Table of contents for May 2025 in What Car?

Hybrids are sometimes dismissed as nothing more than a bridge between petrol and electric cars. But to paraphraseToyota chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada, that doesn’t mean they’re not a long and sturdy bridge. It helps (although Mr Uchiyamada might disagree) that the days when the Japanese company had this market to itself are long gone. Instead, hybrid buyers are now spoilt for choice – both in terms of the number of models available and the variety of hybrid technologies on offer. But, of course, that can also make it harder to decide what will suit you best. So, in this issue we’ve named the best and worst hybrids of every type. Plus, we’ve pitted three of the latest plug-in hybrids from China against one another to see if any of them are…

AS THE POPULARITY ofTV’s Gladiators has shown, us Brits love nothing more than a reboot, and now Nissan is getting in on the act with a reimagined Micra small car. The teaser pictures released thus far make it immediately apparent that the Micra has style-led small electric cars such as the Fiat 500e, Mini Cooper E and Renault 5 (R5) squarely in its sights. In fact, it bears a marked resemblance to the R5 (our reigning Car of the Year), with which the Micra shares its underpinnings. Behind the Micra’s bold LED headlights, similarities to the R5 include the same 40kWh and 52kWh (usable capacity) battery options, the latter of which is said to offer more than 248 miles of range. Nissan has yet to reveal any other technical information,…

THERE’S NO SUCH thing as bad publicity. Right? Well, Tesla boss Elon Musk seems to be conducting a pretty rigorous test of that theory. Overall European sales for the American manufacturer have sharply declined since this time last year. But why? Well, some would argue that this was because buyers were holding off from buying Tesla’s most popular model – the Model Y – in the knowledge that its replacement was just around the corner. Others, though, would suggest that Musk’s outspoken political views have sparked a backlash. Either way, this Model Y remains extremely important for Tesla. The previous Model Y’s slick technology, impressive range and vast practicality made it a thoroughly recommendable electric car. It wasn’t without its faults, though, with disappointing ride comfort and refinement its main…

IS IT AN SUV? Is it an executive car? Well, that’s open to debate, but what’s certain is that the Peugeot 408’s engine line-up has been updated. While the existing Plug-in Hybrid 225 option is still available, a new electric e-408 is imminent, and for those who prefer petrol power, this new entry-level Hybrid 136 essentially builds on the Puretech 130 unit it replaces. Featuring a 1.2-litre petrol engine with a small electric motor built into its six-speed automatic gearbox (a set-up also used in the Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida, driven on p23), the Hybrid 136 promises around 10mpg better fuel economy than the old engine. Meanwhile, a lower CO2 output means smaller tax bills for company car drivers. Unlike mild hybrid rivals such as the Cupra Formentor 1.5 eTSI,…

IF YOU LIKE the look of the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica small SUV but are put off by it being electric, you’re in luck. The Junior is now available with petrol power, so it has the same sharp looks but you’ll never need to plug it in. Under the bonnet is the 134bhp 1.2-litre mild hybrid petrol engine that you’ll also find in the Peugeot 2008. There’s more than enough performance for everyday driving; getting up to motorway speeds is a doddle, while the electric assistance from the mild hybrid system minimises hesitation when setting off. While the Ibrida can’t provide the regular stints of electric-only motoring that a regular hybrid (such as the Toyota Yaris Cross) can, it can keep you mobile when crawling along in stop-start traffic without…

AROUND TWO MILLION Brits are likely to embark on driving holidays in Europe this year, with the majority heading for France, Italy, Portugal or Spain. It’s important to be aware of the latest requirements for driving in the EU, to ensure you enjoy your trip without any unexpected problems or hold-ups. There are three essential documents you need to take with you if you’re driving your own car in Europe: ✓ The car’s V5 registration document. ✓ Your photocard driving licence. ✓ A copy of your car insurance certificate to show that you have cover for the vehicle. The requirement for a green card, which acts as proof of insurance, has changed, and this is no longer needed for most EU countries. The rules on the expiry date of British…

