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TALK about a great way to ruin good news. With EV take-up growing far more slowly than required to hit the Government’s targets, the car industry has been crying out for incentives to help boost interest in what is still very much new tech to most drivers. So it’s impressive to do what a whole sector has been calling for (see The Government’s new £3,750 electric car grant explained feature on P20), but still shoot yourself in the foot with a scheme so complicated that no-one understands how it’s going to work, or which cars will be eligible, days after it’s announced. It’s a shambles, or as one senior UK car industry exec put it to me last week, a “flipping nightmare”. I also hear that the E-mail address that…

THIS is the Chery Tiggo 7: a new family SUV from China that’s due to go on sale in the UK very soon, with prices starting from £24,995. Not only will it be cheaper than the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai, it will also undercut budget-friendly stars such as the MG HS and Dacia Bigster. Chery has been China’s biggest vehicle exporter for the past 22 years and it’s the parent company of Omoda and Jaecoo, which launched in the UK within the past year. Chery will join them as a separate marque. The Tiggo 7 is a 4.5-metre mid-size SUV, which will be offered with either a 145bhp 1.6-litre turbo-charged petrol engine, or a plug-in ‘Super Hybrid’ powertrain. At £29,995, the advanced hybrid costs less than the most basic…

ELECTRIC cars are about get more affordable, after the UK Government announced the relaunch of an EV grant scheme, which will cut the price of a new zero-emission car by up to £3,750. The new Electric Car Grant (ECG) will be available on EVs costing less than £37,000, but only those models from manufacturers that have committed to and displayed reductions around emissions targets – although things get even more complicated the deeper you dig. For example, the government says the ECG will be available in two tiers; only cars deemed the most environmentally friendly will be eligible to receive the full amount. Plus, because only cars costing less than £37,000 will qualify, the UK’s best-selling EV, the Tesla Model Y is among a large list of EVs not in…

THE pursuit of premium is something that even the most mainstream manufacturers are engaged in these days, and the Hyundai Ioniq 9 aims to deliver the ultimate in luxury as the company’s new flagship electric SUV. If the concept of a large Korean electric luxury SUV sounds familiar, it’s a template that has already been followed by the Kia EV9. The Ioniq 9 uses the same platform, but while the EV9’s design has a hard-edged element, the Ioniq 9 is more sculpted. Inside, the cabin is truly vast, as you would expect of such a big SUV. There’s acres of room up front and behind, while the third row is spacious enough for two adults – the difficult part is climbing in. Up front, there’s a slightly curved twin-screen dashboard…

WHILE Ford fast-tracked the Explorer and Capri to market by tapping into Volkswagen’s EV expertise, the Puma Gen-E is a pure Blue Oval product. It’s the company’s smallest electric model and is based on the big-selling petrol version, but with a few key changes. There are just two variants in the line-up – Select and Premium – and they are priced at £29,995 and £31,995 respectively. MOTOR & PERFORMANCE THERE’S just one powertrain option offered in the Puma Gen-E, which comprises a lithiumion battery with a usable capacity of 43kWh, and a 166bhp/290Nm electric motor that sends drive to the front wheels. Ford has done a good job of packaging the electric drivetrain within a bodyshell that was originally designed for combustion engines. Visual clues to the Gen-E include the…

IF you’re worried about getting a flat battery in your car, it could be time to dump the jump leads and think about investing in a starter pack. These little packages of power are small enough to fit in your glovebox yet contain enough energy to start a car engine multiple times. It means you won’t need to beg for help from a passing motorist or risk damaging your car with misplaced leads when jump starting it. Our champion for the past four years has been MSC Overland’s 10Ah QC Jump Starter & USB Power Bank, but it faces its stiffest challenge yet in the form of the GP4000 from the rather amusingly named GOOLOO brand. The newcomer offers considerably more battery power for slightly less money, although offers mean…

HONDA Prelude is a name we haven’t seen on a new car in the UK since 2001. However, unlike some other companies that have resurrected famous badges on cars that are very different to the original, Honda is largely sticking to a trusted formula. The new Prelude is a two-door coupé – like its predecessors. We expect to see the Prelude arrive in the first half of 2026, joining a rather depleted coupé market that includes the BMW 2 Series and little else. But don’t let the sleek, sporty design and a platform shared with the Civic make you think that this is some sort of replacement for the hot Civic Type R, which is bowing out this year with the recently announced Ultimate Edition (see Page 9). To find…

