Skip advert
Advertisement

Performance Car of the Year 2012

Which is the best driver's car of 2012? We count them down from 10 to one

Welcome to Britain’s best Performance Car of the Year contest. Over the past 12 months, a bumper crop of fast cars has gone on sale, ranging from great-value pocket rockets to mid-engined exotics. In celebration, we’ve gathered together 10 of the best for our annual high-octane shoot-out.

We’ve rated each contender for handling on the road, performance, desirability and price, before going against the clock at the challenging Anglesey circuit in Wales.

Advertisement - Article continues below

We've also been in search of cheap thrills with eight performance bargains and gone for a drive on the wild side in a pair of crazy racers for the road. Buckle up...

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £19,870Avg. savings £4,683 off RRP*Used from £9,222
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,840Avg. savings £5,676 off RRP*Used from £11,795
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,435Avg. savings £5,965 off RRP*Used from £9,990
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £24,040Avg. savings £1,535 off RRP*Used from £19,290
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Jaguar Land Rover recalls 170,000 SUVs with UK cars experiencing similar problems
Land Rover Defender 110 Trophy Edition - front action

Jaguar Land Rover recalls 170,000 SUVs with UK cars experiencing similar problems

JLR has recalled models from across the Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover ranges over a faulty DC-DC converter module
News
30 Apr 2026
Car Deal of the Day: Omoda 7 offers space and super-low running costs for just £229 a month
Omoda 7 - front tracking

Car Deal of the Day: Omoda 7 offers space and super-low running costs for just £229 a month

The Omoda 7 is the latest Chinese SUV to arrive in Britain. It’s our Deal of the Day for 30 April.
News
30 Apr 2026
New Peugeot 208: electric supermini to channel iconic 205
New Peugeot 208 exclusive image - front

New Peugeot 208: electric supermini to channel iconic 205

The new Peugeot 208 will be previewed at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, but our exclusive images show how it could look
News
1 May 2026