New research finds that by 2026, 25 per cent of all driving tests conducted will be in cars with two pedals.
One in four driving tests will be in automatic cars by 2026 – a trend that is only set to increase once the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars comes into effect, a new study has predicted.
The prediction comes from AA Driving School which has used new data from the Driving Vehicles Standards Agency (DVSA). The agency found that in 2022/23, 17 per cent of all passes were conducted in cars with two pedals, compared with 13.4 per cent the previous year (2021/22), while in 2013/14, just five per cent of people passed their tests in autos.
The rise in numbers are to do with the number of instructors using automatics for their vehicles to teach their students, said the driving school. In January of this year, 21 per cent of AA franchisees were using automatics compared with 79 per cent using manuals.
The figures are set to increase even further as the 2035 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars gets nearer, as electric cars use automatic gearboxes.
Camilla Benitz, Managing Director, AA Driving School said: “As EVs and hybrids become more popular due to lower day-to-day running costs and as the impending ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars gets closer, more people are choosing to learn in an automatic.”
She added: “We see this trend continuing and the need for manual tuition declining, though manual licences will remain important for some drivers as they will want the option to drive a larger variety of vehicles.”
The data collected also showed that older learners are more likely to have lessons in an automatic than younger learners. Of the school’s current automatic pupils, 43 per cent are over 30 (10 per cent of overall pupils) compared to just 17 per cent who are 17-20 years old (four per cent of overall pupils).
The first electric Alfa Romeo will start at £33,895 and can travel up to 250 miles on a single charge.
Alfa Romeo has revealed prices and specifications for its first electric model – the Junior Elettrica, to give it its full title.
There will be three trim levels and two power outputs available at launch. The standard powertrain consists of a 158bhp electric motor and will offer a driving range of up to 250 miles on a single charge. The higher powered model, dubbed the Elettrica 240 Veloce, comes with a 243bhp motor that delivers a claimed 215 miles between charging sessions.
The entry level model, simply known as the Junior Ellectrica, will start at £33,895, making it nearly £2,000 cheaper than one of its key competitors – the Peugeot e-2008 – which starts at £35,700.
There are two power outputs. (Credit: Stellantis Media)
The standard Alfa Romeo Junior comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps and taillights, adaptive cruise control, a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, ambient lighting and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.
Move up to the Junior Speciale, which starts at £35,695, and customers will receive satellite navigation, a 180-degree rear view camera, an electric tailgate, keyless entry and rear privacy glass, as well as a driver’s seat with massage functionality.
The top-of-the-line Veloce is only available with the more powerful 243bhp powertrain and prices start at £42,295.
The Veloce model will only be offered with the more powerful 243bhp setup. (Credit: Stellantis Media)
This range-topping variant sports a Torsen limited slip differential that can distribute torque between the wheels, as well as sportier 25mm lowered suspension, red sport brake calipers, 20-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, a black roof, a sports styling kit, sports seats and an equally racy steering wheel.
Order books open later this month for the new Junior Ellectrica, with prices and specification yet to be revealed for the Ibrida hybrid variant, which is expected to feature a 134bhp 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and a 28bhp electric motor.
However, Alfa Romeo is yet to confirm whether this hybrid version is to be sold in the UK market.
Renault has high hopes that its coupe-styled hybrid SUV will steal sales away from the BMW X4. Cameron Richards went to Spain to find out.
What is it?
The Rafale will be hybrid-only in the UK
The Rafale is the car that will complete the Renault SUV line-up here in the UK, sitting above the Scenic E-Tech, Arkana and Austral as the flagship SUV in the range and going up against competition from BMW, Audi and Hyundai.
Renault is focusing a lot on its future electrification plans and badges its hybrid and electric vehicles with the E-Tech name. However, the Rafale will be sold on our shores only as a hybrid.
What’s new?
