Chinese brand Jaecoo has announced that its new flagship 8 ‘SHS-P’ SUV will be arriving in UK showrooms in May, with six- or seven-seat layouts on offer.
The large SUV is Jaecoo’s answer to the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe, and slots into the brand’s range above the smaller Jaecoo 7 SUV which has proved to be a smash hit sales success in the UK since it first arrived last year.
Only available as a plug-in hybrid, the SUV is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine working in tandem with an electric motor to deliver a combined output of 428hp and an 83-mile electric-only travel range.
On a full battery and a full tank, Jaecoo says that the SUV can muster over 700 miles of travel without stopping, and the battery can be topped up from 30% to 80% in around 20 minutes. A 0-62mph sprint can be completed in 5.8 seconds.
This SUV also marks the first time that Jaecoo has fitted ‘lockable differentials’ to one of its models – which force both wheels in the front or back to rotate at the same speed, improving the SUV’s off-roading credentials. The car can also wade through waters up to 60 centimetres tall, and ‘adaptive’ suspension is included as standard.
Jaecoo will launch the new range with two trim options. The cheaper ‘Luxury’ grade has a seven-seat configuration, and is aimed at those wanting a large upmarket family ferrier. Power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation are included, with five massage modes and headrest-integrated speakers.
The range-topping ‘Executive’ is instead a six-seater version, aimed at those prioritising passenger comfort. Four of the seats are heated, ventilated and massaging, and those are joined by an additional pair of folding seats in the boot area.
Choosing the ‘Executive’ model also adds a ‘zero-gravity’ front passenger seat, that can be adjusted 123 degrees and provides an extended legroom.
The SUV is now available to order online, with the first examples arriving on British roads in May. Pricing starts at over £45k for the ‘Luxury’ model, rising to over £47k for the ‘Executive’.
Essentially the all-electric equivalent of the brand’s petrol-powered CX-60 – though slighting longer and with a lower ride height – the CX-6e makes use of a 78kWh battery and 258hp rear-mounted e-motor pairing that provides up to 300 miles on a single charge.
The model made its debut at the Brussels motor show in January, and it is yet to be reviewed by the British motoring media just yet. We will update this page with more information and reviews, as well as safety and running cost data, as soon as those are available. Check back soon!
Body style: Medium SUV Engines:electric, battery-powered Price:TBA
Launching: 2026 Last updated: N/A Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media.
There are no reviews on the Mazda CX-6e – foreign or UK-based test drives – to display here currently. Once reviews from the UK automotive media are published, we will update this section.
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of March 2026, the Mazda CX-6e has not been assessed by Euro NCAP.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of March 2026, the Mazda CX-6e 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 CX-6e is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
No data yet
As of March 2026, we don’t have independently verified data available for the Mazda CX-6e. Check back again soon.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of March 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Mazda CX-6e 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 Mazda, we’ll publish the results here.
As of March 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Mazda CX-6e. However, recall information is updated 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 Mazda dealer.
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For many years there were two German behemoths that divided up the premium market – BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Audi was a much smaller badge in the Volkswagen group that merited little attention.
Over the past 25 years, however, Audi has grown massively to turn the big two into a big three. It has done this by embracing technology and offering models that initially provided something different to the BMWs that every middle-manager wanted to drive, and latterly took over that much-vaunted status. In fact where for many years ‘typical BMW driver’ was used as a derogatory term (perhaps with a hint of jealousy), today it is just as often applied to Audi drivers.
Such criticisms make little dent on the reputation of a manufacturer that continues to produce impressive cars with bang up-to-date technology, and which while adopting the opportunities of electric power long before rivals, still offers a wide range of petrol and even diesel options.
This was set to change with Audi planning to launch its last ‘conventionally driven’ models in 2026, but like many others the company has reacted to the slowing of the global switch to EVs. Audi announced in mid-2025 that it had abandoned plans to not sell any cars with combustion engines after 2033. Now Audi says there is no fixed end-date for such models.
This section could probably be described as “A tale of two Audis”, because the company of today is much younger than its name or badge. The original version of Audi disappeared with the second world war, and the name was resurrected by Volkswagen in the 1960s.
Audi 1.0 was founded in 1909 by a German engineer named August Horch. It was Horch’s second attempt at starting a car company, as he left his original company – Horch – after falling out with his fellow directors. He used the name ‘Audi’ as his former partners prevented him using the Horch name again.
Audi flourished despite difficult conditions in Germany following the first world war. However, as part of a series of mergers and acquisitions in the early 1930s, Audi became part of a conglomerate called the Auto Union. This consisted of four German brands: Audi, DKW, Wanderer and – ironically – Horch.
Although the four brands all continued to build their own cars, each also carried the new logo of Auto Union – four interlocking rings to symbolise the four interlinked brands.
Despite the high profile and success of Auto Union, Audi suffered relative to its sister brands. Sales were well in decline even before production was inevitably turned over to manufacturing vehicles for the German military as the second world war loomed.
As with most German industrial operations, the second world war was a dark time for Auto Union. As many as seven labour camps provided thousands of prisoners to build vehicles and armaments for the Nazis. By the end of the war, the company was all but wiped out with most of its factories bombed and destroyed by the Allies.
After hostilities had ceased, Auto Union bosses set about restarting the company despite there being little more than the brand names left. What remained of its factories were located in the east of Germany, which fell under Soviet control after the war, so Auto Union re-established itself in the town of Ingolstadt in Bavaria, in the south of West Germany.
The revived Auto Union struggled and was bought out by Daimler-Benz (owners of Mercedes-Benz) in 1959, but Daimler quickly realised that it had no real need for Auto Union or its collection of brand names and sold it off to Volkswagen not five years later. VW wasn’t really interested in Auto Union, either, but it wanted to get its hands on the Ingolstadt factory to help meet booming worldwide demand for the Beetle.
Eventually, Volkswagen did decide to make a go of some of the cars that Auto Union had been developing under Daimler’s ownership. It kept the Auto Union logo, but ditched the name and resurrected the long-abandoned Audi brand instead. Audi 2.0 was born.
Through the 1970s, Audi grew and developed as a respected but conservative brand. To spice things up a bit, the company decided to use Volkswagen’s abandoned all-wheel drive military technology to go rallying.
Launched in 1980, the Audi Quattro was the first mainstream all-wheel-drive car on the market. It took a string of rallying successes and transformed Audi’s image from a fairly staid brand to a technological powerhouse. Soon afterwards, the slogan ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ (progress through technology) made its debut and is still a core of Audi’s marketing today.
1982 Audi Quattro2019 Audi A4
The 1990s saw Audi move upmarket to become a premium manufacturer, targeting the business market and the two German heavyweights of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Sales were fuelled by an ever-increasing model range, and promoted by major sporting success – in the 15 years from 2000 to 2014, Audi won the Le Mans 24-hour race 13 times.
Advanced technology has continued to play a core role in Audi’s continually advancing sales ever since, such innovations as digital cockpit displays and various driving aids appearing on Audi models before many rivals. At one point in the 2000s, Audi produced more profit than all the other brands in the Volkswagen Group combined.
More recent times have been less successful, however – 2024 and 2025 proved particularly difficult years as Audi suffered from slowing demand for EVs and the effect of US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs in what is an important market for the German brand. Audi’s 2025 sales in the UK slumped by more than 9%.
Perhaps stung into action Audi management are now undertaking what they describe as the biggest change in the history of the company. Forthcoming new models such as the next A4 will be core to a complete rebuild but the changes will apparently stretch way beyond Audi’s products.
What models does Audi have and what else is coming?
The development of electric power has seen Audi’s enormous model range swell even further, although it has always seemed to be in less of a hurry to drop its combustion-engined models than many other brands.
The main designators are A for traditional cars and Q for SUVs. The more performance-pitched models usually carry S designations (so the S3 is a faster version of the A3, for example), while the most highly potent versions are badged RS (so the RS 3 is an even faster version of the A3).
Audi decided early in 2025 to drop plans to differentiate its combustion-engined and electric ranges by their model numbers – the idea had been that petrol/diesel/hybrid models would carry odd numbers (like A1, A3, A5 and A7), while electric models – called ‘e-tron’ in Audiland – would carry even numbers (A6 e-tron saloon, Q4, Q6 and Q8 e-tron SUVs and such).
Now both types will carry the same model numbers with what drives them indicated by the addition of TFSI (petrol), TDI (diesel), or e-tron (electric) after the model name.
Meanwhile the Audi range has undergone some recent trimming as the brand reacts to more challenging market conditions, with the biggest casualties being its two smallest cars. The Q1 SUV has already been dropped and while the A1 – Audi’s alternative to BMW’s Mini – remains on sale, it will not be replaced.
Audi’s traditional car range progresses up through the A3, A5, A6 and A8. There are S versions of the A3, A5 and A8 and RS models of the A3 and A5, while the A5 and A6 can also be had with Avant (estate) bodystyles.
The change in naming strategy saw a new A6 launched in 2025 to replace the previous A7 and in petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid variants, alongside the electric version, now called the A6 e-tron and a completely different car to its fossil-fuelled sibling – confused yet?
On the SUV side, we have the Q2, Q3, Q5, Q7 and Q8 in fossil-fuel versions (and all available in more potent S form), and the Q4 e-tron and Q6 e-tron electric models. The Q3 and Q5 gained all-new versions in 2025 which include coupe-like Sportback models, while the Q8 e-tron, which was Audi’s first production electric car and again confusingly a completely different vehicle to the fossil-fuelled Q8, has been replaced by the latest Q6 e-tron.
The Q8 can also be had as an RS model, as can the e-tron GT, this being a sporty large electric saloon that is more or less an Audi-badged and styled Porsche Taycan.
Finally there are a wide range of powertrain options in the combustion-engined models. Most models include a plug-in hybrid in their line-up, while the A3, A5, A6, A8, Q3 and Q8 can even be had with diesel engines – the oil burner is not dead yet.
In terms of new Audi models soonest to arrive is likely to be the Q9, an enormous seven-seat SUV to take on the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS – we expect to see this in 2026.
Audi has moved away from its once much-desired sports models in recent times with neither the TT and R8 two-seater coupes and convertibles, or the sporty and drop-top variants of the A5 being replaced. But this may be about to change.
One of the most eagerly awaited new cars from the brand is a production version of the Concept C shown at the Munich motor show in September 2025. Apparently dubbed the C-Sport within Audi but seen by most observers as an electric successor to the long-lived TT coupe, the two-seater is being jointly developed with Porsche and is set to be unveiled in 2027.
The striking styling of the Concept C, dubbed ‘Radical Next’ by Audi, will also be seen on the next-generation A4, which is due in 2028. For many years a core Audi model, the next A4 will be an e-tron.
Where can I try a Audi car?
You won’t miss an Audi dealership – the brand has a distinctive design for its showrooms right down to the basic structure of the building, and they tend to dominate their surroundings. There are plenty of them around, the UK hosting around 130 Audi centres though more than 100 are in England.
What makes Audi different to the rest?
Audi built its reputation initially on being something different when any moderately successful business executive wanted to drive a BMW, and as the company’s reputation grew it bolstered it by its massive investment in technology.
Even today, when most upmarket manufacturers offer models with the latest electronic advances both in safety, driver aids and interior features such as infotainment and connectivity, you still expect to see the newest advances on an Audi first – this is expected to ramp up in coming years, with “next-level” technology promised on the forthcoming Audi A4.
An Audi fact to impress your friends
Audi’s name is Latin – after founder August Horch left his original company, which he’d named after himself, the German courts determined that he couldn’t take the company name with him.
So Horch called a meeting in the apartment of a business friend in an effort to come up with a new name – as the business brains in the room struggled to come up with something suitable the friend’s son, who was quietly doing his Latin homework as the meeting went on, eventually spoke up and said that as Horch meant ‘hear’ in German, why not use the closest Latin translation, which was to ‘listen’ – ‘Audi’…
An early Audi logo as used from approx. 1909 to 1932
Summary
Audi is today one of the world’s major executive car brands with a huge reputation, and even though there are now a lot more Audis on the roads, many owners still feel that being behind the wheel of one is a little bit special.
Make and model: BMW iX3 50 xDrive Description: Mid-size electric SUV Price range: from £58,755
Summary: The new BMW iX3 is the first car from BMW’s ambitious Neue Klasse programme – and after driving it, we think it might be the best electric SUV money can buy.
BMW iX3 review 2026 – first UK drive | The Car Expert
The new BMW iX3 is more than just another new electric SUV – it’s the starting point for an entirely new generation of BMWs, and the first of some 40 new or updated models that will be launched over the next two years.
BMW has staked its immediate future on what it calls the Neue Klasse – German for “new class” – and the iX3 is the first car to come from this programme. The name is borrowed from a range of small saloons BMW made in the 1960s that were so influential they shaped everything the company built for the next 40 years. BMW is making the same claim for this generation: that everything changes now.
After spending a few hours behind the wheel of the new iX3, it’s a claim that’s hard to argue with.
It’s a mid-sized electric SUV, available in three trim levels starting from just under £59K. The car I drove was the M Sport trim, which BMW expects to be the most popular version. With some options added, the price tag came to around £65K.
£60K-£65K is a lot of money for any car. At that price, there are electric SUVs – particularly from Chinese brands – that will hand you a longer features list for considerably less. That’s a fair point, and if maximising equipment-per-pound is your priority, there are better ways to spend £60K.
But the BMW doesn’t feel like a car where you’re paying extra for a badge. It feels like a car where you’re paying extra for quality, and the difference is apparent from the moment you sit in it.
The entry-level model has most of the stuff you’ll really want, like heated and electrically adjustable front seats, wireless phone charging and a comprehensive package of safety technology. The mid-range M Sport adds sportier styling, upgraded seat materials and additional ambient interior lighting. The top-spec M Sport Pro goes further with better seats, more striking exterior details and upgraded headlights.
The car I drove had a few extras, including a Harman Kardon stereo, a head-up display and three-zone climate control, bringing the total to around £65K.
The new BMW iX3 introduces a cleaner, sharper design language that will filter through to the rest of the BMW range over the next few years.
Inside the car
This is where BMW has done something genuinely clever with what it calls ‘Panoramic iDrive’. Across the full width of the windscreen – from one side to the other – there’s a strip of information projected directly under your line of sight as you drive. Speed, battery level and directions sit in front of the driver. The rest of the strip is yours to set up from a selection of information: the weather, your music, navigation instructions, a phone call in progress. You can glance at it without taking your eyes a long way off the road, because it’s right there in front of you rather than on a screen further down the dashboard.
It sounds like a gimmick, but it isn’t. Within ten minutes of driving, you wonder why no one did it sooner.
The steering wheel looks odd at first – four spokes rather than the usual three, with a slightly unusual shape. On a conventional car this would block the instrument dials. It doesn’t matter here, because the driver information is at the base of the windscreen rather than behind the wheel. And it’s genuinely comfortable to hold, which is more than I can say for most BMW steering wheels I’ve driven over the years.
Physical buttons are few, but the important ones are real buttons – parking brake, hazard lights, volume, rear window heating – rather than touchscreen menus. The rest runs through a central screen, with software that’s one of the easiest to navigate through of any new car.
The seats and surfaces throughout the cabin use recycled materials – including textiles made from used plastic bottles and aluminium salvaged from elsewhere in the manufacturing process. Around a third of the car is built from materials that have been used before in some form. BMW has also managed to reduce the length of wiring running through the car by the equivalent of six football pitches, by better integrating its various computer systems. That kind of detail doesn’t show up on a spec sheet, but it reflects genuine engineering effort.
Rear passenger space is good. Two adults will sit comfortably with plenty of legroom and headroom. The floor between the seats is quite deep, which sounds trivial but makes a noticeable difference to how spacious the back feels – some electric cars have a raised floor due to the battery underneath, which can leave rear passengers feeling slightly cramped. The boot is a decent size and shape, and there’s a useful storage compartment under the front bonnet – ideal for keeping charging cables out of the main boot. The car can also tow a caravan or trailer, which many electric cars cannot.
