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The UK EV market grew by 21% in 2019 with more than 72,000 new plug-in cars registered in the UK – that’s one registered every seven minutes.

Plug-ins on the rampage as one is sold every seven minutes

UK electric car registrations continue to set records, as latest figures place the total number of new 100% electric and plug-in hybrid cars registered last year at 72,834, making 2019 the most successful year for electric cars to date. That equates to one new electric car registration every seven minutes in the UK. The total also means the market grew by 21% compared to 2018.

The end-of-year figure marks a continued trend, which saw consumers and businesses switch to ultra-low emission vehicles. The fourth quarter of 2019 saw a further 24,722 plug-in cars registered between October and December.

For the first time, fully electric cars accounted for more than half of the plug-in market, with 52% of sales. This takes the number of 100% electric and plug-in hybrid cars registered in the UK to date to 271,524.

From a regional perspective, the South East saw the highest demand across the nation, with 26,136 vehicles registered – a 22% increase on 2018. Other leading regions include the West Midlands (11,623), South West (8,128), Yorkshire and the Humber (7,566) and East Anglia (5,373), making up the top five British regions for electric car uptake this year.

2019 marked the eighth consecutive year of growth for the electric car market. This has in part been driven by an increase in the models available, with over 50 for consumers and businesses to choose from.

2020 has the potential to be another strong year for registrations as a host of models are set to be introduced, including the Peugeot e-208, Volkswagen ID.3, Mercedes-Benz EQC, Vauxhall Corsa-e, Skoda Citigo E, and MINI Electric just some of the new cars due to hit the roads.

The continued growth of the EV market has also been accompanied by new charge points being installed in response to the increased demand. There are now over 29,000 public charging connectors in the UK, making it one of Europe’s largest charging networks.

These numbers are set to rise thanks to continued Government funding and investment from the private sector. In September, the Government committed a further £35 million worth of investment into the UK’s rapid charge network, which combined with a matching £35 million from the private sector, will result in the delivery of a further 3,000 rapid chargers by 2024.

Electric or Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle Sold Every Seven Minutes

Just like buying, there are a number of different ways to sell your current car. Many of us opt for the simple route, which is to simply part-exchange / trade it in when buying or leasing our next car. Whilst this is very convenient, you can sometimes actually get as much as 10-15% more if you sold it privately instead.

This is by far the simplest and most popular way of getting rid of our unwanted vehicles. Nearly all dealers have a part-exchange scheme, where they offer to buy your current vehicle from you as part of the package when buying your next car from them. This means you simply hand them the keys, and they will knock the price off the cost of the new vehicle.

Even if your current car is damaged, needs servicing or just needs a good clean, the dealer will simply give you what they think it’s worth. Always shop around though, as some dealers are more generous than others. Having said that, you’re still much better off trying to sell it privately, as you will get a lot more for it. Remember, the dealer will want to make a profit from your vehicle, and so you’ll be getting less than market value for it.

This is the most time-consuming way to sell your car, but it can pay dividends. You can get top whack for it knowing there’s no middle man trying to make a profit on top of your own.

It’s important when selling privately to keep the car in good condition. If you have a viewing, make sure it’s clean, inside and out. Spotless. If the car looks like it’s been looked after then people will be more likely to want to buy it off you.

Remember though, you’ll need to pay for online adverts on sites like AutoTrader. These are great as they can attract customers from all over the country, but bear in mind that many buyers will filter-out private sale vehicles, so you won’t have access to a lot of the buyers in the market that the dealers will.

Also, buyers will generally want to pay less buying privately due to the added risk involved, so you may not get as much as similar cars being sold by dealers. It should still beat any part-exchange price though.

Once online, be prepared to go on test drives and also be annoyed by time-wasters, especially if you have a desirable car. And the most important thing is to make sure that anyone driving your car on a test drive brings proof of insurance. The last thing you want is someone writing your car off before you’ve even sold it. If you are lucky enough to make a sale, ensure all funds clear completely before handing over the keys and the vehicle log book.

You know those companies who claim to “buy any car”. There are now a huge number of them that will give you an instant valuation for your vehicle. You simply enter your vehicle registration and mileage and it will give you a figure. Be wary though, the amount they offer is usually significantly less than even that which a dealer would offer, and is also usually subject to vehicle inspection. Expect even more to be knocked off if there is any damage, faults or the condition of the vehicle is not as expected. There is often an administration fee to be paid as well, so factor this into the final sale price. As a general rule, use these websites as a last resort, or if you’re in a hurry to part with your vehicle.