THE Vauxhall Mokka is about to get properly caffeinated with a new high-performance GSE range-topper, complete with high-end chassis upgrades. This marks Vauxhall’s first all-electric GSE variant, and fills the void left behind by the firm’s VXR and GSi models. The GSE sub-brand has already found its way onto the current Astra and previous Grandland, but it was little more than a range-topping trim level, with not much in the way of extra power or focus to the chassis. The Mokka GSE is quite different, however, because it produces 276bhp and 345Nm of torque – an increase of 122bhp and 85Nm over the most powerful existing Mokka EV – sent through a mechanical limited-slip differential to the front wheels. The GSE’s battery is the same 54kWh pack as in other…

HOLIDAYMAKERS should prepare for hefty airport drop-off charges as new research shows that nine out of 10 of the UK’s most popular airports have raised their prices within the past year. The RAC’s study shows that Britain’s busiest airport, London Heathrow, has increased its drop-off charge by £1 in the last 12 months to £6; there is no time limit, but those who forget to pay by midnight the next day face an £80 fine, reduced to £40 if it is paid within 14 days. The second-busiest and among the most costly to drop off at is London Gatwick, which has also raised its charge by £1 year-on-year, meaning drivers face a £7 fee in 2025. London Stansted charges the same sum to use its Express Set Down area, but…

THE future of Bentley is hiding in plain sight, Auto Express can reveal. The recent EXP 15 concept’s clean surfacing, striking details and interior flourishes hint at the design of the Luxury Urban SUV, the electric model that will go public next year. But longer term, the high-riding saloon concept is testing the water for a bodystyle to replace the Mulsanne, the traditional limousine that rivalled the Rolls-Royce Phantom until it went out of production in 2020. The electric EXP 15, only the 15th experimental car in Bentley’s 106-year history, has almost the same footprint as the old Mulsanne EWB, measuring 5.5 metres in length with a 3.5-metre wheelbase. But the show car is 6cm higher because of its sizeable ground clearance, with its ride height rising on tough terrain…

UK distributor Jameel Motors and Chinese giant GAC (Guangzhou Automobile Group) have signed a joint venture to bring several new cars to the UK market, including a hatchback and an SUV (above). The first two, the AION V SUV and the AION UT hatchback, are both fully electric and have already been revealed for other markets. First deliveries to British customers are expected in spring 2026. Full UK specifications and pricing for GAC’s new cars will be made available later in the year as the cars near a UK launch. Jameel Motors already works with Farizon Auto in the UK, in the electric van segment.…

THIS is the ‘big one’ for Mercedes. Not in terms of size, because the CLA will, in effect, be the entry-level model for the firm’s future range, but in terms of impact, given that it’s the first of four new cars on the brand-new MMA architecture. It’s also the first to feature a fresh electronic brain that will underpin all Mercedes from now on. We’ve heard a lot about this new era of EVs, but what does it mean for customers? In the case of the CLA 250+ with EQ Technology, as it’s formally known, this compact saloon is close to offering a range of 500 miles from a single charge, plus ultra-fast charging capability, to alleviate range anxiety. This car has been a long time coming, but now we…

IT’S incredible to think that the first Skoda Enyaq arrived on UK roads over four years ago, yet it’s managed to hold firm against newer rival electric family car such as the Renault Scenic, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Vauxhall Grandland. More recently, the Enyaq’s reign has come under fire from within the Skoda camp itself, courtesy of the smaller Elroq; this provides almost everything its bigger brother does, but in a cheaper, more attractive package. The same is true of the range-topping vRS model, with the hottest Elroq getting the same upgrades as the more expensive Enyaq. To help keep it competitive for 2025, the Enyaq has now received – literally – a facelift, sporting the Elroq’s revised ‘Tech Deck’ front grille design. On the vRS, it’s also illuminated and…

HOT KIT Jennychem Hyper Wax Price: £18.35 Size: 1 litre Contact: jennychem.com IF you glance at social media occasionally, it’s highly likely you’ve seen the adverts for Jennychem, the Kent-based company that is expanding rapidly in the car care world. Hyper Wax is its latest product, which is claimed to be able to add the gloss and protection of a wax coating to your paintwork with much less effort. The grape-scented Hyper Wax fluid is said to contain hydrophobic polymers, which are applied to the car like a snow foam, through your pressure washer’s detergent attachment. Jennychem says that, once the wax is applied, its ingredients mean water and dirt should bead off the surface. Hyper Wax is designed to be applied after washing your car, while it is still wet,…

