Smart – or smart if you write it as its creators intended – has had a somewhat rollercoaster history. The concept was created by a fashion watchmaker, made possible by a deal with the oldest car maker of all, Mercedes-Benz, and launched as a ‘fashion’ brand selling a tiny and distinctive two-seater city car.
In Smart’s early days, the concept appeared to work. The ‘Smart car’, as it was known to most people, proved particularly popular as an urban runabout and city centres formerly swarming with mopeds and scooters – such as Rome – soon became overrun with Smarts. And young, trendy buyers bought the cars because they believed they looked good being seen in one.
The novelty soon wore off, however. Attempts to spread the Smart’s appeal to a four-seater and a roadster failed, despite the latter being quite well received, and the brand leached money, to the point where the company launched to sell it was shut down and became a mere division within the Mercedes-Benz family.
Various attempts to reposition Smart, eventually turning it fully electric, failed to generate much in the way of profits. However, in 2019 the Chinese giant Geely rode to the rescue, reaching a deal with Mercedes that saw Smart relaunched as a manufacturer of electric cars built in China, with most of the quirkiness that had marked the brand out in the first place removed.
The first Smart appeared in 1998 but the concept for a small city car had emerged more than 15 years earlier – not in the design studio of Mercedes-Benz, which would eventually make the cars, but at Swatch, the Swiss company renowned for making fashionable watches.
Swatch head Nicolas Hayek pitched his idea for a small and stylish city car, that could be personalised like his watches, to several car manufacturers. Swatch initially signed a deal with Volkswagen in 1991, but the car maker pulled out of the project and Mercedes owner Daimler-Benz replaced it in 1994. A subsidiary company called MCC (Micro Compact Car) was set up to produce what became the Smart.
The first two-seater Smart City-Coupe and City-Cabrio appeared in 1998, making immediate headlines for their tiny dimensions and recognisable shapes, which were like nothing else on the market. The production cars weren’t quite as radical as Swatch had envisaged, and within a year Daimler-Benz bought out the watchmaker’s shares and Swatch’s involvement ended.
The personalisation concept remained, however. Most notably, the car had swappable plastic body panels that could be unclipped and replaced in minutes. The idea was that owners could keep multiple sets of panels to swap around at will, choosing the look of their car according to their mood. Unsurprisingly, no-one did this…
While very small, the car was also promoted as being very safe, with a visible safety cell usually painted in contrasting colours to the plastic panels. Small petrol engines offered power outputs of about 60hp – though later you could buy upgraded versions produced by Mercedes tuner Brabus, which raised this to a staggering 75hp.
By the time the original Smart was facelifted in 2002 it was known as the Fortwo, and in 2004 it gained a sister with four seats called the (you guessed it) Forfour. This was a more conventional car, based on the Mitsubishi Colt, but this only lasted three years on the UK market.
More positively received, though equally short-lived, was the Smart Roadster, a two-seat mid-engined sports car sold between 2002 and 2005. It only had a 696cc turbocharged engine but was fun to drive, let down by only being available with an unpleasant-to-operate gearbox.
The extra models did not last long because Smart found it very hard to make money, losing close to €4bn between 2003 and 2006. By then sales were sliding, so Smart was terminated as a separate company and absorbed completely within Daimler.
Smart cars in the early 2000sSmart cars in 2024
A second-generation Smart Fortwo was produced between 2007 and 2015 and for the first time an electric version was made widely available, though it only had a maximum range of around 80 miles.
The third-generation Smart Fortwo, launched in 2014, looked distinctly different to its predecessors, as updated safety regulations required a new shell that gave the car a much bulkier shape than its predecessors, with a proper bonnet section. The Forfour was revived, but this time it was basically a reworked Renault Twingo.
Both the Fortwo and Forfour were also offered in electric form and from 2019 these became the only cars available, as Smart tried to turn itself into an electric-only car brand. The electric models added ‘EQ’ to their names (the same designation Mercedes-Benz uses for its electric models)
Both were cheap compared to rival EVs but suffered from poor battery range. The EQ Forfour, in particular, could have been a highly practical EV but in normal driving owners struggled to get much more than 50 miles between charges – and charging was anything but rapid. Unsurprisingly, the Smart division still struggled to make a profit.
Smart’s effective rescue came in 2019 when Daimler signed a deal with Chinese giant Geely. An assembly plant in China is now building a completely new range of electric Smart cars, larger and more conventional than their predecessors. The first of these, the Smart #1 (yes, they want you to call it “Hashtag One”…), arrived in 2023.
What models does Smart have and what else is coming?
Today Smart is in the process of revival and repositioning – tiny city cars are out, larger family models in, and all electrically powered. Currently just one is available, the Smart #1 – it’s a five-door small crossover targeting the likes of the Kia Niro and Volkswagen ID.3, and has been generally well received, especially for its safety specification.
A second model is arriving imminently in showrooms, called the #3. This is effectively a coupe version of the #1, with a much more aerodynamic shape.
We don’t know what happened to the #2 but perhaps Smart doesn’t like even numbers – the third model planned will be an SUV, and called the #5. The concept made its debut at the Beijing motor show in April 2024 – when the production version arrives, possibly before the end of 2024, it will be the biggest Smart yet.
Where can I try a Smart car?
The number of outlets selling the Smart has fluctuated over the years and you should not assume that by going to a Mercedes-Benz dealer you will be able to test drive a Smart.
The brand relaunched in 2023 with 23 UK sites, which was around half the number it had ten years earlier, and it has plans to expand this number to 36 ‘in the coming years’.
What makes Smart different to the rest?
To be honest, the Smart of today is far less different compared to when the brand launched just before the millennium. Then the cars scored on their tiny proportions, distinctive shape and their fashion-led promotion with such quirks as the easily swapped plastic body panels.
Today’s Smart is now being presented as a much more conventional manufacturer of much larger cars, though compared to the mainstream opposition they still have enough quirkiness about them to appeal to buyers looking for something a little different.
A Smart fact to impress your friends
The short-lived Smart Roadster could have been reborn as a UK-made car wearing a badge from lost British classics.
In 2006, a year after Roadster production ended, UK businessman David James planned to buy the tooling from Daimler, and build new cars in a factory in south Wales badged as MGs, reviving the then-dormant British sports car brand.
James didn’t get the rights to the MG name, so he then planned to market the roadster as the AC Ace, AC being another British brand that dated back to 1907. The project also never came to anything.
Smart Roadster
Summary
The Smart story is one of form not triumphing over function. Today, the new Smart models have very little of the quirky appeal that marked out their predecessors – but they’re probably more likely to succeed and attract the number of customers Smart needs to be a viable car company.
Alfa Romeo has announced the UK pricing for its compact battery-powered Junior Elettrica SUV, including a starting price that is slightly cheaper than the similar electric Jeep Avenger.
First unveiled in April, this small SUV was originally named the ‘Milano’ – that moniker has now been scrapped due to issues raised by Italian politicians. Taking the entry-level place of the small Mito and Giulietta models that have been retired in recent years, the Junior will sit below the Tonale and Stelvio SUV’s in Alfa’s range.
The range in Europe will include both petrol-electric hybrid ‘Ibrida’ and electric ‘Elettrica’ variants, but so far Alfa Romeo has only announced that the ‘Elettrica’ will be arriving in British showrooms.
Two power outputs are now available to order – the standard 156hp ‘Elettrica’ with a 250-mile range and the sportier 240hp ‘Elettrica Veloce’ with up to 215 miles of range. Both are compatible with charging speeds of up to 100kW, with it taking 30 minutes to charge the battery from 10% to 80%.
By comparison, competitors like the Smart #1 and Renault Mégane E-Tech offer battery ranges of up to 273 and 280 miles respectively, while the Jeep Avenger – built on the same Stellantis platform as the Junior – can muster up to 248 miles on a single charge.
Three trim levels are available, including a limited-run ‘Elettrica Speciale’ which makes use of the entry-level powertrain.
Above the standard specification, which includes LED exterior lights, rear parking sensors, a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and 10-inch infotainment display pairing compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the ‘Speciale’ adds a ‘Sports’ styling package, a leather steering wheel, a rear view parking camera and a motorised hands-free tailgate.
The ‘Speciale’ swaps out the standard cloth upholstery for a vinyl and fabric finish for the seats that also have a massage function as part of this trim.
Key trim level features
Lead-in ‘Elettrica’ (from £33,895)
18-inch alloy wheels
LED headlights and tail lights
Black mirror covers
Rain sensing wipers
Rear parking sensors
Cloth upholstery
Interior ambient lighting
10-inch digital instrument cluster
10-inch infotainment display
Adaptive cruise control
Lane keeping assistance
Keyless entry and start up
Limited-run ‘Elettrica Speciale’ (from £35,695)
All standard features that are not replaced
‘Sports’ styling package
Rear privacy glass
Vinyl and fabric upholstery
Electrically-operated driver’s seat with massage function
Leather steering wheel
Alfa Romeo navigation software
Rear view parking camera
Motorised boot lid
Top-spec ‘Elettrica Veloce’ (from £42,295)
All standard features that are not replaced
More powerful powertrain
Lowered suspension
Red sport brake callipers
20-inch alloy wheels
Black roof
Rear privacy glass
Leather and suede upholstery
Leather steering wheel
The ‘Elettrica Veloce’ predictably has the most luxurious interior trimmings made of leather and suede. The most important features is of course the more powerful 240hp powertrain, but the ‘Veloce’ package also includes lowered suspension and larger 20-inch alloy wheels, as well as a two-tone exterior with a black roof.
Pricing for the new Junior Elettrica now starts at just under £33k, rising to just north of £42k for the ‘Elettrica Veloce’. This lead-in price tag is more than £1k cheaper than the standard electric Jeep Avenger.
The Mini Countryman is a medium-sized five-doorSUV and the largest offering in the Mini range. This is the third-generation model, which is available to order as standard with a petrol mild-hybrid powertrain, alongside an all-electric model which we cover here.
What will be most noticeable for many people is how much larger the new Countryman is compared to the previous model. In fact, it’s longer than a Nissan Qashqai.
British motoring outlets have been largely impressed with the new Countryman so far, with some reviewers suggesting that the largest Mini brings some fun into the family SUV sector, while Dean Gibson of Auto Express concludes that the Countryman “is a more practical and family-friendly car than ever before.”
As of May 2026, the Mini Countryman has a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 70%. It scores top marks for its five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, while also earning good grades for its media review scores and low tailpipe emissions. However, running costs over the first five years of ownership are only average.
Body style: Medium SUV Engines:petrol Price:From £29,350 on-road
Launched: Spring 2024 Last updated: N/A Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview (including electric model) Score: 8 / 10 “The classy interior and high-end technology of the Mini Countryman really help it stand out from its rivals, and it has a cheeky fun character about it that can so often be missing from a family car. In its latest form, the Countryman has grown over its predecessor, so it now offers genuine practicality, while the optional sliding rear seat boosts flexibility whether you need to transport people or luggage.” Author: Dean Gibson, Max Adams Read review
Model reviewed: 1.5-litre petrol automatic Cooper Exclusive Score: 8 / 10 “The latest Mini Countryman is about as far removed from the original Mini as it’s possible to get in terms of size, but it taps straight into the modern brand’s DNA by offering style by the bucketload. It’s packed with neat touches, and is a more practical and family-friendly car than ever before. Unfortunately, it has also lost Mini’s sense of driving fun along the way.” Author: Dean Gibson Read review
Auto Trader
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 10 / 10 “Super stylish inside and out and available with petrol or electric power, the new Mini Countryman is as practical as it is good looking.” Author: Dan Trent Read review
Business Car
Model reviewed: Range overview (including JCW) Score: 7 / 10 “Mini has added a big dose of style and practicality to the Countryman and the result will make a far bigger impression on fleet than the generations before it.” Author: Martyn Collins Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Strange technology gimmicks aside, the Mini Countryman is a deeply impressive family SUV. It might only be just practical enough to carry your family around, but it makes up for that with its attractive design, stunning build quality, strong levels of standard equipment and stellar driving experience.” Author: Luke Wilkinson Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The Mini Countryman has grown in size and become more practical, but brings that cheeky recipe the brand is known for.” Author: Charlie Harvey, John McIlroy Read review
Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “Mini’s small SUV is bigger than ever and gets a funky, spacious interior, but the circular infotainment screen and textile upholstery could prove too quirky for some.” Author: Darren Cassey Read review
Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview (including JCW) Score: 7 / 10 “The Mini Countryman has a lot going for it in terms of style, tech, and most notably, practicality: the cabin is absolutely huge. It’s perhaps not the high-quality product that many will be expecting, and the driving experience is capable rather than exceptional, but there’s no arguing with its style.” Author: Ivan Aistrop Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The Countryman’s a lot of fun. It might have grown over its predecessor, but it feels like a much smaller car to drive – and the slight size increase has had a huge impact on passenger comfort. Its interior technology also impresses and it’s probably the best car in its segment to drive.” Author: Alan Taylor-Jones Read review
Regit
Score: 8 / 10 “Mini has really injected the fun into this new generation of Countryman. Its design is refreshingly different, while the interior is smart and modern, with plenty of cool features that will no doubt appeal to tech-loving buyers. The special attention made to sustainability is welcome as well.” Author: Jack Evans Read review
The Telegraph
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The new mild hybrid entry-level Mini Countryman is a fine family hauler, thanks to a fair turn of speed, good economy and a posh-feeling interior.” Author: Andrew English Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “The new Mini Countryman is fit for purpose and then some. It’s roomy, versatile, and in JCW form a spirited enough performer.” Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Clean Air Index: 7.9 / 10 Energy Efficiency Index: 3.9 / 10 Greenhouse Gas Index: 2.2 / 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 new Mini Countryman 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 Countryman, 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
46 mpg
C
CO₂ output
Average
Score
Variation
Score
Petrol models
139 g/km
C
Insurance group
Average
Score
Variation
Score
All models
22
B
Service and maintenance
Cost
Score
Year 1
£250
C
Year 2
£593
C
Year 3
£947
C
Year 4
£1,199
C
Year 5
£1,568
C
Overall
£4,557
C
The Mini Countryman should be a fairly inexpensive car to own and run, according to ownership data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our technical partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
Servicing and insurance bills should be very competitive compared to cars of similar size and budget, although fuel consumption – which the biggest cost for most people – is only middling.
As of March 2026, we are not aware of any outstanding DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Mini Countryman Electric. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.
You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Mini dealer.
Awards
Significant UK trophies and awards that the Mini Countryman has received
2025
UK Car of the Year Awards – Best Medium Crossover
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Make and model: Honda e:Ny1 Advance Description: Compact electric SUV Price range: £42,195 (plus options)
Summary: The Honda e:Ny1 is an easygoing electric SUV with decent space and smooth performance, but higher noise levels and everyday irritations make it feel average for the price.
Honda has a reputation for doing things its own way. Even when the rest of the market charges off in one direction, Honda often takes its time, refines the engineering and then arrives with something carefully considered. So when the e:Ny1 appeared as the brand’s mainstream electric SUV, expectations were reasonably high.
This is Honda’s family-sized EV, broadly comparable to the petrol HR-V and aimed at buyers who want to switch to electric power without stepping into something overly futuristic or intimidating. It’s practical, sensibly sized and pitched at the heart of the market.
After a full week of living with it in typical UK conditions, though, the overriding feeling isn’t that Honda has produced a bad electric car. It’s that it hasn’t produced a particularly distinctive one either. Nothing is disastrously wrong, but very little feels class-leading — and at this price, that matters.
The e:Ny1 sits in a competitive part of the electric SUV market, but it isn’t pitched as a budget option. It’s priced alongside established European and Korean rivals, which means expectations around refinement and polish are naturally higher.
Equipment levels are generous. There’s a large central touchscreen, digital driver display, leather-style upholstery, wireless smartphone connectivity and a full suite of safety systems. On paper, it looks well kitted out.
The issue isn’t what you get. It’s how cohesively everything works together once you’re using it every day.
The Honda e:Ny1 is based on the petrol HR-V platform, with a clean but conservative exterior design and a front-mounted charging port.
Inside the car
Climb inside and the first thing you notice is the huge portrait-oriented 15-inch touchscreen dominating the dashboard. It’s unusual in a market where most systems are landscape-shaped, and visually it looks modern and quite smart. The graphics are clear and well presented, and at a glance it feels contemporary.
However, most of the car’s functions are routed through that screen, including the climate controls. That means you’re often tapping and scrolling rather than simply reaching for a physical dial. Over the course of a week, that becomes more irritating than impressive. It isn’t that the system is unusable — it’s just not especially intuitive when you’re trying to adjust temperature or ventilation on the move.
