PHEV is entirely dependent on how you use it. And if you ‘can’t make an EV work for you’, it will be because you regularly do long journeys without time to stop and charge or you can’t access charging at home or at work. I am…

AUDI A1 1.4 TFSI S LINE 2011, 52,500 miles, £6495 This low-mileage, one-owner A1 is an ideal refined urban runaround. It has an MOT until next August and four recently fitted tyres, and has just been serviced. Its 1.4-litre petrol has decent pulling power, and you’ll easily get 50mpg day to day. MAZDA 2 1.5 SKYACTIV-G SPORT NAV+ 2019, 42,000 miles, £9990 This multi-talented supermini is the go - to choice for keen drivers, blending good economy and refinement with genuine pace and handling prowess. Our find, a Sport Nav+ model, is loaded with kit and is immaculate inside and out. TOYOTA YARIS 1.33 DUAL VVT-i DESIGN 2016, 60,000 miles, £6495 Freshly serviced and MOTed, this tidy Yaris wants for nothing. It’s fitted with lots of creature comforts and should…

“We want to show the world that we can deliver unique driving thrills with electric” Ferrari’s first electric car will be launched next year with around 1000bhp and rapid acceleration from four motors, new chassis technology and, it is claimed, handling to match the F80 – but bosses say it won’t be a supercar. The four-door four-seater – which will be the Maranello firm’s seventh stand-alone model line – is described instead as more of a GT car, positioning it as an indirect successor to the likes of the old V12-engined FF and GTC4 Lusso. The long-awaited EV – codenamed Elettrica – is being revealed in three different stages, beginning here, with the technical details of the entirely bespoke chassis, radical quad-motor powertrain and huge 122kWh battery. Then in early…

Tesla has launched the Model Y Standard and Model 3 Standard, two new entry-level variants created to boost sales following the brand’s worst period to date. Launched in the US – with other markets, such as the UK, understood to follow soon – the Y Standard is priced at $39,990, $5000 cheaper than the rest of the range, and the 3 Standard is $36,990, $5500 cheaper. The pair are claimed to be the most efficient Tesla models yet. Each offers a range of up to 321 miles on the US’s strict EPA testing cycle, which translates to around 360 miles on Europe’s WLTP test. Tesla doesn’t divulge precise battery capacities but the Standard is likely to use the same 60kWh pack as the Rear-Wheel Drive models sold in the UK…

Mercedes-Benz is targeting one of the final barriers to what it sees as the widespread adoption of electric cars by making the time it takes to recharge as quick and convenient as filling up at a fuel station. Central to this objective is an advanced rolling laboratory known as the Experimental-Lade-Fahrzeug – German for Experimental Charging Vehicle – or ELF for short. Based on a V-Class, it has five different charging ports and serves as a fully mobile research hub designed to explore the outer limits of charging technology, from extreme electrical energy transfer and battery cooling to bidirectional energy flow, automated inductive and conductive charging, solar charging and more. Increased charging speeds is becoming the main focus for Mercedes as it believes the challenge of battery range has already…

AN ESTIMATED 14 million motorists in the UK could each receive around £700 in compensation for being mis-sold car finance, according to regulators. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has proposed an industry-wide scheme to compensate buyers who took out unfair car finance agreements from April 2007 until November 2024. Based on the number of consumers estimated to be eligible for the scheme, lenders could pay out a total of £8.2 billion in compensation. The scheme would be free to access for consumers affected and much simpler to navigate than having to submit an individual claim. The £700 figure is less than earlier estimates by the FCA, which suggested payments could be closer to £950. The car finance scandal centres on salespeople being incentivised to charge higher interest rates without the…

The government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG) helped to drive a record number of new EV sales in the UK in September. During the crucial ‘new numberplate’ month, 72,779 new electric cars were registered, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. That’s 29.1% more than in September 2024 and just over half the number of petrol cars sold. It was also the highest monthly sales total on record for new EVs and took their overall market share to 22.1%. However, while that’s up 4.3% year on year, it is still below the zero-emission vehicle mandate’s 28% target for 2025. Both the government and the SMMT attributed the rise in EV sales last month to the ECG, which is said to have been used by 20,000 buyers. Launched…

