Skip advert
Advertisement

Best for performance

To win in this category, a car needs to be able to overtake with confidence and pull strongly in all gears.

Category: Performance

How fast is it? Despite ever stricter speed limits and greater enforcement this is the question asked most often of any road tester at the wheel of a new model.

The 0-60mph sprint has long been the benchmark measure of the quickest possible time to get from a standstill to the A-Road national speed limit.

Advertisement - Article continues below

So why don’t we rank models by their official 0-60mph times in the performance chart? Because in the real world this doesn’t tell the whole story.

For example, driven to the limit automatic transmissions are slower against the clock than a hard driven manual, but in everyday conditions a modern self-shifter will be quickest off the line. And then there’s overtaking pace – speeding up from 50-70mph is often where acceleration is most important.

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_narrow","fid":"79298","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image"}}]]

Another victory for Jaguar’s XF shows that its performance is not only ample, but its automatic gearbox makes speeding up a swift and drama free experience. Second place goes to Audi’s TT, a model which uses turbocharged petrol and diesel engines to offer great pace no matter what the driving conditions.

The bottom eight models in the performance chart are all from the supermini/city car sector, with the ancient engine in Ford’s old shape Ka proving the weediest of the lot.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

What you said: "Stunning performance, great styling, luxurious spec" - Jaguar XF Owner

"Brilliant little car - brings a smile to my face everytime l get in my TT and drive" - Audi TT Owner

1

JAGUARXF94.87%

2

AUDITT/ROADSTER NEW92.62%

3

JAGUARS-TYPE91.76%

4

SKODAOCTAVIA NEW91.58%

5

MERCEDESE-CLASS MKIII91.58%

6

SKODASUPERB NEW91.54%

7

SEATLEON MKII91.33%

8

MERCEDESE-CLASS MKIV91.11%

9

MAZDAMX-5/RC MKIII90.14%

10

BMW3-SERIES MKIV90.05%

11

VauxhallINSIGNIA90.00%

12

MAZDARX-889.87%

13

VOLKSWAGENSCIROCCO89.72%

14

AUDIA589.06%

15

SAAB9-5 OLD89.04%

16

SKODAYETI89.01%

17

FORDS-MAX88.74%

18

VOLVOS6088.62%

19

ALFA ROMEO15688.45%

20

FIATBRAVO88.25%

21

AUDIA388.25%

22

BMW3-SERIES MKIII87.89%

23

MERCEDESC-CLASS MKIII87.81%

24

VOLKSWAGENGOLF MKVI87.76%

25

HONDACIVIC MKVIII87.70%

26

BMW5-SERIES MKV87.36%

27

MINIONE/COOPER/COOPER S NEW87.12%

28

RENAULTLAGUNA MKIII86.79%

29

BMW1-SERIES86.17%

30

VOLVOV5085.85%

31

LAND ROVERFREELANDER NEW85.78%

32

RENAULTMEGANE MKIII85.67%

33

JAGUARX-TYPE85.52%

34

MAZDA6 NEW85.43%

35

AUDIA4 MKIV85.39%

36

KIACEE'D85.25%

37

NISSANQASHQAI85.15%

38

VOLKSWAGENGOLF MKV85.04%

39

FORDMONDEO MKIV85.00%

40

ALFA ROMEO15984.92%

41

HYUNDAII30 (clean)84.90%

42

MINIONE/COOPER/COOPER S OLD84.85%

43

VAUXHALLASTRA MKVI84.76%

44

SKODAFABIA NEW84.75%

45

SAAB 9-384.61%

46

HONDAACCORD MKVII84.42%

47

AUDIA4 MKIII84.40%

48

FORDFOCUS OLD84.21%

49

SEATALTEA84.06%

50

MERCEDESC-CLASS MKII83.80%
 

51

VOLKSWAGENPASSAT 2000-200583.68%

52

ROVER7582.73%

53

HONDACR-V MKIII82.67%

54

VAUXHALLZAFIRA NEW82.63%

55

FORDC-MAX OLD82.58%

56

CITROENC5 NEW82.55%

57

VOLKSWAGENTOURAN82.54%

58

HYUNDAICOUPE82.42%

59

SEATIBIZA MKIV82.22%

60

FORDMONDEO MKIII82.22%

61

LEXUSIS NEW82.11%

62

VOLKSWAGENPASSAT OLD81.99%

63

MAZDA2 NEW81.92%

64

AUDIA6 MKIII81.76%

65

MAZDA6 OLD81.57%

66

NISSANNOTE81.51%

67

RENAULTCLIO MKIII81.34%

68

FORDFIESTA MKVI80.91%

69

HONDACIVIC MKVII80.91%

70

PEUGEOT20780.74%

71

HONDAJAZZ NEW80.65%

72

VAUXHALLVECTRA MKIII80.55%

73

CITROENC4 PICASSO80.37%

74

VAUXHALLASTRA MKV80.31%

75

NISSANMICRA MKIII80.00%

76

HONDAJAZZ OLD79.24%

77

FORDFOCUS 1998-200478.99%

78

RENAULTMEGANE MKII78.93%

79

TOYOTACOROLLA78.36%

80

VAUXHALLCORSA NEW78.30%

81

CITROENXSARA PICASSO78.28%

82

MERCEDESA-CLASS NEW77.60%

83

VOLVOS4077.41%

84

TOYOTAAVENSIS OLD77.22%

85

FIAT50076.79%

86

TOYOTAAURIS76.33%

87

CITROENC4 OLD76.31%

88

VAUXHALLMERIVA OLD76.07%

89

FORDFIESTA MKV75.92%

90

LAND ROVERFREELANDER OLD75.08%

91

RENAULTSCENIC/GRAND SCENIC MKII74.82%

92

RENAULTCLIO MKII74.46%

93

PEUGEOT30774.46%

94

TOYOTAYARIS NEW74.44%

95

FIATGRANDE PUNTO74.33%

96

FIATPANDA74.00%

97

FIATPUNTO72.58%

98

VOLKSWAGENPOLO MKIV72.50%

99

VAUXHALLCORSA OLD72.40%

100

FORDKA OLD70.91%
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: Vauxhall Grandland Ultimate is a fully-loaded SUV at just £172 a month
Vauxhall Grandland - front cornering
News

Car Deal of the Day: Vauxhall Grandland Ultimate is a fully-loaded SUV at just £172 a month

Vauxhall’s Grandland SUV is a solid family car and at this bargain price it’s our Deal of the Day for 10 May
10 May 2024
MG model blitz: new MG2 and MG ZS to lead brand's assault on the market
MG ZS EV - front
News

MG model blitz: new MG2 and MG ZS to lead brand's assault on the market

A new MG2, plus replacements for the ZS and HS are all expected to arrive by the end of 2025
10 May 2024
‘Vauxhall listened to criticism and cut its electric car prices, now other brands need to follow suit’
Opinion - Vauxhall Corsa Electric
Opinion

‘Vauxhall listened to criticism and cut its electric car prices, now other brands need to follow suit’

Mike Rutheford thinks electric car prices are still far too expensive
12 May 2024