10 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Our pick C300e Urban Edition List price £49,860 Target Price £45,610 0-62mph 6.1sec Top speed 149mph MPG 565.0 CO2 12g/km Given that three of its models appear in this list, you’d be right in assuming that Mercedes knows a thing or two about building plug-in hybrids. Indeed, this version of the C-Class has many of the same positive attributes as its GLC and E-Class siblings, but it costs less to buy. Not only does the C300e have a longer official range than its BMW 330e rival (up to 71 miles), but it’ll also cost you less in benefit-in-kind tax as a company car driver. Standard rear air suspension helps to make the C300e supremely comfortable, despite the battery’s weight. And while the interior feels a bit flimsy in…

SPRING 2025 Audi Q5 It’s no surprise that the Q5 is one of Audi’s best sellers, given its upmarket feel, roomy interior and wide range of economical engines. The thirdgeneration version coming this spring will benefit from an advanced version of its current mild hybrid technology, allowing zero-emissions driving in stop-start traffic. Citroën C3 Aircross Based on the Citroën C3 hatchback, the new C3 Aircross small SUV offers the choice of petrol, mild hybrid or electric power (the latter called the e-C3 Aircross). The mild hybrid 1.2 produces 134bhp and officially returns 53.3mpg fuel economy. Prices start at £23,740 for this version, and there’s a seven-seat option. Cupra Terramar Engine options in Cupra’s sportier equivalent of the Volkswagen Tiguan family SUV include a 148bhp 1.5-litre mild hybrid, plus 201bhp and…

Mileage 2410 List price £54,305  Target Price £52,167 Price as tested £55,055  Test range 260 miles I AM INDEBTED to reader Chris Backhouse, who wrote in to advise me – after I previously expressed my fear of kerbing my Volvo EC40’s alloy wheels when parking – that the solution is to tap the mirror adjustment button on the driver’s door twice. This dips the kerbside mirror while you reverse, then raises it again afterwards, making parking much easier. On the subject of making life easier, like several other electric cars, the EC40 has a storage area under the bonnet to supplement the main boot. With a 31-litre capacity, it’s big enough for soft luggage or a shopping bag or two. Not that there are any issues with the main boot.…

Mileage 8814  List price £48,695 Target Price £45,936  Price as tested £49,571 Test range 280 miles AFTER THE 2025 What Car? Car of the Year Awards, several audience members told me they were surprised to see the Tesla Model 3 win Executive Car of the Year, given the recent behaviour of a certain Elon Musk. My response was that our job is simply to name the best cars; our readers can decide for themselves whether or not they like the companies that make them – or indeed their owners. As much as I believe that, though, it does seem that in the case of Tesla, an increasing number of people are deciding they do not. I’ve started to receive emails from Tesla owners in which they ask what they should…

Mileage 4235 List price £45,495  Target Price £40,797 Price as tested £46,745 Test range 270 miles BEING ELECTRIC, MY Renault Scenic is fairly quiet when it’s rolling along; the absence of engine noise and reasonably low levels of wind and road noise make it a relaxing car in which to cover long distances. But that doesn’t mean it’s silent, of course. On the contrary: as with most cars fitted with the latest electronic driver and safety aids, the Scenic is capable of kicking up a cacophony of sounds at times – a few of them irritating but some surprisingly pleasant. French composer and electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre played a part in developing the‘in-car sound experience’ for the Scenic. He created not only the welcome sequence when you climb behind…

‘We’ve got Best Buys for every need’THE WHAT CAR? TEAM TARGET PRICE This is the maximum we think you should pay for your new car. It’s set by our team of mystery shoppers, who spend every day haggling with dealers to see what discounts are available across the UK. 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 your needs. KEY INFORMATION…