The new BMW iX3’s cabin projects driving information across the full width of the windscreen – one of the most genuinely useful features in any new car right now.
Driving range and charging
BMW claims up to 500 miles from a full charge, which puts the iX3 ahead of most rivals on paper – although the new Mercedes-Benz GLC EQ and Volvo EX60 will offer similar range later this year. Real-world range will always be less than the official number, and will vary with speed, weather and driving style – but a battery this size means running low on charge should be an unusual event rather than a daily concern.
More impressive is how quickly it recharges. At a 400kW public charger, the iX3 can recover around 230 miles of range in about ten minutes. These chargers are currently rare in the UK, but will be more common in the next few years as EV charging infrastructure continues to roll out. It’s substantially faster than most electric cars currently manage, and it changes the calculus of a long motorway journey in a meaningful way. Stopping for ten minutes rather than 30-45 minutes is a different kind of inconvenience.
The charging socket is at the right rear of the car, in the same place you’d find a fuel cap on a regular BMW. It’s an intuitive position, and it works best if you reverse into parking spaces rather than pulling in nose-first.
On the road
This is the best electric SUV I’ve driven to date. The steering is direct and well judged, and is better than the significantly more expensive BMW iX. The suspension handles poor road surfaces well without making the car feel harsh, and on motorways you could genuinely cover hundreds of miles without fatigue. It’s quiet and well-composed, and the now-compulsory electronic nanny systems are much less intrusive than on most new cars.
The power is more than adequate. Getting to 62mph takes under five seconds, and the performance is smooth rather than aggressive. Day-to-day, it feels effortless.
The car includes a self-parking function that will reverse into a space on your behalf, and a remote function where you can stand outside the car and guide it into a tight gap using the key. There’s also a parallel parking function, although this feature was not cooperating on our car. If you like using these parking assistant functions, the iX3 is a bit snappier than most other cars, so you don’t feel like you’re endlessly waiting for the car to make up its mind and get on with it.
The new BMW iX3 on the road, where it’s at its most impressive – and where it sets itself apart from other electric SUVs at a comparable price.
Verdict
The new BMW iX3 is the most complete electric SUV I’ve driven to date, and the price is the only real reservation. At £65K as tested, it’s a significant investment, but the quality does shine through.
Most aspects of the car are genuinely hard to fault. The interior technology is genuinely better than the class norm, especially the panoramic display. The driving experience is very good and better than anything else in a comparable price bracket, and the design is the most attractive BMW has produced in years. If the budget stretches, it’s worth it.
The only disappointment is BMW’s paltry three-year new car warranty, which doesn’t inspire confidence when a car is this loaded with so much new and unproven technology. Kia, Hyundai and several Chinese brands offer seven-year warranties, so there’s no excuse for BMW not to do better.
Buying tyres can seem like trying to understand a foreign language, but the markings on the tyres all carry important information that is critical to making the right decision when your old tyres need replacing.
Found on the side of the tyre, called the tyre sidewall, these letters and numbers refer to the width, height, diameter, load and speed parameters of your tyres. The numbers are a confusing mess of millimetres, inches, percentages and other codes, which can make it all a bit bewildering.
Our helpful tyre markings guide clearly explains all the key numbers and letters, without any jargon or sales spiel. When buying tyres, a tyre shop may give you a choice of different sizes or specifications that will fit your car, so this guide will help you make the right choice.
Tyre width is measured in millimetres (mm) and for the vast majority of car tyres always ends with the number ‘5’.
Why is this important? Tyre width is important as it can affect both your car’s performance and how economical it is with fuel. The amount of rubber that is in contact with the road (called the contact patch) impacts your tyres grip and rolling resistance. The larger the contact patch, the greater the grip but the higher the rolling resistance, resulting in lower fuel economy.
Aspect ratio
Aspect ratio, sometimes referred to as ‘profile’, is the height of the tyre’s sidewall outward from the rim represented as a percentage of the tyre’s width. So, if a tyre has an aspect ratio of 65, that means the height of the tyre’s sidewall is 65% of the tyre’s width.
Why is this important? Low profile tyres (where the profile is lower than 50%) require the sidewall to be stiffer, while higher profile sidewalls (more than 50%) provide more flex to cushion you over bumps and potholes. As such, higher profile tyres tend to provide more comfort. Lower profile tyres tend to provide better handling as the stiffer sidewall means that the tyre doesn’t move around as much when cornering.
In recent years, however, low profile tyres (which allow larger alloys wheels to be fitted) are more often chosen for aesthetics rather than their performance benefit.
Rim diameter
Rim diameter is the diameter of the metal wheel that fits in the centre of the tyre. The majority of car wheels are measured in whole inches and generally range from 12” to 22”.
Why is this important? Larger diameter wheels and tyres are preferable for high performance vehicles as the tread has less pronounced curvature. This creates a larger contact patch and increased grip, which is important for powerful cars and for maximising performance when cornering. In combination with low profile tyres, large diameter wheels are now fitted onto most modern cars more for aesthetic than performance reasons.
While the number denotes the rim diameter in inches, the letter before it tells us the type of construction used in the casing of the tyre. In this case, ‘R’ stands for Radial construction, which is pretty much universal for modern car tyres. Other examples include “B” for Bias-ply or “D” for Diagonal construction, usually only seen on cars from the 1960s or earlier.
Load Index
Using the “tyre load index table” below, your tyre’s load index indicates the maximum weight that your tyre can safely support. This way of measuring a tyre’s weight capacity is relatively modern and was introduced to provide a more consistent method of comparing tyres.
Why is this important? Putting more weight on your tyres than they can safely handle is dangerous. It can make the car unstable and can lead to a tyre failing in a blowout.
The tyres on passenger cars usually have a load index between 75 and 104, each index number having a specific corresponding load weight that the tyre can safely drive with.
Load Index
Kilograms (kg)
75
387
76
400
77
412
78
425
79
437
80
450
81
462
82
475
83
487
84
500
Load Index
Kilograms (kg)
85
515
86
530
87
545
88
560
89
580
90
600
91
615
92
630
93
650
94
670
Load Index
Kilograms (kg)
95
690
96
710
97
730
98
750
99
775
100
800
101
825
102
850
103
875
104
900
Speed Index
Speed index is a letter(s) which relates to the table on the left. It represents the maximum speed that your tyre can safely run for a maximum of 10 minutes while supporting the maximum weight indicated by its load index. Every vehicle has a minimum required speed index as required by the manufacturer.
Why is this important? Like excess weight, driving at a speed beyond the safe limit of a tyre’s design can be dangerous. The tyre will not handle well at higher speeds and the excess load can cause it to fail – and at motorway speeds, that could lead to a serious accident.
It is acceptable, legal and safe to fit a higher speed index tyre than originally fitted, but not a lower speed index. It may also invalidate your insurance.
Winter tyres are an exception and it is permitted by most vehicle manufacturers to reduce the speed index fitted by one step.
Brand name – Often the largest marking on the tyre, the brand which designed and manufactured the tyre will always proudly display its name and/or logo.
Tyre name or pattern name – The tyre is likely to have its own product name as a marking too, denoting what product range it comes from or the type of tread pattern it has.
Country of manufacture – In some cases, the name of the country where the tyre was manufactured will be marked on the tyre wall, telling you where your tyre exactly came from.
Manufacturing date code – The tyre will sometimes be marked with its manufacture date, displayed as a long set of letters and numbers like this ‘DOTXXXXXXXX1320’. The last four numbers relate to the manufacture date – ‘1320’ means that the tyre was made in the 13th week of 2020.
European ECE Type Approval – Appearing as the letter ‘E’ and a number encased in a circle, this mark indicates that the tyre meets European safety standards. The number tells you what country that the tyre was tested in to meet those standards – ’11’ means it was tested and approved in the UK.
‘TWI’ – You may find these letters in the grooves to the tyre treads, instead of the sidewall. ‘TWI’ stands for ‘Tyre Wear Indicator’ and if you can see this marking clearly it means that your tyre is pretty worn and needs changing.
‘SSR’ – Tyres with this sidewall marking are ‘Self-Supporting Run-flat’ tyres that can continue to be used in the event of pressure loss thanks to its reinforced walls.
‘MOE’ – This marking denotes another run-flat tyre, but for Mercedes-Benz drivers (Mercedes Original Equipment tyre).
‘M+S’ – Nope, not Marks & Spencer. A marking like this tells you that your tyre is ideal for mud and snow conditions.
Some tyres – particularly performance tyres – will also have codes to show that they are specifically designed to suit a particular car manufacturer’s requirements. For example, a tyre manufacturer may have different versions of a particular tyre to suit Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz requirements. These don’t usually make a massive difference to the tyre’s specification, although they do allow car manufacturers and tyre companies to charge a significant extra premium for them.
The Denza Z9GT is an upmarket high-performance ‘shooting brake’ estate car that is scheduled to arrive on UK roads in the second half of 2026.
BYD-owned Denza is a Chinese brand that aims to challenge the sales of the likes of Porsche, Lexus and Genesis, and its Z9GT is the brand’s flagship model. This Expert Rating page refers to all-electric versions of the model. We will give the plug-in hybrid variant coverage on its own separate page.
A leftfield alternative to the Porsche Taycan, the Z9GT is powered by three separate electric motors and a 100kW battery, delivering over 950hp and reportedly a 0-62mph sprint time of 3.4 seconds. UK specifications are yet to be confirmed, but the estate can reportedly muster over 390 miles of travel on a single charge.
The model is yet to make its European debut at the time of writing – that’s coming in April. It is yet to be reviewed by the British motoring media just yet. We will update this page with more information and reviews, as well as safety and running cost data, as soon as those are available. Check back soon!
Body style: Estate Engines:electric, battery-powered Price:TBA
Launching: 2026 Last updated: N/A Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media.
There are no reviews on the Denza Z9GT – foreign or UK-based test drives – to display here currently. Once reviews from the UK automotive media are published, we will update this section.
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of March 2026, the Denza Z9GT has not been assessed by Euro NCAP.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of March 2026, the Denza Z9GT 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 CX-6e is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
No data yet
As of March 2026, we don’t have independently verified data available for the Denza Z9GT. Check back again soon.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of March 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Denza Z9GT 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 Denza, we’ll publish the results here.
As of March 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Denza Z9GT. However, recall information is updated 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 Mazda dealer.
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The UK’s new car market has continued its strong sales form into February, recording the highest total sales volume seen in over two decades. Over 90,000new models were registered last month – a high last reached in February 2004.
New car registration data published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that the overall new market grew by 7% over the same month last year, thanks to a large 17% uptick in private sales and a 2% increase in fleet registrations.
While private sales saw the largest increase, fleet buyers still account for nearly 60% of new car sales in the UK. Sales in the all-electric category grew by 3% – below the overall average – while plug-in hybrid demand surged by 44% when compared to February last year.
Underneath the headline numbers, there were a number of key stories. The main one is the continued growth of Chinese car manufacturer Jaecoo, with the Jaecoo 7 making the top five best-seller’s leaderboard in February, just below the Tesla Model 3 which still proves to be a popular all-electric choice in the UK.
Finishing top of the pile was the ever-popular Ford Puma – the UK’s most popular new car choice in 2025. Sealing top spot in February means the compact Ford crossover has moved up to first once again in the annual charts, with the Kia Sportage not far behind.
Over 90,000 new models arrived on UK roads last month – that’s around 6,000 more than February last year. February is traditionally a lower sales volume month, as buyers tend to wait for the new numberplates that arrive in March.
Given the new car market’s positive start to the year, the SMMT’s chief executive Mike Hawes says that all eyes are now on March’s registration results, “which typically set the tone for the year.”
Digging a bit deeper to look at the sales results by brand, Chery’s three brands (Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo) accounted for roughly 5% of all sales in the UK last month. That’s on par with the likes of Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Skoda and Vauxhall and a larger market share than household names like Renault and Toyota.
That said, the market leaders remain. Ford accounted for roughly 7% and Volkswagen 8% of the market last month. If you add Chery Group and fellow Chinese marque BYD together however, they outsold Volkswagen. The Chinese brands now pose a serious sales threat, and the impact of this on the rest of the industry is going to be profound, as a growing number of other car brands see customers disappearing to their new Chinese rivals.
Electric car (EV) registrations saw an incremental increase of 3% in February when compared to the same month last year, which means that market share fell slightly since overall registrations were up 7%. Diesel registrations fell by 7% and petrol registrations crept up by close to 1%, so it was still a net gain against the vehicles that are now four years from extinction.
The all-electric share of the overall car market has now declined for the second consecutive month – a dip that partly reflects a strong start to 2025, when electric car buyers sought to avoid April’s introduction of new tax rates.
The ZEV mandate target for 2026 is 33%, so an EV market share of less than 22% (so far for the year) isn’t a great start. However, the real target is probably going to end up being somewhere between 25-28% so we’re not a long way off in reality.
Plug-in hybrids continued their surge, helped by the Jaecoo 7, Volkswagen Tiguan and Volvo XC40, which were all in the top ten cars for February. Over the last few months, plug-in hybrids have been closing in on regular hybrids in terms of sales, and just 1.5% market share separated them in February.
Good month, bad month
Should this be your first time reading one of our new car sales breakdowns, here’s a quick recap on how we judge whether a car brand has had a good or bad month.
Sales numbers can fluctuate depending on a number of factors, so we allow plenty of wiggle room. If a brand outperforms the overall market by at least 10%, that’s a good month. If a brand underperforms against the overall market by at least 10%, that’s a bad month. If it’s within 10% above or below, that’s within normal expectations.
This month, the overall market was up 7.2% over last February, so any brand that grew their sales by at least 17.2% has had a good month. Brands that saw registrations slide by at least 2.8% had a bad month.
The Ford Puma was the UK’s most popular new car in February, outselling January’s best-seller the Kia Sportage by over 1,000 registrations. It’s beginning to look like business as usual, with the Puma and Sportage fighting it out to be crowned the UK’s best selling new car – the same table-topping rivalry as the two years prior.
The Mini Cooper finished third in February – enough to see the hatchback climb up to seventh in the annual chart after two months. The rest of February’s top ten was much closer, with 350 sales separating fourth and tenth place.
The Tesla Model 3 recorded its first monthly top ten appearance of the year finishing fourth, closely followed by the Jaecoo 7which is continuing its late 2025 success. Several of last year’s other consistent sales performers also appear, including the Volkswagen Tiguan and Vauxhall Corsa in seventh and eighth respectively, but there is one notable absence – the British-built Nissan Qashqai.
Make and model: Omoda 7 Noble Description: Mid-size plug-in hybrid SUV Price range: from £35,000
Summary: The Omoda 7 is the most complete car the brand has brought to the UK yet – a plug-in hybrid SUV that outperforms the pricier Omoda 9 and undercuts equivalent European rivals by thousands of pounds.
Omoda 7 review 2026 – first UK drive | The Car Expert
If you’re still getting your head around who exactly Omoda is, it’s one of three new brands (soon to be four) that Chinese giant Chery Group has launched into the UK over the last couple of years. They all sell various flavours of family SUV, dominated by plug-in hybrids, with a couple of EVs and a couple of petrol models as well.
Omoda is considered the ‘fashion-forward’ brand in the family, but all of them (the others being Chery, Omoda and Lepas) sell SUVs that offer a load of equipment for prices that undercut equivalent European brands by thousands of pounds.
You don’t need to know the company’s background to guess that the Omoda 7 sits between the smaller Omoda 5 and the larger Omoda 9. It’s a mid-sized SUV, launching as a plug-in hybrid model with a purely petrol version to follow later in the year. Two trim levels are available: Knight at £32K and Noble at £35K.
On paper, the plug-in hybrid Omoda 7 Noble sizes up very well to the Omoda 9, which is £10K dearer. The (slightly) bigger car gets more performance and a longer electric-only driving range, but most of the equipment levels are similar.
£35,000 for a well-equipped plug-in hybrid SUV with 204hp, a 16-inch touchscreen, heated and ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, a 12-speaker audio system and a seven-year warranty is outstanding value. Rivals with comparable equipment and a plug-in hybrid powertrain routinely cost several thousand pounds more.
