The Iconic Fiat 500 takes another award this time as Used car of the year 2016.

The Fiat 500 continues to scoop top industry accolades, but not just as a new car – as the latest in a long line of awards for the popular city car demonstrates.

The multi-award-winning 500, whose UK sales topped a quarter of a million earlier this year, was last night named Used Small Car of the Year in the Car Dealer Used Car Awards 2016, held in London.

Already the recipient of an impressive list of trophies, including European Car of the Year in 2008, the Fiat 500 has won several ‘City Car’ industry awards this year alone.

And for this latest accolade, the three-year-old used Fiat 500 was praised for its residual value, small number of days to sell and its general desirability with leading data companies such as CAP, Glass’s and Auto Trader.

“After extensive number-crunching and hundreds of votes, the Fiat 500 was selected as the best used car in its category,” says James Baggott, CEO, Car Dealer magazine. “The word ‘iconic’ is over-used but it certainly applies in this case and the car is a worthy winner.”

“The Fiat 500 has won many accolades, and another from an important title such as Car Dealer is always welcome,” says Sebastiano Fedrigo, head of brand, Fiat UK. “The Fiat 500 has continued to sell well as a new car, but we know it makes a fantastic used choice too – something that Car Dealer’s experts clearly agree with us on.”

Available with a choice of five engines: 85hp and 105hp 0.9-litre TwinAir; 69 hp 1.2-litre and 1.2-litre Eco;  and 95hp 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel, the Fiat 500 can be ordered in five different trim levels: Pop, Pop Star, Lounge, S – and now also in the new Fiat 500 Riva special edition. The Fiat 500 range starts at £11,200 OTR for the 500 Pop 1.2 69hp.

Separately, Fiat has just been named City Car Manufacturer of the Year in the 2016 GreenFleet Awards, held in Birmingham. Fiat was one of 20 organisations or individuals from the fleet and motor industries to be recognised for its contribution to greener road transport and environmental fleet management.

CAP Black Book announces that the Tesla Model S holds it's value better than any other car.

Comes with a luxury price tag but holds its value better than any other car, says CAP’s Jeff Knight

Although the Tesla comes with a £60,000 starting price, Jeff Knight at CAP says the Tesla holds its value better than almost any other modern car on the market today. According to the motor industry’s CAP Black Book, the Tesla is the green motoring choice for the serious car buyer with a decent budget and a passion for investing in the latest electric vehicle technology.

“The Tesla is still, relatively, rare in the UK and most are bought new by passionate enthusiasts or business fleet buyers,” explains Jeff Knight at CAP. “This means that secondhand examples tend to be fitted with between £10,000-20,000 worth of optional equipment. This helps the Tesla hold its value on the used car market. At Black Book, we have held Tesla values static for a year now, which is highly unusual.”

Even though it’s a full electric vehicle, owners seem happy to make the switch from a fuel vehicle to Tesla. The Model S Tesla has a range of between 200 to around 265 miles, depending on the battery option of the vehicle and the nature of the drive. When it comes to charging, owners can opt to use a domestic supply or invest in an industrial charging installation at their home, partly subsidised by Tesla.

Tesla owners benefit from a growing network of UK supercharger points (currently 29) which work at the rate of 68 miles per hour of charge. These will take the car up to 80% charged in 40 minutes and 100% in 75 minutes, keeping drivers on the road.

Jeff Knight continues, “Many Tesla owners alter their lifestyle to fit the charging regime, because they are that passionate about the benefits of their vehicle. In the US, it’s not unusual for owners to call at the supercharger on the way home and sit in the car, using the free Wi-Fi to send emails as the car charges.

“People, clearly, love this vehicle, which means it holds its value. For anyone looking to buy an executive car with green credentials, but can handle the charging regime, a Tesla is one of the smartest investments in today’s market.”

Passat beats German rivals in the residual value fight.

PREMIUM CAR quality with a mainstream new vehicle price tag will spell success for the all new Volkswagen Passat in the battle of the ‘big five’ company cars, say independent experts CAP Automotive.

It’s a sector that is hotly contested by five giants of the company car world – Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Ford Mondeo, Mercedes C Class and Volkswagen Passat – which means every new launch is critical for a manufacturer.

Key to success in this market is driver appeal to attract company car choosers, together with competitive depreciation so that fleets can offer the best possible contract hire rates.

