Every year, manufacturers produce some jaw-dropping and head-turning cars that are brimming with technology and elegant good looks. However, they’ve also produced vehicles that haven’t hit the mark – and are ones we’d rather see killed off.

We’ve looked through some current cars on sale today and picked out eight that we’d like to see consigned to the history books.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

There’s something that just doesn’t work about the 2 Series Active Tourer. Being front-wheel drive, it doesn’t fit with the rear-wheel-drive ideology that accompanies BMW, and it doesn’t look nearly as sharp as anything else in the German manufacturer’s range.

It’s also not all that exciting to drive, and though we’re aware that MPVs aren’t designed to offer the driving involvement of a supercar, it’s not exactly what we’d expect from BMW.

Lamborghini Urus

Lamborghini’s recently revealed Urus may have conjured up a fair amount of discussion but it’s all been somewhat mixed. Many dislike the variety of styling touches that have been crudely carried over from the Italian manufacturer’s supercars, while others find its cabin simply too cluttered.

There’s no doubt that the Urus has performance on its side, but it’s divided more opinion than have most Lamborghinis on sale. That said, those who like to drive a controversially styled SUV will no doubt love the Urus.

Suzuki Celerio

Whereas cheap and cheerful cars often make a lot of sense, the Celerio fails to deliver. Its interior is woefully low-rent, while its drive isn’t half as good as those of rival offerings. In addition, it’s incredibly compact which, though helpful around town, means it feels rather cramped inside.

You’d expect this of a small city car, but others make more of the space and offer a better level of interior quality.

Ford Kuga

The Kuga hasn’t found much favour here, owing to its relatively plain exterior and interior. It’s not a bad car to drive but it lacks any real sparkle. In addition, the cabin feels just a little behind those of key rivals, and its infotainment system is tricky to operate.

Interestingly, just two engines in the range are equipped with four-wheel drive, meaning that most of the time the chunkily designed Kuga won’t be able to live up to its off-road pretences.

Vauxhall Crossland X

The quirkily designed Crossland X is the second crossover from Vauxhall following the Mokka and it’s proved to be a somewhat difficult second album. At least it looks interesting, but harsh interior plastics and an overly firm ride do spoil the overall effect.

Pitched against the Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur, the Crossland X feels just a touch behind the times, and can’t offer the same premium feel that customers in this segment are looking for.

Audi Q2

The Audi Q2 is an attempt to get a slice of the ever-flourishing compact crossover market. However, the Q2 simply doesn’t have the level of gravitas that you get with other products from the German manufacturer.

Though it does look better in darker colours, the Q2 appears a little dumpy in some shades – and doesn’t look as sharp or interesting as competitors’ cars. Being an Audi, it costs a whole lot more than rivals’ too.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

The Toyota RAV4 was always heralded as a genuinely low-cost off-roader. However, the latest RAV4 with hybrid technology went in the opposite direction and, as a result, simply isn’t as good as the older car.

This is mainly down to the car’s powertrain. A woeful CVT gearbox causes the 2.5-litre petrol engine to scream even at moderate speeds, which means it’s not a hugely relaxing place to be with the engine droning away almost constantly.

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Unfortunately, a premium badge doesn’t always equate to a premium driving experience. The CLA is based on the regular A-Class platform – a car that’s both good to drive and easy to live with. Unfortunately, the CLA with its swooping roofline isn’t as practical and feels quite cramped inside.

It’s also stiffly sprung which, when combined with large alloy wheels, makes very harsh – and leagues away from the comfortable experience you’d expect to find in a car in this class.

It’s wonderful to have a car that looks nice on the outside – but unless you install mirrors in your garage or spend a lot of time driving past shiny shop windows, it doesn’t really matter how your car looks for the majority of the time. Instead, the interior is more important – specifically, the dashboard.

While driving, our eyes are split between the road, the mirrors, and our dashboards, making it incredibly important to get them right. A well-sorted or interesting dashboard can turn a good car into a great one – whereas a bad one can spoil an otherwise brilliant vehicle.

We’ve rounded up seven of our favourites that suited the cars they were fitted to perfectly.

