The MG IM6, along with the closely related IM5, signify MG’s strategic entry into the premium electric executive SUV/crossover segment, directly challenging the likes of the Tesla Model Y. The IM6 has been on sale in China for some time, but made its UK launch in the summer of 2025, with first customer cars arriving in September 2025.
The IM6 carries almost no MG badging at all, using IM badges and branding instead. This makes more sense when you look at it from a Chinese perspective, where these cars are sold under the IM brand rather than the MG brand. Here in the UK, it makes things slightly more confusing to the average person on the street.
The MG IM6 is a sizeable vehicle, pushing close to five metres in length. That makes it longer than the Tesla Model Y, and broadly similar to the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, which is a whole market segment above the MG (and about twice the price). The closely related IM5 is a lower-riding saloon model, much like the Tesla Model 3.
Like many new cars, especially those coming from China, there is a heavy reliance on touchscreens rather than physical buttons or switches to control almost every function of the car. While this might appeal to some customers, it can be quite off-putting to others and can make controlling even simple functions difficult while driving. In fact, there are almost no buttons or physical controls anywhere in the interior.
Acceleration is astonishing for an executive or family saloon. Top-spec ‘Performance’ and ‘Launch Edition’ models put out 750hp of power and 800Nm of torque, enough to get from rest to 60mph in about 3.5 seconds – which is supercar territory. Not only are you highly unlikely to ever need that much power, most average drivers will probably be overwhelmed if they try to actually use it on normal UK roads. We’d recommend sticking to the entry-spec ‘Long Range’, which puts out a still-considerable 400hp and also offers 380 miles of range on the official government lab tests.
Standard equipment levels are very good on all models, including an excellent 20-speaker stereo system that puts many fancy (and expensive) optional stereos in German cars to shame.
As of February 2026, the MG IM6 holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 76%. While the car’s collection of review scores are fairly average overall, this overall score is bolstered by high safety and warranty ratings.
Body style: Large SUV/crossover Engines:electric motor, single or twin Price:From £47,995 on-road
Launched: Summer 2025 Last updated: N/A
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Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Featured reviews
“Launching the IM6 could possibly be a leap too far for MG. There’s no arguing with the performance on offer, but the chassis struggles to cope with the power, so it’s not enjoyable to make the most of it. Comfort is a strong point, though, as is the ultra-rapid charging capability, but the large touchscreen infotainment displays have their quirks and take some getting used to, while the IM6’s heavy weight hampers its overall efficiency.”
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “MG takes its bang for buck ethos to extremes with the IM6 SUV version of its fast and furious IM5 saloon.” Author: Dan Trent Read review
Business Car
Model reviewed: 100kWh Long Range Score: 8 / 10 “The price might seem punchy for an MG – and there’s no shortage of other electric rivals offering stern competition – but the IM6 has the credibility in spec and design to live up to it.” Author: Sean Keywood Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The IM6 is a strong step up for MG and pulls the brand into an entirely new sector. It’s an impressive first entry into the market: the styling is inoffensive but the interior is impressive, as is the strong level of refinement and good ride at speed. Compared to the Tesla Model Y it’s arguably more polished but certainly rides better, and makes its power in a more engaging way. And when compared to the Audi Q4 e-tron, it’s got far more character.” Author: Curtis Moldrich Read review
Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “The MG IM6 is a technical extravaganza, and for the range and features that it’s offering it’s also good value. I found it rather uninspiring to drive despite the outrageous performance, and some could find the interior styling a bit challenging. But with this much equipment, charging and range, it’s not hard to see why it could still be a big hit.” Author: Ginny Buckley Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview “Established rivals will be troubled by the MG IM6’s value for money, decent driving range and commodious interior for people and luggage. But will buyers be put off by its lack of MG octagon familiarity? Or the lamentable lack of physical dashboard? Also, the IM5 hatchback goes further and faster for less money.” Read review
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 7 / 10 “In the MG IM6 versus Tesla Model Y battle, the MG has much in its favour. It looks good, has more space inside than the Tesla, better build quality and is strong on tech, too. The MG is ever-so-slightly cheaper and goes ever-so-slightly further than the Tesla, too. The sticking point is that the IM6 is neither as good to drive or as comfortable to be in as the Tesla – the ride in particular is just too jittery.” Author: Steve Fowler Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 5 / 10 “Ignore the MG badge, this is another Chinese electric SUV that doesn’t rock the boat and isn’t a bargain.” Author: Joe Holding Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of February 2026, the MG IM6 has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the IM6 is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Battery range
Average
Score
Variation
Score
EV models
338 miles
A
Electrical efficiency
Average
Score
Variation
Score
EV models
2.9 m/KWh
E
Insurance group
Average
Score
Variation
Score
All models
49
E
The MG IM6 is a relatively expensive car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
The car’s average battery range of 338 miles is competitive when compared to the EV market at large, but there are several premium rivals of this size that offer a longer battery range with a similar battery size. This is highlighted by the IM6’s poor electrical efficiency of 2.9m/KWh.
The SUV also has high predicted insurance premiums. We currently do not have maintenance and servicing cost estimations for this model.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
The MG IM6 is a brand-new model, so we won’t have any reliability data for some time.
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 IM6, we’ll publish the results here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the MG IM6
Overall rating
A
96%
New car warranty duration
7 years
New car warranty mileage
80,000 miles
Battery warranty duration
8 years
Battery warranty mileage
100,000 miles
MG’s new car warranty is one of the best in the new car market, and better than pretty much any rival brands in a similar price bracket to the MG IM6.
The duration is seven years, with a limit of 80,000 miles. In addition, battery components benefit from an additional eight-year/100,000-mile warranty. This is pretty much standard for all new EVs on sale in the UK, but is an extra reassurance that petrol and diesel cars don’t get.
If you’re looking to buy a used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.
As of February 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the MG IM6. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.
You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local MG dealer.
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Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)
The Alpine A390 is a performance-focused mid-size coupé-SUV, and Alpine’s second all-electric model offering after the smaller A290 hatchback.
Built on the same foundations as the Renault Scenic E-Tech and Nissan Leaf, the Alpine describes the A390 as a ‘sports fastback’ due to its sloping rear roofline. British reviewers, who have given the ‘hot SUV’ a solid set of positive initial review scores, generally agree that the Alpine sits between mainstream medium SUVs and the premium options at the top of the market.
Parker’s Piers Ward argues that the A390 is more “refined” on the road than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and more fun to drive than the Audi Q4 e-tron, but that the Alpine “stops short of the outright sporting intent of pricier cars like the Porsche Macan Electric.”
Summing up the general reviewer consensus, Jordan Katsianis of Auto Express concludes that, although the electric SUV is “a treat from behind the wheel, it’s far from perfect”, explaining that its “ambitious” price tag puts it in contention with talented premium rivals that offer more interior practicality and longer battery ranges.
Nevertheless, Autotrader’s Dan Trent says that the A390 is “genuinely exciting out on the road”, and its added interior space over the A290 makes it “an Alpine you can share with friends and family alike.”
As of January 2026, the Alpine A390 isn’t on sale just yet, with the car arriving on UK roads this Spring. When the British motoring media release UK-based reviews on this car, and we have collected running cost data for this model, we will give the SUV an Expert Rating score.
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The A390 attempts the illusion of feeling as light and agile as Alpine’s signature sports cars through a nifty triple-motor set-up that’s not as easy to understand as the big power and crazy acceleration times boasted by some rivals. But proves genuinely exciting out on the road, the crossover practicality meanwhile making this an Alpine you can share with friends and family alike.” Author: Dan Trent Read review
Business Car
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Alpine’s electric A110 with five seats impresses – if you can live with its limitations.” Author: Martyn Collins Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “For those prepared to look outside the usual marques, the A390 is a very credible, very different take on the electric fastback formula. It’s not a sector-definer, but it enriches what’s come before it with wholesome Alpine character.” Author: Piers Ward Read review
Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “It is, ultimately, quite a different car to anything else out there, and while others have more comfortable rear passenger accommodation and cushier ride comfort, none of them are like the Alpine in terms of sheer driver reward.” Author: Vicky Parrott Read review
Evo
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “The A390 compels in ways and concerns in others. The engineering and dynamic detail you hope of an Alpine is there, even if there’s still a slight ‘for an EV’ caveat.” Author: Ethan Jupp Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Although it scores well in terms of value, has good performance stats and looks great, the reality of the A390’s driving experience is underwhelming. It’s also not especially roomy for an SUV, and feels cheap in places.” Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8.8 / 10 “There’s genuine sports car DNA lurking in the Alpine A390, despite it being a chunky electric SUV. It’s well worth your attention, though, especially if you like driving.” Author: Piers Ward Read review
The Independent
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “Alpine says the A390 is ‘a racing car in a suit’, but is there poise and flair to match this EV’s considerable performance?”
Author: Andrew English Read review
The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “What you get with the Alpine A390 is a five-door, five-seater that’s as French as brioche and baked camembert with F1 and World Endurance Championship design and engineering knowhow, and a powerful electric four-wheel-drive system that delivers handling as close to a lightweight A110 sports car as a two-tonne EV can get.” Author: Will Dron Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview Score: 8 / 10 “There’s nothing quite like it, and it’s good. But there are roomier and lairier rivals.”
Author: Paul Horrell 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 January 2026, the Alpine A390 has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the A390 is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
No data yet
As of January 2026, we don’t have independently verified data available for the Alpine A390. Check back again soon.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of January 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Alpine A390 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 A390, we’ll publish the results here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Alpine A390
Overall rating
C
50%
New car warranty duration
3 years
New car warranty mileage
60,000 miles
Battery warranty duration
8 years
Battery warranty mileage
100,000 miles
Alpine’s new car warranty sits at about the market average – the duration is three years and limit of 60,000 miles being the basic new car warranty package in the UK.
In addition to the standard new car warranty, the A390 has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for its battery components.
Warranty on a used Alpine A390
If you are buying an ‘Approved Used’ Alpine A390 from an official Alpine dealership, you will get a minimum 12-month warranty included.
If you are buying a used Alpine A390 from an independent dealership, any warranty offered will vary and will probably be managed by a third-party warranty company.
If you are buying a used Alpine A390 from a private seller, there are no warranty protections beyond any remaining portion of the original new car warranty.
If you’re looking to buy any used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.
As of January 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Alpine A390. However, recall 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 Alpine dealer.
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The Skoda Epiq is a small all-electric SUV/crossover that will be arriving in the UK sometime in 2026, posing a sales challenge to the likes of the Citroën ë-C3 and Fiat Grande Panda Electric.
The compact EV is yet to enter production, so not much known about it at the time of writing, but it is likely to become the entry-level electric model in Skoda’s range when it does eventually arrive in UK showrooms, sitting below the Skoda Elroq SUV that arrived on British roads in 2025.
While fellow Volkswagen Group brands have decided to target this budget EV category with hatchback models, such as the Volkswagen ID.2 and Cupra Raval, Skoda has instead decided to give the Epiq more ground clearance and thick SUV-style bumper cladding, and refers to this new model as a ‘city SUV’. The crossover is about as long as the brand’s Fabia supermini.
We will update this page with a full Expert Rating breakdown once the car has a sufficient set of UK review scores, and when we have safety, running costs and warranty data to report. Check back soon!
Body style: Small SUV/crossover Engines:electric, battery-powered Price:TBA
Launching: 2026 Last updated: N/A Replacement due: TBA
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Media reviews
As of January 2026, the compact Skoda Epiq SUV is yet to enter production, and UK reviewers are get to get their hands on the new EV at the time of writing.
This page will be updated with highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media, once said reviews are published.
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of January 2026, the Skoda Epiq has not been assessed by Euro NCAP.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of January 2026, the Skoda Epiq has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the [Model] is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
No data yet
As of January 2026, we don’t have independently verified data available for the Skoda Epiq. Check back again soon.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of January 2026, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Skoda Epiq 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 Epiq, we’ll publish the results here.
As of January 2026, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Skoda Epiq. However, recall information is updated regularly, so this may have changed.
You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Skoda dealer.
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Subscribe to a Skoda Epiq
Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)
Volvo has revealed its new EX60 – an all-electric mid-size SUV that the manufacturer says ‘represents a new beginning’ for the brand, with improved battery range, charging speed, and performance.
The EX60 marks Volvo’s first entry in the mid-size electric SUV category – the most popular electric car category globally. As a mid-sized SUV, this new entry will sit above the smaller EX30 and EX40 models and below the larger EX90 in Volvo’s battery powered line-up, and is set to pose a sales challenge to the likes of the Renault Scenic E-Tech, Ford Explorer and Tesla Model Y.
Volvo claims that the SUV offers a class-leading battery range of 503 miles on a single charge (in an all-wheel drive configuration). For comparison, that is over 100 miles more than the top-spec Ford Explorer ‘Style RWD’ Tesla Model Y ‘Long Range’ models.
The Swedish manufacturer adds that the EX60 can add up to 211 miles of range in ten minutes when using a 400kW DC rapid charging station.
The EX60 is available with three different powertrain variants. The 680hp ‘P12 AWD Electric’ variant offers that class-leading 503-mile range, while the 510hp ‘P10 AWD Electric’ clocks in at a range of up to 410 miles.
A rear-wheel powered 376hp ‘P6 Electric’ variant delivers up to 385 miles of range. All in all, the EX60 is available in seven different variants, all offered with ten years of battery warranty.
Beyond improvements to battery tech, Volvo has also focused on the car’s aerodynamics to boost the battery range. As a result, the EX60 has a low drag coefficient of 0.26 – on par with smaller models like the Kia EV3.
Inside, the flat floor boosts legroom in the rear, and the cabin features various smart storage spaces, as well as a large boot. On the infotainment front, the EX60 will be the first Volvo with Apple Music pre-installed with Dolby Atmos.
As ever, safety is an important focus for Volvo. The EX60 comes with the brand’s ‘multi-adaptive’ safety belt, and a safety cage strengthened with boron steel.
Production starts this spring at Volvo Cars’ car factory in Sweden. Customer deliveries of the ‘P6’ and ‘P10’ variants will start this summer, with the ‘P12’ following soon after that.
The EX60 will be priced from £56k for the entry-level ‘P6’ rear-wheel-drive model, while the dual-motor ‘P10’ starts from just south of £60k. The range-topping ‘P12’ version is priced from £65k.
Volvo EX60 Cross Country
Volvo has also given a first look at the EX60 in another flavour as it introduced the newest entry in its popular line-up of ‘Cross Country’ models.
The EX60 Cross Country comes with special alloy wheel designs that are exclusive to Cross Country models, as well Cross Country branding in the front and rear bumpers as well as on the rear-pillar. Skid plates finished in stainless steel also feature, as well as beefier wheel arches.
The EX60 Cross Country also sits another two centimetres higher off the ground, and with the help of the air suspension, drivers can add another two centimetres of riding height if needed. The air suspension can also lower the car, which is especially helpful for drivers that travel on the highway and want to maximise the range of the battery.
Customers can choose between two all-wheel-drive powertrain options – a ‘P10 AWD Electric’ with up to 397 miles of range which is the first variant to become available, followed shortly after by a ‘P12 AWD Electric’ with longer range.
The Cross County variant will cost from around £57k.
If you jump in a petrol or diesel car on a cold morning, the engine warms up quickly by the process of combustion. The heat generated is fed into the coolant which surrounds the engine and part of this can be diverted into the car’s heating system.
Until this happens, switching on the air-conditioning puts a load on the battery and the air-conditioning pump, impacting fuel consumption. If the engine is allowed to cool this happens over again.
In order for an electric car battery to function properly, a constant temperature must be maintained. The ideal operating temperature of an EV battery is around 20-40 degrees Celsius, depending on the car model.
When the temperature drops, the chemical reactions inside the battery slow down. EV batteries are either surrounded by a liquid, which can be used both to cool the battery and to warm it up, or are air-cooled.
What sort of drop in range are we talking about?
Glance at many of the car magazines’ reports on daily life with EVs they’re living with and it’s usual to see that the official range is often not met, and drastically reduces further when it’s cold.
In Winter 2023, the driver of a Ford Mustang Mach-E found the peak range of 226 miles (officially 273) dropped to 180 miles in February, partly due to having to often keep warm waiting to collect his kids. In the same period the driver of a Skoda Enyaq experienced a power consumption equivalent to 100 miles of range during a cold snap making lots of short journeys (it was averaging 220 miles to a claimed 323 miles).
Carmakers are upfront about this loss in range – you can’t get away from it. For example, the Renault website section on the Megane E-Tech has a range simulator where you can change parameters. At 30mph with an outside temperature of 20°C and no heating or air conditioning on and in ‘eco mode’, it has a range of 290 miles. At 30mph at 10°C, predicted range drops to 200 miles.
Short trips that allow the cabin to cool in between are the least efficient because you’ll want to use the heater and the battery management system needs to maintain the battery itself at optimal temperature.
If you do a series of short trips with parked periods of sufficient length for the car to cool to an ambient temperature, you’ll see a relatively significant reduction in your miles per kWh, up to 30%. The good news is that these short journeys fit well with quick top-up charges such as supermarket runs.
What kind of heaters do EVs have?
Internal combustion-engined cars generate heat as soon as they are running, and the water in the coolant system absorbs some of that heat. After a few miles you can get some heat into the cabin and using the air conditioning (which will heat and de-mist as well as cool) will boost this. EVs have high-voltage electric heaters and an electrical air conditioner
In case you were wondering, EVs still have a traditional lead-acid 12-volt battery to run the accessories and lower-voltage control systems.
Cold weather EV tips
If you have one, parking in the garage overnight is always a good start – you’ll avoid the need to defrost and keep the ambient air temperature up.
Plug in at home as soon as you arrive. If an EV is plugged in and charging the car it is also pre-conditioning, or pre-heating the battery. On some cars you can also program the interior heating system from your smartphone or hands-free card before starting your journey. By the time you open the car door, the cabin will already be at a comfortable temperature and you won’t be decreasing your vehicle’s range. If pre-conditioning is initiated while the car is connected to a power supply, the energy necessary to heat the interior will come directly from the grid. It’s the cheapest way to charge and you have normal range to start off with.
