Hyundai i30 Scoops Top Car Award

The i30 shot straight to the number one slot in the Driver Power Top 100 to be named the most satisfying car to own by the people who should really know – the drivers who run them.

Completed by over 23,000 drivers, the Driver Power survey is compiled by Auto Express, the UK’s best-selling weekly motoring magazine, and is considered to be Britain’s definitive poll on car reliability and satisfaction.

The i30 beat all other brands, including a raft of prestige marques and last year’s winner, the Jaguar XF. It’s the first time a Korean maker has won in the nine year history of the survey.

Hyundai as a brand made the biggest overall leap up the charts, jumping 12 places to finish sixth.

Auto Express editor-in-chief David Johns said: “Congratulations to Hyundai. This is a huge breakthrough for the brand. Over the years, owners have told us how reliable their cars are and what good value they are too. But this is the final proof that they can now match that with real all-round satisfaction.”

It’s not just Auto Express readers who think the i30 is satisfying to own – readers of Which? also voted it as the most reliable medium-sized car in a poll published late in 2009.

Hyundai UK’s managing director Tony Whitehorn said: “Thousands of new buyers have defected to Hyundai recently and they are genuinely surprised at the quality of the cars. Owners are recommending Hyundai to their friends and neighbours and it is through this word-of-mouth recommendation that the brand is becoming so popular so quickly.”

While it was good news for Hyundai, Ford’s current Focus came resolutely mid-table – in 51st place. And it was an even worse story for Vauxhall. Its previous-generation Corsa supermini finished at the bottom of the Top 100, while the MkIV Astra was just one place above it, in 99th position.

However, it was Peugeot that walked away with the wooden spoon in the manufacturer countdown, thanks to poor performances by its 307 and 207 models.

A strong showing from the Octavia saw Skoda scoop the overall win in the manufacturer category, with Toyota luxury brand Lexus in second. The i30 helped Hyundai make the biggest overall leap, jumping 12 places to finish sixth.

[B]The Driver Power Top 10[/B]
1. Hyundai i30
2. Jaguar XF
3. Skoda Octavia
4. Volkswagen Golf MkVI
5. Renault Mégane MkIII
6. Land Rover Discovery 3
7. Rover 75
8. Mercedes E-Class (2002-2009)
9. Toyota Prius (2003-2009)
10. Jaguar S-Type

Best Manufacturer – Skoda

Hats off to Skoda! Ousting Lexus from the top spot last year, Skoda has held onto the gold medal in 2010 thanks to the excellent Fabia and Octavia models. With well-recieved newcomers such as the Yeti and Superb, we can only expect the firm to do the same in 2011.

Running costs – Fiat Panda

There’s no doubt about it – if you want to keep an eye on the pennies, the Fiat Panda is the clear winner. Drivers love its fuel-efficient engines, low insurance costs and servicing bills that result in a smile rather than a wince.

Reliability – Toyota Prius

It’s had a tough time of late but the Driver Power results speak volumes – Toyota Prius owners have had no problems to report. That’s remarkable in a car that packs so much hi-tech equipment.

Ease of driving – Toyota Prius

Just jump in and go – that’s the message the Prius sends out. Even though it has a complex drivetrain, Toyota’s hybrid is a breeze to drive, providing light steering, simple controls and a fine view of the road.

Practicality – Land Rover Discovery 3

Here’s proof when it comes to practicality, you don’t need an MPV. The Discovery 3 has more ‘throw it all and go’ ability than any other to in the Driver Power Top 100, thanks to its vast size, seven-seater layout and split tailgate.

Build quality – Lexus IS (old model)

Hewn-from-granite and likely to last just as long, the previous generation Lexus IS is the Driver Power Build Quality champion. Drivers say their cars are still as rattle free as the day they left the factory.

Credits: wilswong