Cupra’s first vehicle developed solely for the brand since it became a separate entity from SEAT – the Formentor – has gone on sale in the UK.
Though the headline model is the 2.0-litre powered version with 310hp, this £39,830-model will be joined by lower-powered variants in order to ensure ‘Cupra remains accessible to all’.
These lower-powered models – which use a 1.5-litre, 150hp turbocharged petrol engine – will be priced from £27,300. This will sit below a lower-powered, 190hp version of the 2.0-litre engine.
A plug-in hybrid variant is also available, combining a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine and 85kW electric motor with a 13kWh battery pack. It can be specified with either 204hp or 245hp, and both have a predicted electric-only range of 31 miles.
Both these 1.5- and plug-in hybrid Formentor models will be available to order in the UK in the first quarter of next year.
However, the range-topping version is available to order now, bringing performance-orientated suspension with adaptive chassis control, while a ‘DCC slider’ allows drivers to have a good degree of control over the damping force level of the shock absorber.
Equipped with all-wheel-drive, the Formentor features a system which can analyse the road in real-time and deliver power to the wheels with the most traction.
Inside, these high-specification cars benefit from heated leather bucket seats, a leather dashboard and a leather multi-function steering wheel. Higher-trim VZ3 and VZ Edition specifications are available with the range-topping Formentor too – priced at £42,000 and £43,840 respectively – bringing 19-inch copper wheels and Brembo brakes, as well as a panoramic sunroof. First deliveries of these Formentor models are expected to commence by the end of 2020.
Volkswagen has announced pricing for the updated Tiguan mid-size SUV, as well as expanding the engine range on its Arteon executive car.
Order books have now opened for the facelifted Tiguan, with prices starting at £24,915. The refreshed line-up incorporates six engine and gearbox combinations with four trim levels.
The Golf-based SUV has sold more than six million examples worldwide since launching in 2007, with the current model launched in 2016. Volkswagen has levelled up the equipment with new technology such as LED Matrix headlights and an improved infotainment system.
Diesel engine choices use dual-injected AdBlue to ‘significantly reduce nitrogen oxide emissions’ (not that Volkswagen is really trustworthy when it comes to diesel emissions – Ed), while the petrol engines get cylinder deactivation.
Entry-level Tiguan models get a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a six-speed manual gearbox, while equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, the new infotainment system and various safety systems.
At the top of the range, there are two trim levels called Elegance and R-Line. The former focuses on comfort and luxury features, while the latter adds more sporty styling and driving updates.
Expanded engine line-up for Arteon range
Meanwhile, the Arteon liftback and estate engine line-ups have been expanded, with 13 combinations of engine and gearbox available on each.
A new entry-level 1.5-litre petrol has been introduced, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, with the intention of bringing the model’s cost of entry down – prices now start at £31,965 for the liftback and £32,765 for the new estate (which Volkswagen insists on referring to as a Shooting Brake, even though it’s not).
The most powerful unit is now the 200hp 2.0-litre diesel unit with a seven-speed automatic gearbox, available with either front- or all-wheel-drive.
Volkswagen has also confirmed that a 320hp R model will go on sale in the UK next year, while a hybrid option will join ‘in due course’.
The Ford Mustang Mach 1 has been confirmed for sale in Europe for the first time.
This limited-edition version of the iconic muscle car is claimed to be the ‘best-handling Mustang ever to reach Europe’, boasting performance upgrades to the exterior bodywork, engine and mechanical underpinnings.
Under the bonnet, the Mustang’s V8 engine has been modified with 460hp and 529Nm of torque. Upgrades include an open air induction system, intake manifold and 87mm throttle bodies from the Mustang Shelby GT350.
There are two gearbox options in the form of a ten-speed automatic or six-speed manual. The latter is a high-tech Tremec unit that features a twin-disc clutch to better manage high-RPM gear changes and gets automatic rev-matching.
To improve grip on the track, the Mach 1 benefits from a series of aerodynamic upgrades such as a new front splitter, new side grilles, rear diffuser and prominent rear spoiler. These combine to produce 22% more downforce than the standard Mustang GT.
MagneRide adjustable suspension makes the Mach 1 primed for track use when combined with stiffer front springs and anti-roll bars, with the 19-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres further improving grip.
Inside, there’s an Ebony colour scheme and aluminium detailing, leather sports seats, a unique start-up graphic for the 12-inch digital instrument cluster, and a unique plaque on the sill.
Matthias Tonn, Mustang Mach 1 chief programme engineer for Europe, said: “The original Mach 1 delivered the ultimate in production Mustang performance and proved itself with success in motorsport.
“The new Mach 1 is the most capable Mustang ever to reach Europe, with track-ready ability and a unique style that is more than worthy of wearing such a legendary badge.”
No details have yet been announced on timing or pricing for the UK.
Formerly known as the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense, the DS 3 E-Tense is an electric version of the regular DS 3 crossover. It arrived in the UK in early 2020, joining the petrol and diesel versions that had been on sale for about a year already.
The E-Tense shares both its overall platform and electric powertrain with the Peugeot e-2008, Vauxhall Corsa Electric and other small vehicles in the Stellantis family.
In late 2021, an update was announced that improved the DS 3 Crossback’s driving range. A further mid-life update landed in early 2023, which dropped the ‘Crossback’ tag, introduced a few cosmetic tweaks and another battery upgrade.
The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense has been praised for its distinctive styling, both inside and out. It’s smoother and quieter than the petrol or diesel models, with a comfortable ride. However, it’s not as practical as other vehicles that use the same platform, like the Peugeot e-2008, and is a similar price as larger vehicles with better battery range from other brands, like the Kia Niro EV or Hyundai Kona Electric.
As of August 2025, the DS 3 E-Tense has a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 65%. It scores top marks for its low running costs and for having zero tailpipe emissions. However, its safety rating and new car warranty coverage are only average, while its media review scores are very poor.
Body style: Small SUV/crossover Motor: electric, battery-powered Price: From £36,995 on-road
Launched: Winter 2019/20 Last updated: Spring 2023 Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Crossback E-Tense (2020 – 2023)
Crossback E-Tense (2020 – 2023)
Crossback E-Tense (2020 – 2023)
E-Tense (2023 onwards)
E-Tense (2023 onwards)
E-Tense (2023 onwards)
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Featured reviews
“There are lots of things to like about the new DS 3. Its composed and well judged electric powertrain makes it easy and reassuring to drive, with a decent real-world range, while the interior flair is more interesting than many other EVs in its class. But put simply, there’s just no getting around the fact that it’s an expensive compact SUV.”
“The DS 3 E-Tense is a sharp-looking small EV with a decent range and front space, but the rear seats are cramped and it’s not the most refined to drive.”
Model reviewed: Facelift DS 3 range Score: 6 / 10 “Compared with old this feels like a better product. And compared with the regular petrol model, it’s light years ahead in terms of noise and comfort. The DS 3 E-Tense won’t set the world alight but then most buyers will be more concerned with charging times than lap sectors. It’s interesting enough to make it on your shopping list if range and practicality aren’t top of your wants.” (Murray Scullion) Read review
Score: 6 / 10 “Chic styling, bags of tech and a comfortable drive only mean so much when the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense’s range is down on its rivals.” Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6.6 / 10 “The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense offers enough range for most people, but it’s far from the best electric car on sale” Read review
Carwow
Model reviewed: DS 3 Crossback E-Tense (pre-facelift) Score: 6 / 10 “The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is a seriously stylish electric car with comfy suspension and a stunning interior but it’s let down by cramped back seats and limited electric range.” Read review
Company Car Today
Model reviewed: Ultra Prestige “Not quite as impressive as the Hyundai Kona Electric or Kia e-Niro for range, but the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is very well-priced and whole-life costs look good thanks to a residual value of more than 40%.” Read review
Discover EV
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “People are not brand loyal when it comes to EVs, so to that extent DS are on a good footing – and seeing as this is the first electric premium compact SUV on the market it has no direct rivals anyway. Better still, with the orders that DS has projected they don’t foresee any problems with battery supply – so that may entice those who are waiting for an e-Niro or Kona Electric.” Read review
Driving Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is a decent – if not quite class-leading – electric SUV that has refinement and unique styling on its side.” Read review
Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6 / 10 “An upmarket electric SUV would seem to be the type of car which everyone is after. But the DS 3 Crossback doesn’t do anything better than cheaper rivals, so you’ll be choosing it for the looks alone.” Read review
Fleetworld
Model reviewed: Performance Line Score: 8 / 10 “The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense manages to appeal more than the petrol or diesel variants, but if you don’t need the range there are cheaper alternatives.” Read review
Green Car Guide
Score: 9 / 10 “The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is an all-electric compact SUV with characterful design and a cosseting ride that is ideal for our poor quality urban road surfaces.” Read review
Honest John
“Cosmetically similar to the standard DS3 Crossback, the E-Tense features exclusive Pearl Crystal paint finish, satin-chrome finishes, E-Tense signature emblems and a special rear bumper (without an exhaust pipe).” Read review
“The DS 3 Crossback E-Tense is more fashionable than the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro, while it really looks the part without shouting about its eco credentials. It can’t travel as far as the Hyundai, though, while it’s compromised compared to in-house rival, the Peugeot e-208 hatchback.” Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6 / 10 “Elegant and chic in accomplished EV form.” Read review
The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: Opera (DS 3 facelift model) Score: 6 / 10 “With alternatives offering more space, better material quality and longer range, the DS 3 E-Tense struggles to justify its lofty price tag.” (James Fossdyke) Read review
Score: 8 / 10 “The white leather is exclusive to the E-Tense and DS says it’s likely to use the white leather steering wheel as a signifier for future pure-electric models, suggesting electric DS drivers will do well to carry with them some wet wipes, to keep it grime-free.” Read review
The Telegraph
“One particularly strong aspect of the performance is the highly refined performance of the regeneration and friction brakes which allow the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense to stop smoothly and progressively, unlike so many rivals which clatter to a halt, particularly from low speeds.” Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6 / 10 “Not the EV we’d recommend, but if you like the way it looks and battery-power suits your lifestyle then by all means.” Read review
Which EV?