Citroen CX

Citroen has a history of crazy interiors – just look at the Visa, the 2CV, the DS, the C2… however, the CX is our pick, simply because virtually nothing is as you’d expect it to be.

We’ll start with the radio – it’s mounted vertically between the front seats. Then there’s the single-spoke steering wheel, with all the major controls mounted within fingertip’s reach in two pods on either side. The indicators? Well they’re on a switch rather than a stalk – and they don’t self-cancel. The gauges may just be the best bit, though, as instead of needles and dials, you get cylinders floating in liquid. It’s all just insane, but once you get used to it, it works remarkably well.

BMW 5 Series (E28)

When it comes to driver involvement, nobody does dashboards better than BMW. The E28 5 Series is perhaps the best example of this. The centre console is angled towards the driver, putting everything within easy reach, while the dials and gauges are models of clarity and sense.

Even compared to modern cars, BMWs of this era are a lesson in ergonomic excellence. They’re just fantastic.

Ferrari F40

It follows that one of the greatest supercars of all time should have one of the greatest interiors of all time. The F40 isn’t exactly luxurious, but it’s driver-focused, packed with functional carbon fibre – not the horrific fake stuff you see on modern performance cars – and best of all, features a gated manual gearbox.

The F40’s simple dash is instantly recognisable as a place where you drive, and do nothing else. It gives a whole new meaning to Spartan, and is all the better for it.

Fiat Multipla

The Multipla was an oddball car in many ways, from its kooky, two-rows-of-three seating arrangement to its incredible – some would say ugly – exterior design. So of course, it couldn’t get away with just any old dashboard plucked from the Fiat parts bin.

The resultant blobby mess looked more like it had grown organically from the carpet-covered dashboard than been placed there by the factory. Surprisingly, though, it worked really well – easy to see, easy to use, and massively practical, with the gearstick just inches from your hand.

TVR Tuscan MK II

TVR’s interior design is like Marmite – uniquely British, often brown, and very difficult to get into. It’s also totally love/hate, with some denouncing it as a visual and ergonomic disaster, and some falling in love with its mad quirks.

The Tuscan was one of the best examples. With doors operated by unlabelled buttons, even getting in and out was a struggle – and once you were ensconced by leather, you were presented with dials and gauges rammed into every conceivable place. It was an interior fitting of the car’s dangerous nature.

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

The Sesto Elemento is uncompromising on its racetrack bias, and Lamborghini doesn’t let you forget this from behind the wheel. From the minimalist gauge cluster to the carbon fibre adorning every surface, there’s no concessions to comfort in this cabin.

That’s possibly what makes it so cool. Even though it’s unremittingly minimalist, it’s still unmistakably Lamborghini. We love it.

Honda S2000

Japanese cars aren’t exactly knowing for cutting-edge interiors, but the S2000’s gauge cluster alone has given it a spot on this list. If you’ve ever played a Gran Turismo game, you’ll feel right at home behind the wheel of the legendary Japanese sports car.

There are no analog dials here, just a digital line for a rev counter and a three-digit speedo — as well as the essentials such as fuel, oil temperature and the miles. It managed to be simplistic, yet futuristic, and will certainly go down as one of history’s finest designs.

In the motoring world, big figures are thrown around in the quest for power, acceleration and the ultimate driving experience. However, you can still have just as much fun in a car for a much smaller budget – £5,000 in this case.

There’s no reason why spending £5,000 on a car should equate to a mundane, run-of-the-mill vehicle – there are many gems on the market today that should provide the driving enthusiast with everything they need. Here are five of the best.

Peugeot 206 GTI

Yes, the little 206 may still be a common sight on UK roads today, but it spawned one of the best handling hatchbacks ever – the 206 GTI. Available with a 2.0-litre engine putting out either 137bhp or 180bhp.

Though the lower-output car may offer slightly lacklustre performance, the more powerful version can hit 60mph in just over seven seconds – so it remains punchy even today.

Toyota MR2

The last edition Toyota MR2 produced was arguably one of the sweetest handling cars of its generation. A 1.8-litre engine linked to the rear wheels via a notchy six-speed manual gearbox.

