Long-term tests

Long-term tests

Every Auto Express long-term test, ever...

The Auto Express long-term test is a rigorous examination of a car’s design, engineering and practicality in real world conditions - often accompanied by some slightly silly photos of our experts with their cars. 

Our team lives with each car for a period of around six months, subjecting each to the trials and tribulations of our own daily routines. School runs, shopping trips, commutes, days out, family holidays, visits to the rubbish dump; we live with these cars so you can understand what it would be like to. 

And, of course, we’re car journalists so we regularly go above and beyond the typical use patterns for our long-term test cars. Track and off-road driving, in suitable models, gives a further insight into their qualities. So do the big mileages we cover on roads of all types right around the UK and across Europe, not to mention the photographic and video shoots.  

If you’re in the market to buy a new car, the Auto Express long-term test reports provide an invaluable insight into what your own life might be like as the owner. In combination with our in-depth reviews and group tests, these pages form the most comprehensive evaluation of new cars you’ll find anywhere. 

Over thousands of miles of testing, our experts really get under the skin of all the most popular models on the market and if you have specific questions about the cars we’re running now or have run in the past, we’re here to help… 

What’s on fleet?

Cars we’re reporting on now plus recent long-term test fleet arrivals and departures 

Scroll down for all our long-term test reports...

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £38,050Avg. savings £3,360 off RRP*Used from £29,823
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £19,870Avg. savings £4,683 off RRP*Used from £9,222
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £2,765 off RRP*
Toyota Yaris Cross
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
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More on Long-term tests

Nissan Micra

Nissan Micra

We've got a bubble car on our long-term fleet. Well, not really, but that seems to be most people's reaction to our latest acquisition. I can see what…
Long-term tests
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Smart Roadster

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Vauxhall VX220 Turbo

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Long-term tests
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Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius

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Long-term tests
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S-Class

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Chrysler Crossfire

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Long-term tests
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Rover Streetwise

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Long-term tests
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Daihatsu Copen

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Long-term tests
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Subaru Legacy Outback

Subaru Legacy Outback

Auction website eBay has a lot to answer for. Apart from spelling the end for junk shops across the UK, it recently sent me on a five-hour, 250-mile r…
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Peugeot 307 CC

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Volkswagen Touran

Volkswagen Touran

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Long-term tests
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Honda Accord Tourer

Honda Accord Tourer

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Long-term tests
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Ford Focus
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Ford Focus

All it took was one stone. Flicked up from the wheel of a truck I was overtaking on the M25, this little pebble became an airborne missile, smashing i…
Long-term tests
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Nissan X-Trail

Nissan X-Trail

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Long-term tests
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Audi A4 Cabrio

Audi A4 Cabrio

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Long-term tests
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Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius

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Long-term tests
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Mazda RX-8 2004 review

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You have to hand it to Mazda. Many people doubted whether the company would have the bottle to press ahead with the RX-EVOLV concept
Long-term tests
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Volkswagen Sharan

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Long-term tests
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Smart Roadster

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Long-term tests
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Peugeot 307 CC

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MG Rover Streetwise

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Subaru Legacy Outback

Subaru Legacy Outback

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Long-term tests
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