The numbers game

Quickest, thirstiest, priciest, shortest and more besides - here's our 2025 stat attack analysis of all 74 road test cars

- KEITH JONES

BAUBLES SURVIVE AT the cat's mercy, seldom-seen relatives devour your kitchen cupboards' contents, Lando-studded televisual treats aren't Norris-but Calrissian-themed and our road testing kit has earned its brief respite. Yes, it’s Christmas - and a chance to reflect on the 73 cars we scrutinised during 2025, poring over the resultant data in a Norris-celebrating manner. As in McWhirter, not McLaren's.

Cumulatively speaking, we tested cars totalling £9,247,376 this year, of which Lotus’s extraordinary Evija accounted for 26% alone. Weighing 276kg shy of 148 tonnes, with a 347-metre traffic jam-generating potential - assuming a Parisian parking gap separation factor — 2025's ensemble was capable of relaying 32,175 miles of driving range.

Our model diversity hallmark remained and test subjects ranged from the Evija to Peugeot's humbler 208 (£20,245), yet none received a coveted five-star road test rating (we're excluding tractors here), compared with three last year, despite the 3.8 average score matching 2024's. How so? Twelve cars scored 4.5 stars, with 60.6% overall netting at least four. Nevertheless, a wooden spoon was dished out: newcomer Geely’s EX5 propped up the league with just two stars.