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50 best road tests of 2011: 26-30

We pick the best road tests and winners of 2011, and here's numbers 26 to 30...

BMW 6 Series Convertible
Longcross test track, Chobham, Surrey (April)

BMW 6 Series Convertible

There was a lot to consider when we jumped from Jaguar’s XK Convertible into the new BMW 6 Series.

Much as we loved the British-built XK’s V8 character and muscular styling, the BMW forced us to listen to our heads over our hearts, with its superb all-round efficiency, relative value for money, advanced engineering and vastly superior practicality.

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While the 6 Series’ engine made do with two fewer cylinders, this did not translate into a significant performance gap on the road, and the 6 Series made the Jag look thirsty.

Low bills, big thrills
Longcross test track, Chobham, Surrey (June)

Hot Company Car Shoot-out

As temperatures rose early in the summer, we unearthed the hottest company buys around. Benefit in Kind tax is calculated from a car’s price and emissions, so business users often sacrifice thrills in the pursuit of low CO2.

But we showed that they don’t have to, picking out four cars that provided good clean fun: the Saab 9-3 TTiD SE, VW Passat CC TDI, Lexus RX450h and Audi A7 3.0 TDI.

Hyundai i40 vs rivals
Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk (August)

Skoda Superb

Take a look at the line-up for our triple test of Hyundai’s i40 Tourer, and you could be forgiven for thinking the new estate would be little more than an also-ran. Could the i40 really match Volkswagen’s legendary Passat Estate and the unstoppable load-lugging Skoda Superb? Absolutely...

In fact, the Hyundai very nearly took overall victory, and was edged into second only by the Superb’s more polished dynamics and greater practicality. The Passat was pushed aside by its better-value and better-handling rivals.

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Used - available now

C5 X

2023 Citroen

C5 X

16,518 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L

Cash £19,499
View C5 X
X3

2024 BMW

X3

23,559 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £33,099
View X3
Juke

2023 Nissan

Juke

16,618 milesAutomaticPetrol1.0L

Cash £15,999
View Juke
Grand C4 SpaceTourer

2019 Citroen

Grand C4 SpaceTourer

28,361 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £13,149
View Grand C4 SpaceTourer

Test top 10s
Worst emissions of cars in 2011

CarEmissions
Range Rover Supercharged Autobiography

384 g/km

Aston Martin Virage349 g/km
Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale337 g/km
Vauxhall VXR8 GTS Auto324 g/km
Mercedes SLS AMG308 g/km
Ferrari 458 Italia307 g/km
Jaguar XKR-S292 g/km
Mercedes C63 AMG280 g/km
McLaren MP4-12C279 g/km
Jaguar XK Convertible 264 g/km

VW Amarok vs rivals
Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk (June)

VW Amarok Shoot-out

When Volkswagen decides to make its presence felt in previously uncharted territory, you know it’s going to make waves.

The Amarok burst into the pick-up class this summer, but its sights were set more on the commercial vehicle market than the lucrative family crossover class. The car aims to bridge the gap between the agricultural flat-bed and the modern SUV, and saw off established pick-up competition from the Nissan Navara to win one of its head-to-heads. However, it struggled to assert itself in the other one, where it met a conventional SUV.

We decided the Kia Sorento would be a better everyday companion for most drivers thanks to its more manageable proportions and comfort.

Toyota Yaris vs rivals
Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, Leics (September)

Ford Fiesta

It was hard not to leave the test track feeling a little deflated after driving Toyota’s new Yaris in September. Here was one of the world’s automotive superpowers delivering a new entry into one of the biggest and most fiercely contested of new car classes.

However, the Yaris could only manage fourth place behind the Mazda 2, Suzuki Swift and Ford Fiesta. While it’s bigger and better than its predecessor, a jittery low-speed ride and poor-quality interior plastics don’t fit the high price Toyota charges.

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Toyota Yaris Cross

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Omoda 5

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Kia Sportage

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Volkswagen Tiguan

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