Try, Buy, Dream – August 2026
This month’s selection of cars to try out, buy or simply dream about
Words by: Catherine Kent
Published on 12 August 2026 | 0 min read
It has never been easier to try a car, van or bike – some brands offer subscription services on a monthly basis, with no down payment or exit fee so you can swap in and out of different models with minimal notice. Or you can lock in for longer, on a leasing deal, which still means you just pay a monthly amount and hand the vehicle back at the end of the deal. Additionally, some brands provide 24-hour test drives for a chance to get to know the vehicle before you commit.
Then there’s the Buy choice, whether it’s paying in one hit or signing up to a fixed term finance deal with the option to buy at the end. These are vehicles that make good long-term sense.
And finally our fave section, for dreamers everywhere. The new luxe stuff, the wishlist option or the treat yourself splurge, depending on how big that imagined windfall might be.
Enjoy this month’s offerings!
Try
Nissan X-Trail
If you are after something spacious with room for up to seven people and the ability to handle a bit of light off-roading the Nissan X-Trail is worth considering. It may not be the most striking to look at, but it is a well-rounded option with plenty of creature comforts. While the list prices of higher-grade X-Trails start to get expensive, leasing deals currently start at under £300 per month so you can give the X-Trail a try without the commitment of buying one. We’d recommend choosing N-Connecta trim or above as this comes with Google built-in and you get an upgrade suite of cameras giving you a full 360-degree view of the car in three dimensions.
Buy
Geely EX2
The number of smaller and more affordable electric cars continues to grow, so if you are looking for a compact city car there has never been more choice. We recently tried the Geely EX2, China’s best-selling car, and it left a lasting impression. We were surprised by how TARDIS-like it was inside with plenty of storage and unlike the Renault 5 there was ample room for rear passengers, too. We also thought it did a particularly good job of coping with lumps and bumps in the road and while some of the advanced driver assistance systems weren’t perfect, we expect Geely will be swift to address this via over-the-air updates. Yes, it doesn’t have the fun-factor of the Honda Super-N or the Fiat Grande Panda, but it is well-equipped, comfortable and the range-topping Ultra model has great cameras for manoeuvring. For these reasons the EX2 is our pick to buy when it goes on sale later this month.
Dream
Caterham Seven Miami Special Edition
The Caterham Seven is the ultimate no frills sports car which exists for the pure joy of driving. In a world of homogenised SUVs, the Seven looks like it has time warped out of a bygone era. With countless personalisation options, no two Sevens are the same - just take a look here at the variety of the cars for sale! However, we are particularly taken with this Miami Special Edition in bright Aqua custom paint with a bespoke pink and white decal pack. Only 12 examples were ever made and 10 of these have already been sold in the USA. But there is hope because the remaining two cars are due to be sold during this year’s Monterey Car Week. However, we expect both cars will be wildly out of our price range as the sale will be facilitated by Bonhams through its private treaty service which allows collectors to negotiate directly with Caterham. Ah well, we can still dream...
