The Taycan is the first purely battery-electric Porsche sports car and since first going on sale last September has impressed customers and enthusiasts with its combination of an authentic Porsche driving experience and performance from its innovative 800-volt drivetrain.

There are new interior finishes too with Blackberry and two-tone options for the leather and leather-free upholstery choices. In addition, Exclusive Manufaktur and custom tailoring options have been extended to include contrasting leather seat centers and contrast stitching.

To ensure that the refresh is more than skin deep, a range of technical enhancements are designed to appeal to both keen drivers and boost livability. These include optimized battery performance and improved charging. Additional innovations include features that can be flexibly booked online via a new Functions on Demand (FoD) service and the option of a head-up display in color.

In the case of the Taycan Turbo S, the battery optimization sees the car’s acceleration improve further still. With Launch Control, it now can sprint from 0-124 mph in 9.6 seconds, undercutting the previous time by 0.2 seconds. It blasts through the quarter-mile in 10.7 seconds (previously 10.8 seconds). As before, the Taycan can undertake successive launches without any drop in performance.

Charging while maintaining the battery is an extra new function. It can restrict the charging capacity at 350 kW Ultra Rapid chargers (e.g. Ionity high-power 800-volt charging stations) from a maximum of 270 kW to around 200 kW when customers are planning to take a longer break from driving. Drivers can select the desired charging mode on the central display.

Further new intelligent charging functions are usable in conjunction with Mobile Charger Connect and Home Energy Manager. These involve the power guard function, which is now able to prevent an overload of the domestic connection, as well as optimized charging with energy produced domestically. This function enables the Taycan to charge using solar energy generated by the home. Once the deliberately configurable, minimum battery charge level has been reached, the system uses only solar energy that is not needed by the building.

Moreover, that two seats will always be better than four, and only couples should be allowed to enjoy the best the motoring world has to offer – not, heaven forbid parents with children.

Well, there’s at least one car on the market that does not insist you compromise – the Panamera E-Hybrid, out of the stable of the world’s largest sports car manufacturer, Porsche.

The Germans may be best known for their brash two-seater sports cars but this is a plug-in hybrid version of their first upmarket four-seater saloon model which launched in 2009.

Now in its second generation, like the Cayenne, the Panamera appeals to those wanting both the prestige that comes with the badge as well as something more functional than a 911 or a Boxster.

But what is even more surprising is that, while the Panamera incorporates design elements found in the 911, Boxster, 718, and Cayman, in many areas it could perform at least as well as them, if not better.

To begin with, this 2.0 version is a big step from its predecessor. It boasts a more exquisite interior and sharper styling that takes comfort to the next level.

Underneath the Panamera’s very sharp exterior is a slick coupe design offering plenty of room for four (it’s strictly four not five thanks to the bucket seat set up in the rear) and a large boot, and not to mention a very hi-tech interior (more on that later).

This all adds up to it is not just more practical but more agile. This is hands down the most comfortable I have felt sat behind the wheel of any car since the Bentley Continental GT.

The E-hybrid is available in both saloon, executive saloon, and estate versions. There is a choice of V6 or V8 engines to power the rear or all four wheels, with eight-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive as standard.

But despite being more than 5m long and almost 2m wide, the Panamera edges it on being arguably the liveliest large luxury car money can buy.

After all, the American bicycle company, with which Toyota developed the car, always spells its own name (logo apart) with just an initial capital.

The adventurous Trek is based on the Corolla Touring Sports – or estate to you and me. I suspect the bicycle firm’s only involvement probably consisted of signing a licensing agreement to allow Toyota to use the name.

After all, the Japanese firm does sponsor Trek’s bike racing teams.

The car itself didn’t need a lot of developing as the template for making an estate a bit more rugged and ‘active lifestyle’ is set in stone. Or mud, if you prefer.

For instance, Audi did the job with its All Road; Volvo with the Cross Country, and Skoda with its Octavia Scout.

It’s simple: raise the suspension to increase the ride height so bits like exhausts aren’t torn off. Then add some plastic cladding around the wheel arches, faux protective plates under the front and rear bumpers, and off you go.

Which is exactly what Toyota has done with the Corolla Trek.

The suspension has been tweaked to give an extra 20mm of ride height and underbody protection is fitted.

The Trek is a two-wheel drive with no off-road biased traction control system.

Neither is it fitted with anything other than standard road tires. But to be fair to Toyota, increased ground clearance is all most customers, even the active ones, will need.

There is no choice of trim level, but what you do get to choose is engine size. Both the 1.8-liter and 2.0-liter petrol versions are part of a hybrid powertrain using Toyota’s well-proven reliable technology.

