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The second-generation Jeep Compass looks genuinely tough and returns excellent fuel economy, but the e-Hybrid version is let down where it matters. The 145 hp mild-hybrid feels underpowered and a little jerky, and worst of all the ride is punishingly firm, even on 18-inch wheels. A smart interior and a lovely rotary shifter cannot fully rescue it.

The Ferrari 296 GTB is, in short, a brilliant car. Abnormally fast, surprisingly comfortable and dripping with Ferrari theatre, it blends an 830 hp hybrid V6 with genuine everyday usability. The touch controls and the questionable CarPlay integration annoy, but the way the engine and electric motor work together is spectacular. This is Ferrari at the top of its game.

The C 400 4MATIC electric is the first fully electric C-Class, and Mercedes is keen to sell it as the sportiest one yet, with 490 hp and a 4.0-second sprint to 100 km/h. We came away more impressed by the everyday case: a hushed, air-sprung ride, a genuinely useful AI assistant and up to 762 km of WLTP range. The rear design and a cheap-feeling black panel are our main gripes, and at €67,000 it is not cheap, but this is a hugely convincing debut.

The electric Citroën ë-C5 Aircross does the most Citroen thing possible: it puts comfort first. Progressive Hydraulic Cushions suspension, lovely seats and a clean, clever cabin make it a genuinely relaxing family EV, and in the Long Range we drove it backs that up with a realistic 680 km of range and a huge boot. It is not quick, the plastics and some Stellantis switchgear disappoint, and the fast-charging is only moderate, but as a comfortable, spacious and keenly priced SUV it makes a strong case.

The petrol Fiat 500 is back, wearing the electric 500e's styling but with a FireFly mild-hybrid engine, a slick manual gearbox and, at last, a sixth gear. It is small, nippy, beautifully styled and refreshingly full of physical buttons, and it barely sips fuel: we covered nearly 700 km on its tiny tank. For city life, it is close to genius.

The 911 Spirit 70 is a 1,500-unit heritage-design special, but forget the fancy dress for a moment: underneath it is a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, so it drives exactly like the sweet spot of the whole 911 range. That means the brilliant 541 hp T-Hybrid flat-six, all-wheel-drive traction that has been measured at 0 to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, and open-top thrills, all wrapped in a glorious 1970s costume. The ride is firm and it is wildly expensive, but we adore it.

The sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 GR Sport is a suspiciously good SUV: tough-looking, superbly built and refreshingly full of physical buttons. The smooth hybrid drivetrain returned 5.9 l/100km on test, and the GR Sport chassis is firm yet comfortable. Only over-eager safety systems, hard cabin plastics and a steep GR Sport price hold it back.

The facelifted Opel Astra is one of the most complete cars in its class. It looks fantastic, drives with an easy, eager nippiness, and returned a frugal 5.0 litres per 100 km on our run. Add real buttons, an excellent driving position and clever Intelli-Lux HD headlights, and only the colour range and a near-35,000 euro Ultimate price hold it back.

BMW has spent years promising that the Neue Klasse would reset the brand. The 2026 iX3 50 xDrive is the first car to deliver on it, and it largely succeeds: a genuinely intuitive new iDrive, a clever full-width Panoramic display, more than 800 km of claimed range and 400 kW charging that makes range anxiety feel old-fashioned. There are small gripes, but this is the most convincing electric BMW yet.

We have loved the GranCabrio since 2009, so replacing its glorious V8, then V6, with electric motors sounded like a nightmare. Then we drove the Folgore. It looks as gorgeous as ever, delivers an absurd 750 hp, and stays every bit the refined, elegant grand tourer. The boot is tiny and the range is short for a GT, and the weight blunts the handling, but as a beautiful way to travel with the roof down, it works.

The Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series 1 has spent decades underrated, and that was always unfair. Designed by Pininfarina, powered by the legendary Colombo V12 and reportedly used by Enzo Ferrari as his personal daily driver, it is grand touring in its purest 1960s form: beautiful, comfortable and built to be used. This low-mileage, mechanically restored example at Collection by Vermant is about as good as they come.

The 2026 Audi RS5 Avant arrived to a chorus of online complaints: a plug-in hybrid, too heavy, not playful enough. We drove it. Like the BMW M5 Touring, Audi has hidden the weight remarkably well, wrapped it in the meanest bodywork in the class, and added a genuinely clever electrified rear axle. It still cannot match a BMW M3 for pure fun, but it is the most convincing fast Audi estate in years.