Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2026 i What Car?

FANCY A SUPERCOMPUTER with wheels? Buy a new Mercedes-Benz CLA, then. Its onboard computer apparently runs up to 280 million functions per second – qualifying it as a supercomputer, according to Mercedes. It’s brainy, then, but the CLA is also a very impressive executive car. Later, you’ll be able to buy a 1.5-litre petrol version too, but the 250+ EQ electric version is the sole offering for now. It’s rear-wheel drive and comes with an 85kWh (usable capacity) battery and a 268bhp electric motor. Next year, the options will expand to include a cheaper 200, with a 58kWh battery and around 200bhp, plus a 349bhp 350 4Matic with Tesla Model 3 Performancerivalling pace. The 250+ officially manages up to 484 miles between charges, which is top drawer; the best official…

RECYCLING OLD NAMES is all the rage with cars these days, but the Vauxhall Frontera is very different from its 1990s namesake. And that can only be a good thing; it’s a surprise that Vauxhall wants us to remember the rattly, agricultural machine of three decades ago. We can breathe a sigh of relief, then, that the new Frontera promises rather more sophistication than its primitive ancestor, thanks to sharing its underpinnings with the Citroën C3 Aircross. In common with its sibling, every Frontera uses electrification to some degree; there’s mild hybrid assistance for the petrol model, which fights the Dacia Duster and Renault Captur for buyers, and there’s a fully electric, er, Frontera Electric that takes on the Ford Puma Gen-E and Renault 4 (R4) – and the Citroën…

THERE’S AN OLD joke about Charles Dickens’ masterpiece Great Expectations, with the punchline: ‘It wasn’t as good as I thought it was going to be’. However, there’s also an underlying truth behind this that highlights the challenge facing the fully electric Hyundai Ioniq 6 N performance car. You see, when the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N hot hatch was launched in late 2023, little was expected of it because – at the time – it had few electric rivals, and none of them were much fun to drive. So, people were blown away when they discovered the 5 N was both faster than petrol alternatives and every bit as thrilling in its own way. But, of course, it’s going to be harder for this souped-up version of the Ioniq 6 executive…

“OUCH, THAT REALLY Smarts.” It’s a rare turn of phrase to hear these days, but the biggest model yet from the Chinese-owned brand could well make its Skoda Enyaq rival yelp with pain. The #5 is a virtual match for the Enyaq in size and price, being bigger and more expensive than the Skoda Elroq, our reigning Family Electric SUV of the Year. The #5 also faces the might of the Renault Scenic and Tesla Model Y. We’ve previously driven the #5 in high-spec trim on foreign roads, and now it’s the turn of the entry-level Pro model on home turf. It packs a 74.4kWh (usable capacity) battery for a 288-mile official range, giving it legs over the cheapest Enyaq (the 60, at 269 miles). There’s also a Pro+ version…

10 The number of new models Chinese brand Geely plans to launch in the UK over the next three years. Its first is the EX5 electric family SUV, which will be followed by more SUVs, plus small and family cars. They will have either electric or plug-in hybrid power. 300 How much (in pounds) it will cost per year to insure a new Toyota Aygo X, under the brand’s three-year fixed insurance offer. The deal is available on nine Toyota models. Drivers must be 27 or older, have a clean licence and register their new car before the end of February 2026. 7 The time (in minutes) it should take Bentley’s first electric model (currently called the Urban Luxury SUV) to gain 100 miles of range when charging. When it…

NEW CITROËN C3 1.2 Turbo 100 Plus List price £18,805 Best price £16,590 With an SUV-like shape, the latest C3 promises to be relatively spacious and practical, and it undercuts most rivals on price RENAULT CLIO 1.0 TCe 90 Evolution List price £18,995 Best price £17,995 In mid-range Techno trim, the Clio is our reigning Small Car of the Year. Is it such a great buy in entry-level form, though? WITH ICONIC BRANDS such as Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton all calling France their home, it’s little wonder that the country is synonymous with designer fashion. In fact, even outside of fashion, it’s hard to imagine a French brand that doesn’t place great emphasis on style. Cars makers Citroën and Renault are no exception, although they’ve always been very good…