The Knight at £32,000 is no poor relation either. It still gets the 16-inch central display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 50W cooled wireless charging pad, synthetic leather seats, keyless entry and a 540-degree camera system with a transparent chassis view – which shows a real-time image of what’s beneath the car when manoeuvring, and works better than you might expect.
The Noble adds 20-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, multi-colour ambient lighting, an upgraded 12-speaker audio, front seat ventilation, a power tailgate and an in-car fragrance system. The seven-year, 100,000-mile new car warranty is standard on both, and it remains one of the strongest ownership commitments available at any price point.
The Omoda 7 is the most convincing design the brand has produced yet – and at this price, it’s hard to find fault with the overall package.
Inside the car
The Omoda 7’s cabin is deliberately different from the Jaecoo 7, which shares the same underpinnings. Where the Jaecoo takes a more upright, vertical approach to its interior design, the Omoda 7 goes horizontal – a wide, low dashboard with a clean, modern feel that works well in practice.
Physical controls are almost entirely absent. The few that exist feel sturdy to the touch, but you find yourself wishing there were more of them. Navigating menus for functions that could be a single button press is a recurring irritation that the car industry as a whole hasn’t solved yet. If you’re going to put everything on a screen, the operating system needs to be rock solid, but Omoda hasn’t quite nailed it – it’s better than plenty of other brands, but not as good as the best in the business.
The central touchscreen is large at almost 16 inches. The right-hand side of the screen is partially obscured by your left hand on the steering wheel, which is an odd oversight on what is otherwise a thoughtful interior. A slightly smaller screen would probably fix it without any real loss. The nine-inch driver’s display suffers from the same issue found in most new cars – too much information, presented in fonts that are slightly too small. Less info, but presented more clearly, would serve drivers better.
The Noble’s fragrance system offers nine scent combinations. My sense of smell is poor, so I can’t offer much personal insight here – others may find it a welcome touch of personalisation, or they may find it unnecessary. Either way, it’s there.
Rear passenger space is generous. Two adults sit comfortably with room to spare, and the floor is flat despite the hybrid powertrain – a genuine achievement that adds to the sense of spaciousness. The boot measures 630 litres, which is notably larger than the Jaecoo 7’s 440 litres and competitive across the segment. Towing capacity is 750kg unbraked and 1,250kg braked.
Inside the Omoda 7, a large central display and a clean dashboard layout punch well above the car’s price point.
Driving range and charging
Omoda claims 56 miles of electric-only range from the 18kWh battery. As this was a short launch drive rather than a week-long UK test, real-world range under typical British conditions can’t be confirmed here – expect the usual variation depending on speed, temperature and driving style.
The plug-in powertrain (which Omoda calls SHS, for Super Hybrid System) is interesting. The 1.5-litre petrol engine has been designed specifically for hybrid use rather than adapted from a conventional unit, which means it can be optimised to work more efficiently as it only really drives the wheels at higher speeds. It also means that the engine can charge the battery efficiently and quickly to keep the electric motor full of charge for lower-speed driving.
One practical note worth knowing before you buy: the charging port sits on the right-rear quarter panel, behind the rear wheel. At most UK public charging bays, that means reversing in. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s worth factoring into your daily routine.
The SHS can also charge at up to 40kW at public charging points, which is much faster than most plug-in hybrids – typically limited to around 7kW, the same as a home wallbox. And with vehicle-to-load capability standard across the range, the car can supply up to 3kW to external devices, which is a useful real-world addition.
On the road
The Omoda 7 won’t set your pulse racing. The ride is on the heavier side and the car isn’t particularly agile, but then that’s true of most mid-sized family SUVs – the segment prioritises comfort and practicality over driver engagement, and buyers seem broadly fine with that trade-off.
Within those expectations, the Omoda 7 is composed and refined. There’s a bit of roll through corners, which is more noticeable when the car has to change direction along windy roads, but nothing that’s uncomfortable if you’re sticking to the speed limit. The odd bump – even a large one – presents no problem, although repeated bouncing on poor surfaces feels less settled.
With 204hp and plenty of torque on tap, there’s more than enough performance for day-to-day driving. With the electric motor doing most of the work at lower speeds, the Omoda 7 is as responsive as any EV in urban situations. It’s only as the speed builds up through about 40-50mph that the petrol engine really takes charge of driving, which is when the electric motor loses efficiency anyway. So if you’re cruising along a motorway at 70mph, you’re pretty much driving a petrol SUV. The transition from electric to petrol power is quite seamless.
There’s not a lot of noise at speed, either. In fact, the Omoda 7 feels quieter than its big brother, the Omoda 9, although we didn’t take any noise level readings to back this up. The petrol engine is unobtrusive as it switches on and off.
The Omoda 7 SHS plug-in hybrid on the road – a more accomplished car than the pricier Omoda 9 it sits below in the range.
Verdict
The Omoda 7 is the most complete car Omoda has brought to the UK to date, and at £32,000 to £35,000 it represents genuinely strong value in a crowded segment. The plug-in hybrid powertrain is highly efficient, the equipment levels are competitive at both trim levels, and the seven-year warranty remains one of the best ownership commitments available regardless of price.
It won’t excite drivers who prioritise how a car feels through corners, and the near-total absence of physical controls is a reasonable objection. But for a family looking for a well-equipped, practical, efficient SUV that won’t stretch the budget, it’s a serious proposition – and a better car than the Omoda 9 that costs £10K more.
Britain’s motorists continue to suffer at the hands of potholes, despite claims from Government and local authorities that they are tackling the tarmac trouble.
And as the UK’s crater-hit highways continue to fall apart, millions of cars and vans are damaged every year – victims of holes, cracks and broken surfaces, with tyres, wheels and suspension broken or destroyed completely as a result.
It’s estimated that drivers now have to watch out for an average six potholes per mile on the UK’s roads, as specialists reveal that the number of repairs being carried out has actually dropped.
Latest expertfigures from the Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey shows that last year 1.8 million potholes were filled in by local authorities – that’s down from 2 million the previous year. Local councils fill in, on average, nearly 15,000 potholes each year.
But a recent poll by leasing company Select Car Leasing found that 80% of motorists believed their council wasn’t doing enough to repair their highways on time. And a further 70% said that when repairs were carried out, they were falling apart again, just days later.
The ALARM survey revealed that compensation claims paid to drivers has gone down by 2.6% to 410 cases per authority – with 92% of these relating specifically to potholes. There has though, says the report, been a big rise in the total amount paid out for compensation claims, which has increased by 30% to £19.7 million.
Most local authorities consider a road crack to be a pothole if it is more than 40mm deep. And as they struggle to keep up with demand to improve road surfaces, the cost of a pothole treatment steadily rises – latest figures put a pothole repair at £57 each.
The AA motoring group said that call outs for pothole related incidents rose 18% to 68,700 in January 2026 alone, while the RAC revealed that their most recent findings from last year, showed an 11% spike in pothole emergency call outs.
“Potholes have a significant financial impact on motorists, who most of the time must bear the cost of repairs to paintwork, suspension and tyres – even though they have already paid for local road maintenance through their council tax,” said James Luckhurst, road safety adviser to the GEM motoring group. “There is no consistent national policy among councils as to whether or not they will compensate drivers for damage caused by potholes. Those drivers who can’t afford to pay for their repairs risk making journeys in vehicles that are potentially unsafe.
Potholes – where do they come from?
A pothole starts when the road surface wears away and a hollow starts to appear. A small crack can develop quickly, especially if the road is well-used, and can be a serious hazard to drivers, motorbike riders and cyclists.
Water seeps into the cracks in the surface which over time get worse. Water pressure and constant vehicle movements can cause a pothole to increase in size. During winter, an added danger is surface water freezing and expanding repeatedly in the road surface helping to enlarge the gaps.
As traffic moves over the weakened area it causes road material to become loose and eventually a pothole is created.
How to claim for pothole damage
If you believe you have a valid claim, make sure you are able to give the exact location of the offending pothole.
Be prepared to gather evidence for a good case, as claiming isn’t easy.
Note when you went through the obstruction, what direction you were travelling in and approximately how wide and deep you think the hole was.
If it’s safe to do so, stop and examine the pothole. Take photographs if you can, but don’t put yourself or anyone else at risk in the process.
Obtain quotes for any repairs that may be required. Keep copies of these, along with receipts and invoices, if they form part of your claim.
Write to the correct authority. Your local council or body can be found on the gov.uk website and for main roads, ensure you are addressing your grievance to Highways England, Traffic Wales or Transport Scotland, for example.
Include all the details and state that you are requesting a settlement of your claim.
Expect an initial rejection, especially if the hole has already been reported and is therefore on a ‘watch list’. Local authorities will often say that it has a system of regular inspection and repair, but you can check what the council’s system is and take steps to make sure they are carrying out the procedures they claim.
If you feel your case is strong enough (and perhaps the damage is serious enough), it might be worth getting legal advice or taking your case to the small claims court. But this could end up being a lengthy and costly process.
Pothole ahead – staying safe on the road
Always be aware of dangerous potholes on your regular journeys. If necessary, find an alternative route.
Keep your distance from the car in front. Motorists will often brake or swerve suddenly if they have spotted a pothole too late, so ensure you are far enough away to slow down safely.
Stick to the speed limit, and slow down on smaller roads and residential streets where potholes may be prevalent. Hitting a pothole at speed will cause much more damage to your vehicle.
Never swerve to avoid a pothole; always slow down or stop completely if necessary, checking that there are no cars close behind you. Drive over the pothole slowly or manoeuvre around it if it’s safe to do so.
Reporting potholes
Help your local authority by reporting any dangerous potholes that are causing problems in the area.
Your local council website will guide you to the right procedure for reporting a pothole.
The website FixMyStreet.com also allows you to pinpoint potholes in your local area, using a postcode, and reporting them that way to the correct authority.
Main roads are the responsibility of national agencies such as National Highways. Go to www.gov.uk/report-pothole or call them on 0300 123 5000. This number is available 24 hours a day.
The Fiat 600 is a compact SUV/crossover with similar exterior styling to its smaller 500 hatchback sibling which shares its foundations with the Jeep Avenger crossover.This is the petrol mild-hybrid version – we cover the all-electric 600e separately.
Like its electric twin that launched in the UK a year prior, British reviewers conclude that the Fiat 600 is stylish, competitively priced and offers a comfortable driving experience, but that it is ultimately hard to recommend.
“The 600e ticks the rational boxes”, says the Top Gear team, praising the crossover for its “comfy” driving experience and its good value-for-money, before ultimately concluding that the 600 “doesn’t really break the mould, and it’s not as good to drive as several other small SUVs.”
Carwow’s Darren Cassey adds that the Fiat is agile and well-suited for inner-city driving, and that the car’s performs “admirably” on a motorway cruise, but that “the light steering and lack of punch from the engines means there’s not much enjoyment to be had” and “alternatives are much more spacious.”
As of March 2026, the Fiat 600 holds a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 61%. Beyond the car’s rather average set of review scores, this overall score is helped by the car’s low running cost estimations and hindered by average new car warranty coverage.
“If you want a larger alternative to the 500, then the Fiat 600 Hybrid is a much better offering than the old 500X. It’s frugal, spacious and comfortable to drive with a hybrid powertrain that seems to feel at home whatever car Stellantis puts it in. Fiat has obviously tried to duplicate the retro appeal of the 500 and some surface details are well executed, but it all feels very similar to its Stellantis cousins underneath.”
Model reviewed: 1.2-litre petrol/electric hybrid 136hp
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “The characterful Fiat 600 gets a mild hybrid engine, creating an affordable alternative to the 600e.” Author: Catherine King Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview (including Electric model) Score: 8 / 10 “It should also be spacious enough for many buyers who want a small SUV where style is the priority.” Read review
Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview (including electric model) Score: 7 / 10 “The Fiat 600 has a cheery and likeable character, and should appeal to many thanks to the offering of both electric and hybrid versions. Just don’t go expecting it to be the most practical or enjoyable car of its type.” Author: Matt Robinson Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6 / 10 “There’s no surprise about what the Fiat 600 compact SUV is — a petrol-electric mild hybrid-powered version of the fully electric 600e. Visually, the combustion-engined 600 is nigh-on identical inside and out, sharing its BEV-propelled twin’s plus points and foibles.” Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “Rear space is tight and the boot small, somewhat limiting its appeal to families. The suspension never really settles into a truly comfortable ride, and the letterbox-sized infotainment screen seems rather miserly. Pricing is keen, so it does at least have that going for it.” Author: CJ Hubbard Read review
The Telegraph
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6 / 10 “A nippy and economical hybrid drivetrain suits more of the people more of the time, but this supermini isn’t as likeable as it could be.” Author: Andrew English Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6 / 10 “Ticks all the rational boxes, but rivals are better to drive and more interesting.” Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of March 2026, the Fiat 600 has not been assessed by Euro NCAP.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of March 2026, the Fiat 600 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 600 is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Fuel consumption
Average
Score
Petrol models
58 mpg
B
CO₂ output
Average
Score
Variation
Score
Petrol models
110 g/km
A
Insurance group
Average
Score
Variation
Score
All models
17
A
Service and maintenance
Cost
Score
Year 1
£186
B
Year 2
£517
B
Year 3
£830
B
Year 4
£1,023
B
Year 5
£1,378
B
Overall
£3,934
B
The Fiat 600 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 petrol mild-hybrid crossover delivers 58 mpg on average, which makes it quite fuel efficient when compared to its piers. The car’s insurance premiums are predicted to be in one of the cheapest brackets too, and the 600’s estimated servicing and maintenance costs over the first five years of ownership are affordable when compared to mainstream rivals.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of March 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Fiat 600 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 600, we’ll publish the results here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Fiat 600
Overall rating
E
15%
New car warranty duration
3 years
New car warranty mileage
100,000 miles
Battery warranty duration
0 years
Battery warranty mileage
0 miles
Fiat’s new car warranty is fairly boilerplate, a duration is three years and with a limit of 100,000 miles being match and bested by similar rivals.
Warranty on a used Fiat 600
If you are buying an ‘Approved Used’ Fiat 600 from an official Fiat dealership, you will get a minimum six- or 12-month warranty included.
If you are buying a used Fiat 600 from an independent dealership, any warranty offered will vary and will probably be managed by a third-party warranty company.
If you are buying a used Fiat 600 from a private seller, there are no warranty protections beyond any remaining portion of the original new car warranty.
If you’re looking to buy any 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.
As of March 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Fiat 600. However, recall information is updated 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 Fiat dealer.
Dacia has announced a new ‘Hybrid 150’ all-wheel drive powertrain for its Duster and Bigster SUVs which is set to arrive later this year.
The system pairs a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 48-volts of mild-hybrid assistance, plus an electric motor mounted on the rear axle to provide all-wheel drive capability.
Together, the system produces around 150hp, with the petrol engine doing most of the heavy lifting. Power is sent through a six-speed automatic gearbox, while the rear motor uses its own two-speed gearbox to help deliver stronger acceleration at low speeds and improved fuel efficiency at higher speeds.
Whats new?
The new ‘Hybrid 150’ builds on mild-hybrid powertrains Dacia already offers. The Duster and Bigster can already be specced with the mild-hybrid ‘140’ engine option, which uses the same 1.2-litre turbocharged engine but mustering around 138hp.
Meanwhile, the brand’s ‘Hybrid 155’ full-hybrid system — which combines a 1.8-litre petrol engine with two electric motors — is also already offered at the top of the Duster and Bigster model ranges. That system produces around 153hp and – unlike this new mild-hybrid 4×4 setup – is capable of driving short distances on electric power alone in urban conditions.
Who’s it for?
The ‘Hybrid 150’ 4×4 is aimed at buyers who want the efficiency benefits of mild-hybrid technology and off-road capability in one value-for-money package – the latter being what Dacia is known for.
It could appeal to customers who regularly drive on rough roads or in poor weather but still want lower fuel consumption than a conventional petrol SUV.
When is it available?
