Table of contents for September 10, 2025 in Autocar

The first beneficiary of head of design Massimo Frascella’s new-school approach is expected to be the next-generation Q7, which is understood to have been pulled back into the studio for a late redesign in line with his new principles. However, the production version of the Concept C will be the first car styled entirely in the new design language. Frascella will also oversee the final design of the ‘A2 E-tron’, an entrylevel EV that will replace the A1 and Q2 next year; the electric A4, due later this decade; and a luxury flagship EV in the mould of the A8, originally known as ‘Project Landjet’. The range-topping Q9 SUV is also inbound as a full-blown rival to the Range Rover that Frascella designed in his previous role at JLR.…

CUPRA’S NEW TINDAYA concept will show how the Spanish brand emphasises driver engagement in its next cars, and it uses a new range-extender drivetrain that enables it to go farther and faster than the firm’s current range of EVs. At 4.72 metres long it is the largest car Cupra has yet built, and with a claimed 0-62mph time of just 4.1sec it is also the quickest. But while it is likely to eventually make production in toned-down form, potentially as a successor to today’s Formentor, the Tindaya has been created primarily to showcase the futuristic technology and radical new design cues that will be rolled out across all upcoming Cupras. Hypothetically based on the same SSP platform that will underpin other Volkswagen Group EVs including the next Volkswagen Golf and…

Mercedes-Benz is focused on overhauling its core model range, but company boss Ola Källenius hasn’t ruled out adding more niche models, saying at least one is under active consideration. Asked by Autocar about the potential for any range expansion, Källenius said it remains under consideration. “We run about 40 different body variants, although we have fewer underpinning architectures and families,” he said. “Could there be niches that we can expand into until 2030? I’m not going to exclude that. If we see something of value with market need, then we will go for it. I can think of at least one.” However, he clarified that the focus is on the main line-up, adding: “We eat, sleep and drink and love this business. We have a portfolio position to keep, and…

SKODA’S NEW BABY electric SUV, the Epiq, is edging closer to a 2026 launch with the unveiling of a near-production show car at Munich. Giving a “concrete glimpse” of the firm’s answer to the Ford Puma Gen-E, the concept was revealed alongside the VW ID Cross (p6) and Cupra Raval (p7) with which it will share a platform, powertrain and production line. At 4.1m long, the Epiq is close in length and its crossover proportions to the ID Cross, although its 475-litre boot is 15 litres bigger than the VW’s. Skoda says it will be priced to match its petrol-powered counterpart, the Kamiq, which starts at £25k. The final production version will be revealed in the middle of next year.…

WITH SO MUCH of the news from manufacturers these days focused on software-defined vehicles, we could be forgiven for believing the era of grassroots engineering has long passed. Thankfully it hasn’t, and the same basic principles still apply to making cars go, stop, steer and hold the road, even if the backroom tools used to do that are more sophisticated. The Porsche GT3 is still as much about old-school tuning and development as it is image. The latest 992 GT3 R was launched in 2023, and its suspension and aero have been further tweaked by Porsche Motorsport for 2026. Using feedback from customer teams worldwide, the objective was to take handling and drivability up a notch, especially for amateur racers. As is typical at this level of performance, small changes…

Porsche has called time on the 718 Cayman and Boxster petrol sports cars – and there are no plans to create another ICE generation of it. The firm has stopped taking new orders for the coupé and roadster ahead of a planned end to production next year. Cars can still be ordered from stock and existing orders will be fulfilled. The Boxster and Cayman have been on sale since 1996 and 2005 respectively. They will be sold exclusively as electric cars when they return in 2026 and will be based on the Volkswagen Group’s EV-specific PPE platform. Recent speculation that the decision to cease production of the petrol 718s could be reversed – like with the Cayenne – has been denied by high-ranking Porsche sources talking to Autocar.…

