The Car Expert

Dacia Duster Bi-Fuel test drive

Jack Evans

-

9 November 2020

Dacia has a problem on its hands. While its models are hugely successful (170,000 have been sold in the seven years the Renault-owned firm has been in the UK), its low prices don’t bode well with the rise of electrification.

The firm has been slow to commit to hybrids and EVs, though the latter is set to be available in 2021, so how do you offer a simple low-cost solution to lowering CO₂ emissions and, more importantly, save money for buyers?

Well, Dacia’s got a rather simple solution – liquified petroleum gas, or LPG. Costing half the price of petrol, it’s an appealing fuel that, surprisingly given its cost-saving benefits and cheap implementation, is not one favoured by manufacturers any more.

Dacia Duster Bi-Fuel review 2020

What’s new about the Dacia Duster Bi-Fuel?

Dacia becomes the only firm in the UK to offer LPG and it calls its system ‘Bi-Fuel’, as you can choose to run it on either petrol or LPG, and it’s available across all Dacias equipped with the 1.0-litre TCe petrol engine. Here, we’re trying the system on the Duster crossover, though you can have it on the Sandero supermini and Logan MCV estate, too.

The only difference next to a standard model is the 34-litre LPG tank, which is placed where you’d find a spare wheel, but actual boot space is entirely unaffected. There’s no clever (and thus expensive) digital displays showing how the system works, but rather a simple switch underneath the electric mirror stalk allowing you to flick between LPG and petrol. In true Dacia fashion, it’s a simple and no-frills way of doing it.

How does it look?

For buyers wanting chunky styling from their crossover, the Duster crossover is a superb fit. With its high ride height, chunky plastic sills and wide wheelarches, it looks like it means business. Even if all Bi-Fuel versions are front-wheel-drive only…

You can also make it look as plush or as basic as you like, with entry-level Access versions looking like they’ve just been dragged out of the desert (in a reassuringly rugged way). Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, top-spec Prestige models with their large diamond-cut 17-inch alloy wheels offer more in the way of style.

What’s the spec like?

The Duster remains the cheapest crossover on sale and one of the UK’s most affordable cars, with prices kickstarting from £11,245, though you’ll need to upgrade to the Essential trim to be able to pick a Bi-Fuel model. Given the LPG models cost a mere £400 more than the petrol model, choosing it seems like a no-brainer.

While your local fuel station might not have LPG, given around 1,200 forecourts do across the UK, you’re unlikely to be far away from one, and the process of filling up is easy (though you might have to use an adaptor that Dacia supplies). And given LPG costs around 60p a litre, it’s nearly half the price of petrol. Dacia says you can expect to save £600 each year by running on LPG, which would soon stack up over a period of years.

In terms of spec, the mid-spec Comfort grade is the one to go for and costs £14,695 here. It comes with everything you need, and nothing you don’t, with highlights including all-round electric windows, the aforementioned touchscreen, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, cruise control and air conditioning.

Dacia Duster Bi-Fuel review – LPG switch

What’s it like inside?

Reassuringly basic is the best way to describe the Duster’s cabin. You won’t find a whiff of soft-touch plastics or, ahem, ‘premium feel’ in this Dacia, but rather hard and scratchy plastics that feel like they’ll last the test of time.

In our mid-spec Comfort model, though, it actually features a seven-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – you don’t even get the latter on a £30,000 Range Rover Evoque. The system is about as no-frills as you can get, but it does the job and on a cheap car like this, it’s all you can ask for.

The Duster’s also impressively roomy. Sure, there’s no room for a spare wheel thanks to the LPG tank, but such few cars come with them these days anyway that it’s not an issue. The boot itself is big for a car of this class – measuring 445 litres – though rear space isn’t quite so generous.

What’s under the bonnet?

You get the same turbocharged 1.0-litre TCe petrol engine found in the regular Duster powering this version – which produces 100hp – though Dacia has managed to find an extra 10Nm of torque when running on LPG – increasing it to 170Nm.

Don’t buy the Duster for its performance though, as this is not a quick car with 0-60mph taking 13.6 seconds. On paper, Dacia claims it’s 0.6 seconds quicker to 60mph on LPG, though you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

With petrol and gas combined, Dacia claims you can travel an impressive 620 miles before needing to fill up.

In terms of running costs, fuel economy dips quite significantly when running on LPG (dropping from 44.1mpg to 35.3mpg), but CO₂ emissions are lower on gas – going from 145g/km to 129g/km.

What’s it like to drive?

Nothing has changed with the way the Duster drives, and despite being slow, it’s a model that’s really quite enjoyable behind the wheel.

The small 16-inch alloy wheels with chunky tyre walls on our mid-spec test car mean you could plough through potholes without a second thought, and even on rough roads, it’s impressively comfortable. While you’ll have to rev the not-especially-refined engine to get it to speed, once it’s there it’ll sit happily enough at motorway speeds without too much fuss, even though the five-speed manual transmission could do with a sixth gear.

Our only real gripe is that taller drivers may find it a bit claustrophobic, as the sloping windscreen makes you feel as if you’re sitting overly close to the glass.

Verdict

Given Dacia is all about value and saving people money, the introduction of this factory-fitted LPG offering is a brilliant addition to the firm’s range. Considering the system adds a minimal £400 to the price, the fact it brings no setbacks and the potential to save £600 on petrol costs each year, it’s definitely worth considering.

Adding to that, the Duster is a brilliant no-nonsense crossover. No, it’s not premium, it’s not techy and it’s not particularly refined. But if you’re not fussed about a fancy badge or having all the gadgets, it offers truly terrific value – even more so in this new Bi-Fuel form.

Key specifications

Model tested: Dacia Duster Comfort TCe 100 4×2 Bi-Fuel
Price: £14,695 (£15,255 as tested)
Engine: 1.0-litre petrol/LPG
Gearbox: Five-speed manual

Power: 100 hp
Torque: 170 Nm
Top speed: 104 mph
0-60mph: 13.6 seconds

Fuel economy (combined): 35.3 mpg (LPG), 44.1 mpg (petrol)
CO2 emissions: 129 g/km (LPG), 145 g/lm (petrol)
Euro NCAP safety rating: Three stars (2017)
TCE Expert Rating: 73% (as of Noveber 2020)

Will my insurance be invalidated if I drive during lockdown?

Car insurance

Stuart Masson

-

9 November 2020

1

UPDATE, November 2020: There has been a lot of confusion in recent days about whether your car insurance is still valid, fuelled by misinformation from an insurance-switching company.
Please read below for the full story and ignore speculation in social media or tabloid newspapers.

As the UK moves in and out of lockdown restrictions like some really unappealing game of hokey-cokey, there have been plenty of questions arising from motorists about what they can and can’t do with their cars. Unfortunately, this has not been helped by misinformation being spread on certain issues.

In recent days, there has been mounting concern and speculation online that motorists who are not on an essential trip could be invalidating their car insurance. The origin of this appears to be an insurance-switching organisation that published a press release last Friday, saying: “you may find your car insurance policy won’t cover the damage and you could end up paying thousands of pounds for repairs”.

This is not true.

This incorrect information was picked up and used for articles by several newspapers and websites over the weekend and today, including Sky News, the Daily Mirror and several regional news organistions.

There have also been (unverified) claims on social media over the last week or so that drivers are being fined and/or issued with penalty points on their driving licences if they are using their car for commuting to work when their policy doesn’t allow it. This was also picked up by tabloid media and some other news sites.

So here are your definitive answers.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has issued a lot of advice in recent months and has set up a specific coronavirus FAQ page for car insurance questions. It’s well worth a read.

When asked directly by The Car Expert today (9 November), a spokesperson for the ABI said: “During lockdown the Government has advised against all but essential travel. Motor insurers continue to cover those using their vehicle for commuting to work and NHS volunteering without you having to first tell them. You should follow Government restrictions, but if you do use your car for non-essential travel, you will not risk invalidating your car insurance.”

“Further information, including the pledges made by motor insurers to support customers, can be found here as well: https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/topics-and-issues/coronavirus-hub/motor-insurance/“

Further guidance from the ABI also indicates that anyone who has signed up for the NHS Volunteer Responders service will not have to update their car insurance for it to be valid. However, if you are a Community First Responder or other ‘Blue Light’ volunteer, you should contact your insurer or broker to inform them.

Keep your insurance details up to date

Even though you don’t have to worry about your car insurance not covering you for non-essential travel, it’s still important that the details you give your insurance provider are 100% accurate. There are many things that can invalidate your car insurance.

While it’s true that you don’t need to update your current policy to add ‘commuting’ if you are now driving to work as a result of Covid-19, you should probably do it anyway. And when your policy is up for renewal (or you choose to switch to another insurer), then you do need to update this information as you will be taking out a new policy.

We’ve put together this helpful guide with ten points to check:

Could you be invalidating your car insurance?

Police cracking down on uninsured drivers

Part of the confusion about whether your car insurance is valid may be coming from police forces across the running a co-ordinated crackdown on uninsured drivers.

‘Operation Drive Insured’ saw all of the UK’s 43 police forces working to detect and seize uninsured cars a couple of weeks ago, so it’s entirely possible that some of the law enforcement activity affected those who didn’t have their insurance details up to date. However, there is a difference between police issuing a penalty for you not having the correct insurance and an insurance company refusing to pay out.

More car insurance news and advice at The Car Expert

This article replaces a previous version from April 2020, and has been largely re-written to address ongoing speculation about car insurance validity during the latest coronavirus lockdown.

Britain’s best-selling cars, October 2020

Car industry news

Stuart Masson

-

7 November 2020

0

Britain’s best-selling cars, October 2020

October was almost good news for new car registrations because private sales were up by about 0.4% compared to the same month last year. I say ‘almost’ because fleet registrations were down more than 3%, which pulled the overall numbers down slightly.

Still, a modest increase for private sales means showrooms would have been a bit busier, as dealers tried to get as many cars out the door ahead of the November lockdown across England.

We dug into the overall registration numbers yesterday, but it was another good month for electric and hybrid cars, which collectively outsold diesel cars for the second month in a row. However, the forecast for November and December look comparatively bleak, with showrooms closed for the next four weeks.

The UK’s best-selling cars, October 2020

1. Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatchback | Expert Ratings

Mercedes-Benz may try to position itself as a premium or luxury brand, but you can’t really get more mainstream or more common than the biggest-selling car in the country. And in October, the top-selling car in the UK was the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

The A-Class has an Expert Rating of 77% in The Car Expert’s unique aggregated Expert Rating index, based on 44 UK reviews. It ranks highly for safety, winning awards from Euro NCAP and Thatcham for its protective qualities.

2. Vauxhall Corsa

It was another great month for the Corsa, outselling the Ford Fiesta yet again and continuing an impressive run for the new Vauxhall supermini. With only two months to go this year, it seems unlikely that the Corsa can catch the 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 71% on our unique aggregator scale, based on 25 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%.

3. Ford Fiesta

Ford Fiesta (2017 onwards) Expert Rating

Once again, the Ford Fiesta has to play second fiddle to the Vauxhall Corsa in the monthly sales race. Fiesta registrations were down nearly 20% compared to last October against an overall market that was down less than 2%. In year-to-date sales, the Fiesta still leads the Corsa by more than 3,500 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 81% in The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating index, which aggregates reviews from 25 of the UK’s top motoring websites. This is a one-point slip in the last month, which drops the Fiesta further 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.

4. Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf (2020 onwards) Expert Rating

The Volkswagen Golf improved from fifth place last month to fourth this month, which pulled it another 1,000 units closer to the Ford Focus in year-to-date registrations. With two months to go, the Focus is just over 2,000 units ahead of the Golf, so the race between the two family hatchbacks could go down to the wire.

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.

5. Ford Puma

The new Ford Puma makes its third appearance in three months, improving from seventh place in September to fifth place in October. 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 83% 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.

6. Volvo XC40

Volvo XC40 (2018 onwards) | Expert Rating

The brilliant little Volvo XC40 makes its third appearance in the top ten list and the second in a row. 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.

The XC40 is the class leader among small SUV/crossover models, with an Expert Rating of 84%. 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.

7. Mini hatch

The Mini hatch improved to seventh in October. The new-plate registration months are traditionally good for Mini, so there may be some carryover from September where the Mini was only eighth. It still holds seventh place in year-to-date registrations, inching towards the sixth-placed Nissan Qashqai in what should be another close race to the end of the year. 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 (either up or down) as more reviews are published.

8. Ford Focus

It was another below-average month for the Ford Focus, although eighth place in October is better than last month’s tenth place, as the brands family hatch fell from third place last month to tenth this month. It was also nearly 21% behind its registration numbers for last October against an overall market that was down by less than 2%.

The Focus was almost certainly the victim of a weak fleet market as well as the roll-out of its arch-rival, the new Volkswagen Golf, arriving in dealerships in large numbers to tempt away potential Focus customers. Having fallen from second place to fourth in year-to-date registrations last month, the Focus now looks like it may come under pressure from the Mercedes-Benz A-Class with two months left to go this year.

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.

9. BMW 1 Series

BMW 1 Series (2019 onwards) Expert Rating

Making its second appearance, and the first since May, is the new BMW 1 Series. BMW’s small hatchback breaks with a long-held company tradition by being front-wheel drive instead of rear-wheel drive, a point that has caused consternation among BMW enthusiasts but has been well received by most of the motoring media. However, it definitely follows modern BMW tradition by being really ugly…

The good news is that it drives better than it looks. It has been generally praised for its driving dynamics, despite the switch to front-wheel drive, and currently holds an Expert Rating of 81%.

