Author: autocar.co.uk

This post was originally published on Autocar All-new combustion-engined seven-seat SUV slots in between the Tiguan and Touareg Those of you who know your Chinese cars will be aware of the Volkswagen Tayron name from a crossover produced collaboratively by Volkswagen and FAW – but in 2025, it’s going global.This new Tayron is an entirely new model that… Continue reading Volkswagen Tayron

This post was originally published on Autocar Designer Callum (left) and Riversimple boss Spowers cast a keen eye over every model Coventry Uni students competed to design a radical FCEV supercar that Riversimple will put into production by 2030 Pity the emerging generation of car designers. They grow up obsessed like the rest of us, but… Continue reading The shape of things to come: the next generation of car designers

This post was originally published on Autocar The Audi A2 had a particularly low drag coefficient but EVs are changing the game I’ve bought an Audi A2. It’s a 2003 74bhp 1.4-litre diesel and, because it didn’t have an MOT, it cost me £500. So far, I’ve fitted a new rear wheel bearing (£30), cleaned some… Continue reading How aerodynamics have moved cars forward in the past 25 years

This post was originally published on Autocar Performance, practicality, ride and handling balance: Legacy GT-B nails them all After 36 years, Subaru Legacy production is about to end. We reflects on the lineage’s diverse appeal The turbulence of this transforming new car market has already claimed some notable victims. Who would have imagined a world… Continue reading An enduring Legacy: farewell to one of Subaru's greatest hits

This post was originally published on Autocar Autocar’s Editor Mark Tisshaw meets Jaguar MD Rawdon Glover to talk Jaguar’s past, present and future In a free and exclusive bonus podcast episode Autocar’s Editor, Mark Tisshaw, meets Rawdon Glover, Jaguar’s managing director, to talk all things Jag: its present, its electric future, and the feedback on… Continue reading MWIC Bonus Episode 1: Autocar meets Jaguar boss Rawdon Glover

This post was originally published on Autocar The e-208 was once top of the small EV class. Can the facelift help it beat the Chinese competition? Anyone who has been to mainland Europe in the past few years will have seen a 208. They’re everywhere. Officially the best-selling car in Europe last year, in fact. This new… Continue reading Peugeot e-208

This post was originally published on Autocar American giant General Motors’ long quest to secure a spot on the grand prix grid is finally realised Cadillac’s bid to join Formula 1 has been approved by the sport’s bosses, expanding the grid to 11 teams from 2026. The new Cadillac Formula 1 team will be run by… Continue reading Cadillac given green light for 2026 F1 entry

This post was originally published on Autocar It took a brave soul to go into a desert in a 1920s car. No satellite phones, either Did people try to drive through the wilderness before 4×4 cars were invented? Well, of course they did, such is the human spirit. As far back as the early 1900s,… Continue reading Going recklessly into the Sahara desert, 98 years ago

This post was originally published on Autocar Californian-based EV brand Fisker goes after style-savvy, range-conscious buyers with its first production model The Fisker Ocean may well be designed in California, but it’s built by Magna Steyr in Austria.Which is why it may look, somewhat unexpectedly, like a compact, European-flavoured SUV.In the metal, it’s a little… Continue reading Fisker Ocean

This post was originally published on Autocar There has rarely been a more diverse bunch of contenders for Britain’s Best Driver’s Car, but which is best? Our annual best driver’s car test brings together our 10 favourite new driver’s cars of the past 12 months for three days straight, during which time we assess their… Continue reading Britain's Best Driver’s Cars 2025

This post was originally published on Autocar Mercedes’ top-of-the-range EV limo gets extra equipment and range The limousine class has long been something of a technological vanguard for the automotive industry; and in one respect in particular – when it comes to the provision of outright electric range in electric cars – it’s preserving that… Continue reading Mercedes-Benz EQS

This post was originally published on Autocar ID Every1 uses same platform as ID 2all, Cupra Raval and Skoda Epiq New city car won’t follow its predecessor, the Up, in spawning similar models from sibling brands The new Volkswagen ID Every1 is being developed entirely as a stand-alone model with no current plans for related… Continue reading No plans for Cupra or Skoda variants of Volkswagen ID 1

