Car Of The Year 2013

What half decent car website would be complete without a Car Of The Year post? Last year we crowned Ford's Focus 1.0T EcoBoost our winner having driven a vast array of models during 2012 - 2013.

Now after another busy year driving 70+ cars it's time to do the same again but this time we are going to do it a little differently. Rather that breaking down our accolades into categories (like last year) for Car Of The Year 2013 we are simply going to name four runners up (in order of favouriteness) then crown our winner. Got it? No wait....we struggled to stick to five so we have six... 

6th Kia pro_cee'd GT - November 2013 

Ok so it has a (very) silly name. Look past that and Kia’s first ever sporty hatchback and most anticipated model ever has a lot to offer those in search of cheap thrills. With a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine under its aggressive snout and thoroughly revised suspension there are plenty of smiles to be had being the wheel. What is most impressive is its starting price of just £19,995 which places it in direct competition with hot-hatches in the class below. That said there is no denying that although the pro_cee’d GT is fun, ultimately it lacks the rewarding chassis and hairy-chested brutishness of thoroughbred pocket rockets.

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5th Citroen C4 Picasso - October 2013

Were we expecting Citroen’s all-new C4 Picasso to be good? Of course. And was it? Hell yes. Sitting on PSA’s new lightweight EMP2 modular platform
and cloaked in some of the most eye-catching bodywork ever seen on an MPV before it really made an impression on us. Not only does it offer families masses of space and flexibility but it also has one of the smartest and most modern interiors around. On top of this the driving experience is far better than any Picasso that has gone before.

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4th Peugeot 208 GTi - August 2013

Is the 208 GTi a reborn 205 GTi? Is it anything like a 205? Well….no and no. But is that a bad thing? Absolutely not. Previous Peugeot 2-series GTis have been overweight, slow and dimwitted but in comparison the new 208 GTi is a revelation. For starters it is pretty light, it also packs 200 horses of the turbocharged variety under its bonnet and is blessed with a crisp chassis. It all comes together beautifully on any road complete with a sharp set of clothes that let everyone else know your not just driving any run-of-the-mill supermini. What’s not to like?

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3rd Ford B-Max - October 2013

Who would have thought that the doors of Ford’s B-MAX would be such a talking point? Suspicious that the whole idea of a pillar-less Fiesta-based MPV was just a gimmick we were pleasantly surprised. Here was a car only slightly larger than a Fiesta (on which it’s based) but with compact sliding doors that make getting kids, car seats and who knows what else in and out a doddle. Furthermore the B-MAX looks pretty stylish, has a practical, well-built cabin and is a hoot to drive. 

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2nd Honda Civic - September 2013

No we haven’t made a mistake. Honda’s Civic when fitted with the brilliant 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine is one of the best all-rounders you will find for the money. Its styling may appear a little incohesive compared to its predecessor but look beyond this and you have a Ford Focus rival that has a massive boot, cool space-age cabin and has one of the smoothest rides you will find. Then there is the engine which is powerful, quiet and stupidly economical. We sent the Civic back to Honda with well over half a tank of fuel. It’s that frugal.

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Subaru BRZ - August 2013

So here we have it. Our Car Of The Year 2013. 

The Subaru BRZ is probably one of the most obvious choices but there is a reason why. It’s probably the most fun you can have with only 197 bhp under the bonnet. Why? Because its front engine, rear-wheel-drive chassis has been tuned with such precision that every single journey is an event that you will want to repeat over and over. The way it devours corners with its tenacious grip and superb agility is simply electrifying and it all comes wrapped in a quietly aggressive coupe shape that begs to be admired. On top of this the BRZ is reasonably economical, very comfortable and can be yours for just £26,495. Sell your wives and mother-in-laws...you won’t regret it!

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