The Car Expert

Audi Q6 e-tron

Sean Rees

-

12 November 2024

Summary

The Audi Q6 e-tron is a mid-sized electric SUV that is now available in the UK in regular SUV and ‘Sportback’ coupé-SUV bodystyles.

Designed as the eventual successor to the petrol-powered Q5 SUV, the Q6 e-tron is built on the same foundations as the Porsche Macan Electric. While the Porsche has been commended for its driving experience, the Q6 e-tron hasn’t received the same praise.

“It’s pricey and a bit dull to drive”, concludes the Carbuyer team, while Driving Electric’s Shane Wilkinson adds that the SUV’s interior has “a smattering of below-par materials”, though he adds that the car’s “tech is some of the best in this class.”

The majority of reviewers agree that the Q6 e-tron bigger and more luxurious than many rivals in the mid-size SUV category, Electrifying.com’s Mike Askew adding that the Q6 essentially “renders the loveable but ageing Q8 e-tron as redundant”, concluding that “as an overall package, it’s hard to beat.”

As of June 2025, the Audi Q6 e-tron holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 77%. This overall score is helped by the Q6 e-tron’s excellent five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, and hindered by its higher-than-average running costs.

More Audi Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

Q6 e-tron highlights

Class-leading on-board tech
Spacious and practical interior
Comfortable and very quiet on the move
Competitive battery range with fast charging

Q6 e-tron lowlights

Expensive, base price and up
Some cheap interior materials
Feels rather dull and heavy when driving

Key specifications

Body style: Large SUV and coupé-SUV
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £60,700 on-road

Launched: Spring 2024
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Audi Q6 e-tron is an accomplished all-rounder, although it doesn’t really do much to stand out in the jam-packed mid-size SUV market. One area where the Q6 e-tron literally overshadows its rivals, though, is its sheer size. In fact, it’s almost too big to be referred to as ‘mid-size’.”
Author: Shane Wilkinson
Read review

Auto Trader+

Score: 8 / 10
“The Q6 e-tron SUV is an all-electric alternative to the Audi Q5 that offers buyers a spacious, high-tech option in the premium market.”
Read review

Business Car+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Whichever Q6 E-Tron you choose, it is an excellent all-rounder, with best-in-class technology, an attractively designed interior.”
Author: Martyn Collins
Read review

Car+

Score: 8 / 10
“The Q6 may not revolutionise the electric family SUV, but it certainly underlines Audi’s ambition. Expect more incremental designs, longer battery range and more swollen prices before we start seeing smaller, lighter and – hopefully – more radical electric Audis in future. For now, though, the new 2024 Audi Q6 e-tron is a typically polished family electric SUV.”
Author: Tim Pollard
Read review

Carbuyer+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.4 / 10
“The Audi Q6 e-tron sticks to core brand values of offering a handsome design and class-leading tech, but it’s pricey and a bit dull to drive.”
Author: Andy Goodwin, Richard Ingram
Read review

Carwow+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Audi’s Q6 e-tron goes toe-to-toe with the best electric SUVs out there – it’s posh and premium with a long range, but it’s a little boringly styled and not much fun to drive.”
Author: Tom Wiltshire
Read review

Driving Electric+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Step inside and everything feels well put together, and the tech is some of the best in this class. Unfortunately, a smattering of below-par materials lets the side down, as does the car’s mediocre efficiency.”
Author: Shane Wilkinson
Read review

Electrifying.com+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“At a stroke it renders the loveable but ageing Q8 e-tron as redundant and more importantly gives Audi a presence in the large premium SUV market. Yes, there are some alternatives that do certain things better, but as an overall package, it’s hard to beat.”
Author: Mike Askew
Read review

Evo+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Q6 e-tron is a fine electric SUV in isolation, a competent cruiser with a compelling blend of performance, range and tech. Unfortunately for Audi, it doesn’t live in isolation – it lives in a world where BMW’s iX remains the class benchmark for luxury and refinement, and the Porsche Macan is king for driver appeal.”
Author: Yousuf Ashraf
Read review

Green Car Guide+

Model reviewed: Launch Edition 285kW
Score: 8 / 10
“The Audi Q6 e-tron offers lots of space, the normal premium and high-tech Audi cabin, ultra-rapid charging, a refined driving experience, and in quattro form, huge grip.”
Author: Paul Clarke
Read review

Parkers+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.2 / 10
“That the Q6 e-Tron is so good to drive, delivering refinement and performance aplenty is the icing on the cake. If you’re in the market for a medium-to-large electric SUV, it should definitely be on your shortlist.”
Author: Ted Welford
Read review

The Sunday Times+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Q6’s real world range is frustrating but as an overall experience it’s certainly an improvement on its stablemate, and actually a car that rather grows on you over time.”
Author: Neil Briscoe
Read review

The Telegraph+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“This EV is pricey but swift and good looking – though the real-world range is disappointing.”
Author: Andrew English
Read review

Top Gear+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Audi’s version of the electric Porsche Macan is a tour de force of waftiness. Just don’t ask for more from it than that.”
Author: Joe Holding
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: September 2024
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 91%
Child protection: 92%
Vulnerable road users: 81%
Safety assist: 80%

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of January 2025, the Audi Q6 e-tron has not been assessed by Green NCAP.

The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the Q6 e-tron is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing whenever it ever takes place. Check back again soon.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
EV models	347 miles	A	297 – 392 miles	A – A

Electrical efficiency	Average	Score	Variation	Score
EV models	3.6 m/KWh	D	3.4 – 3.9 m/KWh	C – E

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	48	D	45 – 50	D – F

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£326	C
Year 2	£670	C
Year 3	£1,075	C
Year 4	£1,387	C
Year 5	£1,765	C
Overall	£5,223	C

The Audi Q6 e-tron is a rather expensive car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

Starting with the good news, the SUV’s average battery range of 347 miles (ranging from 297 miles to 392 miles depending on the model you choose) is excellent when compared to the average electric car. It’s electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) however, is not as high as much cheaper electric SUVs like the Skoda Enyaq.

The car’s insurance bracket is on the expensive side, and its servicing and maintenance costs over the first five years of ownership are pretty average. The car’s estimated total cost of £5,200 is a few hundred pounds cheaper than the total five-year servicing costs of the petrol-powered Audi Q5, however.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of January 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Audi Q6 e-tron to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Q6 e-tron, we’ll publish the results here.

Recalls

Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Audi Q6 e-tron

As of January 2025, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Audi Q6 e-tron. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.

You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Q6 e-tron dealer.

Everything you need to know about UK vehicle recalls

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Audi Q6 e-tron, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

More Audi Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

More news, reviews and information about the Audi Q6 e-tron at The Car Expert

Everything you need to know about Audi

Electric cars – what’s on sale and what’s coming in 2024?

New Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron Coupé-SUV revealed

All-new Audi Q6 e-tron now available to order

Buy an Audi Q6 e-tron

If you’re looking to buy a new or used Audi Q6 e-tron, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.

Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more

Find your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more

Find your next new or used car with Carwow. Find out more

Lease an Audi Q6 e-tron

If you’re looking to lease a new Audi Q6 e-tron, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.

Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more

Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more

Personal contract hire deals from Rivervale Leasing. Find out more

Subscribe to an Audi Q6 e-tron

Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)

Car subscriptions from Wagonex.
Find out more

Car subscriptions from DriveFuze.
Find out more

Car subscriptions from Cocoon.
Find out more

Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupé

Stuart Masson

-

11 November 2024

0

Summary

The Mercedes-Benz CLE is a two-door, four-seater coupé that was launched in 2023 before arriving in the UK in early 2024.

The CLE effectively replaces two models in the Mercedes-Benz family, the C-Class Coupé and the E-Class Coupé, as part of a rationalisation of the company’s sprawling model range. The CLE is also available as a cabriolet, and we have a separate Expert Rating for that model.

Available with petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid power – all with automatic gearboxes – every version of the CLE, including the AMG CLE 53 not covered here (separate Expert Rating coming soon), is tuned for comfort more than for incisive handling. For attacking a winding B-road, a BMW 4 Series is probably going to be more enjoyable, but for long journeys along A-roads and motorways, the CLE is superior.

As of July 2025, the Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupé hold a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 62%. It scores top marks for its low CO₂ emissions (thanks to the plug-in hybrid version), although media review scores are only middling and running costs are high. As yet, we don’t have any safety data from Euro NCAP, so that may influence the rating up or down if and when the CLE is tested.

CLE highlights

Comfortable ride for long journeys
Good-size rear seats
Decent level of standard equipment
Plenty of top tech equipment

CLE lowlights

Handling can’t match BMW 4 Series
Touch-sensitive steering wheel controls
Still a pricey option
Plug-in hybrid model loses a lot of boot space

Key specifications

Body style: Mid-sized 2+2 coupé
Engines: petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid
Price: From £46,620 on-road

Launched: Winter 2023/24
Last updated: N/A
Next update due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Featured reviews

“What it does take from its saloon siblings is largely good stuff, although we’d like a more refined ride. At this price point the diesel doesn’t feel special enough, either. The pick of the range looks like a pricier petrol with the fancier adjustable suspension.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 7 / 10

Read full review

Auto Express

Alastair Crooks

“It’s all very calm, very relaxed and totally unobtrusive. It makes it all feel very late-1990s, when lap times and acceleration figures weren’t the be-all and end-all as they are today. Further proof that less can be more and all the better for it.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 7 / 10

Read full review

Evo

Stuart Gallagher

More reviews

Auto Trader

Score: 8 / 10
“The Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupé is very comfortable, looks the part, has a fantastic cabin and a rare diesel option… but it’s no sports car.”
Author: Mark Nichol
Read review

Car

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“Relaxing rather than exciting, the CLE will find favour with exactly the same sort of buyers who purchased the old C- and E-Class coupes. Which is just what it’s meant to do.”
Author: Keith Adams
Read review

Carbuyer

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.8 / 10
“The Mercedes CLE looks good, offers a decent amount of room inside and drives well, replacing two models in one go.”
Author: Charlie Harvey, Andy Goodwin
Read review

Carwow

Model reviewed: Range overview
“The Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe is one of those increasingly rare sights – a sleek two-door coupe. It has a good-sized boot, but it could be a bit cramped for rear seat passengers.”
Read review

Motoring Research

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Replacing both the C-Class coupe and E-Class coupe in Mercedes-Benz’s rationalised range, the CLE manages to be a more convincing proposition than either car, with smart styling, relaxed road manners and a roomy interior.”
Author: John Redfern
Read review

Parkers

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“No surprises with the Mercedes-Benz CLE – it’s a comfortable, premium and good-looking coupe. We felt there was more C-Class than E-Class about the way it drove, but it shouldn’t put buyers off from either side. But either way, we like it.”
Author: Keith Adams
Read review

Regit

Model reviewed: CLE 300 4Matic AMG Line Premium Plus
Score: 8 / 10
“If you were ever in any doubt that two could become one, the Mercedes-Benz CLE has proved it is possible. Yes, there will be people out there who will say it’s not like the outgoing C-Class or E-Class Coupe models, but we think they have found the perfect balance between the two.”
Author: Maxine Ashford
Read review

The Telegraph

Model reviewed: 3.0-litre petrol automatic CLE 450 AMG Line Premium Plus Coupe
Score: 8 / 10
The Mercedes-Benz CLE is a modern take on the archetypal Mercedes coupe, and all the better for it. In much the same way as those two-door Mercs of old, the CLE feels as though it would be most at home with its nose pointed south, whisking you to a table by the Med for dinner in understated style.”
Author: Alex Robbins
Read review

Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Relaxing to drive but infuriating to operate, the CLE is an old-school coupe spoiled by poorly integrated tech.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

No safety rating

As of July 2025, the Mercedes-Benz CLE has not been assessed by Euro NCAP.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of July 2025, the Mercedes-Benz CLE has not been assessed by Green NCAP.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score
Petrol models	40 mpg	D
Diesel models	59 mpg	A
Plug-in hybrid models	470 mpg	A

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	160 g/km	C
Diesel models	125 g/km	A
Plug-in hybrid models	13 g/km	A

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	69 miles	C

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	34	C

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£367	C
Year 2	£851	C
Year 3	£1,381	C
Year 4	£1,656	C
Year 5	£2,164	C
Overall	£6,419	C

The Mercedes-Benz CLE is a relatively expensive car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

Fuel consumption on the petrol-engined models is poor, while the diesels and plug-in hybrid models are much better – and much the same applies to CO₂ emissions, which affect road tax.

Insurance and servicing costs are pretty average for the new car market, which is fairly competitive for a luxury car model.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of July 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Mercedes-Benz CLE to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the CLE, we’ll publish the results here.

Warranty rating

New car warranty information for the Mercedes-Benz CLE

Overall ratingB68%
Petrol or diesel modelsC41%
Hybrid or plug-in hybrid modelsA82%
New car warranty duration3 years
New car warranty mileageUnlimited miles
Battery warranty duration8 years
Battery warranty mileage100,000 miles

Mercedes-Benz’s new car warranty is only average, and not as attractive as some other cars in a similar price bracket as the CLE.

The duration is three years, with no limit on mileage – although, in reality, the mileage numbers are likely to be fairly irrelevant as most cars only cover about 10,000 miles each year.

In addition to the standard new car warranty, the CLE plug-in hybrid models have an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components. The overall rating above is a mix of the different models.

Recalls

Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Mercedes-Benz CLE

Date: March 2024
Recall number: R/2024/130
Model types: All
Build dates: 02/2023 to 08/2023
Number of vehicles affected: 2
Defect: On certain vehicles, some 80-amp fuses installed might not meet requirements.
Remedy: Replace the respective main fuse boxes on the affected vehicles.

As of October 2024 (our most recent data point), there has only been one DVSA vehicle safety recall on the Mercedes-Benz CLE, and that only affected two cars.

Not all vehicles are affected by recalls. You can check to see if your car is included in any of the above recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Mercedes-Benz dealer.

If your car is affected by a recall, the vehicle must be repaired and you should not be charged for any work required. If you are buying a used CLE, you should insist that any outstanding recall work is completed before you take delivery of the vehicle.

Everything you need to know about UK vehicle recalls

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Mercedes-Benz CLE, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

Audi A5 (2016 to 2024) | BMW 4 Series | Ford Mustang

The large coupé market has been in decline for several years. The Audi A5 coupé has now been discontinued, while the BMW 4 Series carries on successfully. Ford has also launched a new Mustang, but that’s not really a direct competitor to the Mercedes CLE.

More Mercedes-Benz Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

More news, reviews and information about the Mercedes-Benz CLE at The Car Expert

Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet

Everything you need to know about Mercedes-Benz

Best Convertible 2025

High-power Mercedes-AMG CLE Coupé unveiled

Pricing announced for new Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupé

New Mercedes-Benz CLE range revealed

Buy a Mercedes-Benz CLE

If you’re looking to buy a new or used Mercedes-Benz CLE, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.

Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more

Find your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more

Find your next new or used car with Carwow. Find out more

Lease a Mercedes-Benz CLE

If you’re looking to lease a new Mercedes-Benz CLE, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.

Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more

Personal contract hire deals from Select Car Leasing. Find out more

Personal contract hire deals from Carwow. Find out more

Subscribe to a Mercedes-Benz CLE

If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)

Car subscriptions from SelfDrive.
Find out more

Car subscriptions from DriveFuze.
Find out more

Car subscriptions from Cocoon.
Find out more

Ford Mustang

Stuart Masson

-

11 November 2024

0

The Ford Mustang is The Car Expert’s Best Coupé 2025!

Summary

The Ford Mustang is a large, petrol-powered, rear-wheel drive coupé and convertible model. This is the latest, seventh-generation, model that was launched in 2024.

Despite the Mustang being one of Ford’s most famous models, the new model is only the second generation (after the previous model) to be built in right-hand drive and officially exported to the UK.

Unlike the previous model, the latest Mustang is only offered with a 5.0-litre petrol V8 engine. The four-cylinder version remains available in other markets but is not being offered in the UK after poor sales of the last model resulted in it being dropped a few years ago.

There’s a new flagship model called the Ford Mustang Dark Horse, with an upgraded engine that offers improved performance.

Based on initial European reviews, the new Mustang has been highly praised for its much-improved driving dynamics compared to previous models. Steve Sutcliffe at Auto Express feels that the manual coupé is “unquestionably the pick of the bunch” compared to the automatic gearbox or convertible versions, while Ben Barry at Car describes the Dark Horse as “a uniquely compelling sports car”.

As of February 2025, the new Ford Mustang has a New Car Expert Rating of D, with a score of 57%. Despite its popularity with motoring journalists, the Mustang inevitably loses a lot of points because of its very high running costs and CO₂ emissions. As yet, we don’t have any Euro NCAP safety results, and it will be quite a while before we get reliability data.

Mustang highlights

Driving dynamics significantly better than earlier models
Much improved connectivity
New Dark Horse performance model

Mustang lowlights

Expensive to run
Limited availability in UK
Rear seats very cramped

Key specifications

Body style: Large coupé and convertible
Engines: petrol
Price: From £55,725

Launched: Summer 2024
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express+

Model reviewed: 5.0-litre petrol automatic Dark Horse
Score: 9 / 10
“Although the Ford Mustang Dark Horse has been thoroughly modernised inside and out, and wears a striking new set of clothes, it’s still an old fashioned driver’s car at heart – and one that drives as good as it looks. If this really is to be the mainstream Mustang’s last hurrah, it will be some swansong. No wonder the UK’s allocation is already sold out.”
Author: Steve Sutcliffe
Read review

Model reviewed: 5.0-litre petrol automatic GT
Score: 8 / 10
“The new Ford Mustang GT introduces fresh looks and plenty of updated technology, all of which is accompanied by a traditional V8 soundtrack.”
Author: Steve Sutcliffe
Read review

Car+

Model reviewed: Dark Horse
Score: 8 / 10
“We’d like more feel from the steering and more attitude and performance from the (detuned for Britain) V8, but all in the Ford Mustang now stands as a uniquely compelling sports car that does the go-faster stuff very much on its own terms.”
Author: Ben Barry
Read review

Carbuyer+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.2 / 10
“With its big petrol V8 engine, the Ford Mustang is one of the last of a dying breed of sports cars.”
Author: Charlie Harvey
Read review

Carwow+

Model reviewed: Range overview
“The seventh-generation Ford Mustang is leaner, meaner and comes exclusively with a V8 engine – so don’t expect hybrid efficiency or the latest tech.”
Read review

Evo+

Score: 8 / 10
“The Ford Mustang GT really is an easy car to fall for, and it’s one you sense Ford is pulling out all the stops to continue selling in the UK. Average fleet emissions regulations mean that Ford must limit the supply of Mustangs in Europe to avoid fines, and theoretically they could produce more than they do to satisfy demand. That demand is only likely to grow with this new model, because there really isn’t an alternative if you want a manual, rear-drive, naturally aspirated V8 coupe in 2024.”
Author: Yousuf Ashraf
Read review

Model reviewed: 5.0-litre petrol automatic Dark Horse
Score: 9 / 10
“Even if its styling looks a little fussier than that of its predecessor to these eyes, and even if the similarly priced BMW M2 is objectively the better buy, there’s nothing else out there quite like the Ford Mustang Dark Horse. It’s likely one of the very last manual V8 cars available to buy – but that’s not the only thing the new Mustang has going for it.”
Author: James Taylor
Read review

The Sunday Times+

Model reviewed: 5.0-litre petrol manual Dark Horse
Score: 9 / 10
“Sporty Mustang gamely gallops on.”
Author: Matt Robinson
Read review

Top Gear+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“A bunch of great updates make the Ford Mustang a sharper sports car while still staying true to its muscle car roots”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

No safety rating

As of February, the Ford Mustang has not been tested by Euro NCAP.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of February, the Ford Mustang has not been assessed by Green NCAP.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	23 mpg	E	23 – 24 mpg	E – E

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	279 g/km	D	274 – 282 g/km	D – D

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	45	D	43 – 46	D – D

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£442	D
Year 2	£1,040	D
Year 3	£1,595	D
Year 4	£1,830	D
Year 5	£2,374	C
Overall	£7,281	D

The Ford Mustang is a very expensive car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

Although this is unlikely to be a surprise to anyone considering a new or used Mustang, it’s still worth noting. Unsurprisingly, given that the Mustang is powered by a 5.0-litre petrol V8 engine, fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions are high.

