Innholdsfortegnelse for 1902 i Auto Express

THE revelation that road policing numbers are at a 10-year low (Page 18) may not be a surprise, but it should concern all law-abiding motorists. The scourge of our roads are the people who think that the rules don’t apply to them. I’m not talking about doing 75mph or 80mph on the motorway – although that is, of course, against the law and therefore wrong – but those who don’t have insurance, a roadworthy vehicle or even a licence. Figures have repeatedly shown that this type of driver is disproportionately dangerous to the rest of us – more likely to take the wheel under the influence of drink or drugs, for example. “WE NEED SENSIBLE AND EXPERIENCED TRAFFICPOLICE, BEING VISIBLEAND PICKING OFF THE DRIVERS WHO ARE A DANGER TO THE…

HYUNDAI has revealed its road map for the rest of the decade, focusing heavily on electrification – including next-generation hybrids and EVs, plus range-extender technology coming in 2027. More hot N models are on the way, too. The plans were announced during Hyundai’s 2025 Investor Day event, where President José Muñoz said the company’s “multi-dimensional strategy ensures that we stay competitive, relevant and profitable wherever the market moves”. Muñoz continued: “One opportunity we see is expanding our hybrid line-up in response to growing consumer demand. By 2030, we plan to offer more than 18 hybrids for vehicles ranging from entry-level to large luxury. This will include Genesis, starting in 2026.” Hyundai unveiled its next-generation hybrid tech earlier this year, offering improvements in fuel efficiency and refinement. It was introduced in…

THIS is our first official look at the new Kia EV4 GT hot hatch that’s slated to arrive next year as a rival to the Volkswagen Golf R. Auto Express snapped this picture during the launch of the new Kia EV4. However, it reveals little about the GT other than it having EV6-style detailing and a new front bumper, plus unique wheels and neon green brake calipers. The standard EV4 uses a single 201bhp electric motor to drive the front wheels. With an extra e-motor on the rear axle, the EV4 GT will have all-wheel drive and, we expect, between 300bhp and 400bhp. For context, the latest Golf R has 328bhp, and the Audi RS 3 394bhp. Considering a top-spec EV4 costs nearly £45,000, we assume the EV4 GT will…

THE world might be cooling on EVs, but Bentley is forging ahead with the so-called ‘Urban SUV’, its first all-electric model. This is the first time we’ve seen it in close to production form, and it gives us a clearer idea of what to expect when the car is revealed at the end of 2026. Despite the ‘Urban SUV’ name, this is still a large SUV, if not quite as big as the Bentayga. The spy shots show it’s far sleeker than its big brother. The generous bonnet, with a fairly compact front overhang and steeply raked windscreen, will help with highspeed aerodynamic. But even under thick camouflage, it’s obvious that Bentley’s typically upright front end will remain, albeit influenced by the styling of the EXP15 concept (right). The roofline…

THERE are now over 20 per cent fewer road police officers patrolling the streets than a decade ago, according analysis of the latest Home Office data by the RAC. But has this made our streets lawless and do the figures tell the whole story? In 2015 there were 5,237 police officers across 43 forces in England and Wales whose primary role was designated as traffic policing – which includes ‘cop in car’ patrols or speed camera enforcement. Compare this to 2025, when that number has dropped to just 4,149, and it appears as if there has been a huge fall, despite the number of cars registered in Great Britain having risen by around 20 per cent since then. The RAC’s head of policy, Simon Williams, described the situation as “at…

ELSEWHERE, BYD’s Yangwang sub-brand has claimed the world’s fastest production car title. The Xtreme version of the U9 hypercar hit 308.4mph at the Automotive Testing Papenburg test track in Germany, beating the previous best of 304.48mph achieved by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+. The Xtreme is an upgraded version of the U9 currently sold in China. It runs a 1,200-volt electrical system rather than the standard 800-volt set-up, while its four electric motors produce 2,959bhp. The car uses revised DiSus-X suspension and rides on semi-slick tyres. The Xtreme is the first EV to claim the crown, and Yangwang says it will sell “no more than 30” examples.…

THE name ‘707’ certainly has a nice ring to it, so it seemed a fitting choice for the range-topping version of the Aston Martin DBX. When that number is a direct reference to a car’s metric horsepower output, it becomes a pretty wild name to have, too. But now, the 707 has been upstaged by this: the new DBX S. It’s a less dramatic-sounding name, sure, but the S actually carries more weight in the marque’s history, sitting on a range of more sporting models since the fifties. In this case, it also carries more power and – if you tick the right option boxes – less weight than the former pinnacle of Aston’s SUV range, too. The power side of the equation has been taken care of by engineering…