The original LS was the car that made Lexus’s name. What about the final version, though? AT FIRST THEY were nowhere, and then they were everywhere. It’s 1989 and a Scottish band called Texas has just played I Don’t Want a Lover on Top of the Pops. As the band’s debut single, it went on to sell more than two million copies worldwide and still appears on radio playlists like clockwork. It gave Texas a road to global stardom – that the band should have driven in a Lexus LS. While, in 1989, Texas was bringing in big money for Mercury Records, Toyota was about to storm the motoring stage with its new premium offshoot, Lexus. Its first act, the LS 400, was pitched against flagship luxury saloons from Audi,…

MG’S FIRST ELECTRIC family SUV, the ZS EV, became one of the best-selling electric cars in the UK, with a bargain price right at the top of its list of merits. After five years on sale, though, tough new rivals such as the Jeep Avenger Electric, Kia EV3 and Smart #1 – as well as the slightly pricier Renault Scenic and Skoda Elroq – had moved the game on. In replacing the ZS EV, then, what better car to start with than the MG 4 hatchback? Another smash hit, it’s keenly priced, spacious, nippy and well equipped, with a good range. Make it into a family SUV and the new MG S5 is born. There are currently two versions of the S5. The entry-level Standard Range SE packs a 47.1kWh…

SOME SUVS, SUCH as the BYD Seal U, Honda e:Ny1 and Toyota bZ4X, have names that seemingly require a degree in cryptanalysis (the art of creating and breaking codes) to understand. The Dacia Bigster’s name is much less of a riddle; in a nutshell, it’s a Big Duster. More specifically, it’s 227mm longer and 46mm taller than its Duster small SUV sibling, making it the largest Dacia yet and a member of the family SUV class. The Duster and Bigster are closely related under the surface, though. The Bigster offers a choice of three petrol engine, starting with the mild hybrid TCe 140, which drives the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. Then there’s the TCe 130, which trades a little power for four-wheel drive but likewise uses a…

APPEARANCES, AS THE saying goes, can be very deceptive, and here’s a great example. This new family SUV may look like a Toyota C-HR, and it shares virtually the same name, but it’s completely different under the skin. This new C-HR+ – the‘+’ bit is important – shares more DNA withToyota’s larger bZ4X than it does with hybrid or plug-in hybrid versions of the regular C-HR. In fact, the battery and motor choices are identical to those of the soon-to-be-facelifted bZ4X. Both cars offer 55kWh and 73.1kWh (usable capacity) batteries; the smaller one will power the entry-level front-wheel-drive model, while the larger battery will be offered in both front and four-wheel-drive versions. Official range figures haven’t yet been confirmed, but Toyota claims the C-HR+ can cover up to 373 miles…

DARWIN’S ‘SURVIVAL OF the fittest’ theory can be applied to every aspect of life – including the new car market. Currently, it seems that in order to survive, it helps to have both petrol and electric versions of most models, and that’s exactly what BMW is doing with the next-generation 3 Series executive car and its all-new i3 electric equivalent. The new 3 Series saloon and the i3 – not to be confused with the pioneering electric hatchback of the same name that was sold from 2013 to 2022 – are set to rival the electric-onlyTesla Model 3 and the upcoming new Mercedes-Benz CLA, which will also be offered with a choice of petrol and electric power. New-generation underpinnings will allow for a longer range and improved efficiency for the…

WHAT DOES THE Skoda Elroq have in common with brunch, Wikipedia and parasailing? Answer: the names of all four were created by combining two other words. In the case of ‘Elroq’, it’s a portmanteau of ‘electric’ and ‘Karoq’. So, you won’t be surprised to hear that this new model is an electric vehicle (EV) that’s about the same size as Skoda’s conventionally powered Karoq SUV. As such, it’s a smaller car than the brand’s other electric SUV, the Enyaq. And we were so impressed when we tried the range-topping 85 version a few months back that we named it our Electric Family SUV of the Year. But what about the cheaper 50 and 60 variants? Well, we’ve now driven those too, and it turns out that the latter offers all…

