Tow Car Awards - 2016 Winners PLUS Tow Car of the Decade Announced

If you're a keen member of the Caravan Club, or just enjoy caravan holidays, it may be time to upgrade your car to a newer, more fuel efficient model. But without the help of experts comparing hundreds of cars, it's difficult to know where to start.

That's where the Tow Car Awards come in, which look at 5 different weight categories as well as some other specifics, such as eco-friendliness, the MPV class, petrol power and lightweight cars. Not only are there those categories, but there is an overall winner, and the winner of the decade.

Cars are tested with a caravan or trailer that weighs 85% of the car's kerb weight, or with a caravan or trailer that reaches the car's claimed towing limit if this is lower than 85%. Tests include high-speed stability at higher-than-legal speeds, slalom, emergency lane changes, acceleration, braking and hill starts on 1-in-6 slopes. They're also tested on how well they deal with a typical family's holiday load, buying and running costs, and day-to-day driving. Let's take a look...

• Best Ultralight Tow Car

Suzuki Vitara 1.4 Boosterjet Allgrip S (£20,899)

If you're not a brand snob, then this is definitely the car to go for in terms of what you get for your money. Standard kit on this S model includes ALLGRIP, Suzuki's four-wheel-drive system, keyless entry and go, a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, LED headlights, automatic lights and wipers, Bluetooth and 17-inch alloys. The only let-down? The 1.4-litre petrol engine. An adequate 138 bhp and 220 Nm make for good town driving, but compared to its rivals who offer diesel options, this Suzuki would struggle towing heavier loads under hard acceleration. Claimed figures are just over 50 mpg with CO2 emissions of 127-128 g/km with the 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions. Both can carry 1,200 kg braked and 400 kg unbraked, however the manual model only weighs 1,210 kg (the auto is 25 kg heavier). A 375-litre boot is below average, and the total with the seats folded flat only increases to 710 litres.

• Best Petrol Tow Car

Ford Mondeo Vignale 2.0 EcoBoost (240 PS) auto (£30,855)

Forget about Style, Zetec and Titanium, because the Vignale offers whole new levels of luxury for the Ford brand. It features 18-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and go, an 8-inch touchscreen with the upgraded Sony sound system and a rear view camera, as well as Vignale-specific styling inside and out. The EcoBoost engine does not disappoint - 237 bhp and 340 Nm are far from average on a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine. So far so good - that's until you look at the running costs. CO2 emissions are high for a family saloon at 171-176 g/km. MPG figures are also very poor, in the region of the mid to late 30s. It's not even very quick, with 0-62 mph being covered in 7.9 seconds. Depending on which size spare wheel you opt for, the boot capacity ranges from 458 to 550 litres, or 1,356 to 1,446 litres with the rear seats down.

• Best MPV

SEAT Alhambra 2.0 TDI (184 PS) SE Lux DSG (£35,190)

This SE Lux model is almost at the top of the tree with only the FR-Line blocking it from taking the crown - it already overrules the S, SE and Connect. It's far from basic which is great for the kids as well as the adults. As well as 17-inch alloy wheels, sat nav, a reversing camera, heated front seats, leather upholstery and an electronic limited slip differential, you'll also get automated rear sliding doors, an automated boot and a large panoramic glass roof, the front part of which slides and tilts. The 2.0-litre TDI engine is the best in the range, but that's what you'd expect. After all, it's the same engine used in the VW Golf GTD! A total of 380 Nm are at hand too, which means you'll be able to pull the whole family and the caravan around with very few worries. Despite having the aerodynamic qualities of the Taj Mahal, it's still able to achieve over 50 mpg and emit 139 g/km of CO2. It's the same story whether you go for the 6-speed DSG automatic or the 6-speed manual. 

• Green Award

Kia Cee'd Sportswagon 1.6 CRDi (134 bhp) 2 (£19,895)

The Cee'd Sportswagon 2 sits somewhat at the bottom of the range above the 1 and below the 3, 4, 4 Tech and GT Line. Standard kit is what's to be expected for under £20k but it still offers enough creature comforts, including 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, front fog lights, LED daytime running lights, DAB radio, air conditioning and Bluetooth. The 1.6-litre diesel engine isn't the most refined in the business, and only produces 280 Nm of torque, but this all makes sense when you realise it does over 70 mpg, emits 102 g/km, and still gets to 62 mph in 10.1 seconds. The boot measures 528 litres, or 1,660 litres with the seats folded down, and it'll tow 1,500 kg braked.