If you have them, activate the heated seats and steering wheel (some EVs have heated seats front and rear) before the heater. They use a lot less power than an electrical heater and you can turn the overall system down a few degrees. If you havetwo-zone or three-zone climate control and you are alone in the car, only heat the driver area if possible.
Opt for the ‘Eco’ driving mode, which automatically optimizes your energy consumption by regulating heating, acceleration, cruising speed, and braking. This feature will allow you to gain up to 10% more range. It’s especially useful on longer trips.
If there is snow ice (or more likely) heavy rain about, it’s a good idea to adopt a gentler style of driving in any car and slow down. Regenerative braking is useful at all times of year; it allowing electricity generated by letting the car slow itself to be fed back into the battery. When you take your foot off the throttle, the car regenerates power – it uses the electric motor in the rear to brake, converting the kinetic energy into electrical energy, which is then stored in the battery.
As with a petrol or diesel car, shedding any unnecessary weight or drag will make it go further. So, take off the roof rack after the holiday and clear out the boot (except for the charging cable of course).
Likewise, keep your tyres inflated to the correct pressures. If you have fitted winter tyres switch back to summer tyres as soon as possible to increase range.
In addition, the speed at which the battery can take a charge slows down if it’s cold. Charging company Mer suggests that if you’re not able to preheat your EV’s batteries in advance of a trip, you wait as long as your vehicle will allow before a charge. This way, the battery at least has time to get lukewarm – making charging both better for the battery and faster.
Do I need a heat pump?
A heat pump boosts the electric heater in an EV and can help preserve range. It uses the heat generated by the cars electrical components to vaporize refrigerant from liquid to gas form. High-pressure gas is discharged from the compressor and forced into a condenser to be converted back into a liquid. This process generates additional heat energy that is recovered by the heat pump and used to warm the cabin. Some EVs recycle additional waste heat from the power electrics (PE) modules (such as drive motors, on-board chargers, and inverters), and also from the battery pack and slow charger.
It takes a bit of digging to find out, but some EVs have heat pumps fitted as standard, such as all Vauxhall Corsa Electric models and sister car the Peugeot e-208, as well larger models like the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Some Chinese brands are including heat pumps as standard, for example BYD, which sells its cheapest all-electric Dolphin model with a heat pump included in the lead-in price tag.
Some more expensive cars – which have larger batteries – leave it on the options list on for the top trim levels. For example heat pump for a Volkswagen ID.3 £1,000 to £1,150 extra. However, a quick look at internet discussions from UK EV owners shows some wouldn’t spend the extra again on a heat pump, even though they were effective.
There are various tricks employed by dodgy car dealers to try and get around the various laws that apply when selling cars. This is almost always done to try and avoid their legal obligations, which can be an expensive part of their business.
As a customer, you need to be on your guard for anything which doesn’t sound quite right when buying a used car – especially if you are only looking to spend less than a couple of thousand pounds. Although you do have some powerful consumer rights to fall back on, it’s far better to avoid getting into that situation in the first place.
You may see a car advertised with “spares or repairs” or “no warranty given or implied” somewhere near the end of the vehicle description. Used car traders have also often been known to add these phrases to the bottom of a sales contract. But what exactly do they mean and how do they affect your consumer rights?
Using phrases like “spares or repairs only”, “trade only” or “no warranty given or implied”, or something similar, is often an attempt by dodgy traders to avoid their obligations under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Customers who sign contracts with this wording may be denying themselves valuable rights, or face a long and difficult battle with the dealer if you have problems later on.
Some dealers will also pose as private individuals selling their own cars, rather than as traders, again to try and deny you your legal rights.
As a buyer, you are also covered by Section 75 of the Road Traffic Act, under which it is an offence to sell or supply an unroadworthy vehicle. This means you have the right to expect that any car you purchase from a trader or car dealer is roadworthy and can be safely driven home without endangering you or anyone else.
This is a very basic standard, and certainly doesn’t mean the car has to be perfect. But things like steering, brakes, tyres, exhaust system, seat belts, suspension and structural bodywork must be in good order.
If a sales contract has the words “spares or repair” written on it, the dealer is saying that the car is unroadworthy and is not to be driven on a public road. It literally means that the car is only suitable for being broken up for spare parts, or requires repair to be roadworthy.
Do not sign any contract which has this written on it – unless you have no intention of driving the car home and are planning to load it onto a truck or trailer for repairs/restoration/dismantling.
If a trader tries to convince you that “spares or repair only” means something different or is related to warranty, they are lying and you should walk away immediately (feel free to call Trading Standards on the way out).
We have had many questions over the years from readers who have bought cars marked “spares or repair” and did not realise what it meant (or didn’t notice until afterwards). If this has happened to you, you do have some recourse against the trader but it will probably require some professional legal assistance.
According to Section 75 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a used car dealer is required to prove that “there was reasonable cause to believe that the vehicle would not be used on the road or would not be used until it had been put into roadworthy condition”.
If taken to court, the trader would have to show that they took all reasonable action to ensure that you knew the car was unroadworthy and that you were not going to drive the car. The car would have to be clearly advertised that the car was unroadworthy (and a small comment that says “spares or repairs only” in the fine print is not adequate), a test drive request would have to be declined and the dealer would have to make sure that you did not attempt to drive the car away after purchase.
If the trader fails to take these actions, you can reasonably argue that you were not made clearly aware that the car was unroadworthy.
Trade sale only
Like “spares or repair”, this is a term that sometimes appears in the fine print of an ad or contract. If a trader is selling a car to another trader, normal consumer protection laws like the Consumer Rights Act 2015 do not apply.
If a dealer has written “trade sale” or something similar on the contract, it is an attempt to deny you your consumer rights. if you knowingly sign a contract marked “trade sale”, you are effectively stating that you are a car dealer.
You are within your rights to strike out phrases like “trade sale” or “spares or repair” from a contract and still buy the car (assuming the dealer signs it without those phrases included, of course), but generally these are signs of a dodgy trader and you should take your money elsewhere. If the car dealer is being shady on the paperwork, there’s every chance that they’re equally dodgy when it comes to the condition of the car.
If you have any problems, you can almost guarantee that you will have a fight on your hands to protect your legal rights.
No warranty given or implied
We have discussed this in detail previously, but in summary there is no legal requirement for a trader to provide a warranty on a used car. And if you’re buying a car for a few hundred pounds, it’s common enough for a dealer to refuse to put a warranty on it. This should be explained up front, rather than slipped onto a sales contract when you’ve already agreed to buy the car.
However, just because you don’t have a warranty doesn’t mean you don’t have any rights if you have a problem.
Any used car bought by a private buyer from a trader, whether it costs £500 or £500,000, is covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Within certain constraints, this allows you to reject the vehicle if it is faulty.
If a car is being advertised on a dealer’s website, or on their premises, it is a dealer sale and you can expect the full protection of the Consumer Rights Act and the Road Traffic Act.
If you buy a car from a private individual, on the other hand, you do not have any of the consumer protections described above; you’re basically on your own. Inevitably, this has led to small-time dealers posing as private individuals in an attempt to circumvent their legal obligations.
If a dealer tries to spin you a story that this particular car might be advertised on their website but it’s actually his wife’s/mother’s/daughter’s private car and he’s just using the site to advertise it on their behalf, he’s lying. Leave immediately.
If a dealer tells you that he’s a car dealer but he keeps some of the nice part-exchange cars for himself to sell as a ‘hobby’ or some other such story, he’s lying. Leave immediately.
If you pull up to a private seller’s house and they have several cars parked up on the property, be very suspicious. If you sell more than four cars in the space of a year, you are considered a used car dealer. Trading from home and pretending that the car is their own personal vehicle is a common trick for dodgy dealers.
If you are buying a car from a trader, make sure they have a proper sales contract form that shows the correct company name and details. If the name on the contract is a different company than the one advertising the car, ask to see the paperwork which shows the connection between the two (eg – one company may be owned by the other company, which is fine).
Selling on consignment
When it comes to rare or expensive luxury cars, dealers will often sell a car on consignment for a customer. That’s not a problem, as long as the dealer acknowledges that they are still selling the car and therefore will be liable in the event of any consumer rights claims. It’s no different to the dealer selling a car they own themselves.
If the dealer tells you that normal conditions of sale don’t apply because they are selling the car on consignment, either walk away or insist that you deal directly with the actual owner as a private sale.
Summary
The main message to take away from all this is that – despite all the tricks available to them – a trader can only take advantage of you if you let them. This is so important that it’s one of The Car Expert’s Ten Golden Rules of buying a car.
There are plenty of dodgy car dealers out there (as well as plenty of honest ones, obviously), but as a buyer it’s up to you to make sure you take responsibility for your own money – because you’re the only one who really cares about your money.
If you have any reason at all to doubt what you see or hear, it’s up to you to ask questions and decide whether you’re happy with the answer.
“Look, balloons! This must be a reputable dealership…”
This article was originally published in April 2017, and was last updated in January 2026.
Kia has added an estate car to its petrol-powered K4 range of models with the introduction of the K4 ‘Sportswagon’.
The K4 hatchback – which can now be configured on the Kia UK website – is successor to the Ceed family car. The K4 Sportswagon meanwhile has a longer rear end and a bigger boot, and will join the Kia range as the brand’s only estate car choice.
The powertrain offering starts with a 115hp 1.0-litre petrol engine with a six-speed manual transmission. This engine is also available with mild-hybrid technology. Customers who opt for the mild-hybrid engine can pair it with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission instead.
The 150hp or 180hp 1.6-litre petrol engine comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Later in 2026, the powertrain line-up will be expanded to include a full hybrid option.
Inside, the K4 Sportswagon carries over the ‘tech-forward’ cabin concept of the K4 line-up. A 12-inch instrument cluster, five-inch climate screen and 12-inch infotainment touchscreen are combined in a large display that juts out of the dasboard, wirelessly compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A wireless phone charger is also included with higher trims.
The brand’s ‘Digital Key 2.0’ allows compatible smartphones to function as virtual keys. At the same time, Kia Connect services offer a range of digital tools, such as over-the-air (OTA) updates, music streaming, and Wi-Fi hotspot capability. An AI-powered voice assistant allows drivers to control various features or get information, including help with the owner’s manual or local recommendations.
Opening the boot lid reveals 604 litres of luggage space – 166 litres more than the hatchback – which positions the model alongside upper-segment competitors in the wagon market. On top of this, a wagon-exclusive feature is the power tailgate opening. This allows hands-free convenience, making loading and unloading easier.
Kia is yet to announce UK pricing for the model. It’s likely to exceed the £26k entry-level asking price of the K4 hatch. Pricing, as well as the full trim specification list, is sure to arrive in the coming weeks. Check back soon for more details!
BYD has revealed its ninth model to arrive in the UK – the compact plug-in hybrid Sealion 5 DM-i – which is now available to order.
Set to rival the sales of mid-size SUVs like the Hyundai Tucson and Volvo XC60, the Sealion 5 DM-i – ‘DM-i’ being the moniker BYD gives to its plug-in hybrid models, standing for ‘Dual Mode Intelligent’ – will be arriving in UK showrooms in early February as one of the brand’s cheaper model options.
The SUV will be offered with two different trim grade choices – the lead-in ‘Comfort’ and top-spec ‘Design – with different powertrain setups. Both make use of a 1.5-litre petrol engine, which is paired with a 13kWh battery should you opt for the ‘Comfort’. This 212hp pairing can muster up to 38 miles of electric only driving, and can complete a 0-62mph sprint in 7.7 seconds.
The ‘Design’ meanwhile comes with a bigger 18kWh battery which boosts the car’s electric-only range to 53 miles, the trade-off being a slightly slower 0-62mph sprint time of 8.1 seconds.
The ‘Comfort’ equipment list includes 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera, plus electrically adjustable, electrically folding and heated door mirrors. Inside, the brand’s 13-inch touchscreen sits front and centre, compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and plus 4G connectivity – all of which can be controlled via the “Hi BYD” intelligent voice control. Ahead of the driver sits an nine-inch digital instrument cluster.
The standard car’s seats and steering wheel are also trimmed in vegan leather, and the driver’s seat has six-way electrical seat adjustment, with four-way adjustment on the passenger seat.
The ‘Design’ version adds welcome lights, an electric tailgate and front parking sensors on top of the standard spec, as well as a surround-view camera system, wireless smartphone charging and heated front seats. Opening the boot lid reveals 463-litres of luggage space in the rear.
Pricing for the new range begins at just under £30k, rising to just north of £32k for the ‘Design’. With the SUV arriving so soon, you can be sure that we have an Expert Rating overview for this new BYD in the works. Check back with us at The Car Expert soon for more details!
Britain’s new car market exploded with new badges in 2025, as a host of new car brands set up shop in the UK.
Most of these new badges came from China and targeted British buyers with a clear plan – sign up lots of dealers and fill their showrooms with a wide choice of new cars. This will accelerate into 2026, with the result that UK car buyers will face an unprecedented choice of new metal to choose from over the year.
The majority of the new cars launching over the next 12 months will be electric vehicles (EVs). Despite concerns about the pace of switching from fossil fuels to electricity around the world, the overall direction of travel remains unchanged. However, plug-in hybrids will continue their resurgence this year, and may even overtake basic (non-plug) hybrids at some point.
So read on for BMW’s electrification of a company car must-have, yet more BYDs, revived badges from America and new ones from China, and a whole lot more…
Not a lot to report from Fiat’s performance sub-brand, which has been struggling with its UK sales since it went electric-only in 2024. Having shifted fewer than 300 cars last year, there are reports that an Abarth version of the new Fiat 500 petrol model is under consideration, but we’re unlikely to see it in 2026.
Alfa Romeo has been planning a new range of electric models for a while, but has more recently decided that the next Giulia and Stelvio SUVs will also be available with petrol engines. Until then, we’ll see the current models soldiering on for a while yet, probably with various limited-edition specials popping up from time to time.
The Alfa Romeo Tonale compact crossover has received a mid-life facelift and the updated models are rolling into showrooms now. It’s the first suite of (mainly cosmetic) changes for the Tonale since launching in 2022, and is available in both petrol and plug-in hybrid forms.
This year Renault’s performance spin-off brand will wave goodbye to the car that relaunched it, the Alpine A110 sports car. It should disappear by the summer to pave the way for an all-new electric A110 model – although that’s likely not to appear until at least 2027.
New this year, however, will be the Alpine A390. This is a five-seat electric crossover, based on a Renault Scenic platform but beefed up with more performance – including three electric motors – and sportier driving characteristics.
After the arrival of several new models over the last 12 months, you might think Audi would be slowing the launch pace – not a bit of it, with the newcomers including a smallest and largest car.
The smallest is a spiritual successor to the odd but appealing Audi A2 hatchback of the 1980s. The new car will be pitched as an entry-level EV, but not much more is known yet. It will probably be called either the A2 e-tron or A3 e-tron.
The venerable Audi Q7 seven-seat SUV is finally set to be replaced around the middle of the year after a decade on sale, with an all-new model that will follow the slightly more rounded styling of the latest Q3 and Q5 models. As with the current model, the new Q7 will offer a range of petrol, plug-in hybrid and diesel powertrains.
Also expected by the end of the year is an even bigger model called the Q9, a rival for the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS mega-SUVs. Audi is also working on a luxury version, named the Horch after the man who founded Audi. If this comes to the UK it won’t be until 2027.
Also potentially arriving in 2026 is a new Audi RS 6, which will be available in both saloon and estate forms. It will be petrol-engined, probably with a hybrid powertrain.
Bentley is gearing up to launch its first full electric vehicle, an SUV almost as big as the Bentayga – but we won’t see that until 2027. The coming year appears to be very much a case of as you were.
The age-old company-car battle between BMW and Mercedes-Benz gets a power boost in 2026 with both brands launching new electric versions of their big-volume models.
The new BMW i3 saloon, likely on sale at the very end of the year, is the first fully electric version of the perennially popular BMW 3 Series and the first saloon with the brand’s latest ‘Neue Klasse’ styling treatment. It uses the same underpinnings as the new iX3 electric SUV, which will arrive in showrooms early in the year. BMW claims that the i3 will both offer a battery range of more than 500 miles and all the driving pleasure that has long been one of the brand’s biggest selling points.
The company plans to roll out Neue Klasse updates to every model in its range, with the larger BMW 5 Series family next in line. The current model only launched in 2023, but is expected to be given a major refresh this year.
BMW’s high-performance M division is also working on its next generation of models, and has recently been showing off a prototype version of its new electric iM3 saloon – a four-motor rocketship version of the forthcoming i3 saloon. We also expect to see M versions of the new iX3 and rumoured iX4 models.
The rise of Chinese brand BYD on the UK market has been nothing short of astonishing, with lots of new models and a mushrooming dealer network to sell them. Having arrived as what initially appeared to be a typical electric Chinese brand, BYD’s 2026 plans appear to be focused on hybrids.
The Seal 6 DM-I, a large saloon and estate revealed at the end of 2025 with the brand’s ‘Super Hybrid’ technology (effectively a range-extender), is arriving in showrooms as these words are written.
BYD’s first new car out of the blocks in 2026, and ninth overall, will be the Sealion 5 DM-i. This plug-in hybrid compact SUV sits just above the Atto 3 – the first model BYD launched what seems a long time ago now but which was in fact only in September 2023. Later in the year, we could also get a plug-in hybrid Atto 3 – you are never short of choice with BYD…
The electric Atto 2, which arrived in the Autumn of 2025 as a small family car to rival the likes of the Kia EV3, will also go plug-in hybrid, with two battery sizes offering a maximum electric-only range of 56 miles.
The BYD Shark, a pick-up already on sale in Europe and Asia, is also likely to reach UK showrooms to rival the likes of the Ford Ranger. Although it has not been officially confirmed, the brand has dropped veiled hints.
Cadillac? Really? Yes, the so-very-American General Motors flagship brand is making yet another attempt to crack Europe with a line-up of electric SUVs. The Cadillac revival has been on the cards for a while, but 2026 is likely to be the year it finally happens in the UK.
The two models expected to spearhead the relaunch are the mid-sized Lyriq SUV (as seen above) and smaller Optiq. We’ll have all the details as soon as they’re available.