Model reviewed: Score: 7 / 10 “The DS 3 does have a quirky look, befitting the DS brand and heritage, but underneath that is the same Stellantis motor and battery found in so many of the group’s cars. It’s not a bad vehicle and it’s well-equipped at the premium trim levels, but these top trim levels are overpriced. We would suggest the Citroen e-C4 instead, which looks even nicer, has more space inside, and can provide similar features for less.” (James Morris) Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
All DS 3 models sold in the UK qualify for a five-star Euro NCAP rating, although additional safety equipment is available at extra cost. In some other European markets, the DS 3 only has a four-star rating as standard due to lower levels of safety equipment.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of August 2025, the DS 3 E-Tense 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 DS 3 E-Tense is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it ever takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Battery range
Average
Score
Variation
Score
EV models
247 miles
B
Electrical efficiency
Average
Score
Variation
Score
EV models
4.3 m/KWh
B
Insurance group
Average
Score
Variation
Score
All models
32
C
Service and maintenance
Cost
Score
Year 1
£128
A
Year 2
£342
A
Year 3
£534
A
Year 4
£733
A
Year 5
£1,012
A
Overall
£2,749
A
The DS 3 E-Tense is a very 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.
Electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is good, meaning that even the relatively small battery offers a decent amount of driving range.
Servicing and maintenance costs are also exemplary, with the five-year predictions showing a straight-A result. Insurance is the worst-performing cost here, and even that is merely average rather than being poor.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of August 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the DS 3 range to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the DS 3, we’ll publish the score here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the DS 3 E-Tense
Overall rating
C
56%
New car warranty duration
3 years
New car warranty mileage
60,000 miles
Battery warranty duration
8 years
Battery warranty mileage
100,000 miles
DS Automobiles’ new car warranty is pretty much the bare minimum offered in the UK, with a duration of three years and a limit of 60,000 miles. Other rivals in the price bracket do better (and in some cases, much better).
In addition to the standard new car warranty, there is an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
Warranty on a used DS 3 E-Tense
If you are buying an ‘Approved Used’ DS3 or DS 3 Crossback from an official DS Automobiles dealership, you will get a minimum six months’ warranty included.
If you are buying a used DS3 or DS 3 Crossback 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 DS3 or DS 3 Crossback 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 a used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.
Date: January 2022 Recall number: R/2022/013 Model types: All Build dates: 05/2019 to 09/2020 Number of vehicles affected: 194 Defect: The open circuit detection system could be over-sensitive, causing a number of operational issues including sudden power loss. Remedy: Download the latest software configuration, check some electronic units and replace them if necessary.
As of September 2024 (our most recent data point), there has been one DVSA vehicle safety recalls on the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense to address different issues. There have also been recalls on the broader DS 3 range, so check to see if your car is affected by any of those
Not all vehicles are affected by recalls. You can check to see if your car is included in any of the above recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local DS Automobiles dealer.
If your car is affected by a recall, the vehicle must be repaired and you should not be charged for any work required. If you are buying a used DS 3 or DS 3 Crossback, you should insist that any outstanding recall work is completed before you take delivery of the vehicle.
A loophole that currently allows drivers to escape punishment for hand-held phone use if they are taking a photo or playing a game will be closed under plans announced by the Government.
The Department for Transport is consulting on updating laws so that phone calls and texting are not the only functions banned when behind the wheel.
An exemption will be made under the plans to allow mobiles to be used for contactless payments if a vehicle is stationary and the goods or services are delivered immediately, such as for a drive-thru takeaway.
Ministers have rejected calls to go further by banning the use of hands-free functions – drivers will still be able to continue safely using devices “hands-free” while driving, such as a sat-nav secured in a cradle.
Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “Our roads are some of the safest in the world, but we want to make sure they’re safer still by bringing the law into the 21st century.
“That’s why we’re looking to strengthen the law to make using a hand-held phone while driving illegal in a wider range of circumstances.
“It’s distracting and dangerous, and for too long risky drivers have been able to escape punishment, but this update will mean those doing the wrong thing will face the full force of the law.”
The change in law would apply across Britain and is expected to come into effect early next year, pending the outcome of the consultation.
In 2019, there were 637 casualties on Britain’s roads – including 18 deaths and 135 serious injuries – in crashes where a driver using a mobile was a contributory factor.
The punishment for drivers caught breaking the rules on hand-held mobile use are six penalty points and a £200 fine.
The University of Leeds was commissioned by the DfT to analyse mobile use by 52 drivers over a total of 765 journeys.
Some 662 phone interactions were observed, of which only 38 were completely hands-free.
A car being driven at 30mph travels 100 feet in just over two seconds, demonstrating how spending a moment to change a song on a playlist or check an app can result in a crash.
National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Roads Policing, Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, said: “Using a mobile phone while driving is incredibly dangerous and being distracted at the wheel can change lives forever.
“Police will take robust action against those using a hand-held mobile phone illegally and proposals to make the law clearer are welcome.”
RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “The closing of this loophole is very welcome and reflects the multitude of ways drivers can use hand-held phones when behind the wheel in 2020.
“We know that the use of hand-held mobile phones at the wheel continues to represent a very real road safety risk, so it’s clear more needs to be done to make this as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.
“It’s important that alongside this change to the law, the Government looks seriously at other options that can help enforce the law, which should include new camera technology that can detect different types of hand-held mobile phone use.”
Renault has showcased its vision for the future with this – the Megane eVision concept.
Unveiled at the French manufacturer’s online eWays event, the concept will be the first Renault to use an advanced CMF-EV platform and kicks off a commitment by the firm to reduce its CO2 emissions by 50% by 2030.
The hatchback features ‘one of the thinnest batteries on the market’, according to Renault, which work alongside a compact powertrain in order to deliver a spacious and practical cabin.
A signal of what the production version – which will arrive in the UK in 2022 – will look like, the concept features a 60kWh battery which ensures a ‘long’ range according to Renault, while 130kW charging accessibility allows the car to accept a rapid charge. Renault claims that the concept will be able to go from 0-60mph in under eight seconds, too.
The exterior of the car features design hallmarks which would usually be associated with an SUV, but with the short overhangs of a more compact vehicle. It receives LED Matrix headlights which are brought together by a 3D display.
Inside, Renault says that there’s a sleek instrument panel found at the front of the cabin while illuminated edges give the interior of the car a lighter look.
Luca De Meo, CEO, Groupe Renault, said: “With the thinnest battery on the market, a 4.21-metre compact body offering the roominess of a C-segment vehicle, The Mégane eVision is a masterpiece of packaging. We took our 25-year best-seller and took it to the future.”
SEAT’s efficient new Leon plug-in hybrid has hit the market with prices starting from £30,970.
Combining a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor and 13kWh battery pack, the Leon plug-in hybrid is capable of returning up to 235.4mpg and emissions as low as 27g/km.
It’s able to drive on electric power for up to 36 miles, too, while the battery pack can be fully charged in just four hours via a conventional domestic supply. Power is sent to the road through a six-speed DSG automatic transmission, while SEAT claims that it’s capable of going from 0-60mph in under 7.5 seconds.
The new plug-in hybrid powertrain is available on FR, FR Sport, Xcellence, Xcellence Lux and First Edition specifications, too.
SEAT has also incorporated a new mild-hybrid engine into the Leon’s line-up. It takes a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and combines this with a 48-volt starter-generator and compact battery to allow the car to coast with the engine switched off, therefore reducing emissions and improving efficiency. It can also add an extra ‘boost’ when accelerating.
Prices for the SEAT Leon plug-in hybrid model start from £22,720, yet a high level of standard equipment brings features such as 17-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear side windows and SEAT’s full digital cockpit system, which replaces to the traditional dials ahead of the driver for customisable screens. A ten-inch infotainment system gives access to media and satellite navigation functions, too.
This is Suzuki’s pocket-rocket – the Swift Sport. It’s a fun little hatchback that blurs the boundaries between a regular hatchback and a hot hatch, so for the sake of argument let’s call it ‘warm’.
When a Sport version first launched with the second-generation Swift supermini, it was famed for being a three-door and using a naturally-aspirated petrol engine – two things that have both changed two generations later. So, the latest model now uses a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine and now comes in a five-door format only. We’ve been behind the wheel of this latest version to see what it’s like.
The current Suzuki Swift Sport arrived onto the scene in 2018 and continued to impress with its fun drive, low weight and racey looks. But Suzuki is under increasing pressure to reduce its CO2 emissions to meet targets, and with no plug-in hybrids or electric cars in its range, it’s quite the challenge.
So an easy way for Suzuki to do this is to electrify its entire line-up. From the funky Ignis city car to the Vitara 4×4, all Suzukis now come with new mild hybrid systems, and the Swift Sport hasn’t escaped this either. It’s not a full hybrid system as the car can’t run on electricity alone – the small electric motor is more of a booster for the petrol engine.
How does it look?
The Suzuki Swift Sport does a sterling job of making itself look a lot more powerful than it is, with its muscular bodykit, aggressive front and large dual-exit exhaust making it look very hot indeed. Large 17-inch alloy wheels and carbon-effect trim that runs along the lower part of the car are also great touches.
Looks-wise, just about nothing has changed when it comes to this latest Swift Sport, aside from a small ‘Hybrid’ badge on the boot. Indeed, this is definitely an electrified model that you could quite easily drive around and never realise the hybrid aspect to it – no bad thing at all, especially in a fun little hatchback like this.
What’s the spec like?
Before the latest-generation Swift Sport arrived in 2018, this warm hatch always cost around the £15,000 mark, so there was outcry when it jumped to £18,000 two years ago.
It doesn’t bode well then that this Suzuki’s price has now jumped to £21,570 – a mix of the cost of the hybrid system and current prices to import the model from Japan both being to blame for this steep increase.
While too expensive for what it is, it’s worth noting that the Swift Sport does come especially well-equipped. Along with the big alloys, sports seats, reversing camera and a touchscreen with smartphone mirroring and satellite navigation.
It gets a host of driver assistance tech – adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are all included as standard, However, it’s important to point out that that the Swift Sport only scored a four-star safety rating from Euro NCAP back in 2017 despite all the assistance kit. Basic Swifts performed more poorly, with only a three-star rating. Given that several supermini rivals have a full five-star rating, this is a negative mark against the Suzuki.
What’s it like inside?
It’s a really mixed bag when it comes to the Swift Sport’s interior. Let’s start with the good, where you have brilliant supportive sports seats, a cool gloss black and perforated leather steering wheel and red trim that runs throughout the cabin. Tick, tick, tick.
But the issue is that all these sporty features are surrounded by a wash of hard and scratchy plastics. Sure, this is a car at the cheaper end of the spectrum, but an attempt to give it a few higher-quality touches wouldn’t hurt.