LEADERSHIP FAILURE Virtually all of the West’s motor manufacturers are struggling. Their supposedly visionary CEOs have been caught out by the slow take-up of EVs. Variously described as an “unexpected” or “unforeseen” slowdown in sales or a “slower than expected take-up” of EVs, the reality is there was a massive outbreak of groupthink among these highly paid individuals. The impact on their companies and their brands and the losses inflicted on their shareholders as they have reversed course have been truly shocking. Yet somehow, because so many made the same mistake, none have really been held to account. It has been a dismal failure of management at the highest level. Only make cars to government diktat if the government is going to buy them. Otherwise make cars your customers want…

You’ve just read about Toyota’s new C-HR+; now meet its twin brother, the Subaru Uncharted. The strategic partnership between the two Japanese companies resulted in this pair of small electric crossovers being co-developed, but while their underpinnings are shared, Subaru insists that the Uncharted is a very different machine. The Uncharted is proportionally similar to the C-HR+ but has an increased ride height of 211mm to aid off-road driving, plus its own bespoke suspension and steering tune for what Subaru says is a more sporting feel. While this early drive didn’t include any on-road mileage, we put the car through a series of tests at the Jerez race circuit in Spain, beginning with an off-road driving course. Here the 338bhp dual-motor AWD model proved to be competent and controlled on…

THE NEW N°4 isn’t exclusively an EV: it can also be had with full hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, like its predecessor. The plug-in hybrid has been given some upgrades to make it more competitive in the premium PHEV market. The configuration is broadly similar to before in that it pairs a 176bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine with a 109bhp electric motor, but it now uses a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox instead of an eight-speed torque-converter and the battery capacity has been increased from 12.4kWh to 14.6kWh, which has extended the electric-only range from 32 miles to 50 miles. The N°4 PHEV is hushed and smooth in pure-EV mode but feels less refined when the engine kicks in. It gets pretty vocal, too, because the revs soar when…

The Volvo XC60 is a product of a company in improvisation mode. Remember, Volvo was committed to going electric-only by 2030, so one imagines that its development programmes for combustion-engined models have been a low priority for a while. But as we all know, EV sales haven’t quite become the all-conquering dominant force that some were expecting, and combustion-engined models are having to be parachuted in left, right and centre. For Porsche, that means working its magic on a shared group platform. For Volvo, it means giving some of its family favourites a light refresh, and sending them back out on the battlefield. Volvo has a history of keeping models around for many years, which seems to serve it well: in 2024, more XC60s found owners than in 2018, and…

On opening my garage for a recent visitor, he reacted with a frenzied wonder that suggested the electric door had risen to reveal a live tiger. What lay within was merely 10 cubic metres of metals, plastics, paints, fabrics and leather. But those materials were cast, stamped, welded, moulded, sprayed, crimped and stitched into the form of a Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo, and the sum of those parts meant more to him than an object logically should. And his delight is matched by my despair at having to let it go. I had lusted after an Integrale since its worldbeating Group A rallying zenith that bridged the 1980s and 1990s, and the upgraded Evo version’s bullish form, intensive engineering and knack for devouring blacktop put it firmly atop my…

It’s the most serious challenge long-established European car makers have faced in decades: a seemingly endless number of ambitious Chinese firms flooding the market with increasingly sophisticated cars. But Volkswagen’s technical chief has a secret weapon that he says is key to beating China’s advanced hardware and software technology: the popometer. “It’s what you feel with your behind,” explains Kai Grünitz, when he catches me looking somewhat bemused. Yes, we’re talking bottoms here, and specifically the ability to detect what a car is doing through one. It’s that whole ‘seat of your pants’ thing. And the most advanced software engineers in the world have yet to learn how to program a butt. “Ultimately, making cars is all about people,” adds Grünitz. “You have to sit in the seat and feel…

MILEAGE 3612 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Can this upmarket SUV still hold its own in the face of fresher competition? Can you fit more than 1000 vinyl records in the back of a Volvo EX30? It was a question I had cause to ponder recently, and I doubted the crossover was quite big enough. Thankfully, magazine editor Rachel Burgess was keen to try the EX30 so offered a car swap. Next question: can you fit more than 1000 records in the back of a Range Rover Evoque? The huge vinyl haul belonged to my late uncle, and it has spent the past few years occupying a chunk of space in my mum’s house. I found a company, Atlas Records, that bought whole vinyl collections – and it was based just…