Limited storage space meant that it wasn’t the most practical car, but its inherent balance was loved by driving purists back in the early 2000s – and that makes it a bit of a steal today.

Citroen Saxo VTS

Small, lightweight, yet good to drive, the Citroen Saxo VTS embodied what a hot hatch was meant to be. A 1.6-litre engine sat under the bonnet, while the brakes were upgraded from drums to discs enabling better stopping power.

Though the Saxo gained a strong ‘boy racer’ image, it remained a popular hot hatch for some time, even when rivals started to become more accomplished towards the end of the Saxo’s life in 2003.

Suzuki Swift Sport

The Suzuki Swift Sport is easily one of the best used buys available at the moment. Powered by a 1.6-litre engine, it produced around 120bhp when new, as well as 148Nm of torque. Though this may not sound like much, it was enough to make the Swift feel, well, swift. Inside, it gained red sports seats, while the exterior was treated to larger alloy wheels, twin exhaust pipes and sports suspension.

Driving the Swift shows up the car’s inherent balance, as well as its keenness to corner – traits which make it a steal at £5,000 and under.

Renaultsport Clio 182

Despite its humble basing upon one of the most popular small hatchbacks of all time, the Renaultsport Clio 182 came to define the hot hatch segment. A 2.0-litre engine powered the whole affair, linked to a five-speed manual gearbox. However, the Clio 182’s success was down to its inherent balance and ability to conquer twisty B-roads quickly and effortlessly.

The 182 was also available with an optional ‘Cup’ pack. This added modified suspension and a wider track as a result, while a lower ride height gave it a sportier stance. The 182 Cup remains widely regarded as one of the truest drivers’ cars of all time.

We all look for new ways to save money on our motoring. Whether that’s shopping for the best deal when purchasing a car, haggling insurance providers for the best quote or even scouting out cheaper fuel to save a few pounds on a full tank, there’s plenty of ways to save cash when running your motor.

What about when we’re behind the wheel, can we save more money then? Well, yes, actually. Being more efficient with your driving can conserve fuel and reduce load on your car’s components, meaning less need to dip into your bank account. We take a look at how you can be a more efficient driver.

Prepare your car before a journey

You can be a more efficient driver by carrying out simple checks and preparing your car before setting off on a journey.

Check your tyre pressures first, as under-inflated tyres can lead to more rolling resistance and ultimately a higher fuel consumption. If your car has a roof rack or box, and you don’t need it for a particular journey, removing it reduces drag allowing for brisker acceleration.

Planning your route on longer journeys can also save you time and fuel. Routes that consist of motorways and major A-roads often means you can stay at a constant speed for a good portion of a trip, resulting in better fuel economy. Most modern sat-nav systems have settings for eco-focused routes, too.

Gentle acceleration and braking

The easiest way to be a more efficient driver is to be gentle under acceleration and braking.

Sure, it can be tempting to gun the throttle when merging lanes or coming on to motorways, but that can quickly drain your tank if you do it consistently. Instead, change gear at lower RPMs and accelerate at a gentler pace to avoid heavy fuel consumption.

Earlier anticipation of traffic can also help you avoid late braking, allowing you to carry on momentum and avoid burning more fuel on otherwise unnecessary acceleration.

Turn off unused electronics

Switching off electronics you don’t need to use reduces battery consumption, which in turn puts less stress on the engine. Instead of using air-conditioning around town, consider opening a window to let in fresh air rather than use more juice — although at higher-speed driving, open windows create more drag and air-con is the more efficient option.

Switch off heated rear windows if you vision is clear too, and turn your headlights down in brighter conditions.

Stick to the speed limit

Sticking to the speed limit is not only law, but it’s also much more efficient too. Over longer distances, you would see a much lower MPG figure travelling at 80mph than you would 70mph. Those extra few miles covered could cost you a load more in fill-ups, so think wisely next you decide to push the limits.

Avoid driving when possible

Just popping to the shops down the road? Walk, or bike it. Short journeys cumulatively consume a lot of fuel, so for quick trips out, you’d save more money in the long run — as well as getting some exercise — by doing the journey on-foot.