THE KIA STONIC has received a major update, bringing new exterior and interior styling and a choice of pure-petrol and mildhybrid powertrains. This is a second heavy facelift for the compact SUV, which was launched in 2017, bringing it into line with the EV3 and other new Kias. European specs have yet to be confirmed, but the two powertrain options offered in Korea both use a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine – either with 99bhp and 127lb ft of torque or as a more frugal mild hybrid with 113bhp and 127lb ft. Both are offered with a choice of a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearbox. Inside, the Stonic has been brought up to date, gaining a dashboard with twin 12.3in screens and multi-mode touch controls that can be toggled…

TRIPLE TEST RENAULT 4 vs RIVALS Three of the newest mainstream crossover EVs battle it out as the hotly anticipated Renault 4 meets the Ford Puma Gen-E and Mini Aceman FIRST DRIVE NEW NISSAN MICRA Once-ubiquitous supermini returns as a rebodied Renault 5. We drive it ROAD TEST MERCEDES-BENZ G580 Quad-motor version of ultra-luxury off-roader faces our toughest test EVERY WEEK LIVING WITH A… MORGAN SUPER 3 Our fleet gains a new car that, strictly speaking, isn’t really a car at all. But it is very cool USED GUIDE SUZUKI IGNIS Two boxy superminis in one issue! This one is a Japanese hybrid, now selling from just £4500…

‘CHINA SPEED’ IS a phrase that might soon become a cliché. But damn, China be speeding. Xpeng’s G6 has been revised after just seven months on sale here. Sure, it’s been around since 2023 in China, but still, that’s only just behind Omoda with its quickness, and Xpeng has had less of a reason to update. Chief among the changes is the battery. An 80.8kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery replaces the previous 87.5kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt pack. This eliminates the use of more expensive and less sustainable materials, and offers quicker charging: it will now charge at up to 451kW, making it the quickest charger in its class. There have also been some minor tweaks to the way the G6 looks. Up front there’s a new full-width light bar, while the rear’s shape has…

While it may be only coincidental, there’s due to be a quirk in the now regrettably well-defined life cycle of the sixth-generation Honda Civic Type R that could prove comforting to those of us who remember its various predecessors. The UK market has traditionally loved hot hatchbacks, and the hot Civic has become one of our longer-serving and most consistently popular. The current one arrived in 2022, during the 25th anniversary of the first Civic Type R: the 1.6-litre ‘EK9’. That Civic Type R was never officially imported to the UK or elsewhere in Europe, however. It was only four years after the EK9 had been introduced in Japan – in 2001, when the EP3-generation three-door car kicked off local Type R production in Swindon – that Brits had their…

With the average waiting time to take their driving test standing at 22.2 weeks, there’s huge pressure on new drivers to pass first time. Test dates are released on Monday mornings and there is fierce competition for them from other candidates and from instructors but, worse, from third-party firms who use automated software to hoover up dates for resale. What can the new driver do to ensure they pass their test first time and put the waiting game behind them? Simply, learn with the best instructor they can find. Personal recommendation is a good idea but, fortunately, establishing the competence of an instructor is pretty straightforward because the DVSA, which trains and certifies them, also tests and grades them at intervals. A driving instructor who has achieved a score of…

WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out why newcomer Jaecoo is one of the UK’s fastest-growing brands A year ago, nobody had ever even heard of a Jaecoo, let alone seen one. Yet now these SUVs are everywhere, with Jaecoo having taken more than 10,000 orders for its debut model, the mid-sized 7, in just seven months since its UK launch in January. That has helped it and sister brand Omoda take a 2.71% share of the UK market (as of July) and only continues their global expansion: the Chinese duo have sold more than 570,000 vehicles in 44 markets in just over two years. It’s an amazing achievement for a totally new brand to the UK, with only a single model (at least until the compact 5 arrives in…

MILEAGE 24,498 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out if the quintessential Jeep is really a vehicle you can live with every day I’ve been behind the wheel of our resident 4x4 for a while now. Whenever I see the Jeep, there’s just one thing I think of and that’s the classic children’s character Clifford the Big Red Dog. There is an incredibly obvious parallel, both being not only red, but also massive. When I clambered up into the cabin for the first time (something not made any easier by the strangely high-up side steps), I felt like I was sat in a tower crane. The driving position seems somehow even higher than the similarly monstrous Ineos Grenadier, despite being a slightly shorter car overall. And that’s before you get…