WHILE the sun is usually a welcome sight in Britain, it can make life uncomfortable for your passengers in a car. The rays warm up the cabin, making it difficult for children to sleep and teenagers to see the screens on electronic devices. That could make a long journey miserable for the driver, too. There’s a huge variety of sun shades available to make summer drives more bearable for everyone in the car. Some shades are tailor made to an individual car and can be costly, but for this test we looked at cheaper, universal options that can be fitted to any model and moved between them. All the products we tested cost less than £15, and can be slipped over the door or mounted straight on the glass. Which put…

SOMETIMES our love of cars is a result of where they’re from, and if you’re a bit of a Francophile, then these three offerings we found on the Auto Express used-car marketplace will surely be tempting. They’ve certainly got variety nailed down, including a truly great lightweight sports car, a practical estate and a surprisingly comfortable EV. 1 PEUGEOT 508 - £14,999 THIS Peugeot 508 represents a segment from a forgotten time – not only is it an estate, but it’s a diesel, too. It still makes sense in 2025, though, because its maker claims the 131bhp 1.5-litre BlueHDI unit can return an incredible 62mpg. Being an estate, it has a big boot, of course, yet the sleek styling still looks fresh today – especially in GT Line trim, which…

THIS year marks the end of Honda’s Type R brand in the UK as the hot Civic goes off sale. But the firm has strongly hinted its sporting badge will live on into the electric age. The project leader for the Prelude, Tomoyuki Yamagami, told Auto Express: “Type R can be anything in future, depending on what the market demands”. But rather than get into specifics regarding Type R’s potential electrification, Yamagami also reiterated to us that the “Type R badge is about the ability to enhance dynamic attributes to the max” – which seems set to continue into the future, whatever the power source. These comments align with those made by Toshihiro Akiwa, head of Honda’s BEV Development Centre, at the unveiling of the first two 0 Series EV…

SAY hello to the all-new Subaru Uncharted. With a name like that you’d expect this car to be a seriously hardcore 4x4, but it’s not. In reality, the Subaru Uncharted treads familiar ground. It’s a mid-size electric SUV, designed to be more sporty than intrepid, but it still has quite a mountain to climb because it’s going to rival to our 2025 Car of the Year, the Skoda Elroq – as well as the Renault Scenic, the forthcoming Kia EV5 and many others. Subaru doesn’t immediately spring to mind when talking about EVs, but the Uncharted is the third electric SUV the Japanese firm has revealed to date. The larger Solterra arrived first in 2022, with a facelifted version due early next year. The Uncharted should appear around the same…

IF Kia’s new EV4 hatchback didn’t grab your attention when it went on sale, then the new EV4 Fastback might do. Pricing and specs of the longer version have been released and order books are now open, ahead of first deliveries this autumn. While the EV4 hatch gives Kia a fresh rival to the likes of the Skoda Elroq and Volkswagen ID.3, the EV4 Fastback has a saloon-style shape to offer an alternative to the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2. Pricing for the EV4 Fastback starts at £40,895 for the GT-Line and £45,395 for the GT-Line S. The Fastback only gets an 81.4kWh battery, while the EV4 hatch can be had with the more basic Air trim and a smaller 58.3kWh pack from £34,695. Kia claims the Fastback is…

STELLANTIS is cancelling its hydrogen fuel-cell commercial vehicle project just months before an intended roll-out in Europe. Citing the limitations of current hydrogen infrastructure and the need for stronger purchase incentives, the group apparently sees the venture as a step too far under current financial pressures. Stellantis chief operating officer for enlarged Europe, Jean-Philippe Imparato, said in a statement: “The hydrogen market remains a niche segment, with no prospects of mid-term economic sustainability. We must make clear and responsible choices to ensure our competitiveness and meet the expectations of our customers with our electric and hybrid passenger and light commercial vehicles offensive.” The Hydrogen Pro One series of commercial vehicles was due to go into production this year in France and Poland, but the cancellation of the project hasn’t affected…

PORSCHE has revealed a range of new Black Edition versions of the Cayenne and Taycan, offering extra kit and a sinister new look. Available to order now, the Black Editions can be specified with a number of powertrains, with prices starting at £88,900 for the Cayenne SUV and £95,700 for the Taycan EV. Both cars will include a gloss black finish for a range of elements, such as the window trim, badges, mirrors, an interior accent pack and treadplates. But, ironically, you don’t have to specify the Black Edition in black, with the whole colour range offered, including the expanded palette of ‘Paint to Sample’ (PTS) shades. The Taycan gets a set of larger 21-inch aero design wheels, which on their own are a £3,250 option for the base car,…

