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IT’S telling, isn’t it, that the country in Europe enjoying some of the lowest insurance premium rises is one where the government has made it clear to insurers that the costs of inflation are not to be dumped wholesale on the backs of consumers. An intervention from the French finance ministry back in 2022, with the veiled threat of windfall taxes, resulted in an ‘anti-inflation’ package that saw “insurers mobilising to protect the wallets of the French as much as possible”. Those are their own industry association’s words, not mine. How different from UK motor insurers’ greedy ‘squeeze ’til the pips squeak’ approach. It’s time our Government stepped in to protect consumers here, too.…

THE facelifted Volkswagen Golf Mk8.5 (below) is on sale now, starting from £27,035. Pure petrol and mild-hybrid engines will be offered first, with plugin hybrid, GTI and GTE cars to follow. Life, Match and Style trims will be available on the hatchback, alongside Life and Style for the Estate, which starts at £28,400 in base trim. All cars get new LED lights (matrix beams are an optional extra), as well as a new 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen with illuminated sliders for the climate control. Sportier R-Line models will be available to order from 25 April, bringing a “wealth of sporty styling and additional features” according to VW. These include 17-inch wheels and a subtle bodykit, plus a heated leather-trimmed steering wheel. The standard Golf is available with a 113bhp 1.5 TSI paired…

Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk @EllisDrives Goes on sale with the e-C3 Petrol and mild-hybrid options THIS is the all-new, fourth-generation Citroen C3. If you’re experiencing deja vu, that’s because an electric version (badged e-C3) was unveiled last year. But now the petrol model has arrived, to take on the value-focused Dacia Sandero. The C3 sits on the same ‘Smart Car’ platform that underpins the new Vauxhall Frontera (Issue 1,826), and this can accommodate a selection of powertrains. The C3 range kicks off with a turbocharged 1.2-litre engine that produces 99bhp, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. Above this is the Hybrid 100 set-up, which uses the same petrol engine paired with a six-speed auto and a 28bhp electric motor. The e-motor is powered by a 48V battery; Citroen claims the hybrid C3 can…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks Verstappen favourite but Ferraris show promise Alonso staying at Aston Martin until ’26 AFTER five hectic years, Formula One will finally return to China. The race in Shanghai has been suspended over the past few seasons due to the Covid pandemic, but we’re ready to see the lights go out on a circuit that has provided plenty of entertainment since it was added to the F1 calendar in 2004. The layout of the 3.3-mile, 16-corner track is unchanged, but the teams will essentially be treating the Shanghai circuit as an all-new venue, considering that this is the first time the latest ground-effect F1 cars will have raced there. There might be precious little data for teams to use going into the weekend, but what is certain is that…

ROSS Boulton’s wife bought him an F1 Drive Experience for his birthday and this was his first visit. So how did the birthday boy get on? “It’s brilliant,” said Ross. “It’s much quicker than I thought it was going to be. Clearly you hear that they’re electric and obviously electric cars get up to speed quickly, but the karts are really nippy and really grippy.” Ross has been an F1 fan for 37 years since the age of four, so did he feel that he’d got a real F1 experience? “Yeah, it’s really good,” he said. “They’ve done it really well – there’s lots of memorabilia about, so it’s really good for any F1 fan to come down and have a go. “The kart felt heavy to start with, but…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk REMOVING the roof from any sports car usually requires a lot of engineering work, and compromises compared with the equivalent coupé. But Aston Martin doesn’t see it that way with this new DB12 Volante. The reason why is simple. When they built the all-new DB12 coupé, Aston’s engineers left absolutely no stone unturned, so they claim. The chassis, suspension, steering, engine mounts, drivetrain, you name it – the entire car was engineered from its wheelnuts up, to be more complete than any previous Aston. So when it came to removing the roof and creating the Volante version, it was, relatively speaking, a pretty straightforward exercise. No extra strengthening bars or beams were required. The suspension didn’t need to be redesigned in any way. The steering could be left just…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy We crunch the numbers & list our top choices COMPANY cars are leading the push towards electric, thanks to huge potential savings for those who switch to a zero-emissions choice. But which are the best models? We’ve brought together six of the top executive options, pitching the latest Tesla Model 3 against rivals from the likes of BMW, Hyundai and VW. And we’ve broadened the net to round up great picks with a variety of bodystyles (and power sources), based on P11D price categories. Finally, we take a nostalgic look back at when ‘repmobiles’ ruled the market in a different way.…