And while not being the largest supermini in this class, it’s quite roomy for what it is – two adults should have no trouble fitting in the back seats, though the 268-litre boot is small compared to rivals.
What’s under the bonnet?
It’s the same 1.4-litre petrol engine found pre-electrification in this latest Swift Sport, but it’s now mated to a 48-volt system. It’s essentially a mild-hybrid powertrain with the electricity helping to power the car’s ancillaries and provide extra assistance to the engine.
In total, the updated unit produces 128hp and 235Nm of torque – that’s 12hp down on power compared to before, but ever so slightly more torquey thanks to the hybrid system. But less power means less performance, with 0-60mph taking 0.7 seconds longer than before (now 8.9 seconds), though the 130mph top speed is unchanged.
The hybrid system, while adding only a small amount of weight, brings noticeable improvements to running costs, meaning the Swift can reach 50mpg in real-world conditions, with CO2 emissions of 127g/km.
What’s it like to drive?
The Suzuki Swift Sport has always been known for its fun, no-nonsense driving experience, and that absolutely remains the case. Despite a modest power output (mid-spec Clios can come with more power), the fact this Suzuki weighs just a little over a tonne makes up for that – feeling much quicker than the performance figures suggest.
It also handles well, can change direction at the drop of a hat and features a brilliant six-speed manual gearbox. So, while down on power, behind the wheel you’d be hard-pressed to tell.
In fact, the only real giveaway that this is a ‘hybrid’ from the driving seat is a bit of light regenerative braking when you take your foot off the accelerator, which charges the car’s small battery.
Verdict
Hybrid or not, the Suzuki Swift Sport remains a huge amount of fun to drive. It’s arguably one of the closest cars to remain true to the classic hot hatch formula – lightness, not too much power and a driving experience that will bring a big grin to your face, even well within the speed limit.
This Suzuki also looks cool, and comes laden with equipment, while the unintrusive mild-hybrid system also makes the Swift impressively efficient, even if you’re not driving with economy on your mind.
Yet while the hybrid element certainly hasn’t diminished the Swift Sport’s fun factor, it’s brought with it quite a hefty price increase that makes this Swift not quite as easy to recommend as it once was.
Ford Fiesta ST | Peugeot 208 GTi | Volkswagen Up GTI
Key specifications
Model as tested: Suzuki Swift Sport Hybrid Price: £21,570 Engine: 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol Gearbox: Six-speed manual
Power: 128 hp Torque: 235 Nm Top speed: 130 mph 0-60mph: 8.9 seconds
Fuel economy (combined): 50.1 mpg CO2 emissions: 127 g/km Euro NCAP safety rating:Four stars (2017) TCE Expert Rating: Not yet rated (as of October 2020)
BMW has provided a closer look at its upcoming 128ti hot hatch.
The new car, which is priced from £32,995 and is designed to slot underneath the range-topping M135i, brings a whole host of standard equipment as well as a variety of performance-based features. It’s set to go on sale next month.
Underneath the bonnet sits a 2.0-litre engine turbocharged petrol engine with 265hp and 400Nm of torque, driving power through an eight-speed automatic gearbox to the front wheels alone. As well as specially tuned M Sport suspension, the 128ti also receives a Torsen limited-slip differential as standard, further enhancing the car’s cornering abilities.
BMW claims that the 128ti will accelerate from 0-60mph in under six seconds, hit a top speed of 155mph and return up to 46.3mpg combined. Emissions stand at between 139g/km and 148g/km of CO2, too.
It also benefits from the brakes and anti-roll bars of the more powerful M135i, but manages to be 80kg lighter than this model.
Based on the existing M Sport specification, the 128ti features a full sport bodykit, as well as air intakes and front apron from the M135i. In addition, the side sills get unique ‘ti’ badging, while a variety of high-gloss elements – such as the kidney grille and tailpipe finishers – contrast the one of four exterior colours.
Light-alloy 18-inch wheels are included too and are exclusive to the model, while inside red accents have been used to highlight certain areas of the cabin. A red ‘ti’ badge has been stitched into the central armrest too, while standard equipment also includes M seat belts – among other features.
A central ten-inch screen is included as well, while a nine-inch head-up display can be fitted as an optional extra. Folding mirrors, heated seats and ambient lighting are also fitted as standard.
When it comes to boot space, there’s 380 litres of room as standard, which can be increased to 1,200 litres by folding down the rear seats.
Ford has removed its diesel engine options from the popular Fiesta hatchback range.
The Fiesta – which was previously available with two 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engines with either 85hp or 120hp – can now only be specified with petrol powertrains.
A spokesperson for Ford said that the diesel mix on Fiesta during 2020 has been ‘two to three per cent’, showing that demand had steadily declined.
It comes as a new mild-hybrid variant is launched, integrating a 48-volt hybrid with an efficient 1.0-litre Ecoboost turbocharged engine. With 155hp, the engine has already been used on the recent Puma.
Sales of diesel cars have continued to decline across the board as more efficient petrol, hybrid and electric versions come to the fore. In fact, diesels made up just 18% of sales in September 2020 – a considerable drop on the 50% market share in 2014.
The Fiesta has been the UK’s best-selling car every year for more than a decade. It is still the top seller after the first nine months of 2020, but the new Vauxhall Corsa – which is available with a full complement of petrol, diesel and electric power choices – is rapidly closing in on the Fiesta’s throne and could overtake it in the last three months of this year.
It’s perhaps a mark of just how desirable Lamborghinis are that a car with ultra-exotic looks, a screaming V10 engine and more power than anyone could ever need on the road could ever be considered the ‘entry level’ model. However, that’s exactly what we have here in the form of the Huracan Evo RWD.
Although the Italian supercar maker has earned a reputation for building flamboyant all-wheel-drive performance monsters, in recent years it has been the rear-wheel-drive models that have been considered the best drivers’ cars. Now the Huracan Evo line-up has been graced by such a variant, it’s time to find out if it’s still the one to have…
Unsurprisingly, it’s the switch from all- to rear-wheel-drive that’s required the biggest updates. The drivetrain has been overhauled, with Lamborghini developing a new traction control system specifically for this model. It has been designed to deliver torque smoothly, even before the car is fully stable again, to create a more predictable power delivery.
It also gets the latest version of Lamborghini’s infotainment system and styling revisions to differentiate it from the four-wheel-drive version.
Elsewhere it’s largely similar to other Evo models, with a body made from aluminium, carbon-fibre and thermoplastic resin to keep weight low, servo-assisted Dynamic Steering (which runs a RWD-specific tune) and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
How does it look?
If there’s one thing Lamborghini understands, it’s how to design a head-turning car. It helped that our test model was wearing bright green Verde Selvans paint – a £9,540 option – but you couldn’t go anywhere without seeing passers-by having a look, many in open-mouthed delight.
Its low wedge design and sharp angles make it stand out even in the supercar segment, and this RWD version gets a few extra touches to differentiate it from other Huracans. For example, it has a new front splitter, larger front air intakes, a high gloss black rear bumper and a unique rear diffuser.
What’s the spec like?
The Huracan Evo RWD Coupe starts at £137,000 and for that, you get a decent amount of equipment, such as the drive mode selector, launch control function, heated and folding side mirrors and a 12-inch fully digital instrument cluster.
However, as with any luxury car, the price can be dramatically increased in the options list, with our car specified up to £185,500. On top of the aforementioned paint, choice options included 20-inch Narvi alloy wheels (£4,950), transparent engine cover with LEDs (£4,050), and a Sensonum sound system (£2,520).
Two surprising additions to the options list are DAB radio for £540 and smartphone integration for £2,440. Both should really be included as standard on a car this price…
What’s the Huracan Evo RWD like inside?
The cool, angular design of the Huracan Evo RWD continues on the inside. The instrument binnacle houses a cool digital display, while the centrally-mounted touchscreen is a new eight-inch unit powered by Amazon Alexa that controls pretty much all interior functions. As such, there are a lot of menus to navigate and it’s not the most intuitive system, so it will take some getting used to.
Otherwise, it’s not as cramped as you might expect when it comes to headroom and shoulder room between passengers. However, six-foot-plus drivers might find the driving position a little compromised, which doesn’t help comfort on long journeys.
As for storage, it’s unsurprisingly limited, but again, it might be better than you think. The front trunk easily swallowed a camera bag with room for another travel bag, while there are a few small cubby holes in the cabin.
What’s under the bonnet?
If Lamborghini failed to deliver on every aspect of this car, but still gave it this engine, it would honestly be tough not to recommend it. The 5.2-litre, naturally aspirated V10 unit makes this car a joy to drive. It has a fantastically smooth yet ludicrously punchy power delivery that makes the charge to the redline utterly addictive.
And the noise is just something else. While Audi has seen the R8 (the Huracan’s ‘sister’ car) become quieter thanks to a gasoline particulate filter needed to meet emissions regulations, Lamborghini found a clever trick to avoid this, so it sounds like an old Formula 1 car when you’re really pressing on.
Facts and figures are almost irrelevant in a car that delivers such an emotional experience, but they help to complete the performance picture. It makes 602bhp and 560Nm of torque with a top speed of 202mph and a 0-60mph time of just 3.1 seconds. It’s rapid.
What’s the Huracan Evo RWD like to drive?
In recent years, the biggest complaint that’s been levelled at the Huracan is its trick Dynamic Steering technology, which artificially minimises the steering input needed. However, Lamborghini has been constantly developing it, and in the Huracan Evo RWD, it’s at its best yet. While you might lose some precision on track, for road driving it delivers an incredibly precise response to inputs and makes the car feel more agile.
Elsewhere, it’s clear the Huracan has been tuned to be driven quickly. At slower speeds it jiggles and skips on its stiff suspension, but once you’re pushing on the car settles and rides out road imperfections brilliantly. The gearbox is whip-crack quick to shift to deliver an almost imperceptible break in performance between gears, and the way the engine pushes you into the seat under hard acceleration is addictive.
However, speaking of the seats, this is the biggest complaint to be levelled at the car. Modern supercars are well-regarded for being so easy to drive and comfortable you could use them every day, but the seats in the Huracan Evo RWD are so uncomfortable that long journeys quickly came to be dreaded. The lumbar support on our optional ‘New Sport Seat’ was so aggressive I would get back pain not long after setting off, something I’ve never experienced before.
Verdict
The question we set out to answer at the start of this review was whether the entry-level Huracan Evo RWD was the one to have. And honestly, for those who enjoy driving, it is. While some buyers will prefer the extra security that comes from all-wheel-drive, the rear-wheel-drive version has a sense of playfulness that its more expensive sibling is missing.