10. Audi A3

Making its debut in the UK best-sellers list is the new Audi A3, joining its arch-rivals from BMW and Mercedes in the top ten. Available as both a five-door hatchback and a saloon, the new A3 went on sale in summer of this year and supplies now appear to be moving freely.

The Audi A3 has received generally good reviews from the UK media since it was launched, with an Expert Rating of 79% that puts it smack in the middle of the BMW 1 Series (81%) and Mercedes A-Class (77%). It’s still quite new to the market, so we may see this score fluctuate as more local reviews are added in coming months.

Can I get an MOT or service during the second lockdown?

Tom Johnston

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6 November 2020

0

Drivers are being advised to book their next MOT test early, because garages that carry out the safety check are still struggling to cope with the backlog from the UK’s original Covid lockdown in Spring.

It’s one of several pieces of advice to come out as England enters a second coronavirus lockdown, which will affect motorists and motor trade businesses. This time, garages, service centres and MOT test stations have been told they can remain open to continue providing important safety work on customers’ cars and vans.

Can I get an MOT test?

Earlier this year, during the first lockdown, motorists were granted a six-month extension to their MOT test date after thousands of garages closed their doors. But with an easing of restrictions this time around, getting your car MOT tested should be easier – although there is a waiting list.

“We fully support the government’s decision to allow garages to remain open as normal, and not to enforce another MOT extension,” said Stuart James, chief executive of the Independent Garage Association (IGA).

“Garages are still busy catching up with the backlog of MOTs that the extension caused earlier this year. A second extension would only cause confusion among consumers and put law-abiding vehicle owners at risk of significant fines by leaving cars unchecked.”

Can I get my car serviced, tyres fitted or body repairs done?

Other automotive services such as vehicle body repair and tyre fitting centres remain open – with strict Covid-related hygiene measures in place – as they are deemed essential to road safety.

A recent survey by car servicing portal BookMyGarage revealed that thousands of motorists had delayed having their car serviced due to financial concerns or because the vehicle had not been driven as much as usual.

Will car washes remain open?

Car washes that are part of a petrol forecourt have been granted permission to remain open by the government following earlier fears that they would have to close. Independent car washes not connected to a filling station have not yet been allowed to open in England – although the other UK countries do permit them to operate.

Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association and Car Wash Association, said: “The CWA will continue with its robust lobbying as automated car washes that are not connected to a petrol station have not yet been granted an exemption to remain open. We are working to ensure that these are not discriminated against in this, and any potential further, lockdown.”

Can I still take driving lessons?

Driving instructors have also been hit by the latest lockdown measures. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, no driving lessons or tests are currently taking place, while in Scotland some lessons are permitted in areas classed as Tier 1 and 2. The Driving Instructors Association is awaiting further clarification from the government on who they are allowed to teach, amid fears of a growing backlog of people awaiting their driving test.

More car ownership news, information and advice at The Car Expert

BMW Z4

Stuart Masson

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6 November 2020

0

Summary

The BMW Z4 is a two-seat roadster, with the current version being the third-generation model. It was revealed in the summer of 2018 before arriving in the UK in early 2019. The Z4 was jointly developed with Toyota, and forms the basis for the now-discontinued Toyota Supra coupé.

The latest Z4 has a soft-top roof instead of a folding hard-top roof like the previous model, with BMW choosing to abandon folding hard tops on all its convertible models.

The BMW Z4 has received generally positive reviews from the UK motoring media, although several outlets have pointed out that it is more of a cruiser than a sports car.

The Z4 has been praised for its comfort, build quality and improved handling compared to its predecessor. However, it’s still not considered as enjoyable to drive as a Porsche Boxster or Audi TT, while the styling – as on most modern BMWs – has been polarising.

As of February 2026, the BMW Z4 has a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 63%. That’s a combination of excellent scores for safety and reliability, middling media reviews and high running costs.

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

Key specifications

Body style: Two-door convertible
Engine: petrol
Price: From £45,135 on-road

Launched: Spring 2019
Last updated: Spring 2024
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Featured reviews

“The BMW Z4 is less dynamic than its Stuttgart rival, the Porsche Cayman, but still a rewarding and practical everyday machine.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 7 / 10

Read full review

Evo

Bob Harper

“The BMW Z4 is a stylish, comfortable cruiser, but you need the top-spec manual version for proper sports car thrills.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 7 / 10

Read full review

Carwow

Mario Christou

More reviews

“Provided you like the looks, the Z4 is an excellent, comfortable and dynamic roadster which shows that BMW still has serious form in this class.”
Read review

Auto Express

Model reviewed: Range overiew
Score: 8 / 10
“BMW’s Z4 front-engined, rear-drive sports car is an old-school delight, although keen drivers will favour a Porsche Boxster.”
Author: Jordan Katsianis
Read review

Model reviewed: Handschalter
Score: 8 / 10
“The BMW Z4 Handschalter is not as precise or ultimately engaging as its key sports car rivals, but then comes with a very different type of appeal. In many ways this Z4 feels old school in its mentality, thanks to its classic sports car layout and notchy manual gearbox. Yet at the same time, it also comes across as very modern thanks to a brilliant engine, excellent overall refinement, and slick tech.”
Author: Jordan Katsianis
Read review

Model reviewed: 2023 facelift
Score: 8 / 10
“The Z4 has no huge flaws and in many ways it’s perfected the modern roadster formula – but ageing technology, an increased price tag and a lack of dynamism are let downs.”
Read review

Model reviewed: M40i
Score: 7 / 10
“In a world of downsized three and four-cylinder petrol engines, it’s refreshing to see BMW continue to offer its sonorous in-line six in the latest Z4.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic sDrive20i M Sport
Score: 8 / 10
“Lighter than the more expensive M40i by a full 130kg, it steers and handles more sweetly than its big brother, plus it’s cleaner and comes with plenty of equipment.”
Read review

Auto Trader

Model reviewed: M40i manual
Score: 9 / 10
“Six years after this Z4’s release, BMW has capitulated to enthusiast demand and produced one with a manual gearbox. It’s a no-cost option on the fastest M40i version. A final hurrah for the petrol-era Z4, it makes the thing a little more involving to drive, but a little worse as a day-to-day car. Because manual gearboxes suck in traffic jams, hence so few people wanting them now. Still, either way, the BMW Z4 is a lovely sports car.”
Author: Mark Nichol
Read review

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The BMW Z4 is worthy of consideration for anyone wanting a glamorous soft-top. The entry-level versions brilliantly play the part of stylish runabout that can double as a comfortable long-distance cruiser, while the most powerful Z4s deliver more in the way of performance and engagement.”
Read review

Car

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The BMW Z4 is still a car best enjoyed at a cruise with an arm propped on the door in the sunshine rather than setting an early alarm to make the most of a favourite road. That might simply be a reflection of the Z4’s target market, and if that was the car’s internal brief it’s excelled.”
Read review

Car Keys

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic sDrive 20i
Score: 8 / 10
“If you’re wanting a fun-to-drive roadster, but like a bit of luxury and your creature comforts as well, the BMW Z4 is the car for you. Combining agility with a premium look and superb interior, it ticks a lot of boxes and is a drop-top that would be very easy to live with on a daily basis.”
Read review

Carbuyer

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.8 / 10
“The BMW Z4 is a high-quality sports car that serves up old-school fun.”
Author: Andy Goodwin, Jordan Katsianis
Read review

Company Car Today

Model reviewed: sDrive 20i M Sport
“Improved in all the important areas, the new BMW Z4 makes for a nice premium perk car for those people and businesses that can put up with the impracticalities of a two-seat roadster.”
Read review

Daily Mail

Model reviewed: M40i
“It’s a wonderfully liberating feeling to have such civilised power under the bonnet while roaring down an otherwise deserted beach road with the roof and windows down and the sun on your face.”
Read review

Daily Mirror

Model reviewed: 3.0-litre petrol automatic M40i
“The M40i is expensive and that’s without any options fitted. The four-cylinder cars are more than quick enough and much more affordable. There are drivers who will want the macho appeal of the M40i badge but those just interested in a well-balanced sports car will find the sDrive 20i will do the job.”
Read review

Eurekar

Model reviewed: 2.0-litre petrol automatic sDrive 30i
“As with the other German roadsters, the BMW Z4 is a class act but its looks give it a special persona which is sure to impress.”
Read review

Evo

Model reviewed: sDrive20i
Score: 8 / 10
“Downsized approach results in more fun and a worthwhile saving – but we suspect the 30i may be the sweet spot.”
Read review

Model reviewed: M40i
Score: 7 / 10
“The new BMW Z4 is a car of conflicting personalities. There’s a fast and capable sports car in there somewhere…”
Read review

Heycar

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The BMW Z4 is not the sharpest driving roadster out there, but that’s not necessarily a problem. Indeed, the BMW Z4’s all-round ability makes it a more appealing car if you’re after an indulgent daily driver, that’s not short of fun when you’re in the mood for it.”
Read review

Honest John

Model reviewed: Range overview
“Staying away from a heavy folding hardtop roof, the BMW Z4 uses an electrically operated textile roof.”
Read review

Model reviewed: sDrive20i Sport
“The all-new BMW Z4 is larger, more luxurious and GT-like than ever before.”
Read review

Motoring Research

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“There’s something refreshingly honest about the BMW Z4. In a world of hybrids, SUVs and niches within niches, the Z4 is a straightforward sports car.”
Read review

Parkers

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.8 / 10
“Impressive blend of comfort and sportiness.”
Read review

The Sun

Model reviewed: M40i
“The BMW Z4 M40i really packs a punch with speed and laser-like precision for tight corners.”
Read review

The Telegraph

Model reviewed: 3.0-litre petrol automatic M40i
Score: 6 / 10
“The BMW Z4 has always been a pleasant enough car to enjoy a relatively sedate drive, but it was never precise or focussed enough to be called a sports car. Technology has helped narrow the gap between cruising ability and high-speed performance, but there are better machines out there.”
Read review

Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The new BMW Z4 is sportier than the last one, but also capable of long-distance work. The looks? That’s up to you.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 7 / 10
“The seats are heated as standard on all Z4s, too, so you’ve no excuse not to lose the top no matter the temperature outside.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: September 2019
Date expired: January 2026
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 97%
Child protection: 87%
Vulnerable road users: 91%
Safety assist: 76%

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of February 2026, the BMW Z4 has not been tested by Green NCAP.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

Total claims: 12
Average repair cost: £233.25
Last updated: April 2025

Reliability score

All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims

The BMW Z4 has an excellent reliability rating of 86%, according to workshop data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our partner, MotorEasy. Please note that this data covers all models in BMW’s Z Series, which includes all generations of the Z4, as well as the older Z1 and Z8 models.

Not many MotorEasy warranty holders have reported issues with their Z4, but data suggests that if an issue is to arise, it will relate to the car’s suspension. This is a relatively cheap fix though, costing £250 on average to correct.

Running cost rating

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

Fuel consumption	Average	Score
Petrol models	37 mpg	D

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	171 g/km	D

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	35	D

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£339	D
Year 2	£742	D
Year 3	£1,175	D
Year 4	£1,497	D
Year 5	£1,949	D
Overall	£5,702	D

The BMW Z4 is not the best choice for those looking for an economical vehicle, data exclusively provided by our partner Clear Vehicle Data suggests.

Petrol models have a fuel economy ranging between 33 and 40 mpg, which falls below the market standard. This is of no surprise though, considering this is a sports car. The car’s insurance premiums will be fairly average by market standard, and the Z4 is estimated to be neither expensive or cheap to service and maintain over five years of ownership.

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BMW Z4 test drive

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New car sales hold steady in October

Car industry news

Stuart Masson

-

5 November 2020

0

Private new car sales held steady in October, although fleet registrations continued to be slightly off the pace in new data published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

With expectations of an upcoming lockdown in England, manufacturers and dealers will have been pushing as many cars out as possible to beat the deadline. Against that, Wales was locked down for the last half of the month, which will have restricted deliveries there.

Private new car registrations actually increased compared to the same month last year, albeit by just 0.4% or 238 cars, so basically nothing. Business registrations, which only account for 2% of the market, were slightly up as well. But, as has been the case all year, fleet registrations remained down on the same month last year – by just over 3% – as companies continue to minimise spending on new vehicles.

The other factor that may have helped October sales was increased media discussion about potential price increases once Brexit comes into full force in January. With the car industry warning that a no-deal Brexit will lead to price hikes on all new cars, it may be that both private and fleet customers have brought forward some new car purchases to avoid paying more next year.

Electrified cars outsell diesels again

For the second month in a row, electrified cars (full-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and regular hybrids) outsold diesel cars. With 20% market share, electrified cars can finally claim to be entering the mainstream of new car buying. Diesel sales are undoubtedly hurt by slow fleet sales, but now appear to be in a vicious cycle of falling sales leading to models being cut, which means falling sales, which means more models get cut.

Of course, this means that 60% of new cars are still petrol powered (including those with mild hybrid assistance). As electric and hybrid cars continue to become more popular, this share will start to fall in the next couple of years.

November and December looking bleak

With a four-week lockdown now in place for England until early December, registration numbers for November will inevitably suffer. It won’t be as bad as we saw in April, where overall numbers were down 97%, because dealers will still be able to operate click-and-collect or home delivery options for people to buy new cars. But it will still be a lot worse with showrooms closed for a month, and it will hurt December’s numbers as well.

Expect some desperation and fire sales in December once showrooms in England re-open, as car dealers and car manufacturers look to finish a dreadful year on some kind of positive note. The Brexit price-rise rhetoric will also ramp up to try and entice buyers into showrooms before Christmas.

