WHAT CAR AWARDS - The VW Touran wins best MPV and the Tiguan a best buy recommendation.

• Touran is once again named Best MPV by What Car?
• New Tiguan SUV secures a ‘best buy’ recommendation
• Tiguan also features among finalists in Safety Award

Volkswagen is celebrating an award-winning start to 2017 with the brand’s popular and flexible Touran people carrier maintaining its pole position as Best MPV in the renowned What Car? Awards.

Meanwhile, the recently-launched Tiguan takes a price point title in the awards’ Small SUV category, with the Tiguan 2.0 TDI 150 SE Navigation named ‘Best Buy, more than £25,000’ at the annual celebration of motoring excellence. 

And the Tiguan shows its breadth of capability by also being named a finalist in the What Car? Safety Award.

Scoring a second consecutive win in the hotly-contested MPV class What Car? judges said of the seven-seat Touran – winner of the ‘Best Buy £20,000-£26,000’ section in 1.6 TDI 115 SE form as well as overall victor in the MPV category: “For class-leading space and practicality, look no further than the Volkswagen Touran. This seven-seat MPV has an impressively roomy interior, with masses of space in the front and back, as well as a third row of seats that can be easily folded away to increase boot capacity.

“The interior is well built and all the materials used feel classy, and it’s roomier than rivals such as the Ford S-Max and Citroën Grand C4 Picasso. As well as being incredibly practical, the Touran is also great to drive. The Touran is big, but isn’t at all cumbersome or heavy to manoeuvre. The 1.6-litre diesel engine offers gutsy performance and will easily haul around seven people and a full load of luggage.

“It’s efficient too: the Touran achieved 50.9mpg in our real-world True MPG fuel economy test. SE trim gets all the kit you’ll need, including an intuitive infotainment touchscreen, a DAB radio and automatic lights and wipers. It’s good news on the finance front, too, with some great PCP deals available.”

Turning to small SUV price point victor the new Tiguan, which launched in the UK in the summer of 2016 and is already building on the sales success of its predecessor, What Car? Editor Steve Huntingford said: “Inside, its slick switches, piano black plastics and soft surfaces make it feel worth its premium. But it doesn’t just look the part because the Tiguan has a massive amount of interior space, while its rear seats can be slid back and forth for increased practicality. It’s rounded off with a spacious boot.

“We think the 2.0-litre diesel engine makes a great companion, and it has enough low-rev pull to ensure hauling a fully loaded car is no issue. Couple that with competitive CO₂ emissions and fuel economy, and it’s a mighty fine package.”

Commenting on the Tiguan’s finalist position in the What Car? Safety Award Steve said: “The Tiguan has the highest adult occupant protection score of any car here, and because that’s the score most buyers will look towards first when choosing a car, we’ve given it extra credit.

“The Tiguan also scores very well when it comes to keeping children and pedestrians safe, and it’s those consistently high scores which impressed our panel.”

Discussing the early year silverware Alison Jones, Director of Volkswagen UK, said: “The Touran’s second successive What Car? award underlines this practical Volkswagen’s brilliance. Safe, flexible, efficient and stylish, the Touran is the family MPV that ticks every box.

“Meanwhile, for the new Tiguan to have been recommended above all others in the £25,000-plus price point underscores the brilliance of this exceptional new SUV. That the Tiguan was also in the running for What Car?’s Safety Award should also reassure families that, in selecting this as their next new car, they’re buying into one of the most impressive new SUVs on the road today.”

WHAT CAR AWARDS - Suzuki makes it three with a price point win for the 6th time for the Swift Sport.

• Three-door Swift Sport wins ‘Best Buy’ hot hatch for less than £15,000 for the sixth consecutive year.
• Achieves 45.2mpg in ‘True MPG’ fuel economy test – more economical than official EC combined figure.

Suzuki celebrated again at the 2017 What Car? Magazine awards in London last night with the Swift Sport awarded a price point win for the sixth year in a row. The performance flagship of the Swift range was comprehensively judged by the editorial team and the final vote resulted in the three door model yet again receiving the ‘Best Buy Hot hatch for less than £15,000’.

First introduced in January 2012 and with more than 6,000 sold in the UK, the Swift Sport has a high standard specification that includes satellite navigation, DAB radio, USB connection and auto air conditioning.

