John Howell

Title: Senior reviewer

With over 20-years’ motor industry experience behind him, John is one of Autocar’s road testers. He began his career as an apprentice technician with Jaguar, before moving on to car sales. Over the years he’s worked for a number of franchise dealers, selling Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari and Maserati cars. Then, after nearly a decade working for himself, he decided that writing about cars was a lingering dream worth pursuing. He has a particular fondness for 1980s and 1990s classics, loves a bit of MotoGP and F1, and never says no to a spot of karting.

Opinion

What's the best car I've ever driven?

Decades of being asked 'What's the best car you've ever driven?' has inspired me to ruminate, cogitate and finally come up with an answer

22 May 2017

What's the best car I've ever driven?

First Drive

BMW 530e iPerformance 2017 first drive

The compromises of adding a plug-in hybrid drivetrain to the 5 Series make the new 530e iPerformance tough to recommend

26 April 2017

BMW 530e iPerformance 2017 first drive

First Drive

BMW 440i Coupe 2017 first drive

The assumption was that a few minor tweaks to the 2017 BMW 440i Coupé wouldn't make much of a difference. It turns out they do

26 April 2017

BMW 440i Coupe 2017 first drive

First Drive

Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TSI 110 SE Navigation 2017 first drive

This is a first UK drive of the 2017 Volkswagen Golf, which comes with an updated infotainment system and a lower price. What's not to like?

29 March 2017

Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TSI 110 SE Navigation 2017 first drive

First Drive

BMW 7 Series M760Li xDrive 2017 UK first drive

Our 700-mile drive from France to the UK proves the new BMW 760Li xDrive is supremely comfortable and entertaining in equal measure

10 March 2017

BMW 7 Series M760Li xDrive 2017 UK first drive

First Drive

BMW 530d M Sport 2017 first drive

Arguably not the plushest executive car, nor the sportiest, but our UK drive shows a breadth of ability that defines the BMW 530d M Sport a class act

2 March 2017

BMW 530d M Sport 2017 first drive

First Drive

Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI 150 Outdoor SE L Drive 4x4 2017 first drive

New Skoda Yeti Drive trim adds appeal to what's undeniably now an old car. It's still decent to drive, but there are swisher rivals

2 March 2017

Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI 150 Outdoor SE L Drive 4x4 2017 first drive

Opinion

Don't read this! Just another journo on the glorious Vauxhall Lotus Carlton

All this talk of 'never meet your heroes' is codswallop. I met one of mine, and the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton is even better than I'd dreamed it could be

24 February 2017

Don't read this! Just another journo on the glorious Vauxhall Lotus Carlton