What’s more, Ferrari has always been the go-to supercar maker for the true driving enthusiast. With this Huracan Evo RWD, Lamborghini might have completely closed the gap.
On The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating index, which now compiles and aggregates reviews from 25 UK motoring websites, the Huracan currently holds a score of 84%, which is impressive overall but a long way behind the likes of the Porsche 911 or McLaren 720S. Perhaps this score will start to increase as more reviews of the Huracan Evo RWD model are published.
October marks tyre safety month, highlighting an often overlooked aspect of car maintenance. As the main point of contact between the car and the road, tyres are absolutely crucial when it comes to a vehicle’s overall safety.
Despite this, many people fail to routinely check their corners. According to a recent survey of 2,000 drivers by Halfords, some four million cars could be on the roads illegally with bald tyres, after 13% of 2,000 motorists admitted to driving with tyres which were below the legal tread depth.
The good news is that checking your tyres needn’t be complicated. Here’s what to look at to ensure that you’re safe on the road.
Tread depth
The legal minimum tread depth here in the UK is 1.6 millimetres. Leave your tyres to go below this and not only are you risking your safety, but there’s a chance that if found then you could face a fine – up to £2,500 per tyre – and penalty points on your licence.
With more water on the roads at this time of year, the risk of aquaplaning is higher too.
You can pick up a perfectly decent tyre pressure gauge for only a couple of quid at plenty of retailers or service stations. However, you can also use a 20p piece if you don’t have a gauge.
Insert it into the groove of the tyre and, if the outer band of the coin is obscured, then the tyres are legal. If you can see the groove, however, then it’s time for new tyres.
It’s quite normal for the driven wheels to wear more quickly than the non-driven wheels. For most modern cars, that means that your front tyres will wear down much more quickly than the rear tyres. For rear-wheel-drive vehicles (like most BMW or Mercedes saloons, for example), the rears may wear faster.
Pressures
Correct tyre pressure is very important for safety, as well as providing your car with the best combination of performance and fuel economy.
You may also need to bump up your tyre pressures if you are going for a long journey with a fully-laden car. Check your owner’s manual and the tyre pressure placard for the correct pressures.
Tyres that are over-inflated can puncture more easily, while tyres that are under-inflated will increase your fuel consumption – which, in turn, means larger fuel bills.
Checking tyre pressures is simple. The correct pressure for your vehicle can be found either in the car’s handbook, in the driver’s door opening or underneath the fuel filler cap. Find it, and ensure that all four tyres match this pressure. You can do this via a home compressor, or by an air supply found at most petrol stations.
General condition
Being completely black and sitting underneath dark wheelarches, it can often be tricky to spot any issues on the walls of the tyre. It’s easy to check, however.
Run your hands over the sidewall of the tyre and feel for any strange lumps or bumps. Do a visual check, too, and keep an eye out for any cuts or bulges.
If your tyres have been fitted for some time, there’s a chance that they could be dry and cracked too. If this is the case, then it’s probably a good idea to swap them out for some fresh rubber.
If you find any issues, it’s always worth changing the tyres.
This is the new, fourth-generation Toyota Yaris. It’s a car which bears a nameplate that has come to represent value-for-money, no-frills motoring for many years now. This latest version aims to do the same, but with the added bonus of more interior technology and a great emphasis on efficiency too.
It’s why a hybrid powertrain remains, but this Yaris sits on a new platform that promises more space and practicality than the previous model. We’ve been behind the wheel to see if the change has been a fruitful one.
We’ve also put the new Yaris under the microscope on The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating index, which compiles new car reviews from more than 25 of the UK’s leading automotive websites. Although it’s still early days and there are many more reviews still to come, the Yaris currently holds a rating of 75%. That puts it right in the middle of a field of 16 different superminis in our database.
As we’ve already mentioned, this latest Yaris sits on a new platform called GA-B. It’s key to the Yaris now, as it means that it should be able to bring more spaciousness while also helping to keep the car’s centre of gravity lower and improving its cornering ability. The new model is actually shorter than the one it replaces, yet has more space inside.
Elsewhere, there’s been a big push on safety with a wide-sweeping set of assistance systems incorporated into the Yaris’ set-up in order to keep it as safe as possible.
The exterior of the car also benefits from some cutting-edge styling which has helped to turn the Yaris into a far more interesting car to see out on the road.
How does it look?
Toyota has done a fine job of making the Yaris look genuinely striking without resulting in a car which looks far too over the top. It’s a great looking car in the metal, in fact, with a lot of exciting angles and design touches helping to keep each part of the vehicle looking exciting.
That said, it’s not so overstyled that it’ll put off those who prefer a car that looks a little more under the radar.
What’s the spec like?
There’s a wealth of standard equipment available with the Yaris, with entry-level cars – which start from £19,910 – gaining features such as 16-inch alloy wheels and automatic air conditioning, though our Dynamic specification gained many additional touches.
The wheels are upgraded to 17-inch versions and you get a premium audio system too. The seven-inch infotainment screen which comes as standard is bumped up to eight inches too and though it’s not the most attractive of systems, it’s simple and easy to operate.
When it comes to the exterior, Dynamic cars also benefit from attractive LED running lights as well as full LED headlights and indicators. All of this does boost the price up to over £21,000 which, though a fair degree more than the entry cost, does represent good value for money considering the high level of standard equipment which accompanies the car.
Safety-wise, the Yaris is class-leading. It’s the first vehicle to be put through the latest Euro NCAP crash-testing programme, where it scored five stars and performed strongly in all four testing categories (adult protection, child protection, vulnerable road useer protection and accident avoidance).
What’s it like inside?
The cabin of the Yaris represents a great example of how to make a well-built and well-finished interior without going too overboard. The materials are of a good quality – with some harsher plastics used in places – but the general fit and finish is excellent with no squeaks or rattles to be found. The seating position is good too, with plenty of adjustability ensuring that you can find the ‘right’ spot easily.
It’s compact in the back – but remember, this isn’t a large car – while the boot space is adequate despite not offering quite as much as the previous-generation Yaris. There’s still 286 litres to play with – which you can extend by folding down the rear seats – but this falls some way under the amount of luggage room offered by rivals such as the Volkswagen Polo and Ford Fiesta.
What’s under the bonnet?
The Yaris uses a mild-hybrid setup which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. It’s not a plug-in hybrid, so generates charge through regenerative braking. However, Toyota claims excellent efficiency figures with up to 68.9mpg and CO2 emissions of between 92 and 98g/km ensuring that the Yaris remains a very cheap car to run.
Its performance figures aren’t too bad, either. While 0-60mph in 9.5 seconds might not sound the quickest, it’s more than quick enough for all situations while the added zip that the electric assistance gives means that the Yaris feels a fair degree quicker than its numbers might suggest. It’ll also top out at 109mph if you have the space – and are legally allowed – to do so.
What’s it like to drive?
Setting off in the Yaris, things are typically hybrid-y. It’s quiet, and runs on EV power alone for far longer than you might expect from a conventional hybrid. Gain a little speed and the engine chimes in with little fuss – it’s hard to notice it waking up, in fact – while there’s little wind noise to interrupt an otherwise quiet and serene cabin experience.
The steering is a triumph; well-weighted and accurate, it manages to make the Yaris feel genuinely nimble at slower speeds yet stable and composed at higher ones. The suspension certainly fits on the firm side of things and though it does mean that the ride can feel unsettled over broken surfaces, it does give the Yaris a healthy dose of confidence-inspiring body control through the bends.
Verdict
As we’ve mentioned earlier, the Yaris is a car that is well-known for its ability to offer low-cost motoring for those who don’t want to break the bank to get around. It’s good news, therefore, that this latest car can deliver the same positives. However, this package is only bettered further thanks to an involving driving experience and head-turning styling which will appeal to most.
On The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating index, the Yaris’ score of 75% (based on 20 UK reviews) is only middling for the supermini class, and a fair way behind class-leading rivals like the SEAT Ibiza and Ford Fiesta. This is a bit lower than we’d expect, but we are still gathering additional reviews as they are published, so the Yaris could close the gap to the leaders over coming months.
Though practicality levels may be down ever so slightly, the Yaris remains a truly attractive proposition in the small car segment.
Model as tested: Toyota Yaris Dynamic Price: £21,920 Engine: 1.5-litre petrol with electric motor Gearbox: Continuously-variable automatic transmission (CVT) Power: 114 hp Torque: 120 Nm
Top speed: 109 mph 0-60mph: 9.5 seconds Fuel economy (combined): 68.9 mpg CO2 emissions: 92-98 g/km Euro NCAP safety rating:Five stars (2020) TCE Expert Rating:75% (as of October 2020)
Nearly a fifth (18%) of young drivers admit to video calling while behind the wheel, a new survey suggests.
The research indicated that motorists aged 17-24 are more than twice as likely to make or receive video calls, with the average across all ages being 8%.
The RAC, which commissioned the poll of 3,068 drivers, warned that the growth in popularity of video calling services such as FaceTime, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp poses a “new, clear and present danger” on UK roads.
Some 29% of drivers of all ages say they make and receive voice calls on handheld phones while behind the wheel. This is up six percentage points on last year and is the highest proportion since 2016.
Other drivers’ use of handheld phones is the second biggest overall motoring-related concern identified in the RAC’s annual Report On Motoring, with the state of local roads in first place.
A third of all UK drivers surveyed (32%) say mobile use concerns them. Almost four out of five (79%) want to see camera technology introduced to catch drivers using their phones illegally.
RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: “The problem of illegal phone use at the wheel has far from disappeared.
“The rise in the popularity of video calls means this type of communication represents a new, clear and present danger on the UK’s roads in 2020.
“Our findings from 2016 were a watershed moment which led to the UK Government calling for people to make illegal mobile phone use while driving as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.
“The fact drivers still state it’s their second biggest motoring concern of all shows that more progress still needs to be made here.”
Inspector Frazer Davey of Avon and Somerset Police roads policing unit said: “The importance of concentrating on your driving cannot be overstated.
“Using a mobile phone while in charge of a car puts you and everyone else at risk.
“The consequences of allowing yourself to be distracted while you are driving can be catastrophic.
“It’s simply not worth it.”
In 2019, there were 637 casualties on Britain’s roads, including 18 deaths and 135 serious injuries, in crashes where a driver using a mobile was a contributory factor.
