The Mini Electric hasn’t been with us for long at all, and yet it’s already been treated to a little facelift. These updates are mostly confined to the technology and cosmetic departments, and are being rolled out across the internal-combustion members of the Mini family too.

Changes include styling tweaks to the wheelarches, new LED foglights, and a larger radiator grille with black surround and dissected by a bumper that is now body-coloured instead of black.

It’s still the F56 generation Mini we all know and love – which has been with us since 2014 – but we thought it was enough of a refresh to get behind the wheel and see what’s new.

Mini Electric: battery, specs and details

This isn't technically the first electrified Mini. This latest generation does have a plug-in hybrid Countryman, and BMW experimented with the Mini E back in 2008, but only 600 were built and leased. The compromises were huge – the rear seats vanished, boot space shrank and the EV hardware added 350kg.

Lessons learnt from that car fed into development of the i3, but even BMW engineers admit they didn't anticipate how quickly battery technology and affordability would improve by now. So it's a neat completion of the circle that the i3 is now donating its EV heart to its Mini cousin.

The 32.6kWh battery pack is rated at 93.2Ah and is a bit smaller than the i3's because it's arranged in a T-shape beneath the floor. The top of the T goes across the rear axle, the straight bit along the spine of the floorpan.

The punchier i3 S donates its power electronics and 135kW/181bhp electric motor, produced by BMW at its Landshut plant. These components are normally located at the rear of the i3 S, but they're slotted under the Mini's bonnet, cradled in a frame that even uses the existing three engine-mounting points.

There is no detriment to interior packaging either, with just a little foam removed from the rear bench to keep rear-passenger hip points at the same level – they're sitting on top of the battery, remember. The fuel filler flap is converted to house two charge points. All this means minimal changes to the body-in-white, and that the Electric has been fully integrated into the production line with petrol or diesel models like Peugeot's 208 and e-208. But, you have to remember that a Mini isn't exactly the best packaged car anyway – interior space and practicality has always been far from its strong point. An e-208, Corsa-E or even a Renault Zoe offers more room and boot space.

So it still looks like a Mini...

It does, and to some that will be hugely welcome; in fact, that's what Mini was going for. If you want, you can have it with bright yellow trim panels and properly cool 'n' retro alloys that are shaped like three-pin plug sockets.

But you don't have to have it like that. Those wheels can be swapped for other designs, nor is the yellow detailing on the outside obligatory. Minis are funky enough already, so the car arguably doesn't have to shout about its lack of exhaust; the only mandatory detail is the yellow electric badge and filled-in grille because it doesn't need to be cooled like a regular ICE model.

Same story inside. It's a Mini, with its classic circular backlit centrepiece housing a screen inside, fat toggle switches and the brand's sturdy-yet-premium material quality. There are a couple of changes, namely the starter button is yellow, as is the detailing on the shifter and a digital instrument display, with an odd frosted sheen over the cartoonish graphics.

The dials are also a little bit underwhelming. Jump in an Audi A1 with its Virtual Cockpit and you've got all kinds of options for what to display. Similarly, the Honda E and its full spread of screens that you can fiddle about with. Like BMW's larger models, the digital display isn't quite as fancy as you'd expect/hope it to be.

Elsewhere is usual three-door Mini fare: a dinky but usable boot (as mentioned, unaffected by the EV powertrain so you can store the charging cables under the floor) and rear seats that are not built for tall humans.

For 2021, the interior has been updated with a new touch panel central display, redesigned steering wheel and fresh options like a heated steering wheel and adaptive cruise.

The spec options also now include an 'Electric Collection' trim on top of the Level 1, 2 and 3 trims – limited to just 300 examples. For that, you get Mini's new 'multitone' roof included (oddly not available for any other Mini Electric spec, but an option on Minis with engines), black detailing, the cool plug socket wheels and aluminium trim inside. You can also add a panoramic sunroof at no extra cost.

Does it drive like a Mini?

Almost. The suspension is tuned to give a similar feel to a petrol Cooper S, but the physics are quite different. It's raised 18mm compared with a petrol Cooper S to give the battery more clearance, but the centre of gravity is lower because more mass is concentrated lower down.