You quickly find yourself relying on the steering wheel buttons instead, which are actually quite well laid out and easier to use without taking your eyes off the road. In a slightly ironic twist, the old-fashioned buttons end up feeling like the most user-friendly part of the cabin.
The seats in our test car were finished in a pale grey leather-style trim, which looks attractive and brightens up the interior nicely. Whether it would stay that way is another question. Dark denim jeans, for example, felt like a potential long-term enemy. Comfort-wise, the seats are adequate rather than outstanding. They’re fine for everyday journeys, but they don’t offer the sort of support that makes a long motorway drive feel effortless.
One curious detail is the glass roof arrangement. The front seats get a simple, manually retractable blind that works perfectly well. The rear seats, however, use removable shade panels that have to be taken out by hand and stored somewhere else. It feels like two different design teams solved the same problem in completely different ways. It works, but it’s an odd solution.
There are some thoughtful touches. The cupholders are pleasingly deep and hold tall bottles securely, and the charging port is located in the nose of the car, which makes forward parking at public chargers straightforward. Our test car came with both a Type 2 cable for wallboxes and public charging and a three-pin domestic plug cable, which is useful flexibility.
Practicality is decent rather than exceptional. Because the e:Ny1 is based on the petrol HR-V rather than a dedicated electric platform, it doesn’t make quite as clever use of space as some purpose-built EVs. There’s no separate front boot for charging cables, so they live under the boot floor. That’s fine until the boot is full of luggage and you need to get to them.
Inside, the Honda e:Ny1 features a large portrait touchscreen, pale leather-style upholstery and a practical boot, though there is no separate frunk.
Driving range and charging
Battery range is a key consideration for any electric car, and here the e:Ny1 delivers broadly what you’d expect on paper. In practice, though, the usable range feels quite sensitive to heating and air-conditioning use, particularly in colder weather. Turning the climate system on has a noticeable impact on the projected miles remaining.
On the plus side, the range indicator itself seems reasonably honest. Over longer drives it didn’t appear wildly optimistic or pessimistic, which is reassuring when planning journeys.
Regenerative braking is a key function for electric cars, as it’s a way of gaining ‘free’ energy to gradually recharge the battery every time you lift off the accelerator or step on the brake pedal. But on the e:Ny1 it’s not particularly convincing. Even when set to its stronger setting, it feels relatively mild, and frustratingly it doesn’t always stay where you’ve left it. We found ourselves repeatedly adjusting it upwards because it seemed to reduce itself. Over a week, that becomes a small but persistent annoyance.
On the road
Electric cars are often praised for their refinement, and around town the e:Ny1 feels smooth and easy to drive. The transition between electric power and any background systems is seamless, and it’s simple to thread through traffic.
At higher speeds, though, the refinement doesn’t quite match the best in class. Wind and road noise are more noticeable than in several rival EVs, which slightly undermines the calm atmosphere many buyers expect from an electric SUV. It’s still quieter than the equivalent petrol HR-V, but among EVs it doesn’t feel especially hushed.
The ride is acceptable, leaning towards firm rather than cushioned. Over rougher surfaces it doesn’t glide in the way some competitors manage. Steering and braking feel safe but somewhat vague, lacking the precise feedback that inspires real confidence on faster A-roads. It’s not difficult to drive, but it doesn’t feel especially engaging either.
Another persistent irritation is the driver assistance systems. Like many new cars, the e:Ny1 will warn you the moment you drift 1mph over the speed limit. Over a few miles that’s mildly annoying. Over a week, it becomes genuinely wearing.
On UK roads, the Honda e:Ny1 delivers smooth electric performance but is less refined than many rival electric SUVs at motorway speeds.
Verdict
The Honda e:Ny1 isn’t fundamentally flawed. It’s practical enough, reasonably well-equipped and easy to drive. The electric range is workable, and the cabin has some thoughtful touches.
What it lacks is a clear reason to choose it. It doesn’t feel especially refined, especially spacious for its size or especially polished in daily use. The touchscreen-heavy interface can frustrate, the regenerative braking setup lacks consistency, and the overall experience feels more generic than you might expect from a brand with Honda’s engineering heritage.
It’s not a bad electric SUV. It’s simply an average one — and at this price point, average isn’t always enough.
For a broader ownership assessment, including safety, running costs and reliability data, see our full Honda e:Ny1 Expert Rating.
We like:
Honest and consistent battery range display
Smooth and easy to drive around town
Clear, modern screen graphics
Practical front-mounted charging port
Competitive cabin and boot space
We don’t like:
Noisier than many rival EVs
Climate controls buried in the touchscreen
Regenerative braking doesn’t stay on its strongest setting
Over-sensitive driver assistance warnings
Feels average for the price
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Many drivers want to get the best out of their car while they own, or run, it. And that often includes changing its looks, improving its performance or fuel economy, or altering its use.
If you own the car privately, that’s entirely your decision and you can go ahead with whatever changes you want (remembering to tell your insurance company of any modifications).
But when you lease or finance a vehicle – as many millions of drivers do in the UK – it’s a slightly different story. While leasing does not necessarily exclude you from making changes, you just have to approach it differently.
Most leasing companies will allow certain mods to their cars as long as any work can be reversed at the end of the term and put back to how it was at the start of the contract.
That includes cosmetic changes such as adding alloy wheels, performance changes like remapping the car’s engine, and usage changes such as adding a towbar or roof rack.
What you are permitted to have done all depends on the individual leasing company, but these companies will often allow changes if they are not going to leave any lasting damage or marks on the car when you return it. So it’s always worth asking to see what you can do and it’s important that you seek permission before you make any changes.
If you don’t do that, you could end up invalidating the warranty on the car or, worse still, you might get hit with a penalty when you come to hand back the vehicle, to cover the costs of returning it to its original condition.
Cosmetically, drivers often want to add alloy wheels, window tinting, or even a complete vinyl wrap, especially if this is a business car. All of these features are often allowed as they are quite simple to return to original when the car is handed back.
The same goes for replacement tyres, adding a roof box, or remapping the car’s engine (reprogramming or ‘chipping’ the ECU control unit) to improve performance or fuel economy. All of these can be reversed.
While the roof box addition is OK, don’t fit roof bars unless you have permission as these can leave permanent marks on a car’s bodywork. And wrapping a car should be done by a high-quality professional so that any markings, such as advertising slogans or artwork, can be safely removed as if they were never there.
Adding a towbar is more problematic because it usually involves drilling holes in the car’s underneath which the lease company might not like. The same goes for adding body extras such as front or rear spoilers, any changes to the interior trim or suspension modifications.
Not everyone will like your choice of mods so, even if you are permitted by the leasing company to make them, the lender could increase your monthly payments to make up for any shortfall that comes from devaluing the vehicle with your modifications.
Private number plates don’t leave any damage so there shouldn’t be a problem if you want to add yours to a lease car. But this can only be done once you have taken delivery of the vehicle and you will have to get permission from the leasing company of course. And make sure you also tell the DVLA licensing authority and your insurer if you are planning on changing the plate marking.
Renault has revealed the latest changes coming to its compact Captur crossover range, including revised exterior looks and an infotainment overhaul.
Built on the same foundations as the smaller Clio hatchback, the Captur has taken a few exterior styling cues from the newer Renault Scenic E-Tech SUV, including a re-sculpted front end with narrower LED headlights, a higher bonnet and a new LED daytime running light design on either side of the bumper.
Not much has changed inside, apart from the addition of a larger 10-inch portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreen fitted front and centre on the dashboard. The system is compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a wireless smartphone charger is also included as standard.
Renault has also updated the upholstery trim options. The mid-range ‘Techno’ gains yellow top-stitching to contrast its grey seat fabric, while the top-spec ‘esprit Alpine’ trim features synthetic leather on the seats and door panels and a blue-grey insert on the dashboard as shown below.
The range of engine options is broadly the same – consisting of a 90hp petrol and 145hp hybrid model – but diesel options have now been removed, as demand for diesel cars has sharply declined in recent years.
Pricing for the update range now starts at just south of £22k, which is £5k more than the Captur’s initial launch price in 2019. The crossover is available to order now, with the first customer deliveries expected to arrive on UK roads in the second half of this year.
One of the regular criticisms of electric vehicles is that people who live in a flat or a house with no off-street parking don’t have the luxury of charging at home, and so have to rely on public charging.
Around a third of households can’t charge an EV using their household electricity supply, which is a key consideration if you’re thinking about making the switch to an electric car. But while it’s cheaper and more convenient to charge at home, it’s certainly not an absolute requirement if you’d like to drive an electric vehicle but live in a flat.
It’s worth remembering that the average household car covers about 100 miles a week, while the average battery range for new electric vehicles is more than 200 miles – and many can do more than 300 miles on a full charge. So most households can charge an EV once a week and still never have to worry about running out of electricity.
If this is you, and you’re thinking of moving to an EV, here’s our advice.
What are the options near to your home?
We’ll look at charging using cables across the pavement later, but the first piece of homework is to see what on-street charging exists around you right now, and if possible, find out what’s coming. Your local authority should be able to say how many street charging points it is planning.
You can locate charging points wherever you are in the UK using Zapmap by downloading an ap or browsing the web version. No need to sign up. It can display the type of charger near you but not always if it’s being used at the time you search.
Take a walk around your local streets and locate the chargers nearest to you. Some may also be within a public car park. You’ll see two options; lamp posts and charging stations with posts and marked bays (there are also posts which can rise from flush with the pavement). Lamp post chargers are most common because its relatively cheap and easy for authorities to add charging outlets to the existing lamp posts.
How far away from home are they to leave your car charging? Is the area ok? If you’ve got time, repeat the walk to see how your possible street chargers are being used.
Are they occupied a lot of the time or often free? Lamp post charge points without any marked EV-only bay in front of them aren’t much in use if somebody leaves their petrol car there for days.
Are they often out of order? Maybe chat to a local EV owner about their experience of charging in the area.
What type of on-street charging is available?
On your walk, keep a look out for any on-street chargers. They should show their power output with a ‘kW’ for kilowatts. If you can’t see anything, Zapmap will show this information.
There are currently four types of public charging: slow, fast, rapid and ultra-rapid. The last two generally are only found at retail outlets and motorway service stations, so we’ll concentrate on slow and fast chargers.
A slow public charger is rated 3kW-5kW and these are most often used for lamp posts. A full charge takes a long time with 3kW. A typical electric car (60kWh battery) takes just under 16 hours to charge from empty to full using a 3kW slow charging point.
Ubitricity, which is part of the Shell Group, concentrates on London lamppost chargers. It says: ‘With our lamp post chargers, we’re focussing on low power charging during long parking times – for example, overnight. The power output at our lamp post charge points in the UK is therefore usually 5 kW. For example, a 45kWh (battery capacity)/ 5kW (power output) = charging time of roughly nine hours if a 32-amp charging cable were used.’ A basic Volkswagen ID.3 has a 45kWh battery.
But your street may have 7 to 22kW fast chargers. A 7kW fast charger will power up your EV battery in around 4-6 hours, while a 22kW unit could do the job in a couple of hours (if your car is able to take a 22kW charge).
Incidentally, don’t worry that no-good passers-by can simply unplug the cable, stop charging and/or walk away with it. Electric car sockets are built with a locking mechanism, so while the car charges it’s locked at either end.
The charging posts are often run by different companies. You can pay contactless with on some public chargers or set up an account with specific networks and use a RFID (chip) card or smartphone app to use their charge points. For example, Source London and Ubitricity have a lot of points. Look the providers up to see how people rate them.
As mentioned, the reality is that you’re not going to need to charge up every day. For most households, once a week is not a major inconvenience. And for most EV drivers, charging is more of a top up than a full refill from near-empty, so the costs and time could be less than you think.
Charging cables across pavements
You sometimes see people who live in houses with no off-road parking trailing an electrical cable out of a window, or from a wallbox across the pavement underneath a cable protector. This is legal, but you will need permission from your local authority which may or may not have a policy.
Norfolk, for example, only permits an owner to place cables perpendicular (at right angles) across the footway and permission will only be granted following an assessment by a highways officer for two years. In theory you could be liable if somebody trips over your cable but some EV insurance policies may cover this prospect.
Do not use a domestic extension lead as this is liable to overheat – you can buy EV charger cables in many lengths. Charging from a domestic socket is the slowest possible way to do so; using a regular 2.4kW three-pin wall socket can mean a charging time of over 30 hours. If you can fit a 7kW wallbox outside, these can charge in just under eight hours.
There is a way to run a cable across a pavement without any raised surface. A company that has recently secured funding from the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, Kerbo Charge can cut a channel across a concrete pathway or between pavement slabs which is then covered with a hinged lid. A standard Type 2 charge cable can be run from the property through the channel. A wallbox can be added if required.
This solutions isn’t widely available just yet, however. This Kerbo Charge product is currently on trial with a handful of English and one Scottish council as of June 2024, but the company says it has many more trials “in the pipeline”.
Charging for existing blocks of flats with parking spaces
Some people live in blocks of flats with shared off-street parking spaces and perhaps a closed garage or car port tied to each property. While it might seem possible to install a few shared charging points or allow owners to set one up in a garage, this isn’t straightforward.
Firstly, as all flats in England and Wales are leasehold, the managing agent or shared freeholders would need to agree. Grants are available from the government to install charging points, but you or a group of residents would need to find a charging provider willing to set up a post within your off-street parking and even if the logistics of bringing a sufficient additional electric supply onto the land, they may not see it as a worthwhile investment.
As for wallboxes in garages and underground parking spaces, if there was an individual power supply to that space it would have to be individually metered, rather than running off the supply for the common parts of the building.
EV charging at new developments
There’s better news for new-build apartment blocks/houses with allocated and shared spaces, and for residential blocks which are undergoing major refurbishment. By law they must now have charge points.
In June 2022, to encourage the adoption of EVs, the UK government’s new EV charging requirements came into force in England as part of an overhaul of the country’s building regulations.
Every new home, including those created from a change of use, with associated parking must have an EV chargepoint.
Residential buildings undergoing a major renovation which will have more than ten parking spaces must have at least one EV charge point per dwelling with associated parking, along with cable routes in all spaces without charge points.
Developers aren’t currently compelled to install active charging points into covered car parks; they only have to fit cable routes.
You can find the government regulations here. It gives an example of a new development of 20 houses. Each house has one uncovered parking space that is assigned to the house for sole use by its occupier or their visitors.
There are ten additional uncovered parking spaces that are ‘first come first served’ for the communal use of occupiers from all 20 houses and their visitors. In total the whole development would require 20 charge points but no cable routes.
Pod Point is one of UK’s leading providers of electric vehicle charging and its work includes links with property developers and managers like Barratt Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Redrow and Bellway to wire up their developments.
A spokesperson told us: “Our home segment is currently focused on domestic off-street charging at locations where the homeowner has access to private off-street parking. Now we aim to expand our reach to include private car parks associated with blocks of flats (comprising approximately 7% of homes), and on-street charging for areas with no off-street parking, as well as other areas. We’ll also look to work with local authorities to install on-street chargepoints.”
Alongside three-door models already on sale, Mini has bolstered its new petrol-powered Cooper range with the arrival of five-door models which will also be built at the brand’s Oxford factory.
This five-door body style is seventeen centimetres longer than the three-door Cooper already on sale, the extra length needed for the rear doors. To clarify, this five-door configuration is only available in the petrol Cooper range – the Mini Cooper Electric range still only consists of three-door options.
The five-door is available with both the entry-level ‘Cooper C’ and top-spec ‘Cooper S’ powertrain options and all trim grades. The first customer deliveries will commence in August, with pricing beginning at £24k – around £1k more than the three-door model.
Volkswagen has expanded its flagship electric ID.7 saloon and ‘Tourer’ estate line-up with the addition of longer range ‘Pro S’ and high-performance ‘GTX’ models, all of which should become available to order in the UK by the end of this year.
Starting with the ‘Pro S’, this rear-wheel-drive version is practically identical to the 77kWh ‘Pro’ models already arriving on UK roads, apart from its larger 86kWh battery that the brand says provides a “noticeably longer” range of 441 miles (429 miles for the ‘Tourer’ estate).
Meanwhile, the ID.7 ‘GTX’ trades range for pace, and promises to be one of the most powerful Volkswagen models to ever go on sale in the UK. Able to muster up to 370 miles on a single charge, the GTX is powered by the same 86kWh battery but with an extra motor on the front axle, this extra power meaning it can complete a 0-62mph sprint in 5.5 seconds with a total output of 340hp.