HISTORY IS LITTERED with musical supergroups boasting phenomenal talent but which never really made much of a dent on the charts: Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgers in The Firm; the Taylors from Duran Duran and Robert Palmer in The Power Station. Yet the same concept has delivered huge success for the likes of the Foo Fighters, Mike + The Mechanics and Traveling Wilburys. It’s a point I was mulling over as I collected my new E-Class Estate from Mercedes-Benz’s vast showroom in Brooklands, Surrey. I was particularly excited to take delivery because the E300de model blends two bits of automotive brilliance: a longlegged diesel engine and the serenity and zero-emissions ability of a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). And over the next few months, I’ll find out whether it’s top of the…

I’VE RUN LOTS of different types of cars over the years. There was the Renault Kangoo van, which gave me acres of space but not much comfort. Then there was the Dacia Jogger, which provided more comfort but little in the way of luxury. And most recently there was the Ford Ranger Raptor, which conquered everything I asked of it but wasn’t exactly subtle. But none of them has suited me as well as my Volkswagen Passat; it is simply the best vehicle I’ve ever had. Let’s start with the obvious metric for a jobbing photographer: how much boot space the Passat offers. Not only could it carry the same amount of kit as the Raptor, but it did so more securely, and without the need for ratchet straps to…

ON SALE FROM 2021-present PRICE FROM £12,000 OUR FAVOURITE VERSION 60 Loft WE LIKE • Extremely spacious interior • Comfortable ride • Huge boot • Well equipped in all guises • Excellent value for money WE DON’T LIKE •  Slow-witted infotainment system •  Not the sharpest to drive •  Some suspension noise over bumps THE SKODA ENYAQ may share much of its underpinnings with several other electric SUVs (including the Audi Q4 e-tron and Volkswagen ID 4), but like Baby Bear’s porridge, it has proved to be the one that’s ‘just right’. Whether you’re talking about price, practicality, interior quality or comfort, the Enyaq ticks all of the boxes to be in the sweet spot. If it’s a strong contender when new, the Enyaq is an even better choice as…

THERE IS AN argument that a Kinder Surprise egg is far less satisfying nowadays than it used to be back in the 1990s. Okay, those in agreement might be showing their age, but the reason for this isn’t down to the outer chocolate shell; it’s because the toys inside used to be better made and far more desirable. Owners of the 2017 Volkswagen T-Roc can relate. It was an immediate sales success, bringing the same aspirational energy to the small SUV class as the VW Golf does among family cars – despite the fact that its exterior was rather tastier than what lurked within. Now, though, with this second-generation model, VW promises buyers a real treat when they prise the T-Roc open. More on the interior later; first, a look…

WHEN DINING At a fancy restaurant, a menu full of unfamiliar dishes and ingredients often leads to the nervous question: “Excuse me, what’s this?”. It’s also a situation that new car buyers can find themselves in, especially when looking at the fresh wave of electric models. By naming its first all-electric car the e-Vitara, though, Suzuki is reassuring buyers that this is no alien and scary departure, but an electric equivalent of the same no-nonsense small SUV formula that the regular petrol-engined Vitara has followed for 37-odd years. A fresh rival to the Kia EV3 and Renault 4 (R4), the e-Vitara offers a choice of two batteries. The 49kWh version (47.8kWh usable) has a 142bhp electric motor and a 9.6sec 0-62mph time, and we’ve yet to try it. We have,…

THE LATEST TREND in cinema is remaking classic films for the modern age. Witness Dune, Nosferatu andThe Lion King, which sought to appeal to fans of the originals while adding a fresh twist to attract new admirers. The new Renault Twingo follows similar lines; its looks pays tribute to the much-loved first-generation Twingo from 1993, and switching to electric power might help its box office success. The originalTwingo was never officially sold in the UK (it was offered only with left-hand drive), but Renault will correct that mistake with the new version. It follows in the footsteps of the brand’s other fantastic electric models, including our reigning Car of the Year, the Renault 5 (R5), by marrying retro-inspired style with the very latest in technology. In fact, the Twingo will…