Since March 2017, motorists caught using a handheld phone have faced incurring six points on their licence and a £200 fine, up from the previous penalty of three points and £100.
A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: “We’re finalising plans to strengthen the law in this area, adding to the work of our award-winning THINK! campaigns in changing drivers’ behaviour.”
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a change in the car buying plans of almost 14 million Brits, new research suggests.
The numbers, taken from a survey of 2,000 UK adults on behalf of Kwik-Fit, are relatively evenly split between those who say they are less likely to purchase another car in the coming 12 months, and those who are more likely to change their car.
Although the easing of lockdown procedures in summer saw some pent-up demand leasing to increased private car sales over the last few months, the new survey suggests that as many as 7.5 million motorists are less likely to buy a new or used car than before Covid-19 arrived.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the car industry, as up to 6.4 million car owners are now more likely to change their car in the coming year. Of these people, 51% plan to buy a brand new model.
Furthermore, 20% of these drivers said they wanted to use their car more because they wanted to avoid public transport, while almost 18% said they had seen the environmental impact of using their car less, so wanted to buy a greener car.
However, just 8% said they expect their next purchase to be an electric vehicle.
The drivers that were not planning to go electric next cited a lack of fast chargers (37%) as the main reason for not buying an EV, followed closely by range anxiety (35%) and the higher purchase price (33%).
Roger Griggs, communications director of Kwik Fit, said: “Coronavirus has changed so many lives this year that it’s no surprise people are altering their car buying plans, but we were astonished to see just how many drivers say they are more likely to buy a new car as a result of the pandemic.
“No matter if it is a new or used car people are buying, we would advise buyers to do their research as the lowest price is not always the best option, and be sure to get all appropriate documentation – especially for used cars – to ensure they have been maintained properly.”
Covid-19 has thrown car buying plans into chaos
The coronavirus pandemic has already had a massive impact on our economy, and seems ever-more likely to lead to long-term changes for the car industry.
With millions of people now working from home rather than commuting to their workplace, a car has become less of a priority than it was 12 months ago. Combined with enormous employment uncertainty across the UK for the short-term future, and it’s no wonder that millions of car owners are reassessing their plans.
For some, there will be an imperative to get off trains or buses and into a private car. However, the majority of those trading a bus pass for a V5 are likely to be at the lower end of the spending scale, which is good news for budget brands and used car dealers, but not that helpful to a lot of new car manufacturers.
For others, there will be a desire to replace an existing car with a cheaper model when their current PCP agreement comes to an end to reduce household costs. Again, that benefits cheaper new and used cars rather than more expensive vehicles.
Meanwhile, many multi-car households will be questioning whether they need to keep two (or more) cars on the driveway at all if they’re stuck at home most of the time. We could see a lower number of cars per household becoming a trend over the next 12 months.
All of this could have an enormous impact on the car industry. The road ahead looks bumpy. Stuart Masson, Editor
Kia has added to the appeal of its Stonic compact SUV with a new GT-Line specification.
Alongside the introduction of a new trim level, Kia has also added a new mild-hybrid engine to the Stonic. It combines a 1.0-litre petrol engine with a 48-volt system, driving through a manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
The addition of the mild-hybrid system allows the engine to switch off under certain conditions to help reduce fuel usage, while it’s also capable of harvesting the energy usually lost when slowing down and braking.
This ‘sailing’ function operates at speeds of up to 77mph, with the engine being reactivated when the driver uses the accelerator, brake or clutch pedals.
The new GT-Line specification brings a high level of standard equipment to the Stonic. Priced from £20,745, it adds LED headlights and daytime running lights as well as redesigned front and rear bumpers with integrated front skid plate and fog lamps. A rear spoiler adds a sporty edge, while 17-inch alloy wheels complete the look.
Inside, there’s a newly designed steering wheel with GT-Line badging, while the black cloth and faux leather seats get the same logos embossed upon them. In the centre of the cabin sits an eight-inch infotainment screen, bolstered by a four-inch colour display placed in the middle of the main instrument cluster ahead of the driver. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are fitted as standard, as well.
All cars get rear privacy glass too, as well as folding door mirrors and automatic air conditioning.
The GT-Line Stonic also benefits from forward collision avoidance assist technology, alon with pedestrian and cyclist detection. Lane keeping assist, driver attention warning and high beam assist are also included. Higher-spec GT-Line S cars also receive blind spot collision warning and intelligent speed limit assist.
The Skoda Octavia is a medium-sized family car, available as either a five-door liftback or an estate. It sits above the smaller Scala and below the larger Superb in the Skoda family.
The current model is the fourth-generation Octavia, which arrived in the UK in summer 2020. The conventional petrol and diesel engines will be joined by a plug-in hybrid model before the end of 2020. The range-topping Octavia vRS performance models will also join the rest of the range before the end of the year.
The Skoda Octavia has received praise for its spacious cabin, practicality and value for money, which all build on the strengths of previous-generation models. However, its infotainment system has drawn criticism, while the front-end styling with its enormous BMW-style grille has also seen mixed reviews.
As of August 2025, the Skoda Octavia holds an Expert Rating of A, with a score of 72%. It scores top marks for its safety rating and low CO2 emissions, while its running costs, reliability record (shared with previous-generation Octavias) and media review scores are also good.
Body style: Five-door liftback and estate Engines: petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid Price: From £23,650 on-road
Launched: Summer 2020 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
“If you need a hugely practical family car that’s comfortable, refined, good to drive and well-equipped, then the Skoda Octavia should be near the top of your shopping list.”
“The Skoda Octavia is Tardis-like for families and comes with great engines. It’s not the most inspiring to look at inside, mind, nor particularly fun to drive.”
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic SE L First Edition estate “As a car for the rigours of the everyday, the new Skoda Octavia is well-suited, thanks to great practicality and a comfortable ride.” Read review
Auto Express
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic vRS estate (2024 facelift) Score: 9 / 10 “More power and a superior interior make the fourth-gen Skoda Octavia vRS facelift one of our favourite high-performance hatchbacks. It’s neither searingly quick nor outrageously entertaining, yet it has more than enough pace and poise than anyone could need on the road. Strong in all departments and notably weak in none, it’s a fantastic, fast family car.” Author: Matt Robinson Read review
Model reviewed: e-TEC 2021 Score: 9 / 10 “The Octavia e-TEC is a fine first effort at mild-hybrid propulsion from Skoda. It drives smoothly, while the ride, refinement and practicality make a strong supporting case to the impressive efficiency on offer given the price.” Read review
Model reviewed: vRS Estate diesel 2021 Score: 7 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia vRS Estate diesel 2021 a very competent all-rounder delivering family-friendly practicality and decent performance, but it lacks the excitement and engagement that every great hot hatch should deliver.” Read review
Model reviewed: 1.4-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid vRS iV estate Score: 7 / 10 “It’s difficult to ignore the fact that the Skoda Octavia vRS iV doesn’t quite feel like enough of a performance-focused hot hatch to warrant the vRS badge. The powertrain’s character and the extra weight highlight the difference, if anything, between a fast car and a fun one.” Read review
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic vRS estate Score: 8 / 10 “We’ve yet to try the hatchback variant, but the latest Skoda Octavia vRS seems set to remain a left-field choice in the hot hatch market. It’s nicely finished, very practical and, while it’s not cheap, it is solid value.” Read review
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel estate 115hp SE Technology Score: 10 / 10 “We knew there was a five-star Octavia within the range – and this entry-level 2.0 diesel estate is certainly one of the picks of the entire line-up. It may be a base model, but the level of standard kit is very generous, while the diesel motor is smooth, punchy and incredibly fuel-efficient.” Read review
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel manual SE L First Edition liftback Score: 9 / 10 “Key rivals have tampered with their winning formulas, but the latest Skoda Octavia is a great example of how to hone an already-successful product and just give people more of what it does well.” Read review
Model reviewed: Estate range Score: 9 / 10 “As an all-round, do-it-all family car, the new Octavia Estate is difficult to fault. Skoda has worked exceptionally hard to ensure the newcomer feels more premium and sophisticated than ever – and it shows.” Read review
Auto Trader
Model reviewed: vRS range Score: 9 / 10 “The perfect car for fast-moving families, the Skoda Octavia vRS adds petrol, diesel and hybrid options to traditional values of style and value.” Read review
Business Car
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic Estate Score: 9 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia estate feels solid and reassuring on the road, and occupants feel well insulated from the outside world. It offers plenty of space for five adults, and the luggage compartment is cavernous.” Read review
Car
Model reviewed: iV Estate Score: 8 / 10 “Be prepared to fall for – of all things – a plug-in estate. Not exciting, but the Skoda Octavia iV estate is a classy, refined, a pleasure to drive.” Read review
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic vRS estate Score: 10 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia vRS Estate is a brilliant car, because the old one was brilliant and all the good stuff has been carried over. The biggest and riskiest changes (plug-in hybrid version, more powerful diesel) are yet to come, but it’s encouraging to see that the simplest version is still hitting home runs.” Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Other than the frustrating infotainment system – frustrating enough to lop off an entire usability star on our verdict – Skoda has pulled it off once again. The Octavia is still a no-nonsense family hatch that rides well, is pleasant to drive, delivers good value and is still as roomy as it always has been.” Read review
Car Keys
Model reviewed: 1.4-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid iV SE L Score: 8 / 10 “Though not as pleasant to drive as the standard car and quite pricey to buy, the Octavia plug-in hybrid’s low running costs and attractive company car tax rates mean it’s likely to be an attractive choice for fleets and businesses.” Read review
Model reviewed: vRS Review Score: 8 / 10 “The way it manages performance with everyday usability and practicality is astonishing, and when you consider it undercuts just about all its key rivals for price, the Skoda Octavia vRS really couldn’t be easier to recommend.” Read review
Model reviewed: Estate range Score: 9 / 10 “Skoda has managed to build on everything that was great about the Octavia in the first place with this new model. It’s now even more practical, well-equipped and impressively efficient, too.” Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: vRS Estate range Score: 8.8 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia vRS Estate offers great performance, technology, space and choice.” (Sam Naylor) Read review
Model reviewed: Liftback range Score: 9.4 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia Estate is a roomy and desirable family car with value for money on its side.” (Tom Jervis) Read review