It also has to account for a significantly altered weight distribution, with comparable weight over the nose to a petrol model but overall mass shifts rearwards from the default 60/40 front-to-rear split to the Electric's 54/46 due to the battery. Only 16- and 17-inch alloys are offered, because apparently it all feels too stiff on the 18-inch rims a Cooper S or JCW model can get away with. We drove on the 17s – the larger of the two sizes available.

Since the Electric is tuned to feel like a Cooper S, the ride is firm, but not as stiff as a hardcore JCW. It's a set-up that's classically taut like all Minis are, but we'd agree that 17s are as big a wheel as this car needs.

Driving across some horrifically broken pieces of tarmac on rural British roads, the Mini fidgets and fusses more than we'd like. It doesn't shake and rattle the car around so it still feels solid, but the constant interruption is a bit much at times.

The big loser is the steering; it tugs about lumpily under heavy acceleration and there's a surprising dead spot on the straight and narrow. Especially given Mini's penchant for properly feelsome, accurate and sharp steering no matter what the model, this is a little disappointing. A small point worth noting: the Level 1 and Level 2 models do without the chunky, leather-clad steering wheel of the Level 3. And while this doesn't seem like much, the more expensive offering really alters the way it feels. The hefty steering feels easier to handle with an equally chunky wheel to grab on to.

How fast is it?

It's just enough. Not Tesla fast, obviously, but almost as quick to 62mph on paper as a Cooper S, and capable of 0-37mph in under four seconds. Zippy, with a little whoosh noise as you build up speed. It certainly startled the pick-ups and glam sports cars at traffic lights at our Miami test location, and more than enough to get going on faster UK roads. In fact, select Sport mode and it has a slight tendency to tug around the road more than you'd expect.

There are four drive modes – Sport, Mid, Green and Green+ – that are largely useless. Keep it in Mid or Green. There's a negligible difference in throttle performance and the additional steering weighting in Sport (given the Electric's aforementioned more-numb-than-your-average-Mini feel) is needless.

What isn't needless is the near-one-pedal ability of the Mini Electric's regen. It defaults to the most aggressive setting barely requiring a touch of the brake pedal most of the time, but you can alter the aggressiveness. There's a switch by the starter button that alters the amount of regen on the go. Rewarding when you get it right and, unlike the Leaf's e-Pedal, you feel comfortable leaving this setting on at higher speeds as the brake pedal doesn't turn to mush if you do have to resort to pressing it.

Let's talk range and charging...

An 80% charge takes 35 minutes on now relatively common 50kW DC rapid chargers, around two and a half hours on more numerous 11.2kW AC chargers (a regular public charger or the kind of wallbox you'd have at home), or 12 hours to fully charge on a three-pin domestic socket.

As for range, Mini claims 140-145 miles on a full charge depending on conditions. Entirely reasonable for about 95% of journeys, but the business case falters a little when you pin this against rivals. If you want similar range, a VW e-Up is around £5k cheaper, but you can get better range from a similarly-priced (and similarly competitive on finance) Renault Zoe or Peugeot e-208.

The biggest threat to the Mini, though, is the Honda E; while the Honda may claim a smaller range, it's offered again for a similar price on finance and it blows the Mini out of the water in terms of interior wow factor and urban manoeuvrability.

Mini Electric: verdict

If you want a Mini and want to go electric, this is a Mini to look at, sit in and (mostly) drive. The brand's brief of delivering a three-door car that is largely indistinguishable from its combustion-engined compatriots has been delivered in full. Get your order in.

However, if you simply want a small electric car, the Mini Electric is beset on all sides with fiercely competitive rivals and is a touch less convincing because of it. If you look elsewhere, you can get the same range for less, more range for a similar price or a generally far more interesting car. Who'd have thought a Mini would be outdone in the character stakes?

The four-door Skoda hatchback was always known as the sensible option of these cars over its many generations, so does this new latest version of Octavia carry on that trend after a big injection of 2021 tech?

What’s new?

The hatch is 19mm longer and 15mm wider than before, and the already cavernous boot has increased in volume by 10 litres to 600 litres for the hatch variant – absolutely massive for something running in the same class size as the VW Golf. LED lights are standard, front and rear.