The battery installed in both models can be charged from 10% to 80% charge in 26 minutes at a 200kW rapid charging station. The GTX sits on 20-inch alloy wheels as standard and features LED matrix headlights with illuminated Volkswagen logos at the front and rear.
Volkswagen adds that the LED daytime running light signature has been reworked for the GTX too, and the performance car comes with plenty of ‘GTX’ branding inside, including on the heated seats with red contrasting top-stitching.
This colour scheme extends to the multi-function steering wheel and dashboard trim, and the interior of the is illuminated by a 30-colour ambient lighting system.
Standard equipment includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility for the large infotainment screen, a head-up display that projects driving information onto the windscreen, and voice assistant tech powered using ChatGPT – which is fast becoming a regular feature on new Volkswagen releases.
UK specifications and pricing are yet to be confirmed for either model choice, with these details sure to follow in the coming months. The Volkswagen ID.7 currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A with a score of 77%. This is currently one of the highest scores in our Expert Rating Index.
Make and model: Subaru Outback Description: Estate Price range: from £36,990
Subaru says: “The latest Subaru Outback SUV has received updated styling as well as new safety features and in-vehicle technologies.”
We say: It sits in its own class and, apart from calling itself an SUV, doesn’t try to double as anything else. Functionality and comfort are at the core of the Outback.
The Outback has been a mainstay in Subaru’s lineup for 30 years. Launched in 1994, the model is now in its sixth generation. Like most of Subaru’s range, it mainly sits in its own category. Its closest competitors were the Audi A4 allroad and the Skoda Octavia Scout, neither of which are still on sale.
Subaru’s range features the small hybrid SUVs Crosstrek and Forester, the all-electric SUV Solterra and the Outback. As of June 2024, media reviews of the Subaru Outback have earned the car an overall New CarExpert Rating of C with a score of 64%. This gets it a C in our scoring system and for a used buy it’s closely rated at 63%.
What is it?
While Subaru calls the Outback an SUV, it’s more like a jacked up estate. Its body shape is almost identical to an estate car but the ride height is a bit higher to give it good ground clearance off road. This means it has competition from SUVs and estates alike but few new cars on the market match this crossover body style.
Subaru says the Outback offers a mix of SUV capability and car-like ride and handling thanks to its four-wheel drive system which comes as standard. The key market for the Outback is people who have ‘active lifestyles’. Essentially, Subaru wants its customers to use the Outback as a workhorse and get the most out of its functionality, carrying paddle boards and canoes on the roof rack for instance.
First impressions
Initially, the chunky estate styling doesn’t make much sense but after getting inside it’s very spacious. The estate body means there’s plenty of room in the back and the driving position gives a good view of the road. Apart from owners looking to utilise the Outback for activities, it could be a good middle ground for older people who don’t want to step up into a car but equally don’t want to step down.
The black plastic exterior trim is supposed to be a nod to its ruggedness but it might look a bit more attractive without this around the wheel arches. This would be a subtler look to make it blend in as an everyday car when you’re driving on tarmac. Inside, there’s a large screen and on the Touring trim Outback we tried, there was a good mix of soft touch materials, shiny black finishes and hard wearing plastics.
We like: Functional aesthetic inside and out We don’t like: Plastic wheel arch surrounds
What do you get for your money?
There are three trim options available: Limited, Field and Touring. Entry-level Limited starts from £36,990, Field begins at £40,990 and Touring is from £42,490. This makes it a bit more pricey than the Skoda Octavia Estate which ranges from £27,775 to £33,285. The Audi A4 Allroad was discontinued in 2022 so used examples with fewer than 20,000 miles on the clock now sell for around £36,000.
As standard Limited trim comes with roof rails, fabric seats, heated front and rear seats, keyless entry, rear parking sensors, analogue reverse camera, rear seat release lever in the boot, 11.6-inch central screen, Apple Carplay, Android Auto and four USB ports. Safety equipment includes lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, intelligent speed limiter, traffic sign recognition and a driver monitoring system.
Field trim adds black door mirrors instead of body coloured ones, a black ladder with the roof rails, 18-inch alloy wheels with a dark metallic finish, synthetic leather seats, electric tailgate with hands-free function and sat nav.
Touring trim includes satin chrome door mirrors which automatically fold when the car is locked, a sunroof, roof rails with built-in silver cross bars, Nappa leather seats, digital reversing camera and 11 Harman/Kardon speakers, up from the standard six. Special paint finishes for all trims are extra at £595.
Subaru sells the Outback with a three-year / 36,000 mile warranty and a five-year / 60,000 mile powertrain warranty which covers the engine and associated components.
We like: Entry-level spec is very well equipped We don’t like: A little pricey compared to closest rivals
What’s the Subaru Outback like inside?
The Outback interior seems to strike the right balance between modern and functional. There’s an 11.6-inch touchscreen display in the centre with large buttons which makes it easy to select the right one on the move. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard and are simple to connect and operate.
Climate control is operated partly through the screen and partly using buttons either side of the screen. Temperature is controlled using buttons while fan speed and heated seats controls are housed in the touchscreen. Above the temperature buttons are shortcuts to clear the windscreen or rear window, then two knobs, one for volume and the other to tune the radio. The hazard light button is next to the top right of the screen.
The rear seats fold down and can be released from the boot which makes it quicker to open up the boot space for larger items. In the back seats there’s plenty of leg and headroom for tall passengers and the higher ride height makes it convenient to get in and out of.
We like: Comfortable, functional interior space We don’t like: Climate controls mostly in the touchscreen
What’s under the bonnet?
All three trim options come with the same 2.5-litre petrol engine. City and highway driving combined offers fuel economy figures of around 33mpg. All versions come with all-wheel drive and have an unbraked towing capacity up to 750kg. The Outback can tow braked trailers up to 2000kg, making it a good pick for caravanners.
Power is rated at 167bhp and 252 Nm of torque to provide a 0 to 60mph time of 10.2 seconds and a top speed of 120mph. It isn’t particularly quick but the driving experience is mostly focused on good handling at low speeds over uneven terrain rather than straight line speed.
What’s the Subaru Outback like to drive?
On the road the Outback is a bit slow off the mark. It’s not set up to be sporty but it can feel underpowered if you try to pull away more quickly than the car wants to. It runs very smoothly if you don’t drive it with a lead foot. Due to the type of gearbox the Outback has it can also be noisy when the car is accelerating. Again, smoother inputs result in a better driving experience.
There is a bit of body lean because of the ride height but this affords the car ample clearance over more difficult terrain. Three driving modes are available depending on the conditions: normal, snow/dirt, and deep snow/mud. The vehicle has to slow down enough to select a different driving mode and there’s a noticeable difference in handling in each mode.
In the Touring version we tried it had the advanced driver monitoring system fitted. This analyses your face every time you get in the vehicle and bings at you audibly and with a warning on the dash if it thinks you’re not paying attention to the road.
The blind spot warning is very user friendly and unlike other cars that show an amber warning on the outer edge of the wing mirror, Subaru’s illuminates on the inner side of the mirror. This makes it obvious when there is a vehicle in the blind spot without needing to look over at the mirror.
We like: Great safety equipment We don’t like: Noisy and underpowered
Verdict
The Outback is a highly practical SUV estate crossover. Like most cars that have a niche target market, it has to fit into the owner’s lifestyle. This might be frequently making use of the roof rack, travelling off-road, packing the car with passengers and luggage, or towing. If these activities aren’t in your usual remit then competitors might be able to offer better value for money while stripping back on the rugged specification.
As an alternative to the usual SUV body style, Subaru offers what feels like a robust and well put together car. On the road it can feel a bit sluggish which lets it down but it’s not designed to be a sports car. If the Outback seems like it could be a good option for you, we always recommend going for a test drive to get a feel for the car.
Model tested: Subaru Outback Price (as tested): £42,490 Engine: 2.5-litre petrol Gearbox: CVT automatic
Power: 167 hp Torque: 252 Nm Top speed: 120 mph 0-60 mph: 10.2 seconds
CO2 emissions: 193 g/km Euro NCAP safety rating:Five stars (2021) TCE Expert Rating:C (64%) as of June 2024
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No matter how careful you are with your car, the chances are that it will receive a dent, scratch or scrape at some point during your ownership. But how do you repair that light cosmetic damage without an expensive and time-consuming visit to a bodyshop? With the help of mobile specialists and a cosmetic car repair system called ‘Smart’.
A bump on your door caused by a careless fellow parker, some paint chips from flying stones, a kerbed wheel. These are all relatively minor examples of cosmetic vehicle damage and not dangerous, but annoying all the same.
But, apart from being unsightly and detracting from the otherwise pristine appearance of your car, these small scuffs and dings can actually end up costing you dearly.
If you are leasing the vehicle, any damage will very likely be spotted on its return and a penalty charge made for the repair work. If it’s your own car and you want to sell it, a scratch or dent – even small – can chip away at the price you want for it.
The same applies if you are looking to use your car as part-exchange for another one. Buyers and traders are always looking for ways to haggle any price down and a few scratches or a dent will help them do that.
Separately, minor damage that’s left untreated, can get worse as time goes on and what was once a small scratch or scuff can turn into a hole or rust spot as water and dirt gets in, slowly aggravating the problem.
Today these smaller car bodywork issues can be repaired to a very high standard using a technique known as Smart (Small and Medium Area Repair Technology). Using professional repair products such as primers, high-tech equipment that matches paint hues perfectly, and buffers and polishers to produce factory-quality finishes, technicians can make minor cosmetic damage ‘disappear’ on bodywork and alloy wheels.
Claiming to be the fastest growing mobile repair network in the UK, Axioma has gathered together a team of repairers from across the country to act as ‘partners’. This friendly site has a drop down list of all the areas the brand covers complete with the repairer’s first name and where they are based. If your town or area isn’t listed you can still get in touch with Axioma and they’ll try to ‘find a solution’.
Axioma say that the five-star service they offer comes from the relationship with the partners who take home ‘the lion’s share of the profits’. It’s also environmentally friendly, carrying out 99% of its repairs without replacing any parts.
There’s a ‘Get a quote’ button to press which takes you to a simple damage assessment form. Here you input your personal details and a description of damage and upload supporting pictures. You’ll then receive your estimate and, if agreed, a local repairer will be in touch to arrange a date. Most work can be done on your driveway or home location.
Axioma offers repairs to paint, bumper scuffs, dents, scratches and ‘keyed’ panels and also service larger fleets.
MotorEasy is more of an insurance company than a repair shop, but running your car and keeping it maintained are at the heart of its business. You’ll find warranty, gap insurance, breakdown cover and tyre insurance among its list of products and services. And Smart cosmetic repairs are featured in there too.
From the landing page go to ‘Cosmetic & Alloy Repairs’ from the list running along the bottom. Don’t click on ‘Cosmetic Insurance’ which is a related – but different – offering. MotorEasy has partnered with Dent Wizard and Wheel Wizard repairers, and offers a 10% discount.
There’s a ‘Get a quote’ tab. Select that to go to the next page which takes your personal and vehicle details, plus a drop-down menu to select paint damage or wheel damage. You’re asked for two pictures of the damage and there’s a space to insert some additional notes if necessary, before you request the repair quote.
Technicians offer mobile coverage across the UK and cosmetic car repairs can be carried out ‘at a place that suits you’. They bring their own power so access to properties is not even required.
ChipsAway has been operating for more than 25 years and has built a good reputation for carrying out Smart repairs. Its goal is to repair a car’s bodywork so that you can’t tell it was even damaged in the first place.
The company has amassed a huge network or repairers, with more than 200 across the UK, and is still growing. As well as mobile repairers, the company operates several repair shops called Car Care Centres.
A simple click will get you through to the free estimate page in which you add your details and car’s registration number while a drop down menu allows you to describe the kind of damage you have sustained. From here you’ll receive your estimate.
There’s a separate page containing details of all ChipsAway’s services which include scratches, scuffs and dent removal as well as alloy wheel repairs and a ‘Supagard’ treatment to protect paint in the future.
Specialists in mobile minor bodywork and alloy wheel refurbishment, Revive! works for private car owners, car dealerships, lease and insurance companies and offer all the Smart repairs you would expect.
The simple-to-use website describes these, and include: bumper scuffs, panel damage, paint scratches, small dents, alloy and diamond cut wheel refurbishment and even specialist paint finishes.
Either select the type of repair you need from the top of the landing page, or ‘Find your nearest Revive! Technician’ using your postcode and by selecting from a drop-down menu of repairs. Either way you end up requesting a quote, if you wish.
To ask for the quote you first have to click on a car picture, showing the areas on your vehicle, that have damage. You can also include your own photos. Enter your personal details and click ‘Confirmation’ and an agent will contact you with a no-obligation estimate.
Shine! formed in 2003 as a fully-employed cosmetic car repair service covering the UK. It directly employs their technicians which, they say, allows them to maintain the same level of quality throughout their network.
Partnering with RBS, Halfords and Kwik Fit, Shine! has close relationships with car makers, especially on paint repairs. The company is green-minded and tries to reduce its carbon footprint with measures such as reusable car covers, paint vapour extraction units and ‘paperless’ digital technology.
For a repair estimate, go to the ‘Get a quote’ tab on the landing page. Job One is to enter your car’s registration number. Then you insert personal contact information before going to the next page which asks for at least two photos to be uploaded – one close up and one that’s two metres away, showing a broader view of the damage.
You’ll get a confirmation of the booking and can make arrangements for the place of repair, either at home or your workplace.
A leading organisation that has a network of fully employed mobile repair specialists, DWV also has a franchise operation which should increase nationwide coverage. Its mobile van workshops are equipped with manufacturer approved paints and parts, their own power supply and overhead canopies for outdoor work.
From the home page a drop down menu explains the range of services offered by DWV, namely: alloy wheel, dent and paint repairs including bumper scuffs and scratches.
The ‘Get a quote’ button takes you to an easy-to-use page asking first for your personal details and car registration number. You then select the type (or types) of damage your vehicle has sustained with the help of useful pictures. Click on any of these images and a ‘Good to know’ box explains the typical cost for a repair to each.
You can also upload your own pictures to help with the quote process and then click ‘Request quote’. DWV offer PDR (Paintless Dent Removal) and if your car has a dent that has not chipped the paint they promise a ‘quick and affordable repair solution’.
*The Car Expert has commercial partnerships with Axioma and MotorEasy. If you click through to their websites, we may receive a small commission.
BMW has given its entry-level 1 Series hatchback a wide array of revisions, including new exterior looks, the brand’s latest infotainment software and “extensively improved” chassis technology.
The 1 Series is currently a top-ten best-seller in the UK, and this rather large mid-life facelift is intended to boost consumer demand for the model further as the BMW battles the likes of the Audi A3, which is currently a few thousand sales ahead.
As well as updating the car’s cosmetics and revisiting the car’s chassis design, BMW has also taken the opportunity to slim down the pre-facelift range of gearbox and engine choices. Like the recently updated 3 Series range, diesel engine options have been removed, and the hatchback is no longer available with a manual transmission.
Soon available to order, the refreshed 1 Series has a new front end with a lower nose that features reshaped LED headlights and more prominent air intakes on the front bumper. The traditional chrome-finished BMW kidney grille design makes way for a new oval shaped design finished in black, with vertical or horizontal bars on either end, depending on the model you choose.
The rear end is pretty similar to the pre-facelift model, but BMW has tweaked the LED tail light design and the rear bumper sits slightly lower to the ground too. BMW says that these design changes – including the black rear diffuser elements shown above for ‘M Sport’ models – display the hatchback’s “sporty character more than ever.”
The manufacturer has also decided to make the model slightly larger once again, making it four centimetres longer and two-and-a-half centimetres taller. BMW has also “further developed” the chassis setup with new shock absorber technology to improve stability and steering feedback. The car sits on 17-inch alloy wheels as standard.
Three different trim levels will be available, starting with the lead-in ‘120i Sport’ and mid-range ‘120i M Sport’. Both are powered by a 170hp three-cylinder petrol engine with 48V of mild-hybrid assistance paired with a seven-speed automatic gearbox, but the ‘M Sport’ comes with several sportier cosmetic bodywork features.
The top-of-the-range model is the ‘M135 xDrive’ – a sporty all-wheel drive version powered by 300hp four-cylinder engine, with drive sent through the same seven-speed automatic transmission. This model can complete a 0-62mph sprint in a reported 4.9 seconds – around three seconds faster than the standard model – and comes fitted with an even more aggressive ‘BMW M’ exterior design.
Inside, the big new addition is the brand’s 20-inch curved display that houses the digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen on the dashboard, which is powered by BMW’s latest ‘Operating System 9’ and is compatible with over-the-air updates. BMW has scrapped the buttons for settings like climate control, and moved these controls onto the display.
