What do car journalists drive? The cars our experts spent their own cash on

Here at Auto Express we pride ourselves on the sheer variety of cars we cover - from superminis to supercars. The cars we run at home are almost as varied (supercars aside, sadly), so here’s where we’ve put our money.

The ages of our cars are fairly broad, from a classic of the seventies to a two-year-old EV. Many are tasked with different duties, too, from carting around dogs to thrilling us on B-road blasts. A balance of head and heart has gone into each purchase. We’ve even given you a glimpse of the next chapter of our car buying journeys with an example of what we’d trade our much-loved motors for.

So read on to see what we drive and why we chose them...

BMW 325i Touring (E46) - Alastair Crooks

23

I’ve previously owned the E36 and E91 models that sandwich this E46, so I thought it was only right to complete this significant corner of the BMW 3 Series' history.   

The reasoning I pitched to myself was that my MINI JCW long-term test car wasn’t suitable transportation for my two dogs, so naturally an estate was the only other viable option. Yet in the time I’ve owned it, the dogs have enjoyed precisely zero trips in the BMW, while they’ve been in the back of the MINI several times.

Luckily, the E46 has other benefits. Firstly, it’s a manual. Secondly, it’s a six-cylinder. The steering is spot on, the ride is much better than the incredibly tired suspension of my old high-mileage E91, and the interior is in great condition. Time to introduce some muddy paws then...

• What would I trade and buy: I’d buy a Mk1 Toyota Yaris T Sport. It weighed only 950kg, so even with just 105bhp it’d be fun stretching the sporty model’s legs well within the legal limit.

Cupra Born - Paul Barker

23

Our family transport is a fine example of the consumer value of our long-term tests. Back in 2022, I ran a Cupra Born, in the lovely Rayleigh Red that they don’t offer anymore, and with the bigger 77kWh battery.

It slotted really well into family life, to the point where Mrs Barker declared it her favourite of all the cars I’ve run. Yes, it was a bit cosy for longer family trips, but as a second car for work, running kids around town and the occasional trip out to family further afield, it ticked all the boxes.

So when our 2010 Mazda 3 decided it was getting tired after a decade of loyal service, it was a pretty easy decision to take the jump into electric cars, especially when we found an attractive deal on a stock Born that met our requirements. These were mainly that it had to be a V2 spec, because heated seats were a non-negotiable.

Over the past couple of years the Born has backed up everything we thought initially. The infotainment is from when VW was doing its least impressive work – how on earth unlit volume and climate controls ever made it through to production is a mystery that frustrates on every night-time drive. But we love that the Born is a little less common and a bit cooler than most mainstream brands, and the copper highlights inside and out really raise the game in making it feel more exclusive.

• What would I trade and buy: The Born is due to be with us for a good couple of years yet, but I’d be tempted by a Renault 5 if we can live with its practicality, or a Skoda Elroq.

Volvo V50 - George Vedmore

23

Sometimes, your perfect car will find you, and my 2004 Volvo V50 is one such example. It was gifted to me by a friend who, at the time, had a very similar life to mine, principally that he had a young child and, around his day job, was engaged in a house-renovation project.

The V50 has been the perfect family workhorse, offering a safe cabin, all the child-friendly safety features one would expect to find in a car of its age, as well as ample boot (and roof) space for transporting materials, and, lest I forget, my dog Olive (pictured). Its compact estate proportions also mean that tight city parking is never too much of an issue.

Yet, beyond the practicality, this V50 has a hidden character. With its highest-spec 2.4-litre, five-cylinder engine, even at 160,000 miles, the sound it makes is magnificent. The sonorous, distinctive burble is an enduring delight that makes even long motorway journeys genuinely enjoyable.

Overall, the V50 is a brilliant, reliable machine and a constant reminder of a great act of kindness. Thank you, Rob!

• What would I trade and buy: I’d be looking to upgrade to a new Volvo V60. It carries on the V50's tradition of offering style, safety and family-oriented everyday practicality.