Good month, bad month

As usual, there was still plenty of variation in the market despite the overall total being down less than 2%.

It was a positive month for Audi, Jeep, MG, Mini, Skoda, Smart, Subaru, Vauxhall and Volvo, who all reported sales at least 10% better than the market fall of 2%

Life wasn’t so rosy for Alfa Romeo, Alpine, DS Automobiles, Ford, Hyundai, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Maserati, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, SEAT or Volkswagen. All of these brands saw registration numbers down by at least 10% more than the market average. Expect some aggressive offers between now and Christmas…

A for Awesome as Mercedes tops the charts

The most popular new car in October was a Mercedes-Benz, with the A-Class surging to the top of the charts ahead of the Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Fiesta. With only two months to go, it looks like the Fiesta will hang onto its overall “UK’s Best-Selling New Car” crown for another year, although the Corsa will probably run it close. The Fiesta is probably also being hurt by the success of the Ford Puma, which is basically a crossover version of the Fiesta anyway.

Elsewhere, it was another good month for the Volvo XC40, while the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3 both popped up at the bottom of the top ten. It’s the first appearance for the new A3, while the 1 Series returns for the first time since May. We’ll have our usual top ten coverage in the next couple of days.

More car industry news and analysis at The Car Expert

Land Rover Defender 90 test drive

Darren Cassey

-

5 November 2020

0

The reinvention of the Land Rover Defender was a massive moment for the brand. One of its most iconic models has been reborn, but had to appeal to a new urban audience while also staying true to its roots.

Available in two body shapes – the short-wheelbase 90 and long-wheelbase 110 – we’ve already driven the latter, and it’s fair to say the brief has been nailed. It looks great, drives well on the road and can handle any terrain. Now, we’re trying the shorter, smaller version – does it have the same magic?

Land Rover Defender 90 review

What’s new?

This is the three-door version of a totally updated model, with Land Rover claiming its platform is 95% new compared with anything else in the range. It’s made from lightweight materials and has been upgraded to make it more capable off road.

With the latest version of Terrain Response, which adapts the car’s settings for the surface that’s being driven on, off-road pros can tweak settings to their own preference, while the new Pivi Pro infotainment system is also present.

How does it look?

While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, we don’t think many will disagree that the Land Rover has got the Defender’s styling spot on. It evokes memories of the old one while looking fresh and new. SUVs generally struggle to stand out from one another but this one has genuine character.

There are also packs available that can alter the exterior to make it better-suited to city life or give you accessories for off-roading. For example, the Explorer Pack adds a roof rack, side panniers and a raised air intake.

And while the five-door 110 might be more practical for family life, the three-door 90 has a real charm that comes from being a tall but short 4×4. In an age of identikit crossovers, it’s certainly welcome.

What’s the spec like?

Prices for the Defender 90 start at £43,625, which gives you coil suspension, Terrain Response, LED headlights and tail lights, and 19-inch wheels. Inside there’s a leather steering wheel, climate control, cruise control, 3D cameras and a ten-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Step up to the X-Dynamic from £50,640, and extra equipment includes silver styling parts, 19-inch alloy wheels with a different design, heated front seats and leather upholstery. The First Edition starts at £55,735 and adds air suspension, folding fabric roof, fog lights, 20-inch alloy wheels, and a Meridian Sound System. Finally the X gets more advanced Terrain Response, sliding panoramic roof and an extended leather upgrade.

Finally, four packs add extra equipment that could be useful for how you use the vehicle. These are the Explorer Pack, Adventure Pack, Country Pack and Urban Pack, with extras including cargo panniers, a side ladder, and extra protection.

What’s it like inside?

While the driving experience gives little concession to its off-road prowess, there are some on the inside. For the most part, there are high-quality materials and it feels brilliantly put together, while the newest Pivi Pro infotainment system is great to use.

The overall ambience is one of simplicity, though, because it’s also supposed to appeal to those who’ll get it muddy, meaning it’s not quite on the same level of design as similarly-priced rivals from Audi or BMW.

The Defender 90 specifically is slightly smaller inside on account of that shorter wheelbase. The main concern here is the fact that the 110 has a five-plus-two seating arrangement, while the 90 can seat six.

What’s under the bonnet?

There are currently two diesel and two petrol engines available, with today’s test drive sampling both the petrols. The two diesels are 3.0-litre mild hybrid units that make about 200 and 250hp each. Meanwhile the P300 petrol performed valiantly on the off road courses, with the 2.0-litre unit pulling the Defender up near-impossible terrain.

We only tested the P400 on the road. It’s a 3.0-litre six-cylinder unit making almost 400bhp and 550Nm of torque. With a 0-60mph time of 5.7 seconds it’s clearly no slouch, but it doesn’t feel particularly well-suited to the Defender driving experience. The lazier diesels feel much more appropriate.

What’s it like to drive?

With this being a short-wheelbase, tall-sided 4×4 that’s excellent off-road, it shouldn’t be particularly good on the road, but it is. Whether you’re on city streets or out on the motorway, the Defender is composed and comfortable. With the 90 being quite short, it’s pretty easy to thread through busy traffic, too.

However, it comes alive when you take it off the beaten track. During our test drive, we journeyed through some pretty gnarly off-road tracks that had been made all the more treacherous by a week of rain. The Defender barely hesitated, with the only troubles generally caused by its inept driver.

The fact it was just as happy cruising down the motorway as it was clawing itself out of a muddy plunge pool is mighty impressive.

Verdict

We were big fans of the Defender 110 at launch, and unsurprisingly, the 90 is no different. It’s fantastically comfortable on the road and ridiculously capable off road. It’s a little less practical than the 110, but if you’re not always popping kids in the back seats the extra charm of the three-door’s styling could make it a winner.

The Defender range (both 90 and 110) currently holds a rating of 90% on The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating index, based on 29 UK reviews at time of writing. This is one of the highest scores around, especially if you exclude exotica costing well over £100K, which shows how highly that the UK motoring media rates the new Defender.

Despite the easy-to-clean mats and surfaces, it feels a little too posh to be a true workhorse, but if you’re in the market for a car that feels like it can do everything while you sit in comfort, the Land Rover Defender 90 is a winner.

Similar cars

Jeep Wrangler | Mercedes-Benz G-Class | Toyota Land Cruiser

Key specifications

Model as tested: Land Rover Defender 90 X P400
Price: £77,400
Engine: 3.0-litre petrol
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 400 hp
Torque: 550 Nm
Top speed: 130 mph
0-60mph: 5.7 seconds

Fuel economy (combined): 25.5 mpg
CO₂ emissions: 252 g/km
Euro NCAP safety rating: Not yet tested (as of November 2020)
TCE Expert Rating: 90% (as of November 2020)

Lamborghini Urus

Stuart Masson

-

4 November 2020

0

Summary

The Lamborghini Urus is a large SUV, built on the same platform as the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga. It was unveiled in late 2017 and arrived in the UK market in 2018.

The Urus is Lamborghini’s first luxury SUV, although not its first off-road vehicle – that was the cult favourite LM002 from the 1980s. It was somewhat controversial when it was launched, although with nowhere near the levels of outrage that accompanied the Porsche Cayenne nearly 20 years ago.

As of March 2026, the Lamborghini Urus holds a New Car Expert Rating of D with a score of 54%. It has been (inevitably) praised for its performance, but also commended for being relatively quiet and comfortable. The main negatives have been (inevitably) the price tag and questions about its general relevance in the world.

More Lamborghini ratings, reviews, news and features

Key specifications

Body style: Large SUV
Engine: petrol
Price: From £185,500 on-road

Launched: Autumn 2018
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

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

Auto Express

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Traditional school run SUVs will be cowering in fear when you rock up to the playground in your twin-turbo V8 Lamborghini Urus.”
Author: Jordan Katsianis
Read review

Auto Trader

Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The Lamborghini Urus succeeds in its goal combining the extravagance and performance of a Lamborghini with the practicality and comfort of a luxury SUV. And crucially, you can turn either character on or off with the flick of a switch.”
Read review

Car

Score: 8 / 10
“There really isn’t anything quite like the Lamborghini Urus on the market. It’s indecently fast, whether the road is straight, curvy, bumpy or not a road, it looks unique and it can carry all the family or friends when needs be.”
Read review

Carbuyer

Score: 7 / 10
“The Lamborghini Urus is really a supercar on stilts, encompassing all the best and worst points of both sports cars and SUVs.”
Read review

Carwow

Score: 8 / 10
“The Lamborghini Urus one of the fastest SUVs on sale and has a fantastic V8 engine, but you’ll pay for Lamborghini’s hallowed badge, and don’t think you’ll be going too far off-road.”
Read review

Daily Mail

“It turns, accelerates and stops just like the rest of Lamborghini’s supercars. And the fact the Urus can do that and be a humongous SUV with a massive boot and room for the entire family makes it one of the most mental Lamborghinis for some time.”
Read review

Daily Mirror

Score: 10 / 10
“If you love an adventurous lifestyle and have the money, then this car could be the one for you. If you love showing off to the other mums and dads on the school run, this is definitely the car for you. Because, let me tell you, after a few days behind the wheel of this car, I want one.”
Read review

Evo

Score: 8 / 10
“Trying to master so many disciplines in one car is a tough gig, but the Lamborghini Urus makes a reasonable fist of it.”
Read review

Heycar

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Many Lamborghinis of the past have been fast, thrilling and theatrical, but have failed to serve up much more beyond that. The Urus is different. This is a car that delivers on the drama needed from a Lambo, but also delivers the practicality, comfort and luxury needed to make it a viable everyday proposition.”
Author: Ivan Aistrop
Read review

Honest John

“Like the Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga, the Lamborghini Urus will be a niche SUV for those with extremely deep pockets.”
Read review

Parkers

Score: 8 / 10
“The new Lamborghini Urus is well worth recommending. It’s unique in the market, offering the performance and, within reason alone, it’s worth getting the nod from us.”
Read review

The Sun

“Is it a true Lamborghini? The answer is Yes, Yes and No. Yes, because in track mode it’s loud, angry and nosebleed fast. Yes, because everyone wants to take a photo of it. But sadly No, because it can’t limbo. And all Lambos should be lower than a snake’s belly.”
Read review

The Sunday Times

Score: 8 / 10
“Lamborghini has made a very good car. A car that is quiet and comfortable and fast and probably super-reliable. It’s also, and I know this sounds ridiculous, quite good value for money. But, sadly, by doing all this, it hasn’t made a Lamborghini. Which is what I wanted.” (Jeremy Clarkson)
Read review

The Telegraph

Model reviewed: SE
Score: 6 / 10
“Wild styling and barely credible performance are a given with the Italian high-performance cars – but sometimes you just want a little calm.”
Author: Alex Robbins
Read review

Score: 8 / 10
“Lamborghini’s first attempt at an SUV is remarkable for the fact that, despite the weight, it manages to be a fine road car, sufficiently competent off-road and a total hoot on a racing circuit. Explosively fast, yet practical (even comfortable) and well built. The only issue is the ride.”
Read review

Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Urus is what happens when the maker of the planet’s most outlandish supercars turns its hand to a large five-door family car with proper ground clearance and off-road ability.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

No safety rating

As of March 2026, the Lamborghini Urus has not been crash tested by Euro NCAP and we are not expecting this to ever happen. If it does, we will update this section accordingly.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of March 2026, the Lamborghini Urus has not been lab tested by Green NCAP. We’re not expecting the Urus to ever actually be tested, but we’ll publish the results here if it happens. But given that it’s a 4.4-litre petrol twin-turbo V8 SUV, it would be unlikely to score highly…

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of March 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Lamborghini Urus to generate a reliability rating.

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

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

Running cost rating

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

Fuel consumption	Average	Score
Petrol models	22 mpg	E

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	324 g/km	E
Plug-in hybrid models	68 g/km	A

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	50	F

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

The car’s fuel economy of 22 mpg is one of the poorest fuel consumption stats in our Expert Rating Index, and insurance premiums are in the most expensive bracket too.

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Buy a Lamborghini Urus

If you’re looking for a new or used Lamborghini Urus, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car or a competitive finance arrangement

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Jaguar E-Pace updated with new hybrid powertrains

Model update

Jack Evans

-

31 October 2020

0

Jaguar E-Pace updated with new hybrid powertrains

Jaguar has given its compact E-Pace SUV a mid-life refresh, bringing a range of new hybrid powertrains as well as a variety of updates.

The new plug-in powertrain – badged P300e – combines a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with an 80kW electric motor. Jaguar says that it’ll be able to drive on purely electric power for up to 34 miles, while combined CO₂ emissions sit at 44g/km. In terms of fuel economy, it’ll return up to 141mpg combined.

Thanks to quick charging, a 0-80% charge can be achieved in as little as 30 minutes according to Jaguar, via DC public charging.

Inside, the E-Pace features Jaguar’s latest Pivi Pro infotainment system, which as well as media and phone connectivity options, incorporates software-over-the-air updates to ensure that the car keeps the very latest features. It’s accessed via an 11-inch high-definition touchscreen.

The exterior has been given a light revision too, bringing new LED headlights and a refreshed grille design for a sharper, more dynamic appearance. The bumper at the rear has been given a mesh insert, too.

New mild-hybrid technology has been applied across the range, with the E-Pace’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol and 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engines all benefitting from the fuel-saving feature.

At the top of the range sits the E-Pace 300 Sport model which, thanks to 300hp and 400Nm of torque, will go from 0-60mph in 6.6 seconds. It also receives active damping, 20-inch diamond-turned alloy wheels and sport seats.

Priced from £32,575, the updated Jaguar E-Pace is available to order now.