‘Many EVs don’t have a real-time display of the kW rate they’re accepting’ CHARGING ANXIETY HAS taken over from range anxiety as the number one reason why car buyers are shying away from switching to electric vehicles (EVs). In a What Car? survey of in-market car buyers, more than a third of the 2265 respondents who told us they were put off switching to an EV cited concerns about limitations in the UK’s public charging infrastructure. More specifically, they worried that they’d turn up at a charging location and find the devices broken or busy. The high price of rapid charging was also among buyers’ reservations. A separate survey of current EV owners highlighted concerns over disappointing charging speeds, with complaints that the advertised kilowatt (kW) rates at public sites…

10 Honda Jazz Our pick 1.5 e:HEV Elegance List price £27,395 Target Price £25,040 0-62mph 9.4sec Top speed 108mph MPG 62.8 CO2 102g/km No other small car is as practical as the Honda Jazz. As well as being really spacious inside, its boot is huge and its rear seats have versatile flip-up bases. The Jazz’s 1.5-litre petrol engine is supplemented by two electric motors that do much of the legwork around town, the result being impressive official fuel economy of 62.8mpg. True, the rival Toyota Yaris is even more frugal, but that car is nowhere near as roomy inside. The Jazz holds its value well, helping to keep ownership costs down, and it comes very well equipped. But that’s just as well, because it’s very pricey to buy by small…

SUMMER 2025 Audi A5 The first plug-in hybrid versions of the latest Audi A5 hatchback and Avant estate models will arrive in showrooms in June. The A5 is based on the same underpinnings as the A6 and Q5, and the PHEV uses a new battery that’s a similar physical size to the older units but has a far larger capacity, resulting in an official electric range of 67 miles. Audi A6 Avant Confusingly, the freshly renamed Audi A6 Avant will be sold alongside the technically unrelated electric A6 Avant e-tron. It will offer petrol and diesel power, both with mild hybrid technology that will allow electric-only driving when pulling away and at a cruise. In time, the range will expand to include a new A6 saloon. LATE 2025 Audi RS5…

SOME ELECTRIC CARS look like spaceships and attract the sort of attention a flying saucer would if it landed in London. But what if you don’t want to have the world staring at you? What if you want to go electric without the fuss? Well, Vauxhall has a solution: the Astra Electric. Yes, it’s powered by a 154bhp electric motor rather than a petrol or diesel engine, but on the outside it’s hard to tell it apart from conventional versions of the Astra. The only distinguishing feature is a small ‘e’ badge on the bootlid. Rather than the hatchback, though, I’ve opted for the Sports Tourer estate. This is a much more practical proposition, offering extra head room for rear passengers and a square-shaped boot, which is almost twice as…

AT 6FT 3IN TALL, I’m someone you might spot lumbering around a car park and think: “Blimey, I bet that guy hates driving small cars.” But you’d be wrong. If I can get comfortable behind the wheel, small suits me fine. More than fine, actually. I don’t need loads of seats because I don’t do mob-handed road trips. And I don’t need a huge boot because I don’t do tip runs. Instead, I’m attracted to models that are compact enough to be easy to manoeuvre in town. After all, living in central London, I start every drive with several miles of what you might call the urban crawl. So, for my new car, I’ve gone for this tennis-ball-coloured Peugeot e-208 – which is not only small but also (as the…

IN PRODUCTION 2021-present PRICE FROM £27,000  OUR FAVOURITE VERSION eDrive40 M Sport IF YOU’RE WORRIED that an electric car might feel alien and difficult to adapt to, the BMW i4 could be for you. It’s based on the petrol BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé (a close relative of the 3 Series executive car), and the two are very similar inside and out. As one of the best cars in its class, the 4 Series gets the i4 off to a good start, bringing sharp driving dynamics, a highquality interior and brilliant infotainment. Factor in its other virtues (more of which anon), and the i4 is a strong rival to the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3. There are three power options. The 282bhp eDrive35 and 335bhp eDrive40 have a single…