This post was originally published on Autocar Ingolstadt’s sporty SUV steps away from diesel and goes back to petrol There’s a very small detail on the new-generation Audi SQ5 that I think means a great deal: the red Audi Sport oblong is back. This oh-so-subtle differentiator could for a very short amount of time be stuck… Continue reading Audi SQ5

This post was originally published on Autocar Audi’s family SUV moves onto the PPC platform for its third generation, but fans will recognise the bones Ingolstadt has enjoyed playing around with the letters and numbers that accompany the Q5 badging on the back of an Audi Q5 in the last few years. But perhaps it… Continue reading Audi Q5

This post was originally published on Autocar Mazda has launched a rear-wheel-drive, six-cylinder diesel SUV. Mad or brilliant? Diesels: they’re falling like flies now. The Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus no longer sup from the black pump and even BMW has killed off much of its ‘d’ range. But Mazda likes to do things its own way, and it’s continuing to do so… Continue reading Mazda CX-60

This post was originally published on Autocar ID 1 is due to be launched in 2027 at a starting price of around £17,000 ID 1’s underpinnings will accommodate a more powerful motor – if VW gives it the green light Volkswagen technical chief Kai Grünitz has not ruled out a hot GTI version of the… Continue reading Volkswagen ID 1 could spawn Up GTI successor

This post was originally published on Autocar Electric equivalent of best-selling XC60 SUV will provide ‘huge boost’ to Swedish firm’s EV ambitions Volvo has shown a first glimpse of the new EX60, the electric equivalent of the XC60 family SUV, which has long been its best-seller. Previewed as an almost fully covered clay model during the… Continue reading Crucial Volvo EX60 shown for the first time ahead of 2026 launch

This post was originally published on Autocar MC20 Folgore was planned as one of six electric Maseratis due by next year Brand confirms previous reports that planned electric version of its V6 supercar was on the chopping block Maserati has officially cancelled the MC20 Folgore, as reported by Autocar last week. Confirming the news, a company spokesperson… Continue reading Maserati MC20 Folgore cancelled due to insufficient demand

This post was originally published on Autocar New ID Every1 concept has a proper button bar for the most-used functions Brand’s design chief commits to “never” repeating the “mistake” of relegating essential controls to touchscreens All future Volkswagen models will feature physical controls for the most important functions, design chief Andreas Mindt has said. The… Continue reading Volkswagen reintroducing physical controls for vital functions

This post was originally published on Autocar Motability posted the £565m loss despite its revenues actually growing by 24% Operator of UK’s biggest fleet pins loss on more expensive cars, insurance, servicing The UK’s biggest fleet, whose “explosive” growth in June last year was credited with helping car makers through a tricky period, has reported… Continue reading Motability takes £565 million blow as costs soar

This post was originally published on Autocar New Chinese mid-sized electric SUV majors on space, tech, charging speed and value It probably won’t surprise you that the creator of the subject of this test, the Xpeng G6, is something of a Far Eastern imitator of Tesla.The brand has yet to assume anything like a comparable… Continue reading Xpeng G6

This post was originally published on Autocar ID Every1 uses new 94bhp motor, giving a claimed top speed of 81mph Spiritual successor to the Up is described as the ‘last piece in the puzzle’ in VW’s line-up Volkswagen has vowed to realise its long-held goal of an ‘affordable’ £17,000 electric car in 2027 with the… Continue reading Volkswagen ID Every1 previews £17k city car for 2027

This post was originally published on Autocar ID 1 might only go about as far per charge as its predecessor, the e-Up Volkswagen’s affordable electric car is finally on the way – but with a range of only around 155 miles There’s a lot to like about the Volkswagen ID 1. In an age when… Continue reading Does the £17k Volkswagen ID 1 really represent progress?

This post was originally published on Autocar Kia Sportage tops the sales charts for February 2025 2024 was quite the year for the car industry. New car registrations increased by 2.6% compared with the year before, while the Ford Puma was crowned the best-seller. The Blue Oval’s small SUV topped the charts for the second… Continue reading The best-selling cars in the UK – who can catch the Sportage?

