Road tests

It seems Lexus believes that good things come in small packages - especially as far as building estate cars is concerned. On sale now, the new 2.0-lit…

Why do enthusiasts get so excited at the thought of an Alfa? The rich motorsport heritage? The gorgeous Italian styling? Sure, both are useful in the …

If you're someone who wants to be different from the pack but not considered weird or eccentric, expect a call from your local Saab dealer.

They're all getting a bit smug at Volkswagen. Not content with redefining the diesel hatch market with the PD range, they're now using the technology …

As the 505cc engine of Ligier's new Be-Up splutters into life, it's best to take a couple of seconds to settle your nerves. It has no doors or airbags…

Having pioneered the MPV in Europe, Renault has again stolen a march on the opposition with this fourth-generation Espace, thanks to its unrivalled en…

Gentlemen, start your engines! The race to build the ultimate autobahn basher shows no signs of slowing up as Mercedes charges into the fray with its …

Youv'e seen those adverts in which Hollywood beauties with an unfeasible number of birthdays behind them praise the virtues of the latest anti-ageing …

Back in the days of Ford Sierras, Austin Montegos and Vauxhall Cavaliers, the badge on the bootlid told all. It wasn't simply the engine size displaye…

Nobody can deny that value for money is an important factor in any buying decision. Do you plump for the big brand baked beans, or are you the kind of…

The future of four-wheel drive has changed forever. Nissan has just unveiled the world's lightest, most cost-effective 4x4 system, and fitted it to it…

Buy this car and next year you could have the holiday of a lifetime! It's not some competition, but that's what you could afford with savings you make…

If there's one thing Audi's A2 has always lacked, it's a bit of poke under the bonnet. It might be light in weight thanks to the aluminium body, but t…

If you can't bring yourself to switch to diesel, then all is not lost. Vauxhall has also developed a new system for its small petrol engines which inc…

What does five grand buy you these days? A service on a Ferrari, perhaps, a quarter of a Ford Mondeo, or maybe a pair of hospitality tickets at the Br…

For some drivers, only a BMW will do. They think that having a blue-and-white propeller badge on the bonnet shows that they have made it, and can't wa…

Sometimes five gears just aren't enough... or six, even! Honda's taking a big step forward and giving us seven. It's the popular Jazz that's been chos…

Imagine the average Rover 75 driver, and turbos don't really fit in. After all, the mature and sensible image of the big Brit saloon and estate summo…

Show star, cover model and dream machine. Few cars have enjoyed the limelight like Ford's Focus RS.

As Mazda found out, without a diesel engine you might as well not bother in the people carrier sector. With only one petrol unit and dull styling, its…

There are a few ways to get supercar-slaying performance from an everyday vehicle. Fitting turbos is one route, or you can create a race-honed engine…

It's the jubilee year - and Volkswagen is celebrating in style! But rather than mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the German firm is marking …

This is it: crunch time. After years of talking about establishing itself as a force in the mainstream car market, Hyundai has finally put its money w…

First it lost out to Mercedes' E-Class, and now it has truly fallen from its pedestal. The venerable BMW 5-Series has been beaten again... this time b…

Squatting threateningly over huge 22-inch alloy wheels, sunlight glinting off its gunmetal grey paintwork and brutally sculpted body. The Mitsubishi …

BMW is going back to its roots. To celebrate 30 glorious years of M cars, the German giant is, for once, taking a look in its rear view mirror. Not co…

While engineers at luxury car makers strive to make their new products quieter and more refined, a small company in Surrey takes great delight in crea…

If you use this model's sporty handling to the full, your suit jacket slides off the coat hook in the back...

It's all very well for Hyundai to gain credibility with fashionable cars such as the new Coup� and the Santa Fe 4x4, but it's not these models which w…

We've thought long and hard about who on earth could possibly need the unique attributes of Renault's Kangoo Trekka. After all, the standard car is qu…

For British executives, the gravy train has well and truly hit the buffers. No longer can you have the perk of a big luxury car without paying through…

Stand by for action! Mercedes has launched a pre-emptive strike against forth- coming competition in the prestige coup� market with its all-new CLK � …

If this car had gone to school, it would have been teased mercilessly. Freakishly tall, odd looking and saddled with a daft name, it wouldn't have sto…

These days, the unlikeliest cars are putting on a performance act. With even the super-sensible Vauxhall Zafira packing a turbo, it was only a matter …

There's something missing from this new Fabia: a GTI badge. Underneath the car's meek-and-mild exterior beats the 115bhp 2.0-litre engine from a hot V…

How does this sound... a vehicle that changes from left to right-hand drive in 40 seconds? It's true - meet the amazing Mercedes Unimog. Compared to t…