By drivetrain
Cars by drivetrain
Automatic or manual, all-wheel or front-wheel drive, hybrid or diesel — each choice costs something different to live with. Here is who each one suits.
Automatic
Running an automatic: who gets the premium back, what your licence has to do with it, and why the old consumption penalty has gone.
ViewManual
Running a manual: what the price of a clutch depends on, how to check its condition on a test drive, and where a manual is hard to sell.
ViewAll-wheel drive
All-wheel drive: why a single replacement tyre often will not do, which extra oil changes come with it, and what the added weight actually buys.
ViewFront-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive: why it costs least to run, which component typically wears, and at what point the layout runs out of road.
ViewRear-wheel drive
Rear-wheel drive: which parts come with it, why the tyre bill looks different, and what genuinely changes in winter.
ViewFull hybrid
Running a full hybrid: why the saving hangs on braking events, which part seizes up as a result, and what to check on a used one.
ViewPlug-in hybrid
Buying a used plug-in hybrid: how to tell whether a car was ever charged, what the battery costs you in the boot, and when it is the worse choice.
ViewDiesel cars
Diesel cars: what use they demand, which components hang off the emissions system, and why low mileage can be a warning sign here.
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