The smaller engine produces 122bhp and the larger, 184bhp. The price jump from the 1.8 to 2.0 isn’t large – the less powerful Trek is 38.000 USD and the 2.0-liter 40.300 USD.

On a finance or PCP scheme, I doubt you’d notice the difference.

We’re testing the 2.0-liter in white with the Trek black 17-inch alloy wheels. The Corolla is a looker, a million times more appealing than the dull Auris that went before.

All that car had to go for it was incredible reliability, which I’ll admit is pretty important.

Those black wheels and plastic cladding do give the Corolla Touring Sports a more functional look and the 20mm increase in ride height adds something too.

The hydrogen is fed, together with air, into an anode/cathode fuel cell under the Nexo’s bonnet causing a chemical reaction generating heat, electricity, and water.

The water is ejected from a pipe like an exhaust and the electricity produced powers a 161bhp motor which drives the front wheels.

There’s also a small 1.56kWh lithium-ion battery storing electricity from regenerative braking which can be fed in when needed.

All good science, but, where do we get the hydrogen?

There are 12 hydrogen filling stations in this UK while Germany has 50. Ironically, there are four within 20 miles of West London.

If you could ever find a hydrogen pump, it’s simple – you open a flap above the rear wheel, connect a hose and then wait around five minutes while the tanks are filled. The hydrogen is measured in kg and that’s the unit it’s sold in.

The tanks hold a maximum of 6.3kg of hydrogen which should give the Nexo a maximum range of 414 miles WLTP.

Nothing about driving this car is cheap and that’s to be expected for a breakthrough technology that’s still very niche.

The hydrogen itself will become cheaper, especially if it is produced using renewable energy, as will the fuel cell technology itself.

Hyundai only offers the Nexo in one trim level and loads it with the kit so there are hardly any options available.

Just as well, because after the Government’s Plug-In Car Grant the Nexo costs 84.450 USD. About the same as a Jaguar I-Pace.

In size, the Nexo is similar to a Volkswagen Tiguan with a relatively high seating position.

While no beauty, it’s OK to look at and it’s better inside.

Rather than follow the trend and have most functions controlled via digital screens, Hyundai has equipped the Nexo with a center console that wouldn’t look out of place in an Airbus.

I like conventional knobs, switches, and buttons but the number of them on the console is a bit confusing.

The power delivery has that same instant torque feel anyone who’s driven an EV will know. The car is not quick but has plenty of pep between 30 and 50mph.

Thrashing around in an EV or FCV (fuel cell vehicle) is a very bad idea anyway as it crucifies range. Drive the Nexo like that and you’ll not get anywhere near that 414-mile range.

Despite generous dimensions – this behemoth is 4.9 meters long and 1.9 meters wide – and it’s not all space inside the cab.

The boot is not market-leading but it was still enough for what I needed with 924 liters of space with the seats folded down.

That’s enough for a few big bags worth of clothes, a 55inch TV, and a hand-painted picture of Spock from Star Trek.

The electric hybrid engine does take up some room in the center of the car, however – so it better be worth it.

When you get on the motorway, another added little function of the RX will bring more driving pleasure.

Turning the dial on the driving mode opens up more possibilities, with sports mode turning the dials red and delivering much more zip through the automatic gearbox.

It will feel amazing to put your foot down and see everything light up as a sizeable SUV felt nimble and alive.

The dashboard is pure Lexus and best summed up as “reassuring complex.”

It’s different but a little distracting as you’re trying to drive at any sort of speed – especially if you misjudge the sat nav and type in the wrong address.

It could be a little bit difficult to drive such a beast at the beginning if you’re not familiar with powerful cars but the engineers gave out their best so the car is under control at all times.

Overall there is a good range of toys including that all-important reversing camera, heated steering wheel, and a heads-up display.

It also comes with the Bladescan high-beam system which Lexus assure uses revolutionary technology to make it easier to spot pedestrians and other road hazards – without dazzling oncoming drivers.

It’ll do 0-62mph in 2.7sec and 0-125mph in 8.9sec.

Apart from the original 3.0-liter 911, Turbo launched in 1975, and the 3.3-liter version that followed it, I drove every generation of the ‘Turbo’ when new – including a 964 3.6 Turbo.

It was fitted with the rare X88 power kit which boosted the horsepower to 385.

Doesn’t sound much now, but don’t be fooled – that 964 3.6 was the last of the rear-wheel-drive 911 Turbos and the last time they used a big, single turbocharger.

None of those numbers were of much relevance as I intended to drive the Turbo S over some lovely roads in Berkshire with a max speed limit of 60mph.

