Hyundai’s IONIQ has been awarded Best Small Hatch at the UK Car of the Year Awards 2017.

• Hyundai’s IONIQ, the world’s first car offering three electrified powertrains, has been awarded Best Small Hatch at the UK Car of the Year Awards 2017
• IONIQ praised for better driving and visual appeal than both Prius and Leaf
• Recognised for being the pioneer of offering three eco drivetrains in one stylish body

The IONIQ has been awarded Best Small Hatch at the UK Car of the Year Awards 2017, beating competition from the Renault Megane and MINI Clubman.

The IONIQ received praise from all the COTY judges for its green powertrains, combined with a chassis that delivers a good driving experience and its stylish body design. UK COTY judges said:

“IONIQ scores for its choice of three good eco drivetrains and is also decent to drive, with a good ride and refinement.” Paul Hudson

“Hyundai has produced a solid model to take on the competitive segment.” Olivia Gauch

“It’s an intelligent proposition for its flexible electric technology – and the design is edgy enough to reflect this.” Nargess Banks

“Technologically pioneering in terms of the range of powertrains, and the car is stylish and without the compromises offered by other alternative-fuelled vehicles.” Paul Barker

“Out-Priuses the Prius with a three-car range in a single swoop. A very impressive first effort.” Nat Barnes

“The fact it offers three greener powertrains is a masterstroke. Why has nobody done this before? A great reputation for reliability, decent real-world economy from the petrol engine and looks that are sufficient to make a statement without looking polarising.” Keith Jones

“With hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full electric options, the IONIQ takes on the Toyota Prius (hybrid & plug-in) and Nissan Leaf (EV only) and arguably offers greater attributes than both – from lower prices to better driving and visual appeal.” Guy Bird

Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor UK said “IONIQ has only been available since October yet has already received praise for its eco credentials and also its more mainstream capabilities. The award for Best Small Hatch from the UK COTY judges once again proves that Hyundai is offering exactly what the market wants – eco-friendly vehicles that drive well and look good that are also cost effective to run.”

Ioniq – along with 11 other winning cars – will now go forward to a final category to decide the overall UK Car of the Year 2017. The winner will be announced on 24th February 2017.

Citroën Grand C4 Picasso wins the ‘Best 7-Seater’ prize in the Carbuyer Best Car Awards

Citroën Grand C4 Picasso scoops the ‘Best Seven-Seater’ prize in the prestigious Carbuyer Best Car Awards 2017. 

New Grand C4 Picasso was chosen by the Carbuyer road-test team because of its running costs, comfort, practicality, reliability and safety, as well as its new technologies, value-for-money and optional extras.  

New Citroën Grand C4 Picasso has taken the ‘Best Seven-Seater’ prize in the Carbuyer Best Car Awards 2017. 

The ultra-practical family car was recognised for its superior comfort and innovative technologies, alongside a supremely spacious and versatile interior.

Carbuyer announced its Best Cars for 2017 at London’s Curzon Bloomsbury Cinema on Wednesday. The Carbuyer awards celebrate and recognise the very best cars available in the UK. 

The awards are driven by the popular Carbuyer.co.uk Best Cars section, which includes in-depth analysis on every new car on sale today.

Stuart Milne, Editor at Carbuyer, said; “Citroën’s Grand C4 Picasso looks great - but that beauty is more than skin deep. It's such a well thought-out car, with plenty of glass giving a light and airy feel inside. 

There's plenty of space for seven, and with touches such as three ISOFIX mounting points, it's perfectly designed for family life. 

It's just as good out on the road, with a wide range of engines as well as a comprehensive range of safety equipment meaning your family will stay safe should the worst happen.”

Chris Cheetham, Citroën UK’s Marketing Director, commented; “The awards just keep coming for this great family car and that’s because it really is the best vehicle in its class. 

Following the ‘Best MPV’ award from Auto Express earlier this year, we are honoured to be able to add the accolade of ‘Carbuyer Best Seven-Seater 2017’ to the list. 