AN OWNER’S VIEW ANTONY WARD “We bought our 1.7-litre diesel X-Trail Tekna earlier this year. My wife had a few demands (tall, manual, sunroof) and the X-Trail seemed to fit the bill. It feels very sturdy and well built, has all the bells and whistles and is spacious and comfortable. It cruised along nicely on a recent trip to France, delivering 48.4mpg. The only real gripe is the lack of Apple CarPlay, which is a surprise considering its age. Still, that’s a first-world problem and so far the X-Trail has been a good purchase.” BUYER BEWARE… ■ ENGINE A clogged DPF filter can afflict the diesel engine range. A long drive at a high RPM can clear it, but best get it cleaned by a specialist. A rattling noise, loss…

The Volkswagen ID 2all concept will take the ID Polo name when it is launched next year. Set to be priced from £22k, the model has been shown in production form for the first time, albeit in camouflage livery. It will arrive in the middle of next year as the first of the Volkswagen Group’s ‘Electric Urban Car Family’, with a range of up to 280 miles. It will be joined in 2027 by a hot ID Polo GTI that will produce 223bhp. The Polo name has been chosen as the brand starts using familiar badges on its EVs. “Names like Polo or Golf are deeply ingrained,” said VW CEO Thomas Schäfer. “We want to carry those qualities into the electric era.”…

The production version of the Cupra Raval has been shown in a camouflage livery. The electric hatchback, which is aligned with the Volkswagen ID Polo, Volkswagen ID Cross and Skoda Epiq, will arrive next year, priced from around £25,000. It will be Cupra’s smallest and cheapest model. Although shown in camouflage, it is evident that several key cues from the concept car remain intact, such as its large triangular headlights and sharpedged rear end.…

Despite hints from former Renault Group boss Luca de Meo that the Renault Sport badge could return, no such version of the Clio is currently on the cards. Model line manager Emmanuel de Jesus Pequeno told Autocar that such a model would be a “compromise” between the level of investment required and the anticipated level of demand. The investment would be aimed at the powertrain, given the previous Mk4 Clio RS’s turbocharged 1.6-litre four and the Alpine A110’s 1.8-litre will both need to be redeveloped to meet incoming emissions regulations, if chosen. Finding a new unit would also prove costly. Asked whether the UK market could lobby for such a car – given that it was among the top markets for RS models in their heyday – Adam Wood, managing…

Mercedes-Benz plans to launch more than 35 new models in the next three years, including electric versions of the C-Class (pictured) and E-Class. The total includes both electric and combustionengined models, although, as with the GLC EQ, the two types will share model names from now on. Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius said: “By the end of the decade, all relevant models in our line-up, top to bottom, from the S-Class down to the CLA, will have an electric choice.” Despite developing the new EV-specific MB.EA platform, Mercedes has redoubled its focus on combustion models, due to slower than anticipated uptake of EVs. Källenius said: “For the foreseeable future, for a minimum of 10 years, we will maintain ICE models while trying to grow the percentage of BEV sales.” He said…

On the test track at Weissach, Germany, a pre-production Turbo S, hot from exertion, peels into the pit lane and sets itself for yet another launch control start. This time round the driver, Jörg Bergmeister, delays his release of the brakes and for a moment, as the engine is held at 5000rpm and surplus boost pressure furiously bleeds out of the T-Hybrid powertrain, the car roars like a Boeing 747 during static takeoff. Then it seemingly disappears: poof! The new Turbo S might not sound all that romantic but it isn’t in any sense lacking in drama. Its no-holds-barred tech slant also gives it the aura of a reincarnated 959. A few minutes later, it’s my turn in the passenger seat. I clock the new ‘Turbonite’ detailing inside the updated…