Dacia has confirmed that the ‘Hybrid 150’ 4×4 will be offered on both the Duster and the Bigster, although full technical specifications and official fuel economy figures have yet to be announced.
Further details, including UK pricing, are expected closer to launch, with the new powertrain to arrive later in 2026.
The Ford Tourneo Custom is a van-based nine-seater people carrier on sale in the UK since early 2024. The model range includes both diesel and plug-in hybrid models. There is also an all-electric version – the E-Tourneo Custom – which we will cover separately.
Described by Top Gear’s Peter Rawlins as a “proper family space shuttle”, the Tourneo Custom has been widely praised for its interior space and versatility by the British motoring media, as well as its car-like driving dynamics.
Parker’s Tom Webster argues that the Ford’s flat cabin floor makes it stand out from its similarly-priced premium price tag rivals. “There aren’t many other ways to carry nine people with every passenger getting an acceptable amount of legroom.”
“Ride comfort is excellent and so is stability”, says the Carbuyer team, adding that the Tourneo Custom is an easy car to drive at motorway speeds” with minimal road and wind noise.
As of March 2026, the Ford Tourneo Custom holds a New Car Expert Rating of D, with a score of 57%.
Body style: Van-based people carrier Engines:diesel, plug-in hybrid Price:From £55,260
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
“As with the van version, comfort is first class, while the long-wheelbase model feels rock-solid and stable at higher speeds. Combine this with a lack of road and wind noise, even on our car’s larger 17-inch wheels, and the Tourneo Custom should be a capable long-distance cruiser.”
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “We like the versatility of a well-executed van-derived car, and the Tourneo Custom provides it in spades.”
Author: Tom Roberts Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8.6 / 10 “The Transit is already far more sophisticated than you’d expect and the Tourneo is more refined and comfortable still.” Read review
Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6 / 10 “A great MPV that will appeal to larger families.” Author: Andrew Brady Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 9 / 10 “There are a few notable highlights that lift it above its similarly posh rivals, with the flat cabin floor offering something genuinely different in the sector. There aren’t many other ways to carry nine people with every passenger getting an acceptable amount of legroom. Just make sure you go for the auto if this is a priority.” Author: Tom Webster Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “A proper family space shuttle, but never quite manages to shake the fact that it’s a van.”
Author: Peter Rawlins Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of March 2026, the Ford Tourneo Custom 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
Diesel models
37 mpg
D
Plug-in hybrid models
152 mpg
A
CO₂ output
Average
Score
Variation
Score
Diesel models
203 g/km
D
Plug-in hybrid models
42 g/km
A
Battery range
Average
Score
Variation
Score
Plug-in hybrid models
46 miles
D
Service and maintenance
Cost
Score
Year 1
£103
A
Year 2
£410
A
Year 3
£641
A
Year 4
£913
A
Year 5
£1,340
B
Overall
£3,407
A
The Ford Tourneo Custom 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 average fuel consumption of diesel models isn’t that impressive – 37 mpg – but plug-in hybrid versions are significantly more fuel efficient, delivering 152mpg on a full tank and topped up battery.
The plug-in hybrid variants of the people carrier can reportedly muster up to 46 miles of electric only driving, which is decent for a vehicle of this size, though some SUV rivals offer a longer electric-only range.
Finally, the people carrier’s predicted servicing and maintenance costs are excellent over the first five years of ownership from new, with some of the cheapest predicted servicing costs in the entire people carrier category.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of March 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Ford Tourneo Custom 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 Tourneo Custom, we’ll publish the results here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Ford Tourneo Custom
Overall rating
D
28%
Petrol or diesel models
E
15%
Electric or hybrid models
C
50%
New car warranty duration
3 years
New car warranty mileage
60,000 miles
Battery warranty duration
8 years
Battery warranty mileage
100,000 miles
Ford’s new car warranty is fairly boilerplate, and similar to what’s offered rival brands in a similar price bracket as the Tourneo Custom.
The duration is three years, with a limit of 60,000 miles. In addition to the standard new car warranty, plug-in hybrid versions come with an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
Warranty on a used Ford Tourneo Custom
If you are buying an ‘Approved Used’ Ford Tourneo Custom from an official Ford dealership, you will get a minimum one-year warranty included.
If you are buying a used Ford Tourneo Custom from an independent dealership, any warranty offered will vary and will probably be managed by a third-party warranty company.
If you are buying a used Ford Tourneo Custom from a private seller, there are no warranty protections beyond any remaining portion of the original new car warranty.
If you’re looking to buy any 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 Ford Tourneo Custom
As of February 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Ford Tourneo Custom. However, recall information is updated 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 Honda dealer.
Make and model: Hyundai Inster 01 Description: Small electric hatchback Price range: From £20,655
Summary: For those wanting to go electric on a budget the Hyundai Inster ticks most boxes, with plenty of equipment, lots of space and a competitive range.
The Hyundai Inster launched in the Spring of 2025, becoming the Korean manufacturer’s lowest-priced electric vehicle and pitched firmly as one of the latest breed of more affordable sub £2K EVs – with a grant available as of February 2026 applied, prices currently start at just over £20K.
The Inster arrives in an increasingly competitive market, taking on several rivals including the well-received Renault 5. It’s a proper small car, 3.8 metres long and 1.6 metres wide, but for such compact dimensions, it offers surprising space inside.
In a short period, the Inster has certainly made its mark, particularly for its practicality and stylish looks, which between them defy the affordability tag. Accolades for the Inster include being named The Car Expert’s Best Small Car 2026.
The Inster comes in two equipment levels dubbed 01 and 02, while there is also a separate Inster Cross model with traditional SUV-themed styling, though no extra off-road capability.
The 01 is available with either a 42kWh or 49kWh battery, dubbed ‘Standard Range’ and ‘Long Range’ while the 2 only comes with the larger unit. Prices start at £23,755 for the 01 Standard Range, £25,305 for the Long Range, with the 02 costing from £27,005.
These prices are high compared to rivals, and as of February 2026, the Inster is not eligible for the government’s Electric Car Grant. However, the car’s competitiveness is transformed by Hyundai’s own grant of £3,750 on all versions, bringing the starting price down to £20,655. The grant is currently scheduled to run until March 2026, but we would not be surprised to see it continue.
Generally, the Inster is well equipped – the standard kit includes a heat pump (making the most of the battery’s range, particularly in colder conditions), climate control, keyless entry, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, rear parking sensors, and plenty of ADAS driver aids. The car has a four-star Euro NCAP safety rating, which tends to be normal for smaller cars.
Significant extras one gets by paying close to £2,000 more for the Inster 2 include larger alloy wheels, LED front and rear lights, interior ambient lighting, front parking sensors and a rear-view camera, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging and significantly more versatility in the rear, the seats both reclining and sliding.
Inside the car
This may be a small car, but it is surprisingly spacious inside for four occupants (it is very much a four-seater) and their luggage – if you go for the 02. The sliding rear seats can extend the boot space from 238 to 351 litres, but disappointingly, you can only have them in the more expensive model. However, the rear seats do fold completely flat on all versions, while the 02 allows you to drop the front ones too.
The driver’s environment is reassuringly traditional. While the car follows the current norm of a centre touchscreen and another ahead of the steering wheel hosting the essential driver’s information, it also boasts plenty of physical controls.
Hyundai goes completely away from over-reliance on screens, with a whole panel of buttons below the screen, including air-conditioning controls (with manual sliders to change airflow direction), plus essential controls mounted on the steering wheel.
Generally, the interior is well put together, though it’s an environment more of hard plastic than soft-touch surfaces.
Driving range and charging
The Car Expert’s standard range test car is quoted at up to 203 miles between charges, which the long-range extends to 229 miles, or 223 with the Inster 02 due to its extra equipment. These figures stack up well against rivals and while an initial test drive does not allow a real-world mileage calculation, early adopters of the car report satisfactory range results with energy consumption close to the quoted 4.3 miles/kWh.
The Inster will charge at up to 85kW at a public charging point, so a typical 150kW public rapid charger will replenish the battery from 10 to 80% in around half an hour. On a 7kW home wallbox, a full charge will take just over six hours.
The charging port, by the way, is in the car’s front end – just remember to park it the right way round…
On the road
The Inster displays all the typical EV traits of being easy to drive, and its compact dimensions make for a competent performance on urban streets, easily nipping in and out of slower traffic. Unlike many EVs it is front-wheel drive, so it doesn’t have quite such a tight turning circle as some rivals, but with big windows and a high seating position it is very easy to see out of in all directions.
On the open road the car feels planted, little surprise as this is quite a heavyweight in its segment, at around 1.4 tonnes. Our 01 offers a power output equivalent to 97hp while the 02 is rated at 115hp, cutting the 0-62mph time from a pedestrian 11.7 seconds to a still not that impressive 10.6 seconds – slower than rivals such as the Renault 5.
The car accelerates smoothly enough but on the motorway our 01 felt a little underpowered. However 70mph is not this car’s prime environment; it will best suit an owner who does a lot of slower-speed urban driving, and they will be able to make the most of the brake regeneration – the levels of this are easily changed through paddles on the steering wheel.
Ride comfort is generally good, the suspension soft enough to dial out the imperfections of typical urban streets while never feeling wallowy.
Verdict
There is a lot to like about the Hyundai Inster – first-time EV buyers in particular will find it reassuringly easy to drive and appreciate the traditional interior, Hyundai’s designers resisting the temptation to put everything on a touchscreen.
With lots of equipment and space, a generally good performance and competitive range, the Inster is a good-value first EV – so long as you get it with the grant…
Model tested: Hyundai Inster 01 Standard Range Price: £20,655 (with £3,750 EV grant) Powertrain: Electric motor, 42kWh battery Gearbox: Single-speed automatic
Power: 97 hp Top speed: 87 mph 0-60 mph: 11.7 seconds Efficiency (combined): 4.2 m/kWh
Battery range: 203 miles CO2 emissions: 0 g/km Euro NCAP safety rating:Four stars (July 2025) TCE Expert Rating:A, 79% (February 2026)
Buy a Hyundai Inster
If you’re looking to buy a new or used Hyundai Inster, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.
General Motors has officially returned to the UK new car market, although not with a full line-up of brands.
Instead, it has launched a new UK operation called GM Specialty Vehicles, offering a limited range of large American SUVs and pick-up trucks from Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC through an authorised channel. The company already operates a similar programme in other markets like Australia.
The launch is being handled in partnership with London dealer Clive Sutton, which has considerable experience importing GM models from the US to the UK, and will serve as the first UK retailer for the new operation. A wider network of retailers is planned, though no timeline has been confirmed.
Orders are open now via GMSV.uk, with deliveries expected to begin this spring.
Which GM models are available
The initial line-up covers three brands and ten models:
Cadillac: Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade-V
GMC: Yukon Denali, Sierra 1500 Denali, Sierra 1500 AT4
Chevrolet: Tahoe, Suburban, Silverado
All vehicles are supplied directly by GM with full UK homologation – meaning they meet UK legal and technical requirements – although they will only be available in left-hand drive.
The vehicles all come with a three-year, unlimited-mileage new car warranty with two further years of cover available as an optional extra. Official GM finance and aftersales support are also being established, ensuring customers have a complete end-to-end service.
GMC YukonChevrolet Silverado
What this means for buyers
Large American vehicles have always been available in the UK through independent importers, but buyers using those routes have typically faced complications around warranty cover, parts availability and resale value. The GMSV operation removes most of those obstacles by putting GM directly behind the vehicles.
Chevrolet has already offered its Corvette sports car in the UK in an official capacity for the last year, so this announcement builds upon that initial return to the UK market. Cadillac has also been evaluating a formal return with its range of electric SUVs for some time, led by the mid-size Lyriq and the smaller Optiq. These models are not included in today’s news, although they may still be announced later.
Buyers should be aware that all of these vehicles are large by UK standards. The standard Escalade, for example, is over 5.3 metres long. Running costs – particularly fuel – will be significantly higher than mainstream alternatives. Combined with them only being left-hand drive, it’s likely that the market for these vehicles in the UK will be quite small. However, it provides an official outlet for models that have had a niche audience for years but have only been served by independent importers.
More detail still to come
This initial announcement makes no mention of pricing or specifications for the ten new models. GMSV is still building its dealer network, so there is much to come.
The press release describes this as the ‘initial phase’ of GMSV’s UK launch, with the chosen models reflecting existing demand from potential customers. With GM’s vast line-up of brands and models to choose from, there may be more models joining these in time.
After several years of rising motor insurance costs, UK drivers are finally seeing a notable drop in car insurance premiums – but the national averages don’t tell the whole story.
While millions of drivers are paying less than they were two years ago, others have seen their renewal quotes rise. Whether you’re in the good news camp or not depends on your individual circumstances.
How far have prices fallen?
In December 2023, at the end of a post-pandemic period that brought high inflation and supply chain strain, Compare the Market reports that the average annual car insurance payment was £950. Two years later, the average annual cost has dropped to £607 – a 36% fall since 2023 and a 16% drop year-on-year.
Confused.com’s Car Insurance Price Index paints a similar picture, but with a less dramatic fall in average costs. As of November 2025, the company reports that the average annual car insurance cost is £726, which is 13% cheaper than twelve months prior – an £111 saving – and the cheapest average price the index has recorded since March 2023.
The rate at which insurance costs are falling isn’t as dramatic as the rate at which they rose. Prices for new quotes have been declining since all-time highs were reached in late 2023 – almost £1,000 a year according to the Confused.com index – but the fall has been more gradual, and insurance costs are still notably more expensive than they were before prices started to spike in early-to-mid 2023.
Why did my car insurance go up at renewal?
While car insurance is getting cheaper when you look at the UK as a whole, some drivers saw their renewal quotes rise in the last year. Insurers don’t base your quote on the national average. They look at your individual details and external factors out of your control, which is why your costs can rise even while the average falls.
If you’ve received a higher renewal quote, you might assume the insurer is simply betting you won’t look elsewhere. That’s unlikely, because it’s actually illegal. Since January 2022, insurers in the UK are prohibited from charging renewing customers more than they would charge an equivalent new customer.
It’s more likely that your renewal quote rose because:
You’ve changed your car, and your new vehicle sits in a higher insurance group
Previous claims – even those where you weren’t at fault – push your premium up
You’ve changed your occupation, and your insurer views that role as higher risk
Repair costs for your car’s technology are still rising
Car thefts have increased in your area
Don’t simply renew without shopping around – it always helps to look. Confused.com reports that, among drivers quoted a higher price at renewal, 47% switched insurers and saved £87 on average.
British drivers are also cutting costs in other ways. A Financial Conduct Authority survey of 18,000 adults in 2024 found that 15% of British motorists reduced the level of cover on their policy in the period between May 2023 and May 2024. Reducing cover to save money carries its own risks – worth bearing in mind before making that decision.
What’s driving the decline?
Easing inflation
During and after the Covid pandemic, used car prices surged by over 30% according to the Office for National Statistics. Spare parts were also in short supply due to global semiconductor shortages, later complicated by uncertainty surrounding US tariffs.
Thatcham Research reported that newer cars became more expensive to fix due to the rollout of more advanced driver assistance systems, with repair costs rising by over 30% between 2021 and 2023.
Insurers had to price for significantly higher claim payouts – particularly for total loss claims and complex repairs. Now, in 2026:
Used car prices have stabilised
Supply chains have normalised
Parts availability has improved
Repair costs, while still rising, are rising more slowly
With vehicle repair and replacement costs no longer rising at pandemic-era rates, insurers are walking back the emergency pricing adjustments made during the height of post-pandemic inflation.
Market competition
Now that inflation is returning to more normal levels and supply chains are back up to speed, insurers are more willing to compete for your business on comparison websites such as Compare the Market, MoneySuperMarket and Confused.com.
Fewer claims or lower-cost claims
Compare the Market suggests that the fall in prices could partly be due to a shrinking number of insurance claims, with personal injury claims associated with vehicle accidents falling to record lows between July and September 2025.
The UK government’s Civil Liability Act and Whiplash Reform Programme also came into force in May 2021, reducing the value of smaller injury payouts and creating more predictable claims modelling. That may have also contributed to falling premiums, as the government intended.