The rear of the Rafale is striking in design
The Rafale name is a new addition to the Renault family and is the French word for ‘wind’, relating to the company’s part in aviation with the Caudron-Renault Rafale that flew at 277mph in 1934.
While that plane may be relatively old today, the Rafale’s design is brand-new with a bold-looking interior matching a new exterior design language which ties it in with some of this French firm’s other cars while still establishing itself as a model in its own right.
What’s under the bonnet?
Alpine badges feature on higher spec models
From launch, there will be one powertrain on offer, and that is a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 128bhp and 205Nm of torque. From there, it’s hooked up to a pair of electric motors and, in total, the Rafale kicks out 197bhp.It has a top speed of 111mph and can do 0-60mph in 8.7 seconds, while a claimed 60.1mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 105g/km mean that the Rafale is remarkably clean-running for a car of this size.
All Rafale models come with multi-link rear suspension and a four-wheel-drive system as standard, while later down the line a 304bhp performance version to fit into the range.
What’s it like to drive?
In Seville testing the new Renault Rafale E-Tech — driving impressions will be revealed soon. pic.twitter.com/FtHHqxuBM8
The Rafale rivals SUVs such as the BMW X4, however behind the wheel the big Renault doesn’t quite match up to its German competitor.
The engine and transmission seem to have a hesitant and jerky transition from switching from combustion to electric mode which makes the car feel a little unsettled at speeds. Rear visibility is poor due to the small rear window and thick C-pillars and there is no rear windscreen wiper – which is frustrating when the screen is dirty.
However, our test car came with four-wheel steering called 4Control makes it easier to manoeuvre and gives it a tighter turning circle than you might think.
Overall performance is acceptable enough, and it’s reasonably refined at speeds with not too much road and tyre noise, but wind noise on the motorway is more noticeable than expected.
The Rafale also has an acceptable ride, though the suspension doesn’t seem to settle down over minor imperfections when travelling at slower speeds. However, even though the steering felt vague and a bit ponderous, it does go around corners with minimal fuss and very little body roll.
How does it look?
The new Rafale feels composed at speed
Coupe-like SUVs have become more popular ever since the BMW X6 kickstarted the trend back in the late 2000s.The Renault certainly has a unique look to it with its sloping roof design and distinctive Nouvel’R front end. The boomerang-style LED daytime running lights and front headlights that merge into the front radiator grille show similarities to Renault’s smaller SUV, the Austral.
However, the side profile looks a little anonymous, with a resemblance to the Nissan Qashqai, which is no surprise since the Renault Group owns Nissan.
What’s it like inside?
The interior of the Rafale gets Renault’s latest tech
The Rafale adopts Renault’s latest interior layout, similar to the one you’ll find on the latest Scenic. You get a larger rectangular steering wheel with a paddle shift for the regenerative braking and you have a 12-inch portrait infotainment screen that is angled towards the driver for a sportier alongside a 12.3-inch dashboard display.The cabin materials throughout the top half of the dashboard and door cards are soft and have a premium feel, however, lower down the glove box and lower centre console suffer from harder materials. There are also physical buttons for climate control and they are intuitive to use.
There is plenty of room in the back with a lot of leg and headroom, regardless of the sloping roofline and our test car’s Solarbay panoramic roof. A small transmission tunnel means that the middle seat passenger doesn’t struggle too much to sit comfortably either.
Boot space stands at 647 litres with the seats in place, which is over 120 litres more than a BMW X4. Fold the seats down and the Rafale’s boot space expands to 1,600 litres making it slightly smaller altogether than a Hyundai Santa Fe. However, the rear seats do not fold down flat making it harder to push heavier items to the back of the vehicle.
What’s the spec like?
The main screen is packed with features
Here in the UK, we are getting three different trim levels for this hybrid coupe SUV.The entry-level Techno starts at £38,195 and gets front and rear parking sensors, multi-link suspension and a 12-inch multimedia touchscreen. The mid-spec Techno Esprit Alpine comes in at £42,195 and boasts a heated steering wheel and front seats, rearview camera, ambient lighting a powered tailgate and 4Control four-wheel-steering.