What is it?

You’d be forgiven for not knowing much about Infiniti. Launched in the UK less than 10 years ago, the Japanese luxury brand is still attempting to establish itself as an alternative to the German trio and struggling to top 3,500 sales a year.

This is the firm’s latest attempt to change that – a mid-size SUV that aims to tempt buyers away from the likes of a BMW X3 or Audi Q5. With the QX50’s host of smart technology, a distinctive design and a bafflingly clever new engine, Infiniti is hoping it will rapidly become the brand’s best-selling car worldwide.

What’s new?

Built on a brand-new platform – one not currently shared with any other model in the Renault Nissan Alliance – the QX50 debuts a number of world-first gadgets. These include dynamic noise-cancelling technology in the engine, seats designed in conjunction with Nasa and a petrol engine that promises to offer sports levels of performance, but with the economy of a diesel.

What’s under the bonnet?

That clever new VC-Turbo engine is a world-first variable compression ratio engine. For the non-technically minded, that means it offers the power of a 2.0-litre turbo petrol with the torque and efficiency of a four-cylinder diesel. Currently there are no plans to offer a diesel engine.

On our early pre-production drive in America, Infiniti wouldn’t reveal how efficient its new engine is. No UK fuel economy figures or emissions details were released as it has yet to be type-approved for Europe. So with this in mind, we’ll have to take the brand’s claims with a pinch of salt.

What we do know is the 2.0-litre engine produces 268bhp and 380Nm of torque. For comparison, a petrol BMW X3 20i offers 184bhp and 290Nm. It seems, then, the QX50 has quite the upper hand.

What’s it like to drive?

On the road, this clever new engine generates impressive, usable performance. It’ll hit 60mph in 6.3 seconds – a whole two seconds faster than the equivalent BMW – and will go on to a top speed of 143mph.

The noise it makes while doing so is an acquired taste. Much of it is synthetically generated and it precariously teeters on the edge of deeply satisfying and incredibly annoying. There’s also a CVT automatic gearbox, which is fine at sedate speeds but becomes noticeably and irritatingly audible in the higher rev ranges.

Sadly, Infiniti is persisting with its drive-by-wire steering, which came in for much criticism on its Q50 saloon and is little better here. Although it allows the car to do clever things – such as independently steer individual wheels hundreds of time a second – it lacks feel and at slow speeds feels like an arcade game. Whether that’ll bother the average SUV buyer remains to be seen.

The QX50’s new chassis and ground-up design has certainly resulted in a quiet and comfortable ride. It soaked up the worst that America’s crevice-like roads threw at it, and thanks to a dynamic noise-cancelling engine mount – which actively works to stop noise entering the cabin – it’s calm inside too.

What’s more, it can even drive itself – up to a point. Hit the car’s ProPilot button and it’ll steer for you (but you’ll need to keep a hand on the wheel), speeding up and slowing down with traffic. And there’s a clever Forward Collision Warning system, which bounces radar around and under cars in front to spot traffic slowing down before you do. Infiniti says it can even detect a slowing motorbike hidden in front of an HGV.

How does it look?

Looks-wise, it’s certainly a break from the status quo. While BMW’s X3 has been labelled ‘boring’ and Audi’s Q5 ‘generic’, the QX50 has a welcome and genuinely different design. What’s also pleasing is the fact that the frankly quite hard-on-the-eye look of Infiniti SUVs of the past has been toned down.

What’s it like inside?

Inside is where the QX50 really shines. Hand-stitched leather panels, alcantara and a swooping dash give it a luxury feel, and although some of the switchgear is obviously borrowed from the alliance it’s far better packaged than early Infiniti models.

What’s the spec like?

The QX50 is a while off arriving on our shores so, as such, Infiniti is remaining tight-lipped about specification and pricing. Executives did tell us that it would undercut BMW and Audi rivals, and it’s likely much of the new technology will be included as standard. The QX50 is slated to arrive either late this year or very early in 2019.

