Car group tests

Car group tests

The UK's most popular cars head-to-head against their key rivals...

If you really want to know how a car performs against its key rivals, this is the place to find out. The Auto Express group test is an automotive institution decades in the making that gets right to the heart of the questions that car buyers want answered. 

While our in-depth reviews and long-term tests are usually done with the car in isolation, albeit by experienced journalists with detailed prior experience of hundreds of other cars, the group test puts two or three direct rivals head-to-head in the same place, on the same roads and in the same conditions. There is nowhere to hide. 

As a means of slimming down your car buying shortlist these exhaustive tests are great. We drive the cars over long distances, interrogate the control systems, load and unload the interiors, and take our own precise measurements to make comparisons easier. Sometimes there’s an obvious winner but often what emerges is a picture of two cars with qualities that would suit different kinds of buyer - a picture that only becomes clear after this kind of detailed side-by-side testing. 

Our team brings you at least one two- or three-car group test every week, building up a clear picture of the cars we rate and those that we don’t... 

Scroll down to find all our group test pages… 

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,385Avg. savings £2,919 off RRP*Used from £31,633
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £23,990Avg. savings £1,949 off RRP*
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,785Avg. savings £4,614 off RRP*Used from £8,960
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,019 off RRP*Used from £10,195
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

More on Car group tests

DS 3 Crossback E-Tense vs Kia e-Niro

DS 3 Crossback E-Tense vs Kia e-Niro

The recently refreshed Kia e-Niro has a new challenger in the form of the all-electric DS 3 Crossback E-Tense
Car group tests
29 Aug 2020
BMW M2 CS vs Porsche 718 Cayman GTS vs Alpine A110 S

BMW M2 CS vs Porsche 718 Cayman GTS vs Alpine A110 S

The new BMW M2 CS is the most hardcore M2 yet, but is it a match for the Porsche 718 Cayman GTS and Alpine A110 S?
Car group tests
22 Aug 2020
Mercedes GLA vs Volvo XC40
Mercedes GLA vs Volvo XC40

Mercedes GLA vs Volvo XC40

The new Mercedes GLA goes up against the Volvo XC40 in this premium small SUV showdown
Car group tests
15 Aug 2020
Vauxhall Corsa-e vs Renault Zoe

Vauxhall Corsa-e vs Renault Zoe

Vauxhall breaks new ground with the electric Corsa-e supermini, but is it good enough to beat the Renault Zoe?
Car group tests
1 Aug 2020
Peugeot 508 Hybrid vs Skoda Superb iV

Peugeot 508 Hybrid vs Skoda Superb iV

The new Peugeot 508 Hybrid and Skoda Superb iV do battle in the hybrid family car segment
Car group tests
25 Jul 2020
Porsche 911 Turbo S vs McLaren GT

Porsche 911 Turbo S vs McLaren GT

The new Porsche 911 Turbo S and the McLaren GT offer a different take on grand touring. We put the pair through their paces
Car group tests
18 Jul 2020
SEAT Leon vs Volkswagen Golf vs Ford Focus

SEAT Leon vs Volkswagen Golf vs Ford Focus

The Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf and SEAT Leon are all long established hatchbacks - we find out which is best among the latest crop
Car group tests
11 Jul 2020
Skoda Octavia Estate vs Toyota Corolla Touring Sports

Skoda Octavia Estate vs Toyota Corolla Touring Sports

Skoda’s new Octavia Estate has moved upmarket. We find out if it’s a better wagon than the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports
Car group tests
4 Jul 2020
BMW M8 Convertible vs Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible

BMW M8 Convertible vs Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible

Can the Bentley Continental GT V8 warrant its £30k price gap over the BMW M8 Convertible?
Car group tests
20 Jun 2020
BMW X5 vs Porsche Cayenne vs Jaguar I-Pace

BMW X5 vs Porsche Cayenne vs Jaguar I-Pace

Will the all-electric power of the Jaguar I-Pace reign supreme or will the BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne come out on top? We test all three to find out...
Car group tests
13 Jun 2020
Ford Kuga vs Toyota RAV4 vs Skoda Karoq

Ford Kuga vs Toyota RAV4 vs Skoda Karoq

The all-new Ford Kuga has landed. Can it make an impact against the Skoda Karoq and Toyota RAV4?
Car group tests
6 Jun 2020
Kia Niro PHEV vs MINI Countryman PHEV

Kia Niro PHEV vs MINI Countryman PHEV

The Kia Niro PHEV and MINI Countryman PHEV Cooper S E plug-in electric models focus on efficient running and family fun, but which is best?
Car group tests
30 May 2020
Skip advert
Advertisement
Porsche Cayenne Turbo vs Audi RS Q8

Porsche Cayenne Turbo vs Audi RS Q8

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo and Audi RS Q8 might come from the same hot SUV family, but we find some key differences
Car group tests
24 May 2020
BMW M235i Gran Coupe vs Mercedes-AMG CLA 35
BMW M235i Gran Coupe vs Mercedes-AMG CLA

BMW M235i Gran Coupe vs Mercedes-AMG CLA 35

The BMW M235i and Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 promise hot-hatch performance and four-door coupe style - we find out which fills the brief better
Car group tests
9 May 2020
Mazda 2 vs Ford Fiesta

Mazda 2 vs Ford Fiesta

Revised Mazda 2 supermini takes on nation’s biggest seller to find the UK’s best-value small hatch
Car group tests
2 May 2020
Renault Zoe vs MINI Electric
EVs

Renault Zoe vs MINI Electric

Fresh second-generation Renault Zoe takes on all-new MINI Electric in a showdown of the EV superminis
Car group tests
22 Apr 2020
Jaguar F-Type vs Porsche 911

Jaguar F-Type vs Porsche 911

Jaguar’s F-Type has usually come off second best when it’s taken on the Porsche 911. Can the newly facelifted car buck that trend?
Car group tests
22 Apr 2020
Kia Soul EV vs MG ZS EV

Kia Soul EV vs MG ZS EV

The second-generation Kia Soul EV faces the value-for-money MG ZS EV in an SUV shootout
Car group tests
22 Apr 2020
SEAT Tarraco vs Skoda Kodiaq vs Peugeot 5008

SEAT Tarraco vs Skoda Kodiaq vs Peugeot 5008

The new SEAT Tarraco takes on the Skoda Kodiaq and Peugeot 5008 in a seven-seater SUV face-off
Car group tests
22 Apr 2020
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 vs Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 vs Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R

Hardcore Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R lock horns in track showdown
Car group tests
28 Mar 2020
Skoda Citigo-e iV vs Volkswagen e-up!

Skoda Citigo-e iV vs Volkswagen e-up!

Skoda is returning to the city car class with the new all-electric Citigo-e. Is it a better buy than the similar Volkswagen e-up!?
Car group tests
25 Mar 2020
Renault Captur vs Ford Puma vs Peugeot 2008

Renault Captur vs Ford Puma vs Peugeot 2008

The Renault Captur, Ford Puma and Peugeot 2008 have all just been launched. We bring them together for their first Auto Express group test
Car group tests
21 Mar 2020
Mercedes E 300 e vs BMW 530e

Mercedes E 300 e vs BMW 530e

Plug-in hybrids will be more popular under new tax rules, so we test the new Mercedes E 300 e against the BMW 530e to see which is on target
Car group tests
19 Mar 2020