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The REV Test: How to buy a car. Online vs supermarket vs boutique

Buying a car is a big thing to do; it's likely to be the second biggest purchase you'll ever make. So if you're a bit baffled by the whole process, don't know where to start, or just want a bit more information on the different places you can buy a car, this week's REV Test is for you.

There’s a lot to think about when it comes to buying your next car. One of the first things to consider is, where do you want to buy it from: online, a dealership, a car supermarket, or even a boutique store next to a shoe shop at your nearby mall.
There are more options than ever, so if you’re a bit nervous about the whole process, or just don’t know where to start, this week’s REV takes you through the car buying process at Seat’s store in the Westfield shopping centre, Carshop’s car supermarket in Swindon, and online on the Auto Trader website.
The REV Test: Series 1
Find out why we're doing all this, and what The REV Test is all about.
Watch our first REV test on small sports cars featuring the Mazda MX-5, Fiat 124 Spider, and Audi TT. Watch our second REV test on hybrids, featuring the Toyota Prius, Hyundai Ioniq, and Audi’s first plug-in hybrid, the A3 Sportback e-tron. Watch our third REV test on small hatchbacks, featuring the UK's biggest selling car ever, the Ford Fiesta; a serious contender for the Fiesta crown, the Seat Ibiza; and the Vauxhall Corsa, which will be getting an upgrade next year. Watch our fourth REV test on small SUVs, featuring the stylish and practical Hyundai Tucson, immensely popular Nissan Qashqai and Renault Kadjar, which is the sister car to the Qashqai. Watch our fifth REV test on sports cars featuring the muscly Ford Mustang, the potent Porsche Boxster and amazing BMW M4. Watch our sixth REV test featuring super practical seven-seaters: the great to drive Ford S-Max MPV, stylish Peugeot 5008 SUV, and huge and practical Citroen Grand C4 Picasso/SpaceTourer. Watch our seventh REV test on mid-size luxury SUVs. It’s the turn of the high quality and tech-filled Audi Q5, the well-rounded Mercedes-Benz GLE, and the sleek and sexy Range Rover Velar. Watch our eighth REV test on budget SUVs, featuring the Jeep Renegade, with its proper off-road ability, the value for money Dacia Duster, and the stylish Suzuki Vitara S. Watch our ninth REV test on electric cars, featuring the sporty BMW i3, the quirky Kia Soul EV and the sensible Renault Zoe. Our tenth REV test features hot hatches (and a hot estate!). It's the turn of the granddaddy of the hot hatches, the Golf GTI, the lairy Honda Civic Type R, and sensible-looking (but definitely not sensible) Seat Leon Cupra ST. REV takes a look at three big luxury SUVs, the high-quality Audi Q7, the super safe Volvo XC90, and the proper off-roader, the Land Rover Discovery. People might be all over SUVs right now, but there’s definitely still a place for the humble estate. Carry on camping, with three small estate cars. Which is the best out of the Peugeot 308 SW, Skoda Octavia Estate, and Volkswagen Golf Estate?
The REV Test: Series 2
Believe it or not we’re already on to series two. Our three experienced motoring journos are back: racing driver Vicki Butler-Henderson, Millennial Rachael Hogg, and mum Erin Baker (REV!) are testing three of the UK's most popular first cars – the Skoda Citigo, Hyundai i10 and Toyota Aygo. Watch the first episode.
In episode two of series two, the team look at three pick-up trucks. Vehicles like the Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi L200 and Ford Ranger have gone from being exclusively used by farmers and small business owners, to being lifestyle vehicles used by families who want a tough off-roader for some weekend adventures. But which is best? Watch the second episode. There are around nine million dogs kept as pets in the UK. That means there are a lot of families in need of a dog-friendly car. This week Rachael, Erin and Vicki look at three of the best. Both the Volvo V90 and Land Rover Discovery come with bags of space and a plethora of dog-friendly optional extras, such as protective cages, harnesses and carriers. The Honda Civic, meanwhile, was named as the Best Car for Dog Owners in Auto Trader’s 2018 New Car Awards, as voted for by almost 40,000 car owners who rated their car in 16 key areas. Watch the third episode. It seems that everyone is craving an SUV right now, fortunately there are enough to satisfy every appetite, including these three alternatives to the usual BMW, Audi and Mercedes. Rachael, Erin and Vicki are testing three small premium SUVs: the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Jaguar E-Pace and the Lexus NX300h. Watch the fourth episode. The REV Test goes to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Rachael, Erin and Vicki are experiencing the famous hill climb in the Ferrari 812 Superfast, Ferrari Portofino, and Ferrari GTC4Lusso T. Watch the fifth episode. This week's REV test is about three valiant vans and how they cope helping Erin move house. Yes, she's called in REV Removals because she's too cheap to get in the professionals! Here are three of the most popular short wheelbase vans – the Ford Transit, Volkswagen Transporter and the Vauxhall Vivaro – as searched for on Auto Trader. Watch the sixth episode. This week’s REV Test is all about the buttons – how they work, what they do, and how they can help you while you’re driving. To do just that, our three motoring journalists are using three of the most popular German cars: the BMW 5 Series Touring, Audi A4 Avant and Mercedes E-Class, as searched for on Auto Trader. Watch the seventh episode. Not that long ago most car manufacturers only offered petrol or diesel cars. But today, the choice of power sources now includes environmentally-focused ones, including some with zero emissions. What will be the future fuel of choice be, and what are the pros and cons of each? This week the ladies compare fuel types, with a petrol, plug-in hybrid, and an electric car. Watch the eighth episode.