‘I drove best selling electric car in the UK and | Tech News

I’ve been reviewing and testing automobiles on and off for round three years now and in that time there’s been automobiles I’ve wished to drive for all method of causes. Some of them as a result of they simply curiosity me, some as a result of they’re topical, however others as a result of they’ve received so many awards I wished to see what the fuss was about.

Earlier this yr there was one car that fell into that third class. Fortunately, at the Goodwood Media Day I used to be capable of finding out if it was value it; and it was so good I ranked it above a Rolls Royce in the rankings of the 11 automobiles I drove.

The car in query was the Renault 5, a car that was not too long ago introduced by the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) as the best-selling electric car in the UK for July with 1,805 registrations. It beat the Kia EV3 that had 1,691 registrations and the Jaecoo E5 with 1,291 registrations.

When I drove one earlier this yr the car had, at the time, received a number of awards together with the UK Car of the Year 2026, What Car? Car of the Year 2025 and Top Gears Car of the Year for 2024.

Although it had some quirks, the flurry of stalks round the steering wheel wanting like the beating wings of an insect, to drive it was impeccable.

It actually was a car that, at highway speeds, rotated round your hips. Furthermore, it pulled off a trick I’d solely skilled in the Hyundai Santa Fe SUV which is to say it was a massive car that felt like a small one on the transfer.

On Britain’s potholed bumpy roads it was all the cliches of driving incredibleness, from the first turns I might see why people had fallen for its French allure.

Alright, it wasn’t the strongest of the automobiles I drove that day, and it wasn’t rear-wheel drive both, but it surely was as chic to drive because it was sensible inside.

The Renault 5’s gross sales efficiency comes as the SMMT introduced that Britain’s new car market grew by 11.7 % in July with the growth in gross sales pushed by the sale of electric automobiles.

In a assertion following the release of the figures, the SMMT’s Chief Executive Mike Hawes stated: “July’s record EV performance is a great achievement, reflecting industry’s huge investment in zero emission mobility.”

However, while the new car market for electric cars continues to burgeon, other experts have said focus should also turn to the used electric car market to help improve the uptake of zero emissions vehicles.

In a statement celebrating the latest SMMT figures, but highlighting the importance of the used car market, the Managing Director of AA Cars James Hosking said: “Continued growth in new car registrations should also support the used market.

“As more motorists change their vehicles, additional part-exchanges will return to dealer forecourts, improving the supply of younger used cars that has remained constrained in recent years.

“That should give second-hand buyers more choice, but value will remain critical. Consumers are comparing models, fuel types and total ownership costs more carefully, so dealers will need to price competitively and give buyers confidence that the vehicle represents good long-term value.”