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 £3,360 off RRP*Used from £27,855
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £39,045Avg. savings £7,139 off RRP*Used from £10,800
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,270Avg. savings £2,406 off RRP*Used from £8,249
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £27,005Avg. savings £6,250 off RRP*Used from £11,000
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Citroen Berlingo MPV aims to be the perfect SUV antidote
Citroen Berlingo - watermarked

New Citroen Berlingo MPV aims to be the perfect SUV antidote

The new Citroen Berlingo will be simple, spacious and stylish, and our exclusive image previews how it could look
News
15 Jun 2026
New Cupra Formentor VZ5 boasts Audi RS 3 five-cylinder power
Cupra Formentor VZ5 - front

New Cupra Formentor VZ5 boasts Audi RS 3 five-cylinder power

Cupra’s sporty crossover SUV is now available with a 385bhp five-cylinder engine, just for kicks
News
15 Jun 2026
New BMW X5 prototype review: how can Audi or Mercedes compete with this?
Ellis Hyde with the BMW X5 prototype

New BMW X5 prototype review: how can Audi or Mercedes compete with this?

We get an early taste of the new BMW X5 ahead of its official arrival
Road tests
15 Jun 2026