BMW 2002 - Richard Ingram

23

I remember the day I fell in love with BMW’s original Neue Klasse. The car in question was parked outside a local garage in Devon – a navy blue two-door with those super-cool chrome hubcaps.

Cue years of on-off scouring of the classic-car classifieds – not for the perfect example, but the cheapest. It was during the post-Christmas, pre-New Year lull in 2015 that I spotted the car you see here, up for £4,000 from a trader near Birmingham.

It was blue, with a tatty interior and plenty of scuffs and scrapes. But it was on budget and it had a current, if questionable, MoT. The car made it home with me that day on the back of a low-loader. In hindsight, something of a first hint at the pain it was set to inflict.

Fast-forward to now, and near enough every panel has been replaced. It’s had a full-body, nut-and-bolt respray, plus a complete interior retrim. I’ve replaced everything from the radiator and carburettor, to the brakes and suspension, plus the Alpina-esque wheels and tyres.

So now I’ve got a car I’ve spent so much money on that I’ll never be able to sell it. But when I drive it, none of that matters. In a world of EVs and automatic gearboxes, my BMW feels so delightfully analogue; you have to work hard for it, but my word is it worth it.

• What would I trade and buy: I’ve always fancied a 997-generation Porsche 911. I’m not particularly fussy: just a clean one with the six-speed manual, please!

Suzuki Swift Sport (ZC32S) - Shane Wilkinson

23

There are plenty of cars that’ll leave my Suzuki Swift Sport behind, but this was the last hot hatch to follow the formula of having a revvy, naturally-aspirated engine combined with a low kerbweight to create maximum fun.

As a result, I always emerge from this car grinning like a Cheshire Cat. This is a traditional driver’s car, and you have to work for the power by pushing its 1.6-litre engine hard while changing up and down through a delightful six-speed manual gearbox. Once the momentum has been built, it’s easy to maintain because the handling is superb.

You might have noticed that I’ve made some modifications to get it looking and sounding its best, but this car is still excellent in standard form. That said, the brakes are ridiculously susceptible to gumming up and seizing, and that’s very annoying!

• What would I trade and buy: I have no plans to sell my beloved Swift Sport any time soon, but if you forced me (and I had the money) I quite fancy an Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce.

Volvo V40 - Max Adams

23

Can you think of another family hatchback like the Volvo V40 with a five-cylinder diesel engine? Apart from the older C30, neither can I. And due to the collapse of the diesel car market, we probably won’t see its like  again, so I thought I’d snap one up.

Some may scoff at its Ford underpinnings, but I don’t because it drives as well as a Ford Focus, just with a characterful five-cylinder roar. You can’t knock the piffling £35 annual VED road tax and 50mpg fuel economy, either.

Mine needed servicing, had an oil leak, and the heated driver’s seat didn’t work, but I’ve since fixed all those issues. It’ll be sticking around as it takes on being my ‘daily’ driver over my old S80. I’ve decided I’d quite like to keep that nice because there are only 15 on the road.

• What would I trade and buy: I think I would go for a Volvo XC70, but it’d be a facelift one with a more modern infotainment system, because the early one is dreadful!

Jaguar XF (Mk1) - George Armitage

23

Choosing my Jaguar XF was easy. After selling my old BMW Z4, my next purchase needed to be fuel-efficient, but I also wanted a car with soul, something that made me smile every time I walked back to it.

That’s why the Jag is so perfect. When it came out, the XF was, in my view, the most beautiful executive car on the market. Plus, the 3.0-litre V6 produces 271bhp, allowing the XF to reach 60mph from standstill in 5.9 seconds – there’s substance to back up the exquisite style.

You wouldn’t expect a Jag like this to be economical, but on a recent trip to Manchester and back it covered 
250 miles on a quarter of a tank, which works out at a combined 1,000 miles on a single fill. Not bad for a big diesel saloon. 

• What would I trade and buy: A Jaguar F-Type. It’s a brilliant driver’s car and with the manual gearbox it feels like an old-school sports car with the kind of flair the world is missing.