This is a more risky way to sell your car as you don’t know beforehand the amount you’ll be getting. You pay an entry fee, usually in the ballpark of £30, and then set a reserve price. If you manage to get a sale then the buyer will pay for it immediately. Remember, you’ll have to pay the auction house some commission, often around 10% or so. Many of the buyers at auctions tend to be dealers themselves, and they will be looking to sell the car on once again. You therefore may not get the price you were hoping for.

If you still have outstanding finance on your vehicle, you’ll want to settle this before attempting to sell it. To do this you’ll need to speak to your finance company and ask them for a “Settlement Figure”. There may be an early redemption charge and an administration fee to pay, but this is usually a lot less than the interest you would have incurred had you simply continued to pay the finance each month until the end of the term. Once you have paid the remaining balance in full you are free to sell the vehicle on.

If you are looking to part-exchange your vehicle with outstanding finance, many dealers will be happy to do this, as long as you have the settlement figure required to clear the balance. This will simply be deducted from the amount you get for your part-exchanged vehicle.

However you’re planning on selling your car, it’s incredibly important to keep all documentation, including all receipts and MOT/Service documents. This will let future owners have a clear picture of the life the car has had. Presumably, if you’re reading this article, you’re someone who cares about your cars, so make that obvious by filing everything and having a Full Service History. It will add value to your car at the end of the day too, so it’s a win-win.

It’s daunting, but sometimes the best way to sell your vehicle isn’t necessarily the easiest. If you can manage without it for a few weeks, it will most likely save you hundreds if not thousands of pounds if you sell it before buying your next one.

What's the best way to sell your car? - Part-exchange vs Private Sale

The modern BMW-owned MINI hatch has grown exponentially since its introduction in late 2000. But, along with that growth has come increased maturity, to the extent that it now feels and drives like a sub-compact BMW.

Tested: MINI Cooper, 5-door, 1.5-litre in ‘Exclusive’ trim.

Prices: Test car £20,935 (BIK 28%). As driven: £22,360.

Options fitted to test car: Comfort pack (£900) and Midnight Black paint (£525).

MINI three-door Classic from £16,195. Five-door Classic from £16,895.

A major leap forward in its evolution was the adoption by the third-generation MINI of the BMW 1-Series chassis in 2014. Sure, it gave the MINI its biggest ever growth spurt in a ‘guess-who-ate-all-the-pies’ kind of way, but it transformed the character of the car in the way it drove and handled.

The new, longer chassis also paved the way for the introduction of the first five-door MINI in the marque’s then-55-year history.

The MINI 5-door Hatch is a full 16 centimetres longer than the 3-door and, with its two extra doors opens up greater practicality: five seats, noticeably more legroom in the back and 30% more luggage space.

In October 2018, the MINI line-up received a series of exterior and interior updates and the cars were no longer classified based on engine, but rather by three dedicated trim levels – Classic, Sport and Exclusive.

We spent last week with ‘FXJ’ – a five-door MINI Cooper 1.5 manual ‘Exclusive’, presented in Midnight Black…

2014: June - the first five-door MINIs go on sale.

2018: October - updated with restyled headlights and rear light clusters with union jack emblems, as well as revised infotainment and some extra personalisation options. Three dedicated trim grades introduced. Two diesel models discontinued.

The MINI’s rivals include similarly upmarket offerings like the Audi A1 and Volkswagen Polo, along with more conventional superminis like the SEAT Ibiza, Mazda 2, Ford Fiesta and Citroen C3. To some extent, the Fiat 500 and its more potent Abarth relatives also stand as retro-styled competition, but these are much smaller.

Inside, it’s standard MINI fare with loads of retro charm without too much compromise in usability. Control of the heating and ventilation is via intuitive dials and the standard 6.5-inch colour infotainment system is easy to get the hang of. A DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and a USB socket are all standard, along with a multi-function steering wheel.

However, navigation is not standard but is available via the Navigation pack (£900) or, if you can find an extra £1,100, the more feature-rich Navigation Plus pack, which – at £2,000 is silly expensive – but bestows the MINI with an infotainment and navigation system borrowed from more expensive BMW cars. Both systems have an easy-to-use rotary dial between the front seats that you twist to scroll through the menus and press down to make a selection.