Insurance and servicing costs are also higher than most new cars on the market.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of February 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Ford Mustang to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Mustang, we’ll publish the results here.

Recalls

Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Ford Mustang

As of February 2025, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the new Ford Mustang. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.

You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Ford dealer.

Everything you need to know about UK vehicle recalls

Awards

Trophies, prizes and awards that the Ford Mustang has received.

2024

The Car Expert Awards – Best Coupé

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Ford Mustang, you might also be interested in these alternatives

It’s a small pool of rivals for the new Ford Mustang, and realistically there’s nothing else quite like it on sale in the UK. We don’t get the Dodge Challenger (which is due to end production very soon anyway) and the Chevrolet Camaro is also long gone in America (and was never officially sold here, either). The big German brands all have large coupé and convertible models, but they’re quite different in execution to the Mustang.

More Ford Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

More news, reviews and information about the Ford Mustang at The Car Expert

Everything you need to know about Ford

Ford Mustang (2015 to 2023)

SEAT Ibiza leads a field of five-star Euro NCAP ratings

Safety body slams Ford Mustang over poor crash results

Ford announces brand-new Mustang

Ford Mustang review

Many lose but some win with new road tax rules

Ford Mustang review (2016 – 2018)

Ford Mustang Mach 1 set for European debut

Ford unveils all-electric Mustang Mach-E

Anniversary Ford Mustang55 revealed

Geneva: Ford offers Bullitt points

Buy a Ford Mustang

If you’re looking to buy a new or used Ford Mustang, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.

Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more

Find your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more

Find your next new or used car with Carwow. Find out more

Lease a Ford Mustang

If you’re looking to lease a new Ford Mustang, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.

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Subaru Crosstrek

Stuart Masson

-

10 November 2024

0

Summary

The Subaru Crosstrek is a small-medium crossover vehicle, which arrived in the UK in early 2024. It replaces the previous Subaru XV model.

The Crosstrek is based on the latest Subaru Impreza hatchback, which is not sold in the UK. It’s only available with one powertrain, a 2.0-litre petrol engine with hybrid assistance. Although Subaru talks up the ‘hybrid’ element of the Crosstrek, in reality it can’t move more than a few metres on electrical power during stop-start driving. The electric motor’s main job is to support the petrol engine.

Being a more rugged version of a hatchback, rather than an SUV-style vehicle, the Crosstrek doesn’t have many direct rivals. The Ford Focus Active and Kia XCeed have a similar go-anywhere style, but the Subaru is far more capable than them if you actually want to go any further off-road than a gravel car park. As Carwow describes it, “If your idea of a twisting road is a rutted farm track, the Crosstrek is brilliant.”

Like most models in the Subaru family, the focus is on functionality rather than avant-garde design. The cabin is quite roomy, but looks a generation behind the latest crossovers from other brands. Auto Express describes the dashboard as “old-fashioned”, with “buttons are scattered in hard-to-find places”.

For most car buyers, ultimately, the Crosstrek’s off-roading capabilities are less important than on-road comfort, low running costs and urban practicality. In these areas, the new Subaru struggles to score many points.

As of May 2025, the Subaru Crosstrek holds a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 65%. It scores top marks for its excellent safety rating, but its CO₂ emissions are only average, running costs are higher than comparable cars and media review scores have been poor. Being a new model, we won’t have any reliability data for some time to come.

Crosstrek highlights

Far more capable off-road than rivals
Excellent safety rating
Decent cabin space
Comfortable ride
Subaru customer experience is historically good

Crosstrek lowlights

Fuel consumption is poor
‘Hybrid’ branding is overhyped
Only one engine and gearbox combination
Interior ambience not as good as rivals
Engine is noisy at speed

Key specifications

Body style: Small-medium crossover
Engines: petrol, mild hybrid assistance
Price: From £34,995

Launched: Winter 2023/24
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Featured reviews

“The Subaru Crosstrek retains the rugged styling of its siblings but struggles with an identity crisis in this category.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 6.4 / 10

Read full review

Trinity Francis

“The Subaru Crosstrek is pretty good to drive and amazing off-road, but a poor engine, rubbish economy and high price tag consign it to niche status.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 6 / 10

Read full review

Carwow

Tom Wiltshire

More reviews

Auto Express

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The new Subaru Crosstrek is an oddball that sits somewhere between a hatch and small SUV, but it’s hard to recommend it over the best in either class.”
Author: James Disdale, Richard Ingram
Read review

Heycar

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 5 / 10
“Subaru has always ploughed its own furrow and so it is with the Crosstrek, a mash-up of hatch body, SUV stance, all-wheel drive, and hybrid power.”
Author: Al Suttie
Read review

Parkers

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 4.4 / 10
“The Subaru Crosstrek is an improvement over the XV – but it doesn’t go far enough.“
Author: Luke Wilkinson
Read review

Regit

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“It might be worth weighing up the importance of four-wheel drive when considering the Subaru Crosstrek. Yes, there are plenty of similarly-styled SUVs out there that boast better driving dynamics and cost less, but they would leave you stranded if faced with tougher terrain. The Crosstrek most definitely wouldn’t.”
Author: Maxine Ashford
Read review

The Telegraph

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“An old-fashioned feel might be a disadvantage against more modern rivals, but when rugged 4×4 ability is essential, this is a hidden gem.”
Author: Alex Robbins
Read review

Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The Crosstrek is a proper old school, rufty-tufy, go anywhere small SUV that is sure to appease the Subaru faithful.”
Author: Peter Rawlins
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: September 2024
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 83%
Child protection: 90%
Vulnerable road users: 85%
Safety assist: 72%

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of May 2025, the Subaru Crosstrek has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of May 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Subaru Crosstrek to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Crosstrek, we’ll publish the results here.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Hybrid models	37 mpg	D	37 – 37 mpg	D – D

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Hybrid models	174 g/km	C	174 – 174 g/km	C – C

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	20	A	20 – 20	A – A

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£247	B
Year 2	£597	B
Year 3	£1,023	B
Year 4	£1,207	B
Year 5	£1,667	B
Overall	£4,741	B

The Subaru Crosstrek is not as cheap as you might hope to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

Fuel consumption is poor, especially since the petrol engine does have a level of electrical hybrid support (although it’s a long way short of a full hybrid, so it can’t run for miles on electricity alone).

The good news is that insurance premiums should be very competitive, while servicing and maintenance bills for the first five years should also be good.

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Subaru Crosstrek, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

More Subaru Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

More news, reviews and information about the Subaru Crosstrek and XV models at The Car Expert

Everything you need to know about Subaru

Subaru XV (2018 to 2023)

Subaru Crosstrek test drive

The 10 worst new cars on sale in 2023

The 10 worst new cars on sale in 2022

Subaru XV e-Boxer test drive

Subaru XV review

Crash test cars earn five-star ratings

Geneva: New tech for Subaru XV

Buy a Subaru Crosstrek

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Electric Suzuki e-Vitara crossover set for 2025 arrival

New model

Sean Rees

-

8 November 2024

0

Electric Suzuki e-Vitara crossover set for 2025 arrival

Suzuki has announced that its first electric car will join the brand’s UK range next summer – a battery-powered version of the Vitara crossover that will be available with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive.

Suzuki is one of the last car manufacturers to unveil an electric model for the UK market, and the e-Vitara will pose a leftfield challenge to the likes of the Mini Aceman and Volvo EX40 when it goes on sale in 2025.

The battery-powered SUV will be available with either a 49kWh or larger 61kWh battery pack, and says that it is aiming for the latter to provide up to 250 miles of single-charge driving and rapid charging speeds of up to 150kW.

While the standard 142hp version is front-wheel drive, the 61kWh version will also be available in a 181hp all-wheel drive configuration, which adds another electric motor to the rear axle.

In all-wheel drive form, the e-Vitara comes with what Suzuki calls a ‘Allgrip-e’ system, which manages the front and rear motors independently to provide more “precise control” of the car when on rough terrain. The driver can also turn on ‘Trail Mode’ which applies the brakes to spinning wheels and distributes power to the opposite tire so that the car can escape challenging terrain “smoothly”.

Built in India, pricing for the new Suzuki e-Vitara is yet to be announced. This and more details, like trim specifications and a precise launch date, are sure to arrive in the coming months. Check back soon!

Omoda E5 test drive

Car reviews

Stuart Masson

-

8 November 2024

0

Make and model: Omoda E5
Description: Medium-sized SUV, single electric motor
Price range: £33,055 (plus options)

Omoda says: “The Omoda E5 brings futuristic design, intuitive technology, and exceptional agility, together with fast charging, and useable all-electric performance.”

We say: The overall feeling of the Omoda E5 is “good but not great”. The price undercuts most rivals, but there are too many places where it feels like a budget choice.

Omoda E5 review 2024

[–]

Introduction

You’ve probably never heard of Omoda, but that’s not surprising. It’s a new car brand from China that has only launched in the UK in Autumn 2024. Omoda is a division of the enormous car company Chery, which has been building cars in China for almost 30 years. This same car is sold in some countries as the Chery Omoda E5, so if you have travelled to Asia or Australia over the last couple of years you may have already seen it there.

The first two models that Omoda is launching in Europe are the Omoda E5 – the mid-sized electric SUV you see here – and its petrol-powered twin, the Omoda 5.

What is it?

The Omoda E5 is a mid-sized electric SUV/crossover, similar in size to a Peugeot e-3008. But it’s priced at the level of a smaller SUV, like a Peugeot e-2008. Like fellow Chinese manufacturer MG, Omoda is pushing hard on the value-for-money angle.

Despite this being yet another new EV, Omoda isn’t going all-in on electric cars. Chery believes there’s still plenty of business to be had in selling petrol and hybrid models, although we’re unlikely to see any diesels. As such, the E5 has a petrol-powered twin called the Omoda 5, powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine.

Who is this car aimed at?

Electric cars are bought predominantly by fleets, and the Omoda E5 will probably follow this path. Employees who can take advantage of salary sacrifice will also benefit, as the net monthly payments are likely to be very competitive.

The attractive price tag will also appeal to families buying a car on traditional car finance, looking to switch to an EV for their next car at the lowest possible price.

Who won’t like it?

There’s a large element of anti-Chinese sentiment in certain quarters of the media at the moment, so there will be plenty of people who simply won’t consider an Omoda at any price. Beyond that, many car buyers won’t consider a brand they’ve never heard of, while others won’t consider an electric car. So an unknown Chinese EV will inevitably be overlooked by a large number of people.

Interestingly, MG has managed to swerve much (but not all) of such criticism thanks to its British name and heritage, while BYD is making headway through a massive marketing blitz and targeting fleet buyers to get lots of cars on the road.

First impressions

The easiest way to tell the difference between the electric E5 and petrol 5 is to look at the nose. While the 5 has an enormous cross-hatch grille, the E5 has a pointier nose with no grille at all.

Side-by-side, the E5 is a sharper-looking car than its petrol counterpart. But from every other angle, the two are basically identical – the E5 has more aerodynamically styled wheels to reduce drag, but that’s about it.

Omoda’s brochure describes the E5’s styling as “futuristic”, but that’s overegging things quite a lot. It could easily be mistaken for about a dozen other mid-sized crossovers on the market, with only the shark-like grille-less nose that looks in any way distinctive.

Step inside and things improve. The Omoda E5 cabin ticks all the boxes for a modern SUV, although it’s still fairly derivative. It has twin high-mounted screens (like pretty much every other new car being launched this year), haptic heating controls (which look like they’ve been nicked from a Nissan Ariya) and a gear selection level mounted on the steering column rather than on the centre console (just like Kia and Hyundai EVs). But look a bit closer and quite a few of the materials don’t have the same level of quality as you’d find in other household-name cars.

What do you get for your money?

Once we’ve got the first impressions out of the way, it’s time to look a bit harder at exactly what you’re getting for your money with the Omoda E5.

There are two trim levels available; Noble, which starts at just over £33K, and Comfort, which starts at £34.5K. Rather than regurgitating the entire brochure, it’s enough to say that both models are very well equipped for the money. Wireless charging (including a cooling fan for your phone) with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are auto lights and wipers, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, an eight-speaker Sony sound system and a full suite of accident avoidance safety systems.

The extra £1,500 for the Comfort grade gets you a sunroof, power tailgate, dual-zone climate control with better particle filtering, and a 360-degree parking camera system. You can also choose bigger wheels and some two-tone colours from the options list, which are not available on the Noble version.

Warranty is excellent, covering you for seven years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first). Servicing is annually or every 10,000 miles, and you get a year’s RAC breakdown cover as standard. If you keep having the car serviced at an official Omoda garage, the breakdown cover is extended by another year up to a maximum of seven years.

We like: Very good standard equipment levels, including safety kit
We don’t like: There’s not much not to like in terms of value

What’s the Omoda E5 like inside?

Your view on the cabin will largely depend on your starting point. If you’re comparing it to other mid-size SUVs that tend to be a few thousand pounds dearer, it’s easy to see shortcomings. It looks good on a superficial level, but inspect each element a little more closely and it all starts to look a bit more budget.

There are twin 12-inch screens for driver display and central infotainment controls, plus LED mood lighting, wireless phone charging and a steering wheel copiously loaded up with buttons. The touchscreen menus are not as logically arranged as they should be, and are not the easiest to use on the move. The digital screen in front of the driver is similarly fussy and clumsy in layout, rather than being clear to read on the move, while too much information – like your speed – is easily blocked by the steering wheel and your hands.

On the other hand, if you’re comparing the Omoda E5 to small SUVs that cost about the same sort of money, it starts to look far more appealing. Many of those also tend to look like they’ve been lumped with plastics and controls from the bargain basement, so the Omoda E5’s additional size and standard equipment list look far more appealing.

Interestingly, the electric E5 is nicer inside than the petrol 5, which is surprising and makes you wonder why the petrol version gets a lower-rent interior. The twin screens are larger (12 inches each, rather than 10 inches), while the column-mounted gear lever frees up additional space on the centre console, which is better designed.

The driver’s seat and steering column both feel like they need more adjustment range. Despite being less than six feet tall, I couldn’t pull the steering wheel out far enough to be comfortable. Initially, I pushed the seat back and had my arms outstretched so that my legs were comfortable. But then I couldn’t comfortably reach the central touchscreen so I pulled the seat forward so that my arm position felt more natural, but then my legs felt uncomfortably cramped up.

(Incidentally, this is why you should always test drive a new car before buying, as you could end up with a car that’s incredibly uncomfortable for your particular size and shape.)

The cabin and boot are not as spacious as you might expect based on the exterior dimensions, which is disappointing. Overall, it does feel bigger than a small SUV like a Juke, but it doesn’t have as much room as a Qashqai or similar. Boot space is also less than what you get from similarly sized cars, which is not a price issue but more of a design issue.

We like: Plenty of standard kit, large 12-inch screens are an improvement on petrol model
We don’t like: Cabin is not as spacious as exterior dimensions suggest

What’s the Omoda E5 like to drive?

So, on the surface, the Omoda 5 seems a reasonable bit of kit. But how does that hold up once we get behind the wheel? The petrol 5 was pretty poor in this regard, but the electric E5 offers better news.

The electric motor offers a smooth and quiet driving experience, which immediately makes it a much nicer car to drive than the jerky and raucous petrol model. Acceleration is responsive and seamless – although not quite as good as some of the best compact SUVs, the E5 feels much more comparable with rival cars.

Performance is easily adequate for most day-to-day driving requirements. Even with four or five people on board and a boot full of luggage, you’re likely to enjoy decent acceleration to overtake or pull onto motorways comfortably. The only noticeable effect is likely to be a reduction in driving range.

Like the petrol model, there’s quite a lot of road noise coming from the tyres at all speeds, while wind noise is also higher than similar cars at higher speeds. Again, other electric SUVs are better in this regard. However, it’s still noticeably quieter than the Omoda 5 petrol version since there’s no racket from the engine and gearbox.

The suspension is a surprising improvement over the petrol 5. That car wallows and rolls around a lot more, whereas the E5 felt a lot better over the same (fairly short) drive route. It’s a firmer ride, although not harsh, so you don’t get the wave motion that can cause a somewhat nauseous feel on bumpy roads in the petrol car. It feels much more like most European cars with a tauter control overall. This also benefits side-to-side movements as you change direction, with the car remaining far more settled.

We like: Ride and handling much better than petrol Omoda 5
We don’t like: Still not at the same level as the best electric compact SUVs

How safe is the Omoda E5?

The Omoda 5 was tested by Euro NCAP in December 2022 and scored a top five-star grade. It scores well in all four categories (adult protection, child protection, vulnerable road user protection and accident avoidance technology). This rating was extended to the electric Omoda E5 in November 2024 as Euro NCAP was satisfied that it performed equally well in every emergency situation.

Systems like adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, lane-keeping assist and rear cross-traffic alert are all standard, and all seemed to work perfectly well during our media drive around Surrey and Hampshire.

The only negative here isn’t of Omoda’s making, and that’s the new EU-mandated functions that cause the car to beep and bong at you pretty much non-stop for a variety of reasons: the speed limit has decreased, the speed limit has increased, there’s a school zone, you’re 1mph over the speed limit, you’re not looking at the road (because you’re looking at the screen to work out why it’s beeping at you this time) and so on. It’s awful, but most cars now suffer the same problem.

This is an excellent result overall. What’s even better, from our point of view, is that all of the safety technology is standard on both models, rather than the best stuff costing extra. That earns it 10/10 in this category from us.

Omoda E5 economy, battery range and charging

The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating Index pulls running cost data from across the entire new car market, and the Omoda E5 performs very well here, scoring a B-grade from us – with the caveat that we don’t yet have servicing cost data.

One of the most important factors for an EV is its electrical efficiency – the equivalent of fuel economy for a petrol or diesel car. The Omoda E5 scores a B-grade here, which is good.

The battery has a capacity of 61kWh, which gives an official driving range of 257 miles on the official EU/UK government lab test. Call it at least 200 miles in real-world driving throughout the year and you should be pretty safe. The Noble-spec E5 also comes with a heat pump, which warms and cools the cabin faster than the lower-spec Comfort model and will also have less impact on driving range when in use.

