Car group tests

Car group tests

The UK's most popular cars head-to-head against their key rivals...

If you really want to know how a car performs against its key rivals, this is the place to find out. The Auto Express group test is an automotive institution decades in the making that gets right to the heart of the questions that car buyers want answered. 

While our in-depth reviews and long-term tests are usually done with the car in isolation, albeit by experienced journalists with detailed prior experience of hundreds of other cars, the group test puts two or three direct rivals head-to-head in the same place, on the same roads and in the same conditions. There is nowhere to hide. 

As a means of slimming down your car buying shortlist these exhaustive tests are great. We drive the cars over long distances, interrogate the control systems, load and unload the interiors, and take our own precise measurements to make comparisons easier. Sometimes there’s an obvious winner but often what emerges is a picture of two cars with qualities that would suit different kinds of buyer - a picture that only becomes clear after this kind of detailed side-by-side testing. 

Our team brings you at least one two- or three-car group test every week, building up a clear picture of the cars we rate and those that we don’t... 

Scroll down to find all our group test pages… 

New & used car deals

Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £18,725Avg. savings £4,459 off RRP*Used from £15,045
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,568 off RRP*Used from £12,295
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £1,676 off RRP*
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £24,625Avg. savings £2,261 off RRP*Used from £13,768
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

More on Car group tests

Ford S-MAX - best 7-seater cars
Best 7-seater cars - Ford S-MAX

Ford S-MAX - best 7-seater cars

The Ford S-MAX is still the best of the big MPVs to drive, and remains impressively practical, too
Car group tests
4 Jan 2018
BMW X3 vs Volvo XC60 vs Jaguar F-Pace
BMW X3 vs Volvo XC60 vs Jaguar F-Pace

BMW X3 vs Volvo XC60 vs Jaguar F-Pace

Can the all-new BMW X3 SUV prove itself against its Volvo XC60 and Jaguar F-Pace rivals?
Car group tests
1 Jan 2018
New Land Rover Discovery 5 vs 4, 3, 2 and 1
New Land Rover Discovery 5 vs 4, 3, 2 and 1 - header

New Land Rover Discovery 5 vs 4, 3, 2 and 1

We assemble five generations of Land Rover Discovery – from three decades – to see how far this off-road legend has come
Car group tests
28 Dec 2017
Vauxhall Grandland X vs Peugeot 3008 vs Toyota C-HR
Vauxhall Grandland X vs Peugeot 3008 vs Toyota C-HR

Vauxhall Grandland X vs Peugeot 3008 vs Toyota C-HR

Vauxhall’s Grandland X SUV faces up to its Peugeot 3008 cousin and Toyota’s C-HR. Which will take the honours?
Car group tests
19 Dec 2017
Volkswagen Amarok vs Mitsubishi L200 vs Ford Ranger
Volkswagen Amarok vs Mitsubishi L200 vs Ford Ranger - header

Volkswagen Amarok vs Mitsubishi L200 vs Ford Ranger

As pick-ups eat into vans’ slice of commercial vehicle sales, we test the new VW Amarok against rivals from Mitsubishi and Ford
Car group tests
2 Dec 2017
Skoda Karoq SUV vs Peugeot 3008 SUV
Skoda Karoq vs Peugeot 3008

Skoda Karoq SUV vs Peugeot 3008 SUV

The Peugeot 3008 has ruled the compact SUV class in 2017. But can the new Skoda Karoq topple it?
Car group tests
25 Nov 2017
SEAT Arona vs Citroen C3 Aircross vs Kia Stonic
SEAT Arona vs Citroen C3 Aircross vs Kia Stonic - header

SEAT Arona vs Citroen C3 Aircross vs Kia Stonic

We deliver our verdict on three all-new SUVs to hit the market – the SEAT Arona, Citroen C3 Aircross and Kia Stonic
Car group tests
18 Nov 2017
Alfa Romeo Stelvio vs Volvo XC60 vs Mercedes GLC
Alfa Romeo Stelvio vs Volvo XC60 vs Mercedes GLC - header

Alfa Romeo Stelvio vs Volvo XC60 vs Mercedes GLC

We see if the new Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV can beat the Volvo XC60 and Mercedes GLC
Car group tests
11 Nov 2017
Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in vs Toyota Prius PHV
Hyundai Ioniq vs Toyota Prius - head-to-head

Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in vs Toyota Prius PHV

Hyundai Ioniq and Toyota Prius lock horns again, this time in plug-in form. Which is better?
Car group tests
5 Nov 2017
Nissan X-Trail vs Skoda Kodiaq vs Peugeot 5008
Peugeot 5008 vs Nissan X-Trail vs Skoda Kodiaq