However, the more advanced system comes with a larger 8.8-inch screen that doubles as a touchscreen, and you can even write post codes or search for contacts via a handy handwriting pad.

Navigation Plus also comes with wireless charging, more online connectivity and Apple CarPlay, but you can't have Android Auto.

The quality of materials used inside are of premium quality, with soft-touch plastics deployed in critical touch zones, while the buttons, switches and dials feel nicely damped. It looks great, too, with a cheerful design that’s made to feel special by touches that include extensive ambient lighting.

Being only 5ft 8in, I found the driving position spoilt a little by pedals that are offset to the right of the steering wheel, so had to sit at a slight angle most of the time. No matter how I set the seat up, I found depressing the clutch pedal all the way down to the floor to start the car to be a bit of a stretch.

Still, the seats are supportive and apart from limited forward movement, there’s plenty of adjustability to help set everything up as close to ‘good enough’ as you can.

The extra length of the five-door MINI over the three-door translates to an extra 3cm of leg room and 1cm of head room for the rear passengers. It might not sound like much but it is competitive for the class.

Getting into the back isn’t as easy as it is in most five-door rivals because the door openings are rather narrow and you have to step over a hefty sill. Still, it’s better than wedging past one of the front seats to get back there.

At just 278 litres, the boot isn’t as big as that in an Ibiza, a Ford Fiesta or Skoda Fabia, but it’s still large enough for a big weekly shop and I managed to fit five full ALDI bags in.

However, there’s a substantial lip at the entrance to the boot which you have to lift things over. However, the optional storage pack (included in the £900 Comfort pack) gets around this issue by adding a height-adjustable floor that can be set to lie flush with the entrance of the boot. In its upper position, it also takes out any step in the extended load area when you fold down the rear 60:40-split seats (to reveal 941 litres). 

With the updates to the MINI range in 2018, came a more simplified model line-up. Classic, Sport and Exclusive were introduced, each offering increased standard specification and a shortcut to a distinctive interior and exterior character of their choice.

The range-entry Classic gets a 6.5-inch colour infotainment screen, intelligent emergency call, DAB digital radio and Bluetooth connectivity is standard on all models. In addition, there’s ambient lighting, exterior MINI puddle-lamp logo projection and automatic headlights with rain sensor.

Sport models receive many John Cooper Works cosmetic additions including an aerodynamic kit and rear spoiler, alloy wheels, sports suspension, bucket seats, steering wheel and anthracite interior headliner. Sport models are available with 1.5-litre Cooper or 2.0-litre Cooper S engines.

The Exclusive model as tested builds on the Classic model specification with upgraded 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome line exterior finish, leather upholstery, leather steering wheel, interior trim and interior chrome line finish. Exclusive models are also available with 1.5-litre Cooper or 2.0-litre Cooper S engines.

When ordering a new MINI, you typically pick from one of three petrol variants – One, Cooper and Cooper S – followed by a trim level; Classic, Sport or Exclusive.

From 2018, the range-entry petrol MINI One is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine (it used to be a 1.2-litre) with 102hp. Move to the Cooper, which accounts for the majority of sales and you get a punchier 136bhp variant of the same three-cylinder engine.

Topping the standard range is the four-cylinder, 2.0-litre petrol Cooper S. This offers significantly improved performance as it packs 192hp, which aids it in sprinting from 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds. A special 60 Years Edition of the Cooper S is also available, which features additional kit and bespoke cosmetic tweaks.

MINI introduced a dual-clutch DCT seven-speed automatic gearbox in 2018 to replace the older six-speed automatic, and the new gearbox is more in keeping with the MINI's sporty nature, providing smooth yet rapid gear changes – it’s just a shame there are no shift paddles behind the steering wheel.

Prior to 2018, the MINI was available with Cooper D and Cooper DS diesel versions, but these were removed from the line-up after the 2018 updates.

‘Handles like a go-kart’, ‘drives like it’s on rails’, ‘sticks to the road like it’s glued’…these are terms you’ll come across in MINI reviews – and they’re all true!

A MINI wouldn’t be a MINI if it wasn’t bursting with character or good fun to drive: fortunately, the MINI 5-door has both of these qualities in abundance. It’s slightly heavier than the three-door model, but its light, accurate steering ensures the nose goes exactly where you point it. The ride is on the firm side but settles down comfortably at motorway speeds and there’s very little lean in corners.

The relative lack of wind and road noise makes it feel like a very grown-up small car. Factor in strong acceleration and this is a surprisingly relaxing long-distance cruiser.