“IT’S OBVIOUS, ISN’T it?” said one senior industry figure to me recently. ‘It’ being their tantalising theory that Tata is preparing for either the sale or separate flotation of JLR off the back of recent executive movements. Their reasoning? Mainly the recent appointment of Tata Motors chief financial officer PB Balaji as JLR’s new CEO, the second finance executive in a row to take that position after the soon-to-retire Adrian Mardell. Why else go from one finance guy to another, they asked, rather than a ‘car guy’ or a premium or luxury car leader, if not to make the firm’s focus its value and balance sheet? Particularly when JLR has enjoyed a fair degree of independence from Tata. Mardell’s appointment was surprising enough given the profile of JLR CEOs before…

After reading in Autocar about JLR’s sales and profit woes in the wake of US tariff uncertainty (News, 13 August), I thought I would relay our recent experience of trying to obtain a JLR model. My wife was presented with a list to choose her next company car and selected an Evoque P270e Edition (to be her second Evoque PHEV, after a P300e), only to be told by the lease company that JLR Direct Sales wouldn’t supply one and she would have to pick something else. Since it’s a model and spec that appears aimed squarely at company car drivers and the fleet market, I found this hard to believe so started my own enquiries through the JLR ‘chat’ line and the UK Customer Experience Centre. After several chats, emails…

The new Polestar 5 is an engineer’s dream come true. Whereas previous Polestars have all been based on a platform shared with other Geely group products, this sports saloon was effectively a clean-sheet design. As a result, it isn’t just another platform-sharing EV with stupid power (although it does have up to 872bhp, because it’s still the way these things are done). It’s based on its own Polestar Performance Architecture, which, unusually, is a bonded extruded aluminium chassis. While there are still plenty of shared electrical bits, this allowed Polestar to go all out, without the compromises and limiting factors that usually come with a shared platform. It’s called the 5 because it’s Polestar’s fifth car, but they could have called it the 1 because, much more than that plug-in…

Volvo may be wavering, but BMW, Audi, Peugeot and a bunch of others still believe estate cars are worth doing, even if it’s only the European market that’s really interested. Now BYD is joining the fold with the Seal 6, a Skoda Superb-sized saloon or estate. Whereas the existing Seal saloon is a rear-wheel-drive EV, the Seal 6 is a front-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid. As such, it’s much more closely related to the Seal U SUV. The drivetrain is very different from what you find in the Superb iV PHEV and most comparable to Honda’s hybrid system. A 194bhp electric motor is the main driving force, with a 97bhp 1.5-litre atmo petrol engine mostly there to drive a secondary motor-generator and feed electricity to the battery. There is a lock-up clutch…

When the Peugeot 408 landed in 2022, we were told an electric version of the 4.7m-long liftback-cum-crossover would be just around the corner, but it’s taken its sweet time. And three years on, the e-408 we have here doesn’t seem very competitive, at least on paper. In the time taken for the EV to arrive, the closely related Citroën C5 X, with which it shares the EMP2 platform, has been discontinued – which makes you wonder: should Peugeot even have bothered? The headline stats here are 281 miles of range for £37,060, with a maximum charging speed of 120kW. The e-408 uses a slightly bigger battery than its e-308 sibling, and it benefits from a useful bump in power, from 154bhp to 207bhp. The e-408 has few direct rivals but,…

“Can it really feel like a true Mazda? Well, it certainly looks the part”  WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if Mazda has improved on the disappointing CX-60 and to find its ranking in the large SUV market The kids have a new slang term, and it’s a rare one I approve of, because the dictionary defines it as an “adjective used approvingly to describe someone who projects a lack of concern about how others feel about their actions or opinions; or to describe a thing perceived as both bold and commendable, especially if it challenges or flouts convention in some way” – and I’m very fond of such people and things. And if anyone or anything in the car industry is ‘based’, it’s Mazda. Who else but the Hiroshima…

MILEAGE 2881 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Can this upmarket SUV still hold its own in the face of fresher competition? Our top-of-the-range Autobiography Evoque is four-wheel drive. It’s always a divisive one, that, because JLR prides itself on making all Land Rovers and Range Rovers supremely capable off road, as a fitting nod to its heritage, yet it can be met with derision because, really, who is taking their £200,000 Range Rover off road? The Evoque is significantly cheaper, of course, but given that it’s largely a town-dweller, the same thought applies. Still, as someone whose mum put the fear of getting stuck in snow in them (I grew up in a valley that involved driving on tricky, unsalted roads to get anywhere), having four-wheel drive is a reassurance. I…

