First Drive

BMW 325i SE Touring

Elegant, well-made, thoughtfully detailed and loses little to the saloon — but hardly a beast of burden.

6 July 2005
BMW 325i SE Touring
First Drive

Peugeot 206 1.4 Sport

Hardly likely to win any street races, but reasonable value.

5 July 2005
Peugeot 206 1.4 Sport
First Drive

Volvo S40 2.0D Sport

Sport model looks reasonable, but big wheels and sports suspension ruin ride and 2.0-litre diesel lacks refinement.

2 July 2005
Volvo S40 2.0D Sport
First Drive

Toyota Celica GT

Attention-grabbing Toyota not for shrinking violets.

1 July 2005
Toyota Celica GT
First Drive

Citroen C5 3.0 V6

Fascinating technology makes sense for packaging and safety, but will require separate driving schools.

30 June 2005
Citroen C5 3.0 V6
First Drive

Audi A8 4.2 TDI

Great new diesel gives A8 stonking acceleration and effortless cruising ability. Makes the petrol version look ordinary.

29 June 2005
Audi A8 4.2 TDI
First Drive

Seat Leon 2.0 TSFI

It's a shame the new Leon has lost the old car's chunky looks, but it does seem to have retained its verve. A fine car, and competitive pricing will seal the deal.

25 June 2005
Seat Leon 2.0 TSFI
First Drive

Jaguar XJ TDVi Sport

A car with real ability and character. Anyone ordering one of the rivals needs to test drive this Jaguar first.

24 June 2005
Jaguar XJ TDVi Sport
First Drive

Chrysler Crossfire Roadster SRT-6

Crossfire's great looks are ruined by crass spoiler, supercharged engine adds pace but dynamics remain flawed.

23 June 2005
Chrysler Crossfire Roadster SRT-6
First Drive

Peugeot 107 1.0 Urban 2005 first drive

A funky city car with a different feel, and one that makes the Smart Fourtwo seem pointless.

22 June 2005
Peugeot 107 1.0 Urban 2005 first drive
First Drive

Jaguar X-type 2.2D estate

Superb new diesel engine and same fine dynamics can't stop the X-type feeling its age.

21 June 2005
Jaguar X-type 2.2D estate
First Drive

Volvo XC90 D5 SE Euro4 first drive

New diesel engine addresses our biggest criticisms of the XC90, but we must wait for the new auto for a definitive judgement.

20 June 2005
Volvo XC90 D5 SE Euro4 first drive

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6 February 2025
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