MODEL TESTED: ID.7 Pro Match PRICE: £51,550 POWERTRAIN: 1x motor, 77kWh battery 77kWh Battery/range 383 miles 282bhp Powertrain 1x e-motor 6.5 seconds Performance 112mph 532 litres Seats up/down 1,586 litres VOLKSWAGEN’S first ground-up EV based on its MEB architecture, the ID.3, launched with a huge amount of fanfare, but didn’t quite hit the mark. However, the potential of the platform has since been unlocked with a mid-life update for the electric hatch, plus the introduction of the fabulously charming ID.Buzz MPV. The ID.7 is to the Passat what the ID.3 is to the Golf, which means the model slots into this all-electric company car contest perfectly. It seems as if Volkswagen’s constant refinements of the MEB platform have taken another step here, because in many ways the ID.7 is the…

MODEL TESTED: eDrive35 M Sport PRICE: £52,255 POWERTRAIN: 1x motor, 70.2kWh batt. 70.2kWh Battery/range 284 miles 282bhp Powertrain 1x e-motor 6.0 seconds Performance 118mph 470 litres Seats up/down 1,290 litres WHILE the BMW i4 isn’t an all-new car, we’re testing it here with a new addition to the powertrain options. The eDrive35 is now the entry point to the range, undercutting the existing eDrive40 by almost £8,000. The compromise for that lower price is that power drops from 321bhp to 282bhp, torque is 30Nm lower, at 400Nm, and the battery capacity now stands at 67kWh, down from 77.4kWh. At £52,255, this M Sport trim is still one of the more expensive cars in this test to buy outright, but thanks to a mix of a £1,561 deposit contribution from BMW…

SINCE all six of these cars sit in the two per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax bracket, the annual liability for each car comes down to their respective P11D prices. And because the BYD is the least expensive car here, it has the lowest BiK costs, at £194.56 for 20 per cent taxpayers in the 2024/25 tax year. The Polestar 2 is close behind, at £195.58, but the only other car here that dips below the £200 mark is the Tesla, at £199.74. The VW weighs in at £205.98, the BMW is £208.80 and the Hyundai Ioniq 6 costs £215.94 a year. If you’re a 40 per cent taxpayer, simply double all of these figures. While electric cars started out with zero BiK costs to incentivise their uptake with business users, they…

IT’S amazing how the expectations of company car drivers just a couple of generations apart differ. In the fifties, an A-Z atlas, a built-in heater and some woolly seat covers were considered the height of luxury for reps, whereas the company car driver of 2024 won’t accept anything less than voice control and massaging seats. By the late sixties a pushbutton radio was as much as you could hope for, and it wasn’t until well into the eighties that cruise control, anti-lock brakes and electric windows might be up for grabs. In the nineties car phones became the norm, although by 1976 there were already 250,000 radio telephones in use across the UK, despite the £750 purchase cost (£4,800 in today’s money) and call charges of 24p per minute, equivalent…

Tom_Jervis@autovia.co.uk @thomaswjervis BREAK out the shorts and sun cream because summer is fast approaching. And if you’re after something more ‘full throttle’ than a day at the beach, then check out our list of the best automotive-themed days out over the next few months. As you’ll discover over these four pages, there’s action on four (and occasionally two) wheels happening this year to suit all tastes, whether you’re into spectacular supercars or the latest thing in EV tech. Not only have we compiled a rundown of the biggest events that are occurring in the UK over the summer, but we’ve also highlighted a handful of our favourite car-related locations that you can visit anytime you fancy a great day out. Fingers crossed for good weather! 1 South Wales Car Festival…

Genesis Electrified GV70 YOU should have seen deputy editor Richard Ingram’s face when his Genesis Electrified GV70 turned up late last year – complete with its bright white Nappa leather seats and matching steering wheel. You see, Rich is a family man. He uses his car for all kinds of outdoorsy activities, including a weekly pilgrimage to his local Parkrun. Often, that includes throwing his daughter’s buggy in the back so they can run the route together, which in the winter can be quite a filthy affair. Rich was worried that the GV70’s interior wouldn’t stay light and bright for long. Yet four months in, and the cabin is looking almost as fresh as the day it left the factory – and without any special products, or a laborious cleaning…