• Up to 1,400 kg:

Honda HR-V 1.6 i-DTEC SE (£22,440)
SE sits between S and EX in the HR-V lineup and boasts features such as 17-inch alloy wheels, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, automatic lights and wipers as well as cruise control. The front-wheel-drive car uses a 6-speed manual transmission to deliver 118 bhp and 300 Nm. Claimed figures are almost 70 mpg and 109 g/km of CO2. The HR-V boasts a 470-litre boot which can be extended to 1026 litres with the back seats folded down. Maximum towing weights are 1400 kg braked and 500 kg unbraked.

• 1,400 - 1,549 kg:

Skoda Superb Hatch 2.0 TDI (150 PS) SE Business (£22,555)

Yet again, the chosen model sits right in the middle of the range, above S and SE, yet below SE L Execute and Laurin & Klement. It features Alcantara and leather upholstery, 17-inch alloy wheels, a 6.5-inch touchscreen, rear parking sensors and automatic wipers. The chosen engine is the 148 bhp 2.0-litre diesel as opposed to the 187 bhp model - it has 340 Nm of torque. With the 6-speed manual transmission it's capable of exactly the same MPG and CO2 figures as the Honda HR-V. Add dual-clutch automatic transmission and you lose a few miles to your gallon and emit enough CO2 to make you pay £30 a year in annual road tax. There's also a four-wheel-drive version with manual transmission which has the same MPG figures as the automatic, however it emits an extra g/km of CO2, rated at 120. The front-wheel-drive models can tow 2,000 kg braked or 750 kg unbraked, however this increases to 2,200 kg for the 4x4 model. The Superb offers a superb boot too - 625 litres, or 1760 with the seats down.

• 1,550 - 1,699 kg:

Jaguar XF 2.0 i4D (180 PS) Prestige auto (£34,550)

The Prestige is your entry point to Jaguar's XF before you consider upgrading to Portfolio, R-Sport or S, but if towing the caravan is your main priority, the Prestige offers more than enough standard kit. Xenon headlights, leather upholstery, heated front seats, rear parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers as well as keyless entry and go. If you want to save yourself a little cash you can always have a 6-speed manual in this car, but it doesn't suit the Jaguar's class one bit. Both the automatic and manual have claimed figures of 65.7 mpg and 114 g/km of CO2, with 178 bhp and 430 Nm being delivered this time through the rear wheels. A four-wheel-drive automatic XF can be an option if you often find yourself in a muddy field, though. This comes at the expense of running costs - 57.7 mpg and 129 g/km of CO2. Nevertheless, the 178 bhp model is definitely the one to go for out of the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder units, as opposed to the lesser powered 161 bhp model.

• 1,700-1,899 kg:

Land Rover Discovery Sport TD4 (180 PS) SE Tech auto (£36,350)

Just like the Jag, this Land Rover is the entry point to the Disco Sport range. Well, almost. Above SE, the SE Tech is crushed by the HSE, HSE Black, HSE Luxury and HSE Dynamic Lux. This is no bad thing, as it features automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, 18-inch alloy wheels, an 8-inch touchscreen, part leather upholstery and front heated seats. Unlike the 148 bhp model, this 178 bhp model gets 7 seats, making it more practical. If you want to save a bit of buck you can opt for a 6-speed manual transmission, but the 9-speed automatic that the experts have chosen makes for effortless driving. The 430 Nm of torque and four-wheel-drive are a perfect combination for caravanning, but 53.3 mpg and 139 g/km needs to be pointed out. With all 7 seats in place, you're left with a dismal 194 litres of cargo area, but fold down the two rear rows down and you get 981 or 1,698 litres.

• 1,900 kg +

Land Rover Discovery 3.0 SDV6 (256 PS) Graphite (£47,505)

The Graphite model comes as standard with xenon headlights, front and rear parking sensors, 19-inch alloys, leather upholstery with front heated seats, cruise control, keyless entry, a reversing camera and the upgraded Meridian sound system. All of this, and it's the entry-level Discovery. Other than this, your only option is the Landmark, or the Commercial SE. The 280-litre boot is great for a 7-seater, however in 5-seat mode it boasts 1,192 litres of space. A total of 2,558 litres can be freed up with the 5 rear seats folded down. As regards engines, your only choice is the SDV6 diesel engine. The 3.0-litre V6 produces 252 bhp and 600 Nm. The all-wheel-drive and 8-speed automatic transmission have poor results - 36.7 mpg and 203 g/km of CO2.

