Award-winning cars of 2018 (so far)
- Gareth Herincx
- @garethherincx
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Back in the day there was an awards season, now it’s neverending which means that not a week goes by without an important ceremony for the automotive industry.
From the prestigious Car of the Year awards to slightly more quirky ones, such as the Most dog- friendly car, there’s something for everyone.
We reckon more than 100 trophies have been awarded so far in 2018 already, so we’ve sifted through the headlines to celebrate just 20 of the best award-winning cars.
Fasten your seatbelts and prepare to be dazzled by the best that the car industry has to offer…
Alpine 110
The stunning new Alpine A110 was named Car of the Year 2018 at Motor Sport Magazine’s Hall of Fame Awards.
It was praised by the jury for being excellently engineered and a worthy successor to the A110 Berlinette of the 1960s and 1970s. Editor Joe Dunn, said: “The Alpine A110 is a worthy winner of our inaugural road car of the year. It lives up to its famous forebears and then some.”
Vauxhall Insignia
Vauxhall’s Insignia is the pick of the used car market after being named Used Car Hero at the 2018 Autocar Awards. Readers were invited to pick a used car that is often overlooked but does its job sublimely well, and keeps so many UK motorists moving.
The Vauxhall Insignia was praised for fulfilling this brief perfectly. “It’s such an under-rated used car,” said Mark Tisshaw, Autocar’s editor. “The Insignia is good- looking, good value, very well-equipped, and has proven capable of covering big miles.”
Hyundai i30 N
Hyundai’s all-new hot hatch, i30 N was named ‘Life and Seoul of the Party’ at the 2018 GQ Car Awards. The i30 N is Hyundai’s first performance model under the Hyundai N sub brand, British GQ described the car as a “ferociously fun five-door rocket ship”.
Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor UK, said: “The i30 N might be Hyundai’s first hot hatch but it has been developed from the ground up to become a serious contender in what is a highly-competitive segment.”
Seat Leon
The popular Seat Leon was crowned Best Used Car Of The Year at the What Car? Used Car of the Year Awards 2018.
The stylish hatchback scored best for its mix of good driving dynamics, quality, safety and attractiveness. It also won in the family car category, where it beat the Kia Cee’d and Ford Focus to the top spot.
Volvo XC60
The Volvo XC60 won the most prestigious award of 2018 when it was crowned World Car of the Year at the New York Auto Show in March, adding another accolade to the Swedish car maker’s growing list.
In February the XC60 was named overall winner at the UK Car of the Year Awards 2018. It beat strong competition from the Range Rover Velar and Mazda CX-5, and it was the second year in a row that the top three finalists in the World COTY award were SUVs.
Honda Civic Type R
Honda’s excellent new hot hatch, the Civic Type R, took home two trophies at the 2018 Autocar Awards, winning the Readers’ Champion title along with Britain’s Best Affordable Drivers Car.
“The Civic Type R is really proving to be the benchmark for hot hatches, and we are delighted to add even more highly prestigious awards to its name,” said Phil Webb, Head of Car at Honda UK. “Fans of the Type R brand used to look back to cars like the Integra Type R and original Civic Type R, but now it seems the best Type R to have is the one in our showrooms today.“
Skoda Octavia
The popular Skoda Octavia was named the best new car of 2018 at the Auto Trader New Car Awards.
Skoda also secured the title of ‘Best Family Car’ for the Skoda Superb. Unlike other car awards which rely on editorial judging panels, Auto Trader’s New Car Awards were decided by 43,000 real car owners.
BMW 5 Series
The impressive BMW 520d Touring xDrive M Sport picked up the ‘overall winner’ title for the first time at the Tow Car Awards 2018.
Judged by experts from Practical Caravan and What Car? magazines and The Camping and Caravanning Club, the BMW also won the 1700-1899kg category. “Clearly, this is a towing competition first and foremost, and when it comes to pulling a caravan confidently and securely, the BMW 5 Series has few peers,” said David Motton, tow car editor, Practical Caravan magazine.
“There wasn’t a single one of our towing tests in which the BMW showed any weakness.”
Kia Stinger
Kia’s stunning Stinger GT won the ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best’ award. The international jury of design experts praised it for its pioneering design.
Red Dot awards for the Stonic and Picanto made it a treble for Kia and the South Korean brand has now won 21 Red Dot Awards since the Kia Soul first took victory in 2009. “Our global design team can be incredibly proud of their latest triple triumph,” said Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer of Kia Motors Corporation.
“With its modern take on the classic gran turismo style, the Kia Stinger is further proof of Kia’s high design standards.”
Seat Arona
Seat’s entertaining compact crossover, the Arona, was awarded the Best Product Design 2018 accolade by the prestigious Red Dot Award design competition.