Bristol Six-cylinder Cars Christopher Balfour (Amberley, mberley-books.com) Price: £15.99 Rating: A SHORT and sweet title detailing these gorgeous aircraft-inspired cars. Imagery throughout is period and looks great. It’s presented more as prose or a ramble than a reference title, with the author’s own experiences and stories interwoven. Good to read, but a bit digressive. Great Cars: TWR-Porsche WSC95 Serge Vanbockryck (Porter Press, porterpress.co.uk) Price: £69 Rating: THE union of a TWR Jaguar chassis and a Porsche engine, the TWR-Porsche WSC95 may have only contested five races but it won three of them, including at Le Mans. Its history is presented here in huge detail, from the original chassis results right up to a gallery of today’s car. Prime Peaks Available for: iOS, Android Price: Free Rating: CUTE, slick graphics and…

CO2/tax 120g/km £190 Running costs 53mpg (TCe 90) £74 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 11.7 seconds/111mph EVERYBODY loves a bargain, but British new-car buyers are generally in love with premium brands, so when Renault introduced its cut-price car marque to the UK in 2013, nobody was quite sure which way it would go. It was either going to go stratospheric or be a terrible failure, and thankfully for Dacia it was a massive hit. Since then the Romanian brand has gone from strength to strength across Europe, including in the UK, with around a quarter of a million cars sold here in little more than a decade. Leading the charge is the Sandero, which is especially popular in higher-riding Stepway form. It beat the Citroen C3 in a 2023 twin test,…

Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk @EllisDrives Android Automotive OS, as used by Renault and Volvo New lights and grille, along with new N-Design trim THEY say don’t mess with success, but the facelifted Nissan Qashqai flies in the face of that. The top-selling family SUV has been treated to an aggressive makeover, along with some big technology upgrades in an effort to make it more competitive against the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage. Nissan’s VP of Design for Europe, Matthew Weaver, believes the dramatic redesign has transformed the Qashqai “from Clark Kent into Superman”. The striking new grille is covered in a complex pattern of gloss black scales inspired by traditional Japanese armour. It’s complemented by a new, sharper daytime running light design that comprises a larger element following the bonnet line, plus five…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Alfa Romeo re-enters the small SUV sector with new Milano Buyers will be offered choice of pure-electric and petrol models IT’S almost six years since Alfa Romeo axed the Mito – but the iconic Italian brand is now returning to the small-car market with this new SUV, called Milano. It’s the company’s twist on the formula already used by Stellantis stablemates Opel/Vauxhall (Mokka), Fiat (600), Peugeot (2008) and Jeep (Avenger). It uses the group’s e-CMP2 modular architecture and will be offered with a choice of two electric-motor versions or a 48-volt petrol hybrid. The Milano is actually one of the bigger e-CMP2 creations; at 4.17 metres long, it’s a few centimetres up on both the Avenger and Mokka, though pretty much identical to the 600 and a fair…

New addition offers sporty style on i20 WHILE we’re still mourning the demise of Hyundai’s i20 N hot hatch, the maker is looking to distract us with a new N Line S trim for its updated supermini (above). Combining exterior and interior design elements inspired by Hyundai’s N brand, N Line S offers a bodykit and sporty seat trim, plus unique 17-inch wheels and LED lights front and rear. Prices start from £24,180 and all cars come with the 99bhp 1.0-litre turbo engine, and a manual or auto gearbox. DVLA censors reveal their banned 74 plates A LIST of ‘74’ registrations deemed “too rude for the road” has been revealed by the DVLA ahead of September’s plate change. It includes the likes of ‘74 NAL’, ‘FA74 NNY’, ‘SH74 TDD’ and…

