#BrownCarGuy – News, Views & Reviews!
The 2024 Volkswagen Golf R Estate – yes, estate. Why not? It’s like the ultimate Q-car Golf. Seemingly a practical family load-lugger. But oh boy, are you in for a treat if you floor that throttle!
This is exciting – getting behind the wheel of the 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Didn’t he already review the Golf GTI?” True (link below), but this isn’t the regular GTI; this is the Clubsport – a souped-up version with a bit more oomph, aimed squarely at those of us who want a little more spice from our hot hatches. The previous edition was the pick of the pack – let’s see if this Clubsport lives up to the hype.
This is the all-new second-generation MG ZS, tested here in Hybrid+ form in the top-of-the-range Trophy spec. Slightly bigger, with more features, and prices only up by around £1,000, it remains a competitive B-segment SUV.
The BYD Seal is an EV saloon from China’s biggest maker of new energy vehicles. And it’s rather good! Now, it’s joined by another Seal – except this one isn’t a saloon; it’s an SUV. What’s more, it’s not even an EV – it’s a plug-in hybrid! Should it feature on your next family car buying shortlist? Well, let’s find out.
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.