Our test car was the top-of-the-line Iconic Esprit Alpine, priced at £44,695 and featuring 12 speakers, a 360-degree 3D camera, Matrix LED headlights and front Renault logo puddle lamps.
There will be a 304bhp plug-in-hybrid variant, called the Rafale Atelier launched later this year with pricing and specifications yet to be announced.
Verdict
Renault’s flagship SUV offers high levels of standard equipment with reasonable pricing and running costs.
Even though the driving experience isn’t the best in its class, it still performs well when it comes to comfort and ease of ownership.
Practicality is one of its stronger points, with boot space larger than some of its key rivals, while the interior is a nice place to be with space inside good enough to accommodate four average-sized adults comfortably.
As an overall package, the Rafale should be a hit with British buyers, we just think if the power delivery was smoother and it had a better drive, it would make the French SUV even more tempting.
Polestar is looking to ramp things up in 2024. While it may have seen a lot of popularity with its classy 2, that car has been on the roads for a little while now with its Swedish maker left to talk about not an awful lot else. That all changes soon, with a flurry of new models hitting the tarmac, including this – the 3. It’s a car which enters into the popular electric SUV segment and does so with all manner of battery-powered bells and whistles.
With a new platform underneath and loads of clever tech inside, the Polestar 3 certainly has the ingredients to succeed, but can it? We’ve been behind the wheel to find out.
What’s new?
As mentioned, there are a lot of very new aspects to the Polestar 3. Underneath, it’s got a brand-new platform – created by Polestar’s owners Geely and shared with other brands within its stable, including Volvo – which allows for loads of interior space and some super-fast charging speeds too. While the Polestar 3’s Volvo cousin – the EX90 – might be available with seven seats, this car is a strict five-seater, however.
Elsewhere, we’ve got the same stripped-back Scandi design approach that we’ve seen put to good use in the smaller 2, though plenty of high-end materials aim to boost the premium feel inside while ensuring a solid, enduring feel to the whole car.
What’s under the bonnet?
As with the Polestar 2, the 3 will be available with a number of powertrain options. It launches, however, with two – Long range Dual motor or Long range Dual motor with Performance Pack, with the latter, as you might expect, shaving the 3’s 0-60mph time down through more torque and power though reducing overall range as a result.
However, the ‘regular’ dual motor version isn’t a slouch. In fact. It’ll manage 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds, yet can still return up to 390 miles of range. The performance model, in contrast, has a claimed range of up to 348 miles between trips to the plug. The good news, however, is that because the 3 can accept charging speeds of up to 250kW, it’ll take just 30 minutes to charge its massive 107kWh battery from 10 to 80 per cent.
What’s it like to drive?
Polestar has aimed to put some ‘sportiness’ into its cars and though we’d argue that a 2.67-tonne SUV is unlikely to ever really be dynamic, it puts up a good fight in this area – mainly thanks to the fitment of a clever torque-vectoring system on the rear axle. It corners neatly and flatly, but what shines through most of all is the refinement – it’s quiet, comfortable and feels particularly at ease when travelling at higher speeds. The steering is relatively mute overall but it’s accurate enough to place the car where you want it easily. Rearward visibility isn’t the best, mind you, and the large rearward pillars mean over-the-shoulder visibility is impaired considerably.
Of course, this is quite a big bus, so threading it along narrower roads and streets does take a fair bit of concentration, but once you’re used to it things aren’t that bad. Is it sporty? Not particularly. But Polestar has done well to make the 3 easy-going in nature, which is what you’re after in a large SUV.
How does it look?
Polestar’s 2 set the tone for the brand’s future styling and though the 3 might have a load of its own design touches, there’s still a common thread connecting them both. It’s an impressive thing up close, mind you, with its upright stance and slim, razor-sharp headlights combined to make a car which has a lot of presence. While Polestar’s famous white colour will be the go-to for many, we’d argue that the 3 does look impressive in some of the other shades available, though there aren’t all that many to choose from.