IF YOU’RE IN a long-distance race, a boost from an energy gel or a protein bar can go a long way in getting you to the finish line, and similar thinking is behind range-extender electric vehicles (EVs), such as the new Leapmotor C10 REEV. Like the conceptually similar Mazda MX-30 R-EV, it’s powered by an electric motor and a sizeable battery (28.4kWh total capacity), and there’s a petrol engine to generate extra charge when the range dwindles. In effect, then, it’s a rival to plug-in hybrid (PHEV) family SUVs, including the MG HS and Volkswagen Tiguan, and its long (90-mile) official electric range and low emissions mean cheap (6%) company car tax. By PHEV standards, it’s quick to charge, too; it accepts power at rates of up to 65kW, so…

THERE’S NO MISTAKING the angular, futuristic-looking BMW iX for anything else, and whether you love or hate its style, it’s an extremely talented electric SUV. And now, after a facelift, it has even more going for it. The exterior tweaks don’t exactly leap out at you; there’s a new set of LED headlights that hat-tip the BMW Neue Klasse concept car, as well as reshaped front and rear bumpers. What’s changed beneath the surface, though, is of much more consequence. Most significant among the changes are new, bigger batteries. The entry-level iX, now called xDrive45, gets a 94.8kWh (usable capacity) battery; that’s up from the previous 71kWh pack and boosts the official range from around 260 miles to a much more impressive 374 miles, making it more competitive against the…

WHEN PEOPLE GO through a mid-life crisis, they sometimes go a bit wild, buying extravagant things they’ve always wanted and suddenly getting tattoos. The changes that mark the mid-point of the Skoda Enyaq’s career have been rather more subtle, consisting of little more than higher levels of standard equipment and some styling tweaks. Of course, the Enyaq isn’t the only electric Skoda SUV these days, and its restyled nose, with a new grille and updated headlights, brings it in line with its smaller Elroq sibling (which you can read about on p24). As with many people, the Enyaq’s makeover didn’t have much of an effect around its rear end. Not that everything really needed to change. For starters, the longest-range versions of the Enyaq and Enyaq Coupé – the 85…

WHILE THERE ARE plenty of hugely powerful SUVs nowadays, being fast on the beaten track is much too easy, or so Land Rover reckons. The real challenge is being quick off it, and the Defender Octa is throwing down the gauntlet. This flagship of the Defender line-up has been designed to blast through the scenery, and it has the heavy-duty underpinnings to do so. Its massively flared wheel arches bring a 68mm wider stance, ground clearance is up by 28mm and there’s a monstrous 626bhp on tap, courtesy of the same 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine as you’ll find in the Range Rover Sport SV. Despite its whip-crack 0-62mph time of 4.0sec, the Octa is as easy to drive as any Defender, thanks to the measured response of its accelerator pedal.…

COUNCILS IN ENGLAND must start to deal with the nation’s pothole crisis, or lose out on millions of pounds of funding. From April, local authorities will begin to share a £1.6 billion cash injection to repair broken Tarmac – but councils have been told to report on their progress to avoid losing a quarter of the full allocation. However, the additional funding still falls far short of the £17bn that the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) says is required to address the backlog of road repairs. In a report last month, the AIA said half of the local roads in England and Wales – covering 106,000 miles – had less than 15 years’ life left in them and, of these, 34,600 miles’ worth will survive for only another five years. The…