A head-up display that projects driving information onto the windscreen is on the options list, as is parking assistance tech and ‘glare-free’ adaptive LED headlights. Two-zone automatic air conditioning, a panoramic glass roof and a more advanced Harman Kardon sound system are included with the ‘M135 xDrive’ package.
That just about sums up this facelift. UK pricing starts at just under £30k (excluding additional on-the-road costs, which are yet to be confirmed), rising to £41k for the ‘M135 xDrive’.
The BMW 1 Series currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 70%. The used car rating is a B, but the actual score is only 1% less. The 1 Series scores well for CO2 emissions, safety, running costs and media reviews. The only real downside is that reliability is more problematic than many other cars in its class.
Hyundai has given its compact Bayon crossover a mid-life refresh, which includes updated exterior looks and an on-board tech upgrade.
The Korean brand will be hoping that this facelift for the Bayon – which first arrived on UK roads in 2021 – will increase the model’s appeal in a seriously crowded and competitive small SUV class that is currently dominated by the best-selling Ford Puma.
Starting with the car’s new looks, the Bayon has been given a few front fascia tweaks that Hyundai says makes the car look “sharp and distinctive”. A new daytime running light bar runs across the width of the bonnet – much like the new Hyundai Kona – and the pattern and shape of the front grille have been changed to give the car a more “rugged” appearance.
The manufacturer adds that it has added more body-coloured fixtures to the rear bumper, and the 16- or 17-inch alloy wheel choices have a new alloy design too. Four extra body colours have also been added to the options list (nine total) and a two-tone roof can be specced for an extra fee.
Stepping inside, the layout of the dashboard remains broadly the same post-update, including the previously available ten-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel and the ten-inch central infotainment screen. Formerly offered with higher trim levels, these two displays are now available as standard.
This infotainment setup has also gained over-the-air navigation map updates and customisable LED back-lighting.
The engine line-up looks largely the same too, but with one absence. Just like the i20 hatchback refresh, Hyundai has scrapped the Bayon’s mild-hybrid options as part of this update.
Three trims are available that are all powered by the same 100hp 1.0-litre petrol engine and either a six-speed or seven-speed automatic transmission, starting with the entry-level ‘Advance’. This package includes both ten-inch dashboard displays shown above, cruise control, rear parking sensors, a rear view parking camera, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, roof rails and lane-keeping assistance tech.
The mid-range ‘Premium’ adds climate control functions, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, front parking sensors, larger 17-inch alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, a heated steering wheel and heated front seats. Finally, the range-topping ‘Ultimate’ comes with a premium Bose sounds system, blind spot monitoring, keyless entry and start up, a glass sunroof and wireless smartphone charging.
That sums up the changes this Bayon facelift introduces. Now available to order in the UK, pricing begins at around £23k, rising to around £27k for the top-spec ‘Ultimate’ trim and seven-speed automatic gearbox configuration.
Marking the Volkswagen Golf’s 50th birthday, a new high-performance ‘Clubsport’ version of the Golf GTI has been unveiled, which will be one of the most powerful hot hatches on the market when it arrives in the UK later this year.
Unveiled at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race in Germany, this is the second ‘Clubsport’ iteration of the Mk8 Golf. Like the first limited-run Mk8 GTI Clubsport which launched alongside the standard GTI in 2021, this new ‘Clubsport’ features the now-familiar narrow LED headlights and wide air intakes of the standard Mk8 Golf, as well as an illuminated Volkswagen badge.
The hot hatch comes with a thick rear spoiler and a slightly reshaped rear diffuser with black detailing, as well as a black roof and red GTI badges on the front doors. The car sits on 19-inch alloy wheels with a new ‘Queenstown’ design pattern.
Under the bonnet, the Clubsport is powered by a 300hp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that delivers a 0-62mph time of 5.6 seconds. This is the same engine configuration as the 2021 Clubsport, and is 55hp more powerful and 0.8 seconds faster than the standard GTI. The range-topping Golf R is still the more powerful choice with 315hp.
Top speed is electronically capped at 155mph as standard, but the optional ‘Race’ package boosts that to 166mph. Drive is sent through a seven-speed automatic gearbox, and Volkswagen has revised the chassis design to improve the car’s driving dynamics. More advanced adaptive dampers are available as part of an optional Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) package.
The Clubsport also comes with a unique drive mode – ‘Special’. This setting gives you the brand’s unique setup for tackling the narrow winding turns, fast straights and banked turns of the Nürburgring.
Uk pricing is yet to be confirmed for the new Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport, which will become available to order later this year.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI holds an Expert Rating of A with a score of 76%, which is several points higher than the more expensive Golf R.
Increasing new car demand from business and fleet customers masked poor private registrations totals in May, as the overall new car market grew by a modest 2% in last month.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reports that close to 148,000 new cars were registered in the UK in May. The lobbying body adds that it was the best May market performance since 2021, although this registrations result is still 20% lower than the sales total in pre-pandemic May 2019.
New business and fleet registrations grew by 10% and 14% respectively last month, while private new car sales continued to struggle and fell by 13% year-on-year. Private sales account for just 38% of the new car market for 2024 as a whole, while fleet registrations now have a market share of 60%.
Why are private new car sales decreasing?
Consumer new car sales have been sliding since about halfway through the last decade (peaked in 2015/2016), but the slowdown seems to be accelerating in recent months. It affects all types of new cars, and certainly not just EVs as certain national newspapers would love you to believe.
Unless anything radical changes (even more radical than a rout of the current government at the coming election), this trend is going to continue. New car prices are very high, and interest rates are higher than they’ve been for the last 15 years. Inflation on most consumer bills is squeezing household budgets, so buying a new car is getting harder for many people. Car finance terms are getting longer, so people are changing their cars less often. And so sales keep on falling.
Fleet sales are doing well, continuing their recovery from the depths of Covid. Whether this continues in the longer term remains to be seen.
EV uptake increases, but PHEV sales more impressive in May
Following on from a fairly promising 11% EV increase year-on-year in April, the electric car market grew by 6% in May when compared to the same month last year.
EV registrations totalled just over 26,000 last month, as the EV market share holds at 16% for 2024 as a whole. That said, the SMMT adds that the fleet customers are driving this increasing demand, as demand for new private EVs fell by 2%.
EV uptake continues to grow, but is still behind government targets. The Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme demands that 22% of new vehicles sold this year by each brand must be zero emission.
As the year progresses, we expect to see fiercer discounting on electric cars as car manufacturers scramble to hit their mandate targets and avoid large government fines. It’s a good bet that fleet customers, in particular, will be content to wait a bit longer where possible to get better deals before committing to large EV orders.
While not as popular as the electric car market, the PHEV (plug-in hybrid) sector had much more promising results in May, as sales grew by 32% year-on-year. To increase electric car demand, the SMMT is now calling for the incoming government to provide private consumers with meaningful purchase incentives, suggesting a cut in the VAT levied on public charging from 20% to 5%.
Good month, bad month
The overall market was up just 2% on last May, but there was significant variation between the manufacturers’ performances.
It was a strong month for Alfa Romeo, BMW, BYD, Cupra, GWM Ora, Honda, Jeep, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, MG, Renault, SEAT, Skoda, Smart, Volkswagen and Volvo. All of these brands outperformed the overall market by at least 10%.
The news wasn’t so good for Alpine, Audi, Bentley, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Ford, Genesis, Lexus, Maserati, Mini, Peugeot, Polestar, Porsche, Tesla, Toyota or Vauxhall, who were all at least 10% below the overall market – meaning they sold the same or fewer cars than last May.
That leaves Abarth, Citroen, Dacia, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Mazda, Nissan, and Suzuki who all pretty much held steady, being within plus or minus 10% of the overall new car market.
Volkswagen continued to be the UK’s best-selling car brand in May, ahead of Audi, BMW, Kia and Mercedes-Benz.
Kia Sportage chasing the top spot
The Kia Sportage SUV was the best-selling new model in May, while last month’s winner – the popular Ford Puma crossover – finished second in the monthly rankings.
The best-selling new car in 2023, the Ford Puma is establishing itself as the car to beat once again in this year’s registrations race, and despite finishing second in May, still holds a sales lead of over 3,000 models five months into 2024.
A car that sold in fairly inconsistent numbers in 2023, the Audi A3 is establishing itself as a top ten mainstay this year, taking the final podium place in May’s sales leaderboard.
Volkswagen will be content with its May sales numbers, as both its compact Polo and larger Golf family car were in demand. That said, the Volkswagen T-Roc was absent from the May rankings, threatening the crossover’s place in the annual top ten.
The Nissan Qashqai – a former best seller – only finished seventh in May and drops to third in the annual race as a result. Meanwhile the Hyundai Tucson has re-entered the monthly top ten after its recent facelift, but hasn’t recorded enough sales to re-appear in the annual top ten just yet.
Now retired, the long-standing Mini hatch has finally dropped out of the annual top ten for the final time, making way for the Vauxhall Corsa. Mini will be hoping that its new Mini Cooper range will be able to match the sales of its predecessor in the coming months.
Finally, the Tesla Model Y has been missing from the monthly top ten best-sellers for two months now. Named the world’s most popular car just a few months ago, and the best selling car in the UK last December, it seems that the Model Y isn’t selling in the quantities it did last year.
We’ll have our usual detailed look at the top ten in the coming days.
BMW has given its 3 Series saloon and ‘Touring’ estate range several mechanical tweaks and additional visual options, as part of an update that removes diesel engine options.
This is the second facelift to arrive for the seventh-generation 3 Series, which notably slims down the car’s engine line-up to two petrol options and a plug-in hybrid. Diesel engines are no longer available new from the showroom.
BMW will argue that the biggest change to the range is the introduction of a bigger 20kWh battery for the ‘330e’ plug-in hybrid, which now offers a 63-mile electric-only range. The brand adds that this new “high energy density” battery offers “major increase in system efficiency” with no compromise to cabin or boot space.
The ‘330e’ is now also available with faster 11kW three-phase charging, which can charge this battery from empty to full in two hours and 15 minutes.
BMW says that the car’s chassis has been revised too, to “further enhance the balance between sporting agility and comfort”. These chassis revisions will reportedly mean that “drivers will enjoy a notable increase in comfort across all driving situations”, and reduce road noise when the car is driving on loose terrain or more bumpy road surfaces.
There are no changes to the car’s exterior design, but the manufacturer has added some additional paint options, alloy wheel choices and interior fabrics to the options list.
Speaking of the interior, the 3 Series now comes with the brand’s ‘Operating System 8.5’ infotainment, which has ‘quick select’ touchscreen buttons for easy access to ventilation and climate control functions. There are no physical switches or toggles for the climate control – these have been moved to the touchscreen.
The steering wheel, which is lighter to turn after BMW’s mechanical tweaks, comes with illuminated multi-function buttons and shift paddles for manual interventions against the eight-speed automatic gearbox. The design of the steering wheel also differs between standard ‘Sport’ and ‘M Sport’ models, with the three-spoke design shown below fitted with the ‘M Sport’ trim.
The 3 Series options list also includes some ‘M Performance’ parts, which gives the saloon or estate the looks of BMW’s M models without the performance for a more affordable price than opting for a proper M3.
BMW says that this latest 3 Series iteration is set to go into production in July, with the first UK customer orders arriving this Summer. Pricing begins at just north of £39k (without on-the-road costs, which are yet to be announced) rising to nearly £48k for the ‘330e’ in the ‘Touring’ estate body style.
The BMW 3 Series currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 75%. It has an excellent safety score, low CO2 emissions and has received many positive media reviews, but ownership values are less flattering – reliability is historically poor for the 3 Series, while running costs are high.
Ask any UK person, not just motorists, to name a British car manufacturer and the first name that comes to mind will usually be Vauxhall.
The Vauxhall brand has been part of our daily lives for as long as anyone can remember, and in fact a lot longer – few realise that this is one of the oldest car makers of all and one of only a handful of names to survive from the dawn of motoring.
While for much of its life Vauxhall was owned by an American giant and is today owned by a French-Italian conglomerate, the company has remained steadfastly British in operation and outlook. And Vauxhall has always been a very high-profile maker, routinely battling over the top of the UK car sales charts with Ford.
During that time Vauxhall has been consistently derided in popular culture, particularly on the likes of the Top Gear TV show. It has primarily been accused of producing dull, unreliable products, but has continued to sell cars in their thousands to keen buyers.
Sales reps toiling up motorways, young drivers taking their first steps on the roads, or parents taking their family on weekend outings, have inevitably been behind the wheel of a car wearing the Griffin badge of Vauxhall.
Vauxhall is one of the oldest car manufacturers still in existence but the company’s history pre-dates the car by some four decades. Vauxhall Iron Works was founded in 1857 to make pumps and engines for ships, the name coming from its location – Vauxhall, in south London. The firm moved to Luton in 1905, two years after it had built its first cars. It would remain at Luton for 117 years until finally moving its headquarters to Coventry is 2022 to join the rest of the Stellantis family here in the UK.
Vauxhall didn’t make a lot of money in its early days and, after the first world war, started looking for a partner. American giant General Motors (GM) acquired the company in 1925 and set about updating some of Vauxhall’s antiquated vehicles, bringing numerous innovations to the UK car market.
GM also bought German car company Opel in 1929 and, in 1931, Vauxhall started marketing trucks under the name Bedford, which were based on GM’s Chevrolet trucks from America.
The Vauxhall Victor small car launched in 1957 quickly became the most exported model from Britain, despite its styling being derided by UK critics as “too American”. It was joined in 1963 by the smaller Vauxhall Viva, targeting the Ford Anglia, and a year later Vauxhall started making cars at a second plant in Ellesmere Port on Merseyside.
In the 1970s, GM started to combine the activities of Vauxhall and Opel, with the two launching identical models with different names. The Vauxhall Chevette of 1975 was the same as the Opel Kadett, and the Vauxhall Cavalier was sold in Europe as the Opel Ascona. This merging also led to Vauxhall effectively becoming little more than a British badge on German-developed cars. The final Victor of 1972 was also the last all-British Vauxhall, with every model that came after being mildly restyled versions of Opel cars.
In 1980, the ageing Viva was replaced by the all-new Vauxhall Astra. The larger Cavalier, launched a year later, became one of Vauxhall’s most successful models, before finally being replaced by the Vectra in 1996 – this, too, sold in big numbers despite a survey by the BBC’s Top Gear dubbing it “the least satisfying car to own in Britain”. And the Nova small car made way for today’s Corsa.
Vauxhall VictorVauxhall Viva
For many years, Vauxhall had been a perennial number two in vehicle sales to Ford here in the UK. But by the end of the 1990s, Vauxhall had closed the gap in the sales charts to its big rival.
In 2002, car production ended at Luton as the plant was turned over to making vans. Ellesmere Port was under threat, too, when GM filed for bankruptcy in the US in 2009 and tried to spin off Vauxhall and Opel into a separate company, which was almost sold to Canadian giant Magna. But GM ultimately held on to its European assets and, in fact, Astra production was moved from Europe to be concentrated at Ellesmere Port.
GM finally let go of its European brands in 2015, when Vauxhall and Opel were acquired by Peugeot and Citroën owner PSA Group. In 2021, PSA merged with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Vauxhall became one of the eight mainstream brands in the giant that is the Stellantis Group.
What models does Vauxhall have and what else is coming?
Vauxhall’s current range is underpinned by two model names that have lasted a very long time – the Corsa small car and Astra family hatch. Unlike their prime Ford rivals, both show no signs of disappearing any time soon, both having recently been launched in brand-new electric versions. The Corsa finally knocked Ford’s Fiesta off the top of the UK best-seller chart in 2021, leading to the demise of the Fiesta and the forthcoming axing of the Astra-rivalling Ford Focus.
Vauxhall’s larger cars have passed into history, replaced by SUVs. First of the current range was the Crossland, which arrived in 2017 along with a larger sister, the Grandland. Both were the first Vauxhall products to benefit from the merger with PSA Group, being effectively the Peugeot 2008 and 3008 with different badges, and the Grandland has since become one of Vauxhall’s best sellers. The Mokka, which spawned the brand’s first mainstream electric SUV, arrived in 2021.
The same goes for Vauxhall’s only currently available people carrier, the Combo Life Electric, which is based on the Combo van, also sold in almost-identical forms as the Citroën ë-Berlingo and Peugeot e-Rifter. All these are electric-powered, available with five or seven seats, and are built here in the UK in Ellesmere Port.
