Yes, it may not look like it, but the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer can grip corners like a (slightly sleepy) hot hatch and has beautifully weighted controls that make it a fun and fulfilling car to drive quickly. You'd have never guessed that, would you? And who could blame you, because the Active...

With the addition of the Golf-sized Skoda Scala to its model line-up, Skoda has been able to move the Octavia more upmarket, which you'll notice as soon as you get behind the wheel. Slap a Volkswagen badge on the steering wheel and you wouldn't bat an eyelid, so good is the finish inside. In fact...

The previous-generation Skoda Octavia Estate was very popular with both new- and used-car buyers, thanks to its generous interior space and robust quality. With this fourth-generation Octavia , Skoda has moved the car further upmarket – without forgetting what made its predecessor so successful....

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 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe saw the firm branching into new territory with a four-door version of the Coupe which rivals the popular Audi A5 Sportback, as well as the shapely Mercedes C-Class that also arrived in 2014. BMW said it was a sleeker and sportier alternative to the BMW 3 Series saloon,...

The BMW i8 marked a revolution, not just for hybrid cars but for sports cars and supercars in general. The technology was incredibly advanced, but the principle was really very simple. A small 1.5-litre engine, borrowed from the MINI , powers the rear wheels, while an electric motor drives the...