The Association of British Insurers reports that pressures remain high – its members paid out over £3 billion in car insurance claims in just the third quarter of 2025 (July to September).
Who benefits most?
By age
All age groups have benefited from falling premiums over the past two years, but some have seen bigger savings than others.
Compare the Market reports that the youngest age group – 16 to 24-year-olds – has seen annual insurance costs fall by 34% since late 2023, the biggest percentage drop of any age group.
Despite the fall, young drivers still pay far more than older age groups do, due to the risk insurers associate with younger, less-experienced drivers. The Association of British Insurers reports that this age group is involved in a disproportionate number of fatal and serious injury collisions.
By gender
Insurance providers can’t discriminate based on gender – that’s due to the EU Gender Directive, which came into force in 2012. But men on average pay more for car insurance in the UK, as insurers assess them as carrying a higher risk profile than women on average.
According to Confused.com, prices for both men’s and women’s quotes fell at essentially the same rate from November 2024 to November 2025, so the gap between them remains. As of late 2025, men pay £781 annually on average, while women pay £634.
By region
Car insurance premiums have generally fallen across the UK, but drivers in some regions are seeing larger drops than others – partly because those regions started from very different price levels.
Compare the Market data shows that Greater London has seen one of the sharpest reductions since December 2023, down 37%, but this needs to be viewed in context. London was also one of the regions that experienced the most dramatic premium inflation during the post-Covid cost surge.
London still remains one of the most expensive places to insure a car, with average premiums around £956, while Wales and south-west England are the cheapest regions at £498 and £468 respectively as of December 2025.
The difference in premiums by region reflects long-standing risk factors – including population density, traffic congestion, crime rates and claims frequency – that insurers use when pricing policies.
The name on the cars of Xpeng will leave little doubt among most readers that this is the latest of the host of new Chinese brands currently flooding into the UK, but this newcomer claims to be different to most and, in fact, not a typical car manufacturer at all.
Xpeng describes itself as a technology company that also makes cars, and while that might sound like a description of Tesla, the new Chinese brand is confident it won’t experience the same issues currently increasingly afflicting its US counterpart.
A company only in its second decade, Xpeng has grown quickly despite taking a much less aggressive approach than other Chinese brands – its arrival in the UK in early 2025 attracted little fanfare and it has taken a year to get close to selling 1,000 cars.
However, Xpeng has already gained a reputation for the quality of its tech with heavy investments in such areas as driver-assistance systems and self-driving cars. This is one brand that appears well placed for the direction in which new cars are moving.
Xpeng was founded in 2014 by two executives of GAC, Guangzhou Automotive, the fifth-largest Chinese automotive group. Both were experts in technology, research and development, and from the start the company was focused heavily on high tech, focusing on mobility as a whole rather than just vehicles. By the time it launched its first car, the G3 SUV in 2018, Xpeng’s US subsidiary had gained a permit to test self-driving cars in California.
The company quickly grew in its home market, while several funding rounds over the next few years expanded Xpeng’s capital and research and development. Major advances came in 2021 with a five times increase in car sales, adding a third more staff in the R&D department and entry into Xpeng’s first overseas market, in Norway. Today, the company is in 60 markets, including 26 countries in Europe, and has built a production plant for its European cars in Graz, Austria.
Technological innovations included the P5 saloon of 2021 – its driver-assistance systems were the first in a production car to employ laser-based LIDAR sensors, offering a number of advances over conventional systems including the ability to read traffic lights.
A further major move in 2023 saw Xpeng enter a partnership with Volkswagen, the German giant spending $700 million to acquire almost 5% of the Chinese maker. The two now jointly develop Volkswagen models for Xpeng’s home market and are collaborating over the development of new technology for their cars.
Today, technology remains front and centre of Xpeng’s DNA – the company mantra is quoted as “Technology is the game changer for future mobility, shifting focus from horsepower to brainpower.”
Xpeng argues that in the electric world, horsepower is easy because electric motors are far superior to conventional engines – now it is all about brainpower, how the car provides technology not just to the driver but all of the occupants. It is particularly making the most of opportunities offered by AI, autonomous intelligence.
Among technological achievements, the company has developed an autonomous driving system called XPILOT, which has actually rendered LIDAR sensors out of date, Xpeng replacing the LIDAR systems in its model range with XPILOT. There is even an Xpeng humanoid robot called Iron, who we are told will be helping to sell the brand’s cars in Chinese dealerships before the end of 2026.
One of the most recent Xpeng advances is a driver-assistance system specially developed to navigate narrow streets, launched in early 2026. Xpeng intends to make this system available to other makers, with Volkswagen models likely to be some of the first vehicles fitted with it.
When did Xpeng launch in the UK?
Xpeng launched its UK operation in February 2025, signing up with the long-established IM (International Motors) group, which also looks after the interests of Subaru, Isuzu, GWM and the returning Mitsubishi.
The company is taking a steady and evolutionary approach to its growth in Britain, in contrast to other Chinese brands that have aggressively chased rapid sales growth by setting up large dealer networks.
What models does Xpeng have and what else is coming?
Xpeng’s UK sales have so far relied on a single model – the G6 is a mid-sized electric crossover targeting the likes of the Tesla Model Y. Initial reviews of the G6 have been generally positive, highlighting its quality build and intuitive technology, particularly the driver-assistance systems that are less intrusive than rival systems but still very effective – the car has earned a top five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.
Despite being on UK sale for only a year, the G6 was facelifted in early 2026 – among a claimed 20,000 changes were updates to the interior, a larger touchscreen and improvements to the voice assistant. Most pertinently an all-wheel-drive dual-motor Performance version with a sub 4.1-second 0-62mph time is now available to UK customers for the first time.
Coming next will be the X9, which is a seven-seat people carrier. Despite UK buyers having fallen out of love with MPVs in favour of SUVs over recent years, the model is said to be highly popular globally, particularly for large families. Xpeng executives have described the sleek-looking machine as “styled like a starship” and it is expected to challenge the likes of the Kia EV9.
What will follow remains open to speculation. While saying more models are on the way “in different market segments”, Xpeng is again bucking the trend by not indicating what type or how many new cars it will produce in future years, though we are told that the first of the additional models will launch before the end of 2026.
Industry sources suggest that the third Xpeng offering in the UK may be the G9, a mid-sized SUV already sold in Europe, with two more cars coming before 2028.
Where can I try a Xpeng car?
Xpeng has not taken the route of several of its Chinese counterparts by aggressively signing up dealers for its UK adventure, arguing that it needs more than one model on sale first to ensure its dealers make enough money.
As of February 2026, a year after launch, the company has only 17 UK showrooms, and management say they will be adding “potentially another seven or eight” to fill gaps in coverage across the country – particularly in cities and the southeast. The intention is that 80% of UK residents will be able to reach an Xpeng showroom in 45 minutes to an hour.
The brand considers its aftersales and service outlets more important, arguing that once they have bought a car customers’ main contact with Xpeng will be through aftersales – currently there are 24 outlets which the company says gives it national coverage.
What makes Xpeng different to the rest?
Xpeng is basing its image on its technology and making the most of how technological advances can be employed in its cars – from making them safer both for occupants and those outside the car to future-proofing them against future advances.
While every car manufacturer is now producing more technological product than ever before, Xpeng believes it has an advantage in focusing on technology first and sharing all of its innovations across all the sectors it works in, from cars to robots.
An Xpeng fact to amuse your friends
Xpeng has turned a transport holy grail from science fiction to reality – the company has built a flying car.
The ‘Land Aircraft Carrier’ is a van-sized six-wheeled EV. From within it emerges an electric two-seat aircraft, a bit like a drone but big enough to carry people and sized, according to Xpeng, to fit into a standard car parking space.
This is no concept; prototypes are testing in China and Xpeng says it has 7,000 orders for them with first deliveries planned for the end of 2026 – senior management in China have even been told to get pilot’s licences.
Summary
Among the unprecedented and confusing choice of new electric cars now available to UK buyers, mainly as a result of the influx of Chinese brands, it would be easy to overlook Xpeng. The name might be considered overly cheesy by some, or the company’s evolutionary approach lost in the shadow of the more in-your-face marketing of rivals.
Xpeng merits a look, however. The Car Expert has driven both the original and updated G6 and while the car lives up to its makers’ claims to be a technology-led company, the tech is not allowed to get in the way of the basic things one needs from a vehicle, such as ease of use, a comfortable ride and plenty of space… This is a new brand worth keeping an eye on.
From 1 March 2026 to 31 August 2026, all new cars in Great Britain will have 26-reg number plates (eg – XX26 XXX). The system changes every six months, so the next change (76-reg) will be 1 September 2026.
“What do the letters and numbers on a number plate mean?” is a question we have been asked many times over the years.
The current number plate system in Great Britain has been around since September 2001. Northern Ireland has its own system that is quite different, but here we’re concentrating on the GB system (England, Scotland, Wales).
We’re also not going to discuss any of the previous number plate systems before 2001. The numbering system has changed several times, so maybe we’ll look at previous systems another time.
Current British number plates are arranged in the format of two letters, followed by two numbers, followed by a space and then three letters (eg – XX26 XXX) as shown below.
Prior to Brexit, you could have a blue vertical strip (known as a ‘flash’) down the left side of the plate, with the EU logo and the letters ‘GB’ underneath. These are no longer available for new cars, but are still perfectly legal if you already have them fitted to your current car.
You can, however, display either a Union Flag or a national flag (England, Scotland or Wales) where the EU logo used to be, along with identifier tags underneath (eg – UK, GB, ENG, SCO, CYM).
Electric cars can display a green flash down the left side of the plate, which we explain in detail below.
Image (c) DVLA
The first two letters show where the car was first registered
The first two letters are called a ‘memory tag’, which is DVLA-speak for a location identifier for where the car is first registered. This used to be determined by the DVLA office where the registration took place, but the DVLA closed all its regional offices in 2013 and now handles new registrations directly with car dealerships through an online system.
Even though the system is now centralised, dealers still tend to be allocated registration numbers that reflect their region, so (for example) if you are buying a new car from a London dealership, you will almost certainly be allocated a number plate starting with an L.
Other regions of England have their own letter codes; Yorkshire-registered cars start with the letter Y, Hampshire-registered cars start with an H, and so on. If you’re buying a new car in Scotland, it will almost certainly start with an S. For cars registered in Wales, it will start with a C for Cymru.
If you look closely at the list below, you will see that the letters I, Q and Z are not used in any of the two-letter memory tags. This is to avoid any confusion – the letter I could be mistaken for the number 1, the letter Q could be mistaken for the letter O or number 0, and Z could be mistaken for the number 2.
The list of memory tags / location identifiers. Image (c) DVLA
The numbers show when the car was first registered
The two numbers are called the ‘age identifier’, which tells you in which six-month period the car was first registered. This system is unnecessarily confusing, but you eventually get your head around it.
The numbers change every six months, in March and September. The March codes are easy to remember as they follow the year of registration (so a car registered between March and August in 2026 has the number 26, a car that was registered between March and August 2005 has the number 05, and so on.).
For cars registered between September and February, it’s slightly more complicated. The numeric code equals the year (as of September) plus 50. So a car registered from September 2026 until February 2027 will have the number 76 (= 26 + 50). A car registered in September 2006 – February 2007 has the number 56 (= 06 + 50), and so on.
This means that a car registered in 2026 could have a number plate with any of 75, 26 or 76 on it, depending on which month it was registered. Yes, it’s ridiculous.
In theory, this system will run until February 2051, unless a future government changes it before then.
Yes, there should be more numbers on this list but apparently the DVLA is just as lazy as you’d expect. Image (c) DVLA
The last three letters are random
The last three letters are officially random. In practice, dealerships are allocated batches of registration numbers, so your local dealer will probably have a run of consecutive letter combinations. When they have used up all of that allocation, they will be assigned another batch. So it’s not technically random, but close enough.
Again, the letters I and Q are not used because they can be confused with 1 and O, although Z is apparently fine for this section of the number plate.
The DVLA withholds any combinations that may be considered offensive or sweary – we won’t give you any examples, but you can use your imagination…
Personalised number plates are a whole different story and are not covered here but, again, the DVLA will censor anything it considers inappropriate or offensive.
What does the green strip mean on some number plates?
You may have seen that some cars now have a green flash on the left of the number plate, in the same place where the blue EU identifier used to be. This is an identifier for electric cars, introduced in late 2020 (70-plate cars).
The purpose of the green flash is to allow authorities to easily identify electric cars, which may be eligible for cheaper parking, priority parking or use of specific lanes, exemptions from taxes like London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, and so on.
It’s not compulsory to have these “green plates” on your electric car if you don’t want to shout about it, but uptake seems to be increasing as EVs become more popular.
It’s possible to have an ‘old’ number plate on a ‘new’ car, as the DVLA sells number plates that it thinks have a high commercial value. So you could put a ’56’ plate (Sept 2006 – Feb 2007) on a new 2026 car if you like. This is fairly common with people trying to make words out of their number plate, or owners trying to conceal how old their car really is.
However, you can’t have a newer number plate code than the one allocated for that car’s date of registration. So you couldn’t put a ’26’ or ’75’ plate (which are 2026 plates) on an older car, to reverse the example above.
When you change cars, you are allowed to keep your number plate if you don’t want to have to remember a new number every time you change your car. It simply involves giving the DVLA an unnecessarily large amount of money, filling in an unnecessarily large amount of paperwork and waiting an unnecessarily long time for them to get around to processing it…
It’s illegal to use different fonts or to space the letters in any way other than as illustrated above, despite the fact that thousands of car owners do it. It’s also illegal to alter the digits or strategically use mounting screws to make the plates look like they read something different. Again, this is poorly enforced and the fines are paltry.
Why does Britain have such a pointlessly complicated number plate system?
Well that’s a different question, but it very often follows the original question of “How does the system work?” Beats me, but I guess it gives a lot of civil servants in Swansea (where the DVLA is based) something to do…
This article was originally written in September 2012 and was most recently updated in February 2026 to coincide with the 26-plate festivities.
One of the big issues that is always raised about EVs is a lack of driving range compared to a petrol or diesel car, but are we thinking about this in the wrong way?
It’s no secret – and a lot of noise gets made about the fact – that EVs will not go as far on a full charge as most ICE (internal combustion engine) cars on a full tank. This has given rise to what’s known as range anxiety – the fear that if you’re driving an EV, you’ll run out of electricity somewhere and be stranded by the side of the road.
We’ve become used to the idea that when we fill up with petrol or diesel, we can expect to drive for around 400 miles (or more than 500 in some diesel models) without having to stop at a petrol station. By comparison, the average battery range for new EVs on sale in the UK ranges between 230 and 300 miles, with many higher-end EVs now offering over 400 or even 500 miles on a full charge.
But, hang on. Is 400 miles really necessary? It’s unlikely that you would drive for 400 miles – the distance from London to Edinburgh – without taking at least a few decent breaks or even an overnight stop. In day-to-day driving, running your fuel tank all the way down until the warning light comes on is also a bad idea.
So how much range do we actually need in our cars?
We really don’t drive as far as we think we do
You might be surprised by a few government statistics that show how we really use our cars here in the UK. In fact, the government has an entire page devoted to challenging common misconceptions about EVs (you’ll like this if you like spreadsheets).
Over the 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 average trip distance fell to 5.7 miles in 2021 during the pandemic, but bounced back up to 8.4 miles by 2024 as driving habits returned to normal.
In addition to the above, the data reports that the average number of trips taken is less than two a day, which is consistent across the UK. That means the average daily distance travelled is about 15 miles, which works out to less than 100 miles a week.
On top of all that, the Department for Transport reports that 99% of all journeys in England are less than 100 miles. When you consider all of this data, it clearly shows that most drivers’ needs can easily be met by an EV without the fear of running out of electricity.
For those travelling further, there are now plenty of models available with a quoted 300-plus mile range, with some models offering 400 miles or even more – so equivalent to a petrol car.
