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February 26, 2026

Renault 5 E-Tech named UK Car of the Year 2026

Close-up of a red car battery dashboard warning light

Millions of motorists could be driving a car with a battery on the brink of sudden failure, new analysis suggests.

The findings come from analysis of more than 550,000 UK vehicles by automotive diagnostics app Carly. It discovered around 25 percent of cars may have a weak battery.

With a total of around 34.5 million licensed vehicles, this equates to 8.6 million British motorists at risk of a non-start failure due to a dead 12-volt battery.

Separate Carly data confirms this risk, with 12-volt batteries being one of the leading causes of a roadside breakdown.

Unlike major mechanical failures, battery decline is a slow-burn. “It’s easy for drivers to miss the warning signs until the vehicle suddenly fails to start,” said Carly’s Emma Brown.

“In modern cars, a weak 12-volt battery can affect far more than just starting the engine, which is why early diagnostics and better visibility of battery health are so important.”

Early detection can save money

Replacing a 12-volt battery typically costs between £150 and £330, according to Carly’s repair and maintenance cost estimator. This price includes fitting.

However, if degradation is left untreated, costs can rise further. A starter motor repair, for example, typically costs around £330, while alternator repairs can cost up to £800.

Subtle early warnings signs that a 12-volt battery is on its way out include sluggish or hesitant engine starts, headlights that briefly dim when the ignition is turned on, and stop-start systems that disable themselves without a clear fault message.

Some cars may show intermittent warning lights, particularly after being left standing for a while. Power steering that briefly feels heavy after starting the engine is another indicator of looming battery failure.

Ignore these warning signs and the risk of a sudden and disruptive failure increases significantly.

Carly’s solution? Its OBD2 scanner and app diagnostics, which plug into a car’s OBD port. The technology allows drivers to assess battery condition, read any fault codes and even view likely repair costs before visiting a garage.

Best of all, it’s affordable, with prices from £40. Much more palatable than the financial hit of an unexpected breakdown…

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Renault 5 is UK Car of the Year winner for 2026

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February 26, 2026

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The Renault 5 E-Tech beat strong contenders such as the Kia EV4 and Skoda Elroq to claim the title of UK Car of the Year

The electric Renault 5 E-Tech has been named UK Car of the Year 2026, coming out on top against a competitive shortlist of rivals.

Already chosen as the winner of the Small Car Category before the final, the Renault 5 dominated the voting when it came to choosing the overall champion.

Some 20 of the 33-strong judging panel, composed of expert automotive journalists including Motoring Research’s own Tim Pitt, voted for the Renault 5 E-Tech as their UK Car of the Year 2026.

The award joins more than 40 trophies already collected by the reborn Renault 5 since it was launched in 2024. These included winning the 2025 European Car of the Year trophy.

‘A resounding victory’ for the Renault 5

Electric cars were strongly represented in the final standings, with the top four spots all taken by EVs in the 2026 awards. They included the Skoda Elroq, named as the leading medium crossover, with the Kia EV4 chosen as the best family car.

However, the Renault 5 E-Tech managed to win convincingly, despite the strong level of competition.

“With its retro styling, the new Renault 5 tugs at the heart strings of those drivers who experienced the original,” said John Challen, co-chairman of the UK Car of the Year Awards and editor of UK Driver m agazine.

“By adding an immensely fun and entertaining drive, desirability and affordability to that nostalgic element, the French favourite pulled off a resounding victory to be crowned UK Car of the Year 2026.”

The in-demand electric hatchback

Such has been the demand for the Renault 5 E-Tech, more than 100,000 examples have already been produced at the Ampere ElectriCity plant, located in Douai, near Lille.

Adding another trophy to its list of accolades is likely to further boost Renault 5 sales in the UK.

Adam Wood, managing director of Renault UK, said: “With so many experienced automotive journalists voting for R5 as the UK Car of the Year, the award is something we’re very proud of.

“It has really hit the spot with retail and fleet customers – and with 2026 being the first full year of sales, plus it being one of the very few EVs to qualify for the full £3,750 Electric Car Grant, R5 is well on its way to being a very common sight on our roads.”