According to CAP the all new Passat wins on both counts, with premium car quality normally associated with prestige badges and lower cash depreciation forecast than for any of its German rivals.

CAP’s future used car value forecasting experts – whose ‘Gold Book’ residual value forecasting tool is the industry’s independent benchmark for tomorrow’s second hand prices – say new Passat will retain 37.4% of its value after three years and 60,000 miles.

It means the completely re-engineered Passat is expected to lose just over £13,400 over three years, compared with £15,880 for the equivalent Mercedes C-Class, £16,970 for the Audi A4 and £17,445 for the BMW 3 Series.

The strength of the Volkswagen brand – which is now knocking on the door of premium car status in the form of the new Passat – is revealed by the fact that CAP is forecasting a three year old car to be worth more than its BMW and Audi rivals at the same point.

CAP senior forecasting editor Dylan Setterfield said: “People might reasonably assume that a Volkswagen would generally be worth less as a used car than the equivalent models from more traditionally premium image manufacturers, like Audi and BMW.

“In reality, though, we are anticipating the new Passat to be worth £10,900 in the trade market, after three years, which is £325 more than our forecast for the Audi A4 and £725 above the BMW 3 Series.

“Volkswagen have kept to their ethos of evolution rather than revolution, with the new Passat. Even though everything has changed under the skin, there’ll be no question of unsettling the existing Passat fan because the outward changes remain quite subtle.

“It’s fair to say that this new model will keep the loyal Passat chooser happy while tempting those drivers who want a premium car without the premium new price tag to try a Volkswagen for the first time.”

Strongest residual value prediction in the UK SUV sector for first ever Audi RS ‘Q’ model

• Leading trade guide CAP Monitor predicts segment-leading 52% residual value  for latest Audi RS model based on three-year/60,000-mile usage
• Overall the Porsche Cayman is the only car currently on UK sale which holds its value more effectively according to CAP Monitor  

‘Slow’ is not a word that will often be associated with the new 310PS Audi RS Q3, but it certainly applies to the pace at which it depreciates according to leading trade guide CAP Monitor. The first ever Audi RS SUV is notable for achieving a higher percentage of estimated value retention after three years than all-bar-one of the thousands of new cars currently available on the UK market.

Experts at CAP Monitor expect the new departure for Audi high performance division quattro GmbH, which is now available to order priced at £43,000 OTR, to retain 52% of its original value after three years/60,000 miles. This outstanding prediction positions the RS Q3 ahead of not only every other SUV currently available on the UK market, but every car currently rated by CAP Monitor with the exception of the Cayman sports car produced by Volkswagen Group sister company Porsche.

Commenting on the very positive forecast for the latest addition to the Q3 family, Head of Sales Paul Sansom said: “All Audi models are characterised by strong residual values, but the RS Q3 sets a particularly high benchmark. This prediction not only reflects the perceived quality, reliability and desirability of the Q3 range, but also the respect the RS badge commands, particularly among UK buyers. These factors, combined with the inherent strength of the Audi brand, make the Q3 flagship one of the most compelling propositions not only in SUV terms but in the UK performance car market as a whole.”

At the heart of the new RS Q3 is a 2.5-litre, five-cylinder TFSI engine linked exclusively to a seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission. Producing 310PS and maximum torque of 420 Nm (309.78 lb-ft), it gives a gloriously distinctive five-cylinder rasp as it powers this unique RS Q model from 0-62mph in just 5.2 seconds and on to a top speed electronically limited to 155mph. Despite its ability to thrill, fuel economy sets a new precedent for an RS model – up to 32.1mpg is possible according to the combined cycle test, equating to CO2 output of 206 g/km.

RS-specific sports suspension and quattro drive

True to Audi RS tradition, quattro permanent all-wheel drive system underpins the RS Q3, and in conjunction with lowered, RS-specific sports suspension helps to deliver composed, flat cornering without forsaking equally important everyday ride comfort. Electromechanical rack and pinion steering offers quick and accurate turn-in, and ventilated disc brakes with a weight-saving wave contour design provide progressive and steadfast stopping power.

The exceptional performance and incisive handling are channeled through striking 20-inch Twin-spoke V-design alloy wheels, and the very special status of the RS Q3 is also underscored by RS-specific body detailing.