Changan
Changan Deepal S07
Changan officially launched UK sales in the Autumn of 2025, but China’s oldest car maker has had an R&D centre in Britain for more than 15 years.
The company’s first UK model, the Deepal S07 mid-sized electric SUV, will be joined by a smaller Deepal S05 soon. Changan has also stated that both will eventually be offered with range-extender powertrains using small petrol engines to recharge the batteries.
Changan could also launch an entirely new brand called Avatr into the UK in 2026 – described as a ‘sports luxury brand’.
One of the big Chinese names to reach the UK is the parent to both Omoda and Jaecoo, Chery will follow up its initial Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 7 large and medium SUVs launched last year with at least two more range-bookending models in 2026.
The Tiggo 9 seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV was unveiled right at the end of 2025 as the Chery flagship, and in the Spring it is set to be joined by the Tiggo 4. This entry-level compact SUV, targeting the likes of the new Volkswagen T-Roc, will only be available with a petrol engine.
Chery also plans to launch its Lepas badge in the UK as a budget brand rivalling the likes of Dacia – this could happen in the coming year.
The big news of 2026 at Citroën is the arrival of the second-generation C5 Aircross, which goes on sale in the Spring as a mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid or the ë-C5 Aircross EV. A big SUV, the new version is said to be stronger and more stylish than its predecessor with more technology.
Elsewhere, there’s not much Citroën-related to report. The quirky little Ami electric quadricycle – which has less than 10hp, can only do less than 50 miles between charges and in some versions has side ‘doors’ that look like the gates in your local Tesco superstore – is getting a facelift for 2026, but the changes are basically cosmetic.
The SEAT spin-off brand that effectively ate its parent, Cupra is set for a busy year in 2026.
The major new model will be the Raval, an electric supermini and the first car across the entire Volkswagen Group to use a new and clever chassis. Expected at the end of summer, it will offer around 225hp in standard form.
The Cupra Born is going to get a restyle to match the look of the Raval, while there are expected to be special and very limited performance versions of the Formentor and the Leon.
The 2026 plans for the Renault-owned Romanian budget brand focus mainly on updates to its core models, the Jogger and Sandero. The recently launched Spring electric SUV is already getting an update too, with new batteries giving more power in a bid to escape the title of the UK’s slowest-accelerating new car on sale.
Around the middle of the year, we should see one all-new Dacia – a large, high-riding family estate based on the recently-launched Bigster SUV. So far, the new model is known as the C-Neo, but that might not be its name by the time it goes on sale.
After the rush of new names that arrived in 2025, here’s one for 2026; Denza is being pitched as an upmarket sister brand to BYD – think Audi to Volkswagen, or Lexus to Toyota. Following this theme, the brand will have its own dealers rather than making use of the rapidly growing BYD network.
We’re told Denza will launch some three models before the end of its first year, all of which are already sold in China. The first on sale, arriving shortly, will likely be the Z9 GT, a vaguely estate-style EV in a similar vein to the Porsche Taycan, with close to 1,000hp (nope, not a typo)…
Then in the summer we will get the D9, which aims to rekindle the currently dormant interest among UK buyers in people carriers, its hybrid drivetrain being pitched to upmarket travel operators, to the extent of including a fridge in its equipment. And then, before the end of the year, the B5 will arrive, a 700hp 4×4 with the Land Rover Defender in its sights.
There is also a strong possibility that Denza could launch a very different car this year, the Denza Z being an electric sports coupe.
DS Automobiles
Stellantis’ ‘avant-garde’ premium brand has been rather quiet in recent times but hopes to make some noise towards the end of 2026 with the second-generation version of its DS 7 large SUV (which will presumably be renamed Nº7 in line with the updated Nº4 models that appeared last year).
The freshened-up Nº7 will apparently only be offered with electric power, along with with sharper styling to try and increase the DS profile amongst buyers.
Ferrari’s first-ever full-electric vehicle has been much trailed, with the powertrain for the new model previewed in late 2025. The car itself is set to finally be revealed later this year.
Called the Elettrica, the newcomer is predicted to be another departure for Ferrari, with a vaguely crossover body style, and have the equivalent of 1,000hp on tap.
Fiat’s 2026 plans include a series of updates. Dealers have been patiently awaiting the Grande Panda, which is predicted to be a big seller for the brand but has suffered big delays.
Fiat’s most famous model name, the 500, is also returning with a petrol engine. It’s misleadingly called the 500 Hybrid, but in reality it’s just a petrol engine with mild hybrid assistance (and the same applies to the Grande Panda Hybrid).
Something brand new will be a Giant Panda… Fiat is readying a new SUV, dubbed the Giga-Panda and not likely to be revealed until close to the end of the year. But before that, we will likely see another new model, designed to fill the gap left by the end of Tipo hatchback sales, closely related to the Peugeot 308 and Vauxhall Astra but sporting a fastback body style.
Finally the much-delayed Fiat version of the quirky Citroën Ami quadricycle should finally arrive in 2026, taking one of the brand’s most historic model names, Topolino. In most other respects, it will be no different to the Citroën.
In the past month, Ford has announced that it is going to make a new, smaller electric car directly based on the new Renault 5 – likely to follow the trend established with its Capri and call the new baby a Fiesta. The only problem is we likely won’t see it on the roads until around 2028.
So what’s coming in 2026? Apparently not a lot, though in all its publicity over its electric models it’s good to see Ford has not forgotten its ‘proper’ Mustang. The muscle car is about to get an even more potent version with head-turning looks, and called the Mustang Shelby GT500 in tribute to the legendary race engineer Carroll Shelby.
Meanwhile, the Puma Gen-E is going to get some minor updates, increasing its range, but apart from that, those awaiting new things from Ford will need to be patient.
Geely-badged cars went on UK sale in the autumn of 2025; the Chinese company that owns the likes of Volvo, Polestar and Lotus debuting with a mid-sized electric SUV rival to the Tesla Model Y, the Geely EX5.
Geely looks to be following the lead of its Chinese rivals by flooding the UK market with new cars, claiming it will expand to ten different models within three years. Several will be plug-in hybrids and the first, a mid-sized SUV called the Starray EM-I, will go on sale in February.
Geely is also expected to launch yet another badge in the UK in 2026, Zeekr, a further upmarket brand rivalling Tesla et al.
Genesis
Genesis GV60 Magma
Hyundai’s flagship brand is going world championship endurance racing in 2026, including at Le Mans, and reflecting this involvement with a new range of more potent Genesis road cars dubbed Magma. The first on sale this year should be the GV60 Magma, with its twin-motor electric drivetrain putting out more than 650hp.
Genesis is also launching a big new flagship electric SUV in 2026. The GV90 will offer up to seven seats and is closely related to the Hyundai Ioniq 9.
Having long claimed electric small cars don’t make economic sense, manufacturers are now finding ways to make them, and in Honda’s case, the trick is to base a new model on one of the many small ‘kei cars’ that are a familiar sight in Japan.
Described by its makers as a “funky, cute” car, the Honda Super-N is expected in the summer, many comparing it to the short-lived Honda e. Efforts to build its image will include providing the EV with a fake manual gearbox and equally fake exhaust sound.
The Spring will also see the arrival of the latest Honda Prelude, reviving a model name not sold in the UK for 25 years. The sports coupe will come only in petrol-engined, manual gearbox form and is not likely to sell in huge numbers.
Hyundai’s most significant launch of 2026 will come towards the end of the year, the Ioniq 3. Closely related to the Kia EV3 from its Korean sister brand, it’s a five-door electric hatch with slippery styling and is predicted to become Hyundai’s biggest seller.
Another major seller will get a new and somewhat reinvented version this year, the perennially popular Tucson compact SUV. We’re told the curves of previous-generation Tucsons will be replaced by a new more angular design inspired by the larger Santa Fe, and the car is expected on sale in the second half of the year.
Other Hyundai updates during 2026 will include a refresh for the i30 hatch to keep it competitive against the likes of the Volkswagen Golf.
There’s unlikely to be anything particularly new from Ineos this year, with the most pertinent move being an updated version of the slow-selling Grenadier, particularly addressing its steering, which has attracted the biggest criticism.
The planned Fusilier electric and range-extender 4×4 is apparently still on hold, with Ineos blaming the delay on what it claims is the indecision of politicians over the speed of the switch from fossil-fuel to electric power.
Chery-owned brand Jaecoo has been a roaring success since launching in the UK at the start of the year, and is chasing after BYD for the accolade of fastest-growing Chinese brand on our roads. The brand added the new petrol Jaecoo 5 and electric Jaecoo E5 to its line-up at the end of 2025, and will hope to boost sales further in 2026 with its largest car so far, the Jaecoo 8.
On sale in the Spring, the Jaecoo 8 will aim to take sales from the likes of the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tayron. It will be offered with either petrol or plug-in hybrid drivetrains.
This is the year in which we will see the fruits of Jaguar’s complete reset, that has resulted in the brand stopping making cars altogether for more than a year while it transforms into an electric brand.
After showing concept cars that attracted very mixed reviews, the first electric Jaguar, the Type 00, will finally be revealed in 2026, likely at the very end of the year.
Prototypes of the Type 00 have been seen out testing, but so far they have all been heavily camouflaged. It’s predicted that the car will follow Polestar’s lead in replacing the rear window with cameras.
Two new models for the traditionally American SUV producer in 2026. The third-generation Compass, a strong seller for Jeep since first launching in 2006, is already in showrooms with petrol, plug-in hybrid and fully electric options.
Set to join it later in the year is an all-new version of a signature Jeep model, the Cherokee. Completely changed over its predecessor, the next Cherokee will be larger and with a new styling treatment, potentially also gaining an electric powertrain option.
Right at the end of the year we could see Jeep going back to its roots with the Recon – a version of the Wrangler described as the brand’s first electric vehicle built specifically for off-roading.
The 4×4 maker is expected to add an electric drivetrain to one of its longest-lived models, the Musso pick-up. It’s expected to offer close to 250 miles of range and all of the off-road capability of the combustion-engined Musso.
Meanwhile, the Actyon and Torres SUVs are both getting new ‘Dual Tech’ hybrid powertrains, promising to make them feel much more like EVs to drive but with no compromise on range.
The Kia EV range expands further this year and gains its smallest model yet, the EV2. The car will arrive in the summer, pitched as an affordable electric vehicle rivalling the likes of the Renault 4. Sharing a platform with the Hyundai Inster, it will join Kia’s formidable electric line-up (Niro, EV3, EV4, EV5, EV6, EV9 and PV5 people carrier).
There is plenty of combustion-engined news too. The K4, replacing the Ceed, is already heading to showrooms and is set to be joined by an estate version later in the year. A new Niro-sized SUV will launch towards the end of the year – called the Seltos, it will be available with petrol or hybrid propulsion.
Among Kia’s other plans for 2026 is an additional variant of the mid-sized EV4, with the semi-estate body style known as a fastback, and potent GT variants of the EV3, EV4 and EV5.
New electric offerings are on the cards from Land Rover in 2026, particularly in the upmarket Range Rover line. We finally expect to see the second-generation Velar, which will only be available with electric power.
Joining it in showrooms should be at last an all-electric variant of the Range Rover itself – the model is seen as crucial to Land Rover’s future prospects and has suffered a few delays. An electric Range Rover Sport is also in the pipeline, possibly launching this year.
As for Land Rover, we know that a smaller version of the Defender, the Defender Sport, is on the way with an electric powertrain and potentially replacing the Discovery Sport, but we likely won’t see it until 2027.
The new Stellantis electric brand was yet another to arrive on the UK market in 2025, with initially two electric models, the T03 small car and C10 mid-sized SUV, which quickly gained an additional range-extender version.
The brand starts 2026 by adding another smaller sister to the C10, the B10 coming in full-electric form only and sized to rival the likes of the Ford Puma Gen-E.
Also on the way in 2026 is the B05, a mid-sized electric hatchback, and the B03X, of similar size to the B10 but with a much more boxy, SUV look about it. And at the end of the year we could see the A05, another ‘affordable’ electric supermini.
Not the most exciting of years in prospect for Toyota’s upmarket brand, with the biggest news likely to be the latest incarnation of the long-lived mid-sized executive car, the ES.
The eighth-generation ES, which visually looks rather more dramatic than predecessors, was unveiled in May last year and will be on sale in the Spring, although UK buyers will only be offered electric versions.
It’s a big year for Mazda in 2026 with the arrival of its second electric car and one without the range limitations that restricted the appeal of the MX-30 crossover when it launched in 2024.
The Mazda 6e also revives the model name of Mazda’s mid-sized saloon, which, despite being in a declining sector, sold well for many years.
A new electric SUV sister to the 6e is also on the way, unsurprisingly in Mazda parlance called the CX-6e. This could also arrive before the end of 2026.
Away from electricity, Mazda will launch an all-new version this year of its best-selling car, the CX-5 mid-sized SUV. The third-generation model, due in the summer, is said to offer more space and higher levels of safety and technology.
Mercedes-Benz is set for an equally busy year as its closest competitor BMW, headed by the launch of an all-electric version of the rival to the BMW 3 Series, the C-Class. The company-car favourite is expected on sale sometime in 2026 as the C-Class EQ and set to offer a range between charges of more than 400 miles.
A host of new or updated SUVs are also in the mix, including a third-generation GLA offering both petrol and electric drivetrains, as will the new Mk2 GLB seven-seater,. There will also be major refreshes for the GLE and GLS.
Potentially earning most headlines, however, will be the GLC EQ, an electric version of the best-selling Mercedes SUV, while also on the calendar is a significantly updated version of the long-lived S-Class executive saloon.
In the Mercedes performance department of AMG, work on adding potency to the recently launched GLC SUV is almost complete and the car should appear this year. With three electric motors, it’s set to be the most powerful AMG model yet, with more than 900hp on tap, almost double that of a stock GLC.
The Chinese car maker that was in the UK long before any of the other Chinese brands, MG will have three new models to attract customers with in 2026.
In Spring, we’ll see an update for the successful MG 4 electric hatchback, along with a smaller MG 4 Urban model. Later, we’ll get the MG S9, the brand’s first seven-seat SUV and boasting a plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
There are still suggestions that a coupé version of the Cyberster electric roadster could be revealed this year. A concept was shown at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, with plenty of positive response.
Mini has totally reinvented its model range over the past couple of years, so it’s perhaps no surprise that there’s nothing significantly new planned for 2026.
Nissan’s big electric arrival in 2025 is the latest third-generation of its pioneering EV, the Leaf. Now reinvented with a crossover body style, production in Sunderland has already begun and it will be in showrooms in February. Also hitting showrooms in the first months of the year will be the new Micra, based on the Renault 5 and unveiled late last year.
Later in the year, we should see the all-new Nissan Juke, once again being built here in the UK at Nissan’s Sunderland factory alongside the Leaf and Qashqai models.
Finally, the Ariya electric SUV will get a mid-life update, primarily to match its styling to that of the Leaf.
The first of Chery’s brands to launch in the UK, Omoda has been rather overshadowed by sister brand Jaecoo but still shifted close to 20,000 cars in 2025. The fourth new model, on sale soon, is the Omoda 7, a plug-in hybrid SUV and closely related to the Jaecoo 7.
Next in line, in the Autumn, will be the Omoda 4, a Renault Captur-sized SUV with futuristic styling, apparently inspired by lightning bolts and science fiction. Details are currently scarce but it will likely be available with both petrol and electric power.
The Peugeot 208, historically one of the French brand’s most popular cars, is set for a radical reinvention, potentially appearing right at the end of 2026. The first car to use a new platform designed for all the small cars offered by the Stellantis group, the 208 will be electric-only and brimming with technology. There will also be a hot hatch model, the first Peugeot in many years to use its once legendary GTi badge.
The much-delayed all-electric version of Peugeot’s strikingly styled family car, the e-408, only went on sale in 2025, but at the Brussels motor show this month, Peugeot unveiled a facelift for the 408 range. Though mainly cosmetic, it could include a bigger battery, and therefore longer range, for the e-408.
Much of the news from Volvo’s performance spin-off brand has been long-trailed – we should see more Polestar 4s, instantly recognisable from their lack of rear windows, on the road this year, and the Polestar 5 will arrive in showrooms in the Spring as the range’s new flagship model.
A large ‘grand tourer’ with the Porsche Taycan in its sights, the Polestar 5 will have close to 900hp in its most potent form. And it also replaces the rear window with cameras.
Back in more sensible territory, 2026 versions of the Polestar 2 are getting an update that will add more range and more technology.
Porsche was supposed to reveal the next generation of the Cayman and Boxster models as electric vehicles in 2025, but various delays put their debuts back. They should finally arrive in showrooms this year, but in another example of the industry slowing its rush to electrification, the new versions will also be sold in petrol-engined form.
This year is also seeing the long-awaited arrival of the Cayenne Electric SUV, which was also affected by delays as Porsche assessed the slowdown in EV take-up. As such the newcomer is an addition to, rather than a replacement for, the combustion-engined Cayenne range.
The Twingo is coming back – the fourth incarnation of Renault’s small car is expected towards the end of the year as the cheapest of the brand’s EVs, with potentially a price of less than £18,000. Based on the Renault 5, it will have a range of around 160 miles.
Renault’s electric vehicles have attracted a lot of praise but the Megane E-Tech has been somewhat overshadowed by its siblings, in decline for a while with sales slipping back. A bid to give it a boost should see a major update this year including a new performance version called the RS, an electric hot hatch.
Also this year the Renault 4 EV is set to gain a higher-riding crossover-styled version dubbed the Savane.
There’s been little news of note from Volkswagen Group’s Spanish brand for several years now, and 2026 will be little different, with only subtle updates to the Arona crossover and Ibiza supermini on the cards.
There’s a new electric compact SUV coming from Skoda in 2026 – the Epiq is a sister to the forthcoming Volkswagen ID. Polo and already-revealed concept versions should morph into production reality during the year.
Meanwhile, with the likes of Kia and Hyundai launching big new seven-seat electric SUVs in 2026, Skoda does not intend to be left out. Its offering will be based on the Vision 7S concept first revealed in 2022 and while it is set to become Skoda’s flagship, we currently know little else about this new model.