Model reviewed: Estate range Score: 9.4 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia Estate is one of the most spacious family cars on sale, and it’s now more desirable than ever thanks to a more stylish design.” Read review
Carwow
Model reviewed: Estate range Score: 8 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia Estate offers huge bang for buck if you want outright space and practicality. Just don’t expect it to excite you inside, or on country roads.” Read review
Daily Mirror
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic SE L estate Score: 8 / 10 “Tot up the list of standard equipment in the Skoda Octavia SE L and you have a very good value proposition. However, it’s the humbler trim levels that really deliver.” Read review
Eurekar
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic SE First Edition estate “Overall, the new Octavia feels and drives like a winner, but with three SUVs now in the Skoda stable, it will face a far tougher task to retain its position as the brand’s UK top seller. It has all the credentials to succeed though.” Read review
Heycar
Model reviewed: Estate range Score: 8 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia Estate impresses with its all-round competence. It’s a more upmarket choice than before, offering an extremely comfortable and spacious cabin. While it may not be the bargain it once was, the Octavia Estate represents excellent value for money.” Read review
Model reviewed: vRS saloon Score: 9 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia vRS is a stealth jet in the car world – powerful but not shouty, it’ll fly through most people’s radar completely undetected. it’s the kind of car that’ll appeal to you if you have no interest in turning the school run into your own personal trailer for the Fast and Furious film franchise.” Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia has moved upmarket, closing the gap between it and the Volkswagen Golf. In some ways, it’s a much better choice than the Golf – you get more space for your money, while it’s difficult to tell them in part in terms of interior quality. You’ll save thousands of pounds, too.” Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Liftback range “The Skoda Octavia continues to be one of the most practical offerings on the market.” Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Liftback range Score: 8.6 / 10 “Stylish Skoda Octavia offers acres of room and bags of tech for Ford Focus money.” Read review
Model reviewed: Estate range Score: 8.6 / 10 “Skoda’s Golf rival is now level-pegging with the Volkswagen.” Read review
The Telegraph
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic vRS estate Score: 8 / 10 “The generous equipment list, smart interior and copious amount of space all mean that the Skoda Octavia vRS is a car for all reasons, so the fact it comes at such an affordable cost – both to buy and to run – feels like a real treat. It may be more of the same, then, but that’s no bad thing.” Read review
Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol manual SE L First Edition liftback Score: 10 / 10 “Skoda has managed to retain the old car’s utility while adding smart looks and an interior that combines sense and style. By comparison with the new Golf, the Octavia actually feels slicker, more user-friendly, more stylish, more comfortable, better equipped and more practical, all while costing less.” Read review
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel automatic SE L First Edition estate Score: 8 / 10 “Price notwithstanding, the Skoda Octavia is a very impressive piece of kit. The perceived quality of the cabin is top of the class and the dynamics are good, with a fine ride and much-improved handling.” Read review
Top Gear
Score: 8 / 10 “You’d now recommend a Skoda Octavia over a VW Golf or Seat Leon.” Read review
Model reviewed: vRS Score: 6 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia vRS has been put together so that folks can have their cake, eat it, and not get fat.” Read review
Model reviewed: 2.0-litre diesel manual SE Technology estate Score: 7 / 10 “The Skoda Octavia SE Technology is your classic fleet special company car. It’s no-frills, like a Holiday Inn or a RyanAir flight. Only comfier. The one to go for if you’re spending any time on a motorway is the 2.0-litre turbodiesel. it’s not what you’d call muscular, but it is quite possibly the most economical car Top Gear has tested in 2020.” Read review
Model reviewed: Estate range Score: 8 / 10 “You don’t need a crossover. You just don’t. An estate like the Skoda Octavia is cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, better to drive, more economical and just as practical as most of them.” Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Green NCAP said: “The Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI demonstrates what can be achieved from a modern diesel equipped with the latest exhaust after-treatment technology. The car scores highly in all three areas of assessment: 6.7/10 for Clean Air, 7.7/10 for Energy Efficiency and 4.6/10 for Greenhouse Gases.
“This leads to a rating of 3½ stars, a remarkable achievement for a combustion-engined car with no electrification to assist its efficiency.”
This rating only applies to the 2.0-litre diesel manual estate version of the Octavia, and does not imply similar ratings for other engine and gearbox combinations in the range (although there will be no significant difference between estate and hatchback body styles).
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Fuel consumption
Average
Score
Petrol models
53 mpg
B
Diesel models
63 mpg
A
CO₂ output
Average
Score
Variation
Score
Petrol models
124 g/km
B
Diesel models
118 g/km
B
Plug-in hybrid models
24 g/km
A
Battery range
Average
Score
Variation
Score
Plug-in hybrid models
40 miles
D
Insurance group
Average
Score
Variation
Score
All models
23
B
Service and maintenance
Cost
Score
Year 1
£173
B
Year 2
£475
B
Year 3
£776
B
Year 4
£1,010
B
Year 5
£1,352
B
Overall
£3,786
B
The Skoda Octavia 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 pure-petrol models is good, with diesel variants being even better. We don’t currently have average fuel consumption data for the plug-in hybrids, but they’re never remotely accurate anyway so it’s not really worth worrying about…
Insurance premiums should be good, while service and maintenance costs over the course of five years of ownership are predicted to be very low, which is all good news if you’re looking at an Octavia.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
Total claims: 159 Average repair cost: £532.81 Last updated: October 2024
The Skoda Octavia has a better-than-average reliability rating of 72%, according to data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our partner, MotorEasy. This score covers both the current model and previous (pre-2020) generations.
The average repair cost of just over £530 is fairly average, although obviously still more than the cost of a used car warranty so that’s worth bearing in mind. The most expensive individual item is the gearbox, which has an average repair cost of almost £1,500 in cars repaired to date.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Skoda Octavia
Overall rating
D
31%
Petrol or diesel models
E
17%
Electric or hybrid models
C
56%
New car warranty duration
3 years
New car warranty mileage
60,000 miles
Battery warranty duration
8 years
Battery warranty mileage
100,000 miles
Skoda’s new car warranty is pretty much the bare minimum offered in the UK, with a duration of three years and a limit of 60,000 miles. Other rivals in the price bracket do better (and in some cases, much better).
In addition to the standard new car warranty, the Octavia plug-in hybrid version has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components. As a result, it has a better warranty rating than the regular petrol and diesel models.
If you’re looking to buy a used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Skoda Octavia has received
2024
Carbuyer Awards – Best Family Car
2023
Carbuyer Awards – Best Estate Car
UK News Motoring Awards – Best Dog-Friendly Car (estate)
2022
Carbuyer Awards – Best Estate Car
Company Car Today CCT100 Awards – Best Lower Medium Car
Fleet News Awards – Best Lower Medium Fleet Car
News UK Motor Awards – Best Used Car
2021
UK Car of the Year Awards – Best Family + Best Estate
Auto Express Awards – Best Family Car + Best Estate Car
Business Car Awards – Best Family Car
Carbuyer Awards – Best Estate Car + Best Used Estate Car
DieselCar & EcoCar Top 50 – Best Medium Car + Best Medium Estate Car
Fleet World Awards – Best Lower Medium Fleet Car
Scottish Car of the Year Awards – Best Family Hatchback + Best Estate Car + Best Plug-in Hybrid
2020
Auto Express Awards – Car of the Year + Best Compact Family Car + Best Estate Car
Business Car Awards – Best Lower-Medium Car
Carbuyer Awards – Best Family Car + Best Estate Car
DieselCar & EcoCar Top 50 – Best Medium Car + Best Medium Estate Car
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Skoda Octavia, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Skoda has announced that first versions of its performance Octavia vRS will hit the market at the end of the month priced from £31,495.
Both a hatch and estate version will be available, with the latter commanding a slightly higher price tag of £32,695.
The Octavia vRS will initially be powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 245hp, though a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel and a plug-in hybrid version will also join the ranks over the coming months.
That initial petrol-powered variant will send power through a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox and be capable of hitting 60mph from zero in 6.5 seconds. It also benefits from a ride height lowered by 1.5cm over the standard Octavia, as well as an electronic limited-slip differential.
Both the estate and hatch benefit from redesigned front and rear bumpers with a variety of black details, while the door mirror housings and window frames are also finished in gloss black.
The hatch also gets gloss black aero flaps and diffuser at the rear while the estate benefits from gloss black roof rails.
Inside, there’s a new multifunction steering wheel, heated front sport seats, ambient lighting and aluminium pedals. The vRS also benefits from Skoda’s latest digital instrument display panel, along with a ten-inch central display. All cars also get full LED Matrix headlights, adaptive cruise control and parking sensors.
Though prices for the petrol Octavia vRS have been announced this week, prices for the other powertrains in the range will be revealed at a later date.
Vauxhall has revealed its facelifted Crossland compact SUV, dropping the ‘X’ moniker used on its predecessor.
The new Crossland, which is set to arrive in the UK early next year, brings a bold new exterior look which takes many cues from the recently-revealed Mokka.
New LED headlights and the redesigned Vauxhall badge sit at the front, while at the rear you’ll find tinted lights and a gloss-black tailgate surface.
Available with either 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels, the Crossland also features front and rear skid plates for a more rugged look. A sporty SRi variant will also benefit from a black roof with red window accents.
Turning to the cabin and Vauxhall has introduced an eight-inch colour touchscreen which features both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offers a 410-litre boot as standard, though this can be increased to 520 litres by sliding the rear seats forwards. Drop them completely and boot space increases to 1,255 litres.
A range of assistance systems have also been fitted, including a driver drowsiness alert and forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking.
When it comes to powertrains, drivers will be able to choose from a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol – available in three states of tune – along with a 1.5-litre diesel which is offered in two different power outputs. More powerful units are available with a six-speed automatic gearbox, but the vast majority of engines are linked to a manual gearbox as standard.
Jaguar has unveiled facelifted versions of the XF saloon and estate, as well as minor updates to the smaller XE saloon, and has slashed the pricing of both models.
Both models get the firm’s latest Pivi Pro infotainment system and new mild-hybrid powertrains, but it’s the XF that’s the big news here as the BMW 5 Series rival receives its first major refresh since its reveal more than five years ago.
The XF gains a new look that follows a similar update to the F-Pace SUV, including a fresh grille, new bumpers and full LED headlights. But it’s the interior that’s seen the biggest change, where a new 11-inch curved touchscreen sits alongside a 12-inch digital instrument system to give the cabin a far more modern feel.
It also comes integrated with an e-sim for enhanced connectivity functions, while over-the-air updates will keep the systems up-to-date at all times. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also both now included as standard.
