#BrownCarGuy – News, Views & Reviews!
Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting BYD’s new UK headquarters in Uxbridge, where I got up close and personal with their latest models. Among the range was the BYD Seal, which I’d previously reviewed in its all-wheel-drive (AWD) form. This time, though, I had the chance to take the rear-wheel-drive (RWD) version for a spin. Is the RWD variant just as good, or does the AWD offer something more? Let’s dive in and find out.
MG is truly on a roll, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and marking it with the launch of several new cars, including their UK best-seller, the all-new 2025 MG HS. With over 57,000 units sold in the UK alone, the MG HS is now the eighth best-selling car in the country this year. This isn’t just a facelift; it’s a full-blown second-generation model based closely on the Chinese third-gen Roewe RX5 introduced in 2022.
In the world of city cars, the Kia Picanto has long been a favourite for its practicality, reliability, and value for money. The 2024 Kia Picanto GT-Line brings a fresh facelift to this third-generation model – and marks 20 years of the Picanto nameplate.
The new 2024 Mini Countryman is electric, bigger and less, well… Minier? Not just in size but in looks. The headlights are square, not round, and the proportions are distinctly SUV. However, from the wing mirrors to the rounded black roof and the JCW badging, not to mention go-faster stripes (not normally found on a family car) it is at least sprinkled with Mini flavouring.
This is the new 2024 MG3 Hybrid, priced from just £18,500. The third generation of the compact city car from Chinese-owned MG, that takes inspiration from the big brother MG4 EV in terms of design but aims to add style to practical and affordable motoring.
The Nissan Qashqai is one of Nissan’s biggest-selling cars in Europe and the UK. There was a new model about three years ago, with a whole new powertrain (e-power) launched in mid-2022. This 2024 model looks strikingly different, at least from the front, but surely it’s too early for a whole new model? Yup, this is a facelift designed to give the Qashqai a bolder look and align it with the style of the Ariya EV.
What’s a KGM? It’s actually a rebrand of the SsangYong marque, and indeed the badge remains the same. What is the Torres? A large family SUV with a capacious interior and rugged looks. More rugged if you get it as a petrol, sleeker when you opt for electric power as yes, it is available as both. But which is better? Let’s see how these two variants stack up against each other and which one might be the right fit for you.
I’ve been eagerly anticipating this moment for years, ever since I first laid eyes on this beauty at a classic car show at the NEC in Birmingham. Today, we’re looking at a classic Citroen 2CV that has been ingeniously converted to electric. Some purists might cringe at the thought of transforming a beloved classic into an electric vehicle, but if it makes this icon a practical daily driver, isn’t it worth considering? Imagine the joy of commuting in this gem amidst a sea of mundane SUVs!
Have you ever heard of Omoda? No, me neither. You might have heard of Chery though. Essentially the Chinese car company is infiltrating other global markets under the guise of several new brands including Exeed, Jetour, Luxeed, Jaecoo and Omoda. The latter two are going on sale in the UK, with the Omoda 5 petrol and EV versions hitting dealerships in July.
When some other brands switched their city car icons to full electric ranges, it was fair to assume that Mini would do the same with the newest generation of its beloved hatchback. After all, it already offered the Mini E (electric car) since 2020. But praise the octane loads of combustion, BMW has seen fit to continue to offer its cutest car with petrol power.