Like many of us, the 911 has grown wider with age. And none more so than this Turbo S version which has a track 45mm wider than the standard 911 at the front, and 20mm wider at the back. Wide is bad, skinny great as you have more road to play with. It’s that obvious.

With the new Turbo S, Porsche should supply the business card of a hotshot defense lawyer.

Because of this car looks fast on paper, it’s even more outrageous in the metal. Acceleration is ballistic as soon as you’ve hit the throttle.

Thankfully, the brakes are carbon-ceramic, gripped at the front by 10-piston calipers.

Slip the optional Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) into Sport Plus mode and several things happen: your back starts hurting unless on a really smooth road and the rear wing pops up while the curb-biffing front spoiler retracts itself.

There are several modes including Eco that activate the irritating start/stop system if under 10mph.

Being easy to drive fast, it’s good to know grip is astonishing. Active rear-wheel steering makes it turn into corners with amazing accuracy.

Our test car, which costs 203.000 USD, has the optional sports exhaust, but the sound is disappointing compared to the naturally-aspirated GT3 and GT3 RS models that are the hardcore choice for 911 purists. For me, too.

Its performance puts it on a par with Ferrari’s F8 and McLaren’s amazing 720S – both of which cost north of 260.500 USD.

The Porsche isn’t bad value. But the firm makes a car that’s almost a third of the cost of the Turbo S that I’d much rather own or drive.

It’s the Cayman GTS – naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter engine, 400bhp, and a top speed of 182mph and 0-62mph in 4.5sec. It’s a smaller car, also available with a manual gearbox, that is fantastic on the road.

The only drawback is the Cayman only has two seats. But people who buy cars like these rarely own just one car.

The idea sounded like a winner for well-heeled petrolheads.

Such a pity the engine didn’t sound so glorious.

It made the Boxster and Cayman 718s better to drive and faster. But sales dropped off because it sounds like a Beetle if you’re being polite – or a pig farting if you’re not.

The option if you mourned the loss of the six-cylinder engines was to buy a Cayman GT4 with a 4.0-liter engine borrowed from the 911 but without the turbochargers and a bigger capacity by a liter.

Porsche launched the second generation Cayman GT4 last year which we tested. Not cheap at 75 grand but the best sports car you can buy for any money.

Or it was until the new Cayman GTS arrived which we tested before lockdown.

For starters, it uses exactly the same engine as the GT4 which means a 4.0-liter flat-six that’s naturally aspirated.

The only difference between the GT4 and GTS is that in the former the motor revs to 8,000rpm and in the latter, it’s 7,800rpm. With the lost 200rpm goes 20bhp, but you won’t notice on the road because the GTS still has 394bhp and the same 431Nm of torque.

Porsche will have only done it for marketing reasons so that the GT4 is still top dog and justifies its extra cost.

So what do you lose having saved 14,300 USD by buying the 83.500 USD Cayman GTS?

Again, not much you’ll notice on UK roads. Firstly it doesn’t have the same aerodynamic package as the GT4 because the rear wing has gone and there’s no underbody diffuser. Bang goes 100kg of downforce at 150mph.

Also, the front suspension on the more extreme car has risen joints whereas the GTS’s suspension has standard rubber bushes.

Rose joints are what you find on racing cars – they make the suspension geometry more accurate but transmit more shocks from the road.

You’re going to love this car if you’re a traditionalist because like the GT4 it comes with a six-speed manual gearbox – well, almost the same but with a slightly longer gear lever movement.

It’s a lovely gearbox to use and has an auto-blip function that raises the engine revs a little as you change down a gear.

Unless you really need the two small rear seats there’s no reason to buy a 911 over this car.

Going against the predicted trend we’re testing the car with the 1.5-liter 101bhp diesel engine but will try out the all-electric soon. The 2008’s petrol engines are all 1.2-liter three-cylinder units available with 99bhp, 129bhp, and 153bhp outputs.

Like nearly every car Peugeot has launched in the last few years the 2008 is very good looking. Not as sexy as the 508 saloon or estate, and not quite as fetching as the 208 hatchbacks on which the 2008 are based on, but still a swish design.

So many cars in the compact SUV class are utterly bland – so the bar isn’t set that high.

The GT Line looks the best as it has its own detailing on the outside and also benefits from a bit of extra glitz on the inside.

If you’re leasing the car then the few extra quid a month for this trim level is worth it. The new 2008 is a substantial 150mm longer than the old one and it’s more spacious inside with extra front and rear legroom and a 434-liter luggage space when all the seats are in place. The boot is the same size, even for the EV version, and has a two-story floor so you can hide charging cables away.

What has improved beyond recognition is the quality of the 2008’s interior.