This award is testament to our design and engineering teams, and is evidence that style doesn’t need to lose out to practicality.”

Hyundai IONIQ Electric wins the Next Green Car's Car Of The Year 2016.

• Hyundai IONIQ Electric wins the Next Green Car's Car Of The Year 2016 as well as winning the Small Family car category.
• The first IONIQ Electrics have already delivered to customers
• IONIQ is the world’s first vehicle to offer 3 electrified powertrains on 1 dedicated platform

The new Hyundai IONIQ has been hailed as Next Green Car’s Car of the Year 2016. Next Green Car’s judges also awarded IONIQ Electric with the top spot in Small Family category, against the Renault Megane, Fiat Tipo and Volvo V40. 

The judges praised IONIQ’s capabilities as an all round family car, as well as its recognised eco credentials as a zero emission electric vehicle.

The Next Green Car judge’s explained the verdicts "It's tough to find any weaknesses with the Hyundai IONIQ Electric. 

Plenty of range-stretching features help make the IONIQ Electric an easy EV to drive over long distances, while the company has also packed in plenty of performance, practicality, and value for money into the package.”

Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO Hyundai Motor UK, said “We are very pleased to receive both of these awards from Next Green Car. It is particularly satisfying to hear the judge’s verdicts commending IONIQ Electric for its all round abilities, as it underlines what we already know; that for our customers, the complete vehicle package is just as important as IONIQ’s zero emission performance.”

Hyundai’s IONIQ Hybrid and Electric went on sale at the end of October and since then almost 300 cars have been delivered. Both models will be joined in Hyundai showrooms by IONIQ Plug-in, which begins sales in Q2 2017. The IONIQ range is part of Hyundai Motor Group’s overall plan of launching 28 eco-friendly cars by 2020.

All-new Optima PHEV wins the large family car segment in the Next Green car Awards.

• All-new Optima PHEV wins the large family car segment
• All-new Niro is commended in the Crossover category
• A first win for Kia from Next Green Car

Two of Kia’s all-new models this year have had recognition for their environmentally-friendly values and focus on green energy. 

These models are steps towards the Korean manufacturer’s aim to cut its average CO₂ emissions by 25 per cent by 2020, and now have been praised in the Next Green Car Awards 2016.

The all-new Optima Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) has been announced as the winner of the large family car category. 

Not only this, but the all-new Niro was commended in the crossover category. 

This is the first win for Kia from Next Green Car, and second commendation following the Soul EV being nominated in 2014.

Next Green Car state that their mission is “to help car buyers find, compare and buy a greener, more economical car “ and their annual awards are a part of this. In the Next Green Car awards 2016, the shortlisted models vary from city cars, through to large SUVs. Nominated models must be available to buy or order in 2016 and are judged based on their capability, impact on its sector, value for money and suitability for purpose.

A spokesperson from Next Green Car said: "Smooth, spacious, and stylish, the Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid offers plenty of kit and a comfortable driving experience. Throw in the plug-in powertrain that has a very handy electric-only range, and the Kia is likely to prove a popular addition to the line-up." 

With a range of up to 33 miles in all-electric mode, the Optima PHEV is able to complete many regular urban commuter runs with no tailpipe emissions, while its CO₂ figure of just 37g/km means company car users pay just 7 per cent benefit-in-kind taxation in 2016-17.

Renault ZOE wins the Best Supermini category at the Next Green Car Awards 2016.

• Renault ZOE wins the Best Supermini category at the Next Green Car Awards 2016
• ZOE applauded for its class-leading range and excellent all-round package
• Judging criteria included capability, suitability for purpose and value for money
• All-electric ZOE priced from £13,995 (inc. PiCG)

Only weeks after the launch of a new version with the longest available range for a mainstream electric car, the Renault ZOE has underlined its class-leading usability by being voted the Best Supermini at the Next Green Car Awards.

Europe’s best-selling electric car was awarded the win after eclipsing the other cars shortlisted in the fiercely-contested category. 