Vauxhall’s next launch will see another old nameplate revived – the Frontera was launched in 1991 as the brand’s first SUV and dropped in 2004. It will be back this year as an all-new SUV with hybrid and all-electric drivetrains and will replace the Crossland.
You won’t need to travel too far to find a Vauxhall dealer, but maybe a bit further than a few years ago.
The brand was once one of the most prolific on the UK market, with well over 300 dealerships across the country. But Stellantis has significantly cut back on numbers in recent times, slashing 58 dealers in 2021 alone. However, there are still more than 200 outlets across the UK in which to check out the Vauxhall range.
What makes Vauxhall different to the rest?
Vauxhall’s success remains firmly built on familiarity – it’s been one of the most prolific and easily recognised names on the UK car market for almost as long as the car has existed – and the fact that the manufacturer truly is, and always has been British, unlike its long-time bitter rival Ford, which many think of as a British company but is of course American.
Vauxhall for much of its life has been owned by Americans and today is part of a French-Italian multinational group headquartered in Amsterdam, Holland – but it remains the only British volume car brand still in existence.
A Vauxhall fact to impress your friends
Vauxhall’s familiar Griffin logo dates back as far as the 13th century. It was derived from the coat of arms of Faulkes de Breaute, a mercenary soldier who fought for King John and was given the Manor of Luton as a result. He was also given property south of the River Thames in London and ‘Fauk’s Hall’ became Vauxhall – so Vauxhall and Luton were connected long before the car maker came into being.
The original logo adopted by the Vauxhall Iron Works was mounted on a square surround. It was eventually changed to a circular one as Opel had a round badge and so only one bonnet mount had to be made to fit the badges in…
Vauxhall’s 1980s logo (left) and 1990s logo (right)
Summary
It has long been fashionable to take a dig at Vauxhall but even when such criticism had some merit in the final years of the 20th century the firm continued to sell a lot of cars.
Today, Vauxhall is a far more efficient manufacturer and still competing at the top of the sales charts – one that may not write many headlines for distinctive or different products but one which continues to sell a lot of cars to a lot of generally happy customers.
Fancy something a bit different from the norm when it comes to a European motoring holiday? Romania could be your next port of call then.
It’s a big country in terms of land mass – the 12th largest in Europe, just behind the UK – and has lots to offer. With Ukraine to its north, Bulgaria to the south and bordering the Black Sea to the east, Romania is a land full of history, heritage and interest.
The River Danube skirts the country, bringing with it wildlife and scenery, while more than half of the Carpathian Mountain (Muntii Carpati) range lies in Romania where it is home to bears, wolves and other animals of the forest.
The country’s capital, Bucharest, has a buzz and excitement about it, offering restaurants, hotels and nightclubs, but you can also enjoy more tranquil places including medieval castles and ancient villages. Transylvania, of course, was the home to literature’s Count Dracula, and that becomes evident through the region’s impressive gothic castles such as that in Bran.
There’s plenty of business to be had in Romania too. Bucharest is one of the major financial centres of eastern Europe while electric machinery, textiles, wheat, corn and car production are all massive industries for the state.
But Romania regularly finishes bottom of any ‘safest countries to drive’ study and has a poor record when it comes to road deaths per million inhabitants. Compare its latest figure of 86 deaths per million with the UK’s 26 and top-ranking Norway’s 21.
This disappointing result is thought to be down to several factors, especially road condition outside of major cities, narrow and unlit routes and a generally poor standard of driving by the locals, especially in more rural areas.
Almost ironically, the country’s traffic police take a hard line on dangerous driving and will issue harsh penalties to wrong doers, including spot fines and even vehicle confiscation.
It’s possible to drive to Romania if you have the time, probably going through Germany, Austria and Hungary, so you’ll see some wonderful sights even before you cross the Romanian border.
Flying in and hiring a vehicle is another option for travel and you’ll find a wide selection of car rental companies, such as Sixt, Enterprise, Europcar and Avis operating from the country’s main airports.
Driving in Romania is a completely different experience from doing so in the UK, not just because the people there drive on a different side of the road from us.
It’s much more than that and planning a driving holiday or taking your car to the country on business, requires careful planning and a good understanding of what you can, and can’t do behind the wheel while there.
Here, The Car Expert looks at the most important elements to consider when planning to drive in Romania, and we’ve included a handy checklist. As each journey is unique, always check that you have everything covered for your particular visit.
Basic rules
You must be 18 years or over to drive in Romania and you should have held a full UK driving licence for at least a year. Just the licence card will do, as the paper counterpart is no longer a requirement. International Driving Permits are recognised but are not a necessity.
You’ll need to prove that you have car insurance cover for your vehicle so take your certificate with you (but you don’t need a European ‘green card’). You should also always carry with you documents that show the identity of your car, such as a V5C ‘logbook’.
If it’s registered in the UK, your vehicle’s ‘home country’ must be shown on it. A ‘UK’ sticker on the rear is one way to do this but you can also show a small UK badge on both number plates if you wish. The ‘GB’ badge is no longer allowed, even within European ‘golden stars’ and the same goes for country signs such as the English, Scottish or Welsh flags.
It’s quite likely you’ll be using a hire car, in which case always have the rental agreement paperwork with you while driving. And take your personal ID or passport everywhere too.
You must be at least 21 years old to hire a car although some hire companies will add a surcharge if you are under 25. The maximum age for hiring a vehicle is 70.
Speed limits
Speed limits are shown in kilometres (km/h) rather than miles (mph). In built-up areas the speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph). Outside of these suburban areas the limit varies between 90 km/h (56 mph) and 110 km/h (68 mph) but it can change from region to region so keep a close eye on local signage. Motorways have a blanket 130 km/h (81 mph) limit.
For new drivers with a licence less than a year old, these limits are reduced by 20 km/h (12 mph).
The traffic police are vigilant and will hand out on-the-spot fines. These will reflect the seriousness of your speeding transgression. Get caught at 20 km/h (12 mph) over the speed limit and you face a 290 Romanian Leu (£50) fine. But stray 50 km/h over and you could get hit with a 1,340 Leu (£230) penalty.
Speed camera detection devices are not illegal when driving on Romanian roads. But don’t use a mobile phone while driving unless it is ‘hands-free’ or you could be fined 580 Leu (£100).
Blood alcohol limits
We don’t recommend any drinking of alcohol if you are going to drive, and this is especially pertinent in Romania where a zero tolerance on drink driving was introduced in an effort to improve its road safety record. The limit for all drivers is 0 g/l so do not consider even a small glass of wine with lunch if you are planning on getting behind the wheel again.
And beware the next morning if you have had a couple of extra drinks the night before. By comparison, it’s 0.8 g/l (0.8 milligrams) in England and Wales.
Penalties for a positive test range from a fine to a temporary confiscation of your driving licence or even a prison sentence.
What to carry in the car
You must have in your car a warning triangle, hi-viz reflective jacket, first aid kit and fire extinguisher. The authorities also expect you to have headlamp converters for your headlights (or have manually adjusted lamps) so you don’t dazzle on-coming drivers. And consider carrying some spare bulbs in case one blows.
Specialist suppliers, such as motoring organisations, sell ‘European driving kits’ for £25-£30, which contain everything you are likely to need for a Continental road trip, and it’s well worth investing in one.
Seat belts
Seat belt rules are the same as in the UK: if your car has them, they must be worn. It’s the driver’s responsibility to make sure everyone is buckled up – there’s a 290 Leu (£50) fine for not using one.
And children need to be fastened up too and kept in the rear of the car – under-12s are not allowed in the front. Those under three years old must be in an approved child restraint for their size while under-12s and any shorter than 150 cm must be on a booster seat.
Driving
Keep to the right-hand lane as much as possible but if you are overtaking you must do so on the left, unless it’s a tram which are passed on the right. If there is insufficient room to go right side, or you are in a one-way street, you may overtake on the left.
Some tram stops don’t have a pedestrian island. If that’s the case you should stop at least five metres behind any stationary tram and not move until the tram doors have closed.
You will usually give way to vehicles using the ‘main’ road unless signs state otherwise. At crossroads that have no controls or road markings, give priority to vehicles on your right. Give way to emergency vehicles as soon as you can safely. Don’t overtake on bridges.
If you have an accident you should notify the police because visibly damaged vehicles can only leave the country with a police damage confirmation form.
In Romania you should use dipped headlamps when driving outside of built-up areas, such as A-roads and motorways. Horns should be used sparingly – they are prohibited in built-up areas between 10pm and 6am. Use headlights to warn of your presence instead.
It can get extremely cold and icy in Romania and, if it snows, you will be expected to have the appropriate winter tyres fitted to your vehicle. They must be fitted to all four wheels if snow settles on the road.
When towing a trailer or caravan ensure that your car and the rig don’t exceed 12 metres in length, 3 metres in height and 2.55 metres in width. Make sure you can see clearly behind you with the use of two wide rear-view mirrors.
Traffic signs
Traffic lights are red, amber and green and follow a similar pattern to the UK. You might see an additional green light though which, if flashing, means you can turn right as long as you give way to pedestrians or oncoming traffic. There are spot fines of 870 Leu (£150) for ignoring a red light.
Road signs usually have pictures which are self-explanatory and include the ‘road narrows’, ‘falling rocks’ and ‘deer crossing’ warning signs that UK drivers will be familiar with. There’s a warning sign meaning ‘car accidents’ in Romania, which tells its own story. Most signs will be written in Romanian where applicable, but the stop sign features the word ‘Stop’ in English.
Mandatory instructions are usually blue circles with pictures, prohibitory signs are white circles with a red outline while warning signs are white triangles with a red outline. Information signs are usually blue squares. Directional signs are generally white squares with the town names written in Romanian and the distances shown in kilometres.
Fuel availability
Unleaded and diesel and are widely available on Romania’s road network and there is growing coverage for electric vehicles (EVs). LPG is available at some garages and is quite cheap. There are no automatic pumps available and you should plan to pay with cash wherever possible. You fill up first and then pay in the kiosk.
Motorways and state roads (not city roads) in Romania are paid for by tolls. Check carefully if you will need to pay and do it in advance by way of a ‘vignette’ which you can buy at fuel stations or online. They are valid for a variety of time periods from a day to a year. For cars, for example, one day costs 12 Leu (£2.10) and a year is 140 Leu (£24).
There might also be bridge tolls at some points where the road crosses the River Danube.
Parking
Major cities have closely monitored parking bays with various charges depending on where you stop. Bucharest operates a pay-and-display system. There are plenty of on-street and off-street places available but read instructions carefully and obey the rules or you’ll face a fine. Don’t stop for long – anything more than five minutes is considered ‘parked’ by the authorities.
If you do park on the street, make sure you are facing the direction of traffic, on the right side of the street and are well over towards the pavement. Don’t park in a cycle lane or one reserved for public transport.
The fine for illegal parking is up to 870 Leu (£150). Illegally parked cars will also be clamped, in some areas, or even removed altogether.
Emergency number
In Romania, as with most of Europe, you can dial 112 and make contact with emergency services such as fire, ambulance or police, 24 hours a day. Operators will speak English, French other European languages.
Make and model: Kia EV6 GT-Line Description: Large five-seat hatchback Price range: £48,275 (plus options)
Kia says: “The Kia EV6 brings long-range, zero-emissions power, ultra-fast charging and distinctive styling to the crossover SUV market.”
We say: Our 2022 Car of the Year is still a brilliant car in 2024. If you’re looking to make the switch to an EV for your next car, the Kia EV6 should be right at the top of your shortlist.
It’s hard to believe that the EV6 has been around for three years – it still looks bang-up-to-date, even as a lightly updated version is set to debut later this year. In that time, it has won a stack of motoring awards, including The Car Expert’s Car of the Year trophy in 2022.
The EV6 is also single-handedly responsible for elevating Kia’s brand reputation from worthy but generally invisible to cutting edge and innovative. Yes, the brand had been steadily improving and developing for the past decade, but the EV6 was a leap forward – and it has been followed by the similarly excellent EV9 large SUV, all-new Niro EV, and with several more new electric models to come over the next couple of years.
But EV technology is evolving quickly, and there have been several new rivals that have arrived since the EV6 was launched. Is it still top of the tree, or has it slid down a few branches? We spent a week with a mid-spec Kia EV6 GT-Line to find out.
What is it?
Like many electric models, pigeon-holing the Kia EV6 in comparison to conventional petrol or diesel cars is a bit tricky. Size-wise, it’s slightly shorter than a BMW 3 Series overall, but the wheelbase (the length between the front and rear wheels) is much longer and the overhangs (in front of the front wheels and behind the rear wheels) are shorter. That means you have more cabin space, allowing five adults to travel comfortably.
You also sit a bit higher than a conventional saloon or hatch, but not quite as high as an SUV. That’s because the batteries are placed along the floor of the car with passengers sitting above them, which is good for the car’s balance and handling, and makes it better to drive. You also get a decent-sized boot plus a ‘frunk’ – a front trunk storage space under the bonnet, since the electric motor takes up much less space than a conventional engine.
So it’s a mid-sized car with the cabin space of a bigger car, and you sit higher than a normal car but not as high as an SUV. It’s available in either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive versions, with a range of trim and performance levels.
Who is this car aimed at?
This is essentially the new family car shape of the 2020s – the 21st century equivalent of the Ford Mondeo, for example.
Underneath its sleek skin, the Kia EV6 is closely related to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60; all are about the same size and share most of their hardware. It’s no coincidence that all three brands are part of the same family – the Kia and Hyundai are almost direct rivals in the mainstream family market, while the Genesis is aimed a more premium audience.
Who won’t like it?
It’s an electric car, so there will inevitably be a percentage of car buyers who insist they will never buy one. Which is a shame, because they’ll be missing out. Plenty of research shows that most perceptions of EV problems don’t translate into reality (range anxiety, unreliability, charging problems, fires, etc.).
There will also still be some people out there who think Kias are still budget vehicles of poor quality, but the world has changed a lot in the last decade and Kias are now some of the most technologically advanced EVs on the roads – and very well put together with quality materials.
The good news is that EV buyers are more likely to consider different car brands from what they have been used to, so hopefully people will at least test drive a Kia EV6 before choosing their next car.
First impressions
There are no petrol or diesel cars that look anything like the Kia EV6. The proportions could only be an electric vehicle, and Kia’s designers have made good use of them.
The EV6 is a sleek-looking car, although it sits higher than you’d expect. The nose is low and sports car-like, rather than being a high SUV-style thing with an enormous fake grille that most cars on the road today have.
The style is definitely more forward-looking than the similar Hyundai Ioniq 5, which leans into 1980s retro to similarly pleasing effect. But there’s a decent chance that the Kia will still look fresh in five years’ time, while the Hyundai may start to look old-hat. We think Kia’s probably on the money, here.
Inside, the initial feeling is of space, helped by a flat floor throughout the cabin. So the area between the driver and passenger is quite open ,and the middle passenger in the back doesn’t have to straddle a big hump in the floor.
What do you get for your money?
Once we’ve got the first impressions out of the way, it’s time to look a bit harder at exactly what you’re getting for your money with the Kia EV6.
There are four trim levels available, called Air, Horizon, GT-Line and GT-Line S. There are two performance options – a rear-wheel-drive version with 226hp that’s available with all trim levels, and an all-wheel-drive version with 320hp that’s only available on the top two trim levels. We’re driving the 226hp version in GT-Line trim, which is a good combination.
All models have the same 77kWh battery, which gives an official driving range of 328 miles for the lower-performance models and 314 for the higher-performance models. As with any car, the economy and driving range are based on carefully conducted lab tests in a controlled environment, so your results may vary. Assume a maximum range of about 300 miles in good conditions and you should be OK.
Kia EV6 Air starts at just over £45.3K, and has a decent level of kit included as standard. All EV6 models come with a five-star safety rating, but the Air misses out on some of the more advanced accident-avoidance tech like blind-spot collision assist and rear cross-traffic assist (useful for reversing out of blind driveways or car parking spaces).
Horizon is a new trim level, priced at just £700 above the entry-level Air. For that extra outlay, you get quite a lot of extra equipment, like upgraded headlights, front parking sensors, electric front seats (with memory for the driver’s seat), heated outer rear seats, automatic tailgate and wireless phone charging. A very worthwhile upgrade.
GT-Line starts at £48.3K, or £49.2K if you want a heat pump – we’ll get to that shortly. Over and above Horizon, the seats are upgraded to ‘premium relaxation’ units (more bolstering, one-touch recline function) with suede upholstery replacing the vegan artificial leather on lower models, some extra active safety aids (blind spot assist, rear cross-traffic assist and side exit assist, which is designed to warn you if you try to open your door when a car is approaching) and some minor visual differences. This was previously our suggested sweet spot in the EV6 family, but the new Horizon spec has most of the same upgrades for a lot less money.