When you want to charge up, the news is not as good as some rivals. With a maximum 80kW charging rate, the Omoda E5 doesn’t benefit from using some of the fastest chargers available (up to 350kW). It’s not a big deal at the moment, as these are still fairly rare, but once more of them start rolling out, you’ll notice that other EVs will be able to charge faster.

The charging flap is located in the nose of the car, which means you will probably want to park nose-first into charging bays to connect the cable.

The Omoda E5 comes with V2L (vehicle-to-load) functionality. This means you can use the car’s battery to run external electrical equipment, like a fridge or kettle or even a TV, offering extra convenience for camping, road trips or any other outdoor activities. Not all EVs offer this, so it’s a point in the E5’s favour.

Verdict

The overall feeling of the Omoda E5 is “good but not great”. The headline prices and standard kit levels do undercut most of its rivals, but there are too many places where it feels like a budget choice.

The good news is that the electric E5 is a lot nicer to drive than the petrol 5. The suspension feels better controlled, which gives a driver more confidence to accurately position the car through a corner rather than having to continually adjust the steering wheel. The cabin is also much quieter., as well as feeling a generation newer thanks to the larger screens and better layout.

You get plenty of standard equipment for the price, which is the main attraction for customers. But the electric SUV market is becoming ferociously competitive, and better cars are not that much more expensive.

If you’re looking at a brand-new Omoda E5, it’s worth comparing it to a near-new (one-year-old or so) Kia Niro EV. You won’t get that new car experience, and you’ll lose a year of warranty (although you’d still have six years), but you’ll be getting a better car that will also be cheaper to run.

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Omoda E5, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

Key specifications

Model tested: Omoda E5 Noble
Price (as tested): £34,555 (including £500 for premium paint)
Motor: Single electric motor, front-wheel drive
Gearbox: Single-speed automatic

Power: 204 hp
Torque: 340 Nm
Top speed: 121 mph
0-60 mph: 7.6 seconds

Battery range: 257 miles (combined)
CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km
Euro NCAP safety rating: 5 stars (November 2024)
TCE Expert Rating: N/A (coming soon)

Buy an Omoda E5

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Why the UK is the perfect size for running an electric car

Russell Hayes

-

7 November 2024

0

Why the UK is the perfect size for running an electric car

Everybody’s obsessed by how far any given electric car can go on a single charge, but in the UK are we missing the point?

You could argue that the UK is essentially perfect for EV adoption compared to most other countries also making the switch, given its relatively compact and dense layout compared to much larger countries like the USA or Australia, or even France.

Even if you go from one end of the UK to the other you can’t hit 1,000 miles without a diversion. The legendary Lands End Cornwall to John O’Groats Scotland journey (which people only really cover for charity events) is 837 miles.

To take a few more likely inter-city examples, Birmingham to Sheffield is 85 miles, London to Bristol is 117 miles, Cardiff to Dover is 233 miles and Leeds to Glasgow 238 miles, according to the AA Route Planner.

We don’t drive long distances as often as we think we do

At least, not very often, leaving aside company car drivers who are pounding the motorways daily, and going on summer holidays.

Over nearly 20 years leading up to the Covid-19 pandemic (2002 to 2019), the average car trip made in England in 2019 was consistently about 8.4 miles, according to the Department for Transport.

The DfT’s 2023 UK National Travel Survey is the primary source of data on personal travel patterns by residents of England within Great Britain.

It says that the annual private mileage covered by cars in 2023 was 4,400 miles – 200 up from 2022. Divided by days, that’s 12 miles per day. Commuting was 2,300 miles – up 100, so 6.3 miles a day. In 2023, 69% of the trips people took of between one and five miles were made by car or van.

The 2023 UK National Travel Survey says that there has been a gradual decline in car driver and passenger trips since 2002, with 23% fewer trips on average respectively in 2023 than in 2002. The most common trip purpose in 2023 was for shopping with 169 trips per person – and think of how much is delivered to the door these days.

Home chargers need never run out

Two-thirds of UK drivers have access to off-street parking, so potentially can charge at home. It’s estimated that there are about 850,000 private home charging points in the UK, which is highly favourable for the 1.2 million EVs currently on UK roads.

The average household car covers about 100 miles a week, so if they’re using an EV for shopping or school runs most can charge once a week and still never have to worry about running out of electricity. Every new EV on sale now shouldn’t dip under 100 miles without needing a charge, no matter what the conditions.

And if you need to top up during a longer journey or can’t charge at home, as we recently reported, the availability of public chargers is now rising faster than the number of new EVs coming onto the market. If current growth continues, the UK will have more than 300,000 public chargers by 2030, which is the government target.

According to Professor David Greenwood of the Advanced Propulsion Centre, the ideal combination that would make people comfortable with buying an EV is 150 miles of real-world range (so a claimed official 200 miles in ideal conditions) and the ability to charge quickly once they are confident in public charging.

Should we embrace smaller batteries and ranges?

Over the last few years, some carmakers have launched new EVs with what’s considered a small battery range (less than 150 miles), which appears to have been a big-time slip-up.

The 2020 Honda e was admired by many for its high-tech interior and cool styling then pilloried for its low range (137 miles on a good day with a very specific wheel size) and big price (around £37K). Sales proved so dismal that it was dropped at the start of 2024.

The Mazda MX-30 is larger than the Honda e and still on sale at £28K. Mazda says it has a ‘right-sized’ 36kWh battery for fast charging. But a maximum combined mixed maximum of 124 miles seems to have put buyers off to the extent that a range-extender version with a small petrol engine has been added.

Many people will remember that the pecking order of petrol cars used to be by engine size. With electric cars, it’s battery size and range. To get more range, you need a bigger battery – therefore it has to be put in a bigger and more expensive car. The Dacia Spring is a city-sized EV with a 27kWh battery, at best a 140-mile range and is the cheapest EV you can buy at £15K. To get over 100 miles more (theoretical) range you’d need a car like the slightly bigger 51kWh Peugeot e-208 with 248 miles, costing £30K.

But the smaller the battery, the quicker it is to top up the charge away from home, as long as the car can use rapid and ultra-rapid public chargers (which are becoming easier to find). Professor Greenwood sees the key point of EV acceptability being the ability of the car to charge from 20-80% in 15 minutes (or in simpler terms, the time to grab a coffee), which is made easier if the battery is smaller.

But there might be a turnaround in thinking coming with the advent of a host of more reasonably priced EVs with reasonable range. Above the Dacia Spring in range (if not in size) the new Leapmotor T03 city car is £16K and 165 miles. Usefully bigger than both these two, the £22K Citroën ë-C3 (199 miles is) followed by the new Hyundai Inster billing 203 miles in its basic form at £23.5K. Is that the kind of range and price you need?

Read more:

Jaguar stops new car sales ahead of 2026 re-launch

Car manufacturer news

Sean Rees

-

7 November 2024

0

Jaguar stops new car sales ahead of 2026 re-launch

Jaguar has stopped selling new cars in the UK, in preparation for a major re-launch as an electric-only luxury car brand in 2026.

The Jaguar XE, XF and F-Type models were pulled from production at Jaguar’s Solihull and Castle Bromwich factories earlier this year. The F-Pace SUV, also built in Solihull, is no longer on sale in the UK although will still be built for export markets until production finally ends in early 2025.

The E-Pace and I-Pace SUV models, which are built by a contract manufacturer in Austria, will cease production in December.

Once current stock is cleared from showroom floors, Jaguar will continue to offer used cars through its website and dealership network until 2026.

While you won’t be able to buy a new Jaguar of any kind next year, we’ll find out more about Jaguar’s next-generation electric range in the coming months. The British brand aims to become a luxury car brand with lower sales volumes (and presumably higher pricing), and has been slimming down its dealership network this year in preparation for the relaunch.

The first new-generation electric Jaguar, which the company describes as a ‘four-door GT’, will be unveiled at some point next year before going on sale in 2026. That will presumably put it into competition with the likes of the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.

Additional electric models are set to follow, but no information has yet been provided on Jaguar’s further plans.

More Jaguar news, reviews, Expert Rating and features

Driving in India – what are the rules?

Tom Johnston

-

6 November 2024

0

As a spectacle, India is hard to beat. And that’s why it’s such a popular destination for tourists eager to experience a vibrant, buzzing and lively way of life.

Bursting with noise and colour, it’s a spectacle to behold in so many areas of this stunning country. There are beautiful beaches, national parks, breathtaking waterfalls, buzzing street life and amazing history, with mosques and tombs among the places to visit and learn from.

It’s a huge South Asian country with Pakistan to its north west, Nepal and China to the north east and Sri Lanka off the south coast. The beautiful Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea lap on east and west coastlines while the mighty Indian Ocean beckons to the south.

Delhi was established 1,000 years before Christ and there you can explore the Mughal dynasty, visit the Jama Masjid Mosque, the largest of its kind in India, and learn about the country’s colonial history.

There’s the Taj Mahal in Agra, the royal palaces of Jaipur, the sprawling streets of Mumbai – one of the most populated cities in the world – and the hamlet of Shimla, set 2,000 feet above sea level, to explore. And that has barely scratched the surface of this incredible nation.

Tourism is big business in India and the country’s main towns and cities are well set up for it – the people are friendly, and hotels, restaurants and attractions are ready to welcome visitors with a smile and a helping hand.

These centres are also important hubs for a wide variety of business and industry. Textiles, chemicals, steel, mining and petroleum are all important streams of manufacturing or commerce and attract millions of businesspeople to India’s shores each year.

Unless you have a car at your disposal already in India, flying in and hiring a vehicle is the obvious option for UK travellers wishing to explore the roads there and you’ll find a wide selection of car rental companies, such as Avis, Europcar and Budget, operating from the country’s major airports including Chhatrapati Shivaji International (Mumbai), Indira Ghandi International (New Delhi) and Cochin International (Kochi).

There will be a wide choice of body styles available including city cars, saloons, 4x4s, people carriers, and estates. Choose a model type carefully depending on where you are going and the roads you are likely to be using.

That’s just one part of the preparation you need to make before entering India because the country’s road safety record leaves a lot to be desired. India’s drivers are considered among the worst in the world. More than 1.5 million people die on India’s roads every year and there seems little sign of this trend diminishing. With just one per cent of the world’s cars currently on India’s roads, almost 10% of road-accident related deaths happen there.

A disregard for basic safety, poor driving, livestock using the highways and areas with badly maintained surfaces all contribute to India’s road safety problem. If you are thinking of hiring a car and driving in India, plan carefully and always be on your guard when behind the wheel.

If you are involved in an accident, comply with the local traffic police if they are on the scene. If there are no police there, locals can get rowdy, and UK government advice is to leave the scene and go to the nearest police station. This is especially important if a cow is involved in the accident. This can quickly draw crowds of over-excited people.

Here The Car Expert looks at the most important elements to consider when planning to drive in India, with a broad look at its road laws, and we’ve included a handy checklist. As each journey is unique, always check that you have everything covered for your particular visit.

Basic rules

You must be aged 18 to get behind the wheel in India and, as a UK traveller, the likelihood is that you will be at least that. Take your driving licence with you and carry it at all times. Traffic police will often stop cars just to verify the identity of the user and you must be ready for this.

Just the licence card will do, as the paper counterpart is not required. However, you will also need an International Driving Permit (IDP) which you should obtain before travelling. There are three types of IDP available – for India you require the 1949 version. You can get one at Paypoint stores, priced £5.50. The British Government (Gov.UK) website has more information.

In most regions of India, you must be aged 21 to hire a vehicle but some companies will accept 18 years. For higher performance or more expensive cars you might have to be older. Drivers aged under 25 could be charged an extra ‘risk’ fee by some car rental companies.

Once all the paperwork is done and fees paid, the rental company will provide you with the necessary documents to show the vehicle is registered, taxed, meets pollution standards and that you are insured to drive it. Always carry personal ID such as your passport.

We don’t recommend any drinking of alcohol if you are going to drive, but you should be aware of the country’s limit. For car drivers it’s 0.3 g/l (0.3 milligrams) blood alcohol level. By comparison, it’s 0.8 g/l in England and Wales.

There are severe penalties for anyone stopped for drink driving, ranging from a 10,000 Rupee (£90) fine to two years in prison. If your actions lead to death or injury, the penalties will be harsher. The police can randomly stop and test any driver they wish.

Speed limits

Speed limits are shown in kilometres per hour (km/h) and vary according to state and even vehicle type. As a general rule they are: urban areas 70 km/h (43 mph), two-lane highways 100 km/h (62 mph) and interstates (motorways) 120 km/h (75 mph). Some highways allow 140 km/h (87 mph) so keep an eye on road signs.

Speed cameras are in use in and around main cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa and Chennai. Camera detection devices are illegal in India, and you can expect a fine plus confiscation of the device if you are caught using one. If your satnav shows where speed cameras are, switch off this function.

What to carry in the car

There are no rules governing what you must carry in your car as there are in many countries, but basic equipment such as a first aid kit and Hi-Viz vest are recommended, especially if you are planning a lot of driving. Your rental company might provide some of this equipment.

Don’t use a warning triangle if you break down. Local drivers won’t know what it is and it’s likely to cause confusion.

Seatbelts

Seatbelt rules are similar to the UK: if your car has them, they must be worn, front and rear. It’s the driver’s responsibility to make sure everyone is buckled up. Appropriate child seats are required to be used for any infant under 4 years old in the rear of the car. Those between 4 and 14 years must ride on a booster seat in the back.

Driving

One thing you won’t have to get used to when driving in India is being on the ‘other’ side of the road – they drive on the left, the same as in the UK.

Stay well over to the left and only venture to the right when overtaking and then move back again as soon as it is safe to do so. There are roundabouts in India (including the Swaraj Round in Thrissur, the second largest roundabout in the world) where you must give way to cars coming from your right. Signal clearly when you want to exit a roundabout.

You are not legally required to have daylight running lights on, but your rental car will probably have this feature anyway.

Rules for towing vary greatly but generally you can’t tow a trailer with a private car. The towing vehicle has to be classed as ‘commercial’. If you are able to tow, make sure you can see clearly behind you using your side mirrors.

Traffic signs

Traffic lights are similar to those in the UK in that they feature red, amber and green lights. You may not turn right on a red light such as you might in the USA. However, if you see a lit arrow, you can proceed in that direction but do so with caution.

A flashing yellow light means proceed ahead with caution, and you will find lights at an abundance of level crossings, which warn of approaching trains.

Most road signs are written in English along with the Indian language of that locality. Distances to destinations are shown in kilometres rather than miles.

Mandatory road signs are generally white circles with a red border. Many will be familiar to UK drivers but there are several unique to the nation including ‘Tongas prohibited’, ‘Bullock carts prohibited’ and ‘No vehicles in both directions’.

Blue circular mandatory signs include ‘Compulsory right turn’, ‘Compulsory cycle track’ and ‘Compulsory sound horn’.

Warning signs are white triangles with a red border and include a picture of a city (‘Built up area’) and four black circles (‘Blind persons likely on road ahead’).

Most information signs are green squares or oblongs while place names are blue. Similarly, signs for hotels, toilets and petrol stations are in blue, with a white insert. Parking instructions are yellow.

‘Give way’ is in a triangle and written in English while the almost universal ‘Stop’ is a red octagon with the word Stop in English, although this might be accompanied by a similar sign in an Indian language.

There are hundreds of toll roads across India, including the important Delhi-Faridabad Skyway, Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway and the Trichy Tollway. Most are fixed rate passageways governed by their length. However, the width of the route and whether they pass over bridges or through tunnels can have a bearing on the toll.

Fees are collected via toll gates which detect a FASTag – a reloadable device which lets drivers pass through toll gates without having to stop and find cash. The Government is trying to make this system compulsory. If it’s a busy day and you have to queue more than 100 metres from the toll plaza, you will not be charged the fee.

Fuel availability

Petrol and diesel are widely available across India. Diesel is especially abundant as many cars use this fuel. Fuel stations are usually manned by attendants who will do the filling up for you. They will often expect you to engage in conversation if you can. English is widely spoken across the country.

Parking

Town and city parking in India is difficult as many cities are packed with cars. Historically it has been very cheap or free to park on the street and drivers often leave their vehicles in bus stops, in parks, outside shops and across pavements.

Most towns have more cars than spaces to park, so authorities are trying to introduce more off-street parking areas to alleviate the problem. It is now illegal to park on main roads in urban areas, but side street parking is still free.

Prices vary greatly across the country, according to each province but to park for a day in Mumbai will cost 50 Rupees (46 pence). Don’t park near a junction, a humpback bridge, a bend or the top of a hill. Don’t block a traffic sign, entrance to a building or a fire hydrant.

Any of these offences can result in a fine for the driver or even a towing away of the car.

Emergency number

If your car breaks down or you have some other emergency, dial the appropriate services using the emergency number 112.

Checklist

Must haves:

Driving licence
International Driving Permit
Passport
Car rental papers
Car insurance
Pollution standards certificate

Options:

First aid kit
Fire extinguisher
Hi-Viz jacket
Spare bulb kit
Screen wash
Bottled water
Map or satnav
Phone power bank
Torch Fuel can

EVs a bright spot in a slow month for new car sales in October

Car industry news

Stuart Masson

-

6 November 2024

0

EVs a bright spot in a slow month for new car sales in October

The new car market endured a poor month in October 2024, with stalling fleet registrations joining the usual decline of private sales.

According to data published this week by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the overall new car market was down 6% compared to the same month last year. Private new car sales were down by 12%, which we’ve come to expect this year, but we also saw a 2% dip in fleet registrations which was in contrast to the trend for the year (up 14% year-to-date).

In fact, every metric that the SMMT uses showed a decline apart from EV registrations, which were up 25% compared to the same month last year as the government’s zero-emission vehicle mandate takes effect.

Another miserable month for private new car sales

In what has become a familiar tune for 2024, private new car sales continue to spiral downwards. In October, the numbers were down 12% compared to the same month last year, while year-to-date it’s a 10% slide.

The reasons are likely to be more of the same, with prices remaining high and buyer confidence remaining low. With only two months to go, it looks like 2024 will be the worst year for private new car sales in a quarter of a century.

On top of that, fleet sales dropped substantially compared to what we’ve seen for most of this year. It’s likely that a chunk of this fall may well have been due to companies holding off on new acquisitions ahead of the new government’s first Budget.

EV sales surge as ZEV mandate takes effect

Against an overall market fall of 6%, a growth of 24% for electric car sales was a major achievement. But, as always, there are multiple reasons that underpin the headline result.

The government’s ZEV (zero emission vehicle) mandate stipulates that most car manufacturers must sell at least 22% EVs this year. For many manufacturers, this is a task beyond their natural means because they don’t have enough suitable EVs in their line-ups to achieve this target. So, they’ve had to start limiting the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid models to bring their sales numbers into balance.

In addition, there has been a significant amount of discounting on EV models as companies look to hit their ZEV mandate targets. Finally, the number of customers who are prepared to make the switch from fossil-fuel power to electric power is steadily increasing (if not as quickly as manufacturers would like).

The growth in EV sales is even more impressive because the UK’s largest EV brand, Tesla, had a very slow month – down 64% on the same month last year. It’s an indication of how broad the UK electric car market has become that the industry leader can have a terrible month and yet still achieve significant growth.

Good month, bad month

Although the overall market painted a gloomy picture, the fortunes of several car brands varied enormously. Interestingly, we had more brands than usual whose results were more stable than usual.