The Arona’s exterior and interior design, and multiple personalisation options, were singled out for special praise.
Nissan Leaf
Another worthy winner of a World Car of the Year category was the all-new Nissan Leaf when it was named 2018 World Green Car.
It’s not the first time that Nissan’s best-selling 100% electric car has been recognised at this level – the original Nissan Leaf won the overall World Car of the Year title in 2011.
“We’re very proud that since Nissan Leaf launched in 2010, we’ve been able to put more than 300,000 zero-emission electric vehicles on the road worldwide, helping to reduce carbon footprints around the globe,” said Daniele Schillaci of Nissan.
Honda Urban EV
The cute Honda Urban EV concept was named ‘The Best Concept Car’ in the 2018 Car Design Awards presented as part of the Turin Motor Show.
The futuristic car is the first model to be launched as part of Honda’s ‘Electric Vision’ strategy and it’s expected to go on sale in Europe in late 2019.
Range Rover Velar
Land Rover’s stunning Range Rover Velar won the other big trophy at the World Car of the Year awards when it was crowned 2018 World Car Design of the Year.
The Velar became the fourth consecutive Jaguar Land Rover car to win this category, joining the Jaguar F-Type, Range Rover Evoque, and Jaguar F-Pace in holding the accolade.
Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic
This stunning 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic won the prestigious Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award. The ceremony brought together eight of the world’s finest classic cars – all ‘best of show’ winners from the top 2017 international concours events – to compete for the title of the most exceptional motor car in the world.
Staged at The Peninsula Paris hotel and now in its third year, the winner of the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award was chosen by a panel of 24 automotive experts, designers and celebrities.
Volvo XC40
The superb new Volvo XC40 compact SUV continued the Swedish car maker’s winning streak when it was named Car of the Year in Europe for 2018.
It beat six other new cars to the title – the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Audi A8, BMW 5-Series, Citroen C3 Aircross, Kia Stinger and Seat Ibiza. It’s the first time that Volvo Cars has won European Car of the Year.
Nissan Micra
The new Nissan Micra was crowned ‘Car of the Year 2018’ at the inaugural FirstCar awards. It beat off stiff competition with its excellent safety standards, low running costs and extensive personalisation combinations.
“You couldn’t want for a better first car than the Micra. With low insurance group ratings and a range of efficient engines, the Nissan is affordable to run,” said David Motton, FirstCar editor and chairman of the judging panel.
“It’s also equipped with the kind of safety features you’d expect of a much bigger and more expensive car. It’s not just a safe and sensible choice. With a huge range of interior and exterior finishes, new drivers can really express themselves when specifying the car.”
Skoda Kodiaq
Skoda’s big new Kodiaq took the 2018 Car of the Year title and Best SUV award at the Honest John Awards 2018.
“The Skoda Kodiaq is a smash hit with HonestJohn.co.uk’s 2.3 million readers,” said HonestJohn.co.uk Managing Editor, Dan Powell.
”It’s easy to see why our audience love it so much, with the Skoda winning praise for its spacious cabin, affordable running costs and outstanding value. The Skoda Kodiaq is a brilliant family SUV and a worthy winner of the Honest John Car of the Year 2018.”
Hyundai i10
The Hyundai i10 was named Most Highly Rated Car of the Year at the 2018 Honest John Awards. It was praised by owners and users of HonestJohn.co.uk for its comfort, reliability and fuel economy.
“The Most Highly Rated Car of the Year is one of the most-coveted of all of the Honest John Awards, because it is based purely on owners’ reviews,” said Dan Powell, Managing Editor, HonestJohn.co.uk.
“Over the past 12 months the Hyundai i10 has consistently received five star feedback from our readers, winning praise for comfort, reliability and fuel economy.”
Mazda CX-5
Already one of the best handling SUVs on the roads, the Mazda CX-5, was crowned overall winner of the What Car? Best Car for Dogs Award.
The CX-5 was chosen from a shortlist of six cars from different price-points, using a list of dog-friendly criteria created with the help of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. The dog-friendly elements included the size and accessibility of the boot, interior air-flow and the durability of upholsteries.
Jaguar I-Pace
Back in January, Jaguar’s first all-electric vehicle won the What Car? Reader Award for the most anticipated new car of 2018.
Readers chose the I-Pace from a shortlist of 12 cars, with the Citroen C5 Aircross and Audi E-Tron coming second and third respectively.
The I-Pace combines the practicality and versatility of an SUV with the zero emissions, refinement and performance of an EV.
Jeep
The Jeep stand won the “Creativity Award” for the best booth at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show in March. There was particular praise for the wide range of materials used, the exciting visual animation and the perfect fusion of the wildest natural surroundings and the most sophisticated urban contexts
The stand also featured two European premieres – the all-new Jeep Wrangler and the new 2019 Cherokee.