Your top models to own

Our class winners, based on the experiences of the owners who bought them

BEST SPORTS CAR / ROADSTER Mazda MX-5

THE current MX-5 has been around since 2014, but owners tell us it’s still as great to drive as it was six years ago.

The MX-5 was most highly praised for its dynamics; owners couldn’t fault its handling, while the engines and gearboxes were said to be almost perfect. As well as being pretty special to drive, the MX-5 also has excellent styling, with owners voting it the best-looking car in our survey.

Yet this range of talents doesn’t come with high running costs, you say, while MX-5 owners also report that the car is thoroughly reliable.

BEST COMPACT EXECUTIVE CAR Lexus IS

IT’S no surprise so many British motorists are upset that the next Lexus IS won’t be coming to the UK, because the currentgeneration model has been successful in our Driver Power surveys for some time.

You tell us the IS is brilliant to drive, with strong acceleration and responsive controls, coupled with a smooth ride.

As has become a common theme with Lexus in our Driver Power surveys, quality and reliability are IS hallmarks, as is a strong score for cabin design. Add in low running costs, excellent safety systems and sharp exterior looks, and it’s easy to see why owners are willing to overlook the slightly disappointing infotainment system.

BEST ELECTRIC CAR MG ZS EV

THERE are more electric cars on sale now than ever, with everything from city cars and superminis to large saloons and SUVs available with battery power.

Our Driver Power respondents say the pick of the bunch is the pure-electric version of the MG ZS. Owners say – perhaps unsurprisingly – that it’s impressively cheap to run, while also scoring it well for its handling. Interestingly, the petrolpowered ZS scored poorly for its road manners, indicating that the move to electrification may bring benefits for keen drivers as much as for those who are after low-cost motoring. These talents helped the ZS beat rival EVs, such as the Nissan Leaf.

BEST PREMIUM SMALL SUV Volvo XC40

EXCELLENT build quality was one element that helped the XC40 beat other premium small SUVs, such as the BMW X1, for a class win here.

Owners say that Volvo’s smallest SUV is also an extremely comfortable car, while safety tech – a Volvo hallmark that barely needs highlighting – also earned it a top-of-the-charts result.

You also like the way the XC40 drives, singling out its responsive steering and comfortable ride, while practicality got the thumbs up, as did the Sensus infotainment system.

BEST CITY CAR Kia Picanto

THE Picanto is a strong contender in the city car market and this is reflected by its high Driver Power scores, which indicate it’s a better long-term choice than rivals.

You have great things to say about the way the Picanto looks, and this sharp styling is backed up by solid build quality. Things are impressive inside, too, with an easy-touse dashboard and slick touchscreen – although it’s worth stepping up a trim level or two to get the upgraded system.

Impressively, for a small, wallet-friendly car, owners say the Picanto is great fun to drive, with responsive brakes and steering, and a comfortable ride. Kia has clearly designed it with a big range of talents.

BEST MID-SIZE SUV Peugeot 3008

THE 3008 is a very accomplished Driver Power performer, having come first overall in our 2018 new car survey, and notching up a silver medal in 2020. One of the best things about the 3008, owners say, is the way it drives; not only is it smooth, but it’s also enjoyable from behind the wheel.

Practicality is another strong suit, with owners saying it has a boot that’s more than big enough for everyday life, as well as plentiful cabin storage. The 3008’s interior drew praise from our road-test team when it was new, and owners say it’s standing the test of time, reporting that its design still looks smart, while overall build quality is also commended.

BEST COMPACT FAMILY CAR Toyota Corolla

THE latest Corolla had an excellent showing in its Driver Power return, with a seventhplace finish overall, beating established rivals from VW, Ford and Vauxhall.

Owners love the Corolla’s smooth and economical hybrid drivetrain, and also rave about its sharp styling and precise handling – something you couldn’t say about its Auris predecessor. Despite this focus on driving dynamics, the Corolla also has a smooth ride that deals with road imperfections well.

When you couple those talents with low running costs, tip-top build quality and excellent safety features, it’s easy to see why this is a class-winning family car.

BEST SMALL SUV Kia Niro

AS with many other Kias, the Niro scored impressively well for its infotainment system. But this small SUV – which is available as a conventional and plug-in hybrid, as well as an EV – is more than just a tech fest.

With a stylish and well-built cabin, plus spacious rear seats and decent cabin storage, the Niro is well suited to family life, while low running costs, excellent build quality and strong reliability indicate this is a very easy car to live with.

On top of this, the Niro is an enjoyable model to drive, thanks to its responsive steering and smooth ride quality. Driver Power respondents also report that they like the safety systems Kia fits to the Niro.

EVERY year, Auto Express surveys thousands of readers in the Driver Power new car ownership survey, and we published the 2020 results in April (Issue 1,621).

This industry-leading research gives us unparalleled insight into owners’ day-to-day experiences with the new cars they’ve bought in the previous two years, allowing a comprehensive series of rankings to be created. These scores are based on a wide range of areas, taking into account the smoothness of electric motors, engines and gearboxes, handling, practicality, reliability and more.