This post was originally published on Autocar Nissan’s Sunderland-made mid-sized crossover keeps practicality, comfort, value and ease of use at the heart of its positioning You will struggle to find a bigger British automotive success story than the Nissan Qashqai.In 2022, it was Britain’s best-selling car. It’s been off that top spot ever since; but Nissan still… Continue reading Nissan Qashqai

This post was originally published on Autocar Dual Nvidia Orin computers in the ES90 will be retrofitted to existing EX90s Complimentary upgrade is said to boost the EX90’s computing power eightfold Customers of early versions of the new Volvo EX90 will be offered a complimentary hardware upgrade to give it the more powerful computing system… Continue reading Volvo to upgrade existing EX90s to more powerful ES90 computer

This post was originally published on Autocar The driver’s hatchback continues to live up to its name after one final update Time stops for nothing, not even the Ford Focus.It follows the Fiesta in being one of those combustion-only ‘legacy’ cars that stands between its maker transferring the line-up to electrified power. Ford’s CEO is… Continue reading Ford Focus

This post was originally published on Autocar Korean firm’s new seven-seat electric flagship majors on practicality and long-distance refinement Between being unveiled in concept form in 2021 and reaching production, Hyundai’s newest SUV grew. Not literally but figuratively: the Seven became the Hyundai Ioniq 9, an adjustment intended to crown the large six- or seven-seater… Continue reading Hyundai Ioniq 9

This post was originally published on Autocar The Mini Cooper was the UK’s best-selling car last month Electric cars defied a 1% drop in registrations of new cars in February, surging by nearly 42% year on year One in every four new cars sold last month was electric, as EV registrations surged by a huge 41.7% compared… Continue reading EVs account for quarter of car sales as overall UK market dips

This post was originally published on Autocar Big-battery model yields a range of 434 miles Circa-£70k fastback is positioned as brand’s technological flagship and has trick on-board computers The all-new ES90 is the first electric Volvo that’s not an SUV – and the slippery hatchback has a range well in excess of 400 miles. The Swedish… Continue reading New Volvo ES90 revealed as BMW i5 rival with 434 miles of range

This post was originally published on Autocar “Rather than bring a V90, for example, are we better to position [the XC60] in a slightly different way?” said Jim Rowan Boss cites limited room in product strategy and limited resources for lack of V60 and V90 replacements Volvo is preparing for a future without traditional estate… Continue reading Volvo considers future without estate cars in shift to SUVs

This post was originally published on Autocar This week Cropley drives a Jeep Wrangler, visits Race Retro and the Bentley boss and Prior MOTs his Audi A2 On this week’s My Week In Cars podcast Steve Cropley visits Race Retro and gets pretty fired up about owning a competition car. He also takes a Jeep… Continue reading My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep.130)

This post was originally published on Autocar Zero-emissions luxury SUV strikes out in bold, sophisticated style and with improved dynamics and range The BMW iX has always been a conversation starter, whether you love it, hate it or simply don’t know what to make of it.Its mash-up of estate, crossover and SUV styling hasn’t stopped… Continue reading BMW iX

This post was originally published on Autocar Alpine A390 has been undergoing cold weather testing Production model will feature tri-motor set-up and active torque vectoring for “lightweight” feel Alpine is applying the finishing touches to its first crossover, the A390, ahead of its launch on 27 May. New pictures of a mule testing in the… Continue reading Alpine A390 crossover pictured for first time ahead of May reveal

This post was originally published on Autocar There will be a “strong lineage” between the Type 00 concept and the production GT GT will kick off a series of radical EVs that distil the best of the brand’s dynamic heritage, says Jag’s boss The electric four-door GT that will spearhead an all-new era for Jaguar… Continue reading Exclusive Jaguar interview: fresh details on 986bhp super-GT

This post was originally published on Autocar Big step was needed because of move to EVs and arrival of Chinese brands Rawdon Glover reveals why the controversial rebrand was so vital to Jaguar’s future Rawdon Glover, managing director of Jaguar, says you can never remind people enough about why the brand had to change. So,… Continue reading Ripping up Jaguar history would be 'big mistake', says brand boss

This post was originally published on Autocar “Everything we want to do at Jaguar is to be brand-led”, said Rawdon Glover Brand’s managing director admits surprise at scale of response to its new look “I don’t think you can plan to be the most talked-about brand on the planet…” says Jaguar boss Rawdon Glover, as… Continue reading Jaguar rebrand 'played out' despite 'frustrating' response

This post was originally published on Autocar ‘No replacement for displacement’ is the thinking behind this compact crossover hatchback Volume car makers no longer seem to believe that bigger-capacity combustion engines have any place in smaller cars. Save, perhaps, for one.Always an advocate of a sophisticated, multi-solution approach to decarbonisation, Mazda has been quietly running… Continue reading Mazda CX-30

