Best cars & vans

The 10 best cars for 'engine and gearbox'

Driver Power asked UK new car buyers what they thought of their cars' engines and gearboxes, here are the top 10 highest rated

by: Auto Express team

5 May 2020

Covering: Acceleration, quietness of engine, smoothness of gearbox
Winner: Renault Zoe
Score: 96.38%

Electric drivetrains do very well in Driver Power – the engine and gearbox category was won by the first-generation Nissan Leaf in 2017 and 2018, and then by the second-generation Leaf in 2019. For 2020, though, the Japanese EV has swapped places with a former runner-up – the Renault Zoe.

The silence offered by electric drivetrains is a big factor in their top billing in this category – the Zoe and the Leaf both ranked impressively well on that point. The Zoe also achieved great marks for the smoothness of its gearbox and ranked very highly for overall acceleration – not bad for a supermini.

It was the Leaf that scored the highest mark for acceleration, followed by the sporty petrol-powered Mazda MX-5, which also earned a high score in the engine and gearbox category.

Back on gearbox smoothness, the hybrid Toyota Corolla’s CVT unit was another impressive performer, and this was another area where the Leaf did well.

Your view

“The Zoe’s throttle response is almost immediate. Its powertrain feels very lively; this has got to be the quickest car from 0-20mph I’ve ever driven.”