Of all the engines it’s the 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol Cooper as tested that shines brightest, because it’s quick and keen to be revved – but not so powerful that it races to unnecessary or unmanageable speeds. It really suits the character of the car – and has that sonorous 3-pot burble that sounds great.

Over the course my week with the MINI, I drove a total of 328 miles over a variety of M, A and B roads at an average speed of 31.1mph.  The average fuel consumption was recorded at 42.3mpg, which is 94.4% of the official 44.8mpg (combined WLTP data).

While the MINI five-door hasn’t been crash-tested by Euro NCAP, the three-door MINI on which it’s based scored a respectable – rather than exceptional – four out of five stars in 2014.

Its 79% adult occupant and 73% child occupant ratings were good, but it was let down by the lack of safety assistance technology on offer and only scored 66% for the protection it offered to pedestrians in the event of a crash.

The car certainly has a full range of airbags (six, to be precise), as well as three ISOFIX child-seat mounting points, plus traction control and anti-lock brakes. The optional adaptive cruise control features a collision-mitigation function, too. This attempts to prevent front-end crashes by automatically applying the brakes if it detects an imminent impact. Meanwhile, the model’s new longer and higher nose protects pedestrians more effectively than before.

I found the gearbox a bit notchy and while still enormous fun, the extra weight of the five-door is noticeable and for me negated some of its renowned driving thrills. A degree of sportiness has been traded for comfort, which some may appreciate.

The rear door apertures are rather narrow and some may not find this five-door as practical as they had hoped it would be.

At a little shy of £21,000 the MINI Cooper is a tad pricey when compared to most of its rivals and, while the car comes with the basics, you do have to delve into the expensive optional pack list for kit that is standard on many of its rivals.

Size has always mattered and the extra inches on the five-door means it’s a more practical model if parking a MINI on your driveway is a must. You get a comfortable, well-built and appointed car that is practical enough to suit your work/life balance and offers relaxed cruising for those occasional intercity runs.

The mid-range Cooper is recommended over the One and Cooper S. It’s the 1.5-litre turbocharged three-pot that really is the sweet spot of the range. 

Go easy on the option packs (Comfort and Navigation is recommended) as, before you know it, you’ve added thousands to the value of the car which you may not see a return on when it comes time to shoot it through for something else.

Because you’re here and you have been, thanks for reading - WG.

Fast Facts: MINI Cooper 5dr 1.5-litre ‘Exclusive’

Engine: 1.5-litre, turbocharged 134hp 3-cylinder petrol (BMW B38).

Max output: 134hp @4,500-6,500rpm / 220Nm of torque from 1,480-4,100rpm.

Transmission: Via six-speed manual gearbox to front axle.

Emissions: 122g CO₂/km (NEDC combined).

Fuel tank capacity: 40 litres (8.8 gallons).

Warranty: 3 years. Servicing: Every 18,000 miles

2019 was a fantastic year for car safety, and Euro NCAP has highlighted the Best of the Best in class for 2019

Safest cars revealed by Euro NCAP - Best of the Best in class 2019

Each year, Euro NCAP publishes a list of those cars that have performed best in their respective categories during the past 12 months.  	 
Euro NCAP last week published its annual Best in Class for 2019. Fifty-five cars were assessed, of which forty-one achieved the top accolade of a full five stars, which makes 2019 one of the most impressive years on record since Euro NCAP started to evaluate consumer safety of cars on the European market.

Mercedes-Benz regained its crown in the best performing Small Family Car category – this time with the CLA – a sporty alternative to the A-Class Sedan, which won last year’s Best in Class. The CLA achieved a score of more than 90% in three of the four areas of safety and delivered the best overall rating of the year. Mercedes-Benz went on to launch five more five-star vehicles in 2019, all with outstanding crash protection and driver assistance technology.

Tesla also made a strong appearance during 2019 with its Model X declared the winner in the Large Off-Road category, followed by the SEAT Tarraco in second place. The Tesla Model 3 topped the Electric and Hybrid vehicle class and, together with BMW’s 3 Series, shares top spot in the ‘Large Family’ category. The two cars concluded their respective tests with identical overall scores, with the BMW scoring better in pedestrian protection, and the Tesla edging it in Safety Assist. Skoda’s new Octavia was the runner-up in this category.