When the Lamborghini Urus was launched in 2018 there was incredulity: a pureblooded raging bull that shared its basic underpinnings with a Volkswagen SUV? Surely not! It wasn’t VW-priced, though, costing from around £160,000 when new. Not cheap, but a bargain route into Lambo ownership, and a lot less than the related Bentley Bentayga. Lamborghini’s first SUV was all about selling in volumes its supercars never could, and it quickly became the brand’s bestseller: so far, more than 35,000 have been sold – more cars than the Sant’Agata firm made in the first 50 years of its existence. Despite this, the market has yet to be saturated. The cheapest Urus on sale is still more than £130,000, even accounting for those that have previously been written off. That is remarkably…

Once you had got over the bemusement of seeing a Mk3 Nissan Micra cloaked entirely in a Union flag, who would you expect to be at the wheel? “People are surprised when they see me,” says its owner, twenty-something Jess, with a big smile. “I think people assume it will be an old man with certain political views. Sometimes somebody will see it coming and take an interest, then see me up close and not look so happy any more – or just confused. I’m not making a political statement with it, though: it’s just funny.” This begs the question: why did she choose such an oddity in the first place? “I wanted a car that I could learn to drive in and not worry too much if I banged…

When the Bugatti Veyron was launched in 2005, its 1001bhp made it the world’s most powerful car, but the rapid proliferation of electric supercars and hypercars means Ferrari’s similarly endowed EV is outgunned by many different types of car. The Rimac Nevera and Lotus Evija nudge 2000bhp, while Chinese firm Xiaomi has a sports saloon with more than 1500bhp. Yangwang’s U9 Xtreme hypercar, the world’s fastest road car, has 2977bhp. But Ferrari product development boss Gianmaria Fulgenzi said the firm never intended to join the power war – but rather it aimed to make sure its first EV was engaging to drive, as well as seriously quick. “Of course, you can see in the market some cars that already have 2000hp,” he said. “It’s very easy and simple to create…

In the UK, Tesla has increased the driving range of the Model 3 and Model Y in an effort to keep pace with newer, more long-legged rivals. The extra range has been achieved by fitting an upgraded battery pack that now features high-density cells. In their most efficient guises, this means a range of 466 miles for the Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, up 36 miles on before, and 390 miles for the Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive, an increase of 26 miles. For the Model 3, the range boost is accompanied by a light interior update, including the reintroduction of an indicator stalk.…

INTEGRATION IS KEY TO NEW STELLANTIS BATTERY TECH STELLANTIS AND FRENCH battery maker SAFT have revealed an integrated battery system that is more efficient, smaller and lighter and cuts charging times by 15%. Called IBIS (Intelligent Battery Integrated System), the battery incorporates the inverter and charger functions directly into its pack, creating a single module to deliver power to the drive motor-generator. Until now, inverters – a key EV component that manages both power and the transition between AC and DC current between battery and motor-generator or battery and charger – have either been a stand-alone element or integrated with drive motors. Likewise, on-board chargers are normally individual components. IBIS works with any type of battery chemistry or in any application, from EVs to stationary systems. After years of work,…

The Kia EV2 will arrive early next year as an important next step towards growing electric vehicle sales in Europe, Kia boss Ho Sung Song has said. The new small SUV, previewed earlier this year, is set to be priced from around £25,000 and will rival the Renault 4 and Ford Puma Gen-E. It will be built in Kia’s Slovakia plant, where it will replace the Ceed. While Song described the EV2 as a “global car”, it is primarily “a car for Europe”. The production run for the EV2 will be around 100,000 cars per year, which Song said was the minimum required to establish a profitable and sustainable supply chain. Kia hasn’t said where the EV2 will be sold, but it won’t be offered in Korea or probably the…

Amid a bumper month for new car sales in the UK, Volvo recorded its best September yet, increasing sales by 23% year on year to 11,569 for a 3.7% market share. UK managing director Nicole Melillo Shaw attributed the hike to the popularity of the EX30 and effectiveness of Volvo’s new retail model. We spoke to her to hear more. Which models are performing well? “XC40 is our biggest seller by far. But EX30 has gathered momentum in the last few months. It’s doubled in terms of orders so it’s really important, particularly with our ambition for electrification.” Why has your direct-to-consumer model been successful? “The whole point is to have transparent pricing for consumers, to get away from some of that legacy negativity around having to haggle over price.…