Mini Electric test drive

Ryan Hirons

-

31 October 2020

0

An electric Mini is not really a new idea. In fact, you can go back more than a decade to 2008 for the firm’s first EV offering — the Mini E — a car that was built in extremely limited numbers with none ever finding permanent public homes.

So, what we’re driving today has been rather a long time in the making. This is the Mini Electric, the car that lays claim to be the first mass-market electric Mini and what the firm is happy to describe as its biggest introduction since BMW took over the reins.

With the electric car market incredibly competitive now though — think the likes of the latest Renault Zoe, new Vauxhall Corsa-e and Peugeot e-208, plus the smaller-but-cuter Honda e — can the Mini Electric make an impact worthy of the brand? We find out.

Mini Electric review

What’s new?

Of course, the Mini Electric is the obvious change to this Mini comes under the bonnet with its electric powertrain, but fundamental changes are very minimal in a bid to keep the brand’s trademarks at its core. Perhaps impressively, the Electric is even built on the same production line as petrol and diesel equivalents, which is currently a rarity in the industry.

Changes elsewhere include some optional visual tweaks to highlight its battery-powered prowess, though these are a free option in case you’d prefer to fly under the radar a bit, while it also becomes the first Mini to adopt a new ‘Level 1, 2, 3’ trim line-up that does away with individual cost options. Finally, a rather snazzy-looking digital display replaces traditional dials and gauges in front of the driver.

How does it look?

Rather than take some radical approach to design, Mini has opted to retain the core look of the car for the Electric with some mild tweaks here and there to hint at its electrically charged nature.

Up front, its grille outline remains but the unit itself is closed off and features a split yellow stripe through the centre, while colour-matching mirror caps and ‘E’ badging features around the car. Rounding out the look is a set of Electric-exclusive 17-inch alloy wheels.

Though we think these changes are pretty fitting, Mini also offers the ability to take these bits off for no cost in favour of more conventional colours and alloys if that’s your preference.

What’s the spec like?

Pricing for the Mini Electric kicks off at £24,900 (which is actually £27,900 minus the £3,000 government plug-in) in ‘Level 1’ guise. Equipment here includes automatic air conditioning, cruise control, automatic LED headlights, selectable driving modes, satellite navigation and rain-sensing wipers.

Moving up the £26,400 (grant inc.), ‘Level 2’ builds on that with auto-folding mirrors, a centre armrest, ambient interior lighting, a rear-view camera, heated seats, anthracite-coloured headlining and cloth/leatherette seats.

Topping the range is the £30,400 (grant inc.) ‘Level 3’. This adds full leather seats, matrix LED headlights, front parking sensors, a Harmon Kardon audio system, a head-up display, a panoramic glass sunroof, self-parking tech and illuminated dashboard panels.

What’s it like inside?

Changes to the cabin are verging on non-existent for the Mini Electric, with the only ones of note being a digital display in place of traditional dials and gauges, as well as a yellow ‘S’ on its Cooper S-branded door sills.

Not that we’re complaining. The whole thing feels incredibly well put together, with a strong use of soft-touch materials in both the Level 2 and 3 trims we’ve had a crack in. Its new display is exceptionally clear too and does well to focus on key information on speed and charge without feeling overly cluttered in the way many digital driver displays here do.

It should be noted though that the Electric is only available as a three-door, so reaching those back seats is a pain. Boot space isn’t compromised though as the batteries sit towards the front of the car, retaining the hatch’s 211-litre capacity — although that figure lags behind the Vauxhall Corsa-e’s 267-litre offering and the Peugeot e-208’s 265 litres.

What’s under the bonnet?

Mini is launching the Electric with just the one battery capacity, though it remains to be seen if more come down the line. For now, though, that sole option is a 32.6kWh unit, which will provide a claimed driving range of 145 miles. We’ll come back to that number in just a second.

The electric motor sends 184hp and 270Nm of torque to the front wheels. Zero to 60mph comes up in 7.1 seconds, which is just a touch shy of the lighter petrol Cooper S.

While the powertrain itself is pretty impressive — delivery of its grunt is sharp and predictable — the whole thing is hugely compromised by its range. That 145-mile number is the lab figure, tested on the official WLTP combined cycle. However, hopping into a freshly charged car (admittedly on a cold and wintry day), we’re met with a readout of about 120 miles – and realistically you can expect to extract 90-100 miles of that before having to plug back in.

That may be fine for the urban dweller that covers very little distance, but it makes the Mini Electric an unviable prospect if long journeys are a common occurrence. To once again compare the Mini with the Vauxhall Corsa-e and Peugeot e-208, their official WLTP ranges are 209 and 217 miles, respectively. That’s nearly 50% more range than the Mini, although those claimed figures will also fall in real-world driving.

What’s it like to drive?

Fortunately, the switch over to electric hasn’t compromised what the Mini is so good at in the first place — driving fun.

Take it on a tasty looking back road and the chassis feels remarkably playful, with all of its agility able to be exposed well thanks to its potent powertrain. Its slight extra heft does leave the car a little more prone to understeer than a petrol Cooper S, but the spirit of its counterpart is very much there.

It’s just as at home around town, too. Tackling city streets is a breeze thanks to its compact nature, the nimbleness of the car and strong visibility. Its ride is on the harsh side, however.

Verdict

There’s plenty to like about the Mini Electric. The company has nailed it when it comes to keeping the electric model on-point with everything its internal combustion counterparts stand for. It’s a remarkably fun thing to drive, while continuing to deliver a comfortable and appropriately premium experience inside.

The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating analyser has crunched data on 21 UK media reviews of the Mini Electric to date, with an overall rating of 72%. That’s well down on the regular hatch’s rating of 80%, with the main criticisms being the poor battery range and the hefty price tag of the Mini Electric compared to a regular petrol Mini.

If your car doesn’t move many miles and space isn’t an issue, this could well be the perfect blend of guilt-free driving and actual enjoyment of a product. However, we suspect that key lack of battery range will do no favours for those with range anxiety though, and will give rivals a leg up in getting customers into showrooms.

Similar cars

Key specifications

Model as tested: Mini Electric L3
Price: £24,900 (including plug-in grant)
Engine: Electric motor
Battery: 32.6 kWh

Power: 184 hp
Torque: 270 Nm
Top speed: TBA
0-60mph: 7.1 seconds

Range (WLTP combined): 145 miles
Euro NCAP safety rating: Not yet tested
TCE Expert Rating: 72% (as of October 2020)

Mercedes-Benz increases stake in Aston Martin

Car manufacturer news

Jack Evans

-

30 October 2020

0

Mercedes-Benz increases stake in Aston Martin

Mercedes-Benz will become one of Aston Martin’s key shareholders as part of an expanded technology agreement.

Representing an expansion on the pair’s existing deal, the move will give Aston Martin greater access to Mercedes technology, with highlights including the firm’s electric and hybrid powertrains. In addition, future electric architecture will be made available ‘for all product launches through to 2027’, according to Aston.

Heralded as a “transformational moment for Aston Martin” by executive chairman Lawrence Stroll, the agreement forms part of the firm’s “long-term product expansion plans”. Stroll also announced today that the luxury British carmaker is targeting revenue of £2bn by 2024/25.

Stroll added that the announcement was “truly game-changing”.

“We now have the right team, partner, plan and funding in place to transform the company to be one of the greatest luxury car brands in the world.”

The agreement will also see Mercedes gradually increase its stake in Aston Martin up to a maximum of 20%. Before, the German carmaker owned around 5% of Aston shares as part of a previous agreement.

Wolf-Dieter Kurz, head of product strategy at Mercedes-Benz Cars said: “We already have a successful technology partnership in place with Aston Martin that has benefited both companies.

“With this new expanded partnership, we will be able to provide Aston Martin with access to new cutting-edge powertrain and software technologies and components, including next generation hybrid and electric drive systems. Access to this technology and these components will be provided in exchange for new shares in Aston Martin.”

Fiat confirms pricing and specification for electric 500

New model

Darren Cassey

-

29 October 2020

0

Fiat confirms pricing and specification for electric 500

The new electric Fiat 500 will cost from £19,995 (after the plug-in car grant) when it goes on sale in the UK early next year.

There will be two battery options – 24kWh and 42kWh – which offer ranges of 115 and 199 miles respectively. The 24kWh battery has a 94hp motor and a top speed of 84mph, while the 42kWh battery gets a 120hp motor and 93mph top speed.

These are complemented by three trim levels, with entry level Action models getting the smaller battery and Passion and Icon trims getting the larger one. The new 500 is also available as a hatchback, cabriolet and ‘3+1’, which adds a third door on one side to make it easier to enter the back seats – though this won’t come to the UK immediately.

Standard equipment includes a drive mode selector, a smartphone cradle, Bluetooth connectivity, rear parking sensors, and a seven-inch screen in the instrument binnacle. It also gets 50kW charging abilities.

Upgrade to Passion, with prices starting at £23,495, and you get cruise control, climate control, a choice of two interior trims and a seven-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. With the larger battery, it can charge at speeds of up to 85kW, getting to 80% capacity in about 35 minutes.

Icon is the top trim and starts at £24,995. It gets a ten-inch infotainment system with sat nav, 16-inch alloy wheels, and lighter shades for the interior design. It also has hands-free entry, with a wearable key that locks and unlocks the car automatically when you’re nearby.

Finally, a well-equipped launch edition called La Prima is also available, costing £26,995.

Prices for the cabriolet versions are considerably higher than these hatchback models and there is no Action trim available here. After the government plug-in car grant is taken into account, drop-top models start at £26,145 for Passion, £27,645 for Icon, and £29,995 for La Prima.

Order books open in December with first deliveries expected in March 2021.

More Fiat news, ratings, reviews and features

Could you be invalidating your car insurance?

Jack Evans

-

28 October 2020

2

Car insurance is something which is required by law in the UK. It protects drivers across the country and ensures that there’s cover in place should an incident occur.

Your car insurance premium price is determined by how the insurance company assesses your level of risk. If you don’t give your insurer the correct and current information about yourself, your car and your driving situation, your insurance will not be valid – especially if you have underpaid for the level of cover you actually need. It is your responsibility to make sure that everything you tell the insurance company is 100% correct, and that you update your information as soon as your circumstances change.

There are many simple mistakes that could leave your insurance invalidated in the eyes of the providers. Fortunately, they’re usually simple enough to avoid – and CarParts4Less has revealed ten of the most common to look out for below. By the time you get to the end, you may realise that you need to contact your insurer to update your information.

More car insurance news, information and advice

Lying about your main address

Car insurance premiums are often influenced by where the primary location listed on the policy is. Insurers take into accounts local crime rates, for instance, to alter how much a premium will cost.

It can, therefore, be tempting to list a location in a lower crime rate – or if you’re travelling to university with your car, to leave the policy’s address as your home – but in doing so, you’re invalidating your insurance.

The same applies to where your car is parked overnight – in a garage, on a private driveway or on the street. It might save you a few quid if you claim to keep the car in a garage, but if the insurance company can prove you don’t, any claim could be invalidated.

Ignoring your morning commute

There are three different types of car insurance usage options: social, domestic and pleasure; commuting to/from work; and business use. You may need to be covered for one, two or all three kinds of use.

Social, domestic and pleasure means that you’ll only be using your car for personal journeys and errands.
Commuting covers your trips to and from your normal place of work, or partial journeys to work (for example, you drive to the train station and then continue your commute via train).
Business use covers you if you use your car to drive to multiple places of business, travel to attend meetings in different locations or carry equipment. If you want to be covered for business use, you’ll also need to indicate your expected annual business mileage.

This division of vehicle use can come as a surprise to some people, who assume that car insurance will cover you whenever and wherever you are driving. However, that’s not the case in the UK. The benefit of this categorisation is that you don’t have to pay for cover that you don’t need. As business use and commuting tend to account for more accidents and claims, it’s unfair to make domestic drivers pay extra if they’re not using their car to get to work or while at work.

While it can be tempting to leave your car usage as ‘social only’ as it often brings lower premiums, if you’re found to be commuting then you are effectively uninsured for that journey. As a result, your insurer can refuse to pay out in the event of an accident.

UPDATE, November 2020: There has been a lot of online dicussion about this lately. If you are now driving to work as a result of Covid-19 and weren’t previously, you don’t need to contact your insurer to update your current policy to include ‘commuting’ – but you should probably do it anyway. And when your policy is up for renewal (or you choose to switch to another insurer), then you do need to update this information as you will be taking out a new policy. More information here.

Not informing your insurer about any car modifications

Modifying a car is seen as an exciting part of the overall owning experience by many, with upgrades allowing you to make your car ‘yours’.

However, fail to disclose any of these upgrades – even changes such as alloy wheels or window tinting – and insurers might not have your back if there’s an incident. It’s because upgrades can increase the risk of theft, meaning a policy would need to be adjusted to account for this.

Not informing your insurance company of minor accidents

If you’re involved in a small bump or collision with another motorist that only causes light cosmetic damage to a car, it’s often the case that you won’t want to make a claim on your insurance.

However, even if you don’t intend to make a claim, you still need to inform your insurers. This protects against the other driver changing their minds and making a claim against you in the future, while also highlighting the damage for future reference.

‘Fronting’

With insurance costs for new drivers increasing year by year, many look for ways to drive down the cost of their premiums. One common way is called ‘fronting’. This sees an older, more experienced driver (like a parent) named as the main driver on the policy, with the younger motorist added as a ‘named driver’ instead. Policies will likely drop in price, as a result.

However, doing so is a real no-no, and could result in any claims being denied and the policy cancelled. If escalated to court, this offence could turn into a fine of up to £5,000 and six penalty points on your driving licence.

