#BrownCarGuy – News, Views & Reviews!
This compact 2025 BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe has more horsepower than the 1992 E36 BMW M3. So does that make it a bona fide junior ‘M’ car? With the keys to the turbocharged four-door in my hands and the Hill Route at the Millbrook Proving Ground beckoning, there is only one way to find out!
Sometimes a car doesn’t need to scream to make a statement. It just needs to show up with a cheeky grin, a bit of charm, and enough clever thinking to stand out in a sea of lookalike electric boxes.
I don’t often say this about electric cars, but I’ve been waiting to try this one for a while. Ever since Renault first dropped images of a retro-fabulous concept that looked like it’d teleported straight from a 1970s disco into a new Star Trek movie (The Roads of Khan!), I’ve been itching to tickle its torque and see if the drive matches the desire.
A new affordable electric SUV that’s more refined and packed with greater tech than its predecessor, the all-new MG S5 EV is essentially the replacement for the best-selling MG ZS EV. The S5 EV steps up the game in terms of style, performance, and practicality – while still offering astonishing value – so should it be on your shortlist?
Mazda want to do it all. They want a big new flagship luxury SUV. That’s also hugely practical and a versatile seven-seater. Plus, thrifty economy and the ability to emit slightly tanked-up butterflies at most. It also needs to be relatively punchy when it comes to performance and can prove a tasty steer despite it breadth and width. Meet the new 2025 Mazda CX-80, the brand’s new top dog three-row SUV for Europe. This isn’t just Mazda’s largest and most spacious SUV – it’s a bold statement aimed at premium rivals like the BMW X5, Audi Q7 and Land Rover Discovery. But does it have what it takes to challenge the establishment?
If you’re looking for a crisp and smart-looking hybrid SUV packed with clever tech and features, I might have just the thing for you. Meet the Renault Symbioz E-Tech Hybrid – the name “Symbioz” is taken from the Greek word Symbiosis, meaning ‘living together’. You can’t quite live in this thing, despite its spacious interior. Still, it’s an interesting name and put me in mind of the word Symbiont, which reminded me of Jadzia Dax, the Trill Symbiont on Star Trek Deep Space 9, which was a gratifying thought, so the price of entry is worth it for that alone. We’re talking from £29,295 for the base spec, to £31,295 for the Esprit Alpine trim, and £33,295 for the range-topping Iconic Esprit Alpine edition as tested here (plus another £650 for the Oyster Grey finish on this car).
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!
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.
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.
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.
