Auto Express 1736

FOR those of us who’ve driven and judged this year’s Auto Express Car of the Year, it didn’t take us long to realise it was a winner. The very best cars are always like that – within moments of sitting in them and driving away, you know you’re in something special. And that’s definitely the case with this year’s top car. What has amazed me, though, is the speed of improvement we’re seeing in the car industry, and not only in full-electric cars. In this issue we have the first drive of the revised Toyota Corolla – not an all-new car, but what we’d usually refer to as a ‘facelifted’ model. Yet the changes made in the middle of its seven or eight-year cycle have transformed an already good machine…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● We’re behind the wheel of Nissan’s all-new electric SUV ● Model offers up to 250 miles of range in an upmarket package NISSAN is an electric pioneer. The brand beat its rivals to market with the Leaf electric hatch, launched more than a decade ago, but despite this, the Ariya is only Nissan’s second full EV model for Europe. But – spoiler alert – it’s a good one. While competitors such as the Volkswagen ID.4 feel like they have been rushed through in places, the Ariya is more convincing. Underneath the svelte, coupé SUV-style body sits the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s CMF-EV platform – the same basis as the Mégane E-Tech Electric family crossover. The Ariya is bigger, however, at 4,595mm long and with a 2,775mm wheelbase. Its battery options…

Ford Mustang Mach-E FORD’S Mustang Mach-E is one of the best-driving electric SUVs on sale. It’s firmer than the Ariya and therefore not as comfortable, however. A 70kWh battery on the Standard Range car delivers a claimed range of 273 miles, but it’s pricier and the Ford’s recharging capability isn’t quite as good as the Nissan’s, either. Standard Range Price: £47,530 Battery: 70kWh Power: 265bhp 0-62mph: 6.9 seconds Range: 273 miles Charging: 115kW (10-80% 38 min) Hyundai Ioniq 5 AS a former Auto Express Car of the Year, the Ioniq 5 is a great EV. The 58kWh Premium model is the closest on price to our Ariya test model, but it falls short on range and power, meaning this two-wheel-drive car isn’t quite as fast. That’s not the case with…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● New model uses range-extending hybrid technology ● Up to 53.3mpg from set-up where engine powers electric motor THERE’S a huge focus on the Ariya SUV and Nissan’s full electrification in the future, but the company knows that not all of its customers are ready to make the jump just yet. Which is why the brand has developed the Qashqai e-Power. Think of it as a kind of range-extending hybrid and you’ll be somewhere close to the engineering concept. While it’s adapted from a similar set-up in the Japanese-market Nissan Note, the e-Power system has seen much engineering and tuning at Nissan’s technical centre in Cranfield to make it more European-focused. As a result, e-Power uses a clever 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a variable compression ratio that…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods ● New Golf-sized all-electric hatch goes on sale late this year ● Two battery options initially, 4WD version in development “The new MG looks unlike any of the brand’s current line-up, with a new design language” THIS is the latest all-electric member of the growing MG line-up: the MG4 – a cut-price alternative to the likes of the Volkswagen ID.3 and Nissan Leaf. Only revealed in Chinese specification as the MG Mulan a matter of weeks ago, the version destined for the UK is undergoing final testing. Its arrival on the European market has been confirmed for late this year and UK sales should start early in 2023. Despite the ever-growing importance of SUVs to manufacturers, family hatchbacks such as the MG4 remain hugely popular in Europe. Underlining…

Chris_Rosamond@autovia.co.uk ● Compulsory fitment now live ● Regs likely to affect UK, too NEW cars launched in the European Union after 6 July must have Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) tech fitted by law, and all the signs point to similar rules being applied in the UK. Many cars in Europe and the UK already have speed-limit assistance that relies on info from GPS mapping and road-sign recognition, but systems currently have to be switched on by the driver. Under the new EU regulations, ISA will be active by default, although drivers will, for now, be able to turn the systems off at the start of each journey. As part of the new EU General Safety Rule, manufacturers are able to choose how their systems notify drivers of a speed limit…