GT-Line S is the top-spec version, starting at £52.8K – in other words, £4.5K over the GT-Line and £7.5K over the Air. For that additional money, you get larger alloy wheels (20-inch instead of 19-inch), an upgraded 14-speaker sound system, sunroof, head-up display, remote parking assist (park your car remotely using your car key!), auto pop-out door handles, ventilated front seats, 360-degree cameras, parking collision avoidance (stops you reversing into a pedestrian or object) and upgraded front collision avoidance and further minor visual differences. It’s a well-specced car, but quite pricey. Worth a look if you’re buying a near-new used car, as the price premium for the top-spec model will be much less.
Unlike many European brands, Kia doesn’t have an endless options list that allows you to customise the specification – for example, if you want a sunroof then you need to choose the top-spec GT-Line S. This may seem inconvenient if you don’t want to pay for a load of extras you don’t want to get one that you do, but it simplifies things to keep costs down for the manufacturer and tends to improve resale values for the top-spec cars.
The GT-Line and GT-Line S cars also allow you to pay an extra £900 for a heat pump. This feature helps to improve battery range in cold conditions, as well as using excess heat from batteries and electrical components to help heat the cabin. Some EVs now include this as standard, but it’s worth paying the extra money for if you are at all concerned about driving range in cold weather.
We like: Horizon trim offers great value for money We don’t like: Heat pump only on selected models and costs extra, some safety tech only on higher-spec models
What’s the Kia EV6 like inside?
If the exterior looks thoroughly modern, the interior is probably even more so. As is the case with most new cars, buttons and knobs have largely been banished in favour of touchscreen controls, which looks lovely but is not great for adjusting things on the move. It is quite dark unless you have the sunroof, however, as there’s a lot of black everywhere.
Kia has certainly maximised the space advantages of an electric car, with loads of space down low for your feet and for additional storage. EVs don’t have a traditional gearbox or transmission, so there’s no big lump between the driver and passenger. Equally, there’s no driveshaft or exhaust pipe running from the front of the car to the back, so there’s no hump in the floor for the middle passenger in the back.
That may sound unimportant, but it makes a big difference for loving with a car or taking long family journeys when you’re loaded up with stuff. If you jump back into a petrol or diesel car after driving an EV6, you are suddenly very aware of how restricted your space is.
The seats are comfy and supportive (we had the ‘premium relaxation seats’ in the GT-Line model), while the view out is decent without being amazing. As in most new cars, the rear window is small and over-the-shoulder blind spot visibility is poor, but the EV6 is no worse than other cars in these matters.
The dashboard is dominated by what looks like one long screen running from the driver’s door to the centre of the car. It’s actually two 12-inch screens side-by-side – the one in front of the driver has all the usual gauges and information, while the central one handles all the stereo, navigation, heating and air-conditioning, and other car functions. There’s also a row of separate controls underneath the central screen. Cleverly, this can be switched between air-con and stereo controls, but they’re still touch-sensitive controls so you need to take your eyes off the road to operate them rather than going by feel.
All models have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so most owners will use these rather than Kia’s own satnav and stereo systems. These are wired rather than wireless so your phone has to be plugged in to use them. That makes the wireless charging tray (standrda on GT-Line and GT-Line S) fairly pointless, but that’s OK because the wireless charging is poor anyway as your phone will almost immediately slide off the charging point. Incidentally, pairing your phone is quick and easy, which you’d think would be normal but many other car manufacturers seem to find otherwise…
Both screens are good, with large and easy-to-read graphics – this is often not the case, with some car manufacturers apparently intent on cramming as much information as possible onto the screen, so you can’t read any of it. You can switch between light and dark modes, or have the car do it automatically. Many people prefer night mode (black background, white text on the screens) even in daytime, but I found that light mode (white background with black text) helped brighten up the black cabin during the daytime.
In the back seats, legroom is excellent and the lack of a hump in the floor is great for the middle passenger or for putting a bag out of the way. Headroom, however, is tight for taller adults who be close to – or touching – the ceiling. That’s particularly frustrating, given how good the legroom is.
There’s lots of storage space in the centre console area, which is good. However, the boot isn’t as large as you’d expect, which is not so good. There is a shallow secondary boot under the main one, which is handy for hiding things – as long as you don’t have to empty the boot to get them out. Under the bonnet is a small frunk, best used for keeping your charging cables.
We like: Dashboard layout is a reasonable balance between form and function, screen graphics easy to read We don’t like: Wireless charging is a waste of time, boot not as big as several rivals
What’s the Kia EV6 like to drive?
In short, the Kia EV6 is a lovely thing to drive. The steering is light but direct, and you are always confident that the car will follow your direction exactly as instructed, rather than you having to guess whether you’ll need to apply more or less steering halfway through a corner.
Although the power output of 226hp doesn’t sound like a lot these days, it’s less important on an EV because all of your power and torque is delivered instantly rather than increasing as the engine revs harder. So response and acceleration are still good – if not as dramatic as you get in a Tesla.
If you want more performance, the all-wheel drive models give you an extra 60hp, a huge amount of extra torque and significantly improved acceleration. But it will cost you an extra £3.5K, and for most customers it’s probably unnecessary. The main benefit to the higher-performance motor is that it comes in all-wheel drive, which is useful on wet or icy roads.
The ride is firm, but if your current ride is a German car with sports trim (Audi S line, BMW M Sport, Mercedes, AMG-Line, etc.) or you have big alloy wheels, then the EV6 is certainly no worse. Our usual point of comparison is a Volvo V60 estate with R-Design sports suspension and 19-inch wheels, and the Kia was probably better.
The EV6 has a more sporting feel than its sibling, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (which we’ve only driven briefly to date), but we still found it very comfortable on longer trips.
Braking in an EV can feel a bit unusual if you’re used to a petrol car, because an EV will use the electric motor to slow the car most of the time (called regenerative braking) instead of the actual brakes, which are only used for harder stops. The good news here is that Kia has managed this very well, as the brakes feel quite natural and you don’t get any weird sensation as the car switches between regenerative and physical braking.
You can adjust the amount of regenerative braking, so that the car either coasts freely when you lift off the accelerator, or starts to slow down more rapidly. There are four different settings, with the most aggressive meaning that you tend to drive with one pedal as the car will slow right down as soon as you take your foot off the accelerator. It’s something that takes a bit of getting used to, but is a cool feature of EVs. As the motor slows the car down, some electricity is returned to the battery. The more you use the motor for braking, the more electricity you regenerate. You can adjust the settings easily using paddles behind the steering wheel – once you get used to it, it’s a handy feature.
We like: Enjoyable to drive, generally fairly comfortable We don’t like: Ride isn’t as soft as some petrol or diesel cars
How safe is the Kia EV6?
Euro NCAP assessed the EV6 in May 2022 and it scored an excellent five-star rating. This score applies to all models sold in the UK.
It scored well in all the crash tests, with good protection for both adults and children in the event of a collision. There are ISOFIX child seat mounting points in both outer rear seats, but not in the middle or in the front passenger seat.
In terms of avoiding an accident in the first place, the EV6 also performs well. Although autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems are now compulsory on all new cars in Europe, the level of performance varies. The Kia scored well in all of these tests.
The only negative here is that some of the more advanced accident avoidance systems are only available on GT-Line and GT-Line S models. These are systems that are likely to prevent minor accidents rather than major ones, so they don’t affect the safety rating, but we prefer it when all the safety tech is standard on every model rather than only on the top-spec versions.
Kia EV6 economy, battery range and charging
The Car Expert’s unique Expert Rating Index pulls running cost data from across the entire new car market, and one of the most important factors for an EV is its electrical efficiency – the equivalent of fuel economy for a petrol or diesel car. The Kia EV6 scores a C-grade here, being fairly average overall. However, it’s fairly competitive with EVs of similar size if not best-in-class (the Tesla Model Y and Polestar 2 are both better, for example).
The EV6’s battery is a good size, at 77kWh. That means that driving range is still good, even though efficiency is only average. Officially, the rear-wheel drive cars get 328 miles from a full charge (313 miles in the GT-Line S due to its larger wheels) in the UK/EU government lab test protocols. In the real world, which is far more variable than a lab environment, you can probably expect to get around 300 miles in mixed driving – more in city driving, less on motorway driving. This is the opposite of what happens with a petrol or diesel car, where you tend to get better fuel economy on motorways and worse around town. This is because EVs regenerate electricity as they slow down, which you do a lot more of in town than on a motorway.
The EV6 is capable of taking a very rapid charge of up to 350kW. This is great in theory, as it means you can charge from 10% to 80% (standard industry test representative of short-stop public charging, like at a motorway services) in just 18 minutes. Most other cars are limited to slower charging rates so faster chargers don’t offer any benefit. However, it requires a charging point that can deliver electricity at 350kW and, to date, there are not many of these in the UK. If you do find one, they’re also the most expensive chargers to use.
More realistic are 50kW chargers, which are found in most public charging locations. In this case you’re looking at about 73 minutes for a 10%-80% charge. Fast chargers slow down once you go beyond 80%, so to get to the full 100% takes quite a bit longer. That’s normal and is designed to protect your battery.
If you’re charging at home from a wallbox or on an overnight public charger, these are usually 7kW. At one of these, a 10%-100% charge takes about 7 hours and 20 minutes and the charge doesn’t slow down over the last 20% like it does with a fast charger.
The EV6 comes with two charging cables, one for plugging into a wallbox or fast charger, and one for plugging into a regular three-point socket. However, with any modern EV, using a three-point socket is a last resort as the charging speed is very slow. The EV6 would take almost 33 hours to charge from 10% to 100%, so best avoided…
The GT-Line and GT-Line S have an additional feature called vehicle-to-load. This means they have a that you can use your car’s battery to power external electrical devices via a conventional three-point socket (one in the car and another via an adaptor that plugs into the car’s charging socket). It’s handy for things like camping, where you can run a kettle or fridge from you car’s battery.
Verdict
It might be approaching its third birthday, but our 2022 Car of the Year is still a brilliant car in 2024. It’s still one of the highest-rated new cars on our Expert Rating Index, thanks to its strong media reviews, safety rating, zero tailpipe emissions and competitive running costs.
The Kia EV6 is quiet, smooth, comfortable and good to drive. It still looks fresh and modern, and chances are that the styling will age gracefully. The tech is good and everything works well, so your EV learning curve should be relatively short.
Charging is pretty future-proof, as you’ll be able to take advantage of the growing number of ultra-rapid charging points across the UK in coming years.
The boot isn’t as big as we’d like, and that may be a deal-killer for some customers. If your current car is a saloon, you might be happy with it. But if you’re coming out of an estate or SUV, it may be more problematic. The frunk is handy for storing the charging cables, but not really for anything else.
Maintenance costs are pretty good, as the EV6 only requires servicing once every two years or 20,000 miles. That means that owning an EV6 should be affordable and reliable.
Finally, Kia has one of the best new car warranties in the business at seven years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first). The battery is also covered in terms of capacity – not just failure – during the warranty, so if your battery capacity drops below 70% in seven years, Kia will repair or replace it.
If you’re looking to make the switch to an EV for your next car, the Kia EV6 should be right at the top of your shortlist.
Model tested: Kia EV6 GT-Line Price (as tested): £76,720 (including £725 for premium paint) Engine: Single electric motor, rear-wheel drive Gearbox: Single-speed automatic
Power: 168 kW / 228 hp Torque: 350 Nm Top speed: 114 mph 0-60 mph: 7.3 seconds
Electric range: 328 miles CO2 emissions: 0 g/km Euro NCAP safety rating:Five stars (May 2022) TCE Expert Rating:A (83%) as of June 2024
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The Mazda 2 Hybrid is a small five-door hatchback that is – confusingly – entirely unrelated to the Mazda 2, which is also a small five-door hatchback. It was launched in Spring 2022, with a minor updated in early 2024.
The 2 Hybrid is actually a Mazda-badged Toyota Yaris, rather than a hybrid-engined version of the existing Mazda 2. It exists because the EU has average CO2 emissions targets for car manufacturers, and Mazda needs this car to make sure it hits those targets. So now it has two completely different cars in the same market segment.
The only differences between the Mazda 2 Hybrid and the Yaris are some very minor styling changes to the front bumper and grille, a smattering of equipment differences, and some Mazda badges. The starting price is about £1,500 dearer than the Yaris as of May 2024.
Both the Mazda 2 Hybrid and Toyota Yaris come with a three-year new car warranty, although Toyota will extend this until up to ten years if you keep having your car serviced at Toyota. Mazda doesn’t offer a similar service. Toyota also has many more dealers in the UK, which is convenient when you need servicing or if you have a problem under warranty.
Most of the media reviews have reported, unsurprisingly, that the 2 Hybrid drives and feels exactly like a Yaris. As Carbuyer says, “consider it alongside the Toyota Yaris on which it’s based, and it simply fails to present any worthwhile reason why you should buy it instead”.
As of March 2026, the Mazda 2 Hybrid holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 72%. It scores top marks for its very low running costs and CO2 emissions, and excellent safety rating, but its media review scores have been mostly below average.
“The Mazda 2 Hybrid is an excellent offering in the supermini segment thanks to its obvious Yaris-based roots. The new styling is subjective, but creating a more familiar ‘Mazda’ face on what is otherwise a rather shameless badge-engineering job, is commendable. It’s a shame the pricing doesn’t quite stack up against its Toyota sibling, however.”
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6 / 10 “This is a clever supermini and competes in a very small field, trumping the £26k+ Honda Jazz Hybrid. If you regularly pootle around town but want a hybrid rather than a range-restricted EV, we’d say the Mazda 2 Hybrid is a shrewd buy. Just check the similar Yaris Hybrid isn’t just as good for less money first.” Author: Tim Pollard Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7.6 / 10 “The Mazda2 Hybrid is an undeniably good car, but the Toyota Yaris on which it’s based makes a better case for itself.” Author: Charlie Harvery, Alastair Crooks Read review
Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview “Buying in hybrid tech from market-leader Toyota is just good common sense, but it might have been nicer of Mazda had made the 2 Hybrid more obviously a Mazda, rather than just a Yaris with different badges.” Read review
Heycar
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Mazda has turned to Toyota for help in offering a hybrid supermini, so the 2 Hybrid is largely a rebadged Yaris. That’s good in many ways, but it does mean the Hybrid is not as good to drive as the regular Mazda 2.” Author: Al Suttie Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The Mazda 2 Hybrid delivers in all the key areas you would expect it to, but is more expensive than the virtually identical Toyota Yaris Hybrid, which is likely to be a problem for many buyers.” Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 6.8 / 10 “Mazda’s frugal hybrid is a Yaris in (hardly any) disguise.” Author: Tim Pollard Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 5 / 10 “The Mazda 2 Hybrid starts at around £1,300 more than the equivalent Toyota Yaris. What exactly are you getting for your extra dosh, other than Mazda’s softer take on the design? Not much at all. If it’s an ultra-frugal runabout you’re after, go for the Yaris and be done with it.” Author: Shafiq Abidin Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
The Mazda 2 Hybrid’s safety rating is taken from the Toyota Yaris rating – all that Euro NCAP did was confirm that the safety equipment included on the Mazda was the same as the Toyota.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of March 2026, the Mazda 2 Hybrid has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of March 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Mazda 2 Hybrid 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 2 Hybrid, we’ll publish the results here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
CO₂ output
Average
Score
Variation
Score
Hybrid models
93 g/km
A
Insurance group
Average
Score
Variation
Score
All models
14
A
Service and maintenance
Cost
Score
Year 1
£178
B
Year 2
£491
B
Year 3
£787
B
Year 4
£991
B
Year 5
£1,290
B
Overall
£3,737
B
The Mazda 2 Hybrid 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.
The 2 Hybrid has a straight-A scorecard for running costs – Mazda hasn’t provided fuel economy information to Clear Vehicle Data as of October 2024, but it will be the same as the Toyota Yaris which scores an A.
There are fewer new cars cheaper to run than the Mazda 2 Hybrid.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Mazda 2 Hybrid, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
The Mini Cooper Electric is a small hatchback and the entry-level model in the all-new electrified Mini range. It’s the second generation of electric Mini hatchback, but the first to be purpose-built as an EV (rather than adapted from a petrol car).
As with the previous Mini Electric, the all-new Mini Cooper Electric is currently only available as a three-door hatch, while the petrol-powered version of the Cooper is also available in the five-door body style. The ‘Cooper’ name now applies to all three-door hatch models.