Other happenings in Skoda-world include a new and most potent Fabia yet. Already heading for showrooms, it has around 175hp on offer.
Skywell launched its first UK model, the BE11 electric SUV, at the start of 2025, and its frustrating tech, poor driving characteristics, and dated safety specification marked it out as what buyers might have initially expected of a Chinese brand but generally didn’t get.
The reviews were suitably damning and less than 30 BE11s were sold all year. As these words were written, Skywell announced a 2026 model year BE11 with “significant technical upgrades” including a UK-developed suite of ADAS driver aids – safety being one of the car’s biggest criticisms among reviewers. The new BE11 is also £5,000 cheaper.
Before the end of 2025 we were supposed to see the Q, an electric hatchback described as Skywell’s first model specifically designed for Europe. There’s still no sign of it while the brand’s website still describes it as a ‘future product’ that is expected to be launched “in quarter 3 2025”…
Smart’s newest model, the flagship #5 SUV, is only just arriving in showrooms and so 2026 is likely to see only significant updates to the #1 and #3 models.
Right at the end of the year one of the number gaps will be filled by the Smart #2, a two-seater that will be closest in looks to the original Smart. The brand is also reputedly considering a direct successor to its Forfour model last sold in 2021, but if it happens we won’t see it for a few years.
Two new electric models are on the way from Subaru in 2026, though one of them is an updated version of the Solterra, originally launched in 2022 and a rebadged Toyota bZ4X. It’s still rebadged, but has a more Subaru look about it, along with significant power and range increases.
Before that the second new model will arrive with the odd name of Uncharted. This one is a rebadged Toyota C-HR+ and, as its name suggests, is aimed at those who want to go off-road.
We also expect to get the Subaru E-Outback in 2026. Replacing the Outback off-road estate, it’s an electric vehicle designed entirely by Subaru, rather than jointly developed with (or borrowed from) Toyota.
Suzuki’s first proper EV arrives in showrooms at the start of 2026 – the e Vitara is the latest collaboration with Toyota, which will launch its own version called the Urban Cruiser.
The e Vitara has the basic style of its combustion-engined compact SUV sister and will be one of the few such EVs available with two motors and all-wheel-drive.
Part of Tesla’s 2026 plans appear to involve trying to shift some more cars by cutting prices. A new ‘Standard’ version of the Model Y is going on sale with £3,000 slashed from its cost, by slimming down the equipment list. A similar move may be applied to the Model 3.
Tesla’s much-delayed Roadster hypercar is also now said to be launching in 2026 – first announced as long ago as 2017, the car is now, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, endowed with a 0-60mph time of under one second…
Toyota’s first big launch of 2026 is already heading to showrooms, the Aygo X city car being reinvented with a hybrid powertrain replacing the previous petrol-only engine. The resultant fuel economy and emissions figure have the Aygo X being pitched as a realistically more economic alternative to buying a small EV.
Coming quickly behind will be the second all-electric Toyota, the C-HR+. It’s not particularly closely related to the similarly named C-HR small SUV, and runs an electric powertrain instead of the petrol/electric hybrid unit in the regular C-HR.
Deliveries of the third EV will also start in the Spring – the Urban Cruiser is the latest evidence of Toyota’s deal with Suzuki, as buyers will be able to get the same car as the Suzuki e Vitara.
Other Toyota newcomers set to arrive this year include an estate version of the electric bZ4X SUV called the Touring, with a third greater loadspace than the regular model, and the all-new RAV4 – the sixth generation of Toyota’s long-running family SUV.
One potent new model from Toyota could be a GR (Gazoo Racing) version of the Corolla. While made for some time, production this year will switch to Toyota’s UK plant which could make UK sales a more attractive prospect.
Much of the 2026 focus for Vauxhall will be on updates, especially to the Astra. It will get a new look matching other recent Vauxhall releases, more equipment and an extended range for the electric version.
The Mokka SUV is also expected to get an update this year but the next big thing from Vauxhall won’t arrive until at least 2027, the next-generation Corsa supermini.
A major new arrival from Volkswagen in 2026 is the second-generation T-Roc, the stylish mid-sized SUV being VW’s third best-seller behind the Golf and Tiguan. It goes on sale with petrol engines, but Volkswagen looks set to add hybrid variants to both the T-Roc and the Golf before the end of the year.
A newcomer to the electric range will be what was going to be the ID.2 but is now set to take a rather more revered name, being dubbed the ID Polo. The supermini will arrive towards the end of the year and the plans also include giving it the crossover treatment. The ID Cross X will have a higher ride, and an option for those who favour the likes of the VW T-Cross but want to go electric.
There will also be a potent version of the ID Polo, possibly on sale by the end of 2026 and bearing those famed three letters, GTI. It should have around 225hp.
The ID.4, meanwhile, will undergo a major refresh, to the extent of pitching it as an electric alternative to Volkswagen’s mid-sized combustion-engined SUV by giving it the new name of ID Tiguan.
A small car pitched as an ‘affordable’ EV is also coming from Volkswagen, but the ID 1 won’t arrive until at least 2027.
Volvo’s biggest-selling model for some years has been the XC60 mid-sized SUV. In 2026 it is set to get an electric sister in the EX60, the Swedish brand’s first model to use a very advanced and clever new chassis setup. Volvo is pinning a lot of hopes on the EX60 being a hit.
This time last year we were describing the ES90, Volvo’s first electric saloon to rival the likes of the BMW i5. After delays caused by the software in its complex tech, the car should also finally arrive in the first half of this year.
Xpeng arrived on the UK market in 2025 with somewhat less fanfare than several of its rivals, but with a launch model, the G6 coupe-SUV, which earned several positive reviews.
In a bid to place even more pressure on Tesla’s biggest selling car, the Model Y, the G6 is already getting an upgrade – the highlights are a longer range, faster charging and a more powerful all-wheel-drive version.
Xpeng will follow the example of rival Denza and launch a people-carrier on the UK market early in 2026, though its makers describe the X9 as not an MPV but “a seven-seat Starship” thanks to its head-turning styling. It will be potent too, with around 500hp on tap.
Also due towards the end of the year is the Xpeng G9, a mid-sized electric SUV.
Another Chinese newcomer, Zeekr will announce its official arrival in the UK with the launch of its electric 7GT family car which is said to be coming towards the end of 2026. Aiming to compete in the premium category against brands like Tesla, BMW, and Audi, the 7GT will pose a left-field challenge to the Tesla Model Y.
Zeekr, a Geely-owned brand like Volvo, Polestar and Smart, hasn’t yet revealed its UK plans beyond the launch of the 7GT, but it already sells three other models in mainland Europe. The line-up includes the electric X and 7X SUVs and the electric 001 executive hatchback, all of which could be coming to the UK from 2027 onwards.
Make and model: Audi Q5 Launch Edition 2.0 TDI Description: Diesel SUV Price range: £63,060 (plus options)
Audi says: “A striking, sloping roofline, sporty appearance and SUV proportions – the new Q5 Sportback is here, and it’s designed for life.” We say: Good-looking with decent performance, but expensive for what it is.
The Q5 name has been around for years now, with the first model launched way back in 2008. This here is the third-generation model, which arrived in the UK last year. As before, Audi is targeting cars like the Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3 with its latest variant. And while the Launch Edition, as tested here, has recently been dropped for Audi’s lineup, there are three trim levels to choose from and just two engines — nice and simple.
What is it?
The Audi Q5 is a mid-sized SUV that sits snug between the smaller Q3 and larger Q7. It also shares its underpinnings with the A5 and A6 saloons, and each powertrain offered with the Q5 comes loaded with Audi’s mild hybrid system, tech that allows a very small amount of very low-speed electric driving, while helping to boost performance and fuel economy from the petrol or diesel engine.
As well this conventional SUV version, there’s also the Audi Q5 Sportback, which offers a sleeker profile at the expense of some load space. We’re not covering the Sportback here, but it drives the same so most of what you’ll read about the SUV version will apply equally to the Sportback.
Who is this car aimed at?
Like previous Audi Q5s, the latest generation targets smaller families who like premium brands. It’s got a large 520-litre boot, although this falls short of its Mercedes and BMW rivals, and is wide enough for prams and large boxes.
It comes with an electric tailgate as standard, which also features a road projection light, showing you where to wiggle your foot to open the boot when your hands are full.
You can also fold the rear 40:20:40 rear seats completely flat, meaning you can still carry two rear passengers and fit a longer load between them.
Who won’t like it?
Dig deeper into the Q5’s interior, and you’ll soon find some questionable materials, but more on that later. This said, anyone who enjoys a bit of bang for their buck will quickly realise that products from Skoda can be just as good for a lot less.
First impressions
It’s a good-looking SUV, but it’ll still blend in with regular traffic, and many won’t see its £60K price tag from outside.
Even behind the wheel, we struggled to see why it costs so much, but we live in such times where chocolate bars almost require a mortgage to buy. Therefore, a car with a premium badge will be out of reach for many.
Still, the Q5 is a decent performer, especially when equipped with the 2.0-litre diesel. It’s also economical when driven sensibly, and there’s enough room inside for five. Likewise, it’s quiet enough at motorway speeds.
What do you get for your money?
There are six overall Audi Q5 variants to choose from. The entry-level model (just called Q5) is the cheapest, while the fast SQ5 is the most expensive. There’s also a hybrid option, although it’s worth noting you’ll have a smaller boot if you opt for this.
Focusing on the SUV, there are three trim levels: Sport, S line, and Edition 1, while the Q5 Launch Edition was only sold for a small period before being pulled.
Standard tech on the entry-level Sport includes 19-inch alloy wheels, high beam assist, front sport seats, adaptive cruise control, Audi Virtual cockpit plus, an Audi sound system, wireless phone charging, heated front seats, and lots of safety systems like a reversing camera and lane departure warning. The Sport kicks off at £52,260.
Spend an additional £2,600, and you can have the S line. This adds extra exterior trimmings such as 20-inch alloy wheels and wider front air vents. It also gets sport suspension, fancier aluminium interior inlays, a three-spoke steering wheel with multi-function buttons and a storage and luggage compartment pack.
The range-topping Edition 1, costing £59,060, includes all the S line’s trim but adds 21-inch alloys, matrix LED headlights, red brake calipers, a top view camera, and power-adjustable front seats.
Pricing for each of the above is with the entry-level petrol engine. If you want the diesel, you’ll need to spend an extra £1,650 – although, with diesel’s market share vanishing by the day, most people won’t.
There are also a host of options, such as extended warranties, foldable towbars, adaptive air suspension, a panoramic roof, and various paints. Go wild, and you’ll soon be north of £70,000.
We like: Good choice of powertrain and trim levels. Decent standard tech. We don’t like: Can become ludicrously expensive, especially if selecting options.
What’s the Audi Q5 like inside?
The Q5 follows the brand’s latest design themes, especially inside. If you’ve been in a Q6 e-tron, A6 or A5 recently, you’ll feel right at home. All of these share the same large 14-inch touchscreen, which stretches across the car’s dashboard.
The touchscreen is clear and responsive, which is more than can be said for some other brands. The screen is fairly easy to use, but it’s loaded with functions, meaning you’ll spend a bit of time going through it.
As for the climate settings, there are no physical controls, but Audi has placed them on a permanent taskbar at the bottom of the touchscreen. It does have a voice command, but it often struggles with the simplest tasks, like changing the radio station and adjusting the cabin temperature.
The Q5 is comfortable on longer journeys, with even entry-level cars getting a four-way adjustable driver’s seat.
It’s posh, but as you look beyond the fancy screens and shiny plastic, you’ll notice some questionable materials. Of course, the largest surfaces feel squishy and nice, but things like air vents and the lower section of the dashboard don’t feel good enough for a £50,000-plus car.
Truthfully, the Q5 has taken a step back in this department, as the previous model felt much more solid.
We like: Responsive touchscreen and comfortable seats. We don’t like: Some parts are let down by cheaper-feeling plastics and too many screens.
What’s the Audi Q5 like to drive?
We’ve only driven the 204hp 2.0-litre diesel, but the petrol version has the same power output and is fractionally quicker to 62 mph, but only by a fraction of a second and something that you absolutely won’t notice in the real world. The diesel’s mid-range is impressive, and there’s plenty of get-up-and-go whenever a swift overtake is required.
Both powertrains come with all-wheel drive, something of a saving grace during Scotland’s wet autumn weather. There’s plenty of grip on wetter roads and minimal body lean, giving a feeling of stability through twisty bends.
It’s quiet enough on the motorway, too, and there’s plenty of low-down shove. Similarly, it’s efficient, meaning you’ll regularly see upwards of 40 mpg. This, paired with adaptive cruise control, comfortable seats, and lane-keeping aids, really takes the sting out of long motorway hauls.
We like: Punchy powertrain, comfortable motorway cruiser, good grip and efficiency. We don’t like: Not quite as fun to drive as a BMW X3
How safe is the Audi Q5
The Audi Q5 scored five stars in Euro NCAP’s safety testing, where it excelled at keeping adult and child passengers safe.
As with most new Audi products, the Q5 comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. This is about the bare minimum offered by a car manufacturer in the UK, and many newer rivals offer longer warranties. You can extend the Audi warranty to four or five years, but you’ll have to pay extra.
All cars come equipped with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, camera-based traffic sign recognition, a reversing camera, lane departure warning, and a driver’s attention monitor.
Verdict
The Audi Q5 is handsome, safe, packed with tech, and will return a good blend of efficiency and performance. Still, a Skoda Kodiaq equipped with the plug-in hybrid powertrain also manages all of this and for significantly less.
Likewise, we’re not entirely sure that the interior quality mirrors the £50,000-plus price tag; however, it’s miles ahead of the latest Range Rover Velar in this field. Therefore, you would really need to want an Audi to consider the Q5 over some of its rivals.
Volkswagen has released a special limited-run ‘Edition 50’ version of its Golf GTI hot hatch, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the brand’s first ‘GTI’ performance car.
Based on the high-spec Golf GTI Clubsport but with a power boost and unique cosmetic touches, the Edition 50’s release signifies that it has been half a century since the very first 1976 Golf GTI, and celebrates the two and a half million Golf GTI models that have been produced across eight generations since.
The trim includes 19-inch ‘Queenstown’ red alloy wheels, ‘GTI 50’ badges on the roof spoiler, exterior mirrors, steering wheel and door sills, and three exterior colour options – red, dark green (exclusive to this model) and white. Inside, the ‘Edition 50’ differentiates itself from the standard Golf GTi thanks to a unique seat trim with decorative inserts, as well as pedals and seatbelts finished in red.
Like the Clubsport variant, the hot hatch is powered by a turbocharged inline-four 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with an automatic gearbox, but with a 25hp boost – 325hp in total. That’s 3hp short of the range-topping Golf R hot hatch.
First unveiled at the Nurburgring 24-hour race in Germany in late November, the Edition 50 was the fastest production Golf to complete a lap of the famous winding Nordschleife circuit. The limited-run hot hatch can complete a 0-62mph sprint in 5.3 sec, reaching a top speed of 168mph.
Beyond the engine, Volkswagen has also revised the steering and tuned the suspension’s active dampers, as well as lowering the ride height by around two centimetres. The car also comes with a unique ‘Nurburgring’ driving mode designed for track outings, and a new manual ‘M+’ mode prevents the car automatically upshifting at higher revs.
An optional ‘Performance’ package reduces weight further and introduces semi-slick tyres, ‘Warmenau’ 19-inch black alloy wheels, and a twin Akrapovič exhaust system.
Now on sale, but expected to be in high demand, pricing for the Golf GTI Edition 50 now begins at just south of £48k.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 68%. It scores top marks for its excellent safety rating, while media review scores are also good. However, ownership costs drag the overall score down from an even better ranking, while Volkswagen’s new car warranty coverage is poor compared to some other brands.
Most new and used cars are purchased using some kind of finance agreement, but it’s very common for owners to want or need to change their car before the finance has been paid off. This can be tricky, but we’ve got some key tips to help you out.
If you want to sell or part-exchange your car while it is still under a finance agreement, you first need to know what type of agreement it is.
The majority of new or used car finance agreements are either a hire purchase (HP) or personal contract purchase (PCP) agreement. These are called secured loans, which means that the car is secured against the finance – much like a mortgage on a house. That means that until the car’s finance is paid off, it’s not really yours to sell. However, as we’ll explain, there are some other options.
If you bought your car with a bank or credit card loan, this is called an unsecured loan, meaning that the bank does not have an interest in the car. You are the legal owner of the car in clear title and can sell it on as you wish.
If you are buying a used car and want to check if it’s currently on a finance agreement (for which you don’t want to become liable), finance companies use agencies to register their interest in vehicles that are the subject of a finance agreement.
Most vehicle history check companies will tell you if finance has been secured on the vehicle and if it still needs to be paid. If finance is recorded, you will be able to find out which company it is with, when it was taken out, how long for and what type of finance it is. Some of these services are free, while others will require a small fee (less than £20).
The checks can also include whether it has been involved in an accident, its true mileage or if it has been an insurance write-off. Used car dealers usually advertise if they have carried out one of these checks, but ask for a copy of the check, or keep a copy of the advert stating this when you buy.
So let’s look at the types of finance products, and the implications for selling your car, in more detail.
Unsecured loans – bank loan or credit card
Let’s get this one out of the way first, as it’s quite simple.
If you borrowed the money to buy your car on a personal loan from a bank or building society, that’s called an unsecured loan. The bank has lent you a sum of money, and you have used that money to go and buy a car. The loan is not secured against the car, so you can sell it as you like.
Likewise, if you’ve used a credit card to pay for your car, that’s also unsecured and you can sell the car as you wish.
However, you’ll still have to keep up your monthly loan or card payments until the debt is cleared. Obviously, you can use the money you’ve got from selling the car to put towards this, or you can continue paying it off each month as before. If you’ve used a credit card, the interest rates are usually quite high so settling as early as possible could save you thousands of pounds in interest.
Secured car finance
Unlike a personal loan, car finance agreements (usually HP or PCP) are secured against the car, which means the finance company retains a financial interest in the vehicle until the last penny has paid off – and means you can’t sell it without their agreement. Once the loan is fully repaid, it’s your car and you can do what you like with it.