It was a good month for Alfa Romeo, Alpine, Bentley, BYD, Citroën, Dacia, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault, Skoda, Subaru and Volvo. All of these outperformed the overall market by at least 10% (so had growth of at least 4% compared to last October)

Meanwhile, things were less satisfactory for Audi, Cupra, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Ford, GWM, Honda, KGM (formerly SsangYong), Maserati, SEAT, Suzuki, Tesla and Vauxhall. All of these underachieved against the overall market by at least 10% (so were at least 16% down on last October)

That means that the following brands ended up about where we’d expect: Abarth, BMW, Genesis, Ineos, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mazda, MG, Mini, Polestar, Porsche, Smart, Toyota and Volkswagen. All of these were within 10% better or worse than last October.

In terms of volume, the biggest improver was Mercedes-Benz, with about 2,200 more registrations (+37%) in October 2024 than the year before. Going in the other direction, the brand with the biggest loss was Vauxhall, with registrations down by almost 4,300 units (-47%) on the year before.

Volkswagen was comfortably the best-selling brand in October, cementing its position as the UK’s top brand, ahead of BMW, Audi, Ford and Kia.

Kia Sportage closes in on the prize

Another month as the UK’s best-selling new car has pulled the Kia Sportage to just 350 units behind the year-long sales leader, the Ford Puma.

The Sportage outsold the Puma by more than 1,000 units in October, ahead of the new Mini Cooper in third place. The rest of the top ten saw a host of unfamiliar names, with cars like the Volvo XC40, Toyota Yaris and Peugeot 208 all popping up with strong performances.

The Nissan Qashqai, currently the third-best-selling car in 2024, was only eighth in October. Its smaller sibling, the Nissan Juke, is fourth in year-to-date sales but didn’t feature in the top ten in October.

We’ll have our usual analysis of the top ten shortly.

More industry news and analysis at The Car Expert

Alfa Romeo Junior

Sean Rees

-

5 November 2024

0

Summary

The Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica is a small SUV that arrived in the UK in 2024. A petrol/electric hybrid version, called the Junior Ibrida, has subsequently been launched alongside the EV version and we are building a separate page for that model.

The Junior is built on the same foundations as the Peugeot e-2008, Jeep Avenger and the Citroën ë-C4, and beyond the Alfa Romeo badge, the Junior separates itself from other electric SUVs from Stellantis brands thanks to a more powerful Veloce model, which UK reviewers compare with performance SUVs like the Smart #1 Brabus.

Praising the Veloce’s performance, Parker’s Alan Taylor-Jones says the range-topping model is arguably “the closest an EV has come to feeling like an old-school hot hatch”, while other titles have agreed that the Junior is a fine car to drive.

Steve Sutcliffe of Auto Express says the Alfa Romeo Junior ELettrica is an “absolute belter”, adding that the car is “well packaged, contains lots of usable technology, and is seriously high on quality, inside and out.”

“The Veloce is quite good fun to drive”, explains the Carwow team, “but don’t expect thrills from the regular Junior”, adding that the standard version is “much more dull” than the Veloce. UK reviewers also generally agree that the Junior range is rather expensive when compared to other small electric SUV competitors that offer a longer battery range.

Finally, our own editor at The Car Expert, Stuart Masson, says of the Speciale: “It’s easy to drive and offers decent battery range for most needs. But’s let’s stop pretending that it’s a sports car.”

As of May 2025, the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica holds a New Car Expert Rating of A with a score of 69%. It scores top marks for its low running costs, zero tailpipe emissions and new car warranty coverage, but initial media reviews have only been average. However, we haven’t had Euro NCAP safety rating data yet, so this may move the Junior’s overall score up or down when published.

More Alfa Romeo Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

Junior highlights

Top-spec Veloce is fun to drive with sharp handling
Attractive exterior looks
Comfortable driving experience

Junior lowlights

Standard Junior isn’t as engaging to drive
Rather cramped rear seating
Alternatives have a longer battery range

Key specifications

Body style: Small SUV
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £33,895 on-road

Launched: Summer 2024
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Featured reviews

“The Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica is a small electric SUV with stylish looks. It’s easy to drive and offers decent battery range for most needs. But’s let’s stop pretending that it’s a sports car.”

Model reviewed: 115kW Speciale

Score: 7.2 / 10

Read full review

The Car Expert

Stuart Masson

“The Alfa Romeo Junior Electric is handsome and comfortable, but only the top spec model is as sporty to drive as its looks suggest.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 7 / 10

Read full review

Carwow

Mario Christou

More reviews

Auto Express

Model reviewed: Range overview (includes hybrid version)
Score: 8 / 10
“The Alfa Romeo Junior is, far and away, our favourite of the Stellantis collection of small SUVs based on the CMP platform. It possesses that familiar Italian flair, while the sporty-looking cabin features decent technology and some interesting design touches, plus is practical, although only really in terms of luggage capacity.”
Author: Alex Ingram, Ellis Hyde
Read review

Score: 9 / 10
“The Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce is the best mainstream Alfa in a generation. It hits the bullseye on numerous levels. Not just because it’s great to drive, but also because it’s well packaged, contains lots of usable technology, and is seriously high on quality, inside and out. In fact, it shows just how good a small electric car can be if the details are done right. Overall it’s an absolute belter.”
Author: Steve Sutcliffe
Read review

Auto Trader

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“There’s plenty to suggest that, however much you spend on your Alfa Romeo Junior, you’ll be getting one of the very best small electric crossover-SUVs on the market.”
Author: Mark Nichol
Read review

Business Car

Model reviewed: Speciale
Score: 8 / 10
“Alfa’s first EV looks to live up to its maker’s reputation amid platform-sharing constraints.”
Author: Sean Keywood
Read review

Car

Model reviewed: Veloce
Score: 8 / 10
“The Junior Veloce is jolly good fun on UK roads and certainly has enough compliance to deal with their patchy surfacing. Despite being a little softer than the Abarth 600e, it’s still a tenacious little tearaway that combines what we love about hot hatches with an EV twist.”
Author: Alan Taylor-Jones
Read review

Model reviewed: 54 kWh Elettrica
Score: 6 / 10
“The Alfa Romeo Junior is a stylish, compact EV that’ll almost certainly do well in the increasingly crowded B-segment. It’s arguably better-looking than its rivals and has a spec sheet that keeps it competitive. Still, it feels like a missed opportunity – at least with this powertrain and trim.”
Author: Curtis Moldrich
Read review

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“I’m not blind to it being closely related to the largely unremarkable Jeep Avenger, or that it’s still cramped in the back and has a short range. However, it is the electric car that’s got closest to the feel of a properly good old-school hot hatch for me, despite ever-present stability control.”
Author: Alan Taylor-Jones
Read review

Carbuyer

Score: 8.6 / 10
“The Alfa Romeo Junior is great to drive and exudes an air of quality, making it a brilliant first EV for the brand”
Author: Charlie Harvey, Andy Goodwin
Read review

Driving Electric

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The first fully-electric Alfa is a special car, but it also offers plenty of sensible qualities.”
Author: Shane Wilkinson
Read review

Electrifying.com

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica is good fun, especially in the fast Veloce trim, and with style pizzaz that few rivals can compete with – but it’s not cheap.”
Author: Vicky Parrott
Read review

Evo

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Junior is Alfa Romeo’s first ever pure-electric model, but don’t let that put you off. The Veloce is a practical offering with a real performance edge.”
Author: Sam Jenkins
Read review

Green Car Guide

Model reviewed: Speciale
Score: 7 / 10
“The Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica is a welcome addition to the choice of small electric SUVs for car buyers. It offers the Alfa badge and individual styling, and although the driving experience offers some fun, it’s closer to what you would expect from other brands in the Stellantis family such as Vauxhall rather than Alfa.”
Author: Paul Clarke
Read review

Heycar

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Compact, electric SUVs are where growing numbers of car buyers are heading, with the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica aimed right at their hearts. With its distinctive looks, a good zero-emission range, entertaining agility and stacks of kit, it’s an engaging, good value package you shouldn’t ignore.”
Author: Keith WR Jones
Read review

Honest John

Score: 8 / 10
“Almost every new car this company launches is steeped in expectation but the early signs are that the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica is worthy of pinning hopes on it being a sales success. A compact, electric SUV is right on the industry’s smart money just now, so with its distinctive styling, good electrical range, appealing driving characteristics and fine value, it ticks many customers’ boxes.”
Read review

Parkers

Model reviewed: Veloce
Score: 8.4 / 10
“One of the funnest EVs out there.”
Author: Alan Taylor-Jones
Read review

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.6 / 10
“Alfa Romeo’s first EV should reinvent the marque.”
Author: Curtis Moldrich
Read review

The Independent

“Such is Italy’s reputation for stylish motoring that we expect our Alfas to look nice, if nothing else. Mamma mia, what were they thinking?”
Author: Sean O’Grady
Read review

Score: 8 / 10
“The Alfa Romeo Junior is an exciting new electric SUV that looks great, is well priced and drives in the enthusiastic way you’d expect from this famous Italian brand.”
Author: Richard Aucock
Read review

The Sun

Model reviewed: Range overview
“This might look like a little crossover, but it’s got the terrier-like character of a front-drive hot hatch. The steering is direct and accurate.”
Author: Rob Gill
Read review

The Sunday Times

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“While Teslas and Porsche EVs, for example, may have a great deal more straight line speed, the performance of the Alfa Junior Veloce is in a Goldilocks zone – not too much, not too little. It is, quite simply, fun.”
Author: Will Dron
Read review

The Telegraph

Score: 6 / 10
“This compact electric SUV isn’t in any way bad, but it fails to live up to its illustrious badge.”
Author: Alex Robbins
Read review

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Good looks and superb handling combine to lift Alfa’s second electric car and third SUV above the norm.”
Author: Andrew English
Read review

Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Alfa Junior is a lot of fun in Veloce form… just know the range means you’ll be having that fun briefly”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

No safety rating

As of July 2025, the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica has not been tested by Euro NCAP.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of July 2025, the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica has not been assessed by Green NCAP.

The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the Junior is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing whenever it ever takes place. Check back again soon.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
EV models	242 miles	B

Electrical efficiency	Average	Score	Variation	Score
EV models	4.7 m/KWh	A

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	32	C

The Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica is a relatively affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

The battery range of this EV – 215 to 255 miles, depending on the model you choose – is competitive for a model of this size, and its electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is excellent. The car’s insurance bracket is a little higher than the market average.

As of July 2025, we don’t have five-year servicing costs for the Junior, but we’ll update this section as soon as we get the data.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of July 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Junior, we’ll publish the results here.

Warranty rating

New car warranty information for the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica

Overall ratingA83%
New car warranty duration5 years
New car warranty mileage75,000 miles
Battery warranty duration8 years
Battery warranty mileage100,000 miles

Alfa Romeo’s new car warranty is better than average, and better than most premium-name brands in a similar price bracket as the Junior.

The duration for the overall warranty is five years, with a limit of 75,000 miles. In addition to the standard new car warranty, there is an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.

If you’re looking to buy a used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.

Recalls

Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Alfa Romeo Junior

As of July 2025, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.

You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Alfa Romeo dealer.

Everything you need to know about UK vehicle recalls

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

More Alfa Romeo Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

More news, reviews and information about the Alfa Romeo Junior at The Car Expert

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Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica review

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Alfa Romeo Junior soon available with hybrid engine

Pricing announced for now Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica

New compact Alfa Romeo Junior unveiled

Buy an Alfa Romeo Junior

If you’re looking to buy a new or used Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.

Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more

Find your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more

Find your next new or used car with Carwow. Find out more

Lease an Alfa Romeo Junior

If you’re looking to lease a new Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.

Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more

Personal contract hire deals from Carwow. Find out more

Personal contract hire deals from Rivervale Leasing. Find out more

Subscribe to an Alfa Romeo Junior

Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)

Car subscriptions from SelfDrive.
Find out more

Car subscriptions from DriveFuze.
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Car subscriptions from Cocoon.
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Polestar 4 test drive

Car reviews

Andrew Charman

-

5 November 2024

0

Make and model: Polestar 4
Description: Electric coupé-SUV
Price range: £59,990 to £70,990

Polestar says: “A creative new approach to SUV coupe design.”

We say: Polestar’s fastest yet is impressive in quality and performance but its technology may prove a step too far for some.

More Polestar reviews, Expert Ratings, news and features

Polestar 4 review 2024

Introduction

The Polestar 4 launches at the same time as its Polestar 3 sister, which we’ve also just driven, and has been making headlines for months before arriving in showrooms, and all for one reason – this is a car without a rear windscreen, the driver relying instead on digital cameras to see out of the back.

While controversial, the move has allowed Polestar rather more latitude in many areas of the car’s design, particularly in the construction and shape of the body which in turn affects the interior.

The result is the Swedish performance electric brand’s fastest offering yet, which also maintains Polestar’s established reputation for upmarket quality while doing things rather differently to the norm….

What is the Polestar 4?

According to its makers, the Polestar is the brand’s coupe SUV – this may surprise those who have already viewed the equally-new sister car the Polestar 3, which is so slippery and aerodynamic that to call that car an SUV verges on flouting the Trades Descriptions Act.

The Polestar 4 takes things even further, however, by the simple expedient of dispensing with the rear glass screen and instead mounting a digital camera on the roof to provide the driver with their essential view of what’s behind.

Polestar sales staff will emphasise that this offers distinct advantages – the rear view is never blocked by the heads of people in the rear seat, in poor lighting conditions the view remains clearer, and when you put the car in reverse the camera automatically pans down to show the back bumper.

The most significant differences, however, are less obvious. By taking away a large expanse of glass at the rear, the entire roof line of the car can be redesigned into a gentle, flowing curve that looks sleeker but paradoxically frees up more space within.

First impressions

On first viewing of this car, we guarantee that SUV will not be the first phrase that enters your mind. It looks seriously purposeful, a proper designed-from-the-start coupe, not one cobbled together from an existing saloon, let alone an SUV.

The Polestar 4 is very long, at 4.8 metres. But it’s not at all tall, measuring up at just under 1.5 metres. Together with the flowing roofline, the packaging of all the mechanical bits and particularly the electric powertrain enables a lower bonnet too, plus a longer cabin which is good news for interior space. This car has serious presence.

We like: Looks like a performance car
We don’t like: Swapping mirror for camera won’t suit all

What do you get for your money?

The Polestar 4 is available in two variants – with a single motor driving the rear wheels and costing from £59,990, and with a pair of motors to produce all-wheel drive and costing from £66,990.

Polestar maintains the recent and agreeable trend of not offering a huge options list – remember the days when, if you bought an ‘executive car’, everything was a costly extra?

The long standard specification includes such niceties as a 15-inch infotainment screen with loads of Google apps built in, an eight-speaker audio system, two-zone climate control, loads of electric adjustment on the driver’s and passenger’s seats (that’s all the passenger seats…), wireless phone charging, separate USB connections for those in the back and a panoramic glass sunroof.

Said sunroof is rather essential as the lack of one would make an interior with no rear screen rather dark and forbidding. It also stretches way back beyond the heads of rear-seat occupants and can be specified (at extra cost) with an electrochromatic function allowing it to be made opaque if the sun’s just a little too intrusive.

One other natty function on the standard equipment list is the ‘Animal mode’. This allows one to leave the dog in the car with windows and doors locked and the climate system keeping them cool for up to eight hours – a reassuring message on the infotainment screen dissuades passers-by from smashing the windows to rescue one’s pooch.

Polestar emerged from Volvo so one would expect a top-notch safety specification. At time of writing, neither of the Polestars 3 or 4 have been tested by Euro NCAP, so we’ll have to wait and see exactly how well they perform. But the Polestar 4 comes with a long list of driver assistance systems topping the extensive standard specification. Some 12 cameras are dotted about the car monitoring for issues and controlling the safety systems.

What options there are come in packs. Most popular are likely to be the Pilot, Plus (included on dual-motor variants) and Performance packs.

The Pilot pack, costing £1,300, adds extra driver’s assistance including a cleverer version of the adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera, the Plus pack upgrades the audio to a Harman Kardon system with eight speakers including two in the front headrests, as well as splitting the climate control into three zones, upgrading the upholstery and adding a powered tailgate. The Performance pack we’ll talk about shortly.

One other useful point is the way that all of the technology is routinely updated over-the-air – Polestar sends out several updates a year ensuring that a customer’s car is always to the latest specification without needing a trip to the nearest dealer for a software upgrade.

We like: Extensive spec especially with safety
We don’t like: Option packs can soon inflate price

What’s it like inside?

‘Coupe on the outside, SUV-like space on the inside’ says Polestar’s promotional blurb and while this might sound like typical marketing speak, it’s surprisingly true, particularly in the rear. The long cabin means lots of legroom and while the curving roof line, exacerbated by that sunroof, might suggest headroom will be tight, somehow it’s not.

Once used to the space (which includes a 526-litre boot expanding to 1,536 litres), one can admire the fit and finish. Polestar does minimalist luxury very well – our test cars were fitted with an optional and rather neat 3D knit textile on the panels, but all of the standard surfaces look upmarket too. Combined with such features as electric rear-seat adjustments and media screens in the rear of the front seats, being transported in the Polestar 4 can be a highly pleasurable experience.

The driver gets their own fully digital instrument panel and there is a separate 15-inch central touchscreen. Unlike other Polestar and Vodels, this is arranged in a landscape layout rather than a portrait layout. It works in the same way as the Polestar 3, so personal preference for the screen layout is the only real difference.

What there are precious few of, are buttons. Just about everything is controlled on the screen – this is neatly laid out with groups of icons that change colour when one activates them and with a choice of eight ambient lighting options named after planets of the solar system.

This screen is impressive, but can also be frustrating as with so many functions it’s highly complex and initially daunting. Even to move the car’s air vents one has to consult the screen which is not only silly but more distracting than a moment’s flick with a finger – form over function.

As with all of Polestar and Volvo’s latest models, the screen is driven by Google’s Android Automotive operating system. This is a different system to the similarly named Android Auto, which is a phone mirroring system that many drivers will be familiar with. Essentially, Android Automotive puts Google in charge of the entire dashboard. Mostly this works well, as described above, but with frustrating moments. However, it’s less convenient for Apple iPhone users, as Apple’s CarPlay system is not integrated as smoothly.

We like: Space and quality
We don’t like: Too many complex functions on touchscreen

Under the bonnet

As mentioned the Polestar 4 is available with one or two motors and our test car had a pair. The single motor boasts a 0-62mph time of about seven seconds, while the dual motor slashes this to a frankly remarkable sub-four-second sprint. The battery pack is mounted under the floor, which both helps with the interior space and the handling due to a low centre of gravity.

The car has an official battery range of up to 385 miles with the single motor or 367 miles in dual-motor form, which is directly comparable to the kind of range one would get from a tank of petrol in a typical premium coupe SUV.

All Polestar 4s can make use of 200kW rapid chargers if you can find one, and when plugged into these a 10 to 80% recharge takes half an hour. A heat pump is also on the standard specification list, helping to keep the range up in colder temperatures.

How does it drive?

Electric cars start with a distinct advantage in terms of refinement on the road and the Polestar is right up there. It glides away and gets up to speed with no fuss whatsoever. One could cruise around in it all day in absolute comfort without ever giving a clue as to how swift this car is.