The biggest change, though, is inside. It’s even tidier and airier in here than before and there are new, posher (and genuinely lovely) materials adorning the dashboard, doors (including slick new doorhandles) and an attractively retro two-spoke steering wheel. All models to have been introduced so far have cruise control, digital instruments, dual-zone air-con and wireless Apple CarPlay as standard.

As we’ve mentioned, the Octavia also now uses tech from the Mk8 Golf, meaning all-new software for the free-standing infotainment system. This system upgrade (if you can call it that, which we’ll get to soon) has minimised the number of buttons. New tech options to be made available include LED matrix headlights and a head-up display, along with ‘Ergo’ front seats with massage function.

Let’s get out on the road, please

Don’t come here for driving thrills (the hot vRS version will sort you out there), instead just get comfortable and cruise, as it's all just very pleasant. Not blow-your-mind amazing, but far from rubbish either; the manual has a sweet shift to it and is accompanied by a light clutch. The brakes have plenty of feel and the steering weight is well-judged; light n’ easy in town and relaxed with some additional weighting on the motorway.

What excels is the ride; our test car rode on 18s – the highest size you can spec on a regular Octavia – and, even so, the suspension delivers impressive balance. It’s a little roly-poly in the corners, but bigger lumps are still smoothed out with aplomb and there’s not much road noise either.

Our test car was a manual-equipped 1.5 TSI with 148bhp. The engine itself is already familiar to us in recent years driving VW Group products, and it’s still an engine we recommend. It’s fast enough, though feels a little breathy at the top end – you’re better served by juggling the ratios and using the torque band instead. It’s also tremendously hushed; barely a grumble is heard even at higher revs. Cylinder deactivation under low throttle loads will help your economy, too – we were seeing high 40s during our drive.

Is it still as practical as ever?

Yes and no. It’s a gripe that’s plagued the latest Golf, and it’s one that we have to begrudgingly talk about here, too: the infotainment. While that new, central display does wonders for cleaning up the cabin and the digital instruments mean you don’t have to look over at the middle screen as much, the method in which you activate or change simple controls requires going through sub-menu after sub-menu.

Changing the air con temperature or fan speed, plumbing in an address into the navigation or even changing the drive mode feels like more of a faff than it ought to be; the old Discover infotainment used by Skodas (and VWs) of old was much more intuitive. There are also varying sensitivity issues; the central screen is hypersensitive to touch, so much so that you could scroll down a menu when you just wanted to tap at something, while the flat volume touchbar just below the central screen can either barely recognise your input or quickly deafen you if you stroke it awkwardly. Just use the steering wheel controls.

Elsewhere, though, the Octavia is still as roomy as ever. Rear legroom can hold the lankiest of adults, and you can’t forget that huge 600-litre boot is bigger than some estate cars out there. Skoda also still boasts about its little Simply Clever touches, so you still get an umbrella in the drivers’ door, a ticket holder in the windscreen, an ice scraper in the fuel cap and so on.

Skoda Octavia: verdict

It’s a shame that the infotainment system has taken a step in the wrong direction, frustrating enough to lop off an entire usability star on our verdict. Considering you’re going to use it constantly, we suspect it will take some time to get used to; perhaps Skoda has made its Octavia too Simply Clever for its own good.

But, other than that, Skoda has pulled it off once again. The Octavia is still a no-nonsense family hatch that rides well, is pleasant to drive, delivers good value and is still as roomy as it always has been.

Specs

Rather than being a standalone GTE model, the hybrid drivetrain is an engine choice available across the range. That should make cheaper models absolute darlings of company car fleet managers nationwide, though private buyers who fancy reducing their running costs (and have somewhere to park and charge) can benefit too.

The Tiguan eHybrid joined Volkswagen’s range in 2021, but before that the company let us loose behind the wheel of a near-production model. At the time of our drive we hadn’t yet learnt of the car’s WLTP all-electric range of 30 miles from its 10.4kWh battery pack and 180kW motor, nor the starting price of £36,185 for entry-level Life trim.

As well as its new powertrain, the Tiguan eHybrid benefits from the same facelift as the rest of the Tiguan range - read our Volkswagen Tiguan main review for more detailed information on those changes.