Next Green Car’s expert judging panel praised the stylish ZOE for its unrivalled range of 250 miles (NEDC) and excellent all-round package.

The ZOE was selected for the annual awards through Next Green Car’s unique NGC Rating, which rates the environmental impact of all new cars on the market. 

It was then judged on a variety of criteria, including capability, suitability for purpose, impact on its sector and value for money.

Commenting on their decision to award the Renault ZOE, the Next Green Car judges said: "Renault roots out range anxiety with its new ZOE Z.E.40, offering a long range in an already strong supermini package. Nicely designed and easy to use, the zero-emission ZOE now has more than enough range to persuade even the most anxious driver into an EV."

Paul Flanagan, Managing Director, Groupe Renault UK, said: “We’re delighted that Next Green Car has chosen the Renault ZOE as its Best Supermini, its decision reaffirming that the ZOE is not just a superb electric vehicle, but is also a versatile, comfortable and easy-to-own car in its own right, irrespective of how it is powered.”

It’s not the first time that the innovative Renault ZOE has triumphed at the Next Green Car Awards. It is a previous winner of the Supermini category and has also won the leading green car website’s prestigious Gold Award.

ZOE offers a well-equipped specification, five-door practicality and immense ease-of-use. Perfect around town and further afield, the ZOE’s silent drive, instant torque and zero emissions-in-use make for a highly relaxing and environmentally-friendly driving experience. As standard, the stylish hatchback benefits from such features as cruise control, speed limiter, keycard entry with push button Start/Stop function, automatic climate control and the Renault R-Link multimedia system including satellite navigation.

Adding to the ZOE’s user-friendliness is its patented Chameleon™ charger that allows ZOE to always make the best use of whatever charging supply is available in order to speed up charging times. ZOE Dynamique Nav Q90 Z.E.40 Quick Charge can charge at up to 43kW, meaning that 0 to 80 per cent full, of the new enhanced range battery, can be achieved in as little as 65 minutes. For retail customers with a domestic address and off street parking, a 7kW Homecharger will also be fully installed free of charge enabling ZOE to be charged from flat-to-full from just 3-4 hours, depending on specification.

Using the My ZE Inter@ctive timer app customers are able to schedule the time that ZOE is charged and benefit from significantly lower off-peak electricity prices, while the car’s numerous innovations include its unique heat pump. This is able to air condition and heat the ZOE more efficiently than a traditional system, meaning the car’s occupants can stay comfortable without worrying about the range.

Renault estimates that the recently launched Z.E. 40 battery in ZOE, which enables a 250 mile (NEDC) range, has a real-world range of 186 miles in temperate conditions and 124 miles in extreme cold conditions. 

The ZOE is part of Renault’s Z.E. range made up of the Twizy and Kangoo Van Z.E. The ZOE range is priced from £13,995 (including Government PiCG plus monthly battery lease) in a choice of three trim levels, including a new top-of-the-range Signature Nav trim and can be purchased either outright or by leasing the battery. 

The ZOE has been selling strongly in the UK with 1,482 examples sold in the first three-quarters of 2016 – a 33 per cent increase on the same period of 2015 – continuing the trend set in Europe where Renault was the best-selling electric vehicle manufacturer in 2015.  Purchases of ZOE represent one in six electric vehicles sold in the UK. 

The ZOE is proving popular with the British public having been voted ‘Best Supermini’ in the Auto Express Driver Power Survey 2016 – coming second overall out of 183 models. The ZOE is also a three-time winner of What Car?’s ‘Best Electric Car for less than £20,000’ and a Which? ‘Best Buy’ in 2016. It was most recently awarded Best Electric Car in the Carbuyer Best Cars Awards 2017.

Vauxhall’s all-new Astra has been recognised as the Best Family Car at the Carbuyer Best Cars 2017 Awards.