Verdict

Infiniti believes the QX50 is the best car it’s ever made – and we’d find it hard to argue with that. The clever new VC-Turbo engine is impressive, the ride quality and interior finish excellent and we even like the looks. Quite how Brits will react to a petrol-powered SUV with no diesel option remains to be seen, though, and its success will hinge on just how much it undercuts established rivals from the German brands.

The Knowledge

Model: Infiniti QX50
Base price: £35,000 (est)
Price: £35,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre VC-Turbo petrol
Power: 268bhp
Torque: 380Nm
Max speed: 143mph
0-60mph: 6.3 seconds
MPG: TBC
Emissions: TBC
Rivals: BMW X3, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60

You’ve probably noticed that at the pumps there are a variety of fuel options. As well as regular petrol and diesel choices, there are also ‘premium’ fuels. They command a higher price per litre, but why is this?

Though that increased price might be off-putting, drivers of high-performance or sports cars will find that their cars benefit from using premium fuel regularly. However, it’s not just those motorists’ cars that could run more efficiently. We look at the benefits of using a premium fuel.

A cleaner engine

That’s right. When you use a premium fuel, it helps remove deposits that may have built up on the intake valves and fuel injector nozzles. This should, in theory, give a better engine response as well as better economy figures.

Diesel engines become far sootier than their petrol-powered counterparts and additional chemicals in premium diesel can help rid the engine of any deposits that have built up during daily driving. There’s no need to run a car with this fuel all the time, but using it once every 1,000 miles could really help prolong your engine’s life.

Better performance

Drivers of sports cars or supercars will likely see their vehicles run perfectly when using premium fuels. Though they’ll run on lower-quality petrol, the difference that a premium fuel will make should be instantly noticeable. Throttle response should be sharper, while the engine should feel smoother in general.

Less chance of damage

In highly strung, high-performance engines that have been designed to run on premium fuel, there’s a chance that you could cause damage by running them on a lower-grade alternative.

Higher octane levels mean improved response

The octane number given to a fuel designates how well it works – the higher the number, the more effective the fuel is at working. As standard, all petrol sold in the UK is rated at 95 octane – but lower grades are available abroad. Some companies offer 97 or 98 octane fuel – and as high as 100 is available from certain garages. These high-octane fuels are ideal for high-performance cars, although drivers of hot hatches and sports cars will probably notice a difference too.

Traffic cops believe changes to the law that hand drivers six points and a £200 fine for using their phone are starting to have an effect.

We joined officers on Operation Tramline which uses an unmarked HGV to catch drivers on their phones.

Officers revealed they’d caught nearly half as many drivers this year than when the same operation was run 12 months ago.

Offences dropping

PC Dave Blake, a Hampshire Constabulary policeman who specialises in commercial vehicles and has a licence to drive an HGV, said: “The new fine and increased points is definitely working.

“Previously when we have run this operation we would catch around 40 to 60 drivers a day – around 250 in a week.

“This time we are catching around 15-20 a day. That’s a big drop and I think it’s definitely to do with the change in law and larger penalties.”

Figures released by Hampshire Police back this up. During the 2018 week-long Operation Tramline, 141 mobile phone users were caught – down from 220 in 2017, and 285 in 2015.

Unmarked HGV

Officers in Hampshire used a special HGV – loaned to police forces around the UK by Highways England – in a week when forces across the country launched a crackdown on mobile phone use behind the wheel.

We joined the Operation Tramline team of three unmarked police cars, a marked police bike and the special truck as it patrolled the M27, M3, A34 and M4.

Trucker’s eye view

Sitting high above the traffic, PC Blake and special inspector Dan Bell have a useful vantage point that allows them to look down into the surrounding cars.

“In slow moving traffic like this we like to drive in the middle lane so we can look down on either side of the truck,” explained PC Blake.

And it works. Within a matter of minutes the team are calling for back-up from the following officers that are swarming around the HGV like worker bees.

Knock knock

PC Phil Robertson, riding a marked police bike, shoots past us and closes in on the driver spotted holding their phone in their left hand.

He pulls right up alongside the offender and has time to tap on the window while the driver is still busy texting, oblivious to the policeman peering in. He’s quickly pulled over and handed a fixed penalty notice.