THIS is the “most complete Ford hot hatch ever”, according to its maker. The £42,905 Focus ST Edition features adjustable KW coilover suspension and Brembo front brakes, plus lightweight alloy wheels. The ST Edition uses the same 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine as existing Focus STs, with 276bhp and 420Nm of torque. That adjustable suspension is 10mm lower than standard, and can be tweaked manually by another 20mm. The set-up offers 12 ‘jounce’ and 16 ‘rebound’ settings, while a technical document details parameters for the gruelling Nürburgring Nordschleife race circuit. Inside, there’s a B&O stereo, plus Driver Assist and Winter packs. All cars are painted Azura Blue with High Gloss Black details.…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Isn’t there a rule over spares availability? FROM: Rod Greenwood I’VE always believed new cars sold in Britain must be backed with manufacturer spares for at least a certain length of time. Why are we hearing that parts for cars made in China are difficult or even impossible to get? There’s no rule – it’s down to individual makers CR. Compatibility is key issue for wall boxes FROM: Robin Perry A MAJOR feature was missed in your Mini Test of wall boxes. Not all these are compatible with the best EV electricity supply rates, such as Intelligent Octopus Go. Access to low rates without car maker support – frequently problematic – is vitally important to low-cost charging. Compare like for like with range and times FROM: Stephen Getting…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks WE like the Skoda Kodiaq here at Auto Express, having given the first-generation model our ‘Large SUV of the Year’ award in 2023. And it appears you’re fond of it, too, because the UK is the second-strongest market for Skoda’s family SUV (just behind Germany). Now there’s a new Kodiaq, and with competition from the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe and a new Peugeot 5008 as tough as ever, Skoda can’t rest on its laurels with this second-generation model. The new Kodiaq sticks to the same formula as the original, with a focus on practicality, a choice of five or seven seats, petrol or diesel engines and two or four-wheel drive. From launch, the Kodiaq is only available in basic £36,645 SE and more upmarket seven-seat only £40,205…

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk Running costs 49.0mpg (official) £60 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.3 seconds/119mph “It remains a solid and well built interior, but we wouldn’t call it particularly plush” THE T-Cross has been a popular model for Volkswagen since it was launched, often featuring in the upper end of the sales charts. Yet so fastmoving is this small SUV class that VW cannot rest on its laurels, making this mid-life update critical for future success. As before, the T-Cross uses the same platform as the Polo supermini, plus a swathe of VW Group SUVs including the Skoda Kamiq and SEAT Arona. All are based on the MQB-A0 architecture, limiting them to a relatively rudimentary torsion beam rear-suspension design. What this platform does allow for is excellent space efficiency and flexibility, something seen…

MODEL TESTED: Model 3 Long Range PRICE: £49,990 POWERTRAIN: 2x motors, 75kWh battery 75kWh Battery/range 390 miles 491bhp Powertrain 2x e-motors 4.2 seconds Performance 125mph 425 litres Seats up/down N/A SURROUNDED by the usual hype of a Tesla launch, the Model 3 first hit North America in 2017 and reached the UK two years later. Now the brand’s smallest model – and the one that’s arguably best suited to British roads – has received its first significant update. On the outside, a subtle styling revamp inspired by the company’s Roadster sports car has made an already slippery body even more aerodynamically efficient, while the cabin gets a cleaner look that has even fewer physical controls than before. The 15.4-inch screen operates nearly everything; even selecting drive or reverse now requires…

MODEL TESTED: Long Range Single Motor PRICE: £48,950 POWERTRAIN: 1x motor, 82kWh battery 82.0kWh Battery/range 365 miles 295bhp Powertrain 1x e-motor 5.9 seconds Performance 127mph 448 litres Seats up/down 1,097 litres A MID-life refresh for the Polestar 2 was applied last year, and it introduced updated motors, battery packs and control systems to improve performance, range and efficiency. The Single Motor Long Range model moved its electric motor from the front axle to the rear, while the new configuration’s 295bhp and 490Nm are a significant 67bhp and 160Nm improvement on the original model’s. At 82kWh, the Polestar 2 has one of the largest batteries in this group, which translates to an official range of 365 miles – it’s bettered only by the Tesla and Volkswagen – while the 105kWh charging…

Pete_Baiden@autovia.co.uk @PeteBaiden Running costs Official range/tax 353 miles/2% Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 570/1,610 litres A RECENT report from UK leasing company Zenith suggested that half of all electric-car drivers also have a petrol or diesel car as a back-up, and until recently that was the case for me. But no more. The arrival of a Skoda Enyaq Coupé 85 Edition in the Baiden household means we are now a fully electric family for the first time and I’m looking forward to seeing how we will cope over the coming months. I have always had a petrol-powered car on the Auto Express fleet, so for the past few years I plumped for an electric car as our own personal back-up – currently a Hyundai Ioniq 5. I love it and find…