This post was originally published on Autocar Indirect replacement for EQC SUV is the first electric car based on Mercedes’ new MB.EA platform The new Mercedes-Benz GLC EV will arrive later this year as an indirect replacement for the EQC SUV, marking a strategic shift in Mercedes’ electric model strategy: one focused on integration rather than… Continue reading Behind the wheel of the new Mercedes-Benz GLC EV prototype

This post was originally published on Autocar Audi’s logo has been moved from the grille for the first time on an A6 Next-generation estate, previously planned to be called A7, arrives in diesel, hybrid and petrol guises The new A6 Avant has been unveiled as one of the final diesel cars that Audi will launch and… Continue reading New A6 Avant is one of the final diesel models Audi will launch

This post was originally published on Autocar The Lucid Air is not just Another New Electric Car. It’s the most efficient car the world has ever seen. And it’s really rather good to drive Stationary traffic isn’t typically an environment to leave you gawping in wonder at your surroundings.But when that traffic is downtown Manhattan… Continue reading Lucid Air

This post was originally published on Autocar Is the supermini able to offer quite as much bang for your buck in all-new hybrid form? MG may be making waves with its electric cars – the MG 4 EV in particular – but it isn’t one of those car makers that has already committed to a… Continue reading MG 3 Review

This post was originally published on Autocar Kia PV5 is the first and likely best-selling in a new range of ‘Platform Beyond Vehicles’ Extra gadgets are intended to convince diesel van buyers to make the switch – but will it work? Heated and cooled seats, heated windscreens, adaptive cruise control… Van drivers are about to become more comfortable… Continue reading Electric van makers go big on tech to woo cautious buyers

This post was originally published on Autocar Markus Schafer oversees the research and development of every Mercedes model Tech boss Markus Schäfer says hybrid and electric technology is transforming everything “I have one of the most interesting jobs in the industry,” says Markus Schäfer with a smile, and even though he adds he’s “sometimes joking”,… Continue reading How new technology is shaping the future of Mercedes-Benz

This post was originally published on Autocar The go-anywhere off-roader will help Lexus and parent firm Toyota to develop future technology The Lexus H2 ROV concept is, at first glance, perhaps the most spurious, frivolous vehicle the firm has ever produced. It’s a lightweight off-road buggy and that’s an odd fit for a brand that… Continue reading The inside story behind the wild hydrogen-powered Lexus buggy

This post was originally published on Autocar At heart, this is a Lotus Seven – just one with 666bhp per tonne and Le Mans-grade materials tech You descend into the cockpit of the Donkervoort F22 to find Sabelt harnesses but also, if specified, heated seats. At just 750kg wet, it is light enough to belong in… Continue reading Donkervoort F22

This post was originally published on Autocar Munich’s 50-year-old executive car icon goes boldly into the electric age Before we delve into the various strengths and weaknesses of the BMW i5, let’s rewind.After all, executive saloons have over previous decades gained a reputation for conservatism that, while hard to shake, is now entirely unjustified.Twenty-five years ago, company car… Continue reading BMW i5

This post was originally published on Autocar European Commission’s pledges come as “it is very clear now that it is time for action on a number of priorities” Car makers could have longer to hit CO2 targets and join forces on an autonomous vehicle push as part of plans to make the industry in the EU more competitive and… Continue reading Plans tabled to relax EU's CO2 laws and make it driverless tech leader

This post was originally published on Autocar Project 95-59 design is the work of McLaren P1 exterior designer Paul Howse Three-seater based on McLaren platform commemorates 30 years since the specialist’s win at Le Mans Lanzante, the Petersfield-based specialist behind the F1-engined Porsche 911 TAG Turbo, will build a three-seat supercar with a whopping 700bhp… Continue reading Lanzante Project 95-59 to be three-seat, 700bhp/tonne hypercar

This post was originally published on Autocar Steve Hicks and Sanka De Silva effectively swap roles at the Korean car maker Welcome to Movers and Shakers, a new Autocar Business feature covering the latest job moves from across the automotive industry. This page will be updated regularly with all the biggest transfers, promotions and departures in… Continue reading Kia appoints new marketing and sales directors