Doing more miles than you thought

Your annual mileage is one of the key ways in which an insurer calculates how much you’ll have to pay for cover. After all, the more miles you spend on the road, the more likely it is that you will be involved in an accident.

However, you need to make sure that you’re as accurate as possible with your estimation of mileage when taking out a policy. If an insurer finds you’ve been doing more miles than initially disclosed, then they might not pay out following an incident.

Driving with pets

Driving with a pet in the car is something many people do on a regular basis. However, in order to reduce the risk of an accident being caused, it is a legal requirement that pets are secured in the vehicle. This is both for your pet’s safety and for yours.

If you crash while your pet is unsecured in your car, then there’s a good chance that your insurer won’t pay out.

Letting other people drive your car

Though many people have insurance policies that allow them to drive other cars, it’s often the case that this only provides third-party cover.

It means that, although your friend or relative might be able to legally drive your car, if they crash then there’s little chance that you’ll be able to claim for it.

If you’re going to be driving another car, it’s worth talking to your insurer about temporary cover to make sure you’re protected. There are also several insurance companies online that specialise in temporary cover for exactly this sort of thing.

You’ve recently changed jobs

Your occupation is yet another way insurers calculate your premiums, as certain jobs tend to have a higher risk factor. For this reason, it’s crucial that you inform your insurer if you change jobs, as if you fail to do so they might not pay out if an accident occurs.

Even if you get a promotion at work that results in a new job title, it may affect your premium. Speak to your insurer to make sure your details are up to date.

Charging for lifts

Some policies exclude cover for car sharing, even if you’re not making any money out of it. For those policies that do cover lift sharing, it might be voided if you start making a profit from giving lifts to others.

Earning money from giving lifts can identify you as a ‘taxi hire service’, which would need a completely different type of cover.

More car insurance news, information and advice

Additional reporting by Stuart Masson

Honda e (2020 to 2024)

Stuart Masson

-

28 October 2020

0

Summary

The Honda e was a small five-door electric city car hatchback. After various concept versions were shown by Honda in 2017 and 2018, the production version was revealed in 2019 and arrived in the UK in Summer 2020. It was sold until early 2024 when production ended without a replacement.

Unlike many electric vehicles, the Honda e was designed from the ground up as an electric car rather than being based on an existing petrol model. It also a showcased a new design direction for Honda, combining 1970s and 1980s retro styling elements with start-of-the-art technology.

Media reviews for the Honda e were positive but cautionary. It received universally high praise for its styling, technology and driving dynamics, which distinguished it from other city cars (either electric or petrol-powered). But reviewers also universally pointed out that the Honda e was expensive, with a starting price of more than £34,000, and had a limited battery range of little more than 100 miles in real-world conditions.

As of February 2026, the Honda e has a Used Car Expert Rating of B with a score of 69%. It scores top marks for its very low running costs and zero tailpipe emissions, but its safety rating is only average and its media review scores were poor – largely due to its high price. However, at the lower prices available on the used car market, this is less of a problem.

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

Key specifications

Body style: Small five-door hatch
Motor: electric, battery-powered
Price when new: From £34,420 on-road

Launched: Summer 2020
Last updated: N/A
Discontinued: Spring 2024

Image gallery

Media reviews

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

Featured reviews

“The Honda e is a groundbreaking little car, and one which will undoubtedly prove immensely popular. Yes, you could say that the range restricts it, but for those who want a car which is easy to nip here and there in – charging on the fly – then it more than fits the bill.”

Model reviewed: Advance

0Read full review

The Car Expert

Jack Evans

“The retro-styled Honda e provides a cool, classy take on the small electric car.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 6 / 10

Read full review

Auto Express

Ellis Hyde

More reviews

Auto Express

Model reviewed: Advance
Score: 8 / 10
“Just a little more range would make the Honda e more appealing, but it’ll likely be fine for how most owners will use it. What you can’t deny is that Honda’s execution is superb; the e drives nicely, it’s comfortable, refined and even fun.”
Read review

Auto Trader

Score: 9.5 / 10
“The sweet combination of impressive future tech and captivating retro design makes Honda’s small, urban EV a very tempting package.”
Read review

Business Car

Model reviewed: Advance
Score: 9 / 10
“The Honda e is a ground-breaking EV, from its design and drive to its multiscreen infotainment system. The latter especially feels way ahead of all other cars sold in the UK (large and luxury ones included). Drive and see for yourself.”
Read review

Car

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Honda e is one of the most eye-catching electric cars we’ve yet seen. Its dinky size, cute face and properly cool interior are the biggest draws in its charm arsenal, so much so that some might overlook the low-ish available range and the price being higher than other city EVs.”
Author: Tim Pollard
Read review

Car Keys

Score: 8 / 10
“The Honda e looks brilliant, has interior technology that can rival luxury cars and is a brilliantly unique model that is a fantastic showcase for how innovative Honda can be when its engineers and designers can let their hair down. But the range and price are two sticking points.”
Read review

Carwow

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“The Honda e looks like a CCTV control centre inside and a surprised panda outside. You’ll be surprised, too, when you see how much it costs given its modest range.”
Read review

Company Car Today

Model reviewed: Advanced
“Range and, to a lesser extent, price are big barriers to what is an otherwise excellent little car. Practicality is compromised for the sake of style, but it does it that very well.”
Read review

Daily Mail

“You can fall very quickly and deeply for the charms of Honda’s new all-electric supermini. The Honda e is eye-catchingly cute, has bags of personality, a lively pace, and a great sense of style without being overly formal, and is a comfortable and interesting companion with which to hang out and chill.”
Read review

Daily Mirror

Model reviewed: Advance
Score: 8 / 10
“The Honda e is great looking but its limited range and high price is going to make it a rare sight on our roads. It’s a car that’s easy to love but Volkswagen’s e-Up – that costs £6,000 less yet has a longer range – is a much more logical buy.”
Read review

Discover EV

Model reviewed: Advanced
Score: 9 / 10
“Honda’s first electric car is more than a pretty face, it’s crammed with tech and rewardingly fun to drive, but you can’t get away from that limited range and hefty price tag. The truth of the matter is range anxiety is just that, the majority of us don’t need to feel anxious with a 100-plus miles of range.”
Read review

Eurekar

“Honda believes that two-thirds of its global car sales will feature some form of electrification by 2030. The Honda e is an encouraging glimpse into that future, but it’s been made available to sample now.”
Read review

Evo

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Honda’s new electric car is fun to drive and bursting with personality, but low range may deter some.”
Read review

Green Car Guide

Score: 8 / 10
“We have no doubt that the Honda e will be popular. The stunning looks mean it will easily turn more heads than most exotic supercars. But it’s impossible to ignore its limited range and lack of practicality in a market that’s becoming increasingly competitive and will only become more so.”
Read review

Heycar

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Honda e is the must-have car of the moment. It combines quirky looks with a superb, modern interior and technology to keep even the most flippant of car buyers entertained. But its limited range means it won’t suit everyone’s needs, and there are more practical options on the market.”
Read review

Honest John

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Honda e is the Apple iPhone of cars. It’s small, expensive, and will need recharging regularly. But many buyers will be happy to overlook its shortfalls in order to drive one of the most desirable electric cars on sale.”
Read review

Parkers

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.8 / 10
“Cute electric city car is a convincing urban runaround.”
Read review

The Sun

“The ‘baby’ Honda e is a cool, clever and cheap electric car.”
Read review

The Sunday Times

Model reviewed: Advance
Score: 7 / 10
“The interior is so good you might ignore the range.”
Read review

The Telegraph

Score: 6 / 10
“There’s much to like in this little Honda e. It’s refined, charming and feels quite fun to drive. But the rear seats are small, the luggage space tiny and the low range will put off some, while the e’s low efficiency is not what we expect of this Japanese car maker. “
Read review

Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Honda’s first electric car is impossibly cute, beautifully engineered and crammed with tech… but you’ll pay for it.”
Read review

Which EV?

Model reviewed:
Score: 7.2 / 10
“The Honda e is a car you will either love or hate, or possibly both at the same time. The bold styling provides a sense of occasion and the innovative equipment will keep you interested for some time too. It’s also quite fun to drive, particularly with the more powerful Advance motor. But the real-world range of scarcely 100 miles is a severe limitation. It’s a great little city car and short commuter, if you have home charging. But don’t even consider it for longer journeys.” (James Morris)
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 4 stars
Date tested: December 2020
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 76%
Child protection: 82%
Vulnerable road users: 62%
Safety assist: 65%

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

The Honda e was not tested by Green NCAP during its production life.

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 Honda e would almost certainly have scored very highly in Green NCAP testing if it had ever taken place.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of December 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Honda e 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 Honda e, we’ll publish the score here.

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	256 miles	B

Electrical efficiency	Average	Score	Variation	Score
EV models	3.7 m/KWh	D

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	27	C

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£126	A
Year 2	£314	A
Year 3	£513	A
Year 4	£656	A
Year 5	£918	A
Overall	£2,527	A

The Honda e 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.

It’s electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is poor compared to newer EVs, but insurance premiums should be good compared to other cars. Scheduled servicing costs for the first five years should be excellent.

In addition, an official battery range of 137 miles is about average. That said, there a a number of newer EV hatchbacks on the market that can muster a few more miles on a single charge than this.

Awards

Trophies, prizes and awards that the Honda e has received

2021

UK Car of the Year Awards – Best City Car
Business Motoring Awards – Best Small Car
DieselCar and EcoCar Top 50 – Best Electric City Car
Southern Group of Motoring Writers Awards – Car of the Year

2020

Red Dot Design Awards – Best of the Best + Smart Product Award
DrivingElectric Awards – Best Tech

Similar cars

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More Honda ratings, reviews, news and features

Buy a Honda e

If you’re looking to buy a used Honda e, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.

Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more

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

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

Bugatti Bolide brings 1,850hp to the track

Concept car

Jack Evans

-

28 October 2020

0

Bugatti Bolide brings 1,850hp to the track

Bugatti has introduced a new track-only, high-performance hypercar – the Bolide.

It produces 1,850hp from a quad-turbocharged 8.0-litre W16 engine, yet weighs just 1,240kg. As a result, the Bolide brings performance which is ‘almost on par with Formula 1’, according to Bugatti, and should be able to push past the 300mph top speed marker.

The engine’s turbochargers have been redesigned while its dry-sump lubrication system has been revamped too, allowing the Bolide to produce more power than the road-going Chiron hypercar with which it shares its engine.

Bugatti’s claimed performance figures have been made when the Bolide is using 110-octane fuel, meaning it won’t push out quite as much power when running on standard 98-octane fuel.

At just 995mm tall, the Bolide is lower than the firm’s Chiron, while thanks to a series of aerodynamic elements, Bugatti claims that it can generate 1,800kg of downforce on the rear wing when travelling at 200mph.

Titanium pushrods with horizontal dampers form up key parts of the Bolide’s lightweight suspension setup, based around the car’s featherweight carbon fibre monocoque. Even the screws and bolts used across the Bolide are crafted from titanium in an effort to keep weight down. Ceramic brakes sit behind centre-lock forged aluminium wheels.

Technically just a concept for now, Bugatti hasn’t yet confirmed whether the Bolide will go into series production. If it does, it’s likely to be accompanied by a seriously high price tag – with the less powerful Chiron Super Sport costing just over £3 million when it first went on sale.

More Bugatti news and features at The Car Expert

Porsche Panamera Turbo S test drive

Jack Evans

-

27 October 2020

0

The Panamera is Porsche’s big, bruising performance executive car. For some time now it’s set the benchmark for driver involvement in this segment, outgunning rivals when it comes to outright excitement behind the wheel. Now, Porsche has seen fit to update it, tweaking the way it looks – ever so slightly – while adding a decent slug more power.

We’re testing it in full-fat Panamera Turbo S saloon specification, which stands as the most powerful model in the range. Let’s buckle up and find out what it’s like.

More Porsche reviews, ratings, news and features

Porsche Panamera Turbo S review

What’s new?

From the outside at least, it doesn’t appear that much has changed with the Panamera. It’s still vast in proportion, with the front and rear of the car separated by what feels like a postcode’s-worth of wheelbase. The nose of the car has been given a tweak in terms of design, mind you, but it’s largely the same look as the Panamera we saw released back in 2019.

It’s underneath where things have been given a considerable tweak. The damping has been improved, for instance, while the front axle bearings and engine mountings have been revised to increase the level of dynamic response you get. Plus, it has taken the same steering control as the 911 to improve the car’s input reactions.

Porsche Panamera Turbo S review - boot badge

How does it look?

The changes that have been made to the exterior of the Panamera have certainly tweaked what was already a rather good-looking sports saloon. It’s sharper, for sure, but in truth we never had too many arguments with the way the Panamera met the eye.

We’d always plump for the Sport Turismo version (the estate) which, in our eyes, looks even better. The rear of the regular Panamera, which can, from some angles, appear a little dumpy, is replaced by a swooping back in the Sport Turismo, only enhancing the overall look of the car.

What’s it like inside?

The cabin of the Panamera feels instantly luxurious. The materials are high-end and fitted seamlessly together, while the combination of glass, metal and leather is a tried-and-tested way of making a car’s cockpit feel genuinely special. It certainly works here.

It does feel like you sit a small amount higher than you’d expect, but with good levels of adjustability for the steering wheel it’s not hard to find a comfortable driving position. The large screens ahead of you in the instrument binnacle are clear and easy to read, while the sport mode dial on the steering allows you to easily tailor the car’s setup to your needs. It’s a great combination of the old and new.

