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 Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,435Avg. savings £5,965 off RRP*Used from £9,990
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £21,290Avg. savings £4,614 off RRP*Used from £8,695
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £27,005Avg. savings £6,250 off RRP*Used from £9,790
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,085Avg. savings £3,188 off RRP*Used from £13,990
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Volkswagen T-Roc vs Toyota C-HR: two popular small SUVs, one winner
Volkswagen T-Roc and Toyota C-HR - front tracking

Volkswagen T-Roc vs Toyota C-HR: two popular small SUVs, one winner

The second-generation VW T-Roc has landed to find the Toyota C-HR waiting to challenge it. Which SUV comes out on top?
Car group tests
9 May 2026
New Cupra Raval 2026 review: a true pocket rocket for the EV era
Cupra Raval - front tracking

New Cupra Raval 2026 review: a true pocket rocket for the EV era

The hot little Raval marks the beginning of a very promising new era
Road tests
8 May 2026
New Land Rover Defender updates suggest 'if it ain't broke...' approach
2027 Land Rover (camouflaged) - front

New Land Rover Defender updates suggest 'if it ain't broke...' approach

Land Rover isn’t fixing what isn’t broken with its hugely popular Defender
News
11 May 2026