The Mini Cooper Electric will be available with two power outputs. Standard models will be powered by a 135kW (184hp) motor, while Cooper S versions will have a 160kW (218hp) version. There will also be three trim levels – Sport, Classic and Exclusive. As with previous generations of Mini, there will also be plenty of opportunity for customisation.
As of December 2025, the Mini Cooper Electric has a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 81%. It scores top marks for safety, its low running costs and zero tailpipe emissions, while its media review scores to date have also been good.
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The Mini Cooper SE is not cheap, but it does have that air of sophisticated fun that’s made the reborn brand such a success over the past two decades. Compact dimensions and a modest battery mean that this is not a car that will win prizes for practicality or even EV range – but it oozes quality and has just enough dynamic spark to feel like a Mini.” Author: John McIlroy Read review
Auto Trader
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 9 / 10 “The simplified styling and fabulous interior really move the Mini’s game on, there being a choice of two batteries and Cooper E and more powerful Cooper SE versions. More substantial and with greater range than the Fiat 500e, the Mini has sights beyond city limits and is a funkier alternative to the likes of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Peugeot e-208.” Author: Dan Trent Read review
Business Car
Model reviewed: 160kW SE Sport (Level 3) Score: 8 / 10 “The Mini Cooper Electric is now much easier to recommend, but it’s not a cheap option, and the rear and boot space remain compromised.” Author: Martyn Collins Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Considering the second-generation electric Mini costs about the same as its predecessor yet has significantly more range, it’s a far easier thing to recommend. Yes, it’s small inside and more doors would lend extra practicality, but it’s all part of the Cooper experience. So too is the performance and handling. It might not be as fast as a single-motor Volvo EX30, let alone an MG4 XPower, but the Cooper SE is fast enough and corners far more tidily.” Author: Alan Taylor-Jones Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview (petrol and electric) Score: 8 / 10 “As always, the latest Mini Cooper offers charming, cheeky fun in a polished, desirable and well-refined package. The Mini Cooper Electric gets dedicated EV underpinnings for the first time, too, and boasts more driving range than the outgoing model, although it’s still not a class leader in this respect.” Author: Charlie Harvey, John McIlroy Read review
Daily Mail
Model reviewed: 54kWh SE “The new all-electric Mini Cooper SE is a class act. It’s stylish, timeless, and relentlessly contemporary. It looks and drives the part. It has a decent range and does have the genuine go-kart excitement, even if this feels a little more detached than with the petrol Minis of yore. I enjoyed it and can see it as a great city car and fun for longer journeys if you plan them well.” Author: Ray Massey Read review
Driving Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Every new Mini seems to divide opinion between modern supermini buyers and fans of the original, but there’s little doubt that the new Mini Cooper is an enjoyable and refined addition to this decades-long bloodline. Electric power means the Mini shouldn’t break the bank when it comes to running costs, and the maximum battery range of between 190 and 250 miles should prove adequate for most drivers, even if it isn’t exactly class-leading.” Author: Shane Wilkinson, John McIlroy Read review
Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The MINI Cooper Electric strikes just the right tone of funky and image-conscious without feeling overly forced or gimmicky. More importantly, it feels really classy and is brilliant fun to drive, as well as being decent value. I reckon it’s going to be a big hit, but Mini really does need to make sure that those monthly finance deals are good, as the Renault does make it look rather pricey and a bit limited on practicality.” Author: Nicola Hume Read review
Evo
Model reviewed: Cooper SE Score: 7 / 10 “In some ways, it feels like the Mini Cooper SE is trying a little too hard to deliver an instant sense of fun, and while it does back this up to an extent, it’s still missing the authentic feel of the very best, an absorbing depth of character to learn, exploit and enjoy. But as a calling card for what the new era of electric hot hatches could offer, it’s a positive first step.” Author: Yousuh Ashraf Read review
Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: Cooper E Score: 8 / 10 “The 2024 MINI Cooper Electric retains its fun, ‘go-kart’ driving experience, and it now gains a longer electric driving range – up to 188 miles for the Cooper E and up to 249 miles for the Cooper SE.” Author: Paul Clarke Read review
Heycar
Score: 8 / 10 “Fun to drive and packed with character, the MINI Cooper Electric is an electric car you’ll actually want on your driveway. Chuck in a very useable electric range, an affordable price tag and a long list of standard equipment, and the MINI Cooper Electric is an excellent all-round package. That’s as long as you don’t want to bring many friends along for the ride, anyway.” Author: Andrew Brady Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Fun to drive, fun to look at, fun to sit in – the new Mini Cooper Electric is an EV you’ll actually want to own. It’s got a bigger battery than before, while fresh technology and an upmarket interior give it real ‘wow’ factor. Practicality is limited, though.” Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8.2 / 10 “Rivals such as the Peugeot e-208 provide a more comfortable ride and the usefulness of five doors for similar money, but aren’t as fun to drive or quite as pleasant inside. Speaking of money, the Cooper Electric looks very keenly priced next to its immediate rivals and has a good level of standard equipment, too.” Author: Ted Welford Read review
Regit
Model reviewed: Cooper SE Score: 9 / 10 “Mini is building on the success of the previous Mini Cooper Electric model, and this all-new electric version is like upgrading from Economy to Business. Mini is renowned for its go-kart style driving experience and when you add the instant torque that an EV brings to the table, it’s win-win for any driving enthusiasts out there.” Author: Maxine Ashford Read review
The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: Cooper SE Score: 8 / 10 “A mini marriage of style and substance.” Author: James Fossdyke Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Fundamentally, this is a great little car, overflowing with personality. This one just happens to be electric. The Mini Cooper Electric is firm-riding, but has the handling smarts and eager reactions to make this a trade-off worth tolerating.” Author: Jason Barlow Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of April 2025, the Mini Cooper Electric has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
The Mini Cooper Electric is a brand-new car, so it will be a long time before we can generate any reliability data.
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 Cooper Electric, 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
216 miles
B
189 – 249 miles
B – B
Electrical efficiency
Average
Score
Variation
Score
EV models
4.6 m/KWh
A
4.6 – 4.6 m/KWh
A – A
Insurance group
Average
Score
Variation
Score
All models
23
B
20 – 26
A – B
Service and maintenance
Cost
Score
Year 1
£175
A
Year 2
£405
A
Year 3
£596
A
Year 4
£802
A
Year 5
£1,035
A
Overall
£3,013
A
The Mini Cooper Electric should be a very inexpensive car to run, according to data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our technical partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
The Cooper is a very efficient electric car, which is important if you rely on public charging points rather than home charging. Servicing costs are also very good, while insurance should be very competitive.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Mini Cooper Electric, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
Find your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more
Find your next new or used car with Carwow. Find out more
Lease a Mini Cooper
If you’re looking to lease a new Mini Cooper, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.
Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Rivervale Leasing. Find out more
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The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 is a performance version of the regular Mercedes-Benz CLA model. Like its tamer siblings, it is available in either a saloon (which Mercedes insists on calling a ‘four-door coupé’) or estate (called a ‘shooting brake’).
In the AMG family, the CLA sits below the more powerful CLA 45 model. It also shares its mechanical components, and most of its structural components, with the A-Class family. Essentially, the CLA 35 is a sleeker version of the Mercedes-AMG A 35 saloon. As with all the AMG 35 and 45 models, the CLA 35 is all-wheel drive.
Reviewers have generally approved of the CLA 35, with praise for its performance. However, several have noted that the estate version, in particular, “suffers from a relative shortage of practicality,” as John McIlroy from Auto Express puts it.
The interior gets plenty of praise, with the Carwow review team impressed with its “sci-fi interior tech and luxury”, while the Honest John team also likes the “posh interior, clever infotainment system… and generous equipment roster”.
Like the AMG A-Class models, the CLA 35 also suffers in media reviews by being not as fast and exuberant as the range-topping CLA 45 version, which journalists absolutely love. However, for normal customers handing over their own money, the CLA 35 is still exceptionally rapid. It’s also easier to live with, cheaper to run and more comfortable on a day-to-day basis. The styling is also slightly more toned down compared to the CLA 45, which plenty of customers will prefer.
As of May 2025, the Mercedes-AMG A 35 has a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 62%. It scores well for its safety rating, although this is now six years old. However, its CO2 emissions and media review scores are only average, its reliability record is poor, and its running costs are very high.
“The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35’s biggest problem is its A 35 Saloon relative. The two feel much the same to drive and have the same great engine, but the A 35 is cheaper and is a little more practical despite its marginally smaller boot. As with so many premium four-door coupes, the appeal of the CLA 35 Coupe over its more flexible siblings lies almost exclusively in its swoopier styling.”
Model reviewed: Shooting Brake (estate) Score: 7 / 10 “The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 Shooting Brake does stand apart from anything else on offer in the small premium car market. Some will buy it just for its looks. But it suffers from a relative shortage of practicality and a bland-sounding four-cylinder engine. At this price, we’d be tempted to go for a rapid petrol BMW 5 Series Touring, which is more rewarding to drive and properly spacious.” Author: John McIlroy Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Saloon range Score: 8 / 10 “If you’re after something that delivers a bit of the performance and sophistication of the more ‘thoroughbred’ AMGs, then the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 should be at the top of your list. However, if you’re after the drama and engagement of the hottest Mercedes cars, you’ll leave disappointed.” Author: Curtis Moldrich Read review
Model reviewed: CLA 35 ‘Shooting Brake’ estate Score: 8 / 10 “The CLA35 is one of those cars that feels like nothing will trouble it, yet retains enough driver interaction to make reaching the other end of a twisting road feel like a joint effort.” Author: Antony Ingram Read review
Carwow
Model reviewed: Shooting Brake range “The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 Shooting Brake is a sleek-looking estate with fantastic performance, but there are fast estates with more space in the boot.” Read review
Evo
Model reviewed: Saloon (facelift range) Score: 7 / 10 “Subtle updates for Merc’s mini CLA 35 saloon-coupe, but not enough to make it a stand-out driving experience.” Author: James Taylor Read review
Model reviewed: Shooting Brake range Score: 8 / 10 “The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 Shooting Brake is as capable as every other recent A35 model, but with an added dose of style and practicality.” Author: Antony Ingram Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “There’s a lot to like about the Mercedes CLA, not least its stylish looks, posh interior, clever infotainment system, grown-up driving experience and generous equipment roster.” Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7.8 / 10 “Ballistic performance, excellent handling.” Author: Keith Adams Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 shares its Euro NCAP safety rating with the regular CLA range. Some of the test results are also shared with the A-Class range, which is built on the same platform.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of May 2025, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
Total claims: 107 Average repair cost: £688.96 Last updated: April 2025
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
As of April 2025, the Mercedes-Benz CLA family (including all AMG models) has a below-average reliability score of 59%, according to workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops. This rating covers both this generation and the previous model (2012 to 2019).
The average repair costs to date is also fairly high for this size of car, at almost £700. The most expensive bills so far have been for gearbox repairs, with an eye-watering average bill of more than £3,000. Fortunately, they have not been common.
Engine problems, however, have been both common and expensive with an average bill of about £800.
If you’re thinking about buying a used car warranty for your Mercedes-AMG CLA, make sure that it covers all of the problem areas shown above.
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
33 mpg
E
33 – 36 mpg
D – E
CO₂ output
Average
Score
Variation
Score
Petrol models
193 g/km
D
173 – 198 g/km
C – D
Insurance group
Average
Score
Variation
Score
All models
40
C
31 – 42
C – D
Service and maintenance
Cost
Score
Year 1
£354
C
Year 2
£929
C
Year 3
£1,517
C
Year 4
£1,817
D
Year 5
£2,347
C
Overall
£6,964
C
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 is an expensive car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
Fuel economy is poor, while servicing and insurance ratings are only average at best. This is pretty much inevitable, given the performance levels that the CLA 35 offers over the regular Mercedes-Benz CLA.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Mercedes-AMG CLA 35, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
Make and model: Jeep Grand Cherokee Description: Large SUV, petrol/electric plug-in hybrid Price range: £75,915 (plus options)
Jeep says: “The all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee breaks new ground with exceptional performance, comfort and functionality and has been designed and engineered to deliver even more of what has made this Jeep SUV a true global icon in the premium SUV segment.”
We say: The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a fantastic all-rounder that will cope with any job you throw at it while you remain perfectly comfortable inside. But it has formidable opposition in this price bracket.
It may not be that well known here in Europe, but the Jeep Grand Cherokee has always had a large and loyal following in America. The model shown here is the fifth-generation version, which launched three years ago but has taken some time to find its way over here.
In the UK, the Grand Cherokee is only available as a plug-in hybrid, with a choice of trim levels. All versions have an automatically controlled 4×4 system with five terrain modes for different conditions.
What is it?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a large luxury 4×4 model, and is currently the flagship of the Jeep range here in the UK.
In terms of size and price, the Grand Cherokee is in the same ballpark as the Audi Q7, BMW X5 Land Rover Discovery or Mercedes-Benz GLE. Unlike those models, however, the Jeep is only available with five seats rather than seven.
Who is this car aimed at?
There are plenty of luxury SUVs that look tough on the local school run or in the supermarket car park. But if you want a luxury 4×4 that also delivers genuine off-road ability, your options are relatively few. And if you (understandably) don’t want the nagging feeling in the back of your mind that your car could break down at any point – that will be familiar to many Land Rover Discovery drivers, or Discovery Sport drivers, or Defender drivers, or Range Rover Sport drivers, or Range Rover drivers – the Jeep Grand Cherokee may just fit the bill.
Who won’t like it?
If you’re only going to spend your driving time on regular tarmac, there are several luxury SUVs that are more comfortable and cheaper to run. If you want off-road performance but don’t need the luxury, there are cheaper alternatives.
First impressions
Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, but we think the Grand Cherokee is a good-looking car. It avoids the general wackiness of BMW styling, the enormous grille of most Audis, or Land Rover’s Russian Doll approach to having different size versions of the same car design.
If you’re familiar with previous generations of Grand Cherokee, the latest model is an evolutionary design. It’s conservative rather than cutting-edge, but it will certainly be rare as Jeep doesn’t expect to sell this car in vast numbers.
Inside, Jeep deserves a medal for refusing to lump every single control onto an oversized touchscreen. Most major vehicle controls still have traditional knobs, switches or buttons that you can comfortably use on the move. There is still – inevitably – a large touchscreen, but it is mostly used for controlling sound and sat-nav settings.
There’s plenty of space for both front and rear passengers, while the boot is also roomy enough for most needs.
What do you get for your money?
Officially, the Jeep Grand Cherokee will be available in four trim levels, but you can currently only order two – ‘Overland’ (starting at £76K) and ‘Summit Reserve’ (starting at £86K). Eventually, the range will be joined by the entry-level ‘Limited’ (£70K) and ‘Trailhawk’ (£73K).
All four models use the same plug-in hybrid drivetrain, consisting of a 2.0-litre petrol engine and an electric motor. An eight-speed automatic transmission takes power to all four wheels when it’s needed, or just to the rear wheels when it’s not.
Standard equipment levels are good across all four trim levels, and importantly all the key safety kit is standard on every model. We drove the top-spec Summit Reserve model, but you could save yourself £10K and still be well pampered in the Overland model. Even the entry-level Limited version has a decent level of standard kit, and the three lower levels also allow you to choose extra-cost equipment packs that step up the tech and luxury for less than the cost of the Summit Reserve model.
The Trailhawk specification is tailored more towards off-road capability, with smaller wheels, skid plates and other adventure kit that’s more functional and less showy.
We’d suggest the Overland specification is likely to be the sweet spot for most buyers. Even if you add the additional luxury and tech option packs, you’re still £4K below the price of the Summit Reserve and unlikely to miss any of the additional kit that it gets.
We like: All the key safety kit is included as standard, sensible price and spec structure We don’t like: Top-spec Summit Reserve is pricey compared to the rest of the range
What’s the Jeep Grand Cherokee like inside?
If you’ve been looking around at other £70K-ish luxury SUVs, stepping into the Jeep’s cabin will feel like you’ve gone back in time by about a decade. But while it doesn’t look or feel as fresh as a Range Rover Sport or a BMW X5, you quickly discover that having plenty of real buttons and knobs is an improvement on the minimalist, touchscreen-obsessed interior designs that dominate the new car market today.
In practical terms, it’s much easier (and almost certainly safer) to have dedicated controls for the air-conditioning and other core functions that you often adjust while driving. While the Grand Cherokee’s layout isn’t the neatest we’ve ever seen (some of the buttons are arranged and positioned awkwardly), it’s still far better to use on the move than any system where you have to swipe a screen for absolutely everything.
