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 £38,030Avg. savings £3,560 off RRP*Used from £25,400
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £39,025Avg. savings £3,517 off RRP*Used from £14,290
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £23,990Avg. savings £1,481 off RRP*
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £4,636 off RRP*
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New AUDI E5 Sportback 2026 review: the best car Audi has built in decades
AUDI E5 Sportback - front tracking

New AUDI E5 Sportback 2026 review: the best car Audi has built in decades

This is the first car from Audi's China-focused sub-brand, and it's a real shame that we won't be getting it
Road tests
16 Jan 2026
Dacia’s jam-packed 2026 diary revealed: A hybrid Sandero, new Spring and much more
Dacia Spring facelift - full front

Dacia’s jam-packed 2026 diary revealed: A hybrid Sandero, new Spring and much more

Dacia posted big sales last year. We reveal six new products to make the budget brand blow up in ‘26
News
17 Jan 2026
Volkswagen ID. Tiguan spied with brand new body and interior
Volkswagen ID. Tiguan - front 3/4

Volkswagen ID. Tiguan spied with brand new body and interior

The transformation from ID.4 to ID. Tiguan will be big, as VW preps one its most important new cars of 2026
News
15 Jan 2026