There’s a good amount of legroom in the back, too, while 467 litres of boot space isn’t too bad for a car in this segment. It can be increased by folding the rear seats down, pushing the size up to more than 1,300 litres.

Porsche Panamera Turbo S review - interior and dashboard

Porsche Panamera Turbo S review - gear lever

What’s the spec like?

The Panamera is a car which is laden with equipment – as you’d expect from a car costing well over £130,000. The main infotainment offering is centred around a large, clear screen in the middle of the dashboard which now includes wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity for the first time. Porsche’s own software, however, is just as clear to use while haptic feedback buttons lower down towards the gearstick are responsive and easy to use.

All cars now ride on 21-inch wheels as standard too, while Porsche’s range of suspension systems – including adaptive air suspension, rear-axle steering and the firm’s power steering plus – all come as part of the Panamera’s base price.

What’s under the bonnet?

The Panamera Turbo S is powered by a thumping 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that makes 630hp and 820Nm of torque. It represents gains of 80hp and 50Nm over the old Turbo model, in fact. Power is sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox and, when given enough space, means that the Panamera Turbo S will hit a top speed of 196mph, while the sprint to 60mph takes just under three seconds – not bad for a car weighing over two-and-a-half tonnes.

Of course, as a result of this performance the Panamera’s economy isn’t the best. CO₂ emissions stand at up to 245g/km, while combined it’ll return 26.4mpg. Give the right pedal more work to do and it’s highly likely that you’ll be seeing figures in the high teens.

What’s it like to drive?

First off – and there’s no way to get away from it – the Panamera is a big car. Initially at least, you’re quite aware of simply how far the car’s edges are away from where you’re sat, which can be a little intimidating to begin with.

However, the more time you spend with the car, the smaller it becomes. The steering is light enough around town to easily pilot it through smaller spaces, while the newly revised suspension does an excellent job of isolating the lumps and bumps on the road from the cabin. Rear-wheel steering means it’s genuinely nimble at lower speeds, too.

Then there’s the performance. A car of this size accelerating the way the Panamera Turbo S does is nothing short of startling; even moderate uses of throttle result in a considerable amount of forward progression. Full throttle results in you hitting the national speed limit in the blink of an eye.

But the steering is the star of the show. It’s effortlessly well-weighted, and it means you can enjoy the Panamera through the bends just as much as the earth-shattering straight-line performance. You can add weight to the steering via the various driver modes, but in truth, it’s just right in its standard setting.

Porsche Panamera Turbo S road test – front

Verdict

The tweaks that Porsche has made to the Panamera have only helped to elevate an already impressively capable saloon car. The steering adjustments have made it sharper, while the added performance on this Turbo S only makes driving it even more exciting. It looks a touch sharper, too.

Little has changed about its positioning in the segment, then. It easily manages to be the best-handling car among its peers and that’s why, yet again, the Porsche Panamera Turbo S is a car that we can wholeheartedly recommend.

More Porsche reviews, ratings, news and features

Similar cars

Aston Martin Rapide S | Audi RS 7 Sportback | BMW M8 Gran Coupé | Mercedes-AMG GT 4 Door

Key specifications

Model: Porsche Panamera Turbo S
Price: £135,610
Engine: 4.0-litre petrol V8
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 630 hp
Torque: 820 Nm
Top speed: 196 mph
0-60mph: 2.9 seconds

Fuel economy (combined): 26.2-26.4 mpg
CO₂ emissions: 247-245 g/km
Euro NCAP safety rating: Not tested
TCE Expert Rating: Not yet rated

Mercedes-Benz A-Class gets new top-spec trim level

Model update

Darren Cassey

-

27 October 2020

0

Mercedes-Benz A-Class gets new top-spec trim level

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is now available with a new Exclusive Edition trim level that comes highly specified.

It builds on the already-high-spec AMG Line Executive equipment line, which gets a ten-inch high-resolution infotainment screen with the latest MBUX infotainment system, which includes ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice control.

This new trim level adds the Night Package, which includes privacy glass, a black radiator grille, black leather upholstery, and ‘edition’ badging throughout. Other highlights include 19-inch AMG alloy wheels in titanium grey, a panoramic sunroof, and 64-colour ambient lighting.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Exclusive Edition - interior

The Exclusive Edition Plus, which is available on the A220d and A250 engine, builds on the Premium Plus line and adds even more equipment. This gets ‘mountain grey magno’ paint, a ten-inch instrument binnacle, illuminated door sills, LED headlights, augmented navigation, advanced sound system and light-alloy 19-inch AMG wheels painted black.

Prices start at £31,305 for the A200 Exclusive Edition with a six-speed manual gearbox, or £32,905 with the seven-speed automatic. Diesel prices start at £34,005 for the A200d with an eight-speed automatic.

Exclusive Edition Plus starts at £37,320 for the A250 or £38,095 for the A220d.

The Exclusive Edition trim is available to order now with first deliveries beginning next month.

All-new Hyundai i20 pricing and specifications confirmed

New model

Darren Cassey

-

27 October 2020

0

All-new Hyundai i20 pricing and specifications confirmed

Hyundai has confirmed that the new i20 will cost from £18,595 and boast a new top-level trim called Ultimate.

The popular supermini’s new generation will be the first car to use Hyundai’s new ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language, as well as introducing a new mild-hybrid powertrain.

Following a similar tactic to the i10, which saw its range updated earlier this year, the new i20 gets a simplified trim line-up. Hyundai says each trim is now better specified than before, making residual values almost 5% better over three years than the model it replaces.

The entry-level trim is SE Connect, which gets 16-inch alloy wheels and LED daytime running lights for the exterior, while inside there’s an eight-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air conditioning, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever, and rear parking sensors with a reversing camera.

Step up to the Premium trim and prices rise to £20,795. Extra equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, automatic wipers, heated front seats and steering wheel, and a ten-inch infotainment system.

The top trim, called Ultimate, starts at £22,095 and gets a two-tone roof as standard, keyless entry, wireless smartphone charging pad, and a Bose sound system.

Ashley Andrew, managing director of Hyundai Motor UK said: “All new i20 has already received positive reviews for both its styling and dynamics and we can now reveal that it follows the lead set by the all new i10 earlier this year with an improved level of specification which focuses on exceeding customer expectations in this segment.

“The efficient 48V hybrid powertrain will deliver a strong balance between economy and performance, whilst drivers more focused on sportier handling and performance won’t have to wait too long until the i20 N Line and i20N join the range.”

Alongside this pricing, Hyundai also revealed the performance focused i20 N. This mini hot hatch gets styling touches inspired by the firm’s rally cars, and gets a new 1.6-litre petrol engine making 204hp and 275Nm of torque. Pricing for this model will be confirmed at a later date.

More Hyundai news, ratings, reviews and features

Different types of gearbox explained

Car technology

Stuart Masson

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27 October 2020

0

There was a time when the vast majority of cars in the UK were sold with manual gearboxes. However, as automatic transmissions have improved over the years, so has their popularity.

Today, we are seeing even mainstream models dropping manual gearboxes altogether. They’re still very popular in cheaper cars, as a manual gearbox costs a lot less to build than an automatic transmission, but the next few years could see the traditional stick shift facing extinction.

As the technology has advanced, we’ve seen a variety of different transmissions developed, many gaining their own confusing acronyms. To make life even more unhelpful, car company marketing departments always tend to like adding their own proprietary branding to things, so car buyers can easily get bewildered with it all means.

Here, we’ve put together a list of the most common types of gearbox and an explanation for how they work.

Manual transmission

Let’s start with the classic stick shift, which has been around for many decades. This involves using a gear stick to choose which gear you want to be in. You use a clutch pedal to disengage the gearbox with your left foot and (assuming a right-hand-drive vehicle as used in the UK), you change gears using the lever with your left hand. You then re-engage the clutch to re-connect drive from the car’s engine to its wheels.

One of the key advantages of a manual gearbox is that it gives the driver full control over which gear they want to be in, meaning you can drop a gear to get away quickly or stay in a higher gear to save fuel. Obviously, it also requires a level of skill to engage/disengage the clutch and shift gears whilst driving, making the learning curve steeper than the stop-and-go nature of an automatic transmission.

For modern cars that still offer a manual gearbox, usually you will find either five or six gears to choose from. A few cars, like the Porsche 911 and Aston Martin Vantage, have started to offer seven-speed manual gearboxes in the last couple of years.

A manual gearbox is entirely mechanical, so your hands and feet are directly moving gears and plates. In conjunction with the skills required to change smoothly, this is why a lot of keen drivers still prefer driving with a manual gearbox instead of an automatic.

Automatic transmission

While almost manual gearboxes on road cars follow the same basic principles, automatic transmissions are a whole different thing altogether. Different types of transmissions tend to suit different applications, while some don’t play happily with other mechanical aspects of your car.

Regardless of the mechanical workings going on beneath the surface, any automatic transmission will look pretty familiar to the driver – Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive, maybe with additional functions like Sport or a manual shift mode.

In decades gone by, the gear lever would physically move the gears around inside the transmission so they needed to be long, thin levers for good leverage, and they looked much the same on any car.

These days, a ‘gear lever’ on an automatic transmission is simply an electronic switch that sends an instruction to the software than manages the gearbox. As a result, we’ve started to see designers choosing to use buttons, paddles or dials instead of old-style levers for controlling the transmission.

All of the different types transmissions detailed below are variations of the automatic gearbox.

Different types of automatic transmission

Torque converter

The torque converter is the “classic” automatic transmission, ha

ving been around since the 1950s and still commonly found in many new cars today.

Instead of using a clutch to disengage the engine from the gearbox when switching gears, it pushes fluid around a sealed case called an impeller. This section transfers the energy from the engine into the fluid, which is then transferred to the output shaft. The number of gears has steadily been increasing over the years, with most modern cars offering anywhere between six and ten speeds.

The advantages of this type of transmission are smooth acceleration from low speeds, as well as high torque at low engine revs. However, the driving experience is generally dulled in comparison with a manual, leading to the common nickname “slushbox”.

Compared to a manual version of the same car, the automatic would traditionally be slower and use considerably more fuel. However, advances in the last couple of decades have led to modern automatic gearboxes often being more economical than an equivalent manual gearbox in most driving circumstances. Reliability is generally pretty good, as you’d expect after 70 years of continuous development. Torque converter transmissions also cope pretty well in heavy-duty situations, so they’re often better than other types of automatic for four-wheel-drive vehicles and for towing.

In the late 1980s, some manufacturers started adding a manual shift option to this sort of transmission so drivers could manually shift up and down through the gears. Although it immediately became a popular feature, in reality the transmission tends to work best if left to its own devices. However, marketing departments couldn’t resist coming up with new names to describe these paddle-shifting automatics, such as:

BMW Steptronic
Mercedes-Benz Tipshift
Mercedes-Benz G-Tronic
Porsche/Audi Tiptronic
Volvo Geartronic

Single-clutch transmission

The single-clutch transmission first started appearing in the mid-1990s, based on Formula One racing cars that had started using a similar set-up. It was pioneered by Ferrari, which was also the first racing team to use this type of gearbox in F1.

These are sometimes referred to as semi-automatics or automated manuals, because they are essentially built like manual transmissions. They use a traditional clutch to disengage the engine between shifts, but the car does this instead of the driver. Instead the cabin, the gear lever looks like a traditional automatic shift. The driver flicks a paddle/pushes a gear lever and the car handles the rest.

This automated manual set-up tends to weigh a lot less than a traditional torque converter automatic, with a far more direct feel and less of the “slushiness”.

While the theory is great, most manufacturers have struggled to make them work properly. BMW had the best-known example (which it called SMG), but it was known for sluggish, jerky shifts. This type of transmission tends to work better when the driver treats it like a manual and uses the paddles to shift up and down – preferably lifting off the accelerator as you shift, much like you would in a regular manual.

There was plenty of unreliability in single-clutch transmissions for the first decade or so of their existence, which was also partly because they tended to be found in high-performance cars that were driver a fair bit harder than your gran’s Honda Jazz. Newer models tend to be far more robust.

This type of gearbox has now largely been superseded by dual-clutch transmissions. It’s also been known by the following markerting names:

Alfa Romeo Selespeed
Aston Martin Touchtronic
Audi R-Tronic
BMW SMG
Ferrari F1-Shift
Fiat Dualogic
Lamborghini e-gear
Smart Softip / Softouch

Dual-clutch transmissions (DCT)

This type of gearbox is fast becoming the most common kind of automatic transmission for petrol and diesel cars. Most Volkswagen Group brands – VW, SEAT and Skoda – call it a DSG (direct shift gearbox), although Audi confuses matters further by calling it an S-tronic and Porsche prefers the name PDK, but they’re all the same thing.

As the name suggests, there are two clutches in play with these gearboxes. In its most basic form, there will be two separate clutch systems – one for the odd-numbered gears and another for the even-numbered gears.

The gearbox can therefore pre-select the next gear before a shift happens, which means the shifts are considerably faster than with other types of gearbox. In performance cars, this has been developed to the point where gear changes are almost imperceptible.

This type of transmission offers the same sort of direct feel as a single clutch version, but is usually far smoother and more efficient to drive. It can also usually offer better fuel economy and performance than a manual gearbox. There can still be some jerkiness at low speed, and it can be a bit clunky when moving between first and reverse gears.

Early versions of these gearboxes (mid-late 2000s) were less reliable than later versions from the last decade, and they can be very expensive to fix if they break.