IF THERE’S A manufacturer that exemplifies the phrase‘spoilt for choice’, it’s Porsche. Indeed, the brand offers so many variants of its high-end models that it’s not always easy to decide on the best one – and now there’s another option if you’re interested in the Macan Electric: the new GTS. This sports SUV is one of five models in the Macan Electric line-up, slotting in between the 4S and range-topping Turbo. Power comes from a pair of electric motors – one on each axle to make it four-wheel drive. These pump out 509bhp in normal driving, or 563bhp when using launch control. As the most driver-focused variant, the GTS has a slightly shorter range than even the Turbo, but it’s still respectable. Officially, it can cover up to 363 miles…

THE GOVERNMENT WILL launch a review into car headlight design as more and more drivers complain of being dazzled at night. A study by the Transport Research Laboratory, commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT), found that 96% of drivers surveyed thought most or some vehicle headlights were too bright. The data also suggested that LED and whiter headlights might be more difficult for drivers to cope with, because they emit more blue light – which human eyes struggle to adjust to at night. The results of this study will inform the Government’s upcoming Road Safety Strategy, which will also consider measures such as introducing eyesight tests for drivers over the age of 70 that could result in a driving ban if they fail, together with a reduction in the…

THE CHANCES ARE that if you drive a petrol or diesel car and find that you need more fuel part-way through a long journey, you don’t give it much thought, because you know you’ll be able to locate a service station before it’s too late. But if you drive an electric vehicle (EV) that’s in need of a top-up, rather more forward planning might be necessary. Assuming your goal is to replenish the battery as quickly as possible so you can be on your way without delay, you’ll want to use an ultra-rapid charger – one that’s capable of delivering rates of 150kW or faster. These can generally provide a 10-80% top-up in 20 to 30 minutes. But first you’ll need to identify a site that isn’t too much of…

50 Dacia Jogger Our pick 1.0 TCe 110 Expression List price £20,270 Best price £20,270 Engine 3cyl, 999cc, turbo, petrol Gearbox 6-spd manual 0-62mph 11.2sec Top speed 114mph Fuel economy 47.9mpg CO2 132g/km WANT A LOT of seats for not a lot of money? Look no further than the Dacia Jogger. It is, quite simply, the cheapest new seven-seater you can buy in the UK – but in typical Dacia fashion, there’s more to this car than a low price tag. This is an MPV with genuine sevenseat usability, meaning even adults can fit in the third row. On top of that, it handles tidily and – even in entrylevel Expression trim – it’s generously equipped, with such niceties as keyless entry and a rear-view camera. We’d stick with the 1.0-litre…

LEANING ON YOUR heritage doesn’t guarantee success in the automotive world. Sure, the ‘new’ Fiat 500 and Mini hatch have been massive hits, but the reimagined Volkswagen Beetle never really took off in the UK and, despite its undoubted brilliance, the Alpine A110 hasn’t sold very well, either. So, while launching a reinvented Land Rover Defender might seem like a no-brainer with the benefit of hindsight, it didn’t seem a fait accompli when we first tested it during the early days of the Covid pandemic – especially considering that the latest model is a very different SUV from its predecessor. It’s much bigger, for starters, it sits on car-like ‘monocoque’ underpinnings (rather than an old-school ladder frame chassis) and it’s vastly more expensive. My 110 D350 Sedona Edition, which is…

Mileage 2727 List price £33,400 Best price £31,900 Price as tested £38,800 Test economy 57.6mpg THE WIND IN my hair, the roar of wheels against Tarmac, the sensation of cornering as quickly as my balance would allow… yes, it’s a long time since I last went roller skating, and it’s not something I’m inclined to do again at this stage in life. Fortunately, my Alfa Romeo Junior Ibreda provides some of the same thrills. Living, as I do, in Greater London, the Junior has reminded me how free and at ease you can feel when behind the wheel of a small, nimble car. Indeed, compared with the whale that was the Skoda Kodiaq I ran previously, the Junior is a minnow. True, before I moved up to that seven-seater, I…

Mileage 3218 List price £53,230 Best price £51,995 Price as tested £56,080 Test economy 49.8mpg “IT WILL BE interesting to see what fuel economy I get on longer drives,” I said in my first report on the Mazda CX-80. And, sure enough, its efficiency has varied wildly, depending on the type of journey I’m making. In my first month or so with this big, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, I was almost exclusively doing short hops in stop-start city traffic, so I could spend virtually all of the time running on electric power. And consequently I averaged a whopping 199.9mpg – 23.3mpg better than the official figure. However, I then went through a period where I not only had to travel much farther afield, but also found myself unable to use…