OVERALL WINNER

In the eyes of the Tow Car Awards, the overall winner of 2016 is the Skoda Superb Hatch 2.0 TDI (150 PS) SE Business (£22,555).

TOW CAR OF THE DECADE

The awards have reached 10 years of existence, therefore the first Tow Car of the Decade has been chosen. Since 2007, the experts have agreed that the Land Rover Discovery 4 has been most practical.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

Previous Tow Car Awards winners included:

• VW Passat Estate 2.0 TDI 4Motion Sport - 2007
• Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Titanium auto - 2008
• Volvo XC60 D5 SE Geartronic - 2009
• Land Rover Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 XS - 2010
• VW Passat Estate 2.0 TDI Bluemotion Sport - 2011
• Jaguar XF 2.2D Premium Luxury - 2012
• Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI CR 150PS Elegance - 2013
• Nissan Qashqai 1.6 dCi (130PS) Stop/Start System Acenta Premium - 2014
• VW Passat Estate 2.0 TDI BMT 150PS SE Business DSG - 2015

UK Auto Forums, the One Stop Shop for Model-Specific Forums

If there's one particular car you're interested about, then you don't want to be reading about all the others! That's why you can head over to UK Auto Forums to find a number of forums specifically set up with one car in mind, whether it be the Kia Niro or Craig's Cars' favourite, the upmarket Audi Q2.

#wcoty2016 - World Car Awards

World Green Car Award

The winner for this category was the Toyota Mirai. The judges were looking for environmental responsibility, that's to say tailpipe emissions and fuel efficiency among other things. That's why the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) Mirai took first place - zero emissions yet 153 bhp and 335 Nm.

To reach first place, the Mirai was up against its own sibling, the facelifted Toyota Hybrid, and foreign rival Chevrolet Volt. Previous winners for this category have included the BMW i8 (2015), BMW i3 (2014), Tesla Model S (2013), Mercedes S250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY (2012), Chevrolet Volt (2011), Volkswagen's BlueMotion (which was available on the Polo, Golf and Passat) (2010), Honda FCX Clarity (2009), BMW 118d EfficientDynamics (2008), Mercedes E320 BlueTEC (2007) and Honda Civic Hybrid (2006).

World Luxury Car Award

Taking the gold medal this year was the BMW 7 Series which received its upgrade in the autumn of 2015. Starting from a little under £65,000, it comes as standard with a smartkey, a 10.25-inch infotainment display, LED headlights and four-zone climate control.

The Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 were its competitors for first place. Previous winners only include the Mercedes S-Class Coupé (2015) and Mercedes S-Class Saloon (2014), as that's when the award was introduced.

World Performance Car Award

With an all-new look, the Audi R8 Coupé wowed supercar fans. It also wowed the judges at this year's WCOTY Awards, more so than the Honda Civc Type-R and Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupé which it was up against. For £110,000, 533 bhp is yours, but step up to £135,000 and get the full 602 bhp of the V10 plus model. Power comes from a 5.2-litre naturally-aspirated V10 engine and quattro all-wheel-drive.

Former winners of this award include the Mercedes-AMG GT (2015), Porsche 911 GTE (2014), Porsche Boxter/Cayman (2013), Porsche 911 (2012), Ferrari 458 Italia (2011), Audi R8 V10 (2010), Nissan GT-R (2009), Audi R8 (2008), Audi RS 4 (2007) and Porsche Cayman S (2006). So there we have it - Audi's R8 is no stranger to the World Performance Car Award!

World Car Design of the Year

In with a chance of winning were the Jaguar XE and Mazda CX-3, but the Mazda MX-5 took it away from them. According to the judges, Mazda's MX-5 has a design that's "exciting, distinct and fresh".

It was the shocking Citroën C4 Cactus that won the award in 2015, with the BMW i3 in 2014. Following these are the Jaguar F-Type (2013), Range Rover Evoque (2012), Aston Martin Rapide (2011), Chevrolet Camaro (2010), Fiat 500 (2009), Audi R8 (2008), Audi TT (2007) and Citroën C4 (2006).

World Car of the Year Award

Lastly, the 2016 overall winner. Yet again, it's the Mazda MX-5. Competitively priced and substantially under £20,000, this roadster delivers all the driving thrills anyone could ask for, which helps it take the highest position above the Audi A4 Saloon and Avant, and Mercedes GLC.