EXECUTIVE CAR Mercedes-Benz CLA In its new fully electric form, the latest iteration of this sleek, compact executive saloon offers a huge official range of up to 492 miles and ultra-fast charging (10-80% in as little as 10 minutes). You’ll have a choice of two battery sizes and three power outputs. Price from £45,000 (est) SMALL/FAMILY SUVS AND CARS Alfa Romeo Stelvio Winter 2025 Fine-driving SUV switches to electric power for its second round.A 320-mile range is likely. BMW iX3 Late 2025 Replacement for BMW’s electric family SUV gets sharp new looks and a minimalist interior. DS No7 Winter 2025 Family SUV is closely related to the Peugeot e-3008. Up to 450 miles of range is promised. Kia EV5 Late 2025 Electric family SUV promises big practicality and will sire…

10 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Our pick S500 L AMG Line Premium List price £109,550 Target Price £105,050 0-62mph 4.7sec Top speed 155mph MPG 32.9 CO2 195g/km While the mild hybrid technology does its job of boosting fuel economy in the Mercedes-Benz S500, its effect is more pronounced in the way the car responds when you put your foot down. The 3.0-litre engine in this luxury limo produces 443bhp, and the electrical assistance reinforces its muscular feel. Yet it’s also incredibly smooth and quiet when all you want to do is relax. Speaking of which, the S500 is wonderfully soothing at a motorway cruise. In such tranquillity, you’re at your leisure to appreciate the rich materials surrounding you, as well as the sheer comfort on offer in the opulent, spacious rear seats.…

IF I HAD to borrow a song title from my car’s namesake to sum up what it’s been like to live with, I’d probably go with All Too Well. Or I might even say it’s been beyond my Wildest Dreams. That’s right: running this car has officially made me a Swift fan – just of the Suzuki rather than Taylor variety. When I first took delivery, I was a tad nervous that the 1.2-litre petrol engine with mild hybrid electrical assistance (the only option available) might prove a little too weedy for my needs, being endowed with only 82bhp and 83lb ft of torque. However, in reality the Swift felt nippy in town and had no trouble keeping up with the ebb and flow of traffic on faster roads, even…

Mileage 2763 List price £40,205 Target Price £37,437  Price as tested £41,820  Test economy 42.3mpg IT’S BEEN A while since I’ve run a car as unashamedly big as my Skoda Kodiaq, which is a sevenseat SUV and the brand’s largest combustion-engined model. After spending several months in Skoda’s smaller Kamiq, the Kodiaq’s scale is quite a leap; at 4761mm long, it extends almost half a metre beyond the Kamiq, as well as standing 45mm taller. The best way to appreciate its extra size, though, is from inside. I found the Kamiq remarkably spacious for a small SUV; Dr Who would love it. But while adults were comfortable enough in the back, it didn’t let them stretch out in the way that the Kodiaq does.And this was really brought home to…

Mileage 5125  List price £49,580 Target Price £47,498  Price as tested £50,180 Test range 242 miles UNLEASH THE STREAMERS, break out the balloons, strike up the band… my Mini Countryman Electric wants to get the party started. In fact, like an overly enthusiastic redcoat at a holiday camp, it demands you have fun. Hi-de-hi indeed. It’s appropriate, though, because fun has been the name of the Mini’s game since the model’s birth back in 1959. Marc Bolan, Kate Moss, Twiggy and countless other Mini-owning celebrities would never have chosen Issigonis’s baby if it had been dour and miserable. True, being the family SUV of the modern Mini range, the Countryman doesn’t seem as naturally suited to driver entertainment as the lower, lighter Cooper hatchback, but it does just as much…

Our A-Z of new cars lists every model on sale, including all the important data and our road test verdicts STAR RATINGS TARGET PRICE The What Car? Target Price is the maximum you should pay for a new car and is researched by our crack team of mystery shoppers. Haggling for the best price with salespeople can be an uncomfortable experience, but it’s made much easier with our Target Price as a realistic figure to aim for. TARGET PCP Based on the Target Price figures set by our mystery shoppers, Target PCP is a fair monthly payment to aim for if you’re taking out a personal contract purchase (PCP) finance agreement at a car dealership. Most of the deals are over 48 months with a 15% deposit and an 8000-mile…