Encounter a slow-moving vehicle ahead, however, and the twin-motor Polestar comes into its own. Overtaking is so quick that it becomes a perfectly safe manoeuvre on stretches of straight road too short to even consider making such a move when driving a combustion-engined vehicle.

Active suspension is standard on all Polestar 4s and proves pretty effective at smoothing out the many inconsistencies of the UK road system. The steering is pretty direct too, though our test car was fitted with the Performance Pack, a £4,000 option that draws heavily on the brand’s competition history – before it was a car maker, Polestar was a highly successful racing team.

The spec includes an upgraded chassis, tuned active dampers, bigger brakes and 22-inch alloy wheels (the standard wheels are 20-inch).

There are two irritations when driving the Polestar 4. Firstly, for all the hyping of the rear-camera setup, it won’t suit everyone. The image on the screen does not appear natural at first viewing, and the fact that the view remains the same even when lighting conditions change adds to the initially uncomfortable sensation. Judging the distance of traffic behind is also odd at first, though familiarity does breed more confidence.

The other irritation is the brake regeneration. Anyone who drives EVs on a regular basis knows all about brake regen and how one-pedal driving can help return useful energy to the battery. The Polestar 4 has three levels of regen – but you can only change them on the touchscreen which makes changing mode on the move virtually a no-no. What’s wrong with a pair of steering wheel paddles?

We like: Serious potency combined with seamless refinement
We don’t like: Lack of brake regeneration paddles

Verdict

In twin-motor form, the Polestar 4 is highly impressive in most areas. It has all the potency of a performance car but with the luxury of a top-notch executive saloon, in a level of space that it shouldn’t have judging by its exterior profile.

It will be a shame if the lack of a rear screen puts potential buyers off trying out this new upmarket contender, because minor irritations apart, it offers a lot.

More Polestar reviews, Expert Ratings, news and features

Key specifications

Model tested: Polestar 4 Long Range Dual Motor
Price as tested: £75,040 (OTR £66,990)
Electric motors: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Gearbox: Single-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive

Power: 544 hp
Torque: 686 Nm
Top speed: 1324 mph
0-62 mph: 3.7 seconds

CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km
Euro NCAP safety rating: Not tested yet (Oct 2024)
TCE Expert Rating: Not yet rated (Oct 2024)

More information

More news, reviews and information about the Polestar 4 at The Car Expert

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Polestar 4

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Buy a Polestar 4

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Lease a Polestar 4

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Polestar 3 test drive

Car reviews

Andrew Charman

-

2 November 2024

0

Make and model: Polestar 3
Description: Electric SUV
Price range: £69,900 to £81,500

Polestar says: “A powerful electric SUV that appeals to the senses with a distinct, Scandinavian design and excellent driving dynamics.”

We say: Polestar’s first SUV is an impressive car that certainly widens the choice at the premium end of the market.

Polestar 3 review 2024

Introduction

The simultaneous arrival of the Polestar 3 and its sister the Polestar 4 marks a significant ramp-up for the Swedish performance-focused electric brand that has been spun off from Volvo.

Polestar has until now relied on its first mainstream model, the 2, which has so far found 30,000-plus UK buyers – the 3 and 4 widen the brand’s presence and in little over a year will be joined by another new car, called the (you guessed it) Polestar 5.

Even ahead of launch, the Polestar 4 has so far generated all the headlines due to its lack of a rear window, but the 3 earns equal importance as it is the brand’s first SUV. Mind you on first viewing that description might seem odd, as it looks nothing like the average SUV.

What is this car?

The Polestar 3 is the car which its creators believe will make the relatively new Swedish brand rather more familiar to many more potential buyers. This is the first Polestar SUV and, at almost five metres long with a three-metre wheelbase, it’s a pretty big SUV. So those early adopters who have bought Polestar 2 are less likely to go for this car which is very much in a different market.

If you currently run a big and upmarket petrol or diesel SUV and are looking to make the electric jump, Polestar thinks you are going to want to look at this. While with its rather shapely body and low stance you might question the designation, Polestar wants you to consider it that way. We are told it has plenty of space to carry five adults in comfort – filling the ‘sporty’ coupe SUV role is the equally new Polestar 4.

How does it look?

As mentioned this is an SUV with some of the slipperiest looks around. Based on the Precept concept that Polestar first unveiled in 2020 and which will shape several forthcoming models, the 3 is built on the same underpinnings as sister brand Volvo’s EX90.

The Polestar has a completely different visual presence to the Volvo however, with its low roofline, an equally low bonnet and a shallow rake to the front screen, the roof curving down to end in a close-to-vertical but letterbox-like rear screen.

It looks purposeful and the exterior visuals also indicate the potency that the dual-motor setup of our test car provides. And it’s clearly a Polestar, with pencil-slim Volvo-style ‘Thor’s hammer’ daytime running lights on a front end that is already recognisable as the brand’s signature.

We like: By no means a typical boxy SUV.
We don’t like: Rear end does look a little ‘chopped off’.

What are the specs like?

We’re long past the days when everything was on the options list in the premium car maerket. The basic Polestar 3 specification includes lots of equipment, including heated seats in front and rear, wireless charging, three-zone climate control, a head-up display and a panoramic glass sunroof.

There are extra options packs available – our test cars included the Plus and Pilot packs. Major gain of the first is an upmarket Bowers & Wilkins audio unit with some 25 speakers including in the headrests and Dolby Atmos sound for an almost cinema-like experience. The Pilot pack adds extra driving aids extending to semi-autonomous progress – automatic lane changing, parking and speed and steering adjustments to keep the car where one wants it on the road.

Having said that, the standard safety specification is impressive, extending to some 22 ADAS driver-assistance systems activated by a total of five radar modules, five external cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors.

At time of writing, the Polestar 3 is yet to be crash-tested by Euro NCAP. Its makers say that they’re confident of a five-star rating – as you would expect of anything associated with Volvo – but we’ll let the world’s top safety organisation be the judge of that…

Polestar adds that the safety systems are among all of the electronics that are updated over-the-air without any need to take the car to a dealer, ensuring that the cars are always taking immediate advantage of any technology gains.

We like: Extensive specification and auto updates
We don’t like: Central screen can be daunting in complexity

What’s it like inside?

Polestar insists that its core values are avant garde design, a commitment to technology and sustainability, and the first two in particular are obvious as soon as one slips behind the wheel.

The interior is one of clean lines, minimalism and high quality surfaces. There are very few actual buttons, everything dominated by a large 14.3-inch vertical-format touchscreen of a type again familiar to anyone who drives a current Volvo.

In what Polestar describes as its most technological car yet, virtually everything is controlled by this screen with the electronics shaped by a tie-up with Google – initially it can be highly daunting but familiarity with its various widgets does breed confidence.

While that’s lovely for Android phone users that also run on Google, Polestar and Volvo have been (deliberately?) slow in bringing Apple CarPlay to their latest models. By the time the Polestar 3 reaches UK showrooms, all cars should have it – but it’s been a long road to get there and Polestar 2 customers with iPhones regularly vented their frustrations about being treated like second-class citizens until CarPlay was finally made available a few months ago. Hopefully, this will now be properly sorted, but it does give cause for concern that ongoing over-the-air-updates to the car’s Google operating system could again freeze out iPhone owners with regard to latest features.

Cabin space is well handled – that low roofline does not translate to a lack of headroom inside, even for rear-seat passengers. Further back, the boot is plenty big enough at 594 litres, extending to 1,411 litres with the rear seats folded.

The view out front and to the sides is perfectly fine, though that tiny rear screen is rather restrictive – perhaps an argument for expanding the rear camera technology of the rear-windowless Polestar 4?

We like: Quality fit and finish
We don’t like: Restrictive view through rear screen

Under the bonnet

Actually lift the bonnet and you’ll find a useful extra storage compartment of around 32 litres, useful to hide a laptop or similar in. The propulsion hardware is all down in the chassis.

The Polestar 3 has launched in a dual-motor all-wheel-drive format, adding up to 360kw, equivalent to 490hp and 810Nm of torque, which can be boosted to 517hp and 910Nm with the optional (and £6,000 extra) Performance Pack. Without said pack the car will pass 62mph in 4.8 seconds, with pack in 4.5.

A third and cheaper variant will follow, Polestar intending to offer the car in single-motor format and at a price reduced by again £6,000 over the £75,900 of the standard dual-motor model.

All three are specified as standard with ‘long-range’ battery packs, offering an official driving range of 390 miles that’s comparable to petrol-propelled cars of similar potency. All also come with a recharging capability of up to 290kW, which if one can find a suitable charger means replenishment from 10 to 80% in half an hour. A heat pump is also standard, aiding the range particularly in colder temperatures.

How does it drive?

The cars available on the launch event might have had two motors but they did without the Performance Pack. Even so this car can feel from the start like a potent SUV – but only when such potency is desired.

In normal use, the Polestar 3 exhibits all the qualities one expects of an upmarket EV – smooth, refined and virtually silent progress. The ride is slightly firm but it’s easy to imagine dispatching many a motorway mile in comfort at the wheel of this car, particularly with its impressive range.

When one needs performance… Not only is significant power available, but the Polestar 3 has a low-down stance, perfect 50:50 weight distribution and air suspension on every car. As a result it handles very well and can be great fun to drive, especially when getting around slower-moving traffic which is a task achieved far quicker than it takes to write.

With the rise of the EV has come one-pedal driving, using the motor rather than the brakes to slow the car and recovering energy to the battery as a useful by-product. The Polestar 3 makes the most of this with a specific button to activate the one-pedal format with then three selectable levels of regeneration available. The problem is one has to use the central touchscreen to change them – steering wheel paddles would be much better to enable easy changes while in motion, reacting to road and traffic conditions.

We like: Lots of power but lots of refinement
We don’t like: Touchscreen control of one-pedal driving

Verdict

The Polestar 3 is definitely a major step forward for the Swedish brand (well, Swedish with its cars built in China or the USA). This is a full-size SUV, even if it doesn’t look like one – compromises one might expect particularly from the low roof line are simply not evident once in it, and the surroundings are very upmarket.

The car is potent as befits a performance-pitched brand, but also very well-behaved and one would imagine easy to live with. The irritations are few, even the central touchscreen – on first view it might appear that one will need a PHD to work it, but the functions soon become familiar.

At prices that start from just under £70k this is definitely a premium SUV, but one that can truly provide an alternative to the German heavyweight brands.

Polestar 3 highlights

Looks nothing like an SUV
Well-built with lots of equipment
Potent and handles well
Strong, constantly updated safety spec

Polestar 3 lowlights

Restrictive rear view
Touchscreen can be daunting
Slightly firm ride
No regen steering-wheel paddles

Key specifications

Model tested: Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor Launch Edition
Price as tested: £82,500
Electric motors: 2 x 360kW
Gearbox: Single-speed automatic, all-wheel-drive

Power: 490 hp (517 hp with performance pack)
Torque: 840 Nm (910 Nm with performance pack)
Top speed: 130 mph
0-62 mph: 4.8 seconds (4.5 seconds with performance pack)

Range: 390 miles (348 miles with performance pack)

CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km
Euro NCAP safety rating: Not tested yet (Oct 2024)
TCE Expert Rating: B (69%, as of October 2024)

More information

More news, reviews and information about the Polestar 3 at The Car Expert

Electric cars – what’s on sale and what’s coming in 2024?

Polestar 3

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Polestar 3 now available with rear-wheel drive

All-new Polestar 3 makes debut

Buy a Polestar 3

If you’re looking to buy a new or used Polestar 3, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.

Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more

Find your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more

Find your next new or used car with Carwow. Find out more

Lease a Polestar 3

If you’re looking to lease a new Polestar 3, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.

Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more

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V6-hybrid Ferrari F80 debuts

New model

Sean Rees

-

1 November 2024

0

Ferrari has unveiled its latest supercar – the limited edition F80 – which is powered by a V6 petrol-electric hybrid engine and is described by its manufacturer as the “new benchmark for innovation and engineering excellence.”

Instead of opting for the Italian marquee’s ‘most iconic’ V12 engine, Ferrari has decided to power its new flagship model with a smaller 3.0-litre petrol V6 engine which, when boosted by its 800V hybrid system (five additional electric motors), can provide up to 1,200hp of power – nearly 400hp more than the plug-in hybrid Ferrari 296 but 58hp less than the new V8-powered McLaren W1 supercar.

This makes the F80 the most powerful road-legal car Ferrari has ever produced, capable of completing a 0-62mph sprint in a reported 2.15 seconds – that’s around half a second faster to 62mph than the V12-powered LaFerrari hypercar that was retired in 2018.

The car’s styling is rather similar to that of the recently unveiled V12-powered Ferrari 12Cylindri sports car, with rectangular headlights, a black roof and a black band running across the car’s nose.

Both will make for very unlikely encounters on UK roads, but while the £337k 12Cylindri is a series production car, the F80 is much more exclusive. Only 799 examples of the F80 will be made, each costing a reported £2.6 million.

More Ferrari news, reviews, Expert Ratings and features

Major court win for car finance customers

Stuart Masson

-

25 October 2024

0

Major court win for car finance customers

The UK Court of Appeal has made a significant ruling in favour of car finance customers – and against lenders and dealers – in a case that could have major ramifications for both the current investigation into the car finance sector and lending in general.

You may have heard that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is currently investigating a specific kind of commission agreement found in many car finance contracts. The FCA was originally due to reach a decision on this in September, but has extended the process until May 2025 as it continues to explore the issue.

The current saga revolves around what are called discretionary commission agreements (DCAs), which were banned in UK car finance agreements back in 2021. This is where a broker (which was almost always a car dealer) would be able to push up the interest rate on a car finance contract they were selling in return for increased commission from the lender.

In January this year, the FCA announced it was investigating whether or not the car finance sector had seen widespread, systematic abuse of these DCAs prior to them being banned. This was in response to complaints to both the FCA and the Financial Ombudsman Service, as well as court cases between customers and lenders – egged on by lawyers. Three of these cases were merged into one appeal to the UK Court of Appeal, whose judgement was handed down today.

The Court ruling announced today came down clearly on the side of the consumers, ruling that the lenders and/or brokers had not acted correctly in how these commissions were disclosed to their customers, or whether they were even disclosed at all.

Given that the FCA had already strongly hinted that it anticipates a significant compensation scheme for customers who have had DCAs in their car finance agreements, this judgment makes it even more likely that car finance lenders could be hit with billions of pounds in compensation claims for poor lending practices. But the Court’s ruling has even broader implications than that, which could open the floodgates for many more claims.

Why were discretionary credit agreements bad news?

Most car finance is sold via car dealerships at point of sale. The dealer acts as a broker, sourcing finance for the customer from a lender (or from a panel of lenders, depending on what arrangements they have in place). As an agent for the lender, the dealer earns a commission for the finance policies they sell.

The short version of how the process works is as follows:

The dealer submits the customer’s finance application to the lender
The lender approves the finance application at a particular interest rate (for example, 7%) and with any other specific requirements about deposit, contract duration and fees/charges
The dealer presents a contract with all of this information to the customer to sign
The finance company pays the dealer for the car, as well as a commission for selling the finance

However, with a DCA there was an extra, hidden, step between steps 2 and 3 above. The lender may have advised the dealer that it had approved the application at 7%, but the dealer could choose to increase the interest rate to, say, 10% or even higher without telling the customer.

So the customer would assume that the finance company had approved the application at 10% without knowing that it had actually been approved at 7%. They had no indication that the dealer had any control over the interest rate (since the dealer is not actually lending the money), so they had no knowledge that it was negotiable.

In some finance software systems, the controls for dealers to jack up the rate were hidden away from the other tools that customers might see while the dealer was completing their applications, further highlighting the fact that this was a pretty shady practice.

With a DCA, the dealer would get a higher level of commission for increasing the customer’s interest rate, as well as separately getting commission for selling the finance in the first place.

A few years ago, the FCA decided that this was not acceptable and so it announced that DCAs would be banned from 2021. Most car finance firms stopped including this provision well ahead of this date, so we are talking about finance agreements from no less than three years ago, but potentially as far back as 2007.

Why were dealers allowed to manipulate the interest rate?

Car finance industry people will tell you that dealers had flexibility to adjust the rate either up or down, so it wasn’t simply a tool for jacking up customer payments. It was simply one of many tools a dealership had to help “structure a deal to meet the customer’s needs”.

For example, if they needed to get the monthly payments down a bit lower to meet a customer’s maximum budget, they could either reduce the price of the car or reduce the interest rate on the finance.

However, the concern was that this hidden ability to manipulate the interest rate wasn’t ever being used to move rates downwards, only upwards. The fact that the dealership would receive more commission for moving the rate upwards meant that the system was inherently open to abuse. This was why DCAs were banned, but it’s not the primary issue in the court case. That was about the lack of disclosure regarding the commissions that the dealers received.

What did the Court of Appeal say?

Interestingly, the Court judgment did not appear to be specifically limited to discretionary credit agreements (although it’s a long read and I’m not a legal expert), so the ramifications could go well beyond the FCA’s current investigation into the car finance sector.

Instead, the judgment referred to non-disclosure of commission payments, which could potentially apply to any type of finance agreement where commissions are paid by the lender to a broker.

Finance agreements are heavily regulated, and it’s a condition of all agreements that consumers need to be presented with all the material facts about a contract that might affect their decision whether or not to go ahead and sign that contract. This includes things like the scheduled loan payments, admin fees payable by the customer, any penalty charges, and commissions payable from the lender to the broker for introducing the customer to the lender.

The Court ruling explained that a dealer is acting as a broker on behalf of the customer, as well as acting as an agent on behalf of the lender, and that therefore they have a duty to act in the customer’s best interests in securing the best terms possible for the loan. That includes disclosing that the dealer would be receiving commission from the lender, as well as how much commission that would be.

The Court ruled that the brokers could not lawfully receive commissions from lenders without receiving “fully informed consent” from the customers. If the customers were not told about the commission payments, they could not give fully informed consent.

What has the industry response been?

The wider ramifications of this ruling have been noted by the finance industry, and we can expect much more to be said in coming days as the details of the judgment are fully digested.

The Finance and Lending Association (FLA), which is the trade body for most of the UK’s car finance lenders, has provided an initial statement that confirms this interpretation, Stephen Haddrill, FLA director general, said: “This is a significant and unexpected judgment, the implications of which stretch far beyond the motor finance sector, making it an issue that demands the immediate attention of the Financial Conduct Authority.”

The FCA has so far simply said: “We note the Court of Appeal judgment on motor finance commission and are carefully considering its decision.”

Shares in Close Brothers Motor Finance, one of the defendants in this case, fell by 15% after today’s judgment was handed down. The company has temporarily stopped offering new finance lending in the car sector while it assesses the implications to its business. It has also indicated that it intends to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

How is this likely to affect the car finance sector?

There’s no good news for lenders, who collectively seem certain to end up paying billions of pounds in compensation to customers. While that may sound like good news for consumers, it’s probably more of a small short-term win that will probably drive the cost of borrowing up much further in the long term.

The hypothetical compensation amounts being thrown around in public tend to be anywhere from a few hundred pounds to maybe £1,000 per claim, based on the value of the added interest. So while that might mean millions of customers getting a nice cheque for being overcharged on their last car, it will almost certainly mean that the cost of borrowing is going to go up on their next car, which could easily outweigh any compensation ‘win’.

