34 SpecialIssue http://www.autoexpress.co.uk
Yourtopmodelsto own
BESTPREMIUM SMALL CAR
Fiat 500
THEFiat500continuestowinfavourinour
DriverPowersurvey, evenaftermorethan
adecadeonsale.Itsfunkylooksplayabig
partinitsstatusasthebestpremiumsmall
car,withthoseclassic,retrolinesclearlystill
holdingappeal.Youalsolovehowuser-
friendlyandwelllaidoutthe500’smajor
controlsare.Whileitsengineandgearbox
receivedafairlyaveragerating,youpraised
theFiat’srideandhandling,withowners
oftensinglingoutthefuntobehadbehind
thewheelofsportyAbarthmodels.Another
topspotforthe500cameintheeconomy
section;notonlyisthisclassylittlecar
cheaptofillup,butyoualsosaidservicing
andinsurancecostsareaffordable.
BESTSUPERMINI
Kia Rio
KIA’SRiodidn’tdoatallbadlyinlastyear’s
DriverPowerpoll,whenittook36thplace
overall,butits21stplacingin2019was
evenbetter.Thehighscorewasthoroughly
deserved;youweremostimpressedbythe
Rio’srunningcosts,anditsfueleconomyin
particular,whichwassaidtobettermany
rivals’.Youalsolikedhowwellbuiltthecar
isoutsideandin,withthecabinreceiving
praiseforthecomfortofthefrontseatsand
thevisibilityfrombehindthewheel.You
reportedthatstrongreliabilitywenthand-
in-handwithhighlevelsofbuildquality
and,whentheRiodidneedaserviceor
someotherattentionatadealership,the
costoftheworkdidn’tbreakthebank.
BESTFAMILYCAR
Mazda 6
THEthird-generationMazda6performed
staggeringlywellinDriverPower2019,
claiming11thplaceoverallandproving
thatthetraditionalsalooncarisstillalive
andkicking.Noothermodelinoursurvey
scoredmorehighlyforexteriorfitand
finish,whilethecar’sinteriorreceived
impressivelystrongscores,too.You
foundthe6engagingtodrive,thanksto
theresponsivenessofitsbrakesand
steering,andalsosaidthatitishugely
practical,especiallywhenitcametorear-
seatlegroom.TheMazda’sinfotainment
systemgeneratedanotherbatchofhigh
scores,withownerscomplimentingits
smartphoneconnectivityandsat-nav.
BESTMID-SIZE SUV
Peugeot 3008
OURDriverPower2018newcarwinnermay
nothavemanagedtomakeitadoublein
2019,butthePeugeot3008stillclaimed
astrongseventhplaceoverallandwonits
class,withpositivescoresacrosstheboard.
Interiordesignwasoneofthe3008’s
strongestpoints–youlovedthestylish
feelofthecabin.Theinfotainmentwas
alsorateduptoscratch,aswasthedriving
experience,withtheengineandgearbox
receivingsignificantpraise.Youweren’t
frustratedbythepracticality,either,while
therideandhandlingdidn’tdisappoint.
Safetyprovedtobeanotherstrength,and
yousaidthePeugeotwasreliable,well
builtandaffordabletorun.
BESTSMALL SUV
SEAT Arona
SEAT wasthefirstVWGroupbrandtobe
givenashotatcrackingthesmallSUV
formula,andtheSpanishfirmseemsto
havedoneitinstyle.InitsinauguralDriver
Powerentrythisyear,theAronaachieved
17thplaceoverallandtoppedthesmall
SUVcategory.Yougavestrongmarksforits
stereo,smartphoneconnectivityandsat-
nav, allofwhichweresaidtobetop-notch.
YouwerealsoimpressedbythisSUV’s
funkylooks,aswellasthedesignofits
interior.Runningcostsweregradedasa
positive,too,whiletherideandhandling
weremorethanadequateforBritishroads,
yousaid.Thetransmission,meanwhile,
wasthesubjectofsomeacclaimaswell.
BESTPREMIUM MID-SIZE SUV
VolvoXC60
THEsleekandpopularVolvoXC60claimed
16thplaceintheoverallranking,partly
thankstoitsstunninglooks.Thesemade
apositivefirstimpressionthatcontinued
onceyouclimbedaboard.Yousaidthe
XC60’sinterioriswellput-togetherand
offersbothdecentrearlegroomand
impressivevisibility,whileyouwon’t
findabetterratingforfront-seatcomfort
anywhereinoursurvey.Asyouwould
expectfromaVolvo,safetywasanother
bigwinfortheXC60;infact,itsawoffall
thecompetitioninthiscategory.Youwere
happywiththeSwedishSUV’sreliability,
too,whileitsinfotainmentsystemwasto
yourliking,aswasoverallbuildquality.
BESTCITYCAR
Kia Picanto
YOUchosethethird-generationKia
Picantoasthisyear’sbestnewcity
car,helpingitclimbfrom66thplace
overallin2018toanimpressive29th
in2019.Stylishlooksandahigh-
qualityexteriorimpressed,whileyou
werealsowonoverbyitslowservicing
costs,plusgoodreliabilityandoverall
buildquality.YoualsosaidtheKia’s
cabiniscomfortableandwelldesigned.
Whilethereweresomegrumbles
aboutthestereo,theinfotainmentwas
generallypraised.Andyoutoldusthat
thePicantofeelslikeasafecar,too,
despiteitssmallproportions.
BESTLARGE SUV
Kia Sorento
FOURTHplaceinDriverPower2019
wenttotheKiaSorento,helpingitwin
thetitleofbestlargeSUV.Itbeatall
competitorsinthepracticalitycategory,
whileanumberofownerstoldusthat
theKoreanmodelmakesafantastic
towcar.TheSorento’ssat-navand
stereoearnedplentyofpraise,while
yousaytheinterioroffersawinning
combinationofcomfortandstyle.
You’refondofthewaytheKiaSUV
looksontheoutside,too,andfound
thatitssolidbuildquality–along
withanarrayofsafetysystems–
inspiredconfidenceontheroad.
Here arethe winnersineach category,based on your ownership experiences