In the combined Small Off-road/Small MPV class, Subaru won with the new Forester, with excellent all-round performance during testing. Mazda’s new CX-30 and Volkswagen’s T-Cross were close followers in the category. Despite missing out on the top spot, Mazda had a good year, with the new Mazda 3 turning in a creditable performance in adult occupant protection and pipped to second place by the Mercedes-Benz CLA in the ‘Small Family Car’ category.

There was a tie in the Supermini class with the sporty Audi A1 and top-selling Renault Clio, both of which have been among Europe’s most popular and desirable hatchbacks for years. Their latest generations arrived in 2019 and fared equally well in testing. Newcomer Ford Puma was the runner-up in the category. The Supermini segment continues to be the most competitive in the market and the winners deserve credit for their uncompromising stance on safety.

Finally, a special mention went to BMW’s Z4, the only roadster tested in 2019, but set a new safety benchmark for the segment.

Best Large Family Car Hybrid and Electric: Tesla Model 3

Read our exclusive review of the Tesla Model 3!

Best Small Off-Road / MPV: Subaru Forester

The Sony Vision-S concept car has been unveiled at CES to showcase the firm’s latest vehicle safety and infotainment innovations.

SONY stuns with all-electric car at CES Las Vegas

If you thought that SONY was just going to announce the new PlayStation 5 at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas…you’d be right, along with millions of others.

What no-one expected was SONY’s reveal of its concept Vision S prototype car, built to showcase what SONY can do for the cars of tomorrow. 

The electronics brand has dipped its toes in everything from cameras to 8K televisions and everything in between, so it actually isn’t all that surprising that they would decide to use CES to jump into the auto industry.

Looking remarkably similar to the Tesla Model 3 with hints of Porsche in the front, the four-door Vision S rolled silently onto the stage. The Vision S packs 33 sensors, including radar, LiDAR and cameras, but SONY says its real innovation is infusing the data collected from all those things to produce cleaner data with fewer errors.

Although it’s not widely known, SONY isn’t entirely new to this game: Its CMOS sensors, like those used in its cameras, are already used in vehicles like the Toyota Corolla and Lexus NX.

SONY’s foray into LiDAR — the ‘eyes’ of an autonomous car that allow it to sense how far it is from obstacles around it – comes as a bigger surprise. The race to build cheaper, more reliable LiDAR has become one of the hottest contests in automotive technology and SONY will face upstarts like Quanergy and LeddarTech, along with established players like Velodyne and Bosch.

Inside, the Vision S looks like what you would expect from a company that built its reputation on televisions, with a massive panoramic dash screen that stretches below the entire windshield. The rear seats both have screens of their own and SONY says the car provides a 360-degree panoramic audio experience.

“We believe that the evolution of mobility will also redefine cars as a new entertainment space,” said Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida.

The EV chassis the car rides on was built by Magna Steyr, a Canadian manufacturer that also supplies GM, Ford, Mercedes and yes, Tesla. Not surprisingly, SONY had help from a number of other partners, including Qualcomm, Continental, and Nvidia.

Few technical details of the prototype were made available at the reveal, but we know it’s powered by a pair of 268hp electric motors (one per axle), which give it a 0-62mph time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 149mph.

SONY will show the Vision S concept at its CES 2020 booth, but don’t expect SONY dealerships to spring up anytime soon – it’s merely a demonstration to get other automakers interested in Sony’s automotive-related technologies.

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Our Latest Posts

Electric or Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle Sold Every Seven Minutes

What's the best way to sell your car? - Part-exchange vs Private Sale

Review: Mini Cooper 5 Door

Safest cars revealed by Euro NCAP - Best of the Best in class 2019

Sony Vision-S All-Electric Concept Car

Your vehicles in one digital garageMOT, Road Tax & Service renewal reminders

The Driver Buddy App

Renewal reminders & Alerts

Stolen vehicle notifications

Full MOT History

Transfer to other users

Digitally store receipts

Accident Report

Beautifully designed, across all your devices

All your vehicles, in the cloud

In the palm of your hand

Instant alerts to your phone, wherever you are

Reminders & alerts

Notifications for stolen vehicles

Our Latest Posts

Electric or Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle Sold Every Seven Minutes

What's the best way to sell your car? - Part-exchange vs Private Sale

Review: Mini Cooper 5 Door

Safest cars revealed by Euro NCAP - Best of the Best in class 2019

Sony Vision-S All-Electric Concept Car

Your vehicles in one digital garage
MOT, Road Tax & Service renewal reminders