Volvo
The range of new vehicles at Volvo has now expanded to include a full range of SUVs, some great estates and even a couple of hybrid offerings.
By 2020 Volvo claims that the entire range will be either wholly or partly electrified.
Add in some of the best safety tech available and seriously cool Scandinavian styling and those drab German offerings suddenly seem rather underwhelming.
Our choice: XC60 SUV
Skoda
The VW Group is a massive beast that owns brands as diverse as Lamborghini and yes, Skoda too.
Every Skoda uses VW technology which costs a whole lot more when fitted to a Golf or A3.
Yes, the interior is not quite as fancy but a Skoda Citigo is essentially a VW Up! and the Octavia vRS is a cut-price GTI which will save you thousands.
Our Choice: Octavia vRS Estate
Smart
The Smart used to be a tiny little city car with just about enough space for two (or four) and not much else.
The latest generation cars haven’t grown a whole lot but refinement levels are much improved and they are still superb city runabouts.
Our Choice: Smart fortwo Cabrio
Fiat
Fiat Chrysler is one big car company, with interests stretching from Dodge to Ferrari they have a lot of industry knowledge to spread around.
Cars like the tiny 4×4 Panda and little 500 are superb little cars, the Tipo is perhaps not quite so accomplished but the Mazda-derived 124 Spider should definitely be on everyone’s roadster shortlist.
Our Choice: 124 Spider
Hyundai
Korean motor manufacturers have been playing catch-up with their European counterparts for years but their latest models are undoubtedly up to challenging the best from VW and Ford.
Cars like the sporty i30N and KONA crossover are really worthy alternatives to the segment leaders.
Our Choice: Tucson SUV
Kia
Kia is another Korean manufacturer that has developed into a global contender and their range of new hatchbacks and SUVs are good value and tend to offer more standard equipment than their rivals.
The big news though is their latest sporty saloon, the Stinger. It is a very accomplished sports car with the ability to match some very pricey luxury offerings at a substantial saving.
Our Choice: Stinger
Renault
French automakers have never been particularly successful in the UK, yet they produce some great cars that offer a refreshingly different design language and driving feel to the more established players.
The Scenic has always been a superbly practical family MPV and the latest version looks great and is packed with features.
The new ZOE electric car now offers up to a 250-mile range which is more than a match for the German offerings.
Our Choice: Scenic
Citroen
From the diminutive C1 right up to the large Spacetourer, the Citroen range in the UK offers something a little different from the norm.
Aggressive pricing and some interesting designs such as the new C3 Aircross SUV give shoppers a refreshing alternative to choose from.
Our Choice: C4 Cactus Hatchback
Peugeot
The new 3008 SUV is a bold design that will add a bit of excitement to the morning commute while 308 and 208 are superb little hatchbacks, especially in GTi form.
The 508 is a competent large saloon too although steep depreciation early on may make it wiser to buy a lightly used example than going new.
Our Choice: 208 GTi
Suzuki
Suzuki does not have a huge range of vehicles on offer for the UK market but if you are in the market for a small 4×4 then you are in luck.
You can pick from the plucky little Jimny, the small city-slicking or the Vitara SUV or SX4 S-Cross crossover. All very well priced and offering all-wheel-drive variants.
There is also the dynamically sharp new Swift hatchback to consider too.
Our Choice: Swift
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo has suffered more than most from historic unreliability and shoddy build quality, it has been producing solid and reliable cars for years now but such an image is hard to shake.
The Stelvio SUV and Giulia saloon are the latest additions and the Mito and Giulietta hatchbacks have been on sale for years now and have not succumbed to the usual mechanical and electrical failings of Alfas of the past.
Our Choice: Giulia
Subaru
The Subaru range is not a large one but they do cater for a range of needs from sensible family estates to turbocharged saloons.
The Outback and Forester are reliable and sensible family vehicles while the WRX STI (which is soon to be discontinued) is a raw and adrenalin-filled alternative to the Focus RS and Golf R. The BRZ meanwhile is a better-looking Toyota GT86.
Our Choice: Forester
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