Under a hire purchase (HP) agreement, you pay off the loan in equal monthly instalments. When all payments have been made, the HP agreement ends and you own the car. Even if you’ve repaid £29,990 of a £30,000 loan, you can’t sell it as the finance company retains a financial interest that effectively blocks you from selling it.
The personal contract purchase (PCP) is the most popular form of car finance, and it’s a specific form of HP. You pay a smaller monthly fee for the same car compared to an HP because part of the amount borrowed is deferred – this is usually known as the ‘balloon’. At the end of the agreement, you choose whether to pay this deferred ‘balloon’ amount to finally own the car, or hand it back to the finance company, or part-exchange it on another car. We have lots of specific information on PCP finance so we won’t go into more detail here.
Since it is a form of HP, a PCP is also secured against the car. The finance company remains the owner until the end of the term unless you pay the final balloon payment to own the car, or you hand it back.
If you want to sell the car, you need to pay off the outstanding balance or sell it to a recognised trade buyer who will pay it off as part of the sale.
You can add up your remaining payments to work out roughly how much you still owe, but it’s not a precise number. A settlement figure will be a different total because you may get a reduction of interest and charges. Whether you can settle or not depends on the agreement.
The finance company should be able to provide you with a formal settlement figure for an HP or PCP agreement in writing. This doesn’t oblige you to settle once you get the reply letter. The settlement figure will only be valid for a couple of weeks, because it changes with every monthy payment you make. A settlement letter will be essential if a dealer offers to settle your car’s finance for you, as will a letter proving you have settled and the ownership of the car has passed to you.
If you’re looking to change cars while a finance agreement is still running, voluntary termination is not likely to apply here. This is a legal right to end your finance agreement early, set at 50% of the total amount payable including interest and fees. It can be complicated to understand – see our complete guide here.
Settling a PCP early works in much the same way as an HP, but it includes the balloon payment which has been deferred until the end of the term. The same principle applies – the finance company can provide you with your current settlement figure, which changes every month as you make your regular payments. Voluntary termination also applies to PCPs, although it is generally nowhere near as helpful as with a regular HP, and we explain the options on ending a PCP early here.
Having a dealer settle a finance agreement for you
Most car dealers will settle the finance for you to take your car as part exchange. The settlement figure is then subtracted from the value of your car. So if your car is worth £12K but you still owe the finance company £10K, you’ll get the remaining £2K to put towards your next car.
If the settlement figure is higher than the car’s value, you will need to pay the difference. To reverse the position above, if your car is worth £10K but you still owe the finance company £12K, you’ll need to find an additional £2K to settle the outstanding finance.
Some finance companies will allow you to add that additional money onto your next car finance agreement – this is called negative equity and is best avoided if possible, as all you’re doing is making a bigger problem down the line.
The dealer will work with you to agree the value of the settlement (but it is still useful for you to have obtained your settlement letter) and what extra you’ll need to contribute. There is, of course, an incentive for that dealer to get you to take out a new finance agreement.
Car-buying services (we’ve listed the best here) will arrange for a dealer to buy your car and settle any finance, so that’s another avenue worth exploring – often, you may get a better deal than by part-exchanging it.
One thing you generally can’t do is sell your car privately if it has outstanding finance. Some finance companies may allow it if the buyer pays them directly before taking your car, but most will simply say no.
Chinese newcomer Zeekr is set to land in the UK with its debut model – the 7GT – an electric family car set to rival the MG 4 and Kia EV6.
Following hot on the heels of Chinese brands like BYD, Jaecoo, and Omoda that launched in the UK to considerable sales success, Geely-owned Zeekr is now looking claim a slice of the British market with this new high-riding family-sized hatchback that is expected to arrive in the UK sometime this year.
Built on the same foundations as the Zeekr 007 saloon, Zeekr says that the 7GT has been designed and tuned for European roads, promising buyers a ‘responsive’ driving experience.
The 7GT will be offered with two powertrain choices – an entry-level 75kWh unit and a top-spec 100kWh battery. Built on 800V architecture, reporting suggests that the 7GT will be one of the fastest-charging EVs on sale when it arrives, with a 10% to 80% battery top-up taking around 13 minutes when the car is plugged in to a 480 kW DC rapid charging station.
Zeekr is yet to announce exactly how much travel distance each battery option can muster, but the brand’s 100kW 007 saloon can muster up to 540 miles on a single charge. We expect that the 100kW 7GT will have a nearly identical electric range. The Chinese brand adds that this family car can complete a 0-62mph sprint in 3.3 seconds – that’s supercar fast, but two tenths slower than the Tesla Model 3 Performance.
The car’s upmarket interior features plenty of leather interior trim – from the seating to the centre console, steering wheel and dashboard. The most eye-catching cabin fixture is the large central infotainment touchscreen that floats over the dashboard, which could be the brand’s ‘Sunflower’ screen that can be tilted towards the driver.
The car also comes with a 13-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, and a 36-inch head-up display with the same augmented-reality tech as the latest Volkswagen models, projecting driving information and graphics onto the windscreen.
That just about sums up the upcoming Zeekr 7GT, with the car’s arrival date, full specifications and UK price list currently being kept under wraps. More information is likely to drop in the coming months, check back soon!
Researching and buying a car has never been easier, thanks to the power of the internet. All the information required to make an informed purchase of a new or used car is available online: consumer car buying advice sites like The Car Expert; owners’ forums where other people discuss the good and bad points of their cars; manufacturer sites with all the technical information for the latest models; and sites where you can buy a new or used car online, without having to set foot in a car dealership.
The days of buyers rocking up at a dealership to kick a few tyres and be sold a car by a suited salesperson are pretty much over. Very few customers these days visit more than one dealership once they’re serious about buying a car, meaning they already know what they want before setting foot on a dealer’s forecourt.
If it’s a used car, a buyer can find out what the dealer has in stock, how vehicles are priced compared with the rest of the market, what they can get for their part-exchange and how much the purchase is going to cost if they opt for a finance deal – right from their computer or smartphone.
New car customers are similarly empowered. Simple online research will show which new cars a dealer has in stock, how much a personal contract purchase (PCP) or personal contract hire (PCH) deal will cost per month, and how much they can expect to receive for their trade-in.
Online car sales rocketed during the pandemic-enforced lockdowns, and all indications are that they’ve not really dropped off since. As such, we’ve been regularly updating our round-up of the top sites for you to buy a new or used car from the comfort of your own sofa. They’re not ranked, but we think they’re all worth a look.
One thing to note is that many of these sites are owned by companies trying to sell you something, rather than traditional listings where dealers pay for advertising space for their stock. They’ll earn commission on many of these sales, which can influence the results you see.
Please note that several of the companies listed below have an asterisk next to their name – they are commercial partners of The Car Expert, which means that we may get a small commission if you click through to their website. This doesn’t affect the deals you are offered or the price you pay; it just helps us to keep running our site.
Used cars: YES (297,076 cars as of January 2026) New cars: NO
Although not quite the largest site in overall numbers (that honour remains with Auto Trader), Motors has made great strides in recent years with high-profile TV advertising campaigns that have successfully attracted visitors and stock to its recently refreshed site.
Motors was first to market with the ability to view by monthly payments and is supremely user-friendly, with the clever use of eye-catching graphics enabling buyers to select their criteria according to practicality, budget, road tax and creature comforts. Stock is sourced from a wide range of franchised and independent dealers from across the UK.
Like several other sites, Motors also provides car reviews on various models. However, we have found several of these to be out of date and not necessarily representative of the latest models.
Used cars: YES (427,645 cars as of January 2026) New cars: YES (23,238 cars as of January 2026)
Auto Trader has dominated the used car market for decades. Although the print publication was discontinued in 2013, the online version has evolved into the most visited car website in the UK, thanks to its use of cutting-edge online technology and its ability to attract the country’s biggest listing of used cars. It also lists new cars for most makes and models, although these won’t necessarily be in stock and ready for immediate purchase.
Despite new challengers arriving to chake up the marketplace, Auto Trader it is still the largest used car classifieds site in the UK. As a generalisation, cars that appear on various other sites will also be on Auto Trader, but there are lots of cars on Auto Trader that don’t appear anywhere else. Unlike most other similar sites, Auto Trader also has plenty of private sellers as well as car dealers.
Buyers can fine tune their search by vehicle size, fuel type, economy, emission levels and much more. There is also the ability to search by monthly finance cost, an essential function as car buying has moved increasingly to the PCP monthly payment model. Bear in mind that the finance payments are only examples, and may often require large up-front deposits to achive the monthly payments shown. For more information about car finance quotes, we have a comprehensive guide to understanding a PCP quotation.
The vast majority of cars (about 90%) are sourced from car dealers, although it remains a popular site for private sellers to advertise their cars.
Used cars: YES (54,358 cars as of January 2026) New cars: YES (9,488 cars as of January 2026)
RAC Cars is a fairly new addition to the RAC motoring portfolio, although the service is actually provided by Heycar (you’ll find them further down this list). As such, it looks and works exactly like the Heycar site.
The advantage of RAC Cars over using Heycar directly is the close integration with RAC’s other services, such as breakdown cover, servicing, and vehicle inspections.
Like Heycar, all the used cars listed are from traders (in this case, RAC-approved dealers), rather than private sellers, and all will be less than ten years old. You start by entering your postcode and then you can filter by price, new or used, body style and so on.
Also like Heycar, the site is very heavily skewed towards Volkswagen Group vehicles. Starting a search using our home postcode, we didn’t find a car other than an Audi or Volkswagen until page three of the site’s listings. We tried again, this time using a central London postcode as our address, and it took until page nine to find a car that wasn’t made by the Volkswagen Group.
Used cars: 57,464 (as of January 2026) New cars: N/A
Launched in 2013, Carwow it is aimed primarily at buyers in the market for a new car, with all stock provided by franchised dealers. You select your make, model and specification, then Carwow invites its partner dealers to make you an offer.
The search facility is easy to navigate with budgets ranging from £8,000 to over £80,000 and there’s plenty of consumer friendly advice on what to choose, complete with a large and growing car review section.
What differentiates Carwow is that once the buyer has chosen the model they are interested in, it’s then up to dealers to come up with the best price. This process is done by email and removes the need for haggling. A lot of the best deals are dependent on you taking the dealer’s finance, which can cause confusion for some buyers.
Carwow is growing its used car section, although it’s still small compared to some of the better-known used car marketplaces. It has also branched out into leasing and commercial vehicles.
Used cars: 257,298 (as of January 2026) New cars: NO
This is the second coming of Cazoo, under new ownership by Motors (see above). This time around, there’s less focus on countless high-profile sporting sponsorships and more on providing a high-quality used-car marketplace.
The site claims to strip out the jargon from other car marketplaces (much like we do here at The Car Expert!) to ensure everything is clear and easy to understand.
There are more than a quarter of a million cars on the site, ranging from £10 parts-only wrecks to multi-million-pound supercars.You can narrow down your search with one of the more detailed filters of the sites on these pages, such as compliance with London’s ULEZ scheme or fast-changing times for EVs.
Cazoo has a growing library of car reviews – not simply copied and pasted from Motors, but separate reviews, which is nice. Although, as with Motors, you do need to check to make sure that the review is about the specific model you’re looking for, rather than an older or newer version.
Unlike the other sites in this list, Insider Car Deals is not a marketplace. It’s an automotive research business that tracks the very best deals available on almost any new car in the UK, covering both car pricing and finance offers.
Unlike brokers, who earn money from car manufacturers and dealers, Insider Car Deals charges you a fee for its exclusive pricing research. Starting at a very reasonable £95, you could save hundreds or even thousands of pounds on the price of your preferred new car simply by being armed with all the crucial information about the offers available – especially the ones that dealers don’t tell you about.
For an additional fee, Insider Car Deals can even negotiate on your behalf to secure you a new car at the best price indicated, so all you need to do is turn up and collect the car.
Used cars: YES (177,450 cars as of January 2026) New cars: NO
Launched in the UK in 2016 by the co-founder of TripAdvisor. After becoming the biggest online marketplace for used cars in the US, CarGurus is in a position to use online technology and tools that have been road-tested in the US and Canada to give UK car buyers a new online shopping experience.
All cars are sourced from franchised and independent dealers with the site offering price transparency as buyers are advised whether the price is in line with market values. It also shows any price drops and will tell you if the price reflects a “Great” or “Fair” deal.
What’s clever about the search facility is that cars are listed according to the accuracy of their market pricing as well as the reputation of the dealer, as car retailers cannot pay extra to be listed first.
Used cars: YES (212,979 cars as of January 2026) New cars: NO
PistonHeads is one of the oldest and most popular motoring websites with a unique offering of an enthusiast marketplace, extensive news and the famous motoring forum, which has a staggering 20 million-plus posts from car enthusiasts.
If you are looking for a special edition or rare vehicle, this is definitely a good place to look. From supercars to prestige editions to classics, there is a great choice and thew vehicle often have more extensive descriptions than found elsewhere. Be warned – you can spend hours in the forum reading up on your dream car from the enthusiast owners posting everything from common faults, favourite drives and rebuild photos.
Whilst there are fewer private cars on the site today, there is still a good mix of major dealer groups, independents and specialists that cater for this market. PistonHeads is a car buying website with a clear identify and differentiation.
Used cars: YES (78,573 cars as of January 2026) New cars: YES (9,584 cars as of January 2026)
Launched in 2019, Heycar is owned by Volkswagen Financial Services. Why is VW in the used car classifieds scene? Presumably to help its dealers more cars, and to direct more of your spending into their dealerships. There are no ads for third-party providers of finance, GAP insurance or other services, as you’ll see on Auto Trader, so it looks much cleaner.
Heycar only works with ‘selected dealerships’, which means it’s mainly big franchise operations rather than smaller local garages. All cars must also be less than eight years old and have covered less than 100,000 miles, which is exactly the sort of stock that franchised dealers carry anyway.
When you go to the Heycar site, you may notice that the list of ‘most popular makes’ starts off with Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Cupra and SEAT – all of which are Volkswagen Group brands. After that, it goes onto Ford, Vauxhall et al, but that probably gives you some indication of the site’s priorities…
Used cars: YES (13,270 cars as of January 2026) New cars: NO
Cinch has a good selection of cars and multiple ways to narrow down your search. But if you’re not sure what you want, there’s a good ‘Help Me Choose’ tool on the site to help you make up your mind based on your driving preferences.
Cinch promises a 225-point quality check along with a 14-day ‘faff-free’ money-back guarantee. You can have your new car delivered anywhere in mainland UK within a two-hour timeslot. All its cars are under seven years old and have travelled fewer than 70,000 miles.
Finance packages are offered including monthly payments and HP and PCP deals and you can arrange to part-exchange a car as long as you have bought one of Cinch’s models online. There is a separate list of cars available for sale through approved dealers. This section looks a little disjointed mainly as the pictures of the cars are taken from different angles and don’t have that smart, uniform look of the rest of the site.
Used cars: YES (7,089 cars as of January 2026) New cars: NO
Motorpoint sells ‘nearly new’ cars which all come with a warranty. As well as the website, Motorpoint has 21 stores across the UK.
Click on ‘browse cars’ and you’re taken to a page offering lots of options, from car makes, to bodies, lifestyle (4x4s, automatics), finance (how much per month) and ‘Economical driving’ (low cost, high mpg or hybrids).
You get a picture of each car, the outright price and monthly finance cost, and brief details including year, mileage, warranty length, and fuel type. Click through on ‘full details’ for your chosen model and you’re given more pictures, inside and out including one wheel, and a list of features.
Some details are assumed or taken from official manufacturer figures so it’s worth checking with the supplying dealer if you are taking your choice further. Some of the offered cars could have been rental or lease vehicles so again that’s worth confirming. You can reserve any car online for £149.
Motorpoint has made significant efforts to add and update its car reviews in recent years, which is a major area of improvement.
Used cars: YES (7,795 cars as of January 2026) New cars: YES
As one of the largest car (and van) retailers in the UK, Vertu is well placed to offer a wide range of both new and used vehicles. The company also handles MOT, servicing and repairs too, across its network of dealerships, providing everything you need to keep mobile.
There are plenty of makes and models to choose from, with each car carrying a photo and brief details such as engine and fuel type, body style, age, colour, miles covered, cash price and monthly PCP cost. It also states where in the country the car is being held. There’s also a ‘special offers’ section for both new and used cars.
Nationwide delivery is offered – it’s free up to 30 miles from the dealership – along with mechanical inspections, after-sales help and a customer service department for assistance with buying a car.
Used cars: YES (2,853 cars as of January 2026) New cars: NO
Sytner Select is the new name for CarShop, operating from eight locations around the UK. Sytner is one of the UK’s largest dealer groups, and Sytner Select is the name for its multi-brand used car supermarkets.
Again the search engine is easy to use and the descriptions of each car extensive including around 30 photos. All vehicles come with a minimum six-month warranty, although many will still be under their new car warranty anyway.
If you see a car you like you can reserve it for a refundable £99. Sytner offers PCP and HP finance options, and there’s a home-delivery option – though the site warns that this might be subject to an extra charge.
*The Car Expert has commercial partnerships with Auto Trader, Carwow, Cazoo, Insider Car Deals, Motors, Motorpoint and RAC Cars. If you click through to their websites and view any of their vehicles, or proceed to purchase a vehicle, we may receive a commission. This does not affect the price you pay.
Additional reporting by Andrew Charman, Curtis Hutchinson, Tom Johnston, Sean Rees and Lee Williams.Originally published in January 2018, most recently updated January 2026.
Mazda is set to bolster its electric car line-up with the new CX-6e – a mid-sized upmarket SUV built in collaboration with Chinese car brand Changan.
Now on display at the Brussels motor show, the CX-6e is Mazda’s answer to the Audi Q6 e-tron, Ford Explorer and Tesla Model Y, and under the hood the SUV is structurally identical to the Changan Deepal 07 which is already on sale here.