Around the rear, there’s the full-width lightbar which is so common in the market – and loved by makers of EVs – but it does play into the futuristic look that the 3 is going for overall.
What’s it like inside?
As mentioned, Polestar’s vehicles have always had a certain Scandinavian, uncomplicated way about them and the 3 is no different. You’ll not find the interior adorned with numerous buttons or toggles, as much of the forward cabin is focused around the large portrait-orientated screen. Fortunately, there’s a display ahead of the driver, which means you’ve got those much-needed readouts right in front when you need them.
But space is good. The rear seats offer loads of legroom and headroom and everything has a solid feel to it. While Vegan materials are used as standard, the 3 is also available with a full leather interior which does seem to represent a concerted push towards more premium brands. A 597-litre boot – when loaded to the roof – seems a touch small given how large the car is overall, though the 55-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet is ideal for storing the charging cables in.
What’s the spec like?
Polestar is definitely giving the 3 a premium price tag. It’s priced from £79,900, which is a decent wedge of cash and nearly £10,000 more than you’d pay for an entry-level Audi Q8 e-tron. That said, the 3 counters with some very nifty technology which outshines the German-made cars in many areas. The main screen, which runs Android Automotive software is sharp and responsive, with plenty of those must-have features – such as Google Maps – coming pre-installed and running flawlessly, particularly when compared to other in-house navigation systems.
There’s a wireless charging pad as standard too – though since it has been made flush with the fascia your smartphone can easily slide off when accelerating – while features such as a massive panoramic roof, electric tailgate and a 360-degree parking camera all come as standard too. Add in many of the Polestar 3’s standard features to the Audi and the price would ramp up considerably.
Verdict
The electric SUV segment is a busy one. A lot of carmakers started off their electric journeys with high-riding models and that means the Polestar 3 is entering into difficult territory. However, while the wait for another Polestar model may have been long, the arrival of the 3 marks a positive forward step for the Swedish brand. It’s a comfortable and well-made car, this one, and has all of the technology on-board that you’d expect.
While we’d argue that it’d be worth hanging on until later this year for the arrival of the single-motor version – which was the strongest setup in the older 2 – the launch dual-motor 3 represents a good effort and one which should stand out in this very busy crowd.
Once the most important show in the automotive calendar, Geneva has been axed with it unlikely to make a return.
The Geneva motor show has been cancelled for 2025 with organisers ruling out its return in future years.
Making the announcement, the board of the Comite Permanent du Salon International de l’Automobile Foundation said there are currently too many “uncertainties” in the automotive industry.
It believes the Swiss event cannot compete with rival shows in Paris and Munich which, it says, are more supported by car manufacturers. As a result, it has cancelled next year’s event and has concluded that “market conditions in Europe are not conducive to the success of future editions”.
Alexandre de Senarclens, President of the Comite Permanent du Salon International de l’Automobile Foundation said: “This extremely regrettable decision should not detract from the efforts and determination with which we have tried to regain our success.”
(Geneva motor show media centre)
The Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) had its first showcase in 1905, and up until 2019, had been one of the most important and influential events in the motoring diary. At its peak, it covered over 120,000 square metres and had 120 exhibitors, alongside 10,000 international journalists, followed by 600,000 visitors over 11 days.
In 2023, it was decided that the Geneva motor show would be held in Qatar in October last year, which saw 1,100 journalists and 180,000 visitors attend the event. The next Qatar show will take place in November 2025.
Sandro Mesquita, GIMS CEO said: “It’s satisfying to realise that motor shows continue to appeal to brands in different parts of the world, and that the Geneva International Motor Show has reinforced its appeal in the Middle East.”
The new performance-oriented model will get 295bhp and 400Nm of torque.