Nissan X-Trail vs Skoda Kodiaq vs Peugeot 5008

We see if new seven-seat Peugeot 5008 has the edge over Nissan and Skoda SUVs
Car group tests
28 Oct 2017
Skoda Citigo vs Kia Picanto vs Renault Twingo
Skoda Citigo vs Kia Picanto vs Renault Twingo - header

Skoda Citigo vs Kia Picanto vs Renault Twingo

The Skoda Citigo has long been one of our top city cars, but can the revised model beat the Kia Picanto and Renault Twingo?
Car group tests
21 Oct 2017
Vauxhall Crossland X vs Citroen C4 Cactus vs Peugeot 2008
Vauxhall Crossland X vs Citroen C4 Cactus vs Peugeot 2008 - header

Vauxhall Crossland X vs Citroen C4 Cactus vs Peugeot 2008

The new Vauxhall Crossland X represents the brand’s latest move from MPV to SUV. We test it against the Peugeot 2008 and Citroen C4 Cactus
Car group tests
14 Oct 2017
Skip advert
Advertisement
Porsche Macan GTS vs Audi SQ5
Porsche Macan GTS vs Audi SQ5 - head to head teaser

Porsche Macan GTS vs Audi SQ5

High-performance SUVs do battle as the 355bhp Porsche Macan GTS meets new 349bhp Audi SQ5
Car group tests
11 Oct 2017
i30 Tourer vs Astra Sports Tourer vs Megane Sport Tourer
Hyundai i30 Tourer vs Vauxhall Astra Sport Tourer vs Renault Megane Sport Tourer - header

i30 Tourer vs Astra Sports Tourer vs Megane Sport Tourer

SUVs may have eaten into small estate sales, but Hyundai’s new i30 Tourer hopes to fight back. But how does it fair against rivals?
Car group tests
7 Oct 2017
Volkswagen Arteon vs Audi A5 Sportback
Twin test - VW Arteon vs Audi A5 - teaser

Volkswagen Arteon vs Audi A5 Sportback

We pitch the new Volkswagen Arteon four-door coupe against the established Audi A5 Sportback
Car group tests
30 Sep 2017
Least reliable cars to buy in 2017
Least reliable used cars - Driver Power 2017

Least reliable cars to buy in 2017

We run through the 2017 Driver Power survey to bring you the least reliable cars in the UK
Car group tests
24 Sep 2017
Skoda Rapid Spaceback vs Dacia Logan MCV vs Fiat Tipo
Skoda Rapid Spaceback vs Dacia Logan MCV Stepway vs Fiat Tipo - teaser

Skoda Rapid Spaceback vs Dacia Logan MCV vs Fiat Tipo

Facelifted Skoda Rapid Spaceback meets Fiat Tipo and Dacia Logan MCV in practical small car battle
Car group tests
23 Sep 2017
Jaguar XE vs Alfa Romeo Giulia vs Audi A4
XE vs Gulia vs A4 - group

Jaguar XE vs Alfa Romeo Giulia vs Audi A4

Jaguar’s new 2.0-litre XE is leading the rise of petrol power in compact execs. We pitch it against the Audi A4 and Alfa Romeo Giulia
Car group tests
16 Sep 2017
Renault Captur vs Citroen C4 Cactus
Renault Captur vs Citroen C4 Cactus - head-to-head

Renault Captur vs Citroen C4 Cactus

Does the revised Renault Captur have what it takes to steal small SUV crown from the Citroen C4 Cactus?
Car group tests
14 Sep 2017
Renault Koleos vs Skoda Kodiaq vs Ford Kuga
Renault Koleos vs Skoda Kodiaq vs Ford Kuga - header

Renault Koleos vs Skoda Kodiaq vs Ford Kuga

The Koleos name is back on all-new full-sized Renault SUV, but how does it compare to the Skoda Kodiaq and Ford Kuga?
Car group tests
9 Sep 2017
Range Rover Velar vs Porsche Macan vs BMW X5
Range Rover Velar vs Porsche Macan vs BMW X5 - header

Range Rover Velar vs Porsche Macan vs BMW X5

The new Range Rover Velar continues the boom in high-performance SUVs, but can it sink the Porsche Macan and BMW X5?
Car group tests
2 Sep 2017
Honda Civic Type R vs Ford Focus RS
Honda Civic Type R vs Ford Focus RS - header

Honda Civic Type R vs Ford Focus RS

The new Honda Civic Type R promises high-performance fun in a practical package, but so does the Ford Focus RS. Which is better?
Car group tests
30 Aug 2017
Audi RS 5 vs BMW M4 vs Mercedes-AMG C 63 S
Audi RS 5 vs BMW M4 vs Mercedes-AMG C 63 S

Audi RS 5 vs BMW M4 vs Mercedes-AMG C 63 S

We find out if the 444bhp Audi RS 5 can beat its BMW M4 and Mercedes-AMG C 63 S rivals
Car group tests
26 Aug 2017