Essentially the all-electric equivalent of the brand’s petrol-powered CX-60 – though slighting longer and with a lower ride height – the CX-6e makes use of a 78kWh battery and 258hp rear-mounted e-motor pairing that provides up to 300 miles on a single charge. Compatible with DC charging speeds of up to 195kW, the SUV’s battery can be topped up from 10% to 80% in around 24 minutes.
Top speed is electronically-capped at 115mph, with a 0-62mph sprint taking a reported 7.9 seconds. Opening the boot reveals 468 litres of boot space. That’s 100 litres less than the CX-60, but you do also get 80 litres of ‘frunk’ space under the bonnet.
A clear example of Mazda’s efforts to attract buyers away from premium brands, the SUV’s white and purple interior (top-spec ‘Takumi Plus’ only, also available in black and beige) features a large 26-inch infotainment touchscreen stretching from the steering wheel to passenger side on the dashboard.
Instead of physical buttons, the car’s climate control, media playback and navigation is set through this screen, which is also compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The car also comes with gesture and voice control tech, allowing you to cycle songs or change your navigation route through a wave of a hand or spoken word.
A first for Mazda – the car doesn’t have a digital instrument cluster or traditional gauges behind the steering wheel. Instead, the car comes with a head-up display that projects driving information on to the windscreen. The car’s tech suite also includes lane keeping assistance and blind spot monitoring.
Built on the same production line as the Deepal 07 in China and already on sale in China and Australia as the ‘EZ-60’, the CX-6e is set to arrive in the UK towards the end of the year, six months after it launches in mainland Europe.
That sums up what we know about the new Mazda CX-6e at the moment, with the SUV’s full specifications list and UK pricing sure to follow in the coming months.
Kia has debuted its new performance-enhanced EV3 GT, EV4 GT, and EV5 GT models at the Brussels motor show, all of which are likely become available to order in the UK this year.
Joining Kia’s GT range of models that currently consists of the EV6 GT and EV9 GT, these new models come with several performance-focused modifications over the standard versions – including dual-motor powertrains that offer extra power – and cosmetic flair in the form of neon green exterior and interior design touches.
Kia EV3 GT
Powered by a 81kWh dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain that musters up to 288hp, the EV3 GT can reportedly accelerate from stationary to 62mph in 5.7 seconds. The same size battery powers the top-spec ‘Long Range’ model in the standard EV3 range.
Kia hasn’t yet announced the GT’s battery range, but we do know that this performance model comes with several technical upgrades, including electronically controlled suspension, improve cornering stability and unique 20-inch alloy wheels and neon green brake callipers, wrapped in ‘performance-oriented tyres’.
The car also has a unique ‘GT’ driving model which the manufacturer says delivers ‘a more focused and immersive driving character’, adjusting the power delivery, steering response and suspension in real time.
The brand’s ‘virtual gear shift’ tech – which is also offered with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N hot hatch – is also included, which simulates a traditional automatic transmission’s gear changes, offering paddle shifters for manual control and audible cues, enhancing driver engagement. This GT drive mode also alters the ambient lighting in the cabin.
Also found in inside are sporty semi-bucket seats that Kia says is inspired by those found in the EV9 GT, as well as neon green cosmetic touches on the seats, dashboard, centre console, seatbelts and door panels.
Kia EV4 GT
Available in both hatchback and fastback bodystyles like the standard EV4 range, the EV4 GT is powered by the same 81kWh dual-motor 288hp electric powertrain as the EV3 GT, but with a slightly quicker 0-62mph sprint time of 5.6 seconds.
It comes with the same GT drive mode and technical upgrades, and the same semi-bucket seats and neon touches inside and out, as well as a unique three-spoke steering wheel.
Kia EV5 GT
The largest and most powerful of the three, the new Kia EV5 GT can complete a 0-62mph run in 6.2 seconds, thanks to its all-wheel drive dual-motor 88kWh powertrain with a 302hp electric motor pairing.
Kia adds that it has modified the EV5‘s chassis with electronically controlled suspension and a ‘road preview’ system that can automatically adjust to bumps or curves ahead. Like its sister models it comes with performance tyres, semi bucket sport seats and the new GT drive mode. Kia is yet to announce the car’s battery range.
That just about sums up Kia’s new GT offerings. The UK pricing and official launch dates of all three are yet to be confirmed – they are set to enter production around this Spring – but these important details are sure to follow in the coming months. Check back soon!
The ever-popular Ford Puma is now confirmed as the UK’s best-selling new car of 2025, continuing its sales dominance after its table-topping performance in 2024.
According to results published this morning by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 2025 was a year of steady but slow sales growth for the new car market, with total registrations growing by 4% year-on-year to surpass two million sales for the first time since pre-covid 2019.
In year-to-date sales, the Puma finished the year with a sales buffer of around 7,700 new models – a confident sales lead over the Kia Sportage, which was resigned to second place for the second year running.
Besides the small Ford SUV outselling cars of all shapes and sizes in the past year, the biggest sales story of 2025 has been the rise of Chinese automotive newcomers, at the expense of established brands. Chery-owned brands Omoda and Jaecoo are becoming a popular choice for UK buyers, and while it’s yet to make the annual top ten, the Jaecoo 7 is becoming a regular monthly top ten sales contender, which bodes well for its Chinese manufacturer heading into 2026.
Meanwhile, US automaker Tesla is in decline, with sales falling 10%. While two Tesla models made the December top ten – the Model Y and Model 3 – those models finished in first and second place in December 2024, instead of last month’s second and ninth. Tesla isn’t the only brand with falling sales however – Citroën, Fiat, Honda, SEAT, Suzuki and Toyota recorded even sharper sales declines in 2025.
Nissan also saw its sales fall by 10% when compared to the year prior, but its Qashqai SUV and Juke crossover still recorded third and fifth place finishes respectively in the annual chart. The British-built Qashqai was the UK’s best-selling new car not that long ago, but has lost out to the Puma and Sportage for two consecutive years now.
Another former UK best-seller, the Vauxhall Corsa finished the year in fourth as the only supermini-class model in the top ten. Small and mid-sized SUVs proved to be far more popular with UK buyers at dealerships than any other body style in 2025.
Volkswagen still holds the biggest share of the UK’s new car market, recording a 7% sales bump last year. The German brand’s Golf and Tiguan models were mainstays in sales leaderboard throughout 2025.
The Ford Puma has sold in impressive numbers throughout 2025, and while the car’s sales form has dipped here and there, it has held on to the top spot for most of last year, and finished 2025 with almost 8,000 more new sales than any other car in the UK.
The Puma has received plenty of praise from the UK motoring media, and currently holds a New CarExpert Rating of B, with a score of 65% on our unique Expert Rating Index.
The Kia Sportage was so close to taking the UK’s best-selling car title in 2024, before the SUV fell at the final sales hurdle in December. 2025 was a similar story, with the race for first not being as close. While the Kia SUV sold in impressive numbers last year, finishing top of the monthly charts on several occasions in 2025, it couldn’t match the sales consistency of the Puma.
The new Kia Sportage currently holds a New CarExpert Rating of A, with a score of 72% on our award-winning Expert Rating Index.
The Nissan Qashqai remains one of the nation’s most popular cars – a claim validated by the SUV’s top ten sales consistency. Formerly the UK’s best-selling car in 2022, the mid-sized family car was bested by the similarly-sized Kia Sportage last year.
The Qashqai is the current jewel in the crown of the British car manufacturing industry – designed in London, developed in the Midlands and built in Sunderland. It’s also the UK’s best-selling British-built car. On sale since Autumn 2021, the Qashqai holds a New CarExpert Rating of A, with a score of 74%.
Compact and affordable – the Vauxhall Corsa supermini is a British favourite. While the hatchback has now been surpassed by the Ford Puma, the Corsa is still posting strong registrations totals, but still sits behind the Nissan Qashqai finishing fourth in 2025.
The Vauxhall Corsa currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of C, with a score of 65%, while its all-electric counterpart holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 71%.
On sale since 2019, the UK-built Nissan Juke has established itself as a popular choice of British motorists in the last year, as a cheaper and more compact alternative to the bigger Qashqai.
While the compact crossover couldn’t quite match the sales numbers of its larger sibling throughout 2025, it remains a top ten contender, which is another impressive sales feat for Nissan.
The Juke currently holds a New CarExpert Rating of B, with a score of 68%. That puts it squarely in the middle of a crowded compact SUV class.
Volkswagen is the UK’s most popular car manufacturer by total sales numbers, but it took until last year for one of its models to firmly cement itself in the top ten places. That model is the mid-sized Golf, held on to finish in sixth. The family car has never recorded table-topping registration totals, but sold in very consistent numbers throughout 2025, earning its place in the mid-table.
The Volkswagen Golf currently holds an excellent New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 77%.
One of Volvo’s oldest but also cheapest models, the XC40 has sold in commendable but inconsistent numbers in the UK this year. The biggest sales totals surprise in December, the XC40 managed to jump three places up the annual table in the final month of the year to snatch seventh.
The Volvo XC40 currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 66% in our Expert Rating index.
Focusing on offering value-for-money models with pricing that undercuts other brands, MG proved to be quite a popular motoring marque last year – the large HS currently being its most popular offering. The large SUV finished in eighth, not far behind the XC40.
The MG HS currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 75% in our Expert Rating index.
Volkswagen’s answer to the popular Qashqai, the Tiguan was yo-yoing between 8th and 10th on the annual leaderboard in the Summer months. After being absent from the top ten in both May and June, and much improved sales form towards the end of the year, the SUV fell two places at the final hurdle – loosing out to the XC40 and HS.
The Volkswagen Tiguan currently holds a commendable New CarExpert Rating of A, with a score of 76% in our industry-leading Expert Rating Index.
A key rival of the Kia Sportage an Nissan Qashqai, the Hyundai Tucson has been a regular top ten performer in recent years. The SUV finished in tenth in the annual sales charts, after spending most of the Spring outside this best-sellers list.
The Hyundai Tucson currently holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 74% in our Expert Rating Index.
That’s 2025 over and done with! But the new car sales don’t stop. We will be back with January’s new car registration results in the first week of February, as the 2026 race for the Uk’s best-selling car accolade commences. Check back soon!
Currently on display at the Brussels motor show, the electric small Kia EV2 family car is set to enter production in Europe, with British buyers eventually able to choose from two different EV2 powertrain options.
The EV2 will be Kia’s smallest and cheapest electric model when it arrives in the UK this year, sitting below the larger EV3 which was awarded The Car Expert’s ‘Car of the Year‘ accolade in 2024.
The crossover is set to challenge compact SUVs like the Renault 4 E-Tech and Ford Puma Gen-E, but has slightly smaller supermini measurements, being a similar length and width to the Mini Cooper Electric but with more ground clearance.
Kia’s brief for the EV2 is offering the brand’s electric powertrain tech and intuitive on-board tech offered with the EV3 and EV4 in a ‘more accessible’ package, while still offering the interior space and versatility required for family ferrying.
The car’s boxy silhouette and exterior design draws many parallels to the larger EV5 SUV, including the brand’s ‘Star Map’ daytime running lights and chunky wheel arches. Opting for the ‘GT-Line’ trim level also adds black high gloss accents (shown below) to the car’s front end.
The car will be available in both four-seat and five-seat configurations, the former coming with sliding and reclining rear seating. The car sits on 16- to 19-inch alloy wheels and opening the boot lid reveals 403 litres of luggage space – 57 litres less than the Kia EV3. The crossover also has 15 litres of ‘frunk’ space under the bonnet.
Built on 400V architecture (not the more advanced 800V architecture that features in the much larger EV6 and EV9), the EV2 range will include two different powertrain options – an entry-level 42kWh ‘Standard Range’ unit delivering a reported 197 miles on a single charge, and a more expensive 61kWh ‘Long Range’ battery allowing up to 278 miles without charging.
Both are compatible with DC rapid charging, the ‘Standard Range’ taking 29 minutes to charge the battery from 10% to 80%.
Stepping inside, the crossover has a triple-screen infotainment setup, consisting of a 12-inch driver display behind the steering wheel, a 12-inch central touchscreen and a five-inch climate control screen in between. This infotainment setup will be compatible with over-the-air updates, meaning Kia can update or add new features to the car’s tech suite from your driveway in the future.
‘Standard Range’ models are set to enter production at Kia’s factory in Slovakia next month, with ‘Long Range’ and ‘GT-Line’ variants starting to roll of the production line later in June. Kia is yet to announce the EV2’s UK price list, or exactly when the car will be available to order, but considering that prices for the larger EV3 currently start at £33k, we expect the EV2’s pricing to start under the £30k mark.
On display at the Brussels motor show this week, the electric Alpine A390 range will arrive in the UK this Spring with three trim levels to choose from.
Rivalling the likes of the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Skoda Enyaq vRS and Porsche Macan Electric, the sporty and sleek family car – which Alpine refers to as an ‘electric sport fastback’ – is powered by an 89kWh battery and is all-wheel drive as standard.
The lead-in ‘GT’ and limited-run ‘Premiere Edition’ are powered by electric motors with the combined output of 400hp, completing a 0-62mph sprint in 4.8 seconds. These models have an official battery range of 345 miles, and top speed is capped at 124mph.
The top-spec ‘GTS’ trim grade comes with a more powerful 470hp set of electric motors, which cuts the car’s 0-62mph sprint time to 3.9 seconds and battery range to 319 miles. This range-topper also has a higher top speed of 136mph.
All trims are compatible with rapid DC charging up to 190kW, with a 15% to 80% battery top-up taking around 25 minutes. The car also comes with a feature the brand calls AATV, or ‘Alpine Active Torque Vectoring’, which distributes torque between the rear wheels in real time to ‘enhance’ traction, handling, and stability.
While Alpine hasn’t finalised its UK price list just yet, but the SUV is now on sale in Europe with pricing that begins at €67.5k (£59k).
Make and model: BYD Seal 6 DM-i Description: Mid-size range-extender saloon and estate Price range: From £33,990 (saloon), £34,990 (estate)
BYD says: “The Seal 6 DM-i is a perfect choice for both business and private customers seeking an EV driving experience with the real-world flexibility of a Super Hybrid…” We say: Enthusiastic drivers won’t like the BYD Seal 6, but those looking for a practical EV for not so much outlay could well be attracted to it.
BYD has, without doubt, made the biggest impact of the clutch of Chinese brands launching into the UK. Not much more than two years after arrival, it’s rapidly growing a significant slice of the UK market, shifting more than 51,000 cars in 2025.
This has been achieved partly through heavy marketing – withlots of highly visible sponsorship of sporting events, for example – but mainly due to an aggressive launch programme. The Seal 6, which arrived on our roads in December 2025, is the eighth BYD model launched so far in the UK. And with the BYD UK dealer network already numbering more than 100 outlets, it will be easy to check out.
This is the third Seal model, the 6 number distinguishing it from the Seal ‘super saloon’ launched in 2023 and with which the newcomer shares no significant mechanics, and the more recent Seal U plug-in hybrid SUV, which employs the same chassis at the 6. Available in saloon and estate forms and priced to significantly undercut the competition, the new model is likely to keep BYD’s progress on track.
What is it?
On top of that Seal U plug-in hybrid chassis is a choice of saloon or estate body styles (the latter dubbed Touring). The estate is likely to be the higher seller of the two body styles by quite a margin, as British buyers are notoriously shy of buying saloons – except in the premium market, a status which BYD may aspire to but which it has not reached yet.
Who is this car aimed at?
These two new offerings from BYD are typical of the kind of cars that the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been doing for years – executive saloons with estate options for those who need more practicality than a car with a boot offers.
The car’s makers will no doubt be hoping to attract some of those who have previously bought in the premium sector, to boost both overall sales and the general image of BYD. More likely, however, the car will prove attractive to more mainstream buyers, especially in estate form where it will stack up well against other electric contenders.
One major attraction will be the price, which undercuts comparable upmarket rivals by at least £10,000 more. That alone will persuade many buyers to look at the Seal 6, while it’s also significantly cheaper than rivals from the likes of Skoda and Volkswagen while offering comparable quality of build and practicality.
BYD’s big challenge will be to get potential buyers to try the car in the first place, but judging by the brand’s sales figures so far, it’s managing this rather well.
Who won’t like it?
Likely to be less impressed by the BYD are those who regard Chinese-built cars with a degree of suspicion, but more pertinently, those who really enjoy driving their cars. While few of the currently mushrooming choice of electric vehicles offer much driving pleasure and feel through the steering, the BYD Seal 6 is particularly innocuous in this respect.
The car also suffers from the over-zealous driver warnings that seem to be particularly intrusive on cars coming out of China – while European law requires that these warnings are fitted, traditional European manufacturers seem to be doing a better job of dialling down the irritation factor.
First impressions
The Seal 6 is a big car, both versions measuring up at more than 4.8 metres long and having wheelbases of close to 2.8 metres, claimed to be longer than any of their rivals.
In terms of looks, some have dismissed the 6 as bland, but this reviewer thinks the designers have done a better job than many, with none of those awkward flat panels that some EVs replace grilles with. BYD claims class-leading aerodynamic figures for its new model and even the Touring estate version looks suitably swoopy.
Having said that, in a rapidly growing world of electric cars the Seal 6 offers little to nothing in its exterior design to mark it out from the crowd.
We like: Easy on the eye exterior design, spacious We don’t like: Nothing that distinctive to make the car instantly recognisable
What do you get for your money?
Two trim levels are available for the Seal 6, dubbed Boost and Comfort, with saloon versions costing from £34K and the Touring £35K. Opt for the higher trim Comfort specification and you add £3K to the price, which many might want to do as it adds significant powertrain upgrades as well as equipment additions.
Highlights of the entry-level specification include 17-inch alloy wheels, metallic paint, a 13-inch central touchscreen with a separate nine-inch digital display for the driver, rear parking sensors and camera and a vehicle-to-load function, allowing external electrical equipment to be powered by the car.
Comfort variants come with a larger battery, which means a virtually doubled range on electric power only, and faster onboard AC charging.
The alloy wheels expand by an inch, other niceties including a heated steering wheel, heating and ventilation on the front seats, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, a panoramic sunroof and a more upmarket audio system. The central touchscreen gets bigger too, to 16 inches, though one can choose to specify a ‘Comfort Lite’ model which retains the smaller screen.