Elsewhere inside, there are new massaging seats, greater interior storage and a new centre console that features wireless smartphone charging. As an optional extra, there is a new system called ‘Active Road Noise Cancellation’ that delivers sound waves that cancel out any noise caused by vibrations from the road surface to offer a more hushed driving experience.
Moving over to the smaller Audi A4-rivalling XE saloon, changes are more limited as this saloon was only facelifted last year, though it also benefits from the new Pivi Pro media system on a smaller ten-inch screen. A new R-Dynamic Black trim is also available, which comprises black 19-inch alloy wheels with red brake callipers and a black design kit.
On both the XE and XF, Jaguar has slimmed the range significantly – halving the number of derivatives available compared to before and focusing on the models that sell best and retain the most value.
Both models are available with the same choice of four-cylinder engines – a new 204hp diesel that’s 24hp more powerful than the one it replaces and a petrol with either 250hp or 300hp. The diesel also gains new 48-volt mild-hybrid technology to maximise efficiency. Plug-in hybrid powertrains remain off the cards, though.
The slimmed-down range has also allowed Jaguar to cut prices on both by as much as 18%, with the XE available from £29,635 and the XF from £32,585, or £35,990 in Sportbrake (estate) form – undercutting rivals from BMW and Mercedes by some margin.
Both the updated XF and XE models are available to order now.
This is the new Polestar 2, and it’s the first solely electric vehicle to be produced by the company since it became a standalone entity separate from Volvo. We’ve already seen the Polestar 1, which utilised a plug-in hybrid powertrain, but the 2 is best seen as the firm’s first mass-market car with an electric setup designed to appeal to those who want an everyday EV.
It’s also aligned to take on a certain US-based electric car manufacturer at its own game. So can it hold its own in a quickly expanding segment? We’ve been behind the wheel to find out.
The Polestar 2 is a car that’s packed with innovation and features, so needless to say there’s a lot to talk about. It sits somewhere between a regular saloon and a slightly raised-up crossover, giving a more commanding view of the road ahead without being a fully-fledged SUV.
Inside, it’s brimmed with technology and it features full Google assistant capability. This means that, unlike many rival systems, all of the voice-activated systems genuinely work – but we’ll get on to that in more detail later on.
It essentially sits on the same platform as the Volvo XC40, but don’t go thinking that this is some parts-bin EV – this is a bespoke car for a very bespoke-feeling company.
How does it look?
To say the Polestar 2 looks otherworldly is to somewhat underplay just how mad this car looks out on the road. Of course, there are some subtle Volvo design cues there – the Thor’s Hammer headlights up front are the most noticeable – but in terms of outright design execution, the 2 is right up there. It turns heads wherever it goes with our space-age white vehicle standing out against pretty much anything it drove alongside.
The car’s layout, with a relatively raised seating point but a low-slung ride height, does give it rather strange dimensions but in this instance, it just works. Certainly against other EVs currently on sale, it’s refreshingly bold without being too over-the-top.
What’s the spec like?
Polestar has pitched the 2’s starting price at just under the £50,000 bracket, which allows it to benefit from the Government’s £3,000 plug-in car grant – so things are already off to a value-in-mind start. Even so, there’s a healthy amount of standard equipment including climate control, heated front and rear seats and adaptive cruise control.
The tech on offer is excellent too. The 11-inch touchscreen which dominates the cabin is one of the first to use a Google-made operating system and, as a result, it’s effortlessly clear to use and responsive, too. As we’ve mentioned, the voice control system is also intuitive and user friendly – just say ‘Hey Google’, state a command and it’ll do it. Looking for a charger or wanting to enter an address into the nav? This system will handle it all. Apple iPhone owners can connect and stream via Bluetooth, but full Apple CarPlay functionality won’t be available until sometime next year.
In terms of safety, just remember that Polestar is from the Volvo family. Therefore, it has been designed with safety as a priority rather than an afterthought. The Polestar 2 hasn’t been subjected to Euro NCAP crash testing yet because – like everything else – the labs have been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it’s fair to expect that it will perform pretty well.
What’s it like inside?
Much like the simplistic exterior, the interior is a masterstroke in how to make a little look like a lot. It’s not a cabin which is strewn with buttons nor too many screens, just one central display which features a pleasing lack of menus. As a result, it’s a relaxing place to sit, with the elevated view of the road ahead giving a more commanding feel to those behind the wheel.
Space in the back is decent enough, though headroom could be a touch tight for taller passengers. There’s 405 litres of boot space which is bolstered by an additional 41 litres of load area under the boot floor. Polestar has also incorporated a clever ‘flip-up’ boot divider which helps to keep the area organised, while you can also fold the rear seats down to open up the boot area to a healthy 1,095 litres.
What’s under the bonnet?
The Polestar 2 uses a dual-motor EV setup, which sees a motor placed on each axle. With a 78kWh battery pack, it develops just over 400hp and an impressive 660Nm of torque, allowing for a 0-60mph time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 127mph. Of course, all of this is dealt out with zero-emission eco-friendliness.
What about range though? Polestar claims up to 292 miles on a single charge which, though coming just under the magical 300-mile bracket, is likely to be enough for most people. It’ll accept a rapid 150kW charge too, which would see the batteries taken from 0-80% in just 40 minutes. If you want to charge back at home via a wall box, you’re looking at 12 hours for a 0-100% recharge.
What’s it like to drive?
We’d argue that if you looked at any car with more than 400hp and over 600Nm of torque you’d expect it to punch pretty hard in the performance stakes, and that’s certainly the case with the Polestar 2. Stamp the throttle and the instant torque on offer thrusts you forward with ferocity, the numbers on the dash increasing in a scarcely believable fashion.
Acceleration tests aside, the 2 goes about daily duties in an elegant manner. The whisper-silent powertrain makes the whole car quiet and refined, though a small amount of wind noise from the roof did disrupt the peace somewhat.
Our car, in Performance Pack setup, rode on adjustable Ohlins dampers which, despite being an addition which will find favour with motoring enthusiasts, deals the 2 a ride which is simply too firm. It’s almost certain that, with these swapped in favour of a more everyday suspension setup, that the 2 will ride in a more composed fashion. But elsewhere things are superb; the steering is well-weighted and accurate and, despite weighing more than two tonnes, it goes round corners in an admirably flat way.
Verdict
Given that the 2 is only Polestar’s second vehicle – and first full EV – you could cut it a bit of slack if things weren’t quite as they should be. However, there’s little need as the 2 is a fully-fledged, brilliantly executed vehicle that feels just as good to drive as it is to look at. Cleverly packaged and featuring some innovative tech, it’s very much the real deal.
Polestar is expected to announce a cheaper, smaller battery version of the 2 shortly, lowering the entry price and further extending its appeal. If you were already looking at a Tesla Model 3, then we’d give the Polestar 2 a fair amount of consideration before you go through with a purchase – that’s for sure.
Kia has revealed prices and specifications for its updated Picanto and Rio models, bringing a raft of changes and upgrades to two of its smallest models.
Exterior-wise, the ‘tiger nose’ grille on GT-Line and X-Line Picanto variants has been given a new textured surround, which sweeps into the lower part of the headlights.
Redesigned headlights combine with new LED daytime running lights while LED combination lamps sit at the rear. A new choice of eight paint finishes is now available, while a new alloy wheel with a 16-spoke design has been added too.
Inside, the Picanto benefits from a larger eight-inch touchscreen system, which as well as Bluetooth connectivity brings both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. It also delivers live traffic information, weather forecasts and local fuel prices, too.
Cleaner, more efficient engines have been added, with a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit with 100hp available alongside a naturally aspirated, 67hp 1.0-litre unit in the range. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard on all engines, though a five-speed automatic is available on all grades except entry-level ‘1’.
A range of new assistance systems has been added too, with forward collision avoidance assist, vehicle stability management and torque vectoring included on all cars up from ‘2’ specification.
Prices for the new Picanto start from £10,745 with the 67hp petrol engine with a five-speed manual gearbox.
The Rio, meanwhile, also benefits from a series of changes too. It too receives an updated front grille, as well as a lower and wider front bumper. A new set of 16-inch alloy wheels has been introduced too while two new exterior colours have been added.
The Rio also receives the same eight-inch touchscreen as the Picanto, included as standard on ‘2’ specification models and above. These cars also get a new four-inch display in the cluster ahead of the driver.
A new mild-hybrid engine has been added to give the Rio a cleaner, more efficient edge. The new turbocharged 1.0-litre unit is linked with a 48-volt mild-hybrid, which helps to improve fuel efficiency while giving an added boost to performance. It’s available with either a manual or dual-clutch automatic transmission.
A new 1.25-litre engine has also been added, with the four-cylinder, 16-valve unit bringing increased efficiency benefits over the existing range of engines.
Those hoping for a roaring September to offset months of dealership closures and poor sales will be somewhat disappointed with results published today. Overall new car registrations were down 4% on the same month last year, although private sales were only down by 1%.
We published our usual market analysis this morning, and now we turn to a more detailed look at the ten best-selling cars for September. It’s always a big month for private buyers, who tend to be more enthusiastic about the twice-yearly number plate changes than fleet buyers, but this year that was even more noticeable as fleet registrations continue to be weak. That has also played a part in shaping this month’s top ten list, with some new faces and a few poor results from some models that rely heavily on fleet sales.
The UK’s best-selling cars, September 2020
1. Vauxhall Corsa
The Corsa roared back to the top of the charts in September – despite recording 18% fewer sales than the same month last year – continuing an impressive run for the new Vauxhall supermini. To add further cause for celebration, it also overtook the Ford Focus to move into second place in year-to-date registrations. With only three months to go this year, it seems unlikely that the Corsa can catch its arch enemy, the Ford Fiesta, for overall full-year sales honours, but it might run it close.
The petrol and diesel versions of the new Corsa currently hold an Expert Rating of 72% on our unique aggregator scale, based on 24 reviews we have gathered so far. That puts it in the bottom half of the supermini class, although the all-electric Corsa-e does score slightly better with an Expert Rating of 74%.
Once again, the Ford Fiesta has to play second fiddle to the Vauxhall Corsa in the monthly sales race. Like the Corsa, Fiesta registrations were down 18% compared to last September against an overall market that was down just 4%. In year-to-date sales, the Fiesta still leads the Corsa by more than 3,700 units, so it’s likely to hold onto its crown as Britain’s best-selling car for another year, but it will probably be a close fight unless Ford can slow the Corsa’s momentum.