What will absolutely start to happen almost immediately is that lenders will update their customer documentation on all new agreements to more clearly explain that the dealer is receiving a commission payment for arranging the finance, and how much that payment is – rather than only making that information available on request or allowing dealers to be coy about it in any way.

Any improvements to clarity and transparency are obviously good things for consumers, but they will only really benefit diligent customers who take the time to compare different finance quotes to understand what they’re paying (which should be every customer but it inevitably won’t be most of them).

The FCA will incorporate this week’s Court of Appeal’s decision into its thinking regarding discretionary credit agreement, but it will also need to review its position on commission disclosures more generally as the court ruling sets the bar higher than the FCA’s own guidelines in many ways. Again, this is a good outcome for consumers.

We still won’t know what the FCA will do to address DCAs for another six months, but this decision is another step closer to a widespread compensation scheme for affected car finance customers.

Off-roading Jeep Avenger 4xe now available to order

New model

Sean Rees

-

25 October 2024

0

Off-roading Jeep Avenger 4xe now available to order

Jeep has added a 4×4 version of its compact Avenger crossover to its UK range, which is available in a new ‘North Face Edition’ guise.

This all-wheel drive version is a petrol mild-hybrid that is powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 48V of mild-hybrid assistance paired with two electric motors – one on the front axle and one in the rear. Power runs through a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Jeep says this is a ‘smart’ all-wheel drive system. Power is always sent to all four wheels below 19mph. Between 19mph and 56mph, the electric motor on the rear axle is only powered when required, and two-wheel-drive is always used at higher speeds to minimise fuel consumption.

It accelerates from 0 to 62mph in a reported 9.5 seconds and top speed is capped at 120mph. Beyond the all-wheel drive configuration, Jeep has increased the ground clearance a centimetre, adding that the car can wade through waters up to 40 centimetres deep. Other than the mud and snow tyres offered as standard, the 4×4 is also available with ‘All Terrain’ tyres, which offer “enhanced” grip on more challenging surfaces.

Inside, the 4xe’s seats are trimmed in materials that are easier to wash and more durable materials to extend the cabin life.

The 4×4 is now available to order in the UK with two different trim levels on offer- the entry-level ‘Upland’ and the new ‘North Face Edition’ (shown above). The latter is described as “the pinnacle of the Jeep Avenger range”, and Jeep is only making 4,806 examples – that number being the height in metres of the mountain Mont Blanc.

Pricing for the Avenger 4xe now starts at £31k, rising to £35k for the ‘North Face Edition’.

Everything you need to know about Skoda

Andrew Charman

-

24 October 2024

0

The ‘Skoda joke’ was a staple of many a 1980s comedian (eg – “What do you call a Skoda with a sunroof? A skip!”), making fun of a Czech manufacturer with a bottom-of-the-barrel reputation for its very budget cars.

Today, the laughing stock has become anything but a joke, as Skoda enjoys global annual sales of well over a million and buyers praising both its product and its service. Today the brand is a consistently successful division of the giant Volkswagen Group, with a range of bang up-to-date cars with all the upmarket quality of their German parent but in a generally better value package.

Skoda has always traded on the value-for-money proposition of its model range, and under the parentage of the Volkswagen Group over the past three decades has added the quality – all but one of the brand’s current UK model range earns A or B scores in the Expert Rating Index produced by The Car Expert.

These factors have rapidly increased the popularity of the brand, which enjoyed record UK sales in 2023. It has been slow to adopt electric power, with just one current model, but this is set to change rapidly with six EVs expected to be in showrooms before the end of 2026.

More Skoda features, Expert Ratings, new car reviews and news

Everything you need to know about Skoda

So who or what is Skoda?

Skoda existed as a company long before it started making cars. The Skoda Works was established by Czech engineer Emil von Skoda in 1859, in what was then part of the Austrian empire, and over much of the next century became a major arms manufacturer as well as diversifying into many other areas of engineering.

That diversification saw in 1924 the acquisition of a car maker called Laurin & Klement, which was formed in 1896 when young entrepreneurs Vaclav Klement and Vaclav Laurin opened a bicycle repair business. Soon they were making their own bicycles, quickly followed by motorcycles and by 1905, cars. These became popular and the company later diversified into trucks, until a fire at the factory led to the 1924 tie-up with the Skoda Works. By 1936, Skoda was the most popular car maker in Czechoslovakia.

During the second world war, the Skoda Works was used by the occupying German army to produce military products, and was bombed almost to destruction by Allied forces. It was soon rebuilt and the first new car produced immediately after the war ended in 1945. Three years later, the now Communist regime in Czechoslovakia separated the company’s automotive operations from the parent Skoda Works.

In the 1950s, Skoda cars remained popular but their Communist origins badly affected efforts to sell them in America. Over the next two decades, Skodas became steadily more dated against Western European cars.

The turning point came in 1990 when following the fall of communism, the Czech government decided to privatise Skoda and sought a major European partner. Eight manufacturers bid and Volkswagen was the winner.

The Volkswagen Group’s initial 30% stake was steadily increased until in 2000 it bought Skoda outright. The first new model was the Felicia, but this was soon followed by the Fabia small hatch and Octavia family car – these were basically Volkswagen products wearing Skoda badges, as all of the company’s products have been since, and both model names remain in the range today.

The initial UK marketing campaign for the Skoda Fabia Skoda made fun of its former image, under the tag line “It’s a Skoda, honest…” Sales rocketed to more than 30,000 by 2005 and Skoda has maintained a top reputation for its product and customer satisfaction ever since.

Skoda has also stayed at the cutting edge of market trends. Its first SUV, the seven-seat Kodiaq, was launched in 2016. The company has been slower to go electric, however. Its first EV, the Enyaq SUV, went on sale in 2020 and the second, the Elroq small SUVs, is due to reach the UK next year.

Today, Skoda is a highly regarded mainstream brand with sales rising fast, the manufacturer delivering more than 70,000 vehicles to UK customers in 2023.

What models does Skoda have and what else is coming?

The current Skoda range perfectly encapsulates the company’s target market of families and fleet drivers.

The Fabia supermini traces its ancestry back to 1999 and is now in its fourth generation, the current version closely related to the Volkswagen Polo.

The larger Octavia family car is the fourth generation to wear the name. The current car underwent a facelift in 2024 and is available in five-door liftback or estate forms. It’s only offered in petrol or diesel variants.

The Octavia’s bigger sibling has the oldest model name of all. The first Skoda Superb was launched in 1934 – the model name was revived in 2001 on a car which Skoda pitched as an executive model against the likes of Audi and BMW, with some success. The current Superb, launched in early 2024, is available as a saloon or estate and with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains.

Another former model name, much derided in the ‘Skoda joke’ period, was revived in 2012, but the Skoda Rapid lasted just seven years before being replaced by the Scala. The mid-sized hatchback is Skoda’s equivalent to the Volkswagen Golf and SEAT Leon against which it is considered excellent value for money – updated in 2023, it is only offered with petrol engines.

Skoda’s first SUV, launched in 2017, was a large model called the Kodiaq. The second generation version appeared in 2024 and is on sale in both five and seven-seat variants. Engine options extend to petrol mild-hybrid, diesel and plug-in hybrid.

Skoda quickly followed up the Kodiaq with a smaller sister called the Karoq, which replaced the popular Yeti in the model range. Mildly updated in 2022, the Karoq comes in petrol and diesel form and is also known for its off-road ability.

Current Skoda range on our Expert Rating Index

In 2019 there appeared an even smaller crossover model dubbed the Kamiq, sharing most of its mechanical specification with the Volkswagen T-Cross. Again offered with petrol or diesel engines, it has proven popular as a value-for-money option with great practicality and comfort.

Skoda’s first model to be designed from the start as an electric vehicle is the Enyaq, a compact SUV launched in 2021. It’s available with two battery options and as a dual-motor all-wheel drive model, in both standard five-door form and as a coupe. Skoda also offers both body styles in a performance-pitched Enyaq iV vRS model, though many reviewers argue that it is not potent enough to wear the vRS badge.

On its way into Skoda showrooms is the second electric model, the Elroq. This compact SUV is also the first car from the Czech manufacturer to adopt an all-new styling design and will go on sale with three battery options. It will be followed by a clutch of further models with the same basic look, Skoda stating that it intends to be selling six EVs by the end of 2026.

Where can I try a Skoda car?

Buyers interested in trying a Skoda should not have to travel too far – the brand has around 150 dealers evenly spread around the UK, with a handy locator on the Skoda website.

For many years Skoda dealers included some of the smallest showrooms in town centre locations, but as its market share and model line-up has grown the brand has increasingly signed up with larger dealer groups on ‘motor alley’ locations.

What makes Skoda different to the rest?

A brand that once was about budget cars that people didn’t like admitting to owning has totally reinvented itself. Today, Skoda is all about quality vehicles offering a degree of luxury and all of the latest technology one could want. Quite often Skoda models are preferred to those of their parent company Volkswagen, the giant that made Skoda’s transformation possible.

A Skoda fact to impress your friends

Cars are not the only vehicles ever made by Skoda. By the time Skoda started manufacturing cars in 1924, it had been making tanks for many years, as well as hundreds of steam engines.

There were also aircraft with Skoda badges and later trolley buses, and even today Skoda still produces electric railway locomotives and tram cars.

1949 Skoda steam locomotive by James Waite

Summary

Skoda is a brand currently enjoying a reputation that is the envy of rivals. Its cars are very highly regarded, as much for the quality of their build as their value-for-money prices. With its range of electric vehicles set to mushroom within two years, Skoda’s future looks bright – and that’s no joke…

More Skoda features, Expert Ratings, new car reviews and news

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MG HS

Sean Rees

-

24 October 2024

0

Summary

The MG HS is a budget mid-size SUV/crossover, which sits above the smaller ZS in the MG range. Available petrol-powered or as a plug-in hybrid, this second-generation model arrived in the UK in the middle of 2024.

UK reviewers agree that this latest iteration of the HS has many of the same traits as its fairly popular predecessor that sold in good numbers in the UK – value-for-money, plenty of interior space and good levels of standard equipment – but improves on the former HS in several areas.

Car’s Ted Welford argues that the next-generation HS is “better to drive, smarter inside and yet still outstanding value”, while Carbuyer’s Charlie Harvey adds that the “competitive 75-mile range for the plug-in hybrid” version is impressive when you consider the price.

As of February 2025, the MG HS holds a New Car Expert Rating of A with a score of 75%. It scores top marks for its five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and low CO₂ emissions, while its running costs are also low. However, its media review scores to date have been poor.

HS highlights

Good value-for-money family car
Well-equipped as standard considering price
Spacious interior

HS lowlights

Rather coarse petrol engine
No fast charging for the plug-in hybrid version
Not as engaging to drive as alternatives

Key specifications

Body style: Mid-size SUV/crossover
Engines: petrol, plug-in hybrid
Price: From £24,995 on-road

Launched: Summer 2024
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

The Car Expert+

Score: 6.4 / 10
“The new MG HS is a huge step forward over the previous model. As a plug-in hybrid, it combines zero-emission electric city driving with plenty of long-distance range from the petrol engine.”
Author: Stuart Masson
Read review

Auto Express+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The MG HS might be an inexpensive mid-size SUV, but it’s not missing any kit or quality.”
Author: Sam Naylor, Ellis Hyde
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol automatic Trophy
Score: 7 / 10
“Like its predecessor, the new MG HS will trade primarily on value for money, but not exclusively. The aggressively priced mid-size SUV looks modern, the interior quality is impressive, cabin space is plentiful and there’s loads of tech onboard – some good, some not. That said, we’d strongly recommend waiting for the hybrid models to arrive, rather than settling for the basic pure-petrol version we drove.”
Author: Ellis Hyde
Read review

Auto Trader+

Score: 9 / 10
“All-new MG HS builds on success of its predecessor with more space, improved interior quality and impressive plug-in hybrid option.”
Author: Dan Trent
Read review

Business Car+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The benefits of the HS’s growth in size can best be felt from the rear seats, where the legroom is extremely impressive for the segment, and headroom.”
Author: Sean Keywood
Read review

Car+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Better to drive, smarter inside and yet still outstanding value – plug-in hybrid especially. Given how many of the of the original HS were sold – and what a decidedly average product it was – things look very positive now MG finally has a family SUV that can be recommended.”
Author: Ted Welford
Read review

Carbuyer+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.6 / 10
“The latest MG HS represents a huge improvement over its predecessor, offering extra practicality, a nicer interior and a very competitive 75-mile range for the plug-in hybrid, especially considering the price.”
Author: Charlie Harvey
Read review

Carwow+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The MG HS isn’t much fun to drive, but it’s affordable, spacious and well-equipped – plus the PHEV is seriously impressive.”
Read review

Heycar+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“For the price of an MG HS, you could forgive it a long list of flaws. But that won’t be necessary as, even putting its tremendous value for money to one side, it’s still a very strong alternative to the Skoda Karoq and Peugeot 3008. Its boot isn’t the biggest, the petrol engine is coarse and rivals like the SEAT Ateca are better to drive, but there’s a lot going for the MG HS.”
Author: Andrew Brady
Read review

Parkers+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.6 / 10
“The new MG HS is a significant improvement compared to the previous car, and well worth considering if you’re looking for a well-priced family car.”
Author: Ted Welford
Read review

Regit+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The MG HS has proven popularity in the UK, and there’s every indication that the newcomer will only increase public approval, especially with the long warranty allaying reliability concerns. If buying outright, the petrol in SE trim arguably offers the best value. It retains a cheap price tag yet has excellent equipment levels that include all the necessities, even if it lacks the added luxuries offered in the Trophy.”
Author: Tim Barnes-Clay
Read review

Top Gear+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“A pleasing step on form the car it replaces, but you’re unlikely to be buying it for anything other than its remarkable pricing.”
Author: Stephen Dobie
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: November 2024
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 90%
Child protection: 85%
Vulnerable road users: 83%
Safety assist: 74%

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of February 2025, the MG HS has not been tested by Green NCAP.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	38 mpg	D	38 – 38 mpg	D – D
Plug-in hybrid models	565 mpg	A	565 – 565 mpg	A – A

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	171 g/km	C	171 – 171 g/km	C – C
Hybrid models	38 g/km	A	– g/km	A – A
Plug-in hybrid models	12 g/km	A	12 – 12 g/km	A – A

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	75 miles	C	75 – 75 miles	C – C

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	22	A	22 – 22	A – A

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£225	B
Year 2	£560	B
Year 3	£984	B
Year 4	£1,127	B
Year 5	£1,531	B
Overall	£4,427	B

The second-generation MG HS is a relatively affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

Let’s start with the bad news – the petrol-only versions of HS are thirstier than the average car, with a rather low average fuel consumption of 38mpg. The plug-in hybrid model’s fuel consumption figures look spectacular, but this is because the EU/UK government testing process is completely rubbish for plug-in hybrids…

The much better news is that the car’s insurance grouping is on the cheaper side, and the SUV’s predicted servicing and maintenance costs for the first five years of ownership are very good when compared to similarly sized rivals.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of February 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the new MG HS to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the HS, we’ll publish the results here.

Recalls

Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the MG HS

As of February 2025, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the second-generation MG HS. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.

You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local MG dealer.

Everything you need to know about UK vehicle recalls

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the MG HS, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

More news, reviews and information about the MG HS at The Car Expert

Britain’s best-selling cars of 2025

Who or what is MG?

MG HS (2019 to 2024)

MG HS test drive

Britain’s best-selling cars of 2024

New MG HS SUV now available to order

MG updates HS SUV

MG reveals new HS and 5 models

Buy an MG HS

If you’re looking to buy a new or used MG HS, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.

Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more

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Lease an MG HS

If you’re looking to lease a new MG HS, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.

Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more

Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more

Personal contract hire deals from Select Car Leasing. Find out more

Subscribe to an MG HS

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Vauxhall Mokka given minor facelift

Model update

Sean Rees

-

24 October 2024

0

Vauxhall has updated its Mokka SUV/crossover range with subtle exterior styling tweaks, more standard equipment and a new-look steering wheel.

This mid-life model refresh comes as Vauxhall tries to keep the Mokka and Mokka Electric competitive with the recently-updated best-selling Ford Puma. Vauxhall has made several changes, but nothing drastic. Alterations to the car’s exterior looks are subtle, and rather hard to spot.

Vauxhall’s black ‘Vizor’ front end looks remain, but with a slightly smaller grille on the lower front bumper and a new light signature for the LED headlights.

Inside, the Mokka has been given a larger ten-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel as part of an expanded standard equipment list that also includes a ten-inch infotainment touchscreen which was previously reserved for higher trim levels. The infotainment also comes with an AI-powered ChatGPT voice assistant.

The car’s steering wheel has also been changed with a flatter top and bottom. Some of the physical switches and buttons have been removed in favour of new controls on the infotainment screen, and the design of the central console has been tweaked too. Some physical switches remain, and the design of those, as well as the electronic parking brake, come from the larger Grandland.

Three trims will be available, starting with the entry-level ‘Design’ grade which used to be called ‘Griffin’. As before, the range will also include the more expensive ‘DS’ and ‘Ultimate’ grades, but with the previous optional packages now included with these trims.

Pricing and full trim specifications are yet to be confirmed in the UK. These details, as well as the facelift’s official arrival date, are sure to follow in the coming weeks. Check back soon!

New BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé now available to order

New model

Sean Rees

-

22 October 2024

0

New BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé now available to order

BMW has announced that its new second-generation 2 Series Gran Coupé is now available to order in the UK, with a revised interior and exterior design.

The five-door saloon, built on the same foundations as the latest 1 Series hatchback, has been given an exterior design overhaul to make the car look “more sporting”.

BMW management chief Bernhard Blattel says that the manufacturer has entirely changed the car’s rear end looks (which now looks similar to the back of the BMW 3 Series), as “the rear of the previous generation was quite polarising”, adding that BMW has “realigned the roof to give it a better flow.”

The design changes in the front are a bit more subtle, with slightly narrower LED headlights and a revised kidney grille design that can be specced with a light-up LED surround (coming next March).

The new 2 Series Gran Coupé is also slightly bigger than its predecessor – two centimetres longer and one-and-a-half centimetres taller and wider to be exact.

This has slightly increased passenger room in the new-look interior, which includes a curved ten-inch digital instrument cluster and 11-inch infotainment touchscreen duo on the dashboard which runs BMW’s latest ‘OS9’ software. There are less physical switches and dials, but BMW says its voice assistant and ‘QuickSelect’ tabs that run across the bottom of the central screen allow for quick access to the likes of navigation, media and air con controls.

Ambient lighting for the centre console and door panels is included as standard, and a panoramic sunroof is on the options list. The ‘Technology’ pack, which will also cost an extra fee, includes more advanced adaptive LED headlights, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, wireless smartphone charging and logo projection from the exterior mirrors.

Top-spec tech features beyond the ‘Technology’ pack include a head-up display that projects driving information onto the windscreen, and semi-autonomous parking assistance.

Two different models are now available to order in the UK, starting with the lead-in front-wheel drive ‘220 M Sport’. This model is powered by a 170hp 1.3-litre petrol engine assisted by 48V of mild-hybrid technology that can muster a 0-62mph sprint time of 7.9 seconds and a reported fuel consumption of up to 53mpg.

