Auto Express 1718

ANOTHER week, another new entry into the electric-car market. And this time it’s a biggie: Toyota, the leading light of hybrid electrification over the past 20 years, has finally ditched the combustion engine altogether for the first of its bZ EV line-up. We’ll leave you to read Sean Carson’s full verdict on a late prototype of the bZ4X in this week’s Top Story – but one interesting aspect to take from the review is that Toyota is trying to use this car to shake up its retail model. Fact is, a four-wheel-drive version of this car is going to have a list price of more than £48,000 – which is quite a lot for a five-seat family SUV. However, Toyota is aiming to make this figure irrelevant for many private…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● First EV from Toyota in new series of ‘bZ’ electric vehicles ● One battery and two motor options; more than 280 miles of range TOYOTA has decades of experience when it comes to electrification, which makes it all the more unusual that it’s only just launching its first full EV, the bZ4X SUV. Of course, the Japanese brand says it’s not late to the party, citing early-adopter manufacturers and that it, as a mainstream brand, is arriving in this sector at the right time and with the right product. It’s the first in a series of seven bZ-badged models (five of which are confirmed for Europe), the initials standing for ‘beyond Zero’, Toyota’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint – not just with the cars it sells, but…

Ford Mustang Mach-E THE Mach-E is a great EV, offering sporty dynamics and some impressive in-car technology. Having been on sale for a little more than a year now, there are more variants in the line-up – including Standard Range, Long Range and a sporty GT version (driven on p26). FOR Fast and fun, tech, range of battery options AGAINST Quality could be higher, not the comfiest Verdict: The driver’s electric SUV Hyundai Ioniq 5 AS the reigning Auto Express Car of the Year, the Ioniq 5 is a superb machine that offers a genuinely premium feel, plenty of practicality and impressive range and charging capability. It’s a brilliant all-rounder that’s kickstarted Hyundai’s Ioniq EV push to great effect. FOR Range, charging tech and refinement are great AGAINST Car’s size,…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods ● All-electric family car is expected to be called MG4 ● Full production model will be revealed late this year ● Could share EV tech with recently updated MG5 estate and ZS EV ● Expected to cost less than ZS EV; starting price of £26,000 possible “The totally modernised look is in complete contrast to the brand’s biggrille design language used at present” MG will expand its range in the UK later this year and has teased a new all-electric model, which the brand says it will reveal towards the end of 2022. Although there’s no official confirmation, data on the brand’s UK website suggests the vehicle will be called the MG4. Alongside the teaser images (above) this suggests that it will be a larger family hatchback compared…

Yousuf_Ashraf@autovia.co.uk @ashrafoncars MORGAN is bringing its iconic 3 Wheeler into the modern age with the new Super 3, which is on sale now, priced from £41,995. The last 3 Wheeler was characterised by its snorting V-twin motorcycle engine, but Morgan has adopted a 1.5-litre three-cylinder unit from Ford for the Super 3, requiring a ground-up redesign. The new car has smoother surfacing and aerodynamically optimised 20-inch wheels, while the Ford unit has necessitated the fitment of radiators on either side of the body. The designers have embraced these as features, by fitting large ‘blades’ to house them, which can also be used for mounting luggage racks. Instead of the 3 Wheeler’s large side-mounted exhaust, the Super 3 has a neater ‘exhaust cannon’ exiting the rear of the body. A new…

WITH new competition arriving all the time, Nissan has given its all-electric Leaf family hatchback a refresh for 2022, adding new paint options, wheel designs and, in time, Amazon Alexa integration. Chief among the visual changes are new 16 or 17-inch black alloys with Nissan’s latest logo on the centre caps. Buyers have a choice of two new colours, Pearl Blue and Magnetic Blue, which were previously only available on the Qashqai SUV. The Leaf’s battery and motor options remain the same, with the 39kWh pack offering a claimed range of up to 168 miles. The Leaf e+ (which is fitted with a larger 59kWh battery) offers a range of up to 239 miles, according to official testing. The Leaf gets Nissan’s Pro Pilot driver assistance system, which includes adaptive…