Cops and Milltek show how it’s done MILLTEK Sport has turned its aftermarket exhaust expertise to a rather unusual target: the police. Devon and Cornwall Police’s modified Ford Focus RS is a project by the force to show legal car modification for enthusiasts, and has been enhanced by Milltek Sport’s fully ECE-approved stainless steel exhaust system. Milltek says this is the only performance exhaust available for the Mk3 Focus RS that’s legal on UK roads, making it ideal for engaging with the modified car community. Hyundai’s EV gets its own Pirellis PIRELLI will supply the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N with a specially adapted version of its P Zero performance tyre. The Ioniq 5 N is Hyundai’s new high-performance EV, so Pirelli has redeveloped the P Zero Elect to provide maximum…

WHAT’S the world’s most versatile and prolific car designer supposed to do after spending decades creating automotive masterpieces including the reborn MINI, several Ferraris, Maseratis and McLarens, plus a Fiat, BMW, and a Ford or three? What he could be doing is hanging up his box of crayons, putting his feet up and smugly reflecting on his work-related triumphs, plus his recent induction into The Motoring Hall of Fame. Except he can’t because he’s Frank Stephenson – a workaholic nonconformist with an incurable desire for, and devotion to, designing consumer products. On behalf of some of the most respected and demanding manufacturers who queued to secure his services, he created several world-class cars of the urban, family, sports, super and hyper variety. But more lately, at his Frank Stephenson Design…

WE were invited to catch up with Nissan’s European design boss to quiz him on all things Qashqai. Q The Qashqai is such a successful car. Were you nervous about changing its design so dramatically? A “Absolutely. But in the team are hands that have worked on every generation, and then we’ve put our best young guys on it too. We have a good team, but it’s still nerve-wracking because the car is so successful.” Q Do you believe the Qashqai’s new look will help it stand out in a very busy segment? A “I do. With Qashqai we say it’s ‘just right’ and we work on this very hard. Just the right size; the right balance of robustness and sportiness. We don’t want to go too overt. We want…

Former Peugeot boss Jean-Philippe Imparato has returned Alfa Romeo to profit and is now sticking to a plan to introduce a new car every year until 2026. Q Which bit of the Milano are you most proud of? A “I’m very proud that we are launching it with the sport version, the Veloce. I personally fought a lot to be able to say, ‘I’ve launched it with the sporty version first – 20-inch wheels, etc.’ The way we’ve worked on this car is really cool.” Q Is there anything you’d like to have added, given unlimited funds? A “It’s not a question about having a blank cheque, but if I had no regulations, I’d bring in a 300bhp engine. But I’m working within the rules. I already have the engine,…

Chris_rosamond@autovia.co.uk Payouts also rise in Q4 2023 but policy cost increases are higher Shocking disparity with the Continent’s single-digit increases LATEST industry data shows car-insurance payouts have reached record levels, with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) claiming its members cough up £1.13million in payouts every hour. But a look beneath that figure reveals payouts rose by just 18 per cent in 2023, while the increase in average driver premiums hit 34 per cent for the final quarter of last year. As UK premiums were hiked, drivers in other European countries affected by many of the same inflationary pressures blamed by the ABI for spiralling UK insurance costs have faced more modest car-insurance price rises. For example, in its full-year financial results, the UK’s biggest insurer, Admiral, says that it…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m). Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 0113 222 2010 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0808 164 1923 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with makers…

FLEDGLING electric-car maker Fisker has slashed prices of existing stock as it struggles to secure its financial future. Discounts of up to £14,000 are available on the Ocean SUV, but aftersales support isn’t guaranteed. That discount brings the price of a range-topping Ocean Extreme down to £43,900 – less than the most basic Tesla Model Y. The entry-level Ocean Sport now costs £30,900. But as attractive as the new prices may be, Fisker is warning that “due to the current economic situation, there is a risk of limited support and limited services for the vehicles.” The statement reads: “Buyers must expect a permanent loss of the enforceability of claims for material defects and warranty claims.” Fisker recently failed to secure investment which would have led to development of a pick-up.…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy MERCEDES was right in the middle of the premium-badged pack when it came to introducing all-electric SUVs – so the time has already arrived for the Stuttgart brand to update one of its key zero-emissions models: the EQA. It’s perhaps a reflection of how quickly the EV market is moving along that the upgrades are actually pretty significant. Yes, there’s standard facelift fare, such as a redesigned grille, different front and rear bumpers, new alloy wheel designs and a fresh lighting signature. But inside, you’ll also find a new steering wheel with touch-sensitive controls (alarm bells ringing here), along with a tweaked centre console that now incorporates a storage tray. The dash is still dominated by a pair of 10.25-inch displays, one for infotainment, the other for instruments.…