The materials are plusher and nicer to the touch – and in this GT Line version, you get contrasting stitching for the upholstery and some extra brightwork trim.

There’s ambient lighting, too, which is a more subtle and less pole dancing club than what you get with many rivals’ systems.

This trim, and the Allure, also get Peugeot’s natty 3D digital instrument pack which made its debut on the 208 last year. Peugeot boffins reckon the average driver will take in information half a second faster than looking at a conventional two-dimensional digital display.

We’ll have to take their word on that, but it does look pretty cool.

The 2008 also features Peugeot’s now trademark tiny steering wheel. I think I’ve finally got used to it and it does work particularly well when you’ve got the 3D screen.

Obviously, you get a full infotainment system which in this car means smartphone mirroring as standard. There are USB sockets and a USB-C port.

It produces a hugely popular car like the S2000 roadster and then dumps it just because its engine won’t pass European emissions tests.

Other companies would have modified the engine or replaced it with a new and cleaner one.

Then there was the brilliant little CR-Z, the world’s only affordable sexy hybrid coupe, sent to the great scrapyard in the sky after only a few years of life.

But the Jazz is different. Honda has never messed with this strong seller and instead just tweaks and gradually improves it over the generations.

It has an immensely loyal following with 60% of customers moving from a Jazz to a new one.

It offers a high level of practicality and clever use of space combined with excellent reliability and ease of use. One thing that has changed on this new Jazz is that there’s a version available called the Crosstar.

The recipe is a familiar one – add some plastic cladding around the wheel arches to give the faux off-roader look and a hint of adventure lifestyle, and crank up the ride height by a few millimeters too.

Since the Jazz has traditionally appealed to the older driver this is interesting. We have both the normal Jazz to drive and the Crosstar.

The standard Jazz is available in SE, SR and EX trim levels, while the Crosstar is only available as a top-level EX.

Honda’s sales department reckons that only 10% of new Jazz sales will be Crosstar models but I think that’s pessimistic.

Why? Because it looks more attractive than the regular Jazz. The Crosstar is 45mm longer, 31mm wider, and 30mm taller.

Both are powered by a 1.5-liter petrol engine that develops 97bhp. This is combined with two electric motors, one a generator and the other a propulsion motor.

There are three driving modes: EV Drive in which a lithium-ion battery powers the propulsion motor; Hybrid Drive in which the engine drives the generator which in turn powers the propulsion motor; and finally Engine Drive in which the petrol engine does all the work via a lock-up clutch.

The first thing you’ll notice when you step into the new Jazz from the old one is a much better view out the front.

The A-pillars are considerably thinner and the cabin feels airier too. What hasn’t changed is the clever use of space and the wide range of storage places, from large door bins that can hold a drinks bottle to handy oddments storage across the dashboard.

Back in 1964, its two-seated mid-engined arrangement probably seemed utterly bonkers, but its design set the standard for high-performance sports and supercars of the future.

Fast-forward more than half a century later, it’s probably no surprise the Italians have come up with something that on paper today sounds absolutely ridiculous but may shape the future: the world’s first Supercar SUV, the Urus.

Yes, that’s right, the world’s first five-seater supercar – an SUV that cannot just drive fast uphill but wallows in driving on sand, soil, snow, and any other surface you can think to challenge it with.

I don’t think I can remember any other car throwing up so many questions when I first told friends and colleagues about getting my hands on a Super-SUV for a few days.

With the Urus’ price tag starting from 217.500 USD, you may yourself already be wondering what kind of person would risk getting a scratch on their supercar driving it off-road?

Moreover, with the ability to do 0-60mph in just 3.6 seconds, who need an SUV to go that fast?

And doing an average 23 miles to the gallon, you may reasonably be wondering exactly how many petrol stations there is up a mountain?

Or more fundamentally, you may even be wondering whether the fastest SUV money can buy really can really justify the supercar name?

Of course, the term Super-SUV was always bound to upset the ‘purest’ who will argue this isn’t even a proper Lamborghini let alone a supercar. But if you stop to think about it, this brattier, younger brother is far more practical to drive than its prettier older sisters – and has a lot more to offer than being the world’s first supercar that can cope with potholes.

Call it whatever you want, I am about to stun you with a startling fact: the Urus now accounts for 60% – more than half – of all Lamborghini sales worldwide. That’s some clever business.

Its success is no doubt in part down to sharing the same platform as the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne. It’s powered by a 4-liter twin-turbo V8 with an eight-speed automatic gearbox that produces a whopping 641bhp.

All this means that despite weighing 2.2-tonnes, the Urus can really shift, with a top speed of 189mph. But more importantly, it blends comfort and off-ability into a seductive mix.