The best cars of 2007 - awards, gongs and pats on the back

My view on the criteria for giving awards to models or manufacturers, based on 40 years writing about new models and automotive technologies, is that the products nominated for the Car of the Year award must be fit for purpose and they must meet the needs in a changing world for the majority of owners.

There is no point in making some airy-fairy design or hugely expensive minority model a Car of the Year, or indeed Best Car, in any sector.

2007 has been a busy year for new model introductions. The public are more demanding, they generally want new, more stylish, cleaner, more fuel efficient cars at cheaper prices. An impossible task. And then we have the politicians in the UK and EU who are also making demands on the industry to lower CO2 emissions for their entire model ranges. Here are a few worthy efforts that definitely deserve a pat-on-the-back:

Fiat 500

The Fiat 500 will prove to be a popular choice with customers and not just a flash-in-the-pan because of its chic retro design. We UK mainstream motoring writers have yet to try the car, test drives are taking place in January, so we hope our senior colleagues have really done their job properly.

The previous rear-engined Fiat 500 only became really desirable after production ceased and by and large the car was an evil-handling, unreliable so-and-so and sold on its looks and size before it became desirable as a collector´s motoring by-gone.

Fiat now generally make excellent small cars with really fuel efficient, low CO2 emitting engines, so the prospects for the new 500 look good and it should provide competition for the current ‘cult’ stars, the MINI and Smart fortwo.

Mazda2

Moving up the ladder to the every growing ‘Supermini’ sector, a segment that now accounts for most new car sales in the UK.

The Mazda2, which came second to the Fiat 500, looks to be the motoring scribe’s ‘supermini’ newcomer choice for 2008.

But it will not beat the Vauxhall Corsa for all-round performance versus price and certainly will come nowhere near Corsa with regard to UK sales volumes. The Mazda2 will be the basis for the new Ford Fiesta.

Kia cee´d

Next comes the popular C segment, the second largest sales sector in the UK. Yes the Focus and Astra fight it out to be top dog, but my award for the best new product goes to the Kia Cee’d range of Hatchbacks and SW Estates.

They are exceptionally well built, designed and produced in Europe and they are very affordable with seven- year warranties. The Cee’d models are ideal family or business user cars and with frugal diesel engine options.

Just to get a place in the final of the European Car of the Year competition was a huge endorsement for this model and for the Kia brand.

Ford Mondeo

Moving up the scale the new Ford Mondeo has received more Car of the Year awards in 2007 from UK motoring writers than any other make.

It may not be perfect but it is well engineered, well priced, slightly larger than before, better quality and only let down by some aspects of the interior design and trim quality.

Using my criteria for best meeting the needs of motoring in 2008 for the widest audience of buyers, the Mondeo gets my Car of the Year vote.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Also worthy of mention and selling in the same segment as the Mondeo, although in the ‘premium’ segment of it, are the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Saloon and Estate models launched this year.

Again slightly larger than the models they replaced, but much better for styling, build quality and performance and with more powerful but lower CO2 emission engines. A worthy place in the final of the European Car of the Year event.

Larger executives

For larger executive cars there were no finalists in the European competition this year. There are fine new models now on the market, the Audi A5/S5, the revised BMW 6-Series, the awesome Mercedes C63 AMG and the Lexus 600h hybrid are the pick of the bunch.

MPVs

People carriers or MPVs continue to gain in popularity and for size versus specification versus price the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso gets my vote. It looks good and has a clever interior design.

SUVs

SUVs or 4x4s, despite the anti-Chelsea tractor lobby, continue to be popular. There is no doubt the Land and Range Rover products are the best for off-road work but overall for the vast majority of SUV owners, who mainly drive on surfaced roads with some off-roading at sometimes, the new Peugeot 4007/Citroen C-Crosser/Mitsubishi Outlander family is best overall.

All the vehicles are built by Mitsubishi Motors so the build quality is excellent, they use the Mitsubishi two/four-wheel drive system and the excellent PSA Peugeot-Citroen 2.2-litre HDI turbodiesel engine which is really fuel efficient and relatively clean.

For those customers wanting a bit more off-road capability from their 4x4 at a reasonable price, the new and tough Nissan X-Trail is a good alternative choice.

Supercars

Supercar of the Year, but without traditional supercar prices, but still with awesome 187mph performance and drop-dead good looks has to be the Audi R8 with its 4.2-litre, V8, 400bhp+ petrol engine with quattro all-wheel drive.

There is no point in nominating one of a handful of hugely expensive supercars in this sector because they sell in such small numbers.

The R8 might be sold out for the next year or so but it is so hugely impressive because of the performance it has, its design, stunning looks and still it is relatively well priced at £76,25. Certainly my most memorable drive of the year.

BMW EfficientDynamics

My biggest pat-on-the-back for 2007 goes to BMW for the EfficientDynamics programme. Whilst the EU’s automotive rule makers and manufacturers pontificate about when and what new lower CO2 levels will be required, as an average across all their model ranges, BMW has just got on with finding a solution.

Hybrids, fuel-cell, electric and even hydrogen fuelled vehicles may be an answer for a small number of niche vehicles but when it comes to mainstream models most experts think that really fuel efficient petrol and diesel engines in lightweight bodyshells will be the most cost-effective solution for manufacturers and customers.

BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology not only helps lower CO2 emissions through weight-saving measures, but cleverly the German manufacturer has launched this year a raft of new and revised petrol and diesel engines with more power and torque as well.

EfficientDynamics includes using lightweight composite body panels, variable thickness lighter steel panels and aluminium for components to make their models lighter, stronger and indeed faster, but with less CO2 emissions.

They are to be heartily applauded. This year BMW in the UIK expect another record year of sales. Next year, with all but two of their model ranges using EfficientDynamics technology, BMW say they will sell in the region of 110,000 cars in the UK year featuring EfficientDynamics technology and these cars will save the emission of 45,720 tonnes of CO2 in 2008 alone.

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