Steve Huntingford, Editor of What Car? comments: “The Suzuki Swift Sport is a reminder of the way hot hatches used to be – and it’s none the worse for that. Whereas all of its rivals now have turbocharged engines that pull strongly from low revs, the Sport uses a naturally aspirated 1.6 that’s most rewarding when you thrash it. True, it’s ultimately not that fast, but this just means you can use every ounce of the car’s performance without having to fear for your driving licence.

"The Sport also feels light on its feet and, thanks to its diminutive size, you can push it hard even on narrow country roads without feeling like you have to breathe in when something comes the other way. Then there’s the car’s sensible side. Suzuki was runner-up in our most recent reliability survey, so the Swift Sport should prove dependable, and it returned a very respectable 45.2mpg in its real-world True MPG fuel economy test. Although we’d opt for the cheaper three-door model to keep the price as low as possible, a five-door version is available if you decide you need better access to the rear seats.”

Swift Sport is available in a choice of four standard metallic paint finishes and is also  equipped with seven airbags, cruise control, High Intensity Discharge headlamps, rear privacy glass and 17-inch alloy wheels. In addition to satellite navigation and DAB radio, the Sport also has voice recognition, Bluetooth and music streaming compatibility.

WHAT CAR AWARDS - The Suzuki Celerio City car gets a Best Buy nod at this years awards ceremony.

First launched in the UK two years ago, the Suzuki Celerio has been awarded a ‘Best Buy’ accolade at the 2017 What Car? Awards held in London. At £6,999, the SZ2 model was comprehensively judged by the editorial team and announced as the best overall model in its price bracket of less than £8,000.

Readers of What Car? regularly ask the team to assist with advice on their next new car and in the case of needing something small, cheap to buy and run and also easy to drive, Celerio is very high on the list.

Commenting at the awards, Steve Huntingford, Editor of What Car? said “Nothing else in this class offers so much for so little, just £7000 is enough to land you our lowest price point winner. 

At that price you’d expect an empty box on wheels, right? Wrong. This entry level SZ2 trim isn’t the plushest, but how about this lot: a height-adjustable driver’s seat and steering wheel, split-folding rear seats, electric front windows, a DAB radio and six airbags? Best of all, you get a sprightly three-cylinder petrol engine that’ll easily whizz you around town, with enough in reserve for 70mph cruising on the motorway.  And it emits just 99g/km of CO₂, so is exempt from road tax.

Drivers can easily get comfy thanks to lots of seat adjustment, and it’s dead easy to see all the car’s corners when parking. There’s a surprising amount of space for all four passengers, and the boot is bigger than most city cars”.

Celerio is proving to be very popular in the UK with more than 16,500 sold since launch and the SZ2 is available from just £79 per month with a PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) agreement from Suzuki Financial Services. The term is 48 months at 5.9 per cent APR and requires a deposit of £1,855 with an optional final payment of £2,228 to keep the car.

WHAT CAR AWARDS - Citroen takes the Best buy MPV Under £20,000 title this year.

Citroën C3 Picasso PureTech 110 Edition is named 'Best Buy for less than £20,000' in the 'MPV' category at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards.

The Citroën C3 Picasso PureTech 110 Edition was recognised for its practicality, comfort and class leading engine earlier this evening, winning the title ‘MPV Best Buy for less than £20,000’ at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2017.

Steve Huntingford, Editor of What Car?, commented; “The funky Citroën C3 Picasso 1.2 litre petrol is a very practical family car, especially for smaller households. 

That little engine is actually a real plus point. It offers peppy performance around town and doesn’t feel overworked on motorway journeys, with plenty of low-rev pull for easy progress. 

The C3 Picasso is comfortable, too. Its ride is soft and the driving position is excellent; you sit quite high up, so get a clear view of the road ahead, helped by the wraparound windscreen and thin pillars. 

The entry-level Edition spec comes with plenty of kit, including 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, Bluetooth and rear parking sensors. If you need to transport your family on a limited budget, the characterful and nippy C3 Picasso should be at the top of your shortlist.”

Chris Cheetham, Citroën’s Marketing Director in the UK, said; “It’s an honour to be acknowledged in these prestigious awards again in 2017. The C3 Picasso PureTech 110 Edition won through at its price-point last year, so we’re excited that the vehicle is living up to its practical and affordable title. MPVs must be able to cope with family life and that’s exactly what we have designed C3 Picasso to do. 