There’s still a central ten-inch touchscreen for stereo controls and sat-nav, which is fine and works responsively. The Summit Reserve model also gets another ten-inch touchscreen for the front passenger, specially polarised so that the driver can’t see it. This can be used for watching movies or as a secondary navigation screen, but we found it difficult to see in bright sunshine.
Higher-spec Overland and Summit Reserve models get a 19-speaker McIntosh sound system, which sounds fantastic even at loud volumes. The lower-spec Limited and Trailhawk models make do with a nine-speaker Alpine system, but we didn’t have those on hand so I can’t tell you how they sound.
The front seats are comfortable and supportive, and are both heated and ventilated on all models. The Summit Reserve model gets beautifully soft Palermo leather, while the Overland has Nappa leather (still good), and the lower models get vinyl. Space is pretty good in both front and back, as you’d expect from an SUV this size. Five adults will be able to ride in comfort, while still having enough boot space for a reasonable amount of luggage.
There has been quite a bit of grumbling from some of the UK motoring media that the Grand Cherokee is only available as a five-seater model, whereas some of its key rivals offer seven seats (as does the Jeep in its American home market). But we see this as a welcome point of difference. Most large SUVs that are capable of carrying seven rarely do, and the rear two seats are usually a terrible compromise – a pair of uncomfortable seats only usable for small children, and dramatically reduced boot space if you do use them. By not bothering with the extra two foldaway seats, the Grand Cherokee reduces weight and increases usable boot space.
We like: Physical controls for major car functions, rather than relying on the touchscreen for everything We don’t like: Dashboard layout could be better, passenger screen on Summit Reserve unnecessary
What’s the Jeep Grand Cherokee like to drive?
Our drive expedition spent more time off-road than on it, traversing some fairly harsh Yorkshire trails. Our party consisted of a mix of Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Wrangler models as part of the press event, so we could all drive both cars in conditions where you wouldn’t dream of taking most SUVs.
While we expected the Tonka-tough Wranglers to revel in the rough stuff, it was a surprise to see how easily the Grand Cherokees swept imperiously across rutted tracks, river crossings and rocky hill climbs. And we were in top-spec Summit Reserve models with 21-inch alloy wheels and road-biased tyres, not Trailhawk-spec models with the extra off-road kit.
During the last climb to our final lookout, I found myself apologising to the car’s tyres for the pain I was surely afflicting upon them as I bounced across jagged rocks and boulders like a monster mountain goat. Well, a monster mountain goat enjoying ventilated and massaging seats…
The Grand Cherokee has a selectable terrain management system, which optimises the drive systems and electronic controls for your conditions. Aside from the default ‘Auto’ setting, you can choose from Sport, Rock, Snow or Mud/Sand. All models other than base-spec Limited also get air-lift suspension, so you can lift the car for fording streams or broken terrain, then lower it again for on-road driving.
Our on-road driving loop was relatively limited, but the Grand Cherokee proved to be perfectly capable, if not as enjoyable to drive as the likes of a BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne. The steering is light and has almost no feel, and the suspension is very much geared towards comfort rather than handling, so there’s little enjoyment in trying to push the Jeep hard. Rather than trying to hustle along, it’s best to relax and let the car cruise along at a more comfortable pace.
The plug-in hybrid powertrain is acceptable rather than delightful. If your battery is fully charged, you can get about 30 miles of gentle driving on the electric motor, but in reality the petrol engine will wake up if you prod the accelerator more than about halfway down.
When both the petrol and electric motors work together for maximum acceleration, you get 380hp and plenty of low-down torque so the Grand Cherokee can accelerate very well – great for pulling onto a motorway or similar. But when the battery runs out, you’re left with a 270hp petrol engine that feels underpowered for lugging two-and-a-half tonnes of Jeep around.
Much the same can be said for any large plug-in hybrid SUV, so the Jeep certainly isn’t alone here. But others like the BMW X5 and Range Rover Sport do it better.
We like: Outstanding off-road capability for a luxury SUV on 21-inch wheels and normal tyres We don’t like: On-road performance can’t match best in class; plug-in hybrid system a bit underwhelming
How safe is the Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee scores top marks from us for its safety kit. It was tested by Euro NCAP in late 2022 and achieved a top five-star grade, with strong scores across all four categories (adult protection, child protection, vulnerable road user protection and accident avoidance technology).
Summit Reserve gets some additional features – optional on the rest of the range – that can help for safety, like a head-up display to project speed and key information onto the windscreen in front of you. Another such feature is a night vision system that can detect pedestrians or animals hundreds of metres ahead in the darkness, long before your headlights could pick them up.
We didn’t get a chance to spend much time with the automated driving assist system, that allows the car to steer within its lane and match speeds of traffic without exceeding your cruise control limit, but it seemed to work faithfully as you’d expect rather than getting lost as soon as road markings get faint. Again, it’s standard on the Summit Reserve and optional on others.
Verdict
Within the luxury SUV market, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is an all-rounder that is capable in any situation but doesn’t excel in most (apart from off-road ability). That’s both a strength and a limitation.
If you need seven seats, it’s obviously a non-starter. If you want on-road driving enjoyment, there are better options at a similar price point. If you want a cabin that looks and feels like it’s at the very cutting edge of car design, you’re in the wrong place. Fuel economy and performance? Not really. Bang-for-buck in terms of standard equipment? Nope.
And yet…
The Grand Cherokee will cope with any job you can throw at it. Drive down to the south of France with four passengers on board? Easy. Climb to the top of a mountain? No sweat. EV mode around town? Yep. A functional interior with controls you can actually use safely while travelling at 70mph? Absolutely.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is the sort of car that plenty of motoring journos will turn their noses up at, but which real-world owners love. It’s the reason why Jeep has such a strong brand loyalty around the world. This is a car that will do pretty much whatever you want, every day, whatever the weather and conditions, and in comfort. Jeep may not sell that many Grand Cherokees here in the UK, but those who do buy one will almost certainly be very happy with their choice.
Model tested: Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Price (as tested): £86,490 Engine: 2.0-litre petrol + single electric motor, four-wheel drive Gearbox: Six-speed automatic
Power: 380 hp Torque: 637 Nm Top speed: 130 mph 0-60 mph: 6.3 seconds
Fuel economy: TBA mpg CO2 emissions: TBA g/km Euro NCAP safety rating:Five stars (Dec 2022) TCE Expert Rating:B (64%), as of May 2024
Buy a Jeep Grand Cherokee
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Kia is set to add to its expanding range of family EVs with the launch of its compact battery-powered EV3 SUV, which is scheduled to arrive in the UK in the second half of this year.
The small SUV takes many of its exterior styling cues from the much larger EV9 SUV, including its ‘Tiger Face’ front end with narrow LED headlights and daytime running lights. The roof slopes slightly from front to back, and the car sits on 18-inch alloy wheels as standard.
As shown below, the top-spec ‘GT-Line’ trim grade has roof rails, thick wheel arch cladding, front and rear splitters, headlight and window surrounds and larger 19-inch alloys all finished in black. Nine different exterior colour options will be offered – four of which are exclusive to the EV3.
Inside you will find further inspiration from the EV9, this time in the tech department. A 12-inch digital instrument cluster and 12-inch infotainment screen jut out of the dashboard, which sandwich a smaller 5-inch screen for climate control, together forming a continuous display.
With the introduction of the EV3, Kia has added some additional themes for the infotainment panel and Chat GPT AI powers the car’s voice assistant. The car’s interior trim has some sustainability credentials, as it is made using reused plastic, fabric and biodegradable paint.
Built on the same foundations as the award-winning EV6 crossover, the EV3 will be available with either a 58kWh or 81kWh battery. The former – called the ‘Standard Range’ – will only be offered with the entry-level trim grade and can muster 200hp and a maximum range of 254 miles on a single charge.
The more powerful 81kWh ‘Long Range’ uses the same 200hp motor, but the larger battery capacity results in a longer range of 328 miles.
That sums up what you need to know about the new EV3. More details, including UK pricing and official launch date, are sure to arrive in the coming months.
‘Why would I want to have a driving holiday in Hungary?’ you might say. Especially when there are so many other European countries closer to the UK and with lots of to offer.
It’s true that Hungary is a bit further away from British shores, but this landlocked central European state has its own list of interesting things to see and do.
Its capital Budapest is a wonder to see, split in half (Buda one side, Pest the other) by the legendary River Danube, which is second only to Russia’s Volga as the longest river in Europe.
The country’s history dates back to ancient Roman times, and great examples of this era are to be found in Budapest and other major cities, such as Debrecen and Szeged.
There’s also a wide array of churches, museums and art galleries to visit – Budapest even has the ‘House of Terror’ a museum dedicated to the victims of 20th century communist and fascist regimes.
Nightlife is good in many areas with music and lights while dining fans will be impressed by the local Magyar food, such as goulash, as wells as a wide choice of international cuisines including Chinese, French and German.
Outside the major towns there are beautiful roads to explore. Minor roads are not as well maintained as the toll-supported motorway network, but they are good enough for a road trip. Interesting and exciting towns and villages await – Szentendre, Koszeg, God and Tata – with walking, relaxing and sightseeing high on their agendas.
Hungary is a good place to visit on business too, with car manufacturing, oil refining and gas production among the industries thriving there.
But if you are considering Hungarian roads when it comes to planning a vacation or have a business visit coming up, you’ll need some careful organisation before going there.
It’s possible to drive to Hungary if you have the time, probably going through France, Germany and Austria, so you’ll see some wonderful sights even before you cross the Hungarian border.
Flying in and hiring a vehicle is another option for travel and you’ll find a selection of car rental companies operating from Budapest Airport.
Driving in Hungary is a different experience from doing so in the UK, not just because the Hungarians drive on a different side of the road from us.
It’s much more than that and planning a driving holiday or taking your car to the country on business, requires careful planning and a good understanding of what you can, and can’t do behind the wheel while there.
Local police are very strict on road laws (drink driving and seat belts, especially) so, it’s well worth spending some time planning your trip, and making sure you understand the rules for your Continental excursion.
Here The Car Expert looks at the most important elements to consider when planning to drive in Hungary, and we’ve included a handy checklist. As each journey is unique, always check that you have everything covered for your particular visit.
Basic rules
You must be 18 years or over to drive in Hungary and you should hold a full UK driving licence. Just the licence card will do, as the paper counterpart is no longer a requirement. International Driving Permits are also recognised.
You’ll need to prove that you have car insurance cover for your vehicle so take your certificate with you (but you don’t need a European ‘green card’). You should also always carry with you documents that show the identity of your car, such as a V5C ‘logbook’ but if you are using a hire car, always have the rental agreement paperwork with you.
And take your personal ID or passport with you everywhere too – there are plenty of areas where you could cross a border, intentional or not, and stray into a neighbouring state.
Your vehicle’s ‘home country’ must be shown on it. A ‘UK’ sticker on the rear is one way to do this but you can also show a small UK badge on both number plates if you wish. The ‘GB’ badge is no longer allowed, even within European ‘golden stars’ and the same goes for country signs such as the English, Scottish or Welsh flags.
You must be at least 21 years old to hire a car although some hire companies will add a surcharge if you are under 25 and many will insist you have held a full licence for at least one year.
Speed limits
Speed limits are shown in kilometres (km/h) rather than miles (mph). In built-up areas the speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph) while on more open roads the limit rises to 90 km/h (56 mph). Main A-roads are usually 110 km/h (68 mph) while motorways have a 130 km/h (81 mph) limit. Keep a close eye on local speed signs as limits can change on different sections of the same road.
Get stopped for speeding by Hungary’s traffic police and you can expect a fine ranging between 5000 Forints (HUF, £11.) and 50,000 HUF (£110). More serious speeding offences picked up by police cameras can bring much higher fines – 30,000 HUF (£66) to 300,000 HUF (£660).
You are not allowed any kind of speed camera detection devices or equipment that could interfere with police cameras when driving on Hungary’s roads. And don’t use a mobile phone while driving unless it is ‘hands-free’.
Blood alcohol limits
We don’t recommend any drinking of alcohol if you are going to drive, and this is especially pertinent in Hungary where there is a zero tolerance on drink driving. The limit for all drivers is 0.0g/l so do not even think about having a small glass of wine with lunch if you are planning on getting behind the wheel again.
And beware the next morning if you have had a couple of extra drinks the night before. By comparison, it’s 0.8g/l (0.8 milligrams) in England and Wales, and 0.5g/l in Scotland.
If there is any suspicion from the police of drinking and driving, you’ll probably be asked to take a breath test. Penalties for a positive test range from a fine to a temporary confiscation of your driving licence or even a prison sentence. It all depends on the amount over the limit you recorded and whether there was any damage or injury caused. The safest way is to avoid alcohol completely if you’re going to drive.
What to carry in the car
You must have in your car a warning triangle, hi-viz reflective jacket, first aid kit and fire extinguisher. The authorities also expect you to have headlamp converters for your headlights (or have manually adjusted lamps) so you don’t dazzle on-coming drivers. And you should carry some spare bulbs in case one blows.
Specialist suppliers, such as motoring organisations, sell ‘European driving kits’ for around £25, which contain everything you are likely to need for a Continental road trip, and it’s well worth investing in one.
Seatbelt rules
Seatbelt rules are the same as in the UK: if your car has them, they must be worn. It’s the driver’s responsibility to make sure everyone is buckled up – there’s a steep 380,000 HUF (£840) fine for not using one.
Children need to be buckled up too – those under three years old and less than 150 cm in height must be in an approved child restraint in the front or back of the car. Kids who are more than 150 cm tall may use adult seat belts.
Driving
Keep to the right-hand lane as much as possible but if you are overtaking do so on the left. You will usually give way to vehicles using the ‘main’ road unless signs state otherwise. At crossroads that have no controls or road markings, give priority to vehicles on your right. Buses always have the right of way and give way to emergency vehicles as soon as you can safely.
Use dipped headlamps when driving outside of built-up areas including on motorways but don’t use full beam anywhere in inner cities. Horns should be used sparingly –they are prohibited in built-up areas, unless in an emergency. Use them as necessary out of town.
It can get extremely cold and icy in Hungary and if it snows, you will be expected to have the appropriate winter tyres or snow chains fitted to your vehicle. The maximum permitted speed for a car with snow chains is 50 km/h (31 mph).
If you are towing a trailer or caravan ensure that your car and the rig don’t exceed 12 metres in length, 3 metres in height and 2.55 metres in width. Make sure you can see clearly behind you with the use of two wide rear-view mirrors. It’s worth drawing up an inventory of everything being carried in the caravan in case the police ask for the information.
Traffic signs
Traffic lights are red, amber and green and follow a similar pattern to the UK. There are spot fines of 66,000 HUF (£145) for ignoring a red light. Road signs usually have pictures which are self-explanatory and include the slippery road, cattle crossing and quayside warning signs that UK drivers will be familiar with. The stop sign has the word ‘Stop’ in English.
Mandatory instructions are usually blue circles with pictures, prohibitory signs are white circles with a red outline while warning signs are white triangles with a red outline. Information signs are usually blue squares. Directional signs are generally white squares with the town names written in Hungarian and the distances shown in kilometres.
Fuel availability
Unleaded, diesel and LPG liquefied petroleum gas are all widely available on Hungary’s road network. Fuel stations generally open from 6am to 8pm every day although on motorways and major A-roads there are many 24-hour sites operating, with rest areas and shops.
There are more than 1,800 EV (electric vehicle) charging points available and most of these will be listed on mobile apps.
Motorways in Hungary are paid for by tolls. Any road marked with an ‘M’ will require payment. To prove you have this you’ll need to get a window sticker (called an e-vignette) which can be bought online or at numerous fuel stations and special terminals. Minibuses or vehicles with more than seven seats will pay extra.
If you enter a toll road by accident, leave as soon as possible and you won’t be charged or fined.
Parking
Budapest and other major cities offer some free parking. In most towns there will be metered parking from 8am to 6pm. Minimum parking time is 15 minutes, and most areas offer between two and four hours as a limit. There is also a range of underground and multi-storey car parks many of which are manned by security guards.
If you do park on the street, make sure you are facing the direction of traffic. Don’t park less than 5 metres from a pedestrian crossing or cycle crossing, 5 metres from an intersection, in a bus lane or bus stop, in a spot that might obscure a road sign, or anywhere that the police are likely to consider an ‘obstruction’ to other traffic.
Illegally parked cars will be clamped in some areas, such as Budapest centre, but often vehicles will be simply towed away. There’s a fine to pay for a vehicle’s release plus costs for the towing.
Emergency number
In Hungary, as with most of Europe, you can dial 112 and make contact with emergency services such as fire, ambulance or police, 24 hours a day. Operators will speak English, French other European languages.