MODEL TESTED: Seal Excellence AWD PRICE: £48,695 POWERTRAIN: 2x motors, 82.5kWh batt. 82.5kWh Battery/range 323 miles 523bhp Powertrain 2x e-motors 3.8 seconds Performance 111mph 400 litres Seats up/down N/A AS well as being a newcomer to the class, BYD is still a very new car manufacturer to the UK, having only started selling vehicles here around 12 months ago. However, the Chinese giant has been present on these shores for longer than you might realise. Its batteries power many smartphones, plus there are 1,000-plus BYD electric buses that carry passengers throughout the nation each day. The company has the potential to be a disruptive force in the new-car market. The first BYD sold in the UK, the Atto 3 compact SUV, proved to be a strong contender, first overcoming the…

MODEL TESTED: Ultimate Long Range AWD PRICE: £54,040 POWERTRAIN: 2x motors, 77.4kWh batt. 77.4kWh Battery/range 240 miles 321bhp Powertrain 2x e-motors 5.1 seconds Performance 115mph 401 litres Seats up/down N/A litres HYUNDAI’S design team has been on a roll of late, with mainstream models such as the Tucson and Kona SUVs delivering dramatic and unique looks. The Korean brand has really pushed ahead with the look of its EVs, too. Whether it’s the wonderfully chunky, retro appearance of the Ioniq 5, or the streamlined shape of the Ioniq 6 we have here, few other cars at their respective price points stand out as much. The Ioniq 6’s shape isn’t just for show, either, because an official drag coefficient of 0.21Cd makes it the slipperiest car in this contest. It’s not…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram LIKE you, we’re very much looking forward to the summer months here at Auto Express. Longer evenings, warmer weather, and – for some – the chance to crack the classic car out of hibernation. If you haven’t got something lurking under a cover, fear not, our team has drawn up a rundown of their favourite summer-inspired sports cars (plus more) to get the dream started. And with picks from as little as £4,000, there are models here that you could sell in six months without losing a penny. If you’re determined to resist, or your budget is more modest, then take a look at our list of hot kit – it’s full to the brim of products designed to make your summer holiday a hit for the whole family.…

products@autoexpress.co.uk Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 352/1,268 litres Running costs 55.2mpg (on test) £62 fill-up/£590 tax WHITE cars may be growing in popularity, but not in the Adams household, where keeping our very pale long-term Vauxhall Astra clean during the winter months is a never-ending chore. When temperatures were low and the risk of my drive becoming an ice rink was high, it meant regular trips to a hand car wash. As the weather has improved, I’ve been able to save a few quid and tackle cleaning the Astra myself. Even if I think it’s not that grubby, a quick swipe with a wash mitt proves me wrong, because the Arctic White paint really pops after removing the grime, and the car looks really sharp. With a few thousand, rather than…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk THERE’S no right or wrong answer to this, but there are a number of factors to consider when deciding what to do. We’ve seen numerous car trailers with wheels rusting under the paint, despite being less than five years old, and it’s caused by poor – or no – surface preparation before painting. The wheels look fine when new, but the corrosion starts underneath, regardless of whether the paint has been chipped or broken on top. The refurbish-or-replace decision is made harder because replacement wheels and tyres can cost as little as £30, depending on size, although some are considerably more pricey. They’re a quick and easy fix, but you have to ask how long will they last and how well has the surface been prepared…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk THE once trend-setting Nissan Qashqai has gone off the boil a little recently, and the Mk2 version achieves only two rankings in the top third of the survey, with value and safety features both rated 24th. Its worst scores are for styling, inside and out, where it comes 64th and 68th respectively. The Qashqai performs only a little better for seating versatility and load area, while economy ranks 40th and servicing costs are rated in 58th. Reliability also comes in at 58th, while looking into the safety category shows owners aren’t particularly happy with the number of features – another 58th place. However, they do think that the systems work very well, hence a very welcome fifth place. WE SAID “It’s good to drive, available with decent engines, and…