RENAULT 5 Mileage 8207 Last seen 27.8.25 People keep telling me that for its exterior size, the Renault 5’s boot and rear passenger spaces aren’t big enough. True, they’re both a bit tight by petrol supermini standards (though my supple 6ft 2in son can still get into the back seat), but in any case, if that is the price of having such an excellent driving position in such a compact electric car (with a very decent cruising range), I’ll happily pay it. SC VW GOLF GTE Mileage 1454 Last seen 27.8.25 The Golf isn’t a huge car, so when I needed to transport some larger items, I was a bit tentative. With the seats down, it has 1162 litres of space, but what does that mean in reality? Well, I…

CHEVROLET CORVETTE 6.2 2011, 45,000 miles, £24,995 Believed to be the only Corvette 6.2 for sale in the country, this tidy 2011 example has covered a reasonable 45,000 miles from new. On performance, the C6’s V8 makes 430bhp and 424lb ft of torque, meaning it can hit 60mph in 4.2sec. FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK 1967, 3500 miles, £69,950 This pony car used to be red with a four-speed manual gearbox but was restored in the early 2000s. It now has a bigger Windsor V8, five-speed manual ’box and Bullitt-spec Highland Green paint. Imported in 2013, it underwent a £43k mechanical overhaul six years ago. CADILLAC SERIES 62 COUPE V8 1959, 18,500 miles, £42,950 Surely easier on the eye than Jonny’s Pontiac (see Head to head). The seller notes the car needs…

Dacia CEO Denis Le Vot has left the company, it has confirmed. In a social media post, Le Vot said he had “made the decision to leave the group to focus on personal projects”. He did not indicate what he was doing next. He will be replaced by Mercedes-Benz executive Katrin Adt, who joins ahead of a vital period of expansion and electrification for the Renault-owned brand. Autocar Award winner Le Vot had been Dacia’s CEO since January 2021 – his latest role in a long career with the Renault Group, which he joined as a sales director in 2000. Le Vot was in the running for the Renault Group CEO job, following the recent resignation of Luca de Meo, but that ultimately went to procurement and public affairs boss…

WRITE TO autocar@haymarket.com FAILING TO PREPARE For most EV owners, the use of highpower DC chargers is associated with long journeys, during which some EVs will adjust the battery temperature for the best charging rate. This preparation makes a radical difference, so your decision to only quote ‘non-prepared’ charging rates, as stated in your recent Tesla Model Y road test (27 August), is not representative of an important factor and not consistent with Autocar’s normally full and accurate reporting. If preparation is available on a test car, please would you report the difference this makes. Anthony Lunt Saint-Pons-de-Mauchiens, France Our standard rapid-charge test begins below 10% state of charge, at which point few EVs permit battery preconditioning, so we generally don’t have the option to use it, and if we…

Jaecoo and Omoda have been in the UK for only a year, yet the sibling brands’ respective 7 and 5 mid-sized SUVs have already grabbed them a combined market share of 1.5%. In an arena infamous for brand snobbery and suspicion of the unfamiliar, this is unprecedented and astonishing. Buoyed by the success, their parent company, Chery, is now introducing Brits to its eponymous brand too. Chery the brand arrives with two SUVs, the Tiggo 7 and seven-seat Tiggo 8, which are closely related to the aforementioned 7 and 5 – same platform, same powertrains, same interior technology – and have similarly head-turning pricing. So, just more of the same? Not quite, because a separate dealership network is being built and each brand has a distinct positioning: Chery is the…

The biggest question for most EV buyers when researching a new car is how far it can go between charges. Xpeng is hoping to get potential suitors to think differently: not how far it can go but how fast it can recharge. The G9’s 336-mile WLTP range is pretty strong. But its charging speed of 525kW is industry-leading (and faster than any charger you will currently find in the UK). A 10-80% fill up takes 12 minutes and the battery is mahoosive. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re already talking about charging speeds while many of you might still be thinking: ‘What on earth is an Xpeng?’ This Chinese firm was founded in Guangzhou in 2014 by two former senior executives from GAC, and it has always billed…