The Fiesta currently holds an Expert Rating of 82% in The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating index, which aggregates reviews from 21 of the UK’s top motoring websites. This is a two-point slip in the last month, which now drops the Fiesta behind the SEAT Ibiza as class leader – although it’s still 10% better than the Corsa, so hopefully that will cheer up Blue Oval fans.
After slipping down to sixth place in August, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class rebounded to an excellent third place in September – although like the top two, its registrations were down 18% on the same month last year. Interestingly, that means that the top three places in September 2020 were exactly the same as September 2019.
The A-Class has an Expert Rating of 77% in The Car Expert’s unique aggregated Expert Rating index, based on 41 UK reviews. It ranks highly for safety, winning awards from Euro NCAP, Thatcham and What Car?for its protective qualities.
It was a good month for the Volkswagen Polo, which rose from seventh place in August to fourth in September. That helped the Polo cement its eighth place in year-to-date registrations, closing in on the Mini for seventh place with only three months to go in 2020.
The Polo holds an Expert Rating of 80% in The Car Expert’s New Car Ratings calculator, which is good but still a few points behind its Spanish cousin, the SEAT Ibiza.
From a glass-half-empty approach, the Volkswagen Golf fell from second place last month to fifth this month, despite a much better year-on-year performance than the top three cars. That will be at least partly due to the fleet market underperforming relative to the private new car market. But from a glass-half-full point of view, it was a much better result than the Ford Focus managed, which allowed the Golf to leapfrog its arch-rival in the year-to-date sales race.
We’re beginning to see more local reviews of UK-spec Golf models being published in the media (as opposed to the initial reviews that took place at the international media launch), and the Golf’s formerly stellar Expert Rating is gradually starting to slip – although it’s still the top-ranked car in its class. The much-vaunted ‘all-digital’ interior has drawn criticism from several reviewers who have found it inferior to the more conventional cabin of the previous-generation model.
After a surprising absence from the August best-sellers list, the Nissan Qashqai bounced back into the top ten in September. It also retains its title as the best-selling British-built car over the Mini hatch, and looks set to hold onto that title for another year with only three months to go.
The ageing Nissan Qashqai currently holds an Expert Rating of 74% in our New Car Ratings database, which is midfield for the compact crossover segment and in the bottom half of scores for a top ten-selling car. A replacement is due to be revealed later this year, although the timeframe may be subject to change in light of the chaotic economic conditions currently enveloping the industry.
The new Ford Puma makes its second appearance in as many months with a very creditable seventh place. Given the drop in sales for both Fiesta and Focus, it may be that there has been some cannibalisation among existing Ford customers going on. As long as those customers are staying within the Blue Oval family, Ford is unlikely to be too bothered.
The bug-eyed small SUV has been popular with critics, currently holding a rating of 84% on our unique Expert Rating index. This remains a best-in-class result, but it has slipped a couple of points in the last month as we’ve added some new reviews and other sources have revised their initial opinions. A hot new ST version may help swing that score back upwards in coming months, however.
Like the Nissan Qashqai, the Mini hatch was another car that disappeared in August then reappeared in September. The new-plate registration months are traditionally good for Mini, so eighth place may actually be a bit of a disappointment for the brand’s BMW overlords.
It was another good month for the Mini hatch, eighth in July after being fifth last month and still holding seventh place in year-to-date registrations. The electric model has now launched as well, which certainly won’t do sales any harm.
The Mini hatch holds a very solid score of 80% in our Expert Ratings aggregator, which is better than most cars in its class despite being much older than many of its rivals. We’ve now indexed the new Mini Electric model as well, and interestingly its score is currently only 73% – although this may change by a few points (eother up or down) as more reviews are published.
The brilliant little Volvo XC40 makes its second appearance in the top ten list, having previouly popped up during lockdown in May. It may be another quirk of a relatively strong consumer market/weak fleet market, and the addition of a plug-in hybrid version will probably help as well. Another factor is that Volvo has been working closely with car buying site Carwow, which reported today that the XC40 was the most popular car sold through its service in September.
The XC40 is the class leader among small SUV/crossover models, with an Expert Rating of 85%. A new plug-in hybrid model has recently joined the range, while a fully-electric version is now in production and set to arrive either later this year or early 2021.
If you are a fan of terrible puns, you could say that Ford really lost its focus in September, as the brands family hatch fell from third place last month to tenth this month. It was also nearly 30% behind its registration numbers for last September against an overall market that was only down 4%.
The Focus was almost certainly the victim of a weak fleet market as well as its arch-rival, the new Volkswagen Golf, arriving in dealerships in large numbers to tempt away potential Focus customers.
A poor September result also means that the Focus has fallen from second place to fourth in year-to-date registrations, slipping behind the Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Golf. It’s neck-and neck between Focus and Golf right now, but the momentum is certainly with the VW at the moment and it looks favourite to defeat the Focus in full-year sales in jut three months’ time.
The Ford Focus currently holds an Expert Rating of 80% in our Expert Ratings database, which is better than most rivals but still a couple of points off the new Volkswagen Golf based on its reviews to date.
There had been a lot of optimistic noises from various industry sources about how a backlog of orders and pent-up demand would generate a big month for new car sales in September, but that looks to have largely been wishful thinking, with a disappointing set of results published this morning.
New car registration data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that the overall market was down more than 4% on the same month last year, resulting in the lowest number of September registrations since the twice-yearly number plate system was introduced back in 1999.
Data paints a bleak picture
Since dealerships started reopening across the UK in June, there has been the expectation that a lot of the registration results for June/July/August would have been the delivery of pre-lockdown orders, while most new customers would be placing orders for September delivery with the latest 70-plate number plates.
There have been mixed messages from the automotive world over the last few months, with some sources predicting a bumper September as the oft-repeated “pent-up demand” from three months of closed dealerships was finally released. Others were more cautious, suggesting that customer traffic was still slow.
September registrations always include a lot of orders placed in between April and August by customers who want the latest number plates on their new car. The fact that numbers were still down despite the “pent-up demand” shows that the underlying market is still very weak. With the likelihood of further movement restrictions and job losses set to affect much of the UK in the run-up to Christmas, the prospects for new car sales for the rest of 2020 look grim.
Source: SMMT
Consumer sales continue to lead the way
As has been the case since dealers reopened in June, the private new car market has outperformed the fleet market, as companies delay or reduce spending as much as possible. The consumer market is being largely propped up by returning PCP finance business, as customers can’t afford to pay out their balloon amounts and are essentially forced into buying another new or used car.
Private new car sales were down 1% compared to last September, while fleet registrations fell nearly 6%. Business registrations, which only make up 2-3% of new car sales anyway, were down 32% year-on-year. With business conditions looking bleak for the foreseeable future, the car industry will be frantically trying to cut supply of affected models. Which brings us onto the subject of diesel…
Electrified cars outsell diesels for the first time
Consumer sales outnumbered fleet registrations in September for the first time in many years, which contributed to another terrible month for diesel car registrations as diesel sales rely heavily on fleet customers.
We suggested a few months ago that the coronavirus could kill off diesel cars altogether, and today’s results showed that electrified cars (hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully-electric cars) outsold diesel cars for the first time. To do so in one of the biggest sales months of the year is even more significant.
Several car manufacturers have been withdrawing their diesel engines from sale, and even some models that are largely reliant on diesel engines have been dropped. The silver lining in all this is that it might finally slow down the diesel-powered SUV juggernaut and lead customers back to traditional saloons and estates (which are generally much better vehicles anyway, to be frank).
Source: SMMT
Good month, bad month
Against an overall market that was down 4% compared to last year, there was quite a lot of volatility in how different manufacturers performed.
Audi did particularly well, jumping to third overall in the market behind perennial best-sellers Ford and Volkswagen. Budget brand MG also recorded another massive month – up 170% year-on-year – continuing its relentless rise up the charts and having already sold more cars in the first nine months of this year than it did in all of 2019.
The 2020 supermini slugfest continued in September, with the new Vauxhall Corsa regaining top spot from its arch enemy, the Ford Fiesta. The Volkswagen Polo also had a good month to finish fourth in a strong month for small cars.
Source: SMMT
With September always being a strong consumer month, combined with a weak fleet market, there were a couple of surprises in this month’s top ten. The Ford Puma ranked seventh and the Volvo XC40 popped up in ninth place, while the Ford Focus fell to tenth place. This means that both the Vauxhall Corsa and Volkswagen Golf have now overtaken the Focus in year-to-date registrations.
As always, we’ll have a deeper dive into the monthly top ten in the next few days.
BMW has revealed its new 4 Series Convertible, with the drop-top variant joining the recently-introduced coupé model.
All cars come in M Sport specification as standard and come with full LED headlights regardless of trim level. The folding fabric roof, meanwhile, has been designed to deliver the robustness of a retractable hard top with the ‘appeal of a fabric roof’, according to BMW, combining large panels and a flush-fitting rear window.
Several layers of insulation also ensure that the roof retains the car’s refinement, yet it’s 40% lighter than the outgoing car’s metal retractable roof. It’s able to open or close within 18 seconds at speeds of up to 31mph.
Inside, all cars get leather upholstery as standard as well as three-zone climate control, electric seats and a reversing camera. As already mentioned, all cars come in M Sport specification as standard, which brings large front air intakes and a sculpted rear apron as well as 18-inch alloy wheels and full M Sport suspension.
A digital instrument cluster measuring 12 inches is fitted as standard, sitting alongside a ten-inch display which houses all of the main infotainment functions. Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are supported, too.
A new M440i xDrive model has been added too, bringing a six-cylinder petrol engine and sitting as the flagship in the range. As well as a full M Sport differential, it gets contrast red brake calipers and 19-inch light M alloy wheels.
It’s joined in the range by two four-cylinder petrol units – badged 420i and 430i – while a four-cylinder diesel engine badged 420d will also be available. A more powerful 430d will also hit the market, albeit later in 2021. The former will achieve up to 67.3mpg, with the latter returning a claimed 50.4mpg.
At the top of the range of diesels sits a twin-turbocharged M440d xDrive. As well as the added capability of all-wheel-drive, this model can return up to 44.8mpg while emitting 165g/km of CO2.
All cars come with an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard.
A wider range of assistance systems has been included in the new 4 Series Convertible compared with its predecessor, bringing features such as lane departure warning, speed limit info and park distance control.
First UK deliveries of the new BMW 4 Series Convertible are expected in March, with prices starting from £45,785.