With future ideas, such as the Citroën Advanced Comfort® programme, coming to fruition across the range in the coming years, our products will continue to shine and stand out.”

This is the second consecutive year that the What Car? judging panel has recognised the family-friendly Citroën C3 Picasso PureTech 110 Edition as an ‘MPV Best Buy’, after a series of prior wins with different versions of the same car in the ‘MPV Best Buy for less than £16,000’ category.

Citroën C3 Picasso PureTech 110 Edition is available from just £16,975 OTR.

WHAT CAR AWARDS - SEAT takes two awards this year, the Ateca and Leon are both winners.

• Ateca wins Small SUV category at first attempt
• New Leon celebrates Family Car ‘Best Buy’ victory (£18,000-£20,000)

SEAT is kicking off 2017 in style after driving off with two accolades at the What Car? Awards 2017, ‘Best Small SUV’ for Ateca, plus, a ‘Best Buy’ victory for New Leon, one month ahead of the car even launching in UK showrooms.

Ateca, SEAT’s in-demand first SUV wowed the judges across the board. Among its talents singled out for praise where its value for money, impressive driving experience and top-notch infotainment systems.

Steve Huntingford, What Car? Editor, commented, “SEAT has managed to price its Ateca keenly enough to appeal to a wide range of buyers looking for their ideal car. 

Not only does it have space and practicality in abundance, its robust interior should stand the test of time, and you get lots of kit. That you can also have a fuel-sipping petrol engine with impressive, yet quiet, performance for this money is a massive achievement.”

Its preferred version of the Barcelona-based brand’s high-selling Ateca, SE 1.4 EcoTSI 150, earned a ‘Best Buy £15,000-£25,000’ win initially, before fending off every other shortlisted SUV in its category, to secure the overall Small SUV title.

What Car? continued, “It’s extremely good fun to drive, with excellent body control and one of the best steering set-ups of the class. It’s genuinely agile, which is a rare thing for a small SUV.

“With our favoured 1.4 turbo petrol engine fitted, it has strong performance to match its sweet handling, but this is balanced with clever cylinder shut-off technology that helps deliver great fuel economy and low CO₂emissions. Inside, a family will have room to stretch out, particularly in the back, where leg room – even for adults – is generous. The large boot is easily accessible and a practical shape, too. Mid-range SE trim has all you’ll need too: 17-inch alloys, cruise and climate control, and an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with a DAB radio, Bluetooth, and USB port.”

Sharing the limelight on the night was the New Leon. Recently updated ahead of its UK showroom launch next month, SEAT’s best-selling model earned a ‘Best Buy’ in the Family Car for the £18,000-£20,000 category.

Outlining the reasons behind the success of their favoured SEAT Leon version, SE Technology 1.0 TSI 115 Ecomotive, the What Car? team added,“…under the bonnet there’s a new 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine...with just enough punch to let you enjoy the Leon’s agile handling. The new 1.0 TSI engine is available in only one trim level: SE Technology. Fortunately, that rounds up most of the equipment you’re likely to want, including sat-nav, a DAB radio, air-con, alloy wheels and cruise control.”

Commenting on the brand’s success at the prestigious bash at the Grosvenor Hotel on London’s Park Lane last night, SEAT UK’s Head of Marketing, Andrew Tracey, added, “After What Car?’s own five-star review of the Ateca, we were quietly confident about its chances in this year’s awards. It offers everything a compact SUV buyer could ever need, with plenty of space, style, technology, quality, not to mention engines, transmissions and four-wheel-drive, to suit every conceivable need. So, naturally, I’m delighted that its breadth of talents has been recognised. For New Leon to collect a Best Buy win too, before it even arrives in UK showrooms, is the icing on the cake and gives us a fantastic platform upon which to build early success in 2017.”

Hugely popular UK buying guide hails drop-top Audi A3 a ‘best Convertible’ for 2017

Hugely popular UK buying guide hails drop-top Audi A3 a ‘best buy’ for 2017 

• A3 range recently overhauled with latest technology updates and sharp new styling
• A3 Cabriolet available in SE, Sport and S line specification
• Five petrol and diesel engines, manual and S tronic and the option of quattro all-wheel drive
• New S3 Cabriolet power boosted to 310PS and torque to 400Nm  
• Pricing ranges from £26,875 OTR for the 1.4 TFSI 150PS to £40,670 OTR for the S3 Cabriolet

Critical acclaim has frequently been heaped on the Audi A3 range since the first generation was introduced in 1996, and the latest recognition for the premium compact star has come in the form of a Best Cars trophy from trusted review website Carbuyer.co.uk, which has singled out the A3 Cabriolet as the Best Convertible for 2017.

