When it comes to buying a new car it’s almost impossible to be disappointed these days, but we’re here to sort the wheat from the chaff and find the best new cars – 2018, fortunately, doesn’t disappoint!
This week we’re going to highlight our pick in each of the major categories to help you decide.
Best small car of 2018
The supermini and small car category is one of the most keenly contested markets – especially in today’s cash and environmentally aware climate. Picking a winner in a field full of frankly wonderful cars like the new Nissan Micra, Suzuki Swift and Citroen C3 is tough, but we feel that it’s time to put the Ford Fiesta back on top of the pile.
Always great to drive, the Fiesta has been improved throughout, and now has the cabin space and legroom to match its drivability.
Best new family car
This is a broad category that covers medium hatchbacks right up to estate cars, so we’ll try to pick one that’s a jack of all trades from this year’s new cars.
2018 sees some great contenders hit the road: we’ve got the new Skoda Octavia – powerful, well-built, fun to drive and roomy; Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport – an upmarket package for a mid-range price, with enough to encourage buyers away from the Skoda and Passat; the new Ford Focus – sure to be the drivers choice with a small family.
Our pick, though, is the new Hyundai i30 Tourer – a super efficient estate with slick lines and a five-year warranty, making it the perfect peace of mind buy for the family driver.
Best hot hatch of 2018
Okay, we’ll admit that this is the category we’re most excited about! Hot hatches have made a real comeback over the past few years, and 2018 is no different in that regard. We’ve got the Renault Megane RS, the Seat Leon Cupra R and Peugeot 308 GTi to look forward to, but it’s Hyundai’s first hot hatch offering, the i30N that has our attention. It’s almost the perfect car for the money, beating out the Focus RS, Civic Type R and the Golf Gti – an astounding achievement, we think you’ll agree!
So if you’re looking for an upgrade, we hope we’ve helped you to narrow down the best new cars 2018 has to offer – maybe we’ll even see you at Trafalgar Street Car Park as you take your new motor for a trip into Leeds!