“IS IT POSSIBLE TO INSTALL NEW TECH IN AN OLDER CAR? YES, BUT WHETHER IT’S WORTH IT IS MORE OPEN TO DEBATE” HERE in the UK we live among an ageing population, and that goes for cars just as much as people. The latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows that the average car on UK roads is nine-and-a-half years old; a third of cars are more than 12 years old. This, alongside a dwindling number of private new-car buyers, suggests the country is turning its back on newer vehicles in favour of keeping older workhorses. But given the allure of gadgets promised by the latest models, is it possible to install the latest tech in an older car? The short answer is yes, but whether…

THE Polestar 4 looks distinctive and is sure to attract buyers who want to make a statement. The lack of a rear window will always be a talking point, but it only becomes a hindrance in very limited circumstances. Some of the technology on board can feel overwhelming at times, but the upmarket cabin helps to make up for this. MOTORS & PERFORMANCE THERE are Single Motor and Dual Motor options to choose from in the Polestar 4, with the set-ups making 268bhp and 343Nm, and 536bhp and 686Nm respectively. The Single Motor model is rear-wheel drive, which helps it sprint from 0-62mph in 7.1 seconds, which is plenty for everyday driving. If you need more pace, then the Dual Motor uses four-wheel-drive traction to cover the same benchmark in…

AS Auto Express’s senior photographer, I cover a very high mileage for work. And as our regular readers will know, the result is that the long-term test cars I drive often require a pretty swift dealer service. The 5008 is no different and sure enough, the service symbol popped up on the screen recently; the odometer was showing 13,916 miles and gave me a one-week countdown to when the service was due. Normally, I would take the car along to a local dealer for the work, but on this occasion Peugeot sent me a replacement model because they wanted my car to go through their in-house service department. This is where it got interesting, because I thought I was seeing double: next to my 5008 hybrid an apparently identical 5008…

HOT KIT Draper Advent calendar Price: £34.99 Contact: drapertools.com CHRISTMAS might still seem a way off, but the beginning of December is much closer – so if you plan to invest in an advent calendar, you need to start thinking about one now. If you don’t fancy finding the usual festive pictures or chocolate treats, then how about building a toolkit, while helping out a charity? Draper’s Advent Calendar features 62 tools distributed behind the 24 doors, building up into a handy mini tool set by Christmas Eve. The collection is perfect for keeping in a glovebox for emergencies, or the kitchen drawer. Created in collaboration with Santa Pod Raceway, the calendar’s picture features Father Christmas swapping his sleigh for a drag bike and blazing down the iconic drag strip. The…

IT would be easy for a car to become lost in the sea of mid-size, five-seat SUVs, but Citroen has always had an individual streak and this is evident again in the new C5 Aircross. This new-generation model – available in hybrid, electric or plug-in hybrid form, as we’re driving here – is actually quite interesting. Although the car shares its key underpinnings with a whole family of brands from Jeep to Peugeot, the team at Citroen has kept its new offering distinct, and has done so without compromising on the things it knows customers want. The C5 Aircross has only been around for a single generation, but in that time it’s already proven to be a firm family favourite, offering a good balance of value, comfort and efficiency. These…

PORSCHE has confirmed that certain derivatives of its upcoming 718 sports car will have pure-petrol engines. The move comes as the brand realigns its range to suit market demands, and should see the reintroduction of models such as the GT4, Spyder and GT4 RS. Porsche’s upcoming 718 has been a point of contention since the announcement that it would have a fully electric set-up. Until this point, the brand had remained committed to the technology, but Porsche has now announced that “top ICE derivatives” will join the new 718 range, a decision that brings with it complex engineering challenges. The 718’s bespoke platform was designed to fit a block of batteries behind the driver, so the question now is whether the set-up is flexible enough to fit a combustion engine…

THE Government is considering offering financial support to Jaguar Land Rover over fears that many firms in its supply chain could go bust following the recent cyber attack, which will see production delayed until at least October. Reportedly, ministers are weighing up whether or not to buy components from JLR’s suppliers in order to keep them in business until production resumes. Not doing so could result in a complete disassembly of the supply chain, making it even more difficult to restart production. Last week, the parliamentary Business and Trade Select Committee met with businesses within the JLR supply chain to discuss the situation. Details were then shared with the Government to help inform a decision on what the next steps will be. JLR says it has begun what it describes…

THE pick-up segment may be the area of the market most resistant to electrification. Our friends on the other side of the Atlantic get a lot more choice, but Brits in search of an electric truck are restricted to the underwhelming Maxus T90, or the eye-wateringly expensive Isuzu D-Max EV. But before the end of the year, KGM (formerly SsangYong) will launch its electric Musso – a new and unrelated sister model to the capable, but slightly agricultural diesel truck of the same name. With an estimated starting price of £38,000 and a WLTP-rated range of 235 miles, it’s in with a fighting chance even before it’s turned a wheel. To see what’s in store, we had an early taste of the Musso EV on UK roads – and first…