Ryan Birch - Ford Focus ST (Mk4)

23

I’m quite partial to a hot hatchback. I've owned three so far and my Ford Focus ST is undoubtedly the best of the bunch.

A twisty country road is its natural habitat. Stick it in Sport mode and you’ll find a massive smile appear on  your face. Its playful handling and slick rev-matching  gearbox are a sheer delight, all complimented by a meaty induction growl and the occasional tasteful exhaust bang when you’re really trying to cover some ground. It’s  a properly fun driver's car.

Settle down, and it’s quiet, practical and surprisingly fuel efficient. My average over 8,000 miles is 37.0mpg.

It’s not perfect though. The brakes seem to lack an initial bite at the top end of the pedal; and the glorious Tangerine Scream orange paintwork shows road grime and stone chips very easily.

• What would I trade and buy: My Ford Focus ST won’t be disappearing from my driveway anytime soon, but if I were to sell it then I'd probably look at something like a Volvo V90 T5 or T6.

Hyundai i20 N - Tom Jervis

23

What you see before you is the combined result of a quarter-life crisis and wanting to put one’s money where one’s mouth is.

Wind the clock back to 2023 and the Hyundai i20 N had recently been crowned our Hot Hatch of the Year. I was in the market for a new car at the time and tempted by the i20 N. I took the plunge into the deep Performance Blue.

Immediately, the first thing you notice is that despite its rather silly appearance, the Hyundai hot hatch is a serious piece of kit. The suspension, for one, is spine shakingly firm, although this does make the i20 N feel incredibly poised on a twisty road. The steering is also nicely weighted and sharp, while the six-speed manual gearbox is a tactile delight. This is helped by a red button on the steering wheel that activates an impressively executed rev-matching system.

Then, of course, there’s the exhaust, which is obnoxious; the Hyundai drowns out even true-blooded sports cars that I’ve had on test. What really makes me giddy, though, are the pops, crackles and bangs that occur on the overrun.

In fact, driving the i20 N transports you back to that feeling as a child when you had an electronic toy: you feel compelled to just keep pressing the button (or in the Hyundai’s case, the accelerator) to get that dopamine-fulfilling sound.

What would I trade and buy: If I were forced to make the swap, I’d probably go for my Renault 5 long-termer, or the complete other direction with a Nissan 350Z.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 - Pete Baiden

23

Back in 2021, we named the Hyundai Ioniq 5 as our Car of the Year. I drove it at the time, and fell in love with it. It’s great to drive, and even better to look at.

But the Ioniq 5’s biggest feature is just how much interior space it’s got. There is so much room inside that you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in an Hyundai Ioniq 9 instead. And everything is customisable for your needs. Need a bigger boot? You can simply move the rear seats forward and free up extra space.

Despite it being an almost perfect family car, it does have one major problem – the lack of a rear windscreen wiper. At times it’s almost impossible to see anything behind due to how quickly the grime builds up. The facelift fixed this issue, but my car requires constant cleaning.

• What would I trade and buy: I’ve got a Skoda Elroq long-termer, and it feels like an evolution of the Ioniq 5. It does everything its fellow award-winner does, but feels more modern.

MG TF - Tom Barnard

23

I constantly test car-care products, so there is virtually no point in me having a car that’s pristine. I need something that has tired paintwork and grubby fabrics so I can see if the potions I’m testing actually make a difference. So, when a friend offered me a shabby but solid MG TF at a bargain price, I jumped at it.

Like almost all red cars from this era, the lacquer coat is gradually making its exit one flake at a time, revealing the dull paint underneath. But this is great for testing polishes and protective coatings.

I also drive it surprisingly often, taking the opportunity to put the roof down whenever it’s sunny. Inevitably, it leaks in the rain, has numerous creaks, and the brakes are awful, but it runs amazingly well. I wouldn’t 
say I love it, but it’s perfect for my needs.

What would I trade and buy: MGs have great support for spares and it's easy to get advice from other enthusiasts, so I might go older and get an MGB – they are great value and fun.

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