Audi S-Tronic
BMW/Mini Steptronic (yes, the same name they used on older auto transmissions)
Ferrari F1-Shift (yes, the same name they used…)
Porsche PDK
Volkswagen DSG

Constantly variable transmission (CVT)

This is one of those incredible theoretical technological feats that, in reality, still needs some work – but if manufacturers find a way to make them more pleasant to drive, they will beat all other gearbox types.

A CVT doesn’t have gears at all. Instead, it uses a cone shape with a band around that and another axle. The band can be moved up and down the cone to vary its length and therefore the gear ratio. Theoretically it offers infinitely variable ratios between its upper and lower limit, meaning it can be perfectly optimised for fuel efficiency or performance at any given time. This is particularly helpful for hybrid cars, which can use a CVT to balance the workload between the petrol engine and electric motor.

The downside is a driving experience that tends to feel bizarre and often unpleasant. When accelerating, it feels like the car is pulling against a rubber band. Meanwhile, the accompanying noise has a horrible drone because the revs go straight to the peak power point and stay there as the car picks up speed, rather than rising and falling as you work your way through multiple gears.

This type of transmission is more limited in how it works with modern all-wheel-drive systems than can vary the amount of drive that goes between front and rear wheels, so many AWD cars will use a torque converter or dual-clutch transmission instead.

The latest CVTs from Honda and Toyota do feel much better, so there’s hope for the gearbox yet…

Audi Multitronic
Subaru Lineartronic

Single-speed transmission

If you’re driving an electric car (or a hybrid vehicle that’s driving in electric mode), then you don’t really have a gearbox at all. That’s because there’s only one gear to transmit energy from the electric motor to the wheels. If you want to go faster, the electric motor spins faster. If you want to go slower, the motor slows down. Simples.

Because there are no gears and a direct connection from engine to wheels, the feeling is smooth and seamless, yet also direct with maximum efficiency.

More car technology new, information and advice at The Car Expert

Additional reporting by Darren Cassey

Police to crack down on uninsured drivers

Jack Evans

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26 October 2020

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Police forces across the UK are launching a national effort to bring down the number of uninsured drivers on the roads.

Starting today (October 26) and running until November 1, ‘Operation Drive Insured’ will see all of the UK’s 43 police forces bring an increased presence to the country’s roads in order to detect and seize uninsured cars.

The operation is being conducted in partnership with the National Roads Policing Operations, Intelligence and Investigation (NRPOII) committee in order to bring a much-escalated enforcement presence on the UK’s roads.

Commander Kyle Gordon, Head of NRPOII, said: “Many people will see uninsured driving as a victimless crime at best, or as only impacting on the profits of large insurance companies at worst. This is not the case.

“We know from our work in roads policing that uninsured drivers are statistically significantly more likely to cause a death or injury on the road, which too often sadly brings devastation to victims, families and communities up and down the country. They are also frequently involved in wider road crime.”

According to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), 130 people are killed and 26,000 left injured in collisions caused by uninsured and untraced drivers.

Evidence from MIB has also shown that drivers without insurance are more likely to commit ‘hit and run’ offences, as well as be involved in other crimes.

However, MIB claims data has shown that the number of claims for compensation from victims of uninsured drivers has fallen by 26% since 2016, though the financial hardship being experienced by many as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has caused concerns that more people could be breaking the law by driving without insurance in order to save money.

Anna Fleming, chief operating officer at MIB, said: “We’ve made great strides in getting more people to drive insured in recent years, but the sad reality is with Covid-19 putting so many people under financial strain, uninsured driving levels could creep up. Everyone suffers the consequences of uninsured driving. We’re fully committed to our partnership with the police so we can get as many people as possible to drive insured to make roads safer and fairer for everyone.”

Motorists found to be driving without insurance face having their vehicle seized and potentially crushed, as well as being hit by a £300 fixed penalty notice and six licence points.

If escalated, they can be referred to court where they could face an unlimited fine and a ban from driving. Uninsured convictions can also show up on Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks which can affect future employment.

Hyundai Ioniq Electric (2016 to 2022)

Stuart Masson

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26 October 2020

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Summary

The Hyundai Ioniq Electric was one of three separate versions of the Ioniq saloon family, along with plug-in hybrid and regular hybrid versions. It was a mid-sized family saloon, which was launched in 2016, updated in Autumn 2019, and discontinued in 2022.

The Ioniq Electric was considered one of the pioneers of electric car development, although in the last few years of its production its performance and driving range were eclipsed by many other vehicles – not least models like the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia e-Niro from within the Hyundai/Kia family.

The Hyundai Ioniq Electric received generally positive reviews from the UK motoring media. The updated 2019 model was praised for offering a much improved range compared to the original model, which made it a far more suitable vehicle for many potential buyers. However, its driving dynamics were not as sharp as some newer electric vehicles, and the boot was quite small which restricts luggage space.

No longer on sale, the Hyundai Ioniq Electric has a Used Expert Rating of A, with a score of 74%. That’s a couple of points better than its hybrid and plug-in hybrid sisters.

Key specifications

Body style: Mid-size saloon
Powertrain: battery electric vehicle
Price when new: From £30,950 on-road

Launched: Summer 2016
Last updated: Autumn 2019
Discontinued: Summer 2022

Image gallery

Media reviews

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

Featured reviews

“While many electric vehicles play on rapid acceleration or futuristic styling inside and out to woo buyers, Hyundai’s approach is much more mundane – this is an ordinary-looking car that’s perfectly good (if exceedingly dull) to drive, while spacious and practical inside. And that’s where its appeal lies.”

0Read full review

The Car Expert

“The Hyundai Ioniq Electric isn’t a class leader in any one area, but it certainly makes more of a case for itself with its improved real-world range. It’s practical enough to use as an everyday family car and there aren’t too many EVs for just over £30k that claim make a similar claim.”

Model reviewed: Range review

Score: 8 / 10

Read full review

Auto Express

John McIlroy

More reviews

Auto Express

Model reviewed: Namsan Edition (2023)
Score: 8 / 10
“While the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 Namsan Edition is pricey, the powertrain and battery upgrades across the range are a welcome addition.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Range overview (electric and hybrids)
Score: 6 / 10
“The Hyundai Ioniq comes in three flavours, and is a more conventional-looking – and cheaper – proposition than the Toyota Prius.”
Read review

Auto Trader

Score: 7 / 10
“While it isn’t the most glamorous or trendy of electric cars, the Hyundai Ioniq Electric ticks plenty of boxes. It’s easy to drive, reasonably practical and should prove effortless to own. If you are ruled more by your head than your heart, the Ioniq is well worth a look.”
Read review

Business Car

Model reviewed: Premium
Score: 8 / 10
“If you have access to personal charging via home or work and your commute can be accommodated within its range, the tax breaks, genuine driving fun, and distinct model, full-electric eco feel-good factor could be hard to beat. I’d recommend a test drive.”
Read review

Car

Score: 6 / 10
“A good car in isolation. But the Hyundai Ioniq Electric suffers because the competition has come along in leaps and bounds. What was once thoroughly middle-of-the-pack now languishes near the bottom, but unfortunately doesn’t make that more palatable with a super-low price tag.”
Read review

Car Keys

Score: 8 / 10
“The Ioniq Electric is yet another tempting electrified offering from Hyundai – bringing viable EVs into the mainstream with affordable pricing and good real-world ranges, though not class-leading.”
Read review

Carbuyer

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.2 / 10
“The Hyundai Ioniq Electric is a zero-emissions family-car that’s well designed and easy to drive”.
Read review

Carwow

Score: 6 / 10
“The Hyundai Ioniq Electric is well equipped and offers good space for a family. It looks pricey next to other Ioniqs, though, and alternative electric cars are nicer inside.”
Read review

Company Car Today

“The best small-family EV hatchback on the market. A very polished product now with better range and advanced connected car technology.”
Read review

Discover EV

Model reviewed: Premium SE
Score: 7 / 10
“Based purely on cost and range, we would not recommend you buy a Hyundai Ioniq Electric. There are other EV competitors that are cheaper to buy and also have much longer ranges. If you’re a Hyundai devotee and it fits in with your lifestyle and budget, then it may be for you – otherwise, it’s a tough sell.”
Read review

Driving Electric

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“A mid-life facelift gave the Hyundai Ioniq Electric more range, more power and a new infotainment screen, so it’s still a strong contender in the family electric-car class.”
Read review

Eurekar

Model reviewed: Range overview (including hybrids)
“The Hyundai Ioniq Electric can handle motorway speed with ease, accelerate rapidly if required and stop almost on a sixpence as soon as the accelerator is released. That’s down to its regenerative braking function.”
Read review

Evo

Score: 7 / 10
“Hyundai’s electric offering drives well, but its range has slipped behind ever-improving rivals.”
Read review

Fleetworld

Model reviewed: Premium
Score: 9 / 10
“There’s no question that the Hyundai Ioniq’s updates bring the car right up to speed. For fleets, the pricing should make it more attractive than larger battery cars while its efficiency means it still offers impressive range. To top it off, it comes fully loaded as standard too.”
Read review

Green Car Guide

Score: 9 / 10
“The new Hyundai Ioniq Electric offers a longer driving range than the previous model, responsive acceleration, a comfortable ride, and a low centre of gravity, resulting in good handling.”
Read review

Honest John

Model reviewed: All Ioniq models (including hybrids)
Score: 8 / 10
“For those seeking an alternatively-fuelled car, the Hyundai Ioniq Electric is an interesting alternative to the Nissan Leaf EV. It’s competitively priced and very well-equipped, plus it comes with a reassuring five-year, unlimited mileage warranty.”
Read review

Motors

Score: 7 / 10
“Compared to similarly-powered conventional hatchbacks, the Hyundai Ioniq Electric is quite an expensive proposition, even when you consider the savings on road tax and fuel costs. On the plus side, standard equipment is excellent, which does at least help to justify its list price.”
Read review

Parkers

Score: 7.6 / 10
“Cut-price Tesla Model S impresses, but isn’t class-leading.”
Read review

The Sun

Model reviewed: All Ioniq models (including hybrids)
“It’s faster than the 30kWh Nissan Leaf Acenta, goes further and nearly a grand cheaper — with more kit. Fun to drive, stop-and-go like a dodgem with one gear, impossible to stall.”
Read review

The Telegraph

Model reviewed: Premium
Score: 8 / 10
“Freshly facelifted with a bigger battery and more range, the Hyundai Ioniq Electric might not look like much, but it can travel 194 miles on a charge and comes with a slew of toys.”
Read review

Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
“A well-equipped EV with 26 miles more range – that’s an entire marathon – than an entry-level Nissan Leaf.”
Read review

Which EV?

Model reviewed:
Score: 6.4 / 10
“The latest Hyundai Ioniq Electric isn’t the most exciting EV on the market, although it is well equipped and practical, particularly in top Premium SE form. But it’s also rather expensive for what is essentially a standard family hatchback, when you can get the Nissan Leaf e+ with a longer range and faster performance for similar money.” (James Morris)
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: November 2016
Date expired: January 2023
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 91%
Child protection: 80%
Vulnerable road users: 70%
Safety assist: 82%

Notes on safety rating

The Hyundai Ioniq Electric was originally crash tested by Euro NCAP back in 2016 and awarded a five-star rating. However, this rating expired in January 2023 and is no longer valid as the car no longer meets the standards required for such a rating. This is normal practice, as Euro NCAP reviews its ratings on most cars annually with most ratings expiring after about six or seven years.

Although the rating has now expired, the score is still useful if you are comparing a used Ioniq to vehicles of similar age, whose ratings will have probably also expired.

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

Model tested: Electric 4×2

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: February 2019
Read the full Green NCAP review

Clean Air Index: 10 / 10
Energy Efficiency Index: 8.5 / 10

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of March 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Hyundai Ioniq Electric to generate a reliability rating.

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

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

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	187 miles	C

Electrical efficiency	Average	Score	Variation	Score
EV models	5.7 m/KWh	A

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	17	A

The Hyundai Ioniq Electric 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.

Electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is very good, although a small battery means a driving range of less than 200 miles.

Insurance should also be competitive, however we don’t have data for servicing and maintenance costs.

Similar cars

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Renault Mégane (2016 to 2022)

Stuart Masson

-

21 October 2020

0

Summary

The Renault Mégane was a mid-size family car, available as either a hatchback and Sport Tourer (estate, in plain English). This model was the fourth generation, launched in the summer of 2016 and replaced in 2022 by the all-electric Mégane E-Tech.

Unlike the previous generation, this model was not produced in coupé or convertible versions. Initially sold with either petrol or diesel engines, a plug-in hybrid powertrain joined the range as part of a mid-life facelift that appeared in the UK in the second half of 2020. The top-spec version of the hatchback was the Mégane RS (Renault Sport), which is covered by a separate page and is not included in this rating.

The Renault Mégane was praised for its distinctive styling both inside and out, and for a generally stong level of standard equipment. However, it is not as spacious as many rivals and lacks the overall quality of the best in the class, so it wasn’t rated very highly.

No longer on sale, the Renault Mégane holds a Used Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 68%. It scores top marks for its low running costs and CO₂ emissions, while its reliability record is also good. However, its safety rating has now expired due to age and its media review scores were poor.

Key specifications

Body style: Five-door hatchback and estate
Engines: petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid
Price: From £18,765 on-road

Launched: Summer 2016
Last updated: Summer 2018
Replaced: Summer 2022

Image gallery

Media reviews

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

Featured reviews

“The new Renault Mégane is a definite step forward in all areas. While the steering could be slightly more in feel with the road it’s a minor failing and the car should be a strong contender in a competitive market.”

Model reviewed: Hatchback range

Score: 8 / 10

Read full review

The Car Expert

“Its stylish good looks may attract attention, but the Renault Megane can’t compete with the very best in class.”

