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

Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £21,290Avg. savings £4,771 off RRP*Used from £6,390
Volkswagen Polo
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £25,250Avg. savings £6,379 off RRP*Used from £10,995
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £39,390Avg. savings £8,402 off RRP*Used from £25,497
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

MG’s IM brand to launch third model in UK in 2027
MG IM6 - rear detail

MG’s IM brand to launch third model in UK in 2027

Big seven-seat SUV is on the cards for MG’s posh sub-brand
News
2 Oct 2026
New Hyundai Ioniq 3 price drops to £18,495 with EV grant
Alastair Crooks with the Hyundai Ioniq 3

New Hyundai Ioniq 3 price drops to £18,495 with EV grant

Hyundai’s new electric hatchback is eligible for the full £3,750 Electric Car Grant (ECG)
News
2 Oct 2026
New Hyundai Tucson SUV revealed in UK spec and targeting a massive impact
Richard Ingram and the Hyundai Tucson

New Hyundai Tucson SUV revealed in UK spec and targeting a massive impact

As before, the UK and Europe will get a slightly shorter, more dynamic version of Hyundai’s Nissan Qashqai rival
News
1 Oct 2026