Continuing the shift to EVs

Renault’s victory marks the fifth year in succession that an electric vehicle has claimed the top prize in the UKCOTY Awards. In fact, nine of the 13 champions since the awards began in 2014 have featured battery power.

Last year, the Kia EV3 electric compact SUV was voted the top choice by UKCOTY judges.

For 2026, six of the eight UK Car of the Year Awards 2026 finalists were electric, all of which had already claimed honours by winning their respective categories:

Small Car – Renault 5 E-Tech
Family Car – Kia EV4
Small Crossover – Citroen C3/e-C3 Aircross
Medium Crossover – Skoda Elroq
Large Crossover – Hyundai IONIQ 9
Executive Car – Audi A6
Estate Car – Audi A6 Avant
Performance Car – Alpine A290

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Retro supercar: new Ferrari 355 by Evoluto is ready for the road

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February 25, 2026

Horse power! Evoluto Ferrari 355 restomod debuts at Goodwood

A 420hp 3.5-litre V8 will be standard, with the 355 by Evoluto also available with a 480hp 3.7-litre V8 option

Evoluto Automobili has completed an extensive test programme for its Ferrari F355-based restomod, ahead of production beginning later this year.

Revealed at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the 355 by Evoluto is a ‘reimagined’ take on the classic Ferrari F355.

Produced between 1995 and 1999, the mid-engined F355 has a deserved reputation as one of Maranello’s most rewarding road cars. However, that did not deter Evoluto from making a few upgrades…

The Coventry-based company enlisted Ian Callum to rework the Ferrari’s styling, then replaced its suspension and modernised its interior. Buyers get a choice of two naturally aspirated V8 engines.

The production specification for the Evoluto 355 has now been finalised, following critical engineering sign-off and validation testing.

More V8 power and performance

At the heart of the 355 by Evoluto is the original Ferrari 3.5-litre V8, now tuned to deliver 420hp and 273lb ft of torque. This represents a 40hp gain over the standard engine, with the heady 8,500rpm redline retained.

For those who want even more performance, Evoluto offers a 3.7-litre version of the sameengine. Its larger displacement, bespoke high-lift camshafts and 9,000rpm limiter result in 480hp and 295lb ft of torque.

Both engines are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, with either a stainless steel or titanium exhaust system.

Performance figures are not quoted for the Evoluto 355, but the original Ferrari was capable of 0-62mph in less than 5.0 seconds, plus a top speed beyond 180mph.

Given that Evoluto has increased power and reduced the F355’s dry weight to 1,250kg, you can expect healthy improvements versus the donor car.

Reworking a classic supercar

Further modifications include new Brembo GT brakes and a redesigned steering setup. The latter employs electro-hydraulic power assistance and reduces the number of turns from lock-to-lock, while apparently retaining the original steering’s weight and feedback.

Evoluto has also reworked the F355’s chassis geometry, creating new hard-points for mounting the suspension to accommodate modern 19-inch wheels and tyres.

The front and rear tracks have been widened by 77mm and 66mm respectively, with new components such as the wheel bearings and anti-roll bar drop links engineered from scratch.

A bespoke adaptive suspension setup has been developed in partnership with Warwickshire-based R53. It features three-way adjustable dampers and motorsport-style external reservoirs.

Tactile buttons, not touchscreens

Wayne Burgess, design director for Evoluto’s parent company, DRVN Automotive, has created a reworked interior for the 355.

Carbon fibre is used extensively throughout, with machined metal around the dashboard dials. Burgess has deliberately eschewed touchscreen-based infotainment, keeping to Evoluto’s ‘Peak Analogue’ design philosophy.

Almost every aspect of the 355’s interior can be customised, with multiple materials, colours and finishes on offer. No two cars will leave Evoluto’s workshop looking the same.

Behind the new interior is a completely new electronic architecture, including a replacement ECU. Around 90 percent of the car’s wiring harness is also replaced, which is said to improve durability and safety.