Citing the reasons behind the win, Editor of Carbuyer Stuart Milne commented: "Convertibles are all about feeling the wind in your hair first and image second. 

No car fulfils these requirements better than the Audi A3 Cabriolet. It’s endlessly classy and desirable, plus it offers space for you and up to three passengers.

"The fabric roof can be raised or lowered at speeds of up to 31mph, and once it’s stowed the boot is still useable. There’s lots of scope for personalisation, and like every other A3, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. If you want technology to give your A3 Cabriolet a real edge, then the optional Virtual Cockpit replaces the standard dials with a TFT screen. Very smart indeed."

As the beneficiary of a comprehensive update programme applied to the full model range earlier this year, an enhanced specification list is chief among the improvements and now includes Audi smartphone interface, cruise control, light and rain sensors and xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights as standard on the entry-level SE. Sport models gain Audi drive select and MMI Navigation with a three-month free trial of the Audi connect suite, while the already richly appointed  S line is fitted with LED headlights front and rear and dynamic ‘scrolling’ indicators for the rear lights. An LED interior lighting pack rounds off the new additions.

The pin-sharp Audi virtual cockpit can also be chosen along with a host of other technology from the larger Audi models, from the MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch, Audi Phone Box, a Bang & Olufsen sound system and the even more illuminating Matrix LED headlights.

A multitude of key driver aids can also dramatically improve the overall comfort and safety of each journey. Particular highlights from the assistance system portfolio include Traffic Jam Assist, which actively works with the adaptive cruise control system and can accelerate, brake and even steer the A3 Cabriolet at speeds of up to 37mph, active lane assist which can gently steer the car to keep it in lane above 40mph and emergency assist, which is capable of intervening and bringing the car to a gradual standstill if no response is detected from the driver.

USA - Cadillac offers up a trio of special editions all with Black Chrome, making these cars mean and moody.

Cadillac today introduced the Black Chrome Package for Cadillac ATS Sedan and Coupe and Cadillac CTS Sedan. The package further enhances the engaging performance and the striking design of the ATS, aConsumer Guide Best Buy for three years in a row, and the CTS, named one of Car and Driver’s 10Best for three years in a row.

The Black Chrome Package is available now to order at local Cadillac dealerships or through the Build Your Own tool on the Cadillac.com website. For additional information, customers can call Cadillac Customer Experience at 1-800-458-8006.

CADILLAC ATS BLACK CHROME PACKAGE

Unique Content

• “After Midnight” premium paint finish 18” alloy wheels
• Black Chrome accented upper and lower grilles
• Gloss black side window moldings
• Black Chrome rear fascia accent
• Body color door handles

Available Model Choices

• 2.0T & 3.6L Luxury Collection RWD & AWD
• 2.0T & 3.6L Performance Collection RWD & AWD

Available With All Interior Choices

Package MSRP

• Luxury: $795 Sedan; $595 Coupe
• Performance: $795 Sedan; $595 Coupe

Available Exterior Color Choices

• Black Raven: No Charge
• Phantom Gray Metallic: $495
• Red Obsession Tintcoat: $995
• Crystal White Tricoat: $995

CADILLAC CTS BLACK CHROME PACKAGE

Unique Content

• “After Midnight” premium paint finish 18” alloy wheels
• Black Chrome accented grille

Available Model Choices

• 2.0T & 3.6L Luxury Collection RWD & AWD
• 2.0T & 3.6L Performance Collection RWD & AWD
• 2.0T & 3.6L Premium Collection RWD & AWD

Available Interior Choices

• Jet Black
• Light Platinum/Jet Black

With Performance Seat & Cluster Package

• Jet Black
• Jet Black/Morello Red
• Kona Brown/Jet Black

Package MSRP

• Luxury: $1,295
• Performance: $1,095
• Premium: $1,095

Available Exterior Color Choices

• Black Raven: No Charge
• Phantom Gray Metallic: $495
• Crystal White Tricoat: $995