Let's start by dealing with the elephant in the room: the BMW iX does, indeed, look a bit... out there. But who spends this kind of money and wants to blend in? We almost admire it alongside relatively anonymous alternatives and, give it time, we reckon it won't look quite so offensive in the metal....

We don’t think so. Less subtle it may be, but the Audi RS6 Avant still looks great – and markedly less aggressive than many performance SUVs. Likewise, while the Audi’s interior isn’t as understated as its predecessors’, it’s just as user-friendly and comfortable. The car is built to very high standards...

We still like the BMW 3 Series, though. In fact, we reckon the recently updated model is one of the best all-rounders you can buy. For a start, there's an engine to suit almost every buyer. You could, until recently, get the 3 Series with a slightly underwhelming 2.0-litre petrol or diesel engine...

There was a time when a hybrid Toyota was a sensible but uninspiring choice of family car. The old Toyota Auris is a prime example of that - dependable and cheap-to-run, yes, but lacking even the slightest hint of charisma. But the latest Toyota Corolla is genuinely a very good car. There are no...

The BMW X3 is now in its third generation and we now think it's one of the best SUVs going. That's not to say it's always been the pick of the crop. The first iteration of the X3 arrived back in 2004 and received a lukewarm reception, while the second version appeared in 2010 and took things up a...

You’re not short of alternatives. The likes of the Audi Q3 , BMW X1 , Mercedes-Benz GLB , Jaguar E-Pace , Lexus UX and Range Rover Evoque are just some of the premium rivals after a share of the XC40’s pie, and this is before you consider the plethora of mainstream models. So what makes the...