Two-year warranty included

Evoluto has completed 5,000 miles of on-track evaluation and 10,000 miles of engine testing, ahead of a final 20,000-mile durability sign-off. The company will offer a two-year, 20,000-mile warranty on each completed 355.

Final tests should be finished in April this year, with production getting underway next month.

Some 55 examples of the 355 by Evoluto have been ordered thus far. The first completed car should be delivered to its fortunate owner in the fourth quarter of 2026.

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Now used car dealers are embracing Chinese cars, too

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February 25, 2026

Used cars on Motoring Research

Nearly one in two used car dealers have already added Chinese vehicles to their forecourts, as the UK’s embrace of ‘new entrant’ vehicles extends to the secondhand market.

What’s more, 45 percent of used car dealers report Chinese vehicles selling quickly – and fast turnaround is a key metric when they choose which secondhand stock to buy.

“In the last couple of years, Chinese new entrants have made a sizeable impact in the new car market,” said Paul Burgess, CEO of Startline Motor Finance, which publishes a monthly Used Car Tracker.

“Stock is now beginning to filter through into the used sector and it’s clear that a large proportion of dealers are enthusiastic about their arrival.

“Their proposition in the used sector is similar to new – these are models that represent good value and have high retail appeal.

“Every dealer we surveyed who had sold a Chinese car reported that they sell quickly.”

Some dealers play the waiting game

Not all used vehicle dealers are on board, though. Some 37 percent say they are waiting to see how reliable Chinese cars prove to be, while one in five still believes consumer awareness is low.

Additionally, 14 percent are worried about good parts availability and manufacturer support.

“Objections indicate a degree of wariness that might be applied to any unfamiliar car brand,” added Burgess.

“However, to us, it seems likely worries over reliability and manufacturer support are set to disappear relatively soon.”

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‘Zombie Fords’ are flying off used car forecourts

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February 24, 2026

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A blue Ford SUV drives on a curving rural road with trees and hedges in the background under a cloudy sky.

Discontinued Fords are among the most in-demand used cars in February, a new report from Autotrader reveals.

Used Ford vehicles dominate the list of fastest-selling secondhand cars, making up four of the top 10.

The blue oval bonanza is led by the Ford Ecosport. The Focus and Fiesta are other ‘zombie Fords’ still in great demand among used car buyers.

A fourth Ford, the Kuga SUV, is the only in-demand used car still in production. Ford controversially announced the end of the Fiesta, Britain’s best-selling new car for many years, in 2023.

The company followed this up by ceasing production of the Ford Focus last year.

Autotrader’s data shows that a five- to 10-year-old Ford Ecosport takes an average of 17 days to sell. This makes it the second fastest-selling used car so far in February – behind only the Tesla Model Y, which takes an average of 16 days to sell.

A five- to 10-year-old Ford Focus takes 18 days to sell, as does a three- to five-year-old Ford Kuga. A Ford Fiesta of similar age takes 19 days to sell.

With the Ecosport, Focus and Fiesta all now discontinued, Autotrader says ‘the data highlights the intense competition for the remaining stock of these household names’.

All three discontinued Fords are selling significantly quicker than February’s 27-day used car average.

Middle-aged march

A blue car speeds down a road surrounded by blurred greenery, emphasizing motion and dynamic driving. No persons or landmarks visible.

Notably, adds Autotrader, the fast-selling Ecosport, Focus and Fiesta all sit in the five- to 10-year-old age bracket, “a segment that accounts for 60 percent of the entire top 10 list”.

The marketplace is warning of a ‘structural shift in supply’, with consumers buying cars in this age bracket ‘faster than they can be replaced’.

It’s all due to the 2.5 million new cars ‘lost’ due to Covid-related pandemic pauses in production.

The supply of five- to six-year-old used cars is set to drop by 25-30 percent by the end of 2026 – increasing to a 35 percent drop for five- to seven-year-old used cars by 2027.

“As middle-aged stock becomes scarcer, the challenge for retailers is not just selling cars, but sourcing the right ones,” said Autotrader head of strategy and insights, Marc Palmer.