PRICE TODAY FROM 10,000* HYUNDAI i10 1.2 Premium List price when new £16,480 Available from 2020-present The i10 is surprisingly spacious, generously equipped and has a comfy ride. It’s a great all-rounder PRICE TODAY FROM £10,000* TOYOTA AYGO 1.0 VVT-i Edge List price when new £16,505 Available from 2022-present The Aygo X brings chunky SUV-like looks and a keen sense of fun, plus a lot of standard safety kit WHILE THE SUV market flourishes, small petrol-powered hatchbacks are thin on the ground these days. Those that remain on sale, though, are impressively diverse, as is demonstrated by the current generation of the Hyundai i10 and outgoing Toyota Aygo X. Launched in 2020 and 2022 respectively, the i10 follows traditional hatchback styling cues, whereas the Aygo X’s black cladding and chunky…

Ford Focus 2016-2025 The final generation of this family car wasn’t as revolutionary as the first THESE DAYS, IF you see a red telephone box, you’re probably in a conservation area. And it probably doesn’t even have a phone in it – perhaps a mini library or a defibrillator instead. It’s a far cry from what Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s design classic represented at the beginning; 35,000 K6 phone boxes were in situ by 1940, bringing instant communication to many villages for the first time. Now, it’s not as if – before the 1998 Ford Focus – we didn’t have cars. But getting behind the wheel of a Focus after driving its predecessor, the Ford Escort, was like suddenly being able to text after years of trudging to the Post Office…

‘SUPERHERO FATIGUE’ is often talked about in film and TV; it suggests that the once-popular genre has become oversaturated, leaving audiences tired and demanding some variety. If you feel much the same way about Volvo’s SUVheavy electric car line-up, you’ll be glad the new ES90 exists, if only to break the mould. While it shares its underpinnings with the EX90 SUV, the ES90 is an executive car that rivals the Audi A6 e-tron, BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE. There are three versions to choose from. The 328bhp, rear-wheel-drive Single Motor Extended Range comes with an 88kWh (usable capacity) battery for an official range of up to 407 miles. The 456bhp Twin Motor and 671bhp TwinMotor Performance are four wheel drive and can officially cover up to 435 miles between top-ups…

IF YOU’VE EVER flown a modern glider, you’ll have been told that for every foot gained in altitude, you will be able to fly an extra 40ft in distance. This is the Glide Ratio, and a skilled pilot can use it as the basis to cover hundreds of miles in the air with no engine as back-up. In other words, tiny gains can take things a long way, and Alfa Romeo hopes that philosophy will be enough for its updated Tonale family SUV to go the distance. Among the small but meaningful changes are that the distance between the left and right-hand wheels has been increased by just a single centimetre with the aim of sharpening up the Tonale’s handling. It certainly hasn’t hurt things; the steering is now that…

FRENCH BRAND ALPINE is best known for making lightweight and agile sports cars. Those are two traits that don’t typically go hand in hand with electric cars, but they’re exactly what the Renault-owned company is aiming for with its all-new A390 electric SUV. In fact, Alpine wants to break the mould by disguising the car’s two-tonne heft and making it feel like a sports car to drive. A pretty tall order, we’re sure you’ll agree, and it’s one that Lotus failed to achieve with its Eletre SUV. Longer and slightly lower than the Renault Scenic with which it shares its basic underpinnings, the A390 is equipped with three electric motors – two for the back wheels and one for the fronts. The total power output depends on which version you…

THEY SAY YOU can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but what if that statement was reversed and posed as a question: can you teach a new dog old tricks? The Kia K4 has the answer. You see, it’s brand new and rather striking, with a model name you’re unlikely to be familiar with. Some will be reassured, though, that beneath its avant-garde exterior, the K4 does things the old-fashioned way. It’s a petrolengined family car to replace the Kia Ceed, and that makes it a rival for the class-leading Toyota Corolla, fine-driving Seat Leon and ever-popular Volkswagen Golf. The 147bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine of the late-stage K4 prototype we’ve driven wasn’t quite production spec; we’re told that its turbocharger will be replaced with a more responsive one, and…