This era of high-rise electric superminis that we’re living through is showing no sign of stalling. We now have a class packed with all kinds: premium ones (Alfa Romeo Junior), sporty ones (Mini Aceman, Ford Puma Gen-E), stylish ones (Kia EV3), retro-stylish ones (Renault 4), cutesier retro-stylish ones (Fiat Grande Panda) and more. Among it all, what should a brand like BYD do to make its entrant stand out? Not much, apparently. The BYD Atto 2, just arrived in the UK, seems to have a mission simply to blend in. It looks very much like a shrunken Atto 3, although it also trades on cues obviously borrowed from the likes of Smart and Mercedes EQ. It is practical, broadly pleasant, well equipped and inoffensive both to use and drive. It’s…

A funny thing happens while we’re driving in formation for these photographs. I subconsciously identify which gear each of our cars is in. The Ineos and Morgan are audibly rumbling along in third, balancing high torque and low revs to maintain the smooth, consistent speed needed for Max’s camera. I’m perched comfortably in the BMW, holding it in second at higher, more sonorous tones to ensure the drop-top keeps up with the car in front and thus avoids messing up the composition. It’s the first time I’ve truly appreciated what’s assembled here. The idea emanated from an idle chitchat with friend of Autocar Nick Stafford on a previous shoot; he had not long purchased a BMW 340i and was clearly proud of the flexibility of its engine. The Munich firm’s ‘B58’…

MILEAGE 2784 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Is this sensible, long-legged compact SUV the perfect beginner’s electric car? The Elroq is full of fun little ‘Simply Clever’ features that aim to make it as easy to live with as possible, and for the most part they’re great – but who on earth signed off these front cupholders? There are two in the centre console, sensibly placed and easily reached – so far, so good – but I can’t help wondering if Skoda’s R&D engineers managed to cover hundreds of thousands of miles around the world without once stopping to grab a cappuccino or a Coke. Because if they had, they would know that the movable central divider doesn’t move far enough to accommodate a standard travel mug or water bottle in…

MILEAGE 3564 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Can Citroën’s new small EV challenge the class-leading Renault 5? I’m not in the saddle of our ë-C3 but something feels familiar. Déjà vu? Kind of. This time, though, the C3 I’m driving is a calming Monte Carlo Blue and a surprise lurks beneath its familiar blocky silhouette. This is the C3 Hybrid, which sits (nominally at least) between the entry-level petrol C3 and the ë-C3. Priced from £20,615, it’s in fact priced slightly above the ë-C3 once you factor in the government’s recently revived EV purchase grant and comes with pretty much all of the same equipment, save for what’s under the bonnet. In the hybrid, there’s a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, along with a dinky battery and a gearbox-mounted electric motor. An…

The third-generation Nissan X-Trail presented a challenging design brief. Not only did this family SUV need to fill the void left by the defunct seven-seat Qashqai +2, it also needed to appeal to buyers looking to ditch their MPV. What followed was a sleek, Qashqai-inspired soft-roader that could cater to families, however big or small. In 2014 you would have paid close to £30,000, now just over a tenth of the price – impressive value for a seven-seat SUV that offers the same space, versatility and ease of use as any modern family hauler. Indeed, the swish exterior reinvention meant the same treatment had to be applied to the cabin, which has a generally pleasant, pragmatic ambience. The unusual quirks of its predecessors, such as the centrally mounted instruments and…

All that glistens is not gold – or, in the case of Dave White’s Rover P6, blue. “When I first saw the car, it was presentable enough but it was only after I bought it and unbolted the body panels that I saw the shell was rusty,” he says. “I had to have it welded and fabricated. You can still get some panels and parts for the shell but the sections they call the ‘hockey sticks’ that extend from the bulkhead beneath the front wings are no longer available. The Rover P6 Club was a great source of information when I was restoring it and the car’s now solid as a rock.” And looks it. Although his car, a Series 2 3500 S, was registered 50 years ago in 1975,…