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SEAT Leon wins Auto Express Car of the Year 2013
SEAT wins its first Auto Express Car of the Year; Range Rover wins reader poll for best design
The SEAT Leon was named Car of the Year 2013 at the annual Auto Express New Car Awards.
This is the first time the Spanish brand has won the Auto Express Car of the Year Award, while the Leon also drove off with the Best Compact Family Car Award. There was further Spanish glory as the SEAT Alhambra was named Best MPV for the third year running.
Auto Express editor-in-chief, Steve Fowler, commented: “The new Leon is a brilliant all-rounder offering space, quality, economy and plenty of style. You’ve only got to look at the cars the Leon beat to see just how good it is.”
Ford walked away with four Awards, including the first ever Auto Express Van of the Year title for the new Transit Custom. The Fiesta was named Best Supermini, while the Fiesta ST was Best Hot Hatch and the B-MAX Best Five-Seat MPV.
British success was led by Land Rover with its all-new Range Rover named Design of the Year by Auto Express readers and also winning Luxury Car of the Year. The Range Rover Evoque was named Best Compact SUV for the third year running.
Steve Fowler added: “We’re continually amazed by the quality and efficiency of the latest new cars – offering so much more, but costing far less to run. Standards are incredibly high, which makes choosing the right car more difficult than ever. These Awards provide the perfect guide for car buyers in the run-up to the September plate change.”
For the full story on all the winners and commended runners-up, see the Awards Special Issue of Auto Express magazine, on sale at all good newsagents now.
Alternatively, you can download our iPad edition.
Auto Express New Car Awards Winners 2013
City Car Skoda Citigo
Supermini Ford Fiesta
Compact family car SEAT Leon
Family Car Mazda 6
Five-seat MPV Ford B-MAX
Seven-seat MPV SEAT Alhambra
Estate Car Skoda Octavia Estate
Crossover Mazda CX-5
Compact SUV Range Rover Evoque
Large SUV Hyundai Santa Fe
Hot Hatch Ford Fiesta ST
Convertible Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet
Coupe Porsche Cayman
Roadster Porsche Boxster
Pick-up Volkswagen Amarok
Compact Executive Car BMW 3 Series
Executive Car BMW 5 Series
Luxury Car Range Rover
Performance Car Toyota GT 86
Green Award Vauxhall Ampera
Design Award Range Rover
Driver Power Award Lexus
Hall of Fame Ian Robertson, BMW
Safety Award Volvo V40
Van of the Year Ford Transit Custom
For more breaking car news and reviews, subscribe to Auto Express - available as a weekly magazine and on your iPad. We'll give you 6 issues for £1 and a free gift!
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Disqus - noscript
How much did VW Group pay for that? .... (and I'm being very sarcastic) .... the VW Group haters are gonna love this one!!
Are you suggesting this survey is rigged?
Lol!
I'm just waiting for the obvious comments on how sh*t VW's are and anything associated with VAG Group!
Auto Express wins the "Biggest Load Of Cobblers" Award for 2013
I love how the winner for best performance car of the year is the Toyota GT86, yet in the review of the Toyota, AE describe it as Gutless.
Contradicting much?
What's your point? Every single car has negatives.
Why? What would your choice be?
A performance car that's 'gutless'...
Maybe one day your two brain cells will meet, and breed.
Well done SEAT! Very well deserved. I can't think of a car in its class that is as improved, as well rounded and as stylish as the Leon is. It deserves to be successful this time round. Well done to Mazda, Toyota and Hyundai too.
It's all about the 'spirit' of the thing, one has to constantly remind oneself...! But yes, I don't see how in spite of this and a 7.6 sec time it can even be entered as a consideration, let alone winner!
Well said, no name. Couldn't have put it better myself.
The Leon is phenomeballs...
...well what do you know...turns out I could put it better myself. \o/
Exactly !!
You have obviously not driven a GT86. Based on driving experience and the package as a whole it is well deserved. Well done Toyota (and Subaru I guess..LOL!)
I am not really a VAG fan but dont dislike them either. I would acknowledge the fact that the new Leon is a very good car though. More interesting and appealing in my opinion than the clinical Golf and old mans Octavia.
Of all the Volkswagen C-segment offerings I like the new Leon's styling the best. It significantly improves over the outgoing model unlike the others who seem to be lightly touched copies of the old.
The improvements continue inside. The car's dash looks nice and is well laid out. The cabin is spacious. So is the boot. Albeit my comment is only on the FR 2L Diesel that I test-drove the other day.
Design Award for range rover?. Lazy! A square box with a tacky looking Halfords style body kit. People knock Porsche for keeping their designs subtle over time.. but come on a big square box with a body kit. At least SEAT should have this award for design on effort alone.
I have not and I'm sure it's an awesome ride being RWD and with a low centre of gravity. However I do not consider it a performance car with a 0-62 time of 7.6 seconds and am entitled to that opinion.
I agree - the Leon is much nicer than the Golf and Octavia.