The list of accident-avoidance driver aids is as long as one expects these days, and it’s little surprise that the Seal 6 clocked up a top-level 5-star rating in its Euro NCAP crash tests, scoring highly in all categories.
Overall, the Comfort model appears the one to go for, the extras on offer fully justifying the £3,000 price hike, particularly if you’re financing the car through a PCP or lease, since the monthly payment step is likely to be minimal.
Like all BYD models, the Seal 6 comes with a six-year warranty, with eight years on all the electric powertrain bits.
We like: Highly competitive pricing We don’t like: Electric range compromise on Boost models
What’s the BYD Seal 6 like inside?
The large impression of the BYD Seal 6 translates to a feeling of roominess inside, particularly in the rear cabin which is seriously spacious for a mid-sized car, even above the head with the panoramic sunroof fitted to Comfort trim versions.
Fit and finish is to a reasonably high standard too, the textured vegan leather upholstery complemented by some quality surface treatment and a complete lack of scratchy plastic. It’s not to the best executive car stands but it compares well with mainstream rivals.
Saloon buyers get a boot of 491 litres, which when one folds down the 60:40 folding rear seats jumps to 1,370 litres. This is not bad, particularly when you consider the car does not have the underfloor stowage of its sister. The boot opening is significantly narrower than that of the Touring, however.
The Touring naturally accommodates rather more, though the space available doesn’t come close to matching some admittedly much more expensive European rivals.
You get 500 litres if loaded to the level of the parcel shelf, 675 when packed to the roof and 1,535 with the rear seats dropped. Fold those seats, using a handy lever in the bootspace, and the floor is completely flat, unlike in the saloon, while all Tourings also come with a powered tailgate and aluminium roof rails as standard.
As with virtually all of today’s new vehicles the driver’s environment is dominated by a central touchscreen, of 13 or 16 inches depending on the trim level selected. Unlike previous BYD offerings, this one doesn’t swivel from landscape to portrait mode, being fixed in its ‘floating’ form ahead of the fascia. It’s reasonably user-friendly but physical buttons for some of the more frequently-used functions would be preferable.
We like: Rear seat space particularly impressive. We don’t like: Saloon is less practical than Touring
What’s under the bonnet?
The BYD Seal 6 employs the same basically plug-in hybrid technology that arrived with the Seal U SUV in 2024. Technically, it’s a range-extender – the two electric motors do all the work of putting power to the road, while there is a 1.5-litre engine purely as a support, both generating power when needed to replenish the battery and supplying energy directly to the motor when required.
BYD calls its drivetrain ‘Super Hybrid with DM Technology’, the DM standing for dual mode as the powertrain can operate in ‘Series Hybrid’ or ‘Parallel Hybrid’ form, selecting said mode automatically and also able to be selected manually via a button on the steering wheel – should for example one want to use the car in electric-only mode.
How it all works is not particularly important to the average driver, who instead will appreciate that the presence of the engine means that there will never be any fear of running out of range, even if you forget to plug the car in overnight.
On paper the electric range figures don’t rate higher than other more traditional plug-in hybrids but the BYD technology ensures that the electric part plays a role throughout the journey and not simply at the start before becoming a heavy weight draining fuel economy.
The car will spend most of its time in use running like a full EV and the Comfort versions, which use a larger 19kWh battery, can travel more than 60 miles on electric power alone – the Boost with its 10kWh unit only manages 34 miles.
With a full battery and full tank of fuel both models claim remarkable official total ranges in excess of 900 miles, with the Boost managing around 30 miles further than its more specification-heavy sibling. You won’t get such figures in real-world use but you will go a long way without needing to fill up.
Both versions are suitably swift too – sprinting from zero to 62mph is accomplished in under nine seconds and they can go on to 111mph.
In terms of recharging, Boost models have only a 3kW onboard AC charger, Comfort versions 7kW, which means a full at-home recharge will take three hours for a Boost, and about 20 minutes less on the Comfort. All versions can go from 30 to 80% in 23 minutes using a suitable DC charger.
What’s the BYD Seal 6 like to drive?
Getting going in the BYD Seal 6 is designed to be easy – with the app installed on one’s smartphone a simple tap on the mirror unlocks the car and brings it to life. And general progress is equally as simple as modern EVs provide – points where the petrol engine wakes up smooth enough to be virtually unnoticeable.
The Seal 6 does, however, feel a little too floaty – while the ride comfort is generally agreeable, and cruising for example on a motorway very comfortable, poor surfaces will rather too easily unsettle the car and running over any potholes or depressions will certainly be felt by the cabin occupants as the suspension struggles to catch up.
Over-light steering is an EV trait and the Seal 6 maintains the trend. However it does stay pleasingly planted and upright even when cornered at speed.
In the driver’s seat more physical buttons apart from the touchscreen would be nice – while BYD bigs up the ease of use of said screen, simple tasks such as reducing the cabin temperature take too much looking at said screen and not at the road ahead.
And as ever, the driver alerts continue to be a source of irritation and this car’s particularly so, notably the instruction to keep one’s eyes on the road, and turning it off is not the matter of a moment. Manufacturers really need to understand that drivers do need to look sideways on a regular basis, particularly at junctions…
We like: Very easy to start and drive We don’t like: Ride quality easily unsettled on poor roads
Verdict
The BYD Seal 6 is another competent package from this still new to the UK brand, which is yet to completely drop the ball on any of its releases. The saloon will attract a niche audience, the Touring a rather wider clientele and while some will be turned off by sometimes iffy ride quality, what this car offers for the money and the general quality of its build could attract plenty of customers.
Model tested: BYD Seal 6 DM-I Boost Saloon / Comfort Touring Price as tested: From £33,990 Powertrain: Hybrid – two electric motors, 1.5-litre engine Gearbox: Automatic
Make and model: Renault 4 E-Tech Iconic Description: Electric crossover SUV Price: £28,595 (including options)
Kia says: “Renault 4 is back and it’s electric. E-Tech powertrain with up to 150 hp, a driving range of up to 249 miles and quick charging. Experience a new level of freedom and driving pleasure.” We say: Lovely retro looks, but its real-world range lets it down.
Priced from £23.4K, the R4 undercuts all the above. However, it’s only available with one powertrain and battery.
What is it?
Remember the 1961 Renault 4? Well, the latest R4 takes stylistic inspiration from just that, and Renault has done a fine job at modernising it. Unlike the original, which was primarily used by French farmers, the R4 performs best on the tarmac, despite its off-road physique.
Underneath its pretty bodywork lies the R5’s underpinnings and powertrain, meaning the only real difference is that the R4 is around 8 cm longer than its counterpart.
Who is this car aimed at?
If you’re looking at any of its rivals and are thinking “That’s just not special enough,” then the Renault 4 might be for you. It’s stylistically cooler than any of its rivals. It’s also perfect for those who like the idea of the R5 but require more room.
It’s also ideal for those who enjoy getting a lot of bang for their buck, as the R4 is packed with tech out of the box. More on that later.
Who won’t like it?
Its styling may not be for everyone, and its range is relatively poor. Therefore, if your daily commute is more than 50 miles each way, you may want to look elsewhere unless you have access to a charging station.
First impressions
The Renault 4 stood out amongst the Mini Coopers and Fiat 500s in my estate. It’s a real eye-catcher, but the diamond-black paintwork, a £650 option, looked a bit meh. There are so many other cool colours available that really enhance the R4’s retro styling, but black isn’t one of them.
The R4 also looks great from every angle; I often turned to look at it after locking it up. Like the R5, the R4 also has plenty of interior quirks, but if that’s not enough, you can spec a wicker baguette holder for £120.
Its front seats are comfortable on longer journeys and offer plenty of adjustment; however, like the R5, the rear is best kept for shorter trips.
We like: Quirky looks and optional extras. We don’t like: Legroom in the rear is tight.
What do you get for your money?
Buyers can choose from three trim levels: evolution+, techno+, and iconic+. Entry-level cars get 18-inch alloys, a 10.1-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a rear-view camera, a driver attention alert, cruise control, automatic high beam, manual seat adjustment, and a heat pump.
Upgrade to the techno+ for an extra £2,500, and you’ll get a black styling pack, adaptive cruise control, ambient lighting and an autodimming rear-view mirror.
Iconic+ costs £2,000 more, but it adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a heap of safety systems, an electrically powered tailgate, and privacy glass.
A top-spec R4 still undercuts many of its entry-level rivals, making it a great choice if you have the cash to spend. Just don’t go too crazy with the optional baguette holders.
All cars come with a 52kWh battery, 11kW AC charging, and 100kW DC rapid charging. A 150bhp motor also makes for swift performance.
We like: Decent performance. Lots of standard tech. Top-spec is affordable. We don’t like: Only one motor and battery available. Options can be expensive.
What’s the Renault 4 like inside?
‘Splendid’ best describes the R4’s interior. There are many similarities between the R5, such as the dashboard with its leather padding, and the controls and plastics. Those who are familiar with the R5 will know about a special button near the driver’s door called Perso.
Perso allows the driver to set customisable driving modes, so it can be configured to turn off all the annoying safety systems. There’s also a multi-sense feature on the Renault 4’s steering wheel, which allows you to flick between the car’s drive modes.
The touchscreen is crisp and fast. Like everything, it’ll take some time to get used to where everything lives, but I was scrolling through menus quickly by my third day with the car.
Except for the shallow door bins, there’s enough storage in the R4’s cabin, including a 36-litre underfloor bin ideal for stashing the charging cable.
Unfortunately, the rear seats don’t fold flat, and although the cabin feels relatively plush, it doesn’t take long to find cheaper materials; however, this is a cheap-ish car, after all.
We like: Fresh and distinctive interior. Customisable drive mode button. Underfloor storage. We don’t like: Seats don’t fold flat. Some questionable materials in places.
What’s the Renault 4 like to drive?
150 bhp won’t impress your mates, but then the R4 isn’t a performance car. However, it’ll manage the 0-62 mph run in a respectable 8.6 seconds, and there’s plenty of mid-range punch for overtaking slower traffic.
The R4 gets unsettled over deeper ruts and bumps, like most smaller cars, but its suspension soaks up the average pothole and drain cover well.
It’s also comfortable on longer motorway journeys, and not once did I experience any back pain. Sadly, your motorway journeys had best be short. With a fully charged battery, the R4 showed 182 miles, 65 miles off Renault’s claimed figure. Range then rapidly dropped to 167 miles after a few minutes of calm driving.
Over a 126-mile run, the car returned 2.8m/kWh while switching between eco and comfort modes, despite the outside temperature being roughly 10 degrees Celsius. No matter what I tried — barely touching the throttle or brakes, and utilising the car’s regen — I couldn’t get close to Renault’s 4.0m/kWh figure.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take long to charge. A 30-100% charge via my 7kWh home wallbox took around five hours. At a meatier charger, the car managed a little over 100kW, dropping to 70kW after passing 60%. It also charged from 15 to 80% in just over 30 minutes.
We like: Reasonable performance. Doesn’t take long to charge. Comfortable. We don’t like: Questionable range and efficiency.
Verdict
I couldn’t be mad at the R4; that would’ve been the equivalent of scolding a puppy that’s peed on the floor. It’s still a young car, and like the R5, I feel the R4 has a great future.
That said, what we have here is more than just the bones of an electric crossover. It smashes its rivals in most fields, and it’s the one I’d pick. However, I feel a larger battery with faster DC charging would be more than welcome.
A very mixed year for new car sales came to an unsurprisingly mixed end in December, according to data published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Private new car sales were strong, with the best results in three years after poor showings in 2023 and 2024. However, this was partially offset by another slowdown in fleet registrations. Overall, the market was up 4% on the same month last year, with private sales up 16% but fleet registrations down 2%.
Source: SMMT
December’s results were slightly better than the full-year result, which saw an overall market growth of 3.5%. This comprised a 4.5% increase for private sales and a 2.5% increase for fleets. It means that total registrations broke the two million mark for the first time since 2019, back before Brexit kicked in and the Covid pandemic struck. It’s still well down on the peak numbers from a decade ago, fuelled by lots of 0% finance on three-year PCP deals, but it is another small step forward from the depths of the Covid years.
Chinese takeaway is a sweet and sour result
However, within the modest overall growth, the market has seen enormous change. While most of the focus and noise has revolved around EV sales and government mandates, the biggest single story of 2025 has been the long-expected arrival of the Chinese car industry in full force.
After years of preparations and some small-scale launches, 2025 was the year when Chinese car brands arrived in force, with a significant impact on the market and representing a real threat to any number of established ‘legacy’ car brands.
BYD, for example, registered about 8,800 cars in 2024. Last year, that jumped to more than 51,000. Chery Group (Chery, Jaecoo, Omoda) saw even more dramatic growth, from 3,600 cars in 2024 to more than 53,000 in 2025. Meanwhile, MG (a very old British brand but now building all its cars in China) continued more than a decade of growth, putting more than 85,000 new cars on the road last year.
These are the ‘Big Three’ of the Chinese brands in the UK, and all have big plans for considerably more growth next year. But there will also more from 2025’s other new arrivals – Leapmotor (part of the Stellantis family), Geely (which also owns Volvo, Polestar and Lotus), Changan and Xpeng. And then there are more brands that will arrive in 2026, like Aion, Zeekr and Denza (which is BYD’s premium brand, a bit like Lexus is to Toyota).
While the overall new car market grew by about 67,000 cars last year, those Chinese brands grew by about 110,000 cars – meaning that the ‘legacy’ non-Chinese brands actually lost more than 40,000 sales compared to the year before. The prospects for 2026 is more of the same, with Chinese brands muscling struggling European and Japanese brands out of the way.
The good news for consumers – at least in the short term) is that this has led to significant price cutting and discounting, both on EVs and fossil-fuel cars.
EVs hit their mandate target – despite what you may have heard
The UK government’s ZEV (zero emissions vehicle) mandate calls for an ever-increasing number of new cars to be electric each year. The target for 2025 was 28% of all new cars, whereas the final number ended up at about 23%. This has led to certain parties with vested interests to regard the result as a failure, but it actually wasn’t.
Source: SMMT
The mandate has allowances and loopholes to allow car companies other ways to hit their targets, like reducing overall CO2 emissions, buying credits from other companies, and more. Once all of these flexibilities are taken into account, the real target was approximately 20-22% (depending on who you ask, as each car manufacturer had its own targets to meet to make the final numbers work). So, the result of 23% was safely above the net mandate target.
More than 56% of all new car registrations in December were ‘electrified’ (regular hybrids + plug-in hybrids + electric cars), which is a record. This will keep on growing each year as we continue to transition from purely fossil-fuel cars to purely electric cars. This change is accelerating, not just thanks to EVs but also due to a resurgence in plug-in hybrids. Again, this is likely to continue into 2026.
Good month, bad month
We’ll look at the full-year results in a dedicated feature, but each month sees brands overachieve and underachieve, and this is how they all fared in December. The overall market was up by 3.5% compared to the same month in 2024, but there was plenty of good and bad news inside that overall result.
That meant that the following brands were about where you’d expect them to be in December: BMW, Cupra, Hyundai, KGM, Kia, Land Rover, Renault, Volkswagen and Volvo. All of these brands were within +/-10% of the overall market.
In terms of volume, BYD had the largest growth with an extra 6,300 cars put on the road compared to last December – a 467% increase. Going in the other direction, Tesla was a surprise for the month’s biggest loser, dropping almost 2,400 cars compared to the previous December. The company has recorded huge sales in December for the last five years, so this was quite a turnaround. Whether this was a one-off performance or a sign of things to come for 2026 remains to be seen, but it’s certainly been a controversial year for Elon Musk’s company.
As usual, Volkswagen was the UK’s best-selling brand in December (and for the whole year), ahead of MG, Ford, BMW and Audi.
Ford Puma retains its sales crown
For the second year in a row, the Ford Puma was the UK’s best-selling new car. Once again, it defeated the Kia Sportage, which once again went curiously AWOL in December. The result was more decisive than in the previous year, with the Puma outselling the Sportage by more than 7,500 units (compared to just 1,200 last year).
Source: SMMT
The biggest surprise of the month was a relatively subdued result for Tesla, which had dominated the December sales charts for the previous five years. The Model Y did finish second in December, while the Model 3 was down in ninth. Last year, they were first and second, as they were in 2022.
MG had a strong month, with the ZS small SUV placing fourth and the HS mid-sized SUV in seventh. We’ll have a usual full analysis of the top ten cars for 2025 shortly.
The Mini John Cooper Works Electric, or JCW Electric, is an all-electric hot hatch that sits at the top of the highly-regarded Mini Cooper Electric hatchback range.First arriving on UK roads in late 2024, this latest John Cooper Works range also includes petrol models, which we cover separately.
While many reviewers would agree with Alex Ingram of Auto Express when he concludes that the battery-powered JCW “provides bucketloads of fun”, the British motoring media’s collective view of the electric hot hatch isn’t exactly positive.
As Parker’s Alan Taylor-Jones reports, the JCW Electric has the exciting turn of pace you’d expect from a hot hatch, but concludes that the Mini “is just too unnecessarily firm to live with as a daily, especially in urban environments where it should be most at home.”
Evo’s Yousuf Ashraf says that the JCW Electric has “a more vibrant and frenetic character” than rivals like the Alpine A290, but he would still recommend the latter. “The Alpine is a more mature, accomplished and rounded hatch, more enjoyable more of the time.”
As of March 2026, the Mini John Cooper Works Electric holds an Expert Rating of A, with a score of 72%. Beyond the car’s lower-than-average media reviews, the Mini has excellent safety credentials, low predicted running costs, and a more generous warranty than some rivals.