KIA promotes the EV6 GT as a separate entity from the rest of the EV6 line-up, and it benefits from subtly different looks inside and out, exclusive colours and a boost in power. The battery is the same size as the standard car’s, while the price tag is a few pounds short of £60,000. That means it’s pitched against some strong rivals, such as the Polestar 4, while other cars include the BMW i4 and Volkswagen ID.7 GTX. MOTORS & PERFORMANCE UNDER the skin of the EV6 is the same E-GMP running gear that is used by a wide range of Hyundai and Kia models, including the former’s Ioniq line-up, as well as the Genesis GV60. In fact, the EV6 was the first car to use the running gear when…

IT felt good to a few weeks ago to finally do what you feel a Volkswagen ID. Buzz should be doing. The giant SUV took a late summer camping trip and got back in touch with its Type 2 campervan roots. If there is a downside to having so much space in your camping car, it’s that there’s a tendency to fill it. Sure enough, the back end was crammed with all kinds of kit and accessories that we probably (certainly) didn’t need, but it was great to have the flexibility. When opened, the tailgate makes an ideal shelter from the rain, but you have to make sure you’ve got enough space behind to actually get it open. There are 12-volt charging sockets in the boot for keeping phones topped…

FIRSTTEST HenryQuickPro Price: £249.99 Rating: Contact: myhenry.com MOST of us will be familiar with the Henry family of vacuums, which seem to be the mainstay for professional cleaners and anyone who needs a hard-working machine. The company has now branched out to make cordless hand-held cleaners, including this Quick Pro, which is designed to go head-to-head with the likes of Dyson’s Car + Boat. At £249.99, it’s not cheap, but it can swap from being a hand-held into an upright ‘stick’ device, so can be used in both the home and car. There are plenty of attachments included too, with a flexible crevice nozzle for hard-to-reach areas, an extension tube, a soft brush for dashboards, and a mini motorised tool, which is good for doing mats and boot floors. Instead of using…

“I REMEMBER BUYING A VW GOLF GTI MK4 FOR LESS THAN £1,000 IN 2015, FAR LESS THAN IT COSTS NOW. WISH I’D HELD ON TO IT” DIDN’T things seem better in the early 2000s? Politics were less divisive, Lurpak was less than £2 a block and you could still shove small bottles of Italian olive oil into your hand luggage when returning from holiday. Times were good, and so were the cars. The German companies seemed to have an iron grip on the premium market, and this self-confidence, along with big profit margins, laid the groundwork for some absolutely cracking cars. Yet somehow, many of these incredible models still seem to be off the radar for used-car buyers, which is excellent news, because their values remain low. However, this is…

USED-car buyers are often put off by models with massive mileages, but the reality is they’ve often been better looked after than those that have been restricted to the school run or the occasional trip to the tip. To celebrate some of the fantastic moon-and-back-mileage bargains out there, we’ve picked what we consider to be three of the best that are currently available through the Auto Express classifieds. If they’re no longer available, our top tip is to make sure you choose a car with a full service history, and an aftermarket warranty could be worth its weight in gold, too. 1 KIA PICANTO-£4,795 THE Kia Picanto is one of our favourite city cars, and while it might not be the first model that springs to mind when you think…

POLESTAR will unveil a concept car and more ‘Beast’ performance models in the run up to the Polestar 7 SUV, as new head of design Philipp Römers stamps his vision on the company’s design. Römers, who worked on the Audi e-tron GT’s exterior during his 25 years at Volkswagen Group, outlined his vision in an exclusive interview with Auto Express. “The reason I quit the Audi job and took on the Polestar challenge is because becoming [studio] head of a design-driven company is very cool.” He admits he’s joined during “tough times” – Polestar lost more than $1 billion (£0.75bn) in the first six months of the year – but global sales also rose to 30,289, and the flagship Polestar 5 sport GT is now entering the market. “From Polestar…

THE Volvo EX90 has been moved to the firm’s new 800-volt electrical architecture, despite having been on sale for less than 18 months. The changes, applicable to 2026 model year cars, apparently let owners add 155 miles of range in 10 minutes. The news comes around six months after the then-Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan told us: “We started off with 400 volts on the SPA2 architecture, and then we wanted to upgrade that – partly because of range and faster charging speeds.” Volvo says the 800-volt tech “delivers more power for faster acceleration, while using energy more efficiently”, although it hasn’t disclosed any specific details. At the same time, the model-year changes bring the electrochromic panoramic roof first introduced on the ES90 to the EX90, while an upgraded core…

