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

Toyota Yaris Cross
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £37,020Avg. savings £3,308 off RRP*Used from £22,250
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £19,870Avg. savings £5,842 off RRP*Used from £9,749
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,805Avg. savings £4,806 off RRP*Used from £6,390
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Citroen 2CV: the French £13k EV city car is sticking to retro styling
New Citroen 2CV teaser - headlight

New Citroen 2CV: the French £13k EV city car is sticking to retro styling

New budget-focused EV will closely follow the design of the original 2CV
News
5 Oct 2026
It’s hard to see how the Jaguar Type 01 will be a huge success
Rutherford Jaguar Type 01

It’s hard to see how the Jaguar Type 01 will be a huge success

Mike Rutherford warns that the majority of new car buyers do not go for big, expensive saloon cars such as the latest Jag
Opinion
5 Oct 2026
Car Deal of the Day: a Nissan Micra for a micro £183 a month
Nissan Micra - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: a Nissan Micra for a micro £183 a month

Renault 5’s sister is far more affordable, but is just as fun to drive. It’s our Deal of the Day for 6 October.
News
6 Oct 2026