Volkswagen has revealed the latest addition to its Golf line-up – the new GTI Clubsport.
The German hatchback turns 50 years old this year and as part of the celebrations VW has added this high performance version, which is destined to be a hit with enthusiasts.
(Volkswagen Newsroom)
The GTI Clubsport packs a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that pumps out 295bhp and 400Nm of torque, making it one of the most powerful front-wheel-drive cars on the market just behind the Honda Civic Type R.
There is also a locking front differential and it has an electronically limited top speed of 155mph, or 166mph if you spec the car with the optional Race Package, while 0-60mph is dealt with in 5.4 seconds.
Camouflage versions of the car were revealed at the Nurburgring last week, as the car spent most of its development on the Nordschleife.
On the exterior, the Clubsport gets updated LED headlights, an illuminated VW logo, a large roof spoiler and redesigned LED tail lights. Additionally, the 19-inch Queenstown alloy wheels are also new – forged alloy wheels are available as an option. Customers can also at an extra cost spec the Clubsport with adaptive chassis control for the best optimum experience.
(Volkswagen Newsroom)
Inside, the GTI Clubsport features an infotainment system with ChatGPT and voice assistance, while the leather sports steering wheel features VW’s return to physical buttons.
The model will be available to order in the UK later this year, and although prices have not been revealed, it’s expected to cost around the £40,000 mark.
Recent research conducted by Scrap Car Comparison found that Tesla owners wash their cars the most.
Recent research has found that Tesla drivers wash their cars more than most, according to Motoring Experts at Scrap Car Comparison.
Using their Clean Car Calculator, 1,000 motorists were surveyed and they found that 22 per cent wash their cars once a month.
Tesla owners on average wash the exterior of their car 130 times a year, followed jointly by Honda and BMW at 52 times a year. On the flip side, the cars that are cleaned the least are Fords, Vauxhalls, Nissans, Volkswagens, Kias and Hyundais all scoring 12 times a year.
The research also asked motorists on their preferred method of cleaning a vehicle, and revealed that 37 per cent prefer to carry out an extensive clean on their cars by hand. A further 27 per cent visit a hand car wash, while one in five use automatic car washers.
The research found that Teslas are washed on average 150 times a year. (Credit: PA Media – Tesla)
David Kottaun, Operations Manager at Scrap Car Comparison said: “Washing your car regularly can seem like an unnecessary chore, but it’s much better to give your car quick washes fairly frequently, than leave yourself faced with a horrendously grubby motor to wash months down the line.”
He went onto say: “In most cases, we won’t have our cars for their entire lives, so putting in a little bit of work will not only help you be proud of your vehicle, but also increases the chance of getting a better resale price and minimise any value lost. It’s easy to think that skipping wash will have no ill-effects, but the reality is that one skipped wash too many could lead to many more costly problems in the long run.”
The new model will offer a claimed electric range of 300 miles.
Jeep has taken the covers off its new electric SUV the – Wagoneer S.
Powering it is a 100kWh battery pack that gives a claimed range of 300 miles, and it can be charged up from a DC fast charger from five per cent to 80 per cent in 28 minutes. Its twin electric motors produce 608bhp allowing the Wagoneer S to cover 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds.
Antonio Filosa, Jeep Brand CEO said: “The launch of the all-electric Jeep Wagoneer S marks a new chapter in the storied history of the Jeep brand. Building upon nearly a century of innovation and design, the first global BEV will introduce a whole new generation of owners to an experience that is distinctly Jeep and 100 per cent electric in every way.”
Underneath the skin, the SUV uses Stellantis’ STLA Large Platform with Jeep engineers tweaking it to allow them to adjust the length, width, suspension and powertrain to deliver better acceleration and torque.
The Wagoneer S comes as standard with four-wheel-drive and has five driving modes including Auto, Sport, Eco, Snow and Sand.
