What makes a great car? Terrific performance? Solid handling? Supreme luxury?
They’re certainly important in the right situation, but above all a great car needs to put a smile on your face, whether that’s after a blat down a winding road, a cross-continent trudge, or even as you lock it away in the garage at night.
Sometimes you know it’s a winner as soon as you sit behind the wheel. Sometimes you only realise after you’ve part-exchanged it for your next motor.
And other times it takes several attempts before you find a good ’un, which is why we’ve saved you the trouble by giving you 21 cars that stand out in their particular fields. Happy hunting.
01 Mini Cooper (2001)
0-60mph 9.3sec
Top speed 125mph
Average economy 42.2mpg
BMW took a huge risk when it resurrected the Mini brand. The new hatchback was bigger than the original car but its internal packaging was nowhere near as clever. But it looked great, handled well and caught the imagination of thousands of buyers - and spurred a raft of other models.
02 Porsche Boxster 2.7 (2007)
0-60mph 6.1sec
Top speed 160mph
Average economy 30.4mpg
The second-generation Boxster appeared in 2005 as a subtle evolution of the the Mk1 car, but it took another couple of years before it really came into its own, when it was given the same 2.7-litre engine as the Cayman. Its variable valve timing gave it a bit more power and helped it sound terrific when revved.
03 Nissan GT-R (2009)
0-62mph 3.5sec
Top speed 195mph
Average economy 23.5mpg
The successor to the Skyline GT-R sent its 3.8-litre V6’s 478bhp through all four wheels for a scarcely believable 0-62mph time of 3.5sec. Even more amazing was its comparatively low list price. Yes, it was basically a supercomputer on wheels, but booting the throttle was a hard habit to break.
04 Toyota Prius (2004)
0-60mph 11.9sec
Top speed 101mph
Average economy 65.7mpg
No, not the original Prius, which was a still too quirky to go mainstream, but the second version of the petrol-electric hybrid. In reality it wasn’t as economical as the figures suggested, but it proved a hit with Hollywood celebrities and its success gave other car makers the confidence to develop their own hybrids.
05 VW Golf GTI (2005)
0-60mph 7.0sec
Top speed 136mph
Average economy 34.9mpg
The superb original GTI made its debut in 1976 and was followed by the almost-as-impressive Mk2 in 1984, but the Golf GTI lost its mojo after that. Then the Mk5 appeared. The turbocharged 2.0-litre engine had close to 200bhp, build quality was much improved and it handled brilliantly. The hot hatch was back and better than ever.
06 Bugatti Veyron (2005)
0-62mph 2.5sec
Top speed 253mph
Average economy 11.6mpg
Hypercars mean big numbers. The original Veyron had more than 1000bhp, produced by a 16-cylinder, 8.0-litre engine and got to 124mph in 7.4sec (okay, that’s a small number). As you’d imagine, you’d need big pockets to run one - the cost of a service will buy you a VW Polo.
07 Tesla Model S (2014)
0-60mph 5.4sec
Top speed 125mph
Average economy na
Electric cars might have been around for more than 100 years but it’s the Model S that made the world sit up and take notice, thanks in part to a 250-mile range, impressive performance and a practical interior. Subsequent software updates have given the Model S semi-autonomous abilities.
08 BMW 320d (2005)
0-60mph 8.1sec
Top speed 136mph
Average economy 49.6
Diesels haven’t had a good press of late, but when BMW launched this 2.0-litre engine in 2005 we couldn’t get over how well it performed while still managing to return close to 50mpg. The 320d’s beautifully built cabin, impeccable handling and low running costs were the icing on the cake.
09 Audi R8 4.2 quattro (2007)
0-60mph 4.4sec
Top speed 187mph
Average economy 19.3mpg
Supercars have a reputation for being weekend cars because of their hardcore nature, but here was a coupé you could use for the daily commute and even a trip to the shops. That’s not to say it was boring - the R8 offered scintillating performance, immense body control and a glorious V8 soundtrack.