Sneaky users

“People are more sneaky when they use their phone behind the wheel these days – often holding it out of sight, but we can still tell they’re using it,” says PC Robertson.

“I used to catch one driver a day using their phones, but now it’s dropped to one a week – the six points are working in my opinion.”

Unmarked cars

Behind the truck, in an unmarked BMW 3 Series, is PC Rob Lewis who is using the cover of his generic German saloon to peer into cars as he passes.

Creeping along slowly in lane one, he looks across the lanes of slow moving traffic and it’s easy to see those distracted by a mobile.

Tell tale signs

“When you’re concentrating on driving, typically your view is around the windscreen and your hands are on the wheel,” explains PC Lewis.

“When a driver is using their phone their head dips, they look down frequently and they often struggle to keep their car in the lane.”

He’s at it

He soon spots an offender displaying those tell tale signs in a Volkswagen in lane three.

He’s clearly doing something, but until PC Lewis sees him touching his phone, he can’t pull him over. A moment later the driver raises an iPhone onto the steering wheel – and PC Lewis pounces.
Lights, camera, action

The shock of the unmarked car illuminating its hidden lights and deafening siren shock the VW Fox driver and he soon pulls over.

“He said he was just changing the music on his phone,” says PC Lewis, as he clambers back into the BMW after issuing the ticket. “But that’s no excuse – it’s against the law.”

Truck to truck

Back in the £70,000 truck, PC Blake is keeping a sharp eye out for other drivers breaking the law. Not only does the truck give the team a great view down into cars, it also allows them to look directly into the cabs of other HGVs they pass.

“Generally, truck drivers are well behaved as most firms now instantly dismiss for mobile phone offences and often have dash cams pointing at their drivers to keep an eye on them,” he explained.

Foreign fines

But as he’s saying that we pass a Romanian-registered car transporter and the driver has his mobile phone clamped to his left ear.

PC Robertson is called in again on his bike to deal with the issue – and this time the foreign driver will have to cough up the fine on a credit card before he’s allowed on his way.

Dramatic drop

After a day on the road the Operation Tramline team have caught 16 drivers – a dramatic drop on the numbers they caught a year ago.

A spokesman for the National Police Chiefs’ Council said it believed it was too early to tell conclusively whether the higher penalties were working, but added it was working closely with partners to evaluate if it was.

However, in Hampshire at least, the evidence from this year’s Operation Tramline is certainly pointing towards the fact it is.

PC Lewis added: “Using your phone behind the wheel is dangerous and against the law – thankfully it seems the message is finally starting to get through.”

Winter is the season of snow, woolly clothes and — at least on poorly-kept UK roads — potholes.

All motorists will know the struggles of trying to avoid potholes, but sometimes they’re either impossible to get around or go unnoticed. This can result in a bit of discomfort at best, and plenty of damage to your car at the worst.

We take a look at how you can report a pothole, and should you pick up damage, how you can claim money to cover the repair costs.

Why do potholes form?

Potholes: How are they formed, how can I report them and how can I claim for damage?

Potholes are most commonly created when water creeps into the cracks in the roads and freezes. The expansion and contraction of water moves the asphalt around, resulting in the asphalt weakening. The stress of vehicles moving over the road eventually causes the asphalt to give way, thus forming a hole.

Although potholes can form at any time, colder temperatures make them much more likely during the winter.

What can a pothole do to my car?

The uneven, sudden drop of a pothole puts a lot of stress on a vehicle’s tyres and suspension. As tough as modern cars are, there’s a chance a pothole could damage a tyre to the point of puncture, add excess wear to suspension components or break them entirely. Extreme holes could even damage alloy wheels and components underneath a vehicle.

How can I report a pothole?

 If you’re looking to report a pothole on a local road, you should contact the relevant council and inform them of the location of the hole.

As for A-roads and motorways, the Highways Agency must be notified by calling 0300 123 5000.

How can I claim for damage costs? 

At the risk of sounding like an insurance advert — should your car be damaged due to going over a pothole, you could be entitled to compensation.