Vauxhall’s all-new Astra has been recognised as the Best Family Car at the Carbuyer Best Cars 2017 Awards. This latest win adds to what has been an outstanding year of awards for the all-new Astra, securing its position as one of the top new models on the market.

The multi award-winning Astra picked up the accolade in the Best Family Car category, and was commended for its design, value for money and build quality. 

The Carbuyer Best Cars Awards are focused on what matters to buyers, honouring the winners with the title of best in their respective classes.

Winning models are recognised as meeting, or surpassing, the standards that Carbuyer has identified across key buying factors such as style, space and running costs.

This latest win follows on from a trio of Carbuyer Car Tech Awards for Vauxhall, who picked up the titles of Tech Car of the Year and Best Self-Parking System for the new Astra, as well as Best Safety Innovation for Vauxhall OnStar. 

“The latest Vauxhall Astra has been on sale since late 2015, and it’s fair to say it’s the best family hatchback the company has ever made. The Astra is better built, more aesthetically pleasing and more economical than any of its predecessors,” commented Stuart Milne, Editor of Carbuyer. “We rate it as the best family car you can buy today, thanks to its blend of modern technology, excellent value for money and superb overall ownership experience.”

Stuart Harris, Vauxhall’s Head of Carline Brand, said: “This award adds to what has been an extremely successful year for the new Astra. It has proven itself in many categories and now has been singled out as one of the best family cars available on the market.”

“The Astra is a strong contender in every aspect. The latest technology, thanks to OnStar, offers excellent levels of connectivity and safety, while the latest design offers a great look without compromising on space for the family.”

The all-new Astra has built up an impressive list of accolades throughout 2016, including being named a Game-Changer by Autocar and picking up European Car of Year. It has also secured category wins in the Auto Express, WhatCar? and Fleet News Awards.

The Jaguar F-Pace Sports Utility Vehicle takes the Supreme award in the 2016 Woman's Car Of The Year Awards.

• The Jaguar F-PACE is crowned ‘Supreme Winner’ at the 2016 Women’s World Car of the Year Awards
• Jaguar’s fastest selling car is also awarded Women’s World SUV/Crossover of the Year title
• Women’s World Car of the Year is the only car award voted for entirely by women

The Jaguar F-PACE has been named ‘Supreme Winner’ at the 2016 Women’s World Car of the Year Awards. As well as collecting the top accolade, the car was also named as Women’s World SUV/Crossover of the Year.

These awards are the latest in a line of major industry honours for the F-PACE since its launch in April, including being named Auto Express ‘Car of the Year’ and ‘Best Premium SUV’ by Telegraph Cars. 

Fiona Pargeter, Head of Global PR Communications for Jaguar Land Rover, said: "The awards of Supreme Winner and Best SUV/Crossover in the 2016 Women’s Car of the Year Awards is a great achievement and a true highlight in the continuing F-PACE success story.

“The combination of beautiful design, everyday usability and unrivalled driving experience set the F-PACE apart from the competition and is attracting new customers to the Jaguar brand worldwide.”

The Jaguar F-PACE is an SUV designed and engineered to offer the agility, responsiveness and refinement all Jaguars are renowned for, together with unrivalled dynamics and everyday usability. It seats five adults in absolute comfort with generous headroom and knee room, while offering a 650-litre luggage compartment.

Anna Gallagher, Senior Launch Manager for Jaguar, said: “We are very proud of this award as female buyers were at the heart of the F-PACE design from day one. Through customer clinics and data we ensured that we created a distinctive vehicle that would appeal to all lifestyles. Our teams worked hard on the features that appeal to both male and female customers, to deliver the best mix of performance, design and practicality.”  

Women’s World Car of the Year judges submit their personal shortlists and this year 294 cars were nominated by 17 judges from 14 countries. A master list was compiled and judges picked six category winners from the 32 cars that made the grade. They voted once more to make the Jaguar F-PACE the Supreme Winner from the six category winners.

The Jaguar F-PACE, priced from £ £35,020, is available to order now at Jaguar UK retailers