TOYOTA HAS REINVENTED the ‘Century’ name as a high-end luxury sub-brand – and the first model it has revealed is a four-door grand tourer concept called the Century Coupé. The name was first seen on the Toyota Century, a luxury saloon introduced in 1967 that was aimed predominantly at Japanese buyers. It was joined by a luxury SUV in 2023, but both models were still badged as Toyotas. The Century sub-brand will sit at the pinnacle of the Toyota group’s hierarchy, above Lexus, offering luxury models to rival well-established and exclusive brands such as Bentley and Rolls-Royce. These models will be highly personalised and available only in small numbers. The Century Coupé concept looks like a rival to the Bentley Continental GT. However, it has four sliding doors and a…

TOYOTA IS PART-WAY through a major refresh of its model lineup. Its latest fruits are the C-HR+ electric family SUV and heavily updated Aygo X small car. Despite its familiar-sounding name, the C-HR+ is an entirely new model that’s offered as an all-electric alternative to the existing C-HR hybrid. Sharing its underpinnings with today’s Toyota bZ4X, it’s slightly longer than the regular C-HR, promising more interior space. The C-HR+ offers a choice of two battery options: 54kWh and 72kWh (usable capacity). The bigger one gives the C-HR+ an official range of up to 372 miles and can be replenished at rates of up to 150kW, allowing a 10-80% top-up in about half an hour in optimum conditions. The Aygo X isn’t entirely new, but much of what’s under the surface…

Mileage 1786 List price £39,995 Best price £34,999 Price as tested £40,645 Test range 268 miles DO ANDROIDS DREAM of Electric Sheep? This novel, by Philip K Dick, is one of my favourites, while the 1982 science fiction movie it inspired – Blade Runner – is right up there among my top films. And, sitting behind the wheel of my Vauxhall Grandland Electric, I can’t help but think of the hovering car that the world-weary protagonist, Rick Deckard, uses when tracking down replicants for ‘retiring’. Blade Runner’s visual cues were designed by the futurist and all-round genius Syd Mead in the late 1970s, and I reckon he’d be impressed by the Grandland’s interior. It’s all interesting angles, projecting edges and contrasting materials, with a sleek, narrow screen for driver information…

Mileage 3401 List price £52,185 Best price £41,491 Price as tested £56,335 Test range 270 miles TOUCHSCREENS IN CARS are a sensitive modern issue, due to the driver distraction they can cause, but I reckon the one in my Capri is cleverer than most. It’s a 14.9in, portrait-orientated unit and, as in the closely related Ford Explorer, it features Ford’s new Sync Move feature, which allows you to adjust the screen vertically in a 30-degree arc. That allows you to bring the top or bottom of it closer to you or reduce glare, and also covers up a central cubby to keep any valuables out of sight. In addition, the icon for adjusting the air temperature is right by my left knee, so it’s always easy to locate and doesn’t…

Mileage on arrival 40,181 Mileage now 41,965 List price when new £56,545 Value on arrival £16,500 Test range 282 miles I’M SO SORRY… after vowing in the first piece I wrote about my Tesla Model 3 not to mention Elon Musk, I can’t resist. How could I after hearing from What Car? consumer editor Claire Evans what a brilliant job my car did when she borrowed it to lug around six child seats for a test? It is, I thought, as though father-of-at-least-14 Musk ordered the Model 3 design team to use baby carriers as a storage benchmark. Anyway, Claire told me:“I’ve had trouble fitting child seats into cars in the past, because they’re quite bulky, but the Model 3 was excellent. I didn’t expect all six to go in,…

‘We’ve got Best Buys for every need’ THE WHAT CAR? TEAM BEST PRICE As the name suggests, this is the best price we’ve seen, whether it’s a factory order or an in-stock car available through our partnership with Autotrader. All best prices are correct at the time of this issue going to press. HOW WE RANK OUR TOP 10s Every year, we drive hundreds of new or updated models. We test them back to back with rivals. We look at everything from comfort to costs, practicality to performance, and refinement to reliability. Then, armed with all the facts, we can definitively name the best model in each class, plus its closest rivals (and the ones to avoid). No matter what your priorities are, you’ll find a car that’s ideal for…