10 Rolls-Royce Phantom (2003)
0-60mph 6.0sec
Top speed 149mph
Average economy 17.8mpg
This was Rolls-Royce under BMW ownership, rebooted for the 21st century. It might be in the same class as the Mercedes S-Class and Range Rover, but those cars simply don’t offer the same ambience; nothing else says you’ve arrived in quite the same manner as a Phantom.
11 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (2010)
0-60mph 3.9sec
Top speed 193mph
Average economy 21.4mpg
This is the only car you should be looking at if driving enjoyment is right up there at the top of your requirements list. The 444bhp flat six engine comes courtesy of Porsche Motorsport and is simply phenomenal, while the car remains glued to the road in fast corners and puts the driver right at the heart of the action.
12 BMW i8 (2014)
0-60mph 4.3sec
Top speed 155mph
Average economy 134.5mpg
It’s easy to think that stricter CO2 emission limits will spell the end of sports cars, yet the i8 shows they do have a future, even if they won’t sound quite as good as they used to. The i8 uses a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor to incredible effect and emits only 49g/km of CO2.
13 McLaren 570S (2016)
0-62mph 3.2sec
Top speed 204mph
Average economy 25.5mpg
The 570S might be McLaren’s entry-level model but it still has 562bhp and counts the Porsche 911 Turbo among its rivals. Its twin-turbo V8 is supremely responsive, while its adjustable suspension deals with rutted roads in Normal mode and gives the 570S terrific poise in the hardcore Race setting.
14 Ferrari 458 Italia Speciale (2013)
0-62mph 3.0sec
Top speed 202mph
Average economy 20.6mpg
The 458 is undeniably one of the best Ferraris of all time. In Speciale form it loses 90kg and gains new engine internals and bespoke aerodynamics. Meanwhile its ceramic brakes come into their own on the track, although the car feels just at home on regular roads.
15 Ford Fiesta 1.0T (2013)
0-62mph 10.8sec
Top speed 112mph
Average economy 65.0mpg
Don’t let its super-mini dimensions fool you into thinking that this is some humdrum shopping car - it’s genuinely good to drive, with great handling yet pliant suspension and a zippy turbocharged petrol engine that never feels out of its depth on the motorway, yet also returns great economy.
16 Skoda Superb 1.8T (2002)
0-60mph 9.2sec
Top speed 134mph
Average economy 34.0mpg
Looking for limousine levels of passenger space and VW dependability for a bargain price? The original Superb had your name all over it. The boot was huge and the rear seats allowed even those more than six feet tall to stretch out. Best of all, it had a decent amount of standard kit.
17 Mazda MX-5 2.0 (2015)
0-62mph 7.3sec
Top speed 133mph
Average economy 40.9mpg
Mazda’s little roadster has been with us since 1990 and every version has collected accolades from around the world, but it’s the latest car that takes things full circle after having lost weight. It’s now nearly as light as the original classic and is just as good to drive.
18 Porsche Macan S (2014)
0-62mph 5.2sec
Top speed 157mph
Average economy 31.4mpg
This isn’t Porsche’s first SUV but it’s definitely the best. The S uses a twin-turbo 3.0-litre petrol engine - it’s not as quick as the Turbo version but it’s still rapid, and the Macan handles itself very well for a two-tonne car. And, of course, it’s a proper off-roader once fitted with the right tyres.
19 Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi (2007)
0-62mph 11.9sec
Top speed 113mph
Average economy 74.3mpg
Sales of small SUVs are growing like never before in the UK, and it’s the Qashqai that’s leading the field despite some impressive competition from rival car makers. This version in economical, has a practical cabin, is good to drive and comes with plenty of standard kit.
20 BMW 7 Series 730d (2016)
0-62mph 6.1sec
Top speed 155mph
Average economy 60.1mpg
BMW’s luxury car has always played second fiddle to its key rival, the Mercedes S-Class. No longer. The new 7 Series is a technological tour de force, with suspension that reads and reacts to the road ahead and a body that’s reinforced with ultra-light carbonfibre.
21 Audi A2 1.4 TDI (2000)
0-62mph 11.9sec
Top speed 107mph
Average economy 64mpg
The A2 brought a touch of luxury to the supermini class and was made largely from aluminium, which kept the weight down and gave it class-leading economy figures. It was also well equipped as standard, which was just as well considering the high list price.