Road tests of the year 2012: January

Porsche 911 Cabriolet vs Merc SLS AMG Roadster

Winner: Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster Read the full test >> 

Two drop-top stunners brought in 2012 with a bang, in the shape of the Porsche 911 Cabriolet and Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster.

Could the SLS match the coupe’s visual punch without its gullwing doors? You bet.

Although we loved the 911’s searing pace and amazing engineering, the SLS was the more desirable choice on account of its epic soundtrack, huge pace and stunning looks.

Honda Civic vs Volkswagen Golf vs Ford Focus

Winner: Volkswagen Golf Read the full test >> 

The Honda Civic is now in its ninth generation, but the job of being the best family car in the business doesn’t get any easier – as this showdown proved.

Our team headed off to the Midlands, to the former home of the UK car manufacturing industry at the old Longbridge factory site in Birmingham.

While the Civic is famously built in Britain, at Honda’s Swindon plant in Wiltshire, we quickly realised that flag waving alone wouldn’t be enough in this test against the brilliant Volkswagen Golf and fantastic Ford Focus.

The latest Civic is better than ever, but it hadn’t made big enough strides to see off the classy Golf and engaging Focus. And while the Civic’s 2.2-litre diesel engine was a punchy performer, it felt gruff and unrefined. Hopefully the forthcoming 1.6-litre diesel will revive the car’s flagging fortunes.

BMW Z4 vs Audi TT vs Nissan 370Z

Winner: Audi TT Read the full test >> 

Roadster fans are spoiled for choice, but which one is the best? That was the question we set out to answer amid the beautiful scenery of the Welsh hills.

And we were in for a surprise as a day spent on the undulating mountain roads and hundreds of motorway miles threw up an unexpected winner.

The old-timer of the test, the Audi TT, emerged as the class act. A brilliant roof, rock-solid composure, agile chassis and smooth turbocharged engine gave it the edge here, relegating the BMW Z4, with its new four-cylinder turbo, to second.

The Nissan 370Z didn’t have the quality of its rivals, but its rear-wheel-drive chassis and competitive pricing appealed.

BMW M5 vs Jaguar XFR

Winner: Jaguar XFR Read the full test >> 

You can’t afford to have tunnel vision when you’re developing a supersaloon, because raw speed alone isn’t the only thing that matters. With supercar-humbling straight-line performance, luxurious interiors and practical four-door bodies, cars like the new BMW M5 and Jaguar XFR have to excel across the board.

A trip through the UK’s longest under-land tunnel, on the A3 at Hindhead in Surrey, gave the Jaguar an early lead thanks to its wondrous V8 soundtrack – and the M5 simply couldn’t get back on level terms.

If you love technology and data the BMW is difficult to ignore, as it’s more advanced and faster than its competitor. So why did our testers rank it behind the Jaguar?

For all its performance and sophistication, the M5 didn’t provide enough driver involvement. The XFR had the edge because of its ability to put a smile on your face – so although we emerged with enormous respect for the German car, we had sheer adoration for the gorgeous Brit