Model reviewed: Range overview

Score: 7 / 10

Read full review

Auto Express

More reviews

Auto Express

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
Score: 8 / 10
“A move upmarket has turned the practical and economical Renault Mégane into a desirable front-running hatchback.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Sport Tourer (estate) range
Score: 8 / 10
“The Renault Mégane Sport Tourer looks stylish and is good to drive, but it’s not as roomy as some rival estates.”
Read review

Auto Trader

Model reviewed: Sport Tourer (estate) range
Score: 7.6 / 10
“The Renault Mégane Sport Tourer majors on style and equipment, and provides plenty of both for an affordable price. However, it still doesn’t trouble the best small estates because it falls a little short on quality, it’s pretty average on practicality, and it’s rather so-so to drive.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
Score: 7.2 / 10
“The Renault Mégane doesn’t trouble the very best cars in the family hatchback class, because it falls a little short on quality, practicality and driving manners. That said, it’s still a reasonably compelling proposition. It looks great, it’s affordable to buy and run, and it comes packed with kit.”
Read review

Business Car

Model reviewed: E-Tech Techno
Score: 7 / 10
“The Renault Megane E-Tech looks great inside and out, drives well and in Techno spec is well-equipped. We worry about its winter range, the quality of some interior finishes and the depreciation.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid R.S. Line hatchback
Score: 8 / 10
“The Renault Megane plug-in hybrid has much about it that is commendable, and does seem a better-resolved product in hatch form than as an estate.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol-electric plug-in hybrid automatic Sport Tourer E-Tech
Score: 7 / 10
“In the main, the E-Tech Mégane does a sterling job of coping with UK roads. It’s not the sharpest tool in the box when responding to steering inputs, which is probably partly down to the additional 105kg of batteries, but it soaks up lumps and bumps in a quiet, polished manner.”
Read review

Car

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel manual Dynamique S Sport Tourer (estate)
Score: 6 / 10
“The Renault Mégane Sport Tourer is far from a bad car. It looks desirable, offers a good amount of space and its seats are highly comfortable. But it does itself no favours when it comes to the driving experience, with an unwilling engine, ho-hum dynamics and strangely leaden ride.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel manual hatchback
Score: 6 / 10
“The latest-generation Renault Mégane is handsome, likeable, and a more colourful character than most mainstream hatches. But it’s no game-changer.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol automatic GT hatchback
Score: 6 / 10
“As a car, the fourth-generation Renault Mégane is light years beyond the previous range: classy, solidly built, good looking and surprisingly interesting in a sector hardly bursting with innovation.”
Read review

Car Keys

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol automatic GT Nav hatchback
Score: 8 / 10
“The beauty of a warm hatch is that it offers tasty performance but doesn’t hurt the bank too much. And that’s what the Renault Mégane GT does. Its combination of launch control, the 4Control system and impressive variable steering modes make it fun to drive and yet easy to live with.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel manual Dynamique S Nav hatchback
Score: 8 / 10
“Although extremely popular, the Renault Mégane has long been a leftfield option in the hatchback market. But with rejuvenated style and fancy new tech, the Megane is now one of the go-to models for advanced tech and style.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel manual Dynamique S Sport Tourer (estate)
Score: 8 / 10
“The latest Renault Mégane Sport Tourer is a significant improvement over what has come before it in terms of quality, practicality, technology and performance. It feels like a genuine contender to the best in its class and, on top of that, it has an interesting design that allows it to stand out more.”
Read review

Carbuyer

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
Score: 8 / 10
“A new look and impressive infotainment system helps the latest Renault Mégane stand out from rivals in the popular family hatchback class.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Sport Tourer (estate) range
Score: 8.6 / 10
“The Renault Mégane Sport Tourer is an attractive and practical small estate, but you’ll need to avoid the most basic trim if you want to enjoy all it has to offer”
Read review

Carwow

Model reviewed: Sport Tourer (estate) range
Score: 7 / 10
“The Renault Mégane Sport Tourer is a definitive departure from the dated design of the old model, but what sets it out from rivals – such as the Ford Focus estate, Peugeot 308 SW and Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer – is its huge portrait infotainment screen.”
Read review

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Renault Mégane is a family car with sharp looks that’s comfortable and easy to drive. It’s just that alternatives have more intuitive infotainment systems.”
Read review

Company Car Today

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid Sport Tourer Iconic E-Tech
“Well priced against rivals and a sensible PHEV addition to the Megane range that comes with a mild revision of Renault’s lower-medium model.”
Read review

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre diesel automatic GT hatchback
“It’s not cheap, but the Renault Mégane looks great, and is a tidy drive, although rival performance diesels emit less.”
Read review

Daily Mail

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol automatic GT hatchback
Score: 8 / 10
“What we have here is yet another promising chapter in what has become a modern French classic.” (Chris Evans)
Read review

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
“On the look-out for a new family motor? The Renault Mégane perfectly fits the bill as a mid-sized five-seater family getaway car for those who are partial to French chic and still like to rev it up a bit.”
Read review

Daily Mirror

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
“Punters are spoilt for choice in the hatchback world, from the Audi A3 at the top to highly capable Hyundais and Kias at the other end. In the middle are excellent motors like the Vauxhall Astra, Ford Focus and the VW Golf. For me, the Renault Mégane’s styling inside and out makes it a strong contender.”
Read review

Discover EV

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol/electric plug-in hybrid estate
“The Renault Megane is more expensive than the Kia Ceed. It also won’t travel as far as the Kia on battery power (with a range of 35 miles), but it certainly drives and looks better than its South Korean rival.”
Read review

Eurekar

Model reviewed: 1.3-litre petrol manual GT-Line
“Despite its sporting look, the Renault Mégane GT-Line is built for comfort rather than handling prowess. That’s not to say it doesn’t handle well – it does, and steers sharply – but the harder ride often associated with a sporty set up is all but absent.”
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Model reviewed: 1.3-litre petrol manual Iconic hatchback
“Whichever version of the Renault Mégane you choose, you’ll have a car with a clear dash that has been tempted away from switches and buttons to smarter but less user-friendly touchscreen and just about enough legroom in the rear for a couple of larger adults.”
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Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel manual Dynamique S Nav
“The Renault Mégane is a handsome machine, easily capable of holding its own in a family hatch beauty contest. Inside, the sense of style continues in a cabin dominated by black, from roof lining to seats finished in synthetic leather and cloth in the Dynamique S Nav spec.”
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Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel manual Dynamique hatchback
“The Renault Mégane offers particularly refined travel thanks partly to an impressive absence of wind noise and the fact that very little road rumble is passed back into the cabin. The six-speed manual gearbox is light and unobtrusive, although I found the clutch pedal to be on the heavy side.”
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Fleetworld

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol automatic GT Nav Sport Tourer (estate)
“The Renault Mégane GT drives well, and looks and feels great. But as a company car, it has neither the performance nor the fuel economy to compete with its closest rivals or make sense – for head or heart – against other versions of the Mégane.”
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Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel manual 110hp hatchback
“The Renault Mégane impresses not by reinventing this segment, but by being thoroughly competent in everything it does and great value for fleets. A strong option.”
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Honest John

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
Score: 8 / 10
“Equipped with a specification that includes the fancy media system, the Renault Mégane makes for a very reasonably priced hatchback with a modern look and feel. A solid car and a solid investment – very much like a Golf, but without being a Volkswagen. You’ve changed, Renault.”
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Motors

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The latest version of the Renault Mégane offers a stand-out style, an improved air of quality and a more refined overall experience, which are all the components needed to challenge in the crowded and incredibly competitive hatchback sector.”
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Parkers

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
Score: 7 / 10
“Stand-out styling for French family hatchback.”
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Model reviewed: Sport Tourer (estate) range
Score: 8.2 / 10
“Stylish estate is efficient and good to drive”
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The Sun

Model reviewed: Hatchback range
“Clever, simple and efficient. Renault has used its loaf.”
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The Sunday Times

Model reviewed: GT hatchback
Score: 6 / 10
“The Renault Mégane GT got a thumbs-down from the wife and daughter, a so-so from my son and an emphatic thumbs-up from me. Take from that what you will.”
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Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol automatic GT-Line
Score: 6 / 10
“There are hotter hatches, certainly, and sharper ones. But possibly the high-end clobber and reset looks do enough to put the Renault Mégane back in contention.”
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The Telegraph

Model reviewed: 1.6-litre petrol-electric plug-in hybrid Sports Tourer E-Tech RS Line estate
Score: 6 / 10
“This Renault Mégane feels like something of a flawed diamond. One minute you’re smitten with it; the next, one of its irritating niggles – that fiddly entertainment system, or those cheap dashboard plastics, for example – taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it isn’t perfect.”
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Model reviewed: 1.5-litre diesel manual Dynamique S Nav Sport Tourer (estate)
Score: 8 / 10
“What this little French estate lacks in absolute load-carrying ability, it makes up for in practicality. The chassis is soft, but the ride is lovely and the engine is peppy and economical. Its slow-burning charm is addictive.”
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Model reviewed: Sport Tourer (estate) range
Score: 7 / 10
“The Renault Mégane Sport Tourer is notable for being comfortable on a long journey and very good value for money. If it had a boot big enough to match the best in class then it might just scrape an extra point here, but as it stands there are better family estate cars on sale.”
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Model reviewed: Hatchback range
Score: 8 / 10
“If you’re after a smooth and relaxing hatchback that does well on long journeys and is easy to drive around town, the Renault Mégane is a good bet. It isn’t as much fun to drive as the Ford Focus, but it is more comfortable – and while not as upmarket as a VW Golf, the Megane is better equipped.”
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Top Gear

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Looks great, feels classy. Worth a look, Volkswagen and Ford owners.”
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Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: December 2015
Date expired: January 2022
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 88%
Child protection: 87%
Vulnerable road users: 71%
Safety assist: 71%

Note on safety rating

The Renault Mégane was tested by Euro NCAP in December 2015 and awarded a five-star rating with very good scores across the board. However, this rating expired in January 2022 and is no longer valid. This is normal for Euro NCAP ratings, as the standards required to achieve each star rating get tougher every year.

However, if you’re looking at purchasing a used Mégane, you should certainly consider it to be a very safe car when compared to other cars from the same era (2016 to 2021).

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

The Renault Mégane was not lab tested by Green NCAP during its production cycle.

Reliability rating

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

Total claims: 203
Average repair cost: £345.63
Last updated: April 2025

Reliability score

All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims

The Renault Mégane has a reliability rating that’s better than average, according to exclusive warranty data provided to The Car Expert by our partner, MotorEasy. This score covers both this generation of Mégane as well as previous models.

The most common problems for Mégane owners, with more than a quarter of all warranty claims, are braking system issues. Fortunately, these have been relatively inexpensive with an average repair cost of less than £200. Likewise, suspension faults are fairly common but relatively inexpensive.

It’s worth noting that engine and gearbox issues have cropped up in Méganes. Although they are not as common as other faults, the average repair cost is about £600. If you’re looking at a used Mégane, make sure any extended warranty you purchase covers all of these potential problem areas.

Running cost rating

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

Fuel consumption	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	47 mpg	C	45 – 49 mpg	C – C
Diesel models	61 mpg	A	60 – 63 mpg	A – A
Plug-in hybrid models	224 mpg	A	216 – 235 mpg	A – A

CO₂ output	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Petrol models	140 g/km	B	130 – 152 g/km	A – B
Diesel models	123 g/km	A	117 – 135 g/km	A – A
Plug-in hybrid models	29 g/km	A	28 – 30 g/km	A – A

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
Plug-in hybrid models	30 miles	E	30 – 30 miles	E – E

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	20	A	16 – 22	A – A

The Renault Mégane 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.

Servicing and fuel costs, which tend to be the biggest expenses, are both competitive.

Awards

Trophies, prizes and awards that the Renault Mégane has received

2017

Fleet World Honours – Best Lower Medium Car

2016

Scottish Car of the Year Awards – Best Family Car

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Suzuki Across arrives with £46K starting price

New model

Jack Evans

-

20 October 2020

0

Suzuki Across arrives with £46K starting price

The Suzuki Across plug-in hybrid SUV will cost from £45,599 when it goes on sale in the UK next month.

Arriving as the firm’s plug-in hybrid model, the Across – which shares much of its underpinnings with the Toyota RAV4 – combines a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and batteries. With a combined system output of 306hp, the Across takes the title as Suzuki’s most powerful to date, and allows it to sprint from 0-60mph in under 5.8 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 112mph.

But as a result of the electrification process, the Across emits 22g/km of CO₂ on the official laboratory combined cycle, while fuel consumption stands at a claimed 282mpg. It’s also able to travel for up to 46 miles on electricity alone thanks to a large 18.1kWh battery.

Power is driven to all four wheels via a standard-fit E-Four system which is capable of dividing torque between the two axles in order to provide the most amount of traction available.

A sole trim level will be available from launch, bringing leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control and heated front and rear seats as standard. A large nine-inch central infotainment screen is fitted as standard too.

Though due to go on sale in November, Suzuki has already stated that there is ‘very limited supply availability’ for the first year, which could suggest long lead times for those wanting to get their hands on a Suzuki Across.

More Suzuki news, ratings, reviews and features

Cupra announces prices and specs for new Formentor

New model

Jack Evans

-

20 October 2020

0

Cupra announces prices and specs for new Formentor

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.

More Cupra news, ratings, reviews and features

Updated Volkswagen Tiguan opens for ordering

Model update

Darren Cassey

-

20 October 2020

1

Updated Volkswagen Tiguan opens for ordering

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’.

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