The range-topping 300hp 2.0-litre all-wheel drive ‘M235 xDrive’ is thirstier, with an estimated fuel consumption of 38mpg, but can complete the same 0-62mph sprint in an estimated 4.9 seconds.

Pricing for the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé starts at just under £35k, rising to over £44k for the ‘M235’.

Honda CR-V hybrid test drive 2024

Car reviews

Trinity Francis

-

19 October 2024

0

Make and model: Honda CR-V
Description: Five-door SUV/crossover
Price range: from £45,930

Honda says: “The sixth generation of the Honda CR-V, the company’s best-selling model globally, debuts with a bolder, more confident appearance and exceptional levels of practicality, safety, connectivity, and comfort.”

We say: The latest Honda CR-V delivers everything you want from an SUV, with a choice of economical hybrid and plug-in hybrid options.

Honda CR-V hybrid review 2024

Introduction

Now in its sixth generation, the current CR-V model was launched in 2023. It’s the largest SUV in Honda’s range, sitting above the hybrid ZR-V and HR-V models, and the all-electric e:Ny1. Like the rest of the model lineup it’s offered with a basic hybrid system, but the CRV is also available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain – the first time Honda has offered a plug-in hybrid model in Europe.

Since the original CR-V was first launched in the UK in 1995, the SUV segment has boomed. The CR-V has also grown substantially in size since then, putting it up against medium and large SUVs from a wide range of automotive manufacturers.

In our Expert Rating Index, as of October 2024, the Honda CR-V holds a New Car Expert Rating of A with a score of 70%. We don’t yet have a rating for this generation as a used model as it’s less than two years old, but

What is the Honda CR-V?

The CR-V sits at the top of Honda’s range as its large SUV offering. Previous generations of this model were available with seven seats but since the UK is only getting hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, there’s no seven seater option on offer.

In other markets a petrol version is available with seven seats. This means the CR-V competes with some slightly smaller models since its passenger space is limited but as Honda’s biggest and most expensive model, it’s also compared to larger SUVs.

Its competitors include the likes of the Ford Kuga, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5 and the Seat Ateca. On the luxury end of the scale it rivals the Mercedes-Benz GLB, the Audi Q5 and the BMW X3. Since it straddles the medium and large SUV segment, you might also consider the Nissan Qashqai or Nissan X-Trail.

First impressions

The CR-V has grown and become boxier than the previous generation. Given its price point, it’s pitted against premium brands and plug-in hybrid models. The more angular design has resulted in a much more attractive exterior look and improved curb appeal. Inside the interior layout shares commonalities with the rest of the Honda range with an air vent panel running the length of the dash from the steering wheel.

The touchscreen sits on top of the dash and unlike the ZR-V, there’s no floating centre console. Instead, there’s a tray for your phone, gear controls and two cup holders in front of the central arm rest that houses a storage compartment. There’s plenty of room in the front and all the buttons and controls are intuitive to operate.

We like: Improved curb appeal compared to the previous generation
We don’t like: Screen isn’t integrated into the dash

What do you get for your money?

Three trim levels are available for the CR-V: Elegance, Advance and Advance Tech. The first two options come with a hybrid engine and Advance Tech is only available as a plug-in hybrid variant.

Elegance starts from £46K and includes keyless entry and start, powered tailgate, panoramic glass roof, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, wireless phone charger, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and heated front seats. It’s also equipped with a solid suite of collision avoidance systems called Honda SENSING 360, which includes safety features such as front cross traffic warning, lane change collision mitigation, active lane change assist, collision mitigation braking, and adaptive cruise control.

Advance adds a heated leather steering wheel, electrically adjustable driver’s seat with memory function, head up display, adaptive headlights and multi-view camera. Both Advance and Elegance trims come with all-wheel drive and Advance prices start at £49K.

Advance Tech comes with two-wheel drive and a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The top trim starts at £54K and adds Honda’s parking pilot technology which can automatically park the vehicle, side parking sensors, and black exterior details including the door mirrors and spoiler.

A three-year / 90,000 mile warranty is included as standard across the CR-V range.

We like: Entry-trim is well equipped
We don’t like: Plug-in hybrid version is quite expensive

What’s the Honda CR-V like inside?

In the front, the driver gets a ten-inch digital display while a nine-inch central touchscreen sits atop the middle of the dash. Climate settings are controlled entirely by buttons and dials which makes it easy to set the right temperature and fan speed on the move. The touchscreen display also has a couple of shortcut buttons which makes operation much simpler.

The CR-V’s boxy shape means all round visibility is very good and there’s no sloping rear roofline so it’s easy to see out of the back window. In the back, rear legroom is generous and the cabin feels wide. Headroom suffers a little due to the extra space needed to store the sunroof blind in the roof when it’s retracted. This isn’t the end of the world though because the seat backs recline and slide so you can find the right balance between boot space, rear legroom and headroom.

For use as a family car, the CR-V has wide opening rear doors that make it easy to install car seats or help children to put their seat belts on. The central seat houses an armrest and two cup holders and the seat belt for the middle seat comes down from the roof.

The boot is a decent size and shape which makes it very functional. Unusually, the plug-in hybrid version gets a slightly bigger boot space and both models have no lip to load luggage over. Boot space is bettered by competitors with seven seats that offer more room when the third row is folded down but most five seat rivals are closely matched. When the back seats are folded down the boot floor isn’t completely flat so there’s a small bump to lift longer items over.

We like: Flexible rear seating with reclining and sliding bench
We don’t like: Rear headroom is limited by sunroof

What’s under the bonnet?

There are two engine options available for the CR-V: A standard hybrid on Elegance and Advance trims and a plug-in hybrid on the top spec Advance Tech trim. Both use a 2.0-litre petrol engine and the plug-in has a battery which can provide an official EV-only range up to 50 miles.

Unusually, the basic hybrid comes with all-wheel drive as standard while the plug-in hybrid is only available with front-wheel drive. Top speed in the hybrid is limited to 116mph and 0 to 62mph happens in 9.4 seconds. The plug-in hybrid doesn’t get you to the national speed limit any quicker, but the top speed is slightly higher at 121mph.

Unbraked towing weight for the CR-V is rated at 600kg and braked towing for the basic hybrid is limited to 750kg. The plug-in hybrid version doubles this to deliver a maximum braked towing capacity of 1,500kg. A typical four-berth caravan weighs up to 1,300kg so the Advance Tech trim should be a great match for caravanners hoping to use the CR-V for family holidays. The CR-V can also carry up to 80kg on the roof, which could be useful for additional luggage storage or a bike rack.

Official fuel economy figures show the basic hybrid is capable of up to about 43mpg, which in real world driving is likely to be slightly less but still very respectable for an SUV. The plug-in hybrid has a ridiculous official fuel consumption figure of 353mpg, but this is not Honda’s fault. The EU/UK lab testing system yields stupid results for every plug-in hybrid model on sale, but it’s safe to assume that the more you keep the battery charged, the less you’ll need to use the petrol engine in day-to-day driving.

What’s the Honda CR-V like to drive?

The CR-V is a large-ish family SUV, so it’s not designed to be a sports car, but it offers a good balance of capabilities around town and on the motorway. While its squarer design helps with visibility, it does make it slightly less aerodynamic so there’s some wind noise at speed. It’s surprisingly easy to drive down twisty country lanes and despite its size, it doesn’t feel overly wide or cumbersome to manoeuvre.

Its steering is nicely weighted so you feel connected to the car and on the motorway it feels solid. The CR-V has a five star Euro NCAP safety rating and equipment including blind spot monitoring, lane keeping assistance and traffic sign recognition. A driver attention monitor comes as standard across the range and trailer stability assist supports all models with towing.

If you’re going to use the CR-V as a towing vehicle, the plug-in hybrid version has a towing mode which can keep the car in a low gear to make scenarios like towing uphill easier. On the other side, hill descent control keeps the vehicle steady and allows it to safely slow down without using the brake pedal. Other driving modes include Normal, Sport and Econ.

We like: Great visibility and easy to drive anywhere
We don’t like: Wind noise on the motorway

Verdict

The Honda CR-V is a great candidate for a family SUV. It has a choice of economical hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains which will reward frugal drivers.

Rear passenger space and boot room makes the CR-V practical if you’re frequently carrying passengers and luggage in the back. The flexible seating arrangement with a sliding bench and reclining back also maximises comfort in the rear. While the plug-in hybrid only gets front-wheel drive, it’s the best option if good towing capability is a must. Elegance trim is well equipped and should offer most drivers plenty of technology and safety features.

Given it’s now only available with five seats rather than seven, there are some competitors that are able to offer better value for money with cheaper entry-level prices. However, the Honda CR-V is positioned as a more upmarket model, sitting at a slightly higher price point.

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Honda CR-V, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

Key specifications

Model tested: Honda CR-V Advance
Price as tested: £49,990
Engine: 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid
Gearbox: Automatic (continuously variable transmission)

Power: 184 hp
Torque: 189 Nm
Top speed: 116 mph
0-62 mph: 9.5 seconds

CO₂ emissions: 151 g/km
Euro NCAP safety rating: 5 stars
TCE Expert Rating: 71%, A (as of October 2024)

Buy a Honda CR-V

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EV charging in the UK – what’s the current picture?

Car technology

Russell Hayes

-

18 October 2024

0

EV charging in the UK – what’s the current picture?

Worried that if you buy an electric car, you’ll be short of places to charge it on the move? It seems that stories about the slow pace of public EV charging point installation are off the mark. Here’s our take on the booming growth in new charging points.

There’ll be a lot of stats to follow, but they are very revealing. The UK has an estimated 1.25 million EVs on the road according to Zapmap, the EV locating app, as of the end of September 2024. That’s still not a big number – around 3.75% of the 34+ million cars on UK roads – but it’s growing by thousands of new electric cars and vans every month.

Also, according to Zapmap, at the end of September 2024, there were 70,434 public electric vehicle charging points across the UK, across 35,810 charging locations and 103, 593 connectors.

Finally, on top of those 103,593 public plugs, it’s estimated that there are about 850,000 private home charging points in the UK and nearly 60,000 private workplace charging points. That adds up to more than a million dedicated EV connectors to plug in 1.25 million cars – not including anyone who still wants to use a regular three-point wall plug, of course.

ChargeUK is the trade association which represents 40 of charging infrastructure companies in the UK. It says that charge point numbers have more than doubled in the past two years. During April to June 2024 a new public charge point was installed every 25 minutes.

Availability is now rising faster than the number of new EVs coming onto the market and it says that if the current today’s growth continues, the UK will have in excess of 300,000 public chargers by 2030, which is the government target.

How does this compare with other countries?

Let’s take our nearest neighbour France, which is about 2.3 times bigger than the UK and has a population of 66.5 million. The UK of course is more densely populated, with 69.2 million people. As of the end of November 2023, France had 114,386 publicly accessible charging points for its 1.1m pure EVs and is aiming to get to 400,000 by 2030.

How are public charge points distributed in the UK?

In England, it’s still fairly slanted to the South of England. Zapmap says that the geographical area with most EV charging points is Greater London with 21,965, followed by the South East with 8,732 and West Midlands with 6,107 (although these stats aggregate all the different types of charge devices).

That said, in London especially, many car owners live in flats and charging at home simply isn’t possible. So, for London councils to meet their emission reduction targets they are having to step up the pace of on-street charging.

Balancing that, which isn’t mentioned anywhere near as often, is the fact that car ownership rates are significantly lower among people living in flats and in large cities than in suburban or rural areas.

Wales has around 3,000 public charging points, Scotland around 5,900 and Northern Ireland 639 as of the end of September 2024.

Adding the home option

In comparison, there are about 8,000 petrol stations in the UK, a figure in decline, so if you say that on average each station has at least six pumps then a conservative 48,000 ‘charge points’ for petrol and diesel vehicles excluding HGVs.

But – and it’s a big but – published ratios of EVs-to-public charge points often ignore home and workplace charging, perpetuating the myth that charging an EV is largely done at public points. And you’ve never been able to have your own petrol pump on your driveway.

ChargeUK says that if you add in home and work chargers (estimated at around 810,000 and 58,800) to public chargers you get to over 930,000 chargers supporting 1.1 million fully electric vehicles (EVs), meaning that there is almost one charger for every EV in the UK, which is close to Norway, always hailed as a great example (pop. 5.6m).

EVA England reported that although the majority of drivers do charge at home the majority of the time, 92% also use public charge points. However, as with petrol or diesel cars, topping up your car at a motorway services is always much more expensive than anywhere else, so you only put in as much petrol or electricity as you need to get you to somewhere cheaper.

What are the different places to find public charge points?

You’ll find public chargers at places you’d visit and park to do something else (destination charging) such as supermarkets, gyms, hotels and public cars parks, then streetside parking by dedicated charging bays and posts or lamppost charging points.

Then there are en-route chargers, which you might think of as only at motorway services, but there are growing number of charging hubs.

These are usually near motorways or major roads and most of the space is devoted to chargers, perhaps with a coffee shop attached. There are 302 such hubs with six or more 50kW+ devices across England. For example, in Devon Osprey has installed 16 ultra-rapid chargers just off the A38 Devon Expressway at Salmons Leap, Buckfastleigh. InstaVolt has 32 high-powered chargers in Stroud Park, close to the M40 motorway at a leisure park next the Banbury exit. It has a coffee shop, restaurant, and hotel on site.

The different charging speeds of chargers

There are currently four terms used to describe the speed of public chargers: slow, fast, rapid and ultra-rapid which deliver different voltages, so vary in how long they will take to recharge a car.

Slow charging is rated 3kW-7kW and make up the majority of public charge points. Most home chargers are about 7kW and most lampposts are 3kW, which is very slow. A typical electric car (60kWh battery) takes just under 16 hours to charge from empty to full using a 3kW charging point. But, of course, most owners are not putting their cars onto charge from a completely empty battery.

Fast is defined at 8-49kW, then comes rapid (50-149kW) which the vast majority of EVs can benefit from, and ultra-rapid (150kW+). On the whole only the more expensive cars can use ultra-rapid chargers. A Porsche Taycan GTS can charge at 270kW.

You’ll most likely find ultra-rapid chargers at motorway services or at dealerships for that brand. As of September 2024, Frankley on the M5 southbound was the English motorway services with most ultra rapid chargers at 28, the M4 Reading westbound 25.

Ultra-rapid chargers are booming. According to Zapmap, as of September 2024, there were 13,706 rapid or ultra-rapid charging devices, across 5,762 charging locations in the UK. More than 2,300 have been installed this year.

Although the previous government’s 2022 target to have six or more high powered chargers at every motorway services areas in England by the end of 2023 hasn’t been met, it was then talking about 50kW+ chargers and this has been outpaced by 150kW chargers. As they charge more quickly, they can serve more cars.

For those EV drivers who’ve looked wistfully at lines of vacant Tesla chargers (up to 250kW), Tesla is now starting to allow drivers of any make of EV to use their chargers at four of them – but check first!

Why are they going in so fast?

“The original announcement of 2030 as the phase out date for sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles back in 2020 gave infrastructure investors the signal they needed to invest,” says ChargeUK, CEO, Vicky Read. “This clear government policy led to investment flooding in, allowing the sector to grow and accelerate deployment, and we are now seeing the benefits of that positive signposting from government, albeit the subsequent move to 2035 did dent confidence.”

The last government’s view was that private businesses should be left to drive the market but whether a site is commercially viable depends on location, EV density in the local area, the commercial arrangement reached with the landlord, which can be public or private, as well as charge point operators’ business and investment models.

The government’s part is to provide them with planning support and incentives. Two funds (set up several years ago) are meant to encourage the private sector to deliver charging points.

The rapid charging fund (RCF) is to ‘enable a comprehensive ultra-rapid charging network by funding prohibitively expensive grid connections’. In its pilot phase it will fund a portion of the cost of upgrading connections at motorway service areas in England only.

The Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund supports local authorities in England to plan and deliver charging infrastructure for residents without off-street parking. It provides capital funding to support charging point delivery and ‘capability funding’ to ensure that local authorities have the staff and capability to plan and deliver charging infrastructure

Funds aside, as it’s left to the marketplace, it’s still a challenge to get private companies to put chargers in less profitable locations if it’s not profitable. This can mean that, beyond motorways, more rural areas miss out.

Are there any brakes to progress?

ChargeUK says that while overall availability is good the deployment of charging in some locations, such as on-street, has been held back because of delays to the public funding schemes. Like the car makers, they would also wish for a predictable EV sales market, which it certainly isn’t as far as private buyers are concerned.

What about petrol stations and charge points?

Petrol and diesel pumps are going to be available for years to come, but there will be fewer filling stations. Logically, some oil companies have really got on board with public electric charging.

Shell says it is on track to meeting its ambition of 10,000 chargers at UK forecourts and on streets by the end of the year. Of these, 1,000 on these are on forecourts and at destination hubs. In 2024 it went live with 13 new sites with six or more rapid or ultra rapid chargers with more to come before the end of the year. Overall, it now has 14 hubs with eight or more chargers. Shell is also working with Aldi to put Shell Recharge charge points in 58 new stores, adding to eight existing sites.

BP Pulse is mostly focussed on charging hubs and operates over 3,000 high-speed charge points across the UK. It’s developing EV charging hubs at major transport intersections, on trunk roads and at the heart of the UK road network. Nine EV hubs, each with at least six ultra-fast charge points, were added in 2023 bringing the total to 20 hubs, including the UK’s largest at the NEC Birmingham, the Gigahub, which can simultaneously charge up to 180 EVs.

Read more:

Don’t like your new Cupra EV? Just hand it back.

Stuart Masson

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18 October 2024

0

Don’t like your new Cupra EV? Just hand it back.

Cupra, the Spanish performance brand spun off from SEAT a few years ago, has launched a bold new offer for its Born electric hatchback – if you don’t like your new car, you can hand it back within 100 days and get (most of) your money back.

The new offer, named ‘Love Me or Leave Me’, is available now for all retail customers regardless of whether the car was paid for outright or purchased on a Cupra PCP finance agreement. If you’ve financed the car elsewhere, you either won’t be eligible or the deal may not be favourable for you.

Cupra’s offer comes at a time of difficulty for private electric car sales in the UK and across most of Europe. After strong growth from early adopters, the car industry now faces the tougher task of convincing ordinary customers who have far less interest in making the switch from fossil fuels to EVs on their next car.

The biggest hurdle in selling EVs at the moment is convincing anxious customers – most of whom have read various false or misleading information online – that an electric car will cope with their driving needs. Yet almost all of the research currently published publicly shows that EV drivers generally love their vehicles and have no interest in returning to a petrol or diesel vehicle.

Clearly, Cupra is banking on its customers overcoming their EV anxieties quickly enough to not hand back the cars. The good news is that the Cupra Born is an excellent car, winning Best Small Car and Best Hot Hatch in The Car Expert’s Best Car Awards in 2022.

The Cupra Born also currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 82% in our award-winning Expert Rating Index. It has excellent results in every category.

How the money-back offer works

You can only return the vehicle between 80 and 100 days after you took delivery. If you hate the car in less than 80 days, you’ll have to wait. If it’s more than 100 days, you’re too late. It’s a fairly narrow window, rather than simply being able to return the car at any time within the first 100 days.