PORSCHE’S Cayenne, Panamera and new supersized K1 SUV will all be available with internal-combustion engines for the foreseeable future. All were planned as EVs only, but Porsche’s rethink will align it more closely with EV demand, which is slower than expected globally. The firm said, “The new SUV series above the Cayenne [the K1], which was previously planned to be fully electric, will initially be offered exclusively as a combustion model and plug-in hybrid at market launch.” This doesn’t mean an electric variant has been ditched, but that a petrol variant will be prioritised. The company also said: “The development of the planned new platform for electric vehicles in the 2030s is to be rescheduled. The platform is to be technologically redesigned in coordination with other brands within the Volkswagen…

“The engine has lots of low-down torque but when pushed it can feel quite underpowered” THE Audi Q3 is an easy car to classify because it offers typical Audi traits in a compact-SUV package. It’s mechanically related to the Volkswagen Tiguan, to the point of sharing its key powertrain options, but this is no bad thing. Starting at around £37,000, the Q3 is not a cheap SUV compared with its direct rivals, but it isn’t unattainably expensive either. Higher-specification powertrains and equipment grades can cause prices to edge much closer to £50,000, however. As was the case with the previous generation, two bodystyles are available: SUV and Sportback. Both are largely identical aside from the roof height and the slope of the rear screen. The engines are all four-cylinder units…

THIS eighth generation of the Corvette has moved into the 2020s in a form that’s almost unrecognisable compared with its ancestors. That’s because it’s the first that has ditched the front-engined layout it has used since the fifties in favour of a mid-mounted set-up. This was a change brought about by Corvette’s continued commitment to endurance motorsport. But the changes don’t end there, because now there’s the E-Ray, a Corvette with hybrid power. However, this is not a hybrid intended to delicately sip fuel, but one designed to make an already quick car even more so. Indeed, the E-Ray is the fastest-accelerating model in the current range. The 6.2-litre LT2 V8 engine sends its 475bhp and 613Nm exclusively to the rear wheels. The electric motor up front adds a further…

I’M not a man who enjoys a gamble, especially when it comes to cars. But I have no worries about my next family workhorse, because picking a Volvo for the job is surely about as safe as bets get. Especially when the model in question has not only an Auto Express award to its name, but also a five-star safety rating from the Euro NCAP crash-test body. That’s the impressive double whammy that the EX30 has achieved in the past 12 months, with Volvo’s own website seemingly as happy to display the car’s Small Premium SUV of the Year Award as I am to park the winner outside my house. I picked the car up from Volvo Cars Leatherhead in Surrey, and although the EX30 is the smallest and cheapest…

ONCE you’ve finished washing and rinsing your car, the drying stage is crucial to getting the perfect finish – especially if you live in an area with ‘hard’ water that leaves limescale spot marks if left to dry naturally. Most drivers will have replaced a traditional chamois leather with a more efficient microfibre drying cloth, so to test them, we weigh the towels and then immerse them in water for a minute, before removing them and allowing them to drain freely for 30 seconds. We then weigh them again and see how much liquid they can retain. Our previous test winner from Sam’s Detailing faces two newcomers here – the great-value Car Gods towel and Hydro’s Max. While the Sam’s is still a great product, the new Hydro’s astonishing absorption…

OWNER VIEWS ON THE UK’S BEST CARS IF you had to pinpoint a brand that has made massive strides with its design in recent years, there’s a good chance that you’d nominate Peugeot. None of its models lack presence on the outside, and they all look pretty good inside, too. But this doesn’t cut much ice with owners of the current 208, which came last out of the 50-strong pack in this year’s Driver Power survey, even if there are chinks of mediocrity. It’s quite a change in just a year; in 2024 the Mk2 208 came sixth, which is a stark reminder of how quickly things move. There are no top-10 places for the 208, and even top-20 slots are few and far between. The high spot is a…

IF there’s not a General Election before 2029, I’ll eat my driving gloves. At least I would if I had a pair. But whenever polling day arrives, we need to know what each of the main political parties plans to do for (or against) us – the UK’s 42 million driving licence holders, plus the equally important 10-20 million relatives or friends in our passenger seats. Badenoch (Conservative) says little or nothing about cars, although she allegedly thought it appropriate to go to the gym in the ministerial limo when last in office. Davey (Lib Dem) has just declared war on Tesla. Polanski (Green) reckons “smart, fair, privacy-friendly road charging should be brought in without delay”. PM Starmer (Labour) has just announced that all adults must have identity cards. But…