Palmer urged used car dealers to diversify their stock in response to the current decline in middle-aged vehicles.

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Lepas L8 SUV is the first UK model from new Chinese car brand

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Lepas is the fourth brand from Chinese giant Chery Group to be introduced to the UK – and it has now confirmed the first car to be launched here.

The Lepas L8 family SUV will arrive in autumn 2026, offering plug-in hybrid technology in one of the UK’s most popular new vehicle segments.

Described as the brand’s flagship, the new Lepas L8 will compete against its Chery Tiggo 8, Omoda 9 and Jaecoo 7 relatives, plus more established SUVs such as the Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson – not to mention other Chinese ‘new entrants’ like the BYD Seal U and Leapmotor C10.

The looks of a leopard

The Lepas name is said to combine the words ‘Leopard’, ‘Leap’ and ‘Passion’. The brand’s positioning, we are told, is focused on elegance, sophisticated design and advanced technology.

The Lepas L8’s exterior ‘takes inspiration from the agile, muscular contours of a running leopard’, while its headlights reflect the ‘focused intensity of a leopard’s eye’.

Inside, the L8 appears to have a quite sophisticated cabin, with a waterfall-style central touchscreen and user-friendly attention to detail.

Unlike many modern cars, there is also a useful scattering of physical buttons to support the touchscreen technology.

Potential EV range of 67 miles

Lepas says the L8 has been engineered ‘to global five-star safety standards’. Hopefully, this should mean it continues the impressive performance of many Chinese cars in Euro NCAP crash tests.

Its plug-in hybrid drivetrain is likely to deliver a decent pure electric range, with the petrol engine taking over on longer journeys.

In other markets, the Lepas L8 SHS has a certified EV range of up to 67 miles. Its combined petrol and electric driving range is more than 800 miles.

More details about Lepas in the UK, including its leadership team, retail plans and service support, will follow in the coming weeks, as part of a ‘long-term commitment’ to the British market.

We’ll also learn which other Lepas models will be sold here ‘as Lepas builds momentum toward a new era of elegant mobility’.

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Vauxhall’s adaptive Intelli-Lux HD headlights were found to make drivers feel 43 percent more likely to drive at night

A new survey of UK motorists reveals that nearly one in 10 (nine percent) is worried about driving at night. And almost a fifth (19 percent) drive less often during the hours of darkness than a year ago.

In the study of 2,000 drivers commissioned by Vauxhall, around a third (34 percent) said this was due to worsening visibility caused by the headlights of other vehicles. A quarter (25 percent) reported feeling a general lack of confidence.

The issue of glare from headlights of other vehicles was acknowledged as an issue in a Transport Research Laboratory research paper published in October 2025.

When drivers do venture out after dark, 25 percent of those surveyed said they would drive below the speed limit. In addition, 32 percent admitted to feeling tense, and would grip the steering wheel harder than usual.

Almost two thirds (61 percent) said they would take a longer route at night to avoid poorly lit roads, with 31 percent willing to travel more than 10 minutes out of their way for a detour.

Drivers’ fear of the dark

An aversion to driving at night was found by Vauxhall to be more than just a minor inconvenience for those affected.

Some 22 percent said they missed out on social events by not driving in the dark, with 18 percent choosing to leave functions earlier. Some 14 percent felt unable to visit family, too.

To examine possible solutions, Vauxhall conducted a scientific experiment under the supervision of Dr Neale Kinnear. Five members of the public with mild anxiety about driving at night were asked to take part in a trial, completing two circuits of a pre-planned test route.

For the first run, drivers used a new Vauxhall Grandland SUV fitted with the marque’s latest Intelli-Lux HD adaptive headlights. They then undertook a second run using a vehicle equipped with standard LED headlights.

Shining a spotlight on new tech

The results from the trial showed that, when using the vehicle fitted with Intelli-Lux HD adaptive technology, driving was found to be more comfortable and confidence-inspiring by 28 percent of the participants.

