Skip advert
Advertisement

Old vs new 2018: 30 years of Auto Express road testing (1988 to 2018)

To celebrate our 30th anniversary we put the star cars we were testing in 1988 up against the class leaders of 2018

Auto Express is 30, with 2018 symbolising a landmark three decades of Britain’s biggest-selling weekly car magazine. So to mark this special anniversary (and deliver something a bit different for the festive season), we’re looking back through the ages and pages to see how the automotive landscape has changed since 1988.

Advertisement - Article continues below

But there’s another pertinent point that’s worth mentioning. With Britain and its car manufacturers staring down the barrel of a difficult Brexit, the industry is on the cusp of yet another change.

While there’s been turmoil and torment over the past 30 years, certainly, there have been many success stories, too. Auto Express has always been a champion of the British motor industry (we featured an important new British car on the front cover of Issue 1, no less), so with the iconic pairings we’ve assembled here, we’re looking at how the products we’ve been buying have morphed over this time – and without getting too political, what we hope for the future.

Click on the links to the left or below to see our old vs new head-to-head tests...

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £38,050Avg. savings £3,411 off RRP*Used from £26,495
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,085Avg. savings £3,239 off RRP*Used from £13,500
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,310Avg. savings £2,657 off RRP*Used from £9,495
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £24,040Avg. savings £1,535 off RRP*Used from £17,990
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Best cars to own: Driver Power 2026 results
Driver Power 2026 header

Best cars to own: Driver Power 2026 results

The winners and losers in the UK's biggest automotive consumer survey. It’s the 2026 Driver Power results
News
10 Jun 2026
Electric car charging costs review launched by government
Electric car charging mega test - charging overhead

Electric car charging costs review launched by government

Government report to address concerns over long-term cost of EV charging
News
10 Jun 2026
Car Deal of the Day: Big-battery Vauxhall Frontera for a low £135 a month
Vauxhall Frontera Electric UK - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: Big-battery Vauxhall Frontera for a low £135 a month

The Vauxhall Frontera Electric is a lot of car for not much cash. It’s our Deal of the Day for 10 June.
News
10 Jun 2026