Working out roughly how many miles you drive in a year is a useful exercise before you choose an EV, but it’s also helpful for any car to get your car insurance quote at the right price, or if you’re about to lease a car.
How often would I need to charge?
With each listing for a new or used EV, our Expert Partner Autotrader presents a ‘How often will I need to charge’ tool which allows you to choose an annual mileage from 4,000 to 30,000 miles and home charging (two or three voltages depending on the car) and public charging (50kw rapid or up to 350kw ultra rapid). It will then estimate how many hours you would have to charge that car each week. Anyone can use it, even if they’re not buying.
Let’s work through some examples. If you drive 100 miles a week (52 weeks is accepted as the average in a year) that’s only 5,200 miles a year. Let’s be generous and take that up to 8,000 (154 miles a week).
As an example of a low-range EV, we input the pint-sized BYD Dolphin Surf city car, which can muster up to 137 miles of travel on a full battery in its entry-level guise. The answer is four hours a week on a normal home charger (22kW) or one hour a week on a rapid public charger (100kW).
On the opposite end of the size scale, the large seven-seat Kia EV9 SUV with an official battery range of 349 miles came in at five hours a week (bigger battery to charge) on a fast home charger (22kW) and an hour a week on a 350kW ultra-rapid charger.
However, when it’s cold the range of an EV suffers, as we have explained in this feature. This is well-known and shouldn’t come as a surprise to EV owners – even the manufacturers are up-front about it. With improving technology this will get better, but you will have to charge more often in winter.
Thinking differently about charging
The majority of EV owners to date have a home with off-street parking and a home charger installed. It’s the best-case scenario for EV ownership – you don’t have to make a detour to fill up as you would with a petrol or diesel car because you’re going home anyway. You can plug it in when you get home, leave it alone and find it fully charged the next time you need to go for a drive.
Many such EV owners have never had to use a public charging point. Just imagine never handling a mucky petrol pump or standing in a queue to pay ever again.
For those who don’t have the ability to charge at home, an EV can still be perfectly capable of meeting your needs. It does require a shift in thinking, but it’s not usually a major hassle.
The key difference is that public charging is more expensive than home charging, so choosing where to charge can make a significant difference to your running costs. As a rule, the faster the charger the more it will cost to use.
We might think we need all of the range in a petrol or diesel car, but most drivers don’t run the tank down to empty before filling it up again. And plenty of others don’t ever fill the tank, instead choosing to add £20 or £30 at a time. So the reality is that people tend not to fill up with 400 miles of fuel in one go at a petrol station anyway.
It’s not too much of a jump to transfer that idea to an EV: top up the charge while you have parked the car to go and do something you would do anyway. There are more places to do this than there are petrol stations – places like supermarkets, gyms, railway station car parks, cinemas, restaurants, or even pubs. You don’t lose time and the car’s always topped up.
As we explain in this feature, it’s called destination charging. If you have a street charger near your flat/house, you can leave it alone charging in the same way as driveway people can.
Beat the long-distance dread
If you’ve not done one, long trips, especially involving motorways, can seem daunting in an EV. But unless you drive as part of your job, you probably don’t do a long journey (over 100 miles) as often as you might think (and it’s worth noting that many high-mile company car drivers are happily in EVs).
Yes, on occasional long-distance trips you may have to use a charger at a motorway services, but you can anticipate this. We all know not to set off on a motorway trip with a thimble of petrol in the tank: you just shift that thinking to an EV. A bit of planning isn’t difficult using an app such as Zap-Map to see where you could stop, how many chargers there are and whether they are working and available.
Motorway charging isn’t really a waste of time. Whatever fuel is powering their car, on a long trip everybody needs a break for safety and for comfort at least every two hours. Given that you’ll probably want to eat something, have a coffee, visit the bathroom or simply stretch your legs, that can easily take 45 minutes to an hour (especially if you’re travelling at a busy time).
If you’d have plugged your EV into a fast charger during that time it would likely be back up at 80% or more. Public charging stations are gaining quicker and quicker charging options that newer cars are compatible with too.
Just a couple of years ago the premium option was charging at 150kW or 175kW, now Gridserve reports that over 80% of motorway services have multiple 350kW-capable chargers. 350kW charging isn’t twice as fast as 175kW charging as you might think, but usually shaves five to ten minutes off the waiting time.
Yes, charging at motorway services is the most expensive option, but remember, you’re not going to do this very often, and you’re not being stung on cost any more than the petrol and diesel drivers filing up at the same services at an extortionate premium.
If you’re still uneasy about long EV trips and if you’re lucky enough to have two cars in your household, swap one for an EV for day-to-day driving and keep a petrol or diesel car for longer trips. Plenty of people do. You can shift to fully electric in the future when the cars, their ranges and the charging opportunities will only have got better.
And here’s an even more radical thought. A long drive in any car in the UK can be a bit traffic-clogged and a bit miserable. If you don’t have masses of bags for a holiday, why not take the train?
The future is accelerating
EV technology is running at a frantic pace because it has to. Petrol and diesel cars have had over a century to get as good as they are now, but even in the last 20 years EV progress had eclipsed this.
In 2009, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV city car was the first truly mass-market electric car and could manage 80 miles on a full charge, the much larger (with much larger battery) Tesla Model S only arrived in 2012 (300 miles).
Now we can expect a Fiat 500e city car to have an official driving range of 199 miles, but big range still means big batteries in big expensive cars. By 2021, the gold standard for battery range was the Mercedes-Benz EQS, which musters up to 453 miles – but the price starts at more than £100K.
Moving into the mid-2020s we’ve recently seen another dramatic shift in the battery tech that underpins the newest battery-powered models – the mainstream adoption of more advanced 800V architecture.
While older 400V architecture remains the standard for EV options on the more budget end of the market, 800V enables significantly faster charging (350kW and faster) and is more energy efficient, which means that you can squeeze more travel distance out of the battery.
800V model examples include the new Volvo EX60 and BMW iX3 SUVs, which can handle up to 503 miles and 500 miles without recharging respectively.
Huge battery tech advances are announced by brands jostling for consumer attention and industry accolades, and the innovation is by no means over. In summer 2023, Toyota announced that it believed it could make a solid-state battery with a range of 745 miles as early as 2027. Offering roughly double the energy density of current lithium-ion batteries and much faster charging times, solid-state batteries have the potential to be game-changing for all-electric motoring.
Sharing its name with Honda sports cars of the 1980s and 1990s, the Prelude is a petrol-electric hybrid coupé that first arrived on UK roads in early 2026.It joins a small field of three-door coupé models on sale in the UK, competing against the Alpine A110 and BMW 2 Series Coupé.
Powered by the same hybrid engine as the current iteration of the Honda Civic, the Prelude has picked up plenty of reviewer praise for its composed and agile driving dynamics, as well as its handsome exterior design, but those same reviewers found the car’s performance rather underwhelming.
“If you’re after a fun weekend toy, you’ll be better served elsewhere”, explains Tom Jarvis of Auto Express. The prelude can complete a 0-62mph sprint in just over eight seconds, which isn’t particularly fast by modern sports car standards.
“It’s not quick, rear space is tight, and the price is on the high side”, concludes Parker’s Keith Adams. “But if you’re after something elegant and different that still loves a good road, the Prelude deserves a place on your shortlist.”
Although the Prelude is now available to order in the UK, and there are a number of UK-based reviews published on the model, we are holding off on giving the coupé a full Expert Rating score for the moment. We will update this page in the coming weeks once we receive running cost estimations for the model. Check back soon!
“The new Honda Prelude ticks so many of the coupe boxes; eye-catching looks, superb handling, and just enough practicality to make it easy to live with every day. However, the hybrid powertrain takes the shine off what could otherwise have been a superb, relatively attainable performance car.”
Score: 7 / 10 “The new Honda Prelude is certainly stylish, efficient and fun to drive, but we fear the enthusiasts it plays to may be put off by the sluggish automatic ‘gearbox’ and lack of outright performance.” Author: Dan Trent Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “It fits perfectly within the lineage of Preludes that came before it – elegant, intelligent, and just a little contrarian. For those who take the plunge, it will likely prove a long, rewarding relationship rather than a fling.” Author: Keith Adams and Tim Pollard Read review
Heycar
Score: 8 / 10 “The returning Honda Prelude is far from conventional as far as sports cars go, using a modestly powered hybrid powertrain and ‘fake’ gears. It works better than you might imagine, though, and the handling is brilliant.” Author: Matt Robinson Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “In its revived Honda Prelude, the Japanese brand has taken a very unconventional approach to building a sports car and just about pulled it off. You’re only occasionally left wanting for a bit more power but more importantly its handling is brilliant.” Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The Prelude is a welcome addition to the market, and one that’s both in keeping with Honda’s engineering and efficiency-led ethos. It’s a new coupe in a market that’s sorely lacking in options – and for that alone, its maker should be applauded. That it’s also rather good makes it all the more satisfying.” Author: Keith Adams Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Embrace it for being willfully different, as well as meticulously engineered, interesting to look at and precise to drive.” Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of February 2026, the Honda Prelude has not been assessed by Euro NCAP.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of February 2026, the Honda Prelude 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
No data yet
As of February 2026, we don’t have independently verified data available for the Honda Prelude. Check back again soon.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of February 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Honda Prelude 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 Prelude, we’ll publish the results here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Honda Prelude
Overall rating
C
50%
New car warranty duration
3 years
New car warranty mileage
60,000 miles
Battery warranty duration
8 years
Battery warranty mileage
100,000 miles
Honda’s new car warranty is fairly boilerplate, and similar to what’s offered rival brands in a similar price bracket as the Prelude.
The duration is three years, with a limit of 60,000 miles. In addition to the standard new car warranty, this hybrid coupé has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
As of February 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Honda Prelude. However, recall information is updated 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 Honda dealer.
Polestar is a name that has popped into the conscious of many car buyers over the last few years, establishing itself in the UKwith its electric Polestar 2 car and plenty of advertising on social media. So where has it come from?
It’s one of a number of spin-off brands that have come from existing car makers – in this case, Volvo. The diversification of the automotive market has gathered pace in recent years as established manufacturers have launched new brands that are related to, but sit apart from, their parent maker.
This has been going on for a long time – Toyota set up Lexus as a luxury brand more than 30 years ago – but has been accelerating over the last decade. Often, but not always, this has been connected to the shift to electric cars.
In addition to Toyota creating Lexus, we have also seen Nissan setting up Infiniti (which has come and gone from Europe), Hyundai creating Genesis, Citroën spinning off its DS models into a separate company called DS Automobiles, SEAT creating a sporty Cupra brand which then effectively replaced its parent and Volvo doing a similar thing with Polestar.
Never heard of Polestar? For many years the name was a badge hung on Volvo’s higher-performance models, but in 2017 it headed in a new direction, as a standalone sister brand that would market distinctive electric vehicles (EVs).
So far Polestar has launched three mainstream models with more on the way, taking a slice of the upper end of the electric market previously dominated by Tesla.
So who or what is Polestar?
Polestar is actually a bit older than its association with Volvo. It dates back to a Swedish racing team called Flash Engineering in the 1990s, which was subsequently rebranded as Polestar. The name comes from pole star, which refers to the North Star that was used for navigation by Vikings in Scandinavian history.
As Polestar’s relationship with Volvo became more formal, the company began to offer uprated performance versions of Volvos known as Polestar Performance models. In 2015, Volvo went the whole hog and bought Polestar.
Polestar produced its own concept versions of Volvo models as early as 2010 but the first standalone model, the limited-edition Polestar 1, was unveiled in 2017. At the same time the brand revealed its plans to build a new reputation as a distinct marque making performance electric models under its own badge, using Volvo’s manufacturing clout but no longer carrying Volvo branding.
More recently Polestar has experienced the growing pains familiar of several upmarket spin-off brands. In 2025 the company sold around 60,000 cars around the world, but this was not enough with the company recording heavy losses. Some of its earlier distinctions, such as only selling cars online, have been abandoned.
It was a better story in the UK, however, with Polestar sales almost doubling in 2025, and used models also proving popular. The Polestar 4 proved a big hit, with customers seemingly not deterred by its lack of a rear window.
In a bid to boost those global sales numbers closer to 100,000 annually Polestar will double its model range over the next few years. But while many manufacturers are rolling back on all-electric futures and adding new plug-in hybrid models to their ranges, Polestar management have confirmed that it will remain an electric-only brand.
When did Polestar launch in the UK?
The first evidence of Polestar as a standalone brand in the UK came in 2019 with the opening of a research & development department in Coventry. But the first retail outlet, known as a ‘Space’, did not launch until October 2020 in the Westfield shopping centre in West London.
Initially Polestar took a similar route to Hyundai’s upmarket brand Genesis, by not having a traditional dealer network but showrooms called ‘Spaces’ where customers could view a car and arrange a test drive. While showroom staff could assist with selection and purchase, the actual buying was done direct with Polestar, online.
However, again like Genesis, Polestar has realised that such an approach does not really work in the UK and in more recent times has opened a modest network of dealer outlets.
What models does Polestar have and what else is coming?
There have been four Polestar models so far, though the first doesn’t really count. The Polestar 1, with which the brand launched itself in 2017, was a plug-in hybrid GT coupé boasting more than 600hp. It was sold for only little over a year and in small numbers – and only in left-hand drive – and was actually based on an old Volvo concept car.
The three cars launched so far have all been well received, reviewers particularly liking their minimalist interior treatments – all enjoy Expert Ratings of A on The Car Expert‘s industry-leading Expert Rating index.
The Polestar 2 built the brand’s reputation as a mainstream car maker. It’s a mid-sized five-door electric car with crossover styling, similar in size and price to the Tesla Model 3. Reviews contributing to its New Car Expert Rating of A with a score of 73% generally rate the Swedish car better for build quality than the Tesla, but without the huge charging network the rival car offers.
The Polestar 2 underwent a major upgrade in 2023 before the Polestar 3 arrived in 2024. Company management claimed that the twin-motored SUV offers bags of interior space for sports car styling and performance. While reviews question the second part of that claim, particularly the innocuous driving experience, they agree it stacks up well against family SUV rivals.
The Polestar 4 also went on sale in 2024. Another performance SUV designed to fit between the 2 and the 3 in both size and cost, it immediately created headlines for its lack of a rear window, replaced by a rear-view camera. This enabled a change to the body shape freeing up more rear-seat space.
The Polestar 4 has since assumed the mantle of the brand’s best-selling model. Reviews tending to describe it as “good but not thrilling” have not put off customers and it now outsells all its direct rivals except the Tesla Model Y. As of February 2026 it also enjoys the best Expert Rating score of the Polestar range – a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 75%.
Polestar plans to double its model range in the next few years, partly to address those recent losses. The first to arrive, in 2026, will be the long-trailed Polestar 5. This is a large four-door described by its makers as a ‘performance GT’ – it has two motors and will go on sale at prices starting from around £90,000.
Not far behind the Polestar 5 will be an estate version of the Polestar 4, hoping to add an extra element to the 4’s most popular model status. Reports suggest that when it launches it will assume the Polestar 4 moniker with the existing model becoming the 4 Coupé.
The next-generation Polestar 2 is now due to arrive in 2027, earlier than originally planned, and in the following year there will be a Polestar 7, a compact SUV and effectively a sharper-styled version of sister brand Volvo’s EX60.
Sharp-eyed readers will notice a missing number – the Polestar 6 was announced some time ago as a future cabriolet model, but it’s slipped down the company’s pecking order and is not likely to appear until at least 2028.
Polestars 2 to 6
Where can I try a Polestar car?
At the time of the brand’s launch Polestar made much of its ‘direct to customer’ approach, with the idea being that rather than making use of a traditional dealer buyers could carry out the entire car choosing and purchase process online. There were six physical locations – not showrooms but ‘Spaces’.
Now the brand has completely reversed that decision, deciding instead that it does need a dealer network – currently there are 15 outlets spaced around the country with many adjacent to existing Volvo outlets, in particular giving Polestar customer access to long-established aftersales services.
The number will likely increase slightly to no more than 20, with potentially some of the initial ‘Spaces’ in shopping centres making way for traditional dealers.