More than a third (35 percent) found that adaptive headlights brought enhanced visibility, with 39 percent reporting a lower perceived mental effort.

Overall, participants in the experiment said they would be 43 percent more likely to drive at night with the Intelli-Lux HD lights.

Dr Neale Kinnear said: “The findings suggest that lighting technology can meaningfully change how night-time driving feels, and for drivers who find driving after dark uncomfortable or stressful, that has real potential to support confidence and everyday mobility.”

Eurig Druce, MD of Vauxhall and Stellantis UK, added: “The nervousness drivers face when on the roads at night is something we at Vauxhall don’t take lightly, and for more than a decade, Vauxhall has led the way in making advanced lighting technologies more accessible.”

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Vauxhall Corsa GSE to return as all-electric hot hatch

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Three-spoke alloy wheels were a distinctive feature of the Vauxhall Nova GSi and later Corsa GSi models

Vauxhall has confirmed that it will launch an all-new performance version of its top-selling Corsa supermini later this year.

Although it will draw on several decades of hot hatchback history, the Corsa GSE will be thoroughly modern – boasting a high-output electric powertrain.

It marks the continued expansion of Vauxhall’s GSE electrified performance sub-brand, with a rally-bred Mokka GSE compact SUV already available.

Details of the new Corsa GSE are currently limited, but more information on the exact powertrain and performance levels will be known before the summer.

Even with the teaser images released, Vauxhall is seemingly keen to honour the Corsa’s retro relations. An alloy wheel with an elaborate three-spoke design is a clear homage to previous models.

Honouring a hot hatch heritage

The timeline to the latest Vauxhall Corsa GSE can be traced back to the original Vauxhall Nova (known as the Corsa in Europe), first launched in the UK during 1983.

A performance GTE model was added to the range in 1987, with a 100hp 1.6-litre engine giving the lightweight Nova the ability to accelerate from 0-60mph in under 9 seconds.

With a facelift for 1990, the GTE morphed into the Nova GSi for the UK market, but retained the same rorty 1.6-litre engine. Three-spoke alloy wheels were a signature feature of both GTE and GSi models.

The Nova GTE and GSi etched themselves into UK motoring culture, becoming beloved by joy riders and Max Power modifiers alike during the 1990s. It means well-preserved examples are now particularly hard to find…

A legend of the 1990s

When Vauxhall chose to adopt the Corsa name for the second-generation supermini in 1993, it also kept the GSi badge for a performance model.

Powered by a Lotus-honed 16-valve 1.6-litre petrol engine producing 105hp, the Corsa GSi could sprint to 60mph in 9.2 seconds, and had a 121mph top speed. Three-spoke alloy wheels were present too, of course.

The second-generation Corsa GSi had a relatively short shelf life, with Vauxhall eschewing performance superminis until a VXR hot hatch model appeared for the fourth-generation Corsa in 2007.

However, the company did bring back the GSi badge for the fifth-generation Corsa in 2018.

Even if the 150hp 1.4-litre turbocharged engine was down on power compared to key rivals, it still proved to be an engaging warm hatchback, albeit lacking in those trademark three-spoke wheels.

Small, agile, and dynamic

More recent years have seen Vauxhall creating a new GSE sub-brand for electric performance models, beginning with the Mokka crossover.

An extreme Vauxhall Corsa GSE concept, shown at last year’s Munich Motor Show, also gives some hints at the direction the production version might take.

Designed for the Gran Turismo 7 video game, expect the 800hp output and dramatic aerodynamics to be toned down for the completed Corsa GSE.

Eurig Druce, Vauxhall managing director and Stellantis UK Group MD, said: “The GSE badge has already proven a great success with the Mokka GSE – now Vauxhall is bringing that electrifying high-performance to Corsa.

“The Corsa GSE will combine small and agile practicality with thrilling, pure electric, motorsport-inspired power and dynamics.

“Vauxhall has a proud heritage of hot hatches, and we’re excited to now offer customers those same thrills but combined with the electrifying performance and zero emissions in use of these new GSE models.”

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