A long list of previous winners includes the Mercedes C-Class (2015), Audi A3 (2014), VW Golf (2013), VW up! (2012), Nissan LEAF (2011), VW Polo (2010), VW Golf (2009), Mazda2 (2008), Lexus LS 460 (2007), BMW 3 Series (2006) and Audi A6 (2005).

The Great Car Tax Shake-Up of 2017

Before continuing, it's important to note that the following rules will only apply to new cars registered after the 1st of April 2017. Money raised through VED will go towards the maintenance of British roads.

In the first year, car tax will be calculated by CO2 emissions, the same as today. But from the second year onwards, there will be three categories that define how much you will need to pay.

At the moment, new car buyers with CO2 emissions below 130 g/km are benefitting from a first year free of tax, with sub-100 g/km emitters continuing with the free tax.

Current VED

As of April 2017, first year tax is only free to those who purchase all-electric vehicles with zero emissions. This is where the CO2 grouping carries over, although category ranges will differ.

2017 VED

It's year two onwards that causes the most confusion. The three categories are as follows:

1. Zero emission vehicles under £40,000
2. Standard vehicles under £40,000
3. Premium vehicles costing over £40,000

The standard rates for year two and onwards are as follows:

1. Zero emissions - £0
2. Standard vehicles with CO2 emissions of 1 g/km and above - £140
3. Premium cars - any cars costing more than £40,000 - add an extra £310 to the £0 or £140

That makes all-electric cars costing less than £40,000 free to tax in year two, whereas premium electric cars that cost £40,000.01 and above will have a year two rate of £310.

Standard cars under £40,000 will pay a fixed rate of £140 a year, regardless of emissions. But buy a CO2-emitting car that costs over £40,000 and you'll have the hefty annual sum of £140 + £310 (=£450). 

There's another catch, in case this isn't confusing enough! The premium fee disappears after 5 years, which makes any car that costs over £40,000 go back down to £0 (zero emissions) or £140 (emitter) a year.

Let's take a look at some examples:

Category 1 - Nissan LEAF

Year 1 - £0

Year 2 - £0

Year 3 - £0

Year 4 - £0

Year 5 - £0

Year 6 - £0

Year 7 - £0

Year 8 - £0

Year 9 - £0

Year 10 - £0

Total - £0

Category 1 & 3 - Tesla Model S

Year 1 - £0

Year 2 - £310

Year 3 - £310

Year 4 - £310

Year 5 - £310

Year 6 - £310

Year 7 - £0

Year 8 - £0

Year 9 - £0

Year 10 - £0

Total - £1,550

Category 2 - VW Golf 1.4 TSI 125 PS Manual (120 g/km)

Year 1 - £160

Year 2 - £140

Year 3 - £140

Year 4 - £140

Year 5 - £140

Year 6 - £140

Year 7 - £140

Year 8 - £140

Year 9 - £140

Year 10 - £140

Total - £1,420

Category 2 & 3 - Mercedes CLS 400 (167 g/km)

Year 1 - £500

Year 2 - £450

Year 3 - £450

Year 4 - £450

Year 5 - £450

Year 6 - £450

Year 7 - £140

Year 8 - £140

Year 9 - £140

Year 10 - £140

Total - £3,310

Extreme Category 2 & 3 - Bentley Bentayga 6.0 W12 (296 g/km)

Year 1 - £2,000

Year 2 - £450

Year 3 - £450

Year 4 - £450

Year 5 - £450

Year 6 - £450

Year 7 - £140

Year 8 - £140

Year 9 - £140

Year 10 - £140

Total - £4,810

To conclude, any car that is free to tax today will probably not be free if bought new in 2017, unless you're already driving a zero emissions vehicle. In which case, I commend you for your braveness. Additionally, cars that have just started doing well like the Tesla Model S will cost you a lot more in tax than cars that emit significant amounts of CO2. It seems unfair that people who will try and help the environment but want to keep on to their high standards are being penalised.

In order to avoid the somewhat confusing proposed 2017 VED system, you could buy a new 17-plate car any time in March and pay the current road tax figures. But inevitably, the 2017 system will be followed by thousands.

Check the information out for yourself first hand at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-excise-duty/vehicle-excise-duty

2016's Most Anticipated Cars

Abarth 500X

• £22,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Winter 2016