What’s particularly significant about this company?
Polestar is heavily into sustainability, basing much of its promotion around environmental concerns. When it launched the company even announced that by 2030 it will be producing “the first truly climate neutral car” – which means it will eliminate all emissions in the car’s manufacture and operation, rather than taking the route of other manufacturers of planting trees to offset the emissions produced making cars.
Recently, however, this date has been be rolled back as it’s proving difficult to eliminate emissions throughout the supply chain – now the laudable aim is planned to happen by 2040.
Then Polestar boss Thomas Ingelmath, announcing the ‘design towards zero’ Polestar 0 project in 2021, dismissed carbon offsetting as “a cop-out”, adding that while the electric cars don’t produce tailpipe emissions in operations (electric production is another story, of course), the task now is to completely eradicate such emissions from production.
Ingelmath’s successor Michael Lohscheller has continued in similar vein, recently stating that despite being part of Geely and having access to very up-to-date hybrid technology, Polestar will remain electric-only, because its customers believe in climate change and believe the company is taking the right direction.
What makes Polestar different to the rest?
While Polestar has always tried to present itself as different to the average car maker, one distinction has been less positively embraced.
The brand has a major tie-up with software giant Google for its in-car operating system, which goes above and beyond familiar systems like Android Auto. You get three years of internet connectivity through an 11-inch touchscreen display when you buy a Polestar and access to a range of Google apps and services – you even get a full-blown web browser called Vivaldi.
But there have been two criticisms. Firstly, Google is well known for sucking a huge amount of usage data from users in any devices where its products are used, meaning you’ll constantly be sending Google info about where you are, what you’re doing, how fast you’re going, and so on.
Secondly, in the early years there was no support at all for Apple users. In summer 2022, a workaround version of Apple CarPlay was added, and in June 2023, Polestar finally announced a proper integration for Apple iPhone users through Apple CarPlay. More recent models such as the Polestar 4 now offer full-blown wireless Apple CarPlay.
Polestar has argued that its tie-up with Google will ensure its cars’ connectivity “remains as cutting edge in future as it is today”, but it’s certainly been contentious, and the company has been forced to realise it cannot ignore an Apple app so widely used in today’s cars.
A Polestar fact to impress your friends
Polestar expanded quickly in Europe after launching in 2017 but for several years there was one country that you couldn’t buy the cars – France. It was all down to the new company’s badge – Citroën complained that the design, which employs two chevrons, was too close to the French maker’s famous double-chevron logo.
The dispute ended up in court with the French firm winning, and not until the dispute was finally resolved in 2022 could Polestar launch in France.
Summary
Polestar is trying hard to establish its credentials as a brand known for its next-generation technology. Autonomous motoring is firmly in its plans, on top of its sustainability and environmental commitments. Most buyers, however, will want to simply know if the cars are any good, which will govern how familiar the brand comes.
The brand claims that UK sales are buoyant – being directly compared with Tesla is a definite bonus, even if the Swedish interloper has not flooded motorway service areas with its own charging systems. While globally going through growing pains, Polestar has established itself in the UK and looks as if it’s here to stay.
The Xpeng G6 is an all-electric mid-sized SUV, and its arrival marks the debut of Chinese marque Xpeng in the UK. First unveiled in 2023, the model launched in the UK in Spring 2025.
Described by Neil Briscoe of Auto Express as “verging on being desirable” and by James Morris of Which EV? as “the start of something special”, reviewer opinion on the G6 varies but is largely positive – the SUV collecting a solid set of UK-based review scores and favourable comparisons to established rivals.
“”The Xpeng G6 is like a Tesla Model Y with the benefit of hindsight”, says Steve Fowler of The Independent, “bettering its big rival in many key areas especially quality and comfort – and on price.” Parker’s Ted Welford agrees, explaining that the G6’s interior is “generally easier to work with.”
The Top Gear team commended the car for its comfort and space, but concluded “this is not a car for involved drivers”, as the G6 offers a more tech-led experience than most of the long-standing carmakers currently offer.
As of February 2026, the Xpeng G6 holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 76%.
Model reviewed: AWD Performance Score: 7 / 10 “Can you improve an EV by making its battery smaller? It would seem so, as the updated XPeng G6 feels more convincing than the original version, and the rapid Black Edition model is verging on being desirable. The cabin quality has been improved, and the charging experience is remarkable. It just needs to be more fun to drive.” Author: Neil Briscoe Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “First XPeng to arrive in the UK sets a high bar for what’s to come; competitive and decent value, the XPeng G6 is a worthy rival to the Tesla Model Y.” Author: Richard Ingram Read review
Business Car
Model reviewed: Long Range, Single Motor Score: 8 / 10 “The Xpeng G6 appeals to the head rather than the heart, with its long, reliable range, fast charging, comfortable and specious interior, plus what great value it is compared with rivals. Where the G6 package falls down is on the move. It is a tidy enough drive, but the Renault and Skoda offer more. “ Author: Martyn Collins Read review
Car
Score: 8 / 10 “Xpeng has tried its hardest to keep up with the very best in what is possibly one of the most crowded classes of EV right now, and has mostly succeeded. The G6 is smooth, refined, spacious and well built – making it more than competitive enough against Tesla’s Model Y. Is it perfect? No. It’s also as bland as a Model Y to look at (perhaps even more so) and far from the most interesting thing to drive but offers it plenty else besides.” Author: Jake Groves, Ted Welford Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8.4 / 10 “The XPeng G6 is good to drive, boasts a spacious interior and is well equipped, so you shouldn’t discount it on the basis of never having heard of the brand before. Despite generic styling and some fiddly infotainment, XPeng is clearly hoping to make an impact with the G6, and a competitive warranty should also help sweeten the deal.” Author: Charlie Harvey Read review
Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: RWD Long Range Score: 9 / 10 “The Xpeng G6 takes things to the next level. The driving experience has a genuinely premium feel, it has a long range, ultra-rapid charging, lots of space, and the latest technology. And all that for under £40,000 for the G6 RWD Standard Range model, and under £45,000 for the G6 RWD Long Range model, meaning that the G6 is priced more competitively than many rivals. Author: Paul Clarke Read review
Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “XPeng’s first venture into the UK market is, in many ways, an impressive one. The Chinese firm has delivered a slick, premium SUV with a well-built and comfortable interior, at a price that undercuts many rivals. It’s decent value for money if you can live with its flaws.” Author: Phill Tromans Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “It’s not the best electric SUV you can buy, but we prefer it to the hugely popular Tesla Model Y. It feels better-built, is more comfortable and its interior is generally easier to work with.” Author: Ted Welford Read review
Regit
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “The Xpeng G6 is yet another excellent value-for-money EV from China that will be gaining plenty of traction thanks to its style, kit, handling and asking price.” Read review
The Independent
Score: 9 / 10 “The Xpeng G6 is like a Tesla Model Y with the benefit of hindsight, bettering its big rival in many key areas especially quality and comfort – and on price. It shows that Xpeng could be Tesla’s biggest challenger yet.” Author: Steve Fowler Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6 / 10 “It pushes the human into the background. If you’re happy to feel like you’re being transported, that’s fine. This is not a car for involved drivers.”
Author: Paul Horrell Read review
Which EV?
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The Xpeng G6 has definite promise – if the price is right. It has a strong sense of quality and a high level of technology, with good range and performance plus practical space for passengers and cargo. With more models coming from the brand over the next couple of years, this could be the start of something special. But the G6 will face plenty of competition, particularly from Tesla’s market-leading Model Y.” Author: James Morris Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of February 2026, the Xpeng G6 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 G6 is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it 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
312 miles
A
Electrical efficiency
Average
Score
Variation
Score
EV models
3.6 m/KWh
D
Insurance group
Average
Score
Variation
Score
All models
44
E
The Xpeng G6 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.
While the car’s average battery range of 312 miles (ranging from 270 to 354 miles) is competitive in the medium SUV class, the Xpeng is predicted to sit in a high insurance bracket. Many close rivals, such as the Ford Explorer and Volkswagen ID.4 are estimated to be cheaper to insure. That is possibly due to Xpeng’s unknown reliability record. That said, the Tesla Model Y is predicted to sit in an even higher insurance bracket.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of February 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Xpeng G6 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 G6, we’ll publish the results here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Xpeng G6
Overall rating
A
95%
New car warranty duration
5 years
New car warranty mileage
Unlimited miles
Battery warranty duration
8 years
Battery warranty mileage
100,000 miles
Xpeng’s new car warranty is better than average, and better than rival brands in a similar price bracket as the G6.
The duration is five years, with no limit on mileage. In addition to the standard new car warranty, this electric SUV has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
As of February 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Xpeng G6. However, recall information is updated 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 Xpeng dealer.
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New Chinese brand Lepas has confirmed that the first model it will bring to the UK will be its L8 mid-sized SUV. Orders are set to open in the second half of this year.
Lepas is a new name in Europe, but not a standalone startup. It’s part of the huge Chery Group and a sister brand to Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo, which have all enjoyed successful UK launches in over the last two years.
The L8 is a five-seat SUV based on the Chery Tiggo 8, which arrived in the UK late last year. Although technical details have not yet been confirmed, it’s likely to be powered by the same 1.5-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid powertrain, promoted by Chery Group as its Super Hybrid System.
Official images show the L8 to be a conventionally styled SUV, with a large grille flanked by narrow LED headlights. Lepas says the headlight design is inspired by the eye of a leopard (the name Lepas is a mash-up of ‘leopard’, ‘leap’ and ‘passion’).
Based on Chery’s approach with its other brands already launched in the UK, we expect the Lepas L8 to offer a high level of standard specification at a price that undercuts most other vehicles in its class.
Lepas will be announcing the details of its UK rollout in coming weeks, but we expect that it will be plugged into the extensive dealer network that Chery Group has already established. It’s also likely that another model or two will soon be announced by the time showrooms open.
We will bring you full UK prices and specifications as soon as we have them. We are expecting the first cars to reach local showrooms in the autumn, probably with preview opportunities across the summer at major events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Make and model: Leapmotor B10 Description: Small SUV/crossover, single electric motor Price range: £31,495 (plus options)
Summary: The Leapmotor B10 offers generous rear space, good equipment and comfortable everyday manners. But average range, intrusive driver aids and unpolished software hold it back from the class leaders.
The Leapmotor B10 is the third model from the Chinese brand to reach the UK after the smaller T03 city car and the larger C10 SUV. It’s a compact electric SUV, priced at just over £30K and aimed squarely at families who might otherwise be looking at an MG, BYD, Kia or Skoda.
Unlike most rivals, there’s only one version of the B10 on offer. One battery, one power output and a fixed specification. Leapmotor’s strategy is to simplify the buying process and include a generous level of standard equipment, rather than offering multiple trims and options.
This is also the most important part of today’s new car market. Compact SUVs have become the default family choice – whether petrol, electric or hybrid – and competition is intense. To succeed here, a car needs to be practical, easy to live with and priced sensibly. It doesn’t have to be the cheapest option, but it does need to be convincing enough to make a buyer’s shortlist.
The B10 represents a clear step forward from Leapmotor’s earlier UK models. The real question is whether that progress is enough in such a crowded field.
For a broader ownership picture, see our full Leapmotor B10 Expert Rating.
Price and equipment
The Leapmotor B10 is priced at £31,500 at the time of writing, although Leapmotor is currently offering a £1,500 discount in lieu of not being eligible for a government EV grant.
Unlike many rivals, there isn’t a range of trim levels or battery options to choose from. There is one version, with one power output and one battery size.
That simplifies the buying decision, but it also removes flexibility. Competitors often offer two or three trims, sometimes with different battery sizes or performance levels, allowing buyers to prioritise range, price or equipment. With the B10, what you see is what you get.
At just over £31K, the B10 doesn’t dramatically undercut most established rivals. It sits in the middle of the small electric SUV market rather than at the bottom of it. Where it makes its case is in standard equipment.
The specification is generous. The large 15-inch touchscreen, digital driver display, panoramic roof and a full suite of driver assistance systems are all included. You are not forced into higher trims to get features that many buyers now expect.
So the B10 is not especially cheap, but it is well equipped for the money.
The Leapmotor B10’s styling is clean and tidy but fairly anonymous, blending easily into a crowded compact SUV market.
Inside the car
The B10 follows the now-familiar minimalist approach. A large 15-inch touchscreen dominates the centre of the dashboard and, aside from the steering wheel buttons and column stalks, there are no physical controls. Even climate adjustments sit within the screen. It looks clean enough, but also fairly anonymous. Most of the cabin is grey and black, and while nothing feels obviously cheap, it’s not especially interesting either.
Material quality is decent for the price. The plastics are mostly hard, but the panels feel solid and well screwed together. The bigger issue is usability. Almost everything runs through the touchscreen and the operating system still isn’t as intuitive as it should be. Basic adjustments can involve more taps than necessary, and given the size of the displays, it’s surprising how small the fonts and icons are. They need to be clearer and easier to read at a glance.
Space is one of the B10’s stronger points. Rear-seat legroom is generous for a car of this size and the flat floor helps make it feel airy. The boot, however, is only average. It’s usable, but not as generous as some rivals. There’s a small storage compartment under the bonnet for charging cables, although it’s barely big enough for them.
The steering wheel would benefit from more adjustment, particularly in and out, as some drivers may struggle to find an ideal position. Overall, the B10’s cabin feels practical and solid, but it lacks the polish and intuitive layout of the best cars in this class.
A large central touchscreen dominates the minimalist cabin, while boot space is usable but only average for this class.
Driving range and charging
Battery and charging details are competitive on paper. The B10 uses a 67kWh battery, which is officially rated at about 270 miles of driving range under official government lab testing.
Fast charging is capable of up to more than 160kW, meaning a typical 10–80% session could take under 30 minutes in ideal conditions. That’s not quite class-leading, but it’s more than good enough since the majority of UK public charging points can’t supply charge that quickly anyway.
During our short launch drive, it was impossible to verify real-world figures properly. Like any EV, your real-world range will depend on factors such as speed, ambient temperature and driving style.
On the road
In everyday driving, the B10 feels well-suited to its likely role. Performance is more than adequate for urban and suburban use, with the instant response you expect from an electric motor. It doesn’t feel slow, and there’s no obvious need for more power in normal conditions. There are three different driving modes – standard, comfort and sport – but switching between them involves diving into the touchscreen menus, so most owners are not likely to bother.
Ride comfort is one of its stronger traits, particularly at lower speeds. Around town it absorbs potholes and speed humps without fuss, and on the motorway it settles into a relaxed, quiet rhythm. For family use and commuting, it does the job well enough.
Push harder on faster, twistier roads and the B10 starts to feel less settled. Over uneven surfaces at speed it loses some composure, and direction changes don’t have quite the polish of some rivals. The overall experience is more competent than engaging. This is a comfort-oriented SUV and it’s less at home on narrow, bumpy country roads.
That’s also where the driver assistance systems become most frustrating. The car will regularly beep at you and tug the steering wheel in directions you didn’t ask for. Leapmotor has improved things compared with the dreadful systems in the C10 and T03, but they’re still among the least refined on sale today. The warnings are not quite as relentless as before, which is progress, yet they remain far more intrusive than in the best competitors.
The B10 is most comfortable in everyday driving, with smooth electric performance and a ride focused more on comfort than sharp handling.
Verdict
The Leapmotor B10 is the brand’s most convincing UK model so far. It offers generous rear-seat space, a comfortable urban driving experience and a strong level of standard equipment in a package that feels better resolved than earlier Leapmotor efforts.
The B10 is not a budget disruptor. At just over £31,000, it sits squarely among established small electric SUVs rather than undercutting them. What strengthens its case is that you get a lot included for that money, with no need to climb a trim ladder to access desirable features. In that sense, it represents good value rather than a bargain.
There are still compromises. The interior design is clean but uninspiring. The touchscreen remains less intuitive than the best systems in this class, and small fonts make it harder to use on the move. Ride comfort is well suited to town driving and steady motorway work, but the car feels less composed on faster, bumpier roads.