Score: 7 / 10 “The Mini Cooper JCW is one of the most capable, and fun-to-drive EVs on-sale – as long as its shortcomings can be lived with.” Author: Martyn Collins Read review
Car
Score: 4 / 10 “If you’re thinking about buying the hottest electric Mini, don’t do it. Even by its usual standards, the ride quality is simply unacceptable and means the JCW isn’t really an everyday usable kind of car. If you’re a Mini nut who really must have the fastest option, buy the petrol instead.” Author: Alan Taylor-Jones Read review
Evo
Score: 6 / 10 “The Mini Cooper JCE Electric is a car with a more vibrant and frenetic character than the Alpine A290, but a much smaller window of capability. The Alpine is a more mature, accomplished and rounded hatch, more enjoyable more of the time. The Mini would get closer if it was less busy and more nuanced, making it more liveable and leaving you to enjoy the fun.” Author: Yousuf Ashraf Read review
Green Car Guide
Score: 8 / 10 “The Mini John Cooper Works Electric is a sporty version of the small hatch, with more performance, go faster styling details, and less comfortable ride quality.” Author: Paul Clarke Read review
Parkers
Score: 4.8 / 10 “The whole point of a hot hatch is to combine everyday usability with a pleasing turn of pace, but the JCW Electric is just too unnecessarily firm to live with as a daily, especially in urban environments where it should be most at home.” Author: Alan Taylor-Jones Read review
The Independent
Score: 6 / 10 “The biggest problem with the John Cooper Works Electric is that every other Mini is just as fun to drive. The extra cash the JCW Electric costs gets you a bit more performance and a bit more focus, but the performance and driving benefits just aren’t enough, while the ride is even stiffer than before.” Author: Steve Fowler Read review
The Scotsman
Score: 7 / 10 “In football parlance, the Mini John Cooper Works Electric is a game of two ‘halfs’. It is an absolute hoot to drive. It’s undoubtedly quick and the cabin is to die for … as long as you have no more than two people onboard. But I couldn’t live with it, if I’m honest. The ride is, sadly, much too firm even for me.” Author: Jim McGill Read review
The Sunday Times
“I reckon John Cooper himself would’ve been more than happy to put his name to this electric Mini. It’s fast, it’s fun, it has plenty of character — and yet it can carry a family of four.” Author: Will Dron 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 December 2025, the Mini John Cooper Works Electric has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the John Cooper Works Electric is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Battery range
Average
Score
Variation
Score
EV models
251 miles
B
Electrical efficiency
Average
Score
Variation
Score
EV models
4.4 m/KWh
B
Insurance group
Average
Score
Variation
Score
All models
26
C
The Mini John Cooper Works Electric is a relatively affordable car to own and run when compared to other performance cars, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
This performance-focused JCW model offers a similar electrical efficiency to the standard Cooper Electric, but with a longer 251-mile official battery range. The car’s predicted insurance bracket is also in a middling bracket, and expected to be slightly more expensive to insure than the average car.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of December 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Mini John Cooper Works Electric to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the John Cooper Works Electric, we’ll publish the results here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Mini John Cooper Works Electric
Overall rating
B
76%
New car warranty duration
3 years
New car warranty mileage
Unlimited miles
Battery warranty duration
8 years
Battery warranty mileage
100,000 miles
Mini’s new car warranty is better than the industry minimum, and better than some rival brands in a similar price bracket as the John Cooper Works Electric.
The duration is three years, with no limit on mileage. In addition to the standard new car warranty, the John Cooper Works Electric has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
Warranty on a used Mini John Cooper Works Electric
If you are buying an ‘Approved Used’ Mini John Cooper Works Electric from an official Mini dealership, you will get a minimum one-year warranty included.
If you are buying a used Mini John Cooper Works Electric from an independent dealership, any warranty offered will vary and will probably be managed by a third-party warranty company.
If you are buying a used Mini John Cooper Works Electric from a private seller, there are no warranty protections beyond any remaining portion of the original new car warranty.
If you’re looking to buy any used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Mini John Cooper Works Electric
As of December 2025, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Mini John Cooper Works Electric. However, recall 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.
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If you’re looking to lease a new Mini John Cooper Works Electric, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.
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Subscribe to a Mini John Cooper Works Electric
Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)
Make and model: Toyota bZ4X, 2025 update Description: Medium electric SUV Price range: from £39,995
Toyota says: “The new bZ4X benefits from significant technical upgrades, increased customer choice, new equipment features, refreshed design and enhanced dynamic performance and ride comfort.”
We say: The mid-life update to the Toyota bZ4X has addressed many of the flaws that niggled the original version, while enhancing Toyota’s reputation for practicality and user-friendliness.
Time does fly. It’s been three years since Toyota launched its first EV, the bZ4X. It landed pretty much in the middle of a rapidly growing market of mid-sized electric SUVs, offering some good qualities but not class-leading in any way. And over the last three years, there have been at least a dozen new models that have mostly surpassed the bZ4X in key ownership criteria. Toyota needed to respond, and this is the result.
Visually, there’s been a modest makeover – although it’s still far from the prettiest new car on the market. The most notable change is at the front, with a redesign to bring the bZ4X in line with the company’s latest design themes. Inside, there’s also been a bit of a makeover but, again, it’s nothing radically different. The biggest changes are under the skin, and we’ll explore them in detail.
What is it?
The Toyota bZ4X is a mid-to-large electric SUV, similar in size to the likes of the Nissan Ariya and Skoda Enyaq. It’s Toyota’s first EV, with the world’s largest car brand being well behind the curve in launching dedicated electric models. The company is finally starting to catch up, with a couple more models set to join the bZ4X in 2026 and more expansion set to follow each year.
The bZ4X was developed in conjunction with Subaru, so the Subaru Solterra is basically the same car with some minor visual differences. It also forms the basis for the more upmarket Lexus RZ.
The most significant part of the 2025 updates is a much better driving range, thanks to battery and electric motor developments. Other changes are the usual mid-life visual and specification tweaks, and some useful improvements that may be minor but are still welcome.
2025 update2022 original
First impressions
The Toyota bZ4X was notably angular and somewhat visually challenging when it was first launched, and the update hasn’t really changed things too much. Externally, the nose and headlights have been restyled to match other new models in the Toyota family, while the cladding panels around the wheels are now gloss black rather than a dark matt grey.
It all looks purposeful rather than pretty, which is an impression that continues inside. Toyota has reworked the dashboard and centre console quite a bit, though you’d need before-and-after photos to appreciate the difference. Functionally, it all works sensibly and practically, but it generally looks and feels like you’re sitting in a large household appliance rather than a motor car.
We like: Interior improvements are small but worthwhile We don’t like: Why does it have to be so ugly?
What do you get for your money?
As part of the 2025 update, Toyota has reworked its trim levels to align them with the rest of its range. So out go ‘Pure’, ‘Motion’ and ‘Vision’, and in come the more familiar (for Toyota customers) ‘Icon’, ‘Design’ and ‘Excel’.
Other than trim, the big news with the update is in the powertrain. This was the weakest point of the original bZ4X, so it was a crucial element for Toyota to improve, and this has been achieved. There are now two battery sizes, three motor options and a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive – although the varaious configurations are spread across the three trim levels.
While the original version was only available with one battery size (71kWh), the updated model now offers an entry-level version with a smaller 58kWh battery. This is only available in the base Icon specification. The Design and Excel models now offer a slightly larger 73kWh battery – although driving range has improved by more than you’d expect, which we’ll explore below. While all versions are offered in front-wheel drive, only the top Excel model is available with all-wheel drive.
The upshot is that the official government-lab-test driving range for the most popular versions (Design and Excel in front-wheel drive) has improved from 317 miles to a far more useful 352 miles, which should also be more achievable in real-world driving thanks to other mechanical improvements. The entry-level model has an official driving range of 275 miles, while the top-spec all-wheel drive model loses range compared to the front-wheel drive version, dropping to 291 miles.
Pricing officially starts at £40K for the entry-level Icon with the smaller battery, but realistically most customers are going to skip over that and head to either the Design or Excel models, which come with the bigger battery and are priced at £45.6K and £49K, respectively. If you really need the extra performance of the all-wheel drive version, you’re looking at £51.5K.
Bear in mind that, as with any new EV at the moment, there will be plenty of deals around that will bring these prices down. As of December 2025, Toyota is offering up to £4,000 as a deposit contribution and 0% APR on consumer PCP car finance deals, but check with your dealer as terms and conditions will obviously apply. The deals will also change over time, so always check for the best deals available before signing up to anything.
In terms of what you’re getting for your money, all trims are decently equipped and competitive with what you get from other brands. However, the smaller battery and less powerful motor make the entry-level Icon look like a price-leader – in other words, it attracts attention by being priced at £39,995, but you’re probably much better off with the Design model that’s £5,600 dearer. It’s also worth pointing out that the smaller battery will probably hurt resale value if you want to sell the car in a few years.
The bZ4X comes with a three-year / 60,000-mile warranty as standard, which is pretty much the bare minimum offered by any manufacturer in the UK. However, the warranty period can be extended up to a maximum of ten years / 100,000 miles if you service the car with an official Toyota dealer each year. The battery is under warranty for eight years / 100,000 miles.
We like: Improved battery range and efficiency We don’t like: Entry-level Icon model will probably be less attractive at resale time
What’s the Toyota bZ4X like inside?
Toyota has made quite a few improvements to the bZ4X cabin, but you’re not going to really spot them unless you’ve jumped from an older model. The biggest changes are down the middle of the front of the cabin – the central touchscreen is larger than before, while the centre console has been redesigned and now sits a bit lower than before, which makes things a bit roomier and more comfortable. The overall look is certainly cleaner, although the materials still tend to be dominated by hard, grey plastic – a Toyota trademark, although not one to be particularly proud of.
The driver’s display is set back on the dashboard and above the top of the steering wheel, so it’s a cross between a head-up display and a traditional instrument binnacle – much like most new Peugeots, although the implementation seems to work better. This makes it very easy to glance down and see your speed, as well as other info like remaining range. The steering wheel has loads of buttons in two groups, one either side of the central horn. In practice, they work well and are certainly better than the haptic swipe controls you see on some other brands.
Climate controls are a mix of physical dials and large touchscreen buttons, which are better than many other new cars to operate on the move. All models get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with two charging pads on the centre console. Unfortunately, these are just hard, flat plastic pads and your phone will fly across the cabin if you swerve or brake hard. Softer, gripper charging pads would be more useful.
There’s a decent amount of storage space inside with door bins, space under the central armrest and so on. The boot is on the smaller side than many other cars in this class, although there’s room for charging cables beneath the floor so these don’t clutter load space (as long as you don’t need to empty the boot to get the cables out…). A frunk would be nice to store your cables away from your luggage, but you don’t get one.
In the back, bZ4X has a flat floor and plenty of legroom for tall rear passengers. The seat backs can be set to a more upright or reclined position depending on preference, or they fold down to extend the rear loading space. After a couple of hours of driving, the front seats still felt comfortable and supportive, which is good.
We like: Spacious interior for front and rear passengers We don’t like: No frunk or glovebox
What’s under the bonnet?
The upgraded Toyota bZ4X is available with three different powertrain configurations:
167hp (123kW) motor, front-wheel drive, 58kWh battery, up to 275 miles of range (Icon trim)
224hp (165kW) motor, front-wheel drive, 73kWh battery, up to 352 miles of range (Design or Excel trim)
343hp (252kW) motor, front-wheel drive, 73kWh battery, up to 291 miles of range (Excel trim)
As well as more performance, the all-wheel drive model can tow twice as much weight as the front-wheel drive models (1,500kg braked trailer vs. 750kg). But if you don’t need the extra performance, traction or towing capacity, then the sweet spot of the range is the mid-level powertrain configuration. This provides plenty of real-world performance and driving range for most households, and a choice of two trim levels.
The biggest shortcoming of the bZ4X range previously was poor battery range, which often fell well short of the claimed maximum 317 miles. This has been the main focus of the mid-life upgrade, and the results appear to show a number of significant improvements.
As well as a slightly larger battery than before, the configuration of the battery is also more efficient. That means better driving range and quicker charging times across all weather conditions. You can also pre-condition the battery to reduce charging times, either scheduling it before charging is due to begin at home overnight, or when you have programmed a fast-charging point as a navigation destination (assuming you’re using the car’s nav system, rather than Apple or Google maps).
The electric motors have also been developed for better performance and greater efficiency. Toyota has improved the maximum power output of the motors by about 11%, as well as reducing energy losses in the system to improve range. The all-wheel drive model has been further enhanced for performance and handling, as well as off-road performance.
What’s the Toyota bZ4X like to drive?
We drove both the mid-spec front-wheel drive model and the top-spec all-wheel drive model at the European launch in Spain. Apart from the steering wheel being on the other side, these were both the same sort of specs that we are getting in the UK.
For normal family driving, the mid-spec model (224hp, front-wheel drive) has plenty of performance and also offers the best range. Being an EV, you get instant response for the cut and thrust of normal driving, and you’re only going to notice it starting to run out of puff if you’re loaded up with passengers trying to overtake uphill at motorway speeds. For the other 99% of the time, it’s more than enough.
If you do want or need more performance, the all-wheel drive model bumps things up to 343hp, making it one of the most powerful models Toyota has ever offered in the UK. About two-thirds of the drive still comes from the front, with a smaller second motor at the back providing up to about a third of the maximum power. It’s mainly useful for helping to spread the load around in slippery conditions, like wet or icy roads, or when you’re off-road and may be struggling for traction on a loose surface.
Toyota has used special ‘acoustic glass’ in the front side windows to help reduce wind noise, along with foam insulation at key points in the body frame to help reduce road noise. There are also additional silencers and sound-absorbing materials in the panel lining, reducing noise from the (now quieter) electric motors. All of this adds up to a very quiet and refined cabin, even by normal EV standards. You get very little noise from your own car, while also being beautifully insulated from wind, road and traffic noise coming from outside.
The new Toyota bZ4X has also received some suspension tuning to improve both comfort and handling. The company claims that rear-seat passengers will particularly notice a more comfortable ride, but we didn’t get to ride out back to confirm this. Overall, it’s certainly a comfortable thing to drive on mostly very good Spanish roads, while handling through a windy mountain section was predictable and stable.
As with most new cars, you may as well enjoy the comfort as there’s very little actual driving enjoyment to be had. The battery is mounted low in the car, under your feet, so the centre of gravity is very low. That helps to minimise any kind of body roll and can make it feel like you’re going quite slowly when you’ve actually barrelled into a corner a bit too quickly. The brakes are reassuringly powerful and there’s no drama if you need to hit them hard in a hurry. In other words, it’s an excellent family car.
We tried a relatively mild off-road route in the all-wheel drive model, which was hardly trekking through a jungle but which did bounce the car around quite a lot. The bZ4X stayed composed and went exactly where it was told with no complaints or wild moments, so it should suit anyone with typical rural environments in the UK.
The bZ4X comes with Toyota’s latest suite of preventative safety systems, which generally work well and don’t drive you crazy – unlike more than a few rivals. As with all new cars, some of these can’t be permanently disabled so you have to deactivate them at the start of each trip. Blame the EU for this latest nanny-state tech, which now plagues every new car. The fact that every car manufacturer is now offering shortcuts to disable these systems as easily as possible shows how poorly thought-out this stuff is.
We like: Very quiet, refined and smooth at all speeds We don’t like: Not much fun to be had for the driver
Verdict
Toyota’s first attempt with the bZ4X was good in most areas but crucially off the pace in key areas like battery range. The original shortcomings have been addressed quite thoroughly and commendably; rather than just slinging in a bigger, heavier battery and calling it a day, Toyota engineers have clearly taken time to evolve almost every aspect of the car’s powertrain to get better performance while sipping on less electricity than before. These improvements alone are enough to elevate the bZ4X’s status from an also-ran to a genuine contender.
The interior improvements follow a similar path. Toyota has worked to make the cabin experience better in many ways, rather than just popping in a bigger screen and some new seat trims. Changing most of the dashboard and centre console would have been an expensive decision, but it makes the car much better.
This is now the car that the Toyota bZ4X should have been three years ago. It’s still not the prettiest car in its class – although it’s certainly more distinctive than most – but everything follows the usual Toyota pattern of excellent functionality with somewhat clunky styling. If you’ve been driving something like a RAV4 or a Camry and are now looking for an EV, you’ll feel right at home and probably very happy with the new bZ4X – and it’s now a car we’re very happy to recommend.
This year has been a tough one for most of the car industry, with established brands facing up to an onslaught of new names, mostly from China. But while that’s made life difficult for manufacturers, it has led to some great deals for consumers.
With 2025 coming to a close, it’s now time to round up the very best new cars launched in the last 12 months for our annual Car of the Year awards, to help you decide what car you should be buying over the next year.
In a sea of different new car awards, what makes The Car Expert Awards 2026 different? We have the power of our unique Expert Rating Index.
Rather than just give you our opinion on a new car, we manually curate reviews and scores from more than 30 of the UK’s leading motoring websites (including our own), with more than 17,500 car reviews from all of these titles. On top of that, we gather safety ratings from Euro NCAP, official CO2 emissions, running costs from our partners at Clear Vehicle Data, reliability data from our partners at MotorEasy, and new car warranty data for every vehicle.
Since we’re only looking at models launched in the last 12 months for our Best Car Awards, we have created a bespoke algorithm that’s different to our usual Expert Rating Index, as we don’t have reliability data for brand-new vehicles and we don’t have complete servicing cost information for every model.
While it hasn’t been quite as hectic as last year, our class of 2026 consists of 58 new entries to the UK car market, 34 of which are electric vehicles. Our cut-off date is 31 October, so some of the cars eligible this year actually went on sale at the end of last year.
And the winner is…
Our Expert Rating Index, based on reviews from more than 30 of the UK’s leading motoring websites, shows that electric vehicles continue to earn higher review scores than their petrol and diesel equivalents. This has been evident for the last few years, and has continued to be the case this year. For the fifth consecutive year, our overall winner is an electric car.
Based on all of the car reviews published by the UK motoring media over the last year, The Car Expert’s Car of the Year 2026 is the Skoda Elroq.
The Car Expert Car of the Year 2026: Skoda Elroq
The Skoda Elroq is the ideal new family car for 2026, so it’s no surprise to see it winning our top award.
It’s well-designed, cost-effective to run, and has a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. It offers a smart, spacious interior with clever, practical features, and the driving experience is refined and comfortable.
All of this comes at a very competitive price, making it an all-round champion and worthy winner of The Car Expert’s Car of the Year 2026 Award. It also picks up our Best Small Crossover 2026 award.
