Author: Autocar Magazine UK

Toyota GR Yaris now permanent fixture in line-up

Toyota says that the unexpected success of the GR Yaris has led it to make the hot hatchback a permanent fixture in its line-up. Speaking at an event where we drove a prototype of the new facelifted GR Yaris, its chief engineer Naohiko Saito said: “This isn’t the end of development.”  The GR Yaris ‘Evo’ has… Continue reading Toyota GR Yaris now permanent fixture in line-up

Sainsbury’s launches its own electric car charging brand

Sainsbury’s has launched its own electric car charging brand, becoming the first supermarket in the UK to own and manage its own charging network. Called Smart Charge, the “game-changing” brand will be introduced with the roll-out of 750 rapid chargers “across more than 100 stores” by the end of this year. The British supermarket chain claims that… Continue reading Sainsbury’s launches its own electric car charging brand

CES 2024: short on cars, still one of the world’s biggest car shows

Missing in action at CES: the Tesla Cybertruck. You’d have thought the newest model from the firm that has done the most to accelerate the automotive industry’s tech transformation would be a shoe-in for the world’s leading tech show, but no. An early rumour that the divisive electric pick-up truck was part of the fleet on… Continue reading CES 2024: short on cars, still one of the world’s biggest car shows

Abarth 600e to arrive in 2025 as brand’s most powerful model ever

Abarth’s second electric hot hatch will arrive next year as the brand’s most powerful model to date and will use a bespoke chassis set-up developed by motorsport engineers. Highly expected to be called the 600e, following the naming strategy started by the Abarth 500e and its Fiat 500e sibling, the new hot hatch will be… Continue reading Abarth 600e to arrive in 2025 as brand’s most powerful model ever

Ford Kuga

The Ford Kuga may externally mimic the look of a car from one of the world’s most enduringly stylish car companies, but this illusion doesn’t survive entry into the cabin. Nothing about the monochrome materials or foolproof architecture is immediately disappointing, and the propped-up driving position and supportive ST-Line sports seats of our test car strike a good balance… Continue reading Ford Kuga

Mercedes doubles down on mega screens

Mercedes models will offer more and even larger screens in their interiors over the coming years. The firm’s chief technology officer, Markus Schäfer, told Autocar at CES in Las Vegas that Mercedes is still “on a trajectory where you see even more screens in the car”, at a time when some competitors are scaling back… Continue reading Mercedes doubles down on mega screens

From the archive: Bristol enters the car industry

Just a year later, it revealed the 400. We said: “One can sympathise with the manufacturer starting out on this industrial adventure for not taking on too much at once. Bristol themselves call the design a ‘common-sense compromise’. And one must acknowledge the real excellence of the result, which is based on so well-tried and… Continue reading From the archive: Bristol enters the car industry

Volkswagen ID 3 hot hatch due as electric Golf GTI alternative

Volkswagen is preparing to launch a 282bhp hot version of the ID 3 that will serve as an electric equivalent to the Golf GTI. The electric hot hatchback builds on plans first aired by Volkswagen with the unveiling of the smaller ID GTI concept at the Munich motor show in September last year, with unique… Continue reading Volkswagen ID 3 hot hatch due as electric Golf GTI alternative