Your class leaders of 2017
From city cars and SUVS to top-spec execs, we name the Driver Power stars across 13 key market sectors
CITY CAR Toyota Aygo 89.64%
THE city car category was hotly contested this year, especially between the near-identical Citroen C1, Peugeot 108 and Toyota Aygo. In the end, the Toyota took the top spot thanks to excellent scores in infotainment and fuel economy, as well as reliability. Owners also found the Aygo the best looking of the city cars, giving it the highest score for styling.
SMALL CAR Skoda Fabia 92.14%
THE small car segment contains some strong contenders, as it features a number of the UK’S best-selling cars, such as the Ford Fiesta and the Vauxhall Corsa. But it’s the Skoda Fabia that impressed owners the most. It was rated highly for infotainment and practicality, while delivering standout results elsewhere, too.
PREMIUM SMALL CAR MINI 89.38%
PREMIUM small cars not only have to work as reliable, everyday runabouts, but also offer that little extra performance and style that puts them into the premium sector. It’s here the MINI shines, outscoring rivals like the Audi A1 in engine and gearbox as well as the exterior style category.
COMPACT FAMILY CAR Kia Cee’d 93.03%
COMPACT family cars have to do many things well. They need to balance practicality, low running costs, reliability and comfort all at once – which is just what the Cee’d has done, according to owners. Kia has performed very well in this class, beating the likes of the Skoda Octavia, VW Golf and the SEAT Leon, to name a few, to the crown.
FAMILY CAR Skoda Superb 93.42%
THE family car sector had some serious competition in place for the Superb. The likes of the VW Passat and Ford Mondeo are synonymous with this class, while leftfield choices such as the Subaru Outback meant the Superb had to beat more than just the established elite. But none could match our Driver Power champ.
COMPACT EXECUTIVE CAR BMW 4 Series 91.16%
THE 4 Series is the winner in the compact executive class after excelling in areas key for the category. Great owner feedback on the engine and gearbox, as well as the kit inside the car, combined with good handling and a comfortable interior helped it beat competition from the likes of Jaguar, Audi and Mercedes.
EXECUTIVE CAR Audi A6 89.83%
THE Audi A6 takes the honours in the executive class, beating the highly talented Jaguar XF to the top spot. Interior comfort and refinement are key in the executive market and the A6 scored highly for both. Although it lost out on running costs, its overall performance couldn’t be beaten by its rivals in the class.
GREEN CAR Nissan Leaf 89.99%
IF there’s one category green cars have to shine in it’s running costs. The Nissan Leaf does nothing but shine – with owners praising the electric car highly for fuel economy, insurance costs and road tax. But the category will only grow harder for manufacturers to excel in as more makers bring out more zero-emissions cars.
SMALL SUV Peugeot 2008 91.45%
SMALL SUVS have to strike a careful balance between practicality, frugal running costs and agile driving to suit the urban environments in which they’re often used. The Peugeot 2008 has done exactly this, and beaten the likes of the established Nissan Juke and Renault Captur to the title in this competitive category.
MID-SIZED SUV Skoda Yeti 93.33%
Mid-sized SUVS are currently enjoying a boom. Competition this year was tough as a result, but despite its age, the Skoda Yeti managed to take the honours here. The Yeti scored highly in all of the categories, from practicality to safety – essential for buyers who want the best of everything from these all-rounders.
PREMIUM MID-SIZED SUV Volvo XC60 92.17%
DESPITE its advancing years, the XC60 still delivers the goods where it counts, according to owners. Safety, interior comfort and exterior styling were all rated highly, helping the Volvo beat off the challenge of rivals such as the Land Rover Discovery Sport and the Range Rover Evoque to the title in this category.
PREMIUM LARGE SUV Lexus RX 93.14%
PREMIUM SUVS are an alternative to premium executive cars, offering greater practicality over saloons. But this ease of use cannot come at the expense of other features buyers expect. The Lexus RX was picked as the top choice by owners here thanks, in part, to great scores in engine refinement and interior quality.
MPV Ford C-MAX 90.24%
THE MPV market may have lost ground to SUVS in recent years, but for those with big or growing families they’re still the number one choice. As such, these cars have to rank well on practicality and safety features – and those are areas where the C-MAX excelled. It also received high scores for its ride comfort and handling. www.autoexpress.co.uk