TRIPLE TEST PORSCHE vs AUDI AND BMW Our road testers have a hunch the best Macan Electric is the 4S. Are they right and is it good enough to beat an SQ5 Sportback and X3 M50? FIRST DRIVE VOLVO ES90 New liftback flagship EV rated. Don’t buy that BMW i5 until you’ve read it UK VERDICT MERCEDES-BENZ CLA Upmarket compact EV struts its sleek, ultra-efficient stuff on UK roads EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS How does this newcomer stack up against the likes of the Dacia Duster as a value-led SUV? USED GUIDE MERCEDES C-CLASS Just £4000 buys this exec saloon with a highly desirable badge. But here’s what you need to know first…

“It’s almost identical in its dimensions to the Sportage but roomier inside” If first impressions of the Kia EV5 are a touch underwhelming, it’s only because of the lofty expectations set by its predecessors. This is a well-designed and well-rounded family SUV with a good range that is competitively priced, decently equipped, comfortable and decent to drive. It should be near the front of an increasingly competitive class. It just doesn’t really change the game. It was only four years ago that the EV6 SUV-coupé helped transform what Kia seemed capable of in design and technology. Since then, the large EV9 and small EV3 SUVs and the EV4 hatchback/saloon have all in their own ways pushed new boundaries. The EV5, however, is exactly what you would expect it to be.…

Before we get into the question of what the new Leapmotor B10 is like, shall we remind ourselves of what Leapmotor is? This is a Chinese EV maker that has been around in its domestic market for a decade and had sold more than 400,000 vehicles globally before Stellantis bought a controlling stake in its export operation. Stellantis wanted a budget EV brand to rival the likes of BYD, Dacia and MG; Leapmotor had the tech and affordability it needed and would benefit from its sprawling European dealership network. A tie-up made perfect sense. The B10 is the third Leapmotor EV to go on sale in the UK, after the T03 city car and the Tesla Model Y-rivalling C10 SUV. At 4.5m long, it splits the difference between Skoda’s Elroq…

Of the Lancia Delta’s six consecutive World Rally Championship manufacturers’ titles, from 1987 to 1992, it was the 1988 season, when the HF 4WD was replaced by the more sophisticated Integrale, that generated the motorsport folklore that tempted me to want and, ultimately, buy one. Miki Biasion was already drivers’ champion by November’s finale at a particularly gruelling RAC Rally, but Martini Lancia teammate Markku Alén stepped up in his absence. The event’s six Scottish stages, which took place on day four, were heavily snow-bound and centred around a regrouping point in my home town of Hawick, where fellow Lancia-driving Finn Pentti Airikkala compared the conditions to famously treacherous Monte Carlo. The routes were so perilous that on the fifth stage Alén oversteered on ice and slid backwards down a…

MILEAGE 1340 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Because it might just be the most fun car you can drive at any speed I had to go to Bruges, and the options were either to take my old Audi A2 or get some touring miles under the wheels of the Morgan Super 3 before the weather became too cold for that sort of thing. So I opted for the Morgan, and it turned out to be a splendid idea. First, the pre-trip checks. For tyre pressures, at the rear you have to open the boot and remove the inner panel; at the front the fancy wheel design means the valves are accessed from inside and below the wheel covers, so you have to roll the car around until they appear. Morgan’s standard…

AN OWNER’S VIEW FELIX ROBERTSON “There are lots of good reasons why this is a silly car: the performance, the looks and the massive wheels. But rocksolid residual values speak their own language, as does the practicality and reliability. After having three faulty Range Rovers, I’m now on my third Urus – and I’m still loving it. Many people have been proved wrong: underneath the dramatic skin is a capable workhorse that still knows how to have fun.” BUYER BEWARE… ■ SERVICING There might be a Volkswagen Touareg lurking somewhere deep underneath, but that raging bull badge means maintenance costs are inevitably much higher. We were quoted £1850 from an independent specialist for a basic first-year, 9000-mile service, which covered an oil change and filters. The recommended second-year service adds…

October in decades past brought excitement to British car enthusiasts, as the International Motor Show came to the Earls Court Exhibition Centre. So we thought we would go back half a century to 1975 – which, in a neat coincidence, was the event’s diamond jubilee year. Its status can’t be overstated: as was the tradition, Autocar published special features for five consecutive weeks: show prospects, show guide, show number, show report and show review. Good heavens… This was a grim time for Britain in general, with economic stagnation and inflation somehow coexisting, and a car industry in turmoil. Just months before the show, British Leyland had been nationalised after a government report had revealed that it was on the brink of collapse; many were sad that it had killed off…