Our overall winner in the 2020 Driver Power new car survey was the Kia Sorento, followed by the Peugeot 3008 in second and the Lexus RX in third. As well as using owners’ ratings to produce an overall winner, we also highlighted the best cars in the classes you see here, providing a helpful guide for those in the market for a particular type of car.

So whether you’re looking for a spacious saloon, a sporty convertible or an efficient EV – or shopping across a broad range of classes, as many buyers do – here’s a reminder of the top picks in each category. After all, when choosing a new car, it pays to pick the best of the best.

BEST SUPERMINI Kia Rio

KIA’S entry into the competitive supermini segment is a big hit with owners, as evidenced by this class win.

The Rio has excellent safety features and, like every Kia in our survey, its infotainment system is feature-rich and easy to operate. The Rio also fulfils the supermini brief of being cheap to run, with strong fuel economy and affordable servicing costs.

Owners also say the Rio is reliable, yet despite these sensible characteristics, you report that it’s also good to drive, and a better all-rounder than its rivals.

BEST LARGE SUV Kia Sorento

IT was the overall winner of the 2020 Driver Power new car survey, so it goes without saying that the Sorento scored well almost across the board. Practicality is its strongest suit, with the vast boot, spacious seats and excellent interior storage all welcomed by owners. Those qualities, together with a well-designed and impeccably built interior, helped the Sorento take two category wins, as well as the large SUV class win.

Owners also say the Sorento is a supremely comfortable car thanks to its ride quality, while almost every other aspect of the driving experience was said to be impressive. Sorento owners are an almost universally happy bunch.

BEST PREMIUM MID-SIZE SUV Volvo XC60

IF we gloss over the rather high running costs that owners report, the XC60 seemingly does almost everything right. Owners love its safety tech, naturally, but they also say its sleek, modernist interior is a superbly designed and built place in which to sit, while the driving experience passes muster, and the exterior design is pleasing to the eye.

Owners also love the space and practicality on offer, while reporting that acceleration is decent, and details such as the immensely comfortable front seats help make it an easy car to live with. These talents helped the Volvo see off competition to take the premium mid-size SUV crown.

BEST EXECUTIVE CAR BMW 5 Series

THE 5 Series received a huge amount of praise for its driving dynamics when it was launched, and those compliments were echoed in our Driver Power survey, where its smooth ride and powerful engines make it an excellent long-distance cruiser.

Equally as important, when the mood takes 5 Series drivers, it delivers a great deal of pleasure from behind the wheel. Factor in sleek styling, smooth gearboxes and one of the best infotainment systems in the business, and the car’s high running costs are easier to live with.

BEST PREMIUM COMPACT FAMILY CAR Lexus CT

EVEN though it was launched in 2011, the Lexus CT still looks the business, according to owners. You say it has strong build quality inside and out, something that’s backed up by an impeccable score for reliability.

The CT is also a smooth performer on the road, thanks to its Prius-related petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain, while owners say they feel taken care of by the safety features that Lexus fits.

The CT isn’t the biggest car in its class, meaning owners lose out somewhat on rear seat and boot space, but while newer Lexus models have poorlyrated infotainment systems, the older CT fares a lot better in this regard.

BEST PLUG-IN HYBRID Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid

WITH more cars coming with a variety of powertrain options these days, we split the plug-in hybrid version of the Niro from its conventional hybrid and fully electric counterparts to determine this result, which sees the small SUV judged to be the best PHEV on the market.

This was partly due to the low running costs owners have experienced, both when it came to the (infrequent) fuel stops they made and when getting their cars serviced.

Kia’s pitch-perfect infotainment system also earned it points, as did the other hallmarks of the Niro, namely its excellent practicality and reliability, as well as a solid driving experience.

BEST FAMILY CAR Skoda Superb

THE perfect full-sized family car is the Skoda Superb, our Driver Power results indicate. A vast interior and boot mean you’re unlikely to be wanting for space, while the childfriendly features, user-friendly infotainment systems and comfortable ride indicate that a long journey with four or five up should be a soothing experience.

Running costs should also be pretty stress-free, while the Superb’s reliability score indicates that this is a car that’s likely to get you and your family to your destination, time and time again.

For those who want a dash of extra style and driving dynamics, the Mazda 6 was only one place behind the Superb in our survey.

BEST NON-PLUG-IN HYBRID Lexus RX

OUR bronze-medal winner in the overall 2020 Driver Power rundown also takes the gong for being the best conventional hybrid you can buy – although you’ll need rather deep pockets if you want an RX.

But if you’re in the market for this type of car, it’s good to know that RX owners praise almost every aspect of it, reporting that it offers incredible levels of smoothness, while also bringing strong acceleration, excellent practicality, unimpeachable reliability and build quality, and sharp looks. The interior is also a superb place to be (as long as you gloss over the infotainment), while parents report it’s an excellent car for kids, too.