If the pothole has been previously reported, you’re more likely to receive some compensation that if it has not. Councils have a statutory defence that they cannot be held liable for defects they’re unaware of.

To increase your chances of a payout, there’s a number of steps you can take before making a claim:

• Make notes — write down key details, such as location, time of the incident, and the size and depth of the pothole if possible. You should also take a photograph as evidence.
• Witnesses — if anyone else has seen the incident, get details from them. It could help your claim.
• Get repair quotes — having accurate quotes for repair bills could help to ensure you get as much of the damage repairs covered as possible in a claim.
• Research — before making a claim, you should check to see what your council is and isn’t liable for.

To make a claim for pothole damage, contact the local council for local roads and the Highways Agency for A-roads and motorways. Providing quotes for repairs and a valid MOT certificate for your vehicle when contacting, as well as images, can help your claim.

Can I claim pothole damage on my insurance?

Your insurer may provide cover for pothole damage, especially more likely if you have a comprehensive policy. It’s worth checking your policy documents and contacting your insurer before making a claim.

When you’re buying a car, you have lots of choices to make – colour, trim level, optional equipment, engine… But on many models, you’re also given a choice of gearbox.

For motorists in the UK, manuals have long been the default option, but automatics are ten a penny in other markets such as America. Though early autos were colloquially known as ‘slushboxes’ and tended to dent performance, fuel economy and driving pleasure, times have moved on, and the modern automatic can, in some cases, be a better choice than the manual gearbox.

That’s right, gone are the days when automatics were the preserve of lazy luxury saloon drivers and blue-rinsers in Nissan Micras. Automatics abound across all market segments these days, and opting for one says no more about your driving style than choosing blue paint over red.

Fans of performance automatics will brag all day about how their car can actually beat the manuals off the line, while the cash-conscious may enjoy lower CO2 emissions and higher fuel economy. There’s no denying that a good automatic transmission makes for a relaxing drive, either – giving your left leg a rest and letting the car do the work takes the sting out of a busy city commute.

It’s not all rosy, though. There are still some truly awful automatic gearboxes out there – so always take a car for an extensive test drive, rather than simply trusting that the transmission is good. Automatics tend to be more expensive to buy, and much more expensive to repair if they go wrong.

But not every automatic is created equal. Here’s our guide to the different types of automatic gearbox available on today’s market…

Torque converter/traditional auto

The torque converter is where it all began. Popularised by General Motors on 1940s Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs, these automatics use a fluid-filled coupling in place of a traditional clutch, and have remained broadly the same since then – albeit endlessly refined and improved.

Early automatics tended to lose a lot of energy through the fluid coupling, and often only offered three or four speeds. That led to a lack of performance and a severe drop in fuel economy.

Torque converter automatics tend to offer very smooth shifts, making for a comfortable ride well suited to premium cars. They can be slow to pick up when you want to get a move on, though.

However, the reputation of the torque converter automatic is changing, and modern units – such as the ZF ‘box fitted to dozens of high performance cars – offer no discernible penalty to performance or economy.

Dual-clutch gearbox

The dual-clutch gearbox ditches the fluid coupling of the torque converter for – you guessed it – a pair of robotised clutches. Usually, one handles odd-numbered gears while the other handles even. The two clutches work together to provide lightning-fast shifts, making them ideal for sports cars.

There’s no real penalty in performance or economy when opting for a dual-clutch – some can even better their manual counterparts on that front. But when travelling at low speeds in stop-start traffic around town, dual-clutch boxes can be jerky and unpleasant to use – and early units have a poor reputation for reliability, and can cost a lot to repair.

The dual-clutch ‘box is given many names by different manufacturers. Volkswagen and its sister brands go for DSG, Porsche for PDK, Renault goes for EDC, Hyundai and Kia for DCT… However, they all work in fundamentally the same way.

CVT

Standing for ‘continuously variable transmission’, CVTs do not have ‘gears’ in the same way as other transmissions do. Instead, an infinitely changeable single ratio theoretically ensures that the car is always correctly geared for maximum power or economy, depending on conditions.

