New car smell: Taking the fragrant new Omoda 7 for a spin Life&Style Can you bottle that new car smell? Adam Hay-Nicholls goes on a scent tour of the Cotswolds in the new Omoda 7 hybrid electric vehicle Could you bottle that ‘new car smell’, you’d be on to a winner. That’s the bracing odour of a bold financial decision. That odour is a cocktail of volatile organic [...]
Kia EV4 GT review: electric hot hatchback is a sensible sort of fun Life&Style On 25 September 1978, John Peel played Teenage Kicks, the debut single from The Undertones, on his Radio 1 evening show. Two minutes and 28 seconds later, in a brazen breach of BBC protocol, he played the same song for a second time, telling listeners “it doesn’t get much better than this”. I recently had [...]
Renault 5 E-Tech 2026 long-term review – third report Life&Style It happened again yesterday. Twice now, while navigating the Surrey suburbs, I’ve had a cheery wave from a fellow Renault 5 driver heading in the opposite direction. This kind of car-based camaraderie was the norm when I drove an original Mini, and I know folk with classic Land Rovers do the same. I’ve never experienced [...]
Audi A6 Avant E-Tron review: electric estate leads the space race September 28, 2026 The Audi A6 Avant E-Tron has a lot to unpack. Literally, because we have just taken it on a camping trip and filled its 502-litre boot to the brim. And figuratively, because this electric estate is chock-full of clever technology. The E-Tron’s ‘numerous technological advances’ range from the ingenious (a foot-operated boot release with its [...]
Bentley’s debut EV drives £1bn motoring investment surge in a week September 23, 2026 Britain’s automotive industry is set to get an extra £350m of investment as Bentley drives new funding into its headquarters in Crewe to build its first fully electronic vehicle, marking the third major boost in a week for the sector. The announcement takes the total figure of fresh investment into the UK’s automotive industry in [...]
City of London’s Rolls-Royce limo converted to electric power September 7, 2026 The City of London Corporation’s official limousine, a 1973 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, has been converted into an electric vehicle. Commissioned by Alderwoman Dame Susan Langley DBE, the 697th Lord Mayor of the City of London, the battery-powered limousine is part of a plan to make the Corporation ‘net zero’ by 2027. Oxfordshire-based Electrogenic was handed [...]
Vauxhall Corsa GSE review: a hardcore hot hatch that happens to be electric September 4, 2026 Vauxhall has a long history of building hot hatchbacks, from the Nova to the Astra, not forgetting several generations of Corsa. John Redfern finds out if the electric Corsa GSE is a worthy new chapter. For those of a certain age, the idea of a hot Vauxhall Corsa will conjure up certain thoughts. Possibly those [...]
New Range Rover Electric: First drive of long-awaited £154,000 SUV September 3, 2026 The new Range Rover Electric is here at last, with V8-rivalling poweThe new Range Rover Electric is here at last, with V8-rivalling power, a battery range of up to 372 miles and a price starting from £154,070. While formidable, the price is a relatively modest £6,390 more than a similarly powerful V8 petrol Range Rover [...]
EV targets set to be watered down August 14, 2026 Electric vehicle sales targets for British carmakers could be watered down after ministers launched a fresh review amid growing pressure from manufacturers and dealerships. The government said it was seeking the opinions of auto makers, suppliers and charging point providers on whether to loosen the ambitious plans to phase out sales of petrol and hybrid [...]
Renault 5 E-Tech 2025 three month review – first impressions July 18, 2026 My first rendez-vous with the Renault 5 was at a rain-lashed EV charging hub, just off the A1(M) in Stevenage. Not the most auspicious start, you might think, but somehow this little car seemed to prise the sunshine out from between leaden clouds. I was smitten. The occasion was a driving day for UK Car [...]