What powertrain does the Tiguan eHybrid use?

VW’s fitted the Tiguan with its familiar PHEV mechanicals. That means a smooth and refined 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine (not the more recent 1.5 TSI EVO - the 1.4’s specialised for hybrid duties these days) paired to an electric motor and 13kWh battery pack, joined to the wheels through a six-speed DSG transmission. 

Unlike some rivals, the Tiguan eHybrid is front-wheel drive only, but the battery pack sits under the rear seats to improve weight distribution. The key numbers are the same as you’ll get on its sibling cars - namely, 242bhp and 295lb ft, contributing to a top speed of 127mph and a more-than-rapid-enough 0-62mph figure of 7.5 seconds.

The WLTP figures were logged after our initial drive of the Tiguan eHybrid, and they reveal an electric-only range of up to 30 miles, fuel economy of 176.6mpg and a CO2 output of 38g/km. All of which puts the SUV on par with the plug-in Passat, and means you can anticipate impressively low running costs should you remember to keep the Tiguan eHybrid topped up at the mains as often as you can.

How well does it work?

The mechanicals are as good as you’d ever find in a Golf or Passat - there’s plenty of power, and the electric motor will run the car well above highway speeds if you’ve only a short distance to go.

The best part has been introduced with the upgraded sat-nav, though. In short, set a route and the Tiguan will use map data and speed limits to figure out where it should deploy its electrical power to best use.

So while a standard plug-in hybrid would use up all 30 miles of its juice straight away and spend the rest of the journey running as a large, heavy petrol car, the Tiguan knows to save electricity for towns and lower speed limits along the length of your route, optimising it so you’ll arrive at your destination with a just-flattened battery.

It’s seamless in operation and works very well - ducking in and out of numerous German villages on our test route saw the engine cutting in and out exactly when it should. And true to form, we arrived at our destination with only a couple of miles of range remaining, and an impressive combined economy figure of 56mpg - higher than we saw from the diesel on a similar route.

One small downside to note is that the fuel tank has shifted rearward to make way for the battery - it’s now under the boot floor and eats a not-inconsiderable 137-litres (or one whole Mazda MX-5) of boot capacity, leaving you with 437 litres total. Not bad, but no longer particularly impressive. Luckily the floor remains flat.

Any good to drive?

As it happens, very. Without the ‘GT’ part of the GTE moniker to live up to, the Tiguan eHybrid is free to be an efficient hybrid SUV with few performance pretensions besides the obvious Sport driving mode.

The end result stands out as one of the more refined SUVs we’ve driven in a long time - it’s quiet, comfortable and very relaxing to be in. There’s enough thrust from the electric motor that you won’t feel short-changed at town speeds, while the petrol engine kicks in quietly and near-seamlessly. 

Unlike the naturally-aspirated units you’ll find on most rivals such as the Toyota RAV4 and Kia Niro PHEV, VW’s TSI petrol doesn’t get at all thrashy when it’s called upon to provide thrust - this 1.4 was a wonderful engine on its own, and works brilliantly in this hybrid application too.

The ride is excellent - not quite as settled as the diesel, but it soon hunkers down into a nice loping gait on the motorway and smooths over surface imperfections with ease. As for handling, it’s the usual safe and secure VW affair - though if you make use of all the available power you’ll set the wheel squirming from torque-steer. 

Corner like a hero and you’ll notice plenty of body roll and some tyre squealing, too. Drive the Tiguan like… well, a Tiguan, and it won’t see you far wrong.

Verdict

It’s refined, well-built, decent to drive and cleverer than it ought to be. The benefits of the Tiguan’s recent facelift can be felt through well-integrated tech and comfort features, and the inherent VW-ness of the overall package is generally A Good Thing. Some small niggles on the boot space and dynamic front are shared with nearly all this car’s rivals, and can’t be seen as dealbreakers.

Hybrid SUV might be a pair of truly uninspiring words, but they’re important models and they’re here to stay for a while yet. The VW Tiguan eHybrid comes across extremely favourably next to its rivals - in fact, excluding firecrackers like the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, this Tiguan’s probably the PHEV SUV we’d opt for.