If your priority is a well-equipped electric SUV for everyday local use, the B10 makes a sensible, rational case. If you want multiple trim and battery options, sharper driving dynamics or class-leading range for frequent long journeys, there are more polished alternatives.
As a launch impression, the B10 feels like meaningful progress for Leapmotor. Whether it becomes a standout choice will depend on how it performs in long-term UK use, particularly in areas such as software stability and real-world efficiency.
Motoring’s great isn’t it? The open road, the freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want, for business or pleasure, in all weather, day or night.
So far, so good. But what happens when you hear a tell-tale bang and everything grinds to a halt, leaving you stranded at the side of the road? Even though modern cars are generally very reliable, the sight of a stranded vehicle on the hard shoulder, or stuck in a country layby with the bonnet up, is still a daily occurrence.
You could hope a failure never happens to your car and, if it does, enlist the services of a local breakdown firm to take you hundreds of miles home at great cost. Or you could consider signing up to some form of national breakdown cover, especially if you clock up a large number of miles each year.
Choosing breakdown cover used to be simple as there were only two basic options – the AA or the RAC. Both started as motoring organisations that you became a member of, paying an annual subscription for a number of benefits of which breakdown cover was just one.
The AA still runs in that way today, while the RAC has split its members’ club and breakdown service into separate organisations.
Most car manufacturers provide breakdown cover for a limited number of years, alongside their warranty and as part of their new car buying package. But after that runs out, what next?
Some car insurers offer roadside cover with their motoring policies, usually as an add-on cost. But accepting one of these might not be the best option for you when you can sign up for cover yourself, maybe at a lower cost and with a wider range of benefits.
Meanwhile, many more providers have joined the fray. One of the first was Green Flag, which began by working with a network of local garages instead of having its own fleet of mechanics’ vans, with the goal of providing a faster service to stranded motorists. Today, Green Flag is part of the Direct Line insurance group and works in a similar fashion to the AA and RAC, while other providers – such as Britannia Rescue and GEM – have waded into the fray.
What to look for in a breakdown policy
Pricing for breakdown cover has become increasingly complex, with most providers now requiring you to enter your address and vehicle details before you will get a ‘personalised’ quote. What that means in reality is that your prices is highly likely to be higher than the one advertised. So ignore the headline offers and make sure you’re comparing like-for-like packages.
Most breakdown providers charge an annual subscription for cover and almost all offer a full range of options, from basic roadside repairs to rescue in Europe. Most include recovery of your vehicle to your home or designated garage, and there are home-start options if your car has issues before you even set off. In most cases each of these ‘extras’ adds a cost to the annual subscription, and it can soon mount up.
Before you buy any breakdown cover, check whether you already have assistance through your insurance policy and, if you have, what level of cover is provided. That way you should avoid buying the same thing twice, and you’ll only pay for additional cover you actually want.
You should also read the small print carefully. For example, does the cover apply for any vehicle driven by anyone in the household, or for just for one person or one vehicle?
Note, too, that most providers will come out to you in an emergency if you don’t have cover with them, but that will cost you: in some cases operators will want you to pay for a full year’s membership before they come out to help.
Providers make a big deal of their ‘unlimited call-outs’ offer and not penalising you for repeated requests for assistance, unless they are to the same fault. However, very few cars will have repeated failures over and over again. If yours does, maybe it’s not a recovery service you need – it’s a replacement vehicle.
Some of the companies below are marked with an asterisk* – these companies are commercial partners of The Car Expert, so we may receive a small commission if you click through to their websites to find out more. This does not affect the price you pay, but helps us to keep the site running.
With around 2,000 patrols, more than 100 of which are ‘heavy duty’ 4×4 pickup-style vans, the RAC aims to get to more remote areas and recover larger vehicles such as 4x4s and SUVs.
It was once a members’ organisation like the AA and goes back to the turn of the century, but the RAC’s breakdown recovery services were sold off in April 1999. Today it is part of private equity and investment firm CVC Capital Partners.
The RAC has updated its offering in the last year, with three levels of cover available. Basic covers you for five callouts per year and will recover you up to ten miles from where you’ve broken down. Extra broadens that out to national recovery. The top-level Complete package offers unlimited callouts and is the only level to offer at-home cover.
The RAC claims that its patrols in their bright orange vans fix four out of five faults on the spot, on average in 30 minutes. There is also the useful option for having multiple vehicles or people on the same policy, with discounts. Finally, there’s an ‘AA Price Guarantee’ that claims to beat any AA breakdown quote by 10%.
It’s the breakdown organisation that almost everyone has heard of, with familiar yellow rescue vehicles that have been a sight on the UK’s roads for decades. The AA traces its roots back to 1905, and at one time motorists signed up as members had the use of roadside emergency telephone boxes and AA mechanics would salute passing motorists displaying its badge.
Today’s AA fleet of patrols is around 2,900 strong. That’s more than its big rival, the RAC, but down on the 3,500 believed to have been run by the association several years ago. The levels of cover are very similar to the RAC’s, but with both organisations, the price you pay will depend on where you live, how many people are covered and what car(s) you drive.
As the AA is a members’ organisation, you get a number of benefits with your cover. These include discounts on an MOT if you need it, airport parking and car hire.
Another provider offering cover at greatly reduced prices when compared with the big two recovery players, MotorEasy says that 80% of its breakdowns are repaired at the roadside, so ‘you’ll be back on the road in no time’.
The breakdown service is part of the MotorEasy car warranty group. Part of that division’s offering is ‘recovery costs’ so the roadside assistance branch is simply cutting out the middle man. Indeed, if you have a MotorEasy car warranty policy, they pay the bill for your recovery and organise everything for you.
There are four levels of cover on offer so you can tailor something to suit your budget and needs. All levels get as a minimum: roadside help, overnight accommodation, misfuel assist, key recovery, help if the driver falls ill, alternative transport and a message service. That’s for what MotorEasy calls ‘Local Recovery’, and your car must be stranded more than a mile from your home and can be recovered to an address up to 10 miles away.
Level 2 ‘Nationwide Recovery’ adds transport to any chosen destination in the UK. Opt for level 3 and you also get ‘Home Assist’, while level 4 gives you all three levels’ cover plus recovery across Europe and a hire car if you break down seven days or less before a Continental trip.
Part of the Call Assist group, Start Rescue offers some of the cheapest breakdown policies on the market: certainly it boasts on its website ‘vehicle rescue cover for a year, from as little as £21’. They don’t have their own patrols, but use a network of independent garages to handle the call-outs via a 24-hour control centre.
There are five cover levels, ranging from One Star to Five Star. The entry-level One-Star provides car breakdown cover in the UK, if your vehicle breaks down more than a quarter of a mile from your home. The service provides roadside assistance and roadside recovery for you, your vehicle and your passengers up to 10 miles from the breakdown. And it also covers alternative travel and accommodation and a message service.
Two Star adds in nationwide recovery, Three Star additionally includes home assist, while Four Star is similar to Two Star but includes Europe as well as the UK.
The top range Five Star is fully comprehensive breakdown cover and includes roadside assistance and nationwide recovery in the UK and Europe, with home assist, alternative travel, emergency accommodation, and even cover for illness, injury, vandalism or theft.
You have to be an Admiral Insurance customer to buy this breakdown cover, so the website offers two options: ‘add breakdown cover’ or ‘get a car insurance quote’.
Because of this there are no published prices shown – it will depend on who you are, where you live and what car you’re driving. However, your policy will cover you for unlimited roadside recoveries.
There are three options to choose from: Roadside Assistance Cover which gives you rescue from a patrol at the side of the road and a tow if necessary of up to ten miles. There’s National Cover which includes recovery to any destination in the UK plus home breakdown call-outs.
The third option, European Cover, adds in unlimited continental roadside recoveries. In some countries, Admiral might not be able to help you immediately and you might have to first obtain help via the normal SOS phones.
The policies also allow for handy extras such as help with lost or broken keys, misfueling assistance, alternative transport and overnight accommodation.
Britannia Rescue consistently outranks its better-known rivals in customer surveys, earning praise for its efficiency and the turnout of its rescue teams.
Owned by the insurance company LV, Britannia Rescue quotes an average response time of 54 minutes and its most recent figures show that 92% of customers it attended to, were able to complete their journey. Mechanics are trained for both fuel and electric vehicles.
Five levels of cover are on offer, starting with basic roadside assistance and local recovery up to ten miles from where you break down. As you step up the grades, you can get assistance at home, nationwide recovery, car hire or overnight accommodation or alternative travel, and finally European cover.
On top of all of these levels you can add ‘personal cover’, which extends cover for you and a partner for any vehicle in the UK.
If you have car insurance through LV, you’ll receive a discount on your car breakdown fees. A notable free extra is the ability to recharge electric vehicles at the roadside. You can also sign up for short-term cover, for example if going on an important long journey, and there’s also a one-off recovery option.
Formed in 1932 as the Company of Veteran Motorists this was another club, which renamed itself the Guild of Experienced Motorists in 1983, which is where ‘GEM’ comes from. It started offering breakdown services from 1978. Today, while best known for breakdown cover, GEM also gets involved in wide-ranging road safety activities and driver training.
As a membership organisation, GEM’s cover is for the person rather than the vehicle – although you can add more than one person at an extra cost. There are just two options, both of which include home and roadside assistance, nationwide recovery and onward travel in the annual price.
Recovery Extra offers all the features of rivals’ ‘full-house’ levels, including emergency accommodation help. More unusual is Recovery Reclaim, a cheaper option where you get the same breakdown cover but pay for any repair or recovery yourself, then reclaim ‘appropriate costs’ from GEM.
This could work well for those who favour a particular garage or mechanic, such as owners of classic or specialist cars. An organisation that used be called the ‘Company of Veteran Motorists’ is certainly happy to cover that.
GEM does not have its own fleet of rescue vehicles but works with independent suppliers across the UK, which it says makes for a more rapid response. Buying cover means you become a GEM member and so get a range of benefits including a quarterly magazine, road safety advice and various discounts on insurance.
Launched in 1971 as National Breakdown Recovery Club, Green Flag sought to offer a cheaper breakdown cover option than the dominant AA and RAC. By working with a network of local garages, instead of having its own fleet of mechanics, it also hoped to reach stranded motorists more quickly.
Today part of Direct Line Insurance, Green Flag still primarily targets the AA and RAC and still uses independent garages to run its patrol vehicles. Buying online promises discounts of up to 40% compared to quotes by phone, but rather like an insurance company, you have to fill in an online form with your details, including age and address, before getting a personalised quote. There are no standard prices published for you to ponder.
The four main levels of cover mirror those of the AA. Rescue offers roadside assistance, Rescue Plus adds cover at home, Recovery, as the title suggests, will take the car and occupants to the destination of their choice, while Recovery Plus adds the onward travel options of hire car, hotel or transport. European and Business cover is also offered.
All Green Flag policies cover the vehicle no matter who is driving it, though for an extra cost you can add on a personal option allowing you to summon help to any vehicle you are travelling in no matter who owns it. There is a discount applied if you renew and haven’t needed to be rescued in the previous year, plus NHS and school staff reductions.
Do you actually need a recovery service at all?
If your annual mileage is modest, or you hardly ever leave your local town or city, then maybe you can risk going without breakdown cover. But, for most people, it’s well worth considering signing up with a provider.
Like any insurance, you might go a whole year without ever having to call on it (and actually, that’s a good thing). But, if and when the time comes that find yourself stranded by the roadside on a rainy Sunday night, you’ll be pleased you made the investment. The cost of paying a one-off fee to an independent recovery agent to get you and your family home could well outweigh several years of premiums.
Originally published April 2022. Last updated February 2026.
*The Car Expert has commercial partnerships with the AA, MotorEasy and RAC. If you click through to their websites and proceed to purchase any products or services, we may receive a small commission. This does not affect the price you pay.
That’s because during a PCP agreement, you don’t own the car outright. You’re the registered keeper and responsible for looking after it, insuring it and making the payments, but you do not legally own it in clear title until you make the optional final payment (known as the balloon payment).
A PCP agreement is built around one key assumption: the car will be worth a certain amount at the end of the contract. That predicted value is used to calculate your monthly payments.
If you choose not to pay the final lump sum, the finance company takes the car back and sells it. For that to work, it needs to be confident that the car can be sold easily and at the expected value.
Modifications can interfere with that. Some reduce resale appeal. Some make the car harder to sell. Others may void the new car warranty, which also affects value.
Even if you fully intend to buy the car at the end, the lender cannot rely on that. People’s circumstances change. If you lost your job or needed to reduce your outgoings, you might hand the car back instead. From the lender’s perspective, it has to be prepared for that possibility at any time.
That is why most PCP contracts prohibit permanent or value-altering modifications.
What happens if you ignore the agreement?
If you modify the car without permission, you may be in breach of contract. That’s likely to have repercussions.
In serious cases, the finance company can demand early repayment of the outstanding balance. That might sound unlikely, but it has happened in recent years to a prominent YouTuber who modified his BMW M4 without permission and the finance company cancelled his agreement (probably after watching his YouTube videos…).
For most people, settling thousands of pounds at short notice simply isn’t realistic. If payment is not made, the lender can repossess the vehicle and sell it. If the sale price does not cover what you owe, you remain responsible for the shortfall.
More commonly, the issue arises at the end of the agreement. If you hand the car back with unauthorised modifications, the finance company can charge you to return it to standard condition or bill you for any loss in value. Either way, it can become expensive.
There is also an insurance risk that is often overlooked. Any modification, however small, must be declared to your insurer. If you fail to declare it and the car is written off, your insurer could refuse to pay out. You would still owe the finance company the remaining balance on the agreement.
Are any changes allowed?
Small, easily reversible additions are usually considered acceptable, although you should still check your specific agreement. If you’re not sure, speak to your finance company.
Fitting removable accessories is fine. Items such as removable seat covers, floor mats or suction-mounted sun shades are not a problem because they can simply be taken out before the car is returned. Removable roof racks or roof boxes are also generally fine, provided they are not permanently fitted and are removed at the end of the contract.
Towbars sit in a grey area. Some finance companies will allow them, but often only if they are manufacturer-approved and fitted by the supplying dealer. Others may insist that the vehicle is returned to its original condition before it is handed back. If you are considering a towbar, you need written confirmation from the finance provider before going ahead.
Performance upgrades, engine remaps, suspension changes, body kits and non-standard wheels are far more likely to be refused. These can affect reliability, warranty cover and resale value. Even cosmetic changes may be treated as modifications under strict agreements.
Replacing tyres is not normally an issue, as these are consumable items. However, if you’re changing the type of tyre in any way, like fitting tyres designed for racetrack driving, the finance company (and the insurance company) may consider that a performance modification.
Do not assume something is minor simply because it looks minor.
What if I plan to keep the car?
You might be certain that you will pay the optional final payment and keep the car. But until that payment is made, you do not own it.
If you modify the car and later decide not to, or cannot, make the final payment, you may have to pay to remove those modifications before returning the car. Any money you spent on them is effectively lost.
If modifying your car is important to you, PCP is usually not the most suitable way to finance it. Paying cash or using a personal loan means you own the vehicle outright from day one and can modify it as you wish, subject to insurance and warranty implications.
What should you do before making any changes?
If you are thinking about modifying a PCP car, take these steps:
Read your finance agreement carefully, paying attention to clauses about alterations or value.
Contact the finance company directly, rather than relying solely on what a dealer tells you.
Get written confirmation if permission is granted.
Inform your insurer of any approved modification before it is fitted.
Assume that modifications are not allowed unless you have clear written approval. A dealer might be able to explain some terms of a finance agreement, but it’s always a good idea to speak with the finance provider directly to discuss any questions you may have before signing the contract.
The bottom line
With a PCP agreement, it’s best to treat the car as if you are borrowing it. A PCP is a bit like a mortgage on a house in that it’s a secured loan, so you don’t own the car outright until the last penny of the loan is paid off.
If you’re buying a car with the intention of modifying it, you’re better off considering other financing options, like a personal loan (or cash, if you have it available). That way, you own the car outright and can modify it however you like.
