Autocar has announced the winners of its inaugural Britain’s Best Cars Awards, with the category winners able to call themselves the country’s best cars – to drive, own and really cherish.
These are awards with a difference that sidestep the typical and ever-expanding categorisation of cars by size – such as city cars, superminis, hatchbacks, estates, saloons and SUV-coupés. Instead they name the very top of the crop not bound by typical conventions.
The small team of judges picked winners based not just on a car’s objective merits but also on more nuanced and subjective factors such as how likeable and enjoyable a car is. All winners are cars that everyday motorists want to own and drive.
Among those celebrated by Autocar, the Peugeot e-208 is recognised as Best Electric Car, the Volkswagen Golf GTI as Best All-Rounder and the Mazda MX-5 as Best Fun Car.
Other winners include the BMW 330e for Best Company Car, the Toyota Corolla for Best Hybrid Car and the Land Rover Defender for Best SUV. The Best Family Car award goes to the Skoda Octavia Estate while Citroën’s Berlingo is Autocar’s pick of the large cars. The Ford Fiesta supermini is our Best Small Car winner.
Alongside the 10 individual cars celebrated (see the full list below), there are two extra awards. The Honda E is crowned winner of the Best Car Tech and Toyota is the manufacturer that impressed most across the board this year.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS AND WHY THEY WON:
Our judges said: “Your bank manager will love it, but you will even more: the 330e is a car of quite extraordinary all-round abilities.”
Our judges said: “It’s affordable and effortlessly entertaining. There is, quite simply, no way to have more fun on four wheels for less.”
Our judges said: “No other SUV can claim to be as versatile across such a wide price spectrum, nor as capable on the road as off it.”
Our judges said: “It’s hilarious fun delivered in effusive and accessible fashion. A car to stand the test of time.”
Best Electric Car: Peugeot e-208
Our judges said: “It looks great, performs strongly, is fun to drive and is well priced for an EV, plus it has enough range to quell anxiety.”
Best All-Rounder: Volkswagen Golf GTI
Our judges said: “It’s desirable, fast and exciting yet also smart, usable and less shouty than its rivals. Feels ready for just about anything.”
Our judges said: “With agile handling, characterful engines and a pervading sense of fun, the Fiesta is the standout driver’s choice.”
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