Pioneered by DAF in the 1950s, and later refined by Volvo, the CVT ‘box can be incredibly economical when driven carefully. They tend to be avoided by keen drivers, though, as they can provide a somewhat disconnected feel to the car – and any attempt at rapid progress is usually met by spiralling engine revs and a whole lot of noise. Their smoothness and variable nature makes them ideally suited for use in a hybrid car, though.

Automated manual transmission

Look at the bottom end of the market and chances are you’ll find a few automated manual transmissions. These ‘boxes leave existing clutch and gearbox operations in place, but simply robotise the action making for cheap and easy installation as well as being light weight.

Automated manuals are perhaps the most despised transmission around though, and can be horrifically jerky around town, as well as dawdling under hard acceleration. In fact, automated manual transmissions are guilty of ruining a fair few cars – so steer clear unless you know what you’re in for.

Electric vehicle

Electric cars don’t technically have a transmission, but if you’re considering an automatic car you should take a good look at electric vehicles. They act almost identically in most conditions, with two pedals and no gears to shift, but have the added bonus of a totally smooth and silent powertrain and zero tailpipe emissions.

EV’s aren’t ideal for everyone, of course – you’ll need somewhere to charge, and if you regularly do longer trips you’ll definitely need some form of combustion engine. However, if your circumstances suit, you too could be a convert to the electric lifestyle.

There’s no getting away from it: insurance is one of the pricier aspects of car ownership. And being a legal requirement means that cover for your vehicle isn’t something you can avoid.

However, that’s not to say you have to buy the first policy you find. There’s a variety of ways to bring down your insurance costs – here are some of the best.

Shop around and haggle

As you may have noticed, there are all manner of price comparison sites offering insurance quotes. These are a useful starting point – though make sure to try more than one.

Once you’ve found the best possible quote, start phoning other insurers to see if they can improve on it – some may be able to do a considerably better deal than the one you’ve initially found. Just picking up the phone can make a real difference to the overall price of your premium.

Consider choosing a black box policy

Telematics systems, or ‘black boxes’, are devices fitted to a car that can monitor the owner’s driving. Elements such as speed, braking severity and acceleration are measured and then relayed back to the insurance company.

Because of this system, and the ability for the policy provider to see how well – or badly – a motorist is driving, insurance premiums can fall. It all depends on whether you’d like a company seeing your driving habits or not.

Limit policy mileage

When you take out a new insurance policy, you’ll be asked to provide an estimate of how many miles you’ll be travelling over the course of a year. Over-estimating this can cause the premiums to increase considerably, so being able to tell insurers that you’ll be undertaking a lower number of miles can help bring premiums down.

However, make sure they’re still accurate – an incorrect mileage estimate could cause problems if you ever need to claim.

Choose a less powerful car

This may sound like an obvious one, but buying an insurance policy for a high-performance sports car can be an expensive thing indeed. Opting for a less powerful, smaller engined vehicle can reap dividends when it comes to insurance as policy providers know that it’s less capable of higher speeds and has slower acceleration.

Of course, if you’re planning on buying a sports car from the off then you’ll take the higher insurance cost as part of the deal. But if there’s some movement in your decision, then choosing a less powerful car can really help bring policy costs down.

Think twice before adding younger drivers to the policy

It may be tempting to add a just-passed driver to your policy to save spending huge amounts on premiums for a newly qualified motorist, but this could hike up your own policy.

Furthermore, if that younger driver is found to be the one who is predominantly using the car, then this could invalidate the insurance – and potentially incur prosecution. This whole process is known as ‘fronting’ and is highly discouraged.

Ensure your car has the proper security systems

A proper system can prove to an insurance company that the car is secure when left alone. Most new cars come with all manner of security systems, so insurers are unlikely to question these more up-to-date vehicles.

Older vehicles may not have any system fitted, though, so finding a decent aftermarket kit could really help bring premiums down.

Clear the garage

Yes, it may be easy to keep all your unwanted items in the garage, but clearing it and storing your car there could do wonders for your insurance premium.

Insurers like to hear that a car is being kept in a secure location, and a garage is certainly one of these. Just make sure that if you’re planning on keeping a car in the garage, you have a variety of building security systems fitted.