Skip advert
Advertisement

Driver Power exclusive test

The cars YOU voted best in 2008’s Driver Power survey go head-to-head with their latest rivals.

titans

The annual Auto Express Driver Power report reveals the results of the UK’s most influential car owner satisfaction survey, and is required reading for anyone looking for their perfect new model.

Every year, more than 30,000 drivers rate their vehicles in 10 key areas, ranging from reliability to performance. From these results, each model then gets a percentage score, so we can name the top 100 cars in the UK – as rated by you.

Advertisement - Article continues below

So what makes a Driver Power winner? Regular readers of the report – now in its seventh year – will know that it’s certainly not sales success. Many of the UK’s most popular cars from the likes of Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Fiat have regularly failed to live up to the standard set by rivals that sell in far smaller numbers to much more satisfied customers.

To find the secret behind the success of some of the best-loved models in Driver Power, we have brought together four class winners from the 2008 survey, and lined them up against a quartet of alternatives – all of which we think should offer just as much to the discerning buyer, if not more.

A regular supermini favourite in Driver Power is the Honda Jazz. You tell us you can’t get enough of its flawless reliability and amazing versatility, but is it not a bit long in the tooth now? We put it head-to-head with one of the most stylish superminis of 2008 – in the shape of the new Mazda 2 – to see how long the Jazz’s reign can last.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Golf

2024 Volkswagen

Golf

45,539 milesAutomaticPetrol1.4L

Cash £17,697
View Golf
ID.3

2022 Volkswagen

ID.3

29,650 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £17,397
View ID.3
Sportage

2023 Kia

Sportage

46,172 milesManualPetrol1.6L

Cash £16,597
View Sportage
Discovery Sport

2021 Land Rover

Discovery Sport

61,307 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £20,297
View Discovery Sport

Move up to the full-sized family car class, and one model finished head and shoulders above all others. The Skoda Octavia topped the Driver Power top 100, with superb ratings in all 10 categories. So how has it stolen a march over Auto Express’s current Car of the Year, the Ford Mondeo? Lexus is another maker which has always received glowing reviews from customers, and has been rated the country’s top manufacturer in every Driver Power survey. We’ve brought the Japanese company’s IS compact executive model together with a tough new competitor in the shape of Audi’s latest A4.

Our final clash puts two cars from the same brand face-to-face. A tremendous Driver Power debut saw the latest Land Rover Discovery soar to the top of the 4x4 class in the 2008 report. But could its position be under threat here, where it comes under fire from its little brother, the Freelander compact SUV?

THE HEAD TO HEAD BATTLES FROM THE BEST IN EACH CLASS:

Supermini test: Honda Jazz vs Mazda 2

Family car test: Skoda Octavia vs Ford Mondeo

Compact executive car test: Audi A4 vs Lexus IS

4x4 test: Land Rover Discovery 3 vs Land Rover Freelander 2

Verdict

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,019 off RRP*Used from £11,895
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £24,625Avg. savings £2,763 off RRP*Used from £11,595
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £2,773 off RRP*Used from £11,995
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,924 off RRP*Used from £12,295
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal
BMW M5 Touring - front action

Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal

The BMW M5 Touring is M car royalty, with a thoroughly impressive PHEV powertrain. It’s our Deal of the Day for 29 June
News
29 Jun 2025
Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019
Opinion - Kia EV9 GT

Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019

From poor electric car sales to crashes in F1, Mike Rutherford thinks its been a crazy few weeks in the automotive world
Opinion
29 Jun 2025
Range Rover Sport SV gets massive £35k price drop as it enters series-production
Range Rover Sport SV Black - front

Range Rover Sport SV gets massive £35k price drop as it enters series-production

There’s also a new SV Black trim, and a Range Rover Sport Stealth Package for non SVs
News
1 Jul 2025