On the outside there is a new take on the classic Jeep seven-slot grille – it’s enclosed to give better airflow over the front of the car and it can also illuminate. The sloping roof line has also been designed to aid drag efficiency, while a clever rear wing has a floating effect to help air flow down the back of the car. Jeep calls the Wagoneer S its most aerodynamic model to date.
Inside, there is a digital cockpit and what Jeep is calling a ‘Cross-Car Wing Sculpture’, which is a display which runs the entire width of the front instrument panel.. There is also a more conventional 12.3-inch central display and a twin-spoke flat bottom steering wheel.
Prices have not yet been announced nor has Jeep given a release date for UK sales, but it’s likely to arrive in 2026. The new SUV will be hitting its home market, the US, in the second half of this year.
Citroen has revealed prices and specifications for its fun and funky C3 and e-C3 supermini.
Citroen has revealed prices and specifications for its eagerly anticipated C3 and electric e-C3 models.
The French firm will offer just one trim level for the petrol C3 model in the UK, whereas with the electric version there will be two models on offer.
The petrol comes in Plus guise and will start at £17,790. It comes with a 10-inch central touchscreen display, voice recognition and cruise control with speed limiter. The electric version in Plus trim starts at £21,990.
There will be two trim levels on offer. (Credit: Stellantis Media – William Crozes @ Continental Productions)
Step up to the top-of-the-line Max trim, which is only available in electric form, and it costs from £23,690. It boasts a rear parking camera, automatic air conditioning, LED rear lights, dark tinted windows and a heated steering wheel and front seats.
A hybrid version of the C3 will join the line-up by the end of the year, but for now, the standard C3 will come with a 1.2-litre Puretech petrol engine that produces 98bhp and will have a six-speed manual transmission along with start-stop technology.
The electric version has a claimed range of 199 miles. (Credit: Stellantis Media – William Crozes @ Continental Productions)
The electric e-C3 comes with a 44kWh battery pack and a 111bhp electric motor that gives it a top speed of 84mph and a 0-60 time of 10.8 seconds. The claimed electric range is 199 miles on a single charge.
Order books open for the new e-C3 in July and September for the standard C3, with deliveries expected to commence at the end of the year.
The German carmaker hopes to bring affordability to the zero emission market with its new budget electric car.
Volkswagen has previewed what is said to be an entry-level EV that will rival vehicles such as the Dacia Spring.
The new city car is expected to cost the equivalent of £17,000 when the full production model is revealed in 2027, and could be called ‘ID.1’.
It will be aimed at the lower end of the electric car segment – a key battleground for European carmakers as they try to stop the threat posed by low-cost Chinese brands. The new budget city car will rival other value-for-money offerings such as the Dacia Spring and Citroen’s e-C3.
The car is expected to use the Group’s MEB-entry platform and have a range of around 200 miles on a full charge.
Thomas Schafer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand and head of Brand Group Core said: “The future is electric. In order for electromobility to become widespread, attractive vehicles are needed, especially in the entry-level segment. Our brand promise is: electromobility for all. This promise is now being fulfilled in the Brand Group Core. Despite the attractive price, our vehicles will set standards in the entry-level segment in terms of technology, design, quality and customer experience.”
The forthcoming budget city is part of a wider plan to introduce a range of more cost efficient electric cars from the Volkswagen Group. It will see the German carmaker launch a number of new EVs under its Volkswagen, Cupra and Skoda brands.
It will comprise two small SUVs – one from Volkswagen and the other from Skoda, the latter has already been previewed by the Epiq concept car – and two hatchbacks – one from Volkswagen and the other from Cupra; the Cupra version has already been confirmed and will be called Raval. The four new EVs will be built in Spain from 2027 onwards.
Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen Group said: “Generations of people associate the strong brands of Volkswagen Group with their first car – and with affordable mobility. As a group with strong brands, we continue to assume this social responsibility to this day. That’s why I’m pleased that we’re launching a future-oriented project. It’s about entry-level electric mobility from Europe to Europe.”
