The Renault ZOE has taken the top prize at the 2016 Green Apple Awards, judged by members of the Midland Group of Motoring Writers

The all-electric Renault Zoe has taken top honours at the 2016 Green Apple Awards, presented at the House of Commons and singling out cars that are both good to drive and economical in the real world.

The awards, presented on Friday (11 November) are organised by the Midlands-based The Green Organisation and judged by members of the Midland Group of Motoring Writers.

After clinching the category for pure electric and hybrid cars, the Zoe went to take the Green Apple champion title, beating a diesel version of the Audi A6 in second place overall.

One of the judges said of the Zoe: "It is by some measure the most convincing all-electric vehicle I've driven. So good, in fact, than it only takes a few miles to forget what's powering you along so convincingly."

Midland Group chairman Ian Donaldson presented a Renault representative with the top place award at the House of Commons.

MGMW Green Apple Awards in full

SUPERMINIS

The Mazda2 1.5 litre diesel had to be content with second spot this time, after a category win last year.

The supermini champion for 2016 is the car that was runner-up in 2015 - in the shape of the petrol powered Suzuki Celerio Dualjet.

One judge said: "It is a remarkably driveable and economical city car."

SMALLER FAMILY CARS

 Second place went to the Honda Civic 1.6 i-DETC, chosen, as one of the judges said, "because it is stylish, good to drive and refined, and one of the most genuinely economical cars in its class."

The winner is another British-built hatch - the new Vauxhall Astra 1.6 CDTi 110 Ecoflex.

A Midland Group judge commented: "The new Astra shows there's lots of life left in diesels."

LARGER FAMILY CARS

Here, the fight was, perhaps not surprisingly, between a couple of cars from Germany.

In the end second place went to the BMW 320d ED with the winner emerging as the Volkswagen Passat 1.6 TDI Bluemotion.

SMALLER SUVs and 4x4s

A whole year has not been able to shake the judges from their 2015 decisions.

That means in second spot we have the Nissan Qashqai 1.5dCi 110 2WD while the winner - for the second consecutive year - is the Dacia Duster 1.5 dCi 110 4x2.

A judge said of the Dacia: "It’s cheap, it’s cheerful, it’s rugged and does what it says on the tin without any fuss or needless frills. The running costs are great, as is the price to buy or lease."

PURE ELECTRIC AND HYBRID CARS

The Uber driver's favourite Toyota Prius drives quietly into second spot.

The winner this year, though, is the Renault Zoe, the French car maker's entry into affordable purely electric family transport.

EXECUTIVE CARS

In second place is the impressive Jaguar XF E-Performance but it has to give way to this year's winner, for the second year in a row - the Audi A6 2.0 TDI Ultra.

One of our judges said: "The Audi has a build quality that is second to none. Love the handsome looks, the logical switchgear – the fuel tank that keeps on giving – and the effortless mile munching, planted drive."

OVERALL GREEN APPLE CHAMPIONS for 2016  

In second spot was the Audi A6.

A judge said: "It offers performance, practicality prestige, frugality and a fit and finish that justifies the price-tag."

But taking the top step this year is the Renault Zoe.

A judge said: "The Zoe shows Renault's commitment to the future of electric power in an affordable package that looks good, drive well and does its bit to make the planet a little bit greener."