There was a time when a hybrid Toyota was a sensible but uninspiring choice of family car. The old Toyota Auris is a prime example of that - dependable and cheap-to-run, yes, but lacking even the slightest hint of charisma. But the latest Toyota Corolla is genuinely a very good car. There are no...

The new model - now badged the MINI Cooper Electric - addresses that from the start. The entry-level MINI Cooper E comes with a relatively small battery and 190-mile official range, but many buyers are expected to go for the MINI Cooper SE. This comes with a bigger battery pack and an official range...

The BMW 1 Series always had a unique selling point in the hatchback class: it was rear-wheel drive, like a sports car or one of BMW's executive saloons. That was supposed to give it a real feeling of balance and poise, and a level of driver appeal above and beyond the competition.  In reality,...

Remember when small Peugeots had a touch of style about them? The 205 still looks pretty sharp today, but later cars (in particular the lacklustre 207 ) lost that joie de vivre that helped them stand out from the usual small car tedium. We're happy to report that the latest generation Peugeot 208...

‘It doesn’t drive as well as a Ford Focus.’ How often have you read that line in a new car review? Far too often, but the fact remains, few cars can rival the Focus in terms of driver appeal. It’s been that way since the original Focus arrived in the late 90s. Or has it? In truth, the Focus launched...

MINI may have launched numerous versions of its style-driven small car , but it’s the three-door hatch that remains at the core of all it does. Launched in 2014 and revised in 2018, it’s the standard bearer in the supermini class for fun driving, cabin appeal and a spread of options that leaves its...