If you do decide to hand back the vehicle, you’ll get your money back minus a charge for fair use and wear-and-tear. Here’s what that means:

If the car was financed via Cupra’s in-house finance service:
You’ll get your initial payment back (up-front cash deposit plus the net cash value of any part-exchange vehicle).

You won’t get your first three months’ payments back to cover your use of the car for the first 100 days, but the PCP contract will be terminated so you won’t have to make any further monthly payments or the balloon payment.

You’ll also be charged for any damages beyond fair wear and tear. You may also be charged on a pro-rata basis for excess mileage.

If the car was paid for in cash:
You’ll get the cost of the vehicle refunded minus 3% for the first 100 days of usage.

Again, you’ll have to pay for any damage beyond fair wear and tear, although Cupra’s T&Cs don’t specify a mileage limit for cash customers.

In either case:
If you part-exchanged a car, you won’t get it back but will instead get the net cash amount (the car’s value minus any outstanding finance that had to be paid off).

The money should be repaid by Cupra within 14 days.

This offer does not replace your legal right to reject a faulty car – that’s a completely separate issue. This is for people who have simply decided that an EV (or, more specifically, a Cupra Born) is not for them.

What’s the catch?

Other than the points already mentioned, there are no cunning exclusions or conditions that we could see. You’re not obliged to buy another Cupra car, so you can literally walk away once everything is settled. But you should always read the full details and fine print of any offer put under your nose before signing anything.

If you are paying for the car using cash you’ve borrowed via a loan somewhere else, it may not be as good a deal for you. In this case, Cupra will refund your money and you’ll need to settle up with your finance company or bank, but the cost of doing so may be significantly more expensive.

If you’re leasing the car or financing through Cupra on another finance product (like a hire purchase), you’re not eligible for this offer. If you’re financing, it has to be a PCP through Cupra Finance – which is a division of Volkswagen Financial Services.

Anything else?

Yes. All Born customers currently get a free home EV charger from Ohme or, if you prefer, a £700 charging voucher. But if you decide to return the car under this offer and no longer want the charger, you’ll have to pay for it to be uninstalled (which will probably cost you a couple of hundred pounds). Alternatively, you can keep the charger and pay for it, which will cost you about £1,000.

Additional reporting by Tom Johnston

Toyota Corolla test drive

Car reviews

Trinity Francis

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18 October 2024

0

Make and model: Toyota Corolla
Description: Mid-sized hatchback and estate
Price range: from £30,505

Toyota says: “Corolla has evolved over more than half a century, keeping pace with changing customer tastes and preferences and embracing new technologies for safety, comfort, convenience and connection.”

We say: This familiar name in Toyota’s lineup offers a smooth hybrid experience in an economical and affordable package.

Toyota Corolla review 2024

Introduction

The very first Toyota Corolla was launched in 1966 and, since then, more than 50 million examples have been sold across the world. Despite the name disappearing from Europe between 2007 and 2019 (when Toyota preferred the name Auris), the Corolla badge returned with the current model in 2019.

Now in its 12th generation, the model is available as a five-door hatchback or an estate (called a Touring Sports in Toyota-speak), powered by a choice of two hybrid engines and is built in Derbyshire. For a while, there was a saloon model that was built in Turkey, but that was quietly discontinued a few years ago. In 2023, the Corolla was updated with some mildly revised styling and extra technology.

As of October 2024, the Toyota Corolla holds an overall New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 73% in our Expert Rating Index, as of October 2024. As a second-hand buy, it also scores a Used Car Expert Rating of A with an even better score of 78%.

What is the Toyota Corolla?

Available as a hatchback and an estate, the Corolla is a flexible mid-sized car. The estate is also offered in a commercial vehicle specification, which turns the car into a van-like environment with two front seats and a large load space in the rear. The Suzuki Swace is built on the same platform and is essentially a rebadged version of the Corolla, but that’s only available with the estate body shape so there’s fewer choices.

Competitors include the likes of the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf, SEAT Leon and Honda Civic. This category is generally quite closely priced so differences come down to the driving experience, fuel economy and how well equipped the vehicle is. The Corolla is also up against other rivals including the Peugeot 308, Mini Countryman, Kia Ceed and the Mazda 3.

First impressions

If the photos look familiar, it’s because the current Corolla has been around for five years already. It had a light styling refresh last year, but you’d need to park the 2024 car next to a 2019 car to tell the difference. The overall effect is still modern and vaguely stylish. Although it doesn’t exactly stand out in a crowd, it certainly looks more distinctive than the bland Aurises that came before it.

Inside, there’s a large touchscreen and a simple layout that’s easy to familiarise yourself with. The emphasis is on functionality rather than fancy styling and materials.

All variants come with a choice of two petrol/electric hybrid engines that offer low emissions and good fuel economy.

We like: Economical hybrid engines
We don’t like: Less distinctive design than competitors

What do you get for your money?

Both the hatchback and Touring Sports versions are available in four different trim levels: Icon, Design, GR Sport and Excel.

Icon comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, 11-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 12-inch driver’s display, wireless phone charger, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera and heated front seats. The hatchback is priced from £30.5K with the 1.8-litre engine, and upgrading to the 2.0-litre engine takes that to just over £32K. Touring Sports estate versions add about £1,500.

Design trim adds 17-inch alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, ambient interior lighting and the option of a panoramic roof. Hatchback prices start from £32K. A powered tailgate with a hands-free kick sensor is included on the Touring Sports version, with prices again about £1,500 over the hatch.

As the name suggests GT Sport adds sporty styling with 18-inch alloy wheels, GR Sport seats, red contrast stitching on the steering wheel and gear stick, black door mirrors, dark chrome lower grille, GR Sport scuff plates and bi-tone paintwork. The smaller-engined hatchback starts at £33.4K and the larger engine is from £35K.

Top trim Excel includes adaptive high beam headlights, leather upholstery, head up display, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, safe exit assist and bi-tone paintwork. In its hatchback guise, Excel costs £34.5K for the 1.8-litre engine or £356K for the 2.0-litre engine.

The Corolla range comes with a three year, 60,000 mile warranty which can be extended up to ten years or 100,000 miles if you continue to have the car serviced by authorised Toyota workshops.

We like: Affordable jumps between trim levels
We don’t like: Some safety equipment reserved for top specification

What’s the Toyota Corolla like inside?

The Corolla’s interior is very functional and easy to familiarise yourself with. The 11-inch touch screen sits on top of the dash and is simple to control. Disappointingly, the screen quality isn’t as crisp as some rivals’ and the system can lag a bit, although the user experience can be improved by connecting with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The digital driver’s display offers all the important information at a glance and you can scroll through various data points about the car.

Toyota has stuck with real buttons for its climate controls so everything is quick to find and adjust. The Corolla’s interior feels well put together and hard wearing. Pitted against more premium rivals, the interior lacks some personality but it does everything you need it to with no fuss. All round visibility is good and although the rear view is slightly limited due to the narrower back window, there’s a reversing camera to support backwards manoeuvres.

In the hatchback version, the Corolla’s rear space is tight. For adults around six foot tall, head and leg room will be a challenge and fitting three people abreast won’t be particularly comfortable. The Touring Sports version offers a lot more breathing room and flexibility if you’re likely to carry rear passengers regularly.

Boot space is around average for this type of car but again if you need more room the Touring Sports model will have more luggage space. For those looking for maximum boot space in the hatchback variant, opt for the 1.8-litre hybrid engine as the 2.0-litre hybrid gets a smaller boot since the 12-volt battery is stored under the boot floor instead of in the engine bay.

We like: Functional robust interior
We don’t like: Rear passenger space is limited

What’s under the bonnet?

There’s two engine options to choose from, either a 1.8-litre petrol hybrid engine or a 2.0-litre petrol hybrid. The 1.8-litre engine has 140hp and a 0 to 60mph time of about nine seconds. The 2.0-litre version is a bit more powerful with 195hp and a 0 to 60mph time of about seven-and-a-half seconds. Both engines use basic hybrid systems that use the petrol engine and recuperation to charge the battery, but you can’t plug into into an external charger.

Braked towing capacity for both engines and hatchback and Touring Sports versions is 750kg. Unbraked towing is rated at 450kg so all versions would only be suitable for towing a small trailer or lightweight caravan.

What’s the Toyota Corolla like to drive?

Driving the Corolla is effortless. It has light steering and thanks to the hybrid system it’s quicker than you expect, even with the 1.8-litre engine as the electric motor helps to boost the performance of the petrol engine (assuming you have charge in the battery).

Around town, the car stays very quiet, operating on electric power during light acceleration whenever there’s enough electricity available to do so. The petrol engine only kicks in when more performance is needed or the battery is depleted – which will happen quite quickly if you’re heavy with your right foot. If the majority of your use is fairly gently local journeys around town, it’s ideal for the job.

It gets up to speed nicely for motorways and dual carriageways. Under hard acceleration the gearbox can make the engine a little noisy but it calms down once you reach speed. For the entry-level Icon trim, official fuel economy can be as much as 64mpg. In real world conditions, expect around 60mpg which is very respectable for a hybrid hatchback.

While some competitors can offer a more sporty driving experience, the Corolla does everything you need it to and never feels sluggish or annoying. The hybrid system is smooth and the car comes with a good amount of safety equipment.

We like: Easy driving experience
We don’t like: Rivals are more engaging

Verdict

The Corolla name has been a mainstay in Toyota’s lineup for nearly six decades. In that time, it’s morphed into a modern hatchback and estate that’s affordable and easy to live with. The majority of buyers will find the 1.8-litre hybrid engine suits their needs best. For those that require more rear space, the Touring Sports version will be the best fit.

Despite having a good range of trim options, Icon and Design will likely offer the right mix of equipment and affordability for most people. For under £35,000 you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera and heated front seats and rear privacy glass.

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Toyota Corolla, you might also be interested in these alternatives.

Key specifications

Model tested: Toyota Corolla hatchback Icon
Price as tested: £30,495
Engine: 1.8-litre petrol/electric hybrid
Gearbox: Automatic, continuously variable

Power: 140 hp
Torque: 142 Nm
Top speed: 112 mph
0-62 mph: 9.1 seconds

CO₂ emissions: 100 g/km
Euro NCAP safety rating: 5 stars
TCE Expert Rating: A (73%, as of October 2024)

Buy a Toyota Corolla

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Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more

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Skoda Superb

Sean Rees

-

18 October 2024

0

The Skoda Superb is The Car Expert’s Best Estate 2025!

Summary

The Skoda Superb is a large family/executive car, available as either a liftback or an estate. This car is the current fourth-generation model, which was launched in early 2024.

Available as a petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid (latter currently only available with the estate bodystyle), the latest iteration of the Skoda Superb has received a very warm welcome from the British motoring media, and while its exterior looks don’t differ much from the previous generation, the Carbuyer team says that the family car has been given a “big interior upgrade, both in terms of design and tech.”

Ellis Hyde of Auto Express praises the Superb for its “host of smart and intuitive technology” that “adds more functionality without overcomplicating matters”, adding that the Skoda is “massively practical, comfortable, hugely spacious, and offers a well-finished interior at an affordable price.”

Ted Welford of Parkers agrees, exclaiming that the Superb “easily one of the best estate cars you can buy today”, but adds that the interior does have some cheap plastic components, and that the top-spec ‘L&K’ trim is rather expensive.

As of August 2025, the fourth-generation Skoda Superb holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 75%. It scores top marks for its media review scores, its safety rating and its low CO₂ emissions. However its running costs are only average and Skoda’s new car warranty coverage is poor.

Superb highlights

Well-built, spacious and practical interior
Refined, comfortable driving experience
Smooth and efficient engines
User-friendly tech

Superb lowlights

Expensive range-topping trim
No plug-in hybrid version of the liftback
Suspension can be rather firm around town
Some cheaper interior materials

Key specifications

Body style: Large saloon and estate
Engines: petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid
Price: From £34,875 on-road

Launched: Spring 2024
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Featured reviews

“The Skoda Superb combines everything we loved about its award-winning predecessor with newfound sophistication. Both the king-size hatchback and massively practical estate car versions are comfortable, hugely spacious, and offer a well-finished interior at an affordable price. There’s also a host of smart and intuitive technology on offer that’s equally impressive, as it adds more functionality without overcomplicating matters – in typical Skoda fashion.”

Model reviewed: Liftback range overview

Score: 9 / 10

Read full review

Auto Express

Ellis Hyde, Max Adams

“The Skoda Superb is a fantastic motorway cruiser which is also hugely practical and well-built, however it’s not the most exciting car in its class.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 9 / 10

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Carwow

Jamie Edkins

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Auto Express

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic liftback SE L
Score: 9 / 10
“Skoda’s focus on evolution, rather than revolution, makes it the best Superb yet.”
Author: Alex Ingram
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Model reviewed: Estate range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Skoda Superb Estate delivers on space, quality and cleverness just as strongly as the previous model. There have been thoughtful improvements to the interior design and to the hybrid powertrains to boost efficiency and lower running costs. For those not taken with an SUV, the Superb Estate makes for a brilliant package.”
Author: Jordan Katsianis, Maxa Adams
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Auto Trader

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“That a Skoda is a credible alternative to premium options like the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3 Series Touring or Mercedes C-Class Estate is proof of the Superb’s quality, the huge cabin, enormous boot, smart looks and wealth of smooth and efficient engines underlining our hunch it’s the best car of its type.”
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Model reviewed: Estate range
Score: 9 / 10
“Skoda may not be known as a luxury brand but the Superb’s mix of fantastic comfort and practicality are a winning blend.”
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Business Car

Model reviewed: Liftback range
Score: 8 / 10
“Despite its substantial dimensions it doesn’t take long to come to terms with the Superb’s magnitude. It is is a very intuitive car to drive, thanks primarily, to its neat, connected steering responses, well-regimented body control and excellent all-round visibility.”
Author: Pete Tullin
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Car

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“There’s a lot to praise it for, not least its excellent ground covering ability, refinement at speed, and in the case of this plug-in hybrid version, diesel-like fuel economy.”
Author: Keith Adams
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Model reviewed: Liftback range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The new Skoda Superb is the perfect example of a car built by a maker comfortable with its customers’ needs, and delivering a car completely fit for purpose. Highlights are its exceptional refinement at speed, comfort and tasteful high-quality interior. As a roomy family car that’s easy to live with, looks stylish and stands out in a world of electric SUVs, this is about as good as it gets.”
Author: Keith Adams
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Model reviewed: Estate range
Score: 10 / 10
“Skoda’s best car gets even better in this new generation. Comfortable, refined and massively spacious, the new Superb is very hard to find fault with.”
Author: Ted Welford
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Carbuyer

Model reviewed: Estate range
Score: 8.6 / 10
“The latest Skoda Superb Estate builds on its predecessor’s impressive practicality and value with improved build quality and interior flair.”
Author: Charlie Harvey, Jordan Katsianis
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Model reviewed: Liftback range
Score: 8.6 / 10
“The Skoda Superb gets a big interior upgrade, both in terms of design and tech, and it offers a smooth experience for drivers and passengers alike.”
Author: Andy Goodwin, Ellis Hyde
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Heycar

Model reviewed: Estate range
Score: 9 / 10
“If you’re after a big estate car, the Skoda Superb Estate pretty much ticks every box. Buyers will love its huge load capacity, wide range of engines, comfort, competitive pricing and clever touches. No wonder then that it’s one of our favourite estate cars.”
Author: Phil Hall
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Honest John

Model reviewed: Estate range
Score: 8 / 10
“If you’re looking for a big comfortable estate car that excels when it comes to practically, then the Skoda Superb Estate ticks those boxes. More attractive than before, Skoda gets the balance right with the level of tech and physical controls.”
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Parkers

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9.4 / 10
“The Skoda Superb is a car that’s exceptionally easy to recommend. Skoda’s largest model has always been an excellent choice, but is even better in this new generation. More spacious, refined and comfortable, the Superb is easily one of the best estate cars you can buy today.”
Author: Ted Welford
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Model reviewed: Superb estate plug-in hybrid
Score: 8 / 10
“We think the Skoda Superb iV hybrid is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a large plug-in hybrid car with plenty of practicality and comfort. But take care when speccing it up or you may find it becoming seriously expensive.”
Author: Keith Adams
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Model reviewed: Liftback range
Score: 8.6 / 10
“The new Skoda Superb is a perfect family car for those who regularly travel long distances, enjoy peaceful and tasteful surroundings and want to project an understated image.”
Author: Keith Adams
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The Sunday Times

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid Laurin & Klement estate
Score: 9 / 10
“Does everything brilliantly and precious little wrong.”
Author: Matt Robinson
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Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“All Skoda has done here is taken all the slightly less brilliant bits of the previous Superb Estate, improved upon them, and served up a car which is little short of utterly supe… well, you get the idea.”
Author: Matt Robinson
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The Telegraph

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol automatic SE L Estate
Score: 10 / 10
“The new Skoda Superb is still the best-value family wagon, despite increased competition from the latest Volkswagen Passat.”
Author: Alex Robbins
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Top Gear

Model reviewed: Estate range
Score: 8 / 10
“A wonderful package of practicality, refinement and comfort at a reasonable price”
Author: Peter Rawlins
Read review

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“It’s not particularly flashy, it can go anywhere without being noticed, and it’ll get you there without fuss too.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: July 2024
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 93%
Child protection: 87%
Vulnerable road users: 82%
Safety assist: 80%

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of August 2025, the fourth-generation Skoda Superb has not been assessed by Green NCAP.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Fuel consumption	Average	Score
Petrol models	47 mpg	C
Diesel models	52 mpg	B

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	142 g/km	C
Diesel models	144 g/km	C
Plug-in hybrid models	9 g/km	A

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	81 miles	C

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	28	C

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£194	B
Year 2	£520	B
Year 3	£848	B
Year 4	£1,102	C
Year 5	£1,480	C
Overall	£4,144	C

The Skoda Superb is a relatively affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.

The fuel consumption of petrol models sits at about the market average, with diesel models being slightly more fuel efficient than the standard car.

The electric-only battery range of the plug-in hybrid version (which is only available in estate form at the moment) is commendable, but nothing to shout about. Its 81-mile electric only range should cover a week’s worth of short journeys without need for the petrol engine, provided that the Superb can be plugged in to charge at home.

The car’s insurance bracket is cheaper than average – an abnormality in the large car class – and the predicted servicing and maintenance costs for the first five years of ownership are more affordable than many cars of this size too.

For example, compare the Superb’s estimated five-year maintenance cost total of just over £4k to that of the highly-regarded BMW 5 Series, which is predicted to cost nearly £3k more over the same period.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of August 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the new Skoda Superb to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.

As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Superb, we’ll publish the results here.

Warranty rating

New car warranty information for the Skoda Superb

Overall ratingD31%
Petrol or diesel modelsE17%
Electric or hybrid modelsC56%
New car warranty duration3 years
New car warranty mileage60,000 miles
Battery warranty duration8 years
Battery warranty mileage100,000 miles

Skoda’s new car warranty is pretty much the bare minimum offered in the UK, with a duration of three years and a limit of 60,000 miles. Other rivals in the price bracket do better (and in some cases, much better).

In addition to the standard new car warranty, the Superb plug-in hybrid version has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components. As a result, it has a better warranty rating than the regular petrol and diesel models.

If you’re looking to buy a used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.

Recalls

Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Skoda Superb

As of August 2025, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the fourth-generation Skoda Superb. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.

You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Skoda dealer.