Inside, the RS theme is continued by the instrument cluster with its grey gauges overlaid with white scales and red needles, heated and Fine Nappa leather-upholstered front sports seats embossed with RS Q3 logos, a flat-bottomed RS multi-function sports steering wheel complemented by aluminium race inlays and bright aluminium pedals. The Driver’s Information System also includes additional boost pressure, oil temperature and lap timer modes.

In addition to the RS-specific touches, standard equipment also includes the Audi parking system plus, light and rain sensors, the Audi sound system with ten loudspeakers incorporating Audi Music Interface (AMI) iPod connection, a Bluetooth phone interface, xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lamps and LED tail lights which have a dark red tint when they are not lit.

Dacia residuals prove to be far better than competition

• Sandero Access, “UK’s most affordable new car” forecast to lose only £3,615 over three years/60,000 miles
• Low depreciation on top-of-the-range Sandero Laureate over three years/60,000 miles means owners could be nearly £4,000 better off than running pricier rivals like Skoda Fabia and Suzuki Swift
• New figures shatter any illusion that the UK’s “most affordable” new supermini range might not stack up financially in the future

But, a “shockingly affordable” price tag is one thing, the question on many people's’ lips recently has been how much one’ll be worth in a few years time. Well, now we have the answer.

In yet another blow to its rivals, but a boost to those who've already taken the Dacia supermini ownership plunge, leading residual value provider, CAP, has confirmed that over a three year period and 60,000 miles the Access 1.2 16V will only lose £3,615 of its smart-buy retail price of £5,995. Even the top-sec Laureate with the same engine only loses a further £1,400, making it thousands of pounds less than its rivals to boot.

The new figures make the idea of owning one even more appealing than it was already. And they shatter any illusion that one of the newest superminis on the block might not stack up financially after the shine of its alluring showroom price tag has faded.

Smart-buy choice over rivals

Sandero prides itself on big car features and technology, with small car prices. Its attractive design does not detract from its practical personality, with ample space for five adults and plenty of boot space. It’s also the UK’s most affordable new diesel car.

The 1.2 Laureate, is forecast to be worth an impressive 36% after three years - a stonking 6% more than Skoda’s Fabia 1.2 12V SE , and a whopping 8% more than a Suzuki Swift SZ3 1.2.

Put it another way, the Swift has a P11D value of £12,444, but is forecast to lose £8,919 over three years/60,000 miles. If you bought the Dacia Sandero 1.2 Laureate instead, you'd be better off to the tune of almost £4,000 after three years. That’s easily enough cash left over to treat the loved ones to a sun-drenched fortnight in Spain. Including Dacia car hire while you're out there. Or, a healthy chunk of cash to put towards a new Sandero. Who knows, owners might be so impressed with their Dacia supermini that they'll want to add another model from the range to their household.

Glass’s Guide is even more bullish. They believe it'll hold onto a jaw-dropping 57% of its value over the same period. In real money, it'll still be worth £4,470. A drop of only £2,370, less than plenty of all-inclusive family holidays to the Med.

The latest good news for Europe’s fastest-growing car brand comes only weeks after it launched its latest two models, Sandero Stepway and the five-seat estate, Logan MCV across the UK. Duster has already received a glowing endorsement from CAP and, with over 4,000 orders already this year, is taking the nation by storm too. The rest of the range now looks set to follow.

Commenting on the latest “good news”, Dacia UK Marketing Director, Phil York, said: “It’s only a few months since the Dacia Duster SUV got a glowing endorsement from the people who forecast future used car values, yet already we’re celebrating the same for the second car in the range.

“We always knew that a cracking entry price of only £5,995 would get Brits through the showroom door in their droves. This latest news now makes the deal for arguably one of the best value superminis even sweeter. If we carry on like this, we might have to call the factory to up the production for the UK.”

Testament to the quality

British popularity of Dacia, a subsidiary of the French carmaker Renault, is continuing to grow impressively, with the brand recently hitting 11,000 orders overall. It’s made an enemy of the unnecessary and makes a simple range of cleverly designed, high quality vehicles which unashamedly favour function over frivolity. Its jaw-dropping prices are clear and straightforward, whether you buy online at the Dacia Store on www.dacia.co.uk or through its nationwide retailer network.

Dacia only launched officially in the UK in January 2013, but has already cleaned up nine major awards, including a hat-trick of trophies at the carbuyer.co.uk 2013 awards, including Car of Year and 4x4 of the Year, plus Scottish Car of the Year for Duster, and Best Supermini under £12,000 for Sandero with What Car?.