THE French might not be known for embracing veganism, but Renault has now signed an agreement with animal welfare charity PETA to end the inclusion of leather in its car interiors by the end of the year. In a statement, PETA said: “By choosing cruelty-free materials, the Renault brand is helping to build a future where animals are not harmed for luxury, and the planet is protected for generations.” Renault doesn’t actually offer leather in the UK any more, anyway – it’s only an option in foreign markets. Over the last few years, the firm has been pioneering the use of organic and recyclable materials as a more sustainable alternative to traditional choices.…

ON looks alone, the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante could, quite rightly, sit at the top of any man, woman or child’s lottery-win wishlist. Building on the aggressive but elegant profile of the Vanquish coupé, the drop-top pushes the six-figure supercar into new, uncharted territory. At the front, you get that gaping grille and sharp LED lighting signature, plus wide arches and 21-inch wheels hiding standard-fit carbon-ceramic brakes, all from the latest Vanquish coupé. But it’s from the A-pillar rearwards where things get interesting; the ‘K-Fold’ fabric roof can be lowered at speeds of up to 31mph, tucking away discreetly in just 16 seconds. Aston says that the roof requires just 260mm (a class-leading figure, we’re told) to stack behind the front seats, and adds only 90kg to the car’s weight.…

THE relationship between drivers, especially those that enjoy their cars, and the police has always been a slightly strained one. From car meets to just jumping in with friends for a drive, there’s long been a tension, and different attitudes over how to address the problem. Or even whether it’s a problem in the first place. From so-called illegal car meets to the basic principle of anti-social driving, police have tried various tactics to address the issue, but Cheshire Constabulary’s Road and Crime unit is trying to educate younger drivers in particular on how they can modify their attitude and behaviour on the roads to make it safer for everyone. We joined the force’s Road and Crime unit on patrol to get to the bottom of what exactly this means…

WHILE the styling of the Renault 4 E-Tech harks back to the basic-but-big-selling budget model of the sixties and seventies, this small SUV is as modern as they come under the skin. It shares much with the Renault 5 electric supermini, but offers more space to make it a more practical alternative. ENGINES & PERFORMANCE THE R4’s AmpR Small platform is the same as the one found under the R5, but at 4,144mm there’s an extra 222mm of overall length, while the wheelbase has been increased by 84mm (to 2,624mm) to create more space inside. Power for the Renault 4 comes from the larger 52kWh battery and 148bhp electric motor set-up from the R5, while front-wheel drive is the only configuration that’s offered. Performance is decent, with a quoted 0-62mph…

MY husband and I have been living with the Cupra Tavascan for just over six months now, and while it isn’t perfect, we have grown quite attached to it. We thought it was a stylish-looking car when it first arrived – and still do – but it’s also proved to be more practical than you might expect from its swooping, coupé-style roofline. Thanks to all the Cupra styling touches, it does look and feel like a premium car, no matter what you think of some of the more divisive features. However, there are a couple of things that jar, one being the window controls on the driver’s door. There are only two switches, plus another button above them to swap the operation between the front and rear windows; it’s only…

BARBECUES, pub gardens, beaches… the list of wonderful things that the sunshine brings is almost endless. We all love a bright summer’s day, but did you know that this weather can also be a huge help when inspecting a car’s bodywork? While it’s entirely reasonable to expect a few minor flaws on a used car (particularly an older example or one with high mileage) nobody wants to hand over their hard-earned cash only to discover a bunch of previously hidden scratches, dents and chips on their new pride and joy. A car’s paintwork can be a fickle thing; look at it in a certain light, on a rainy day or even from a particular angle and it can appear to be immaculate. However, change even just one of these factors…

GET the feeling that everyone around you seems to be enjoying their new cars while you’re still stuck with the one you’ve had for plenty of years? Rest assured: you’re not alone in having such thoughts. Of the 36 million cars registered in the UK, 20 per cent are seven to nine years old and 18 per cent are between 10 to 12. Astonishingly, almost a third (32 per cent) have already had their 12th birthdays. And at the other end of the scale, just 15 per cent are less than three years old and the same amount again are between three and six. Put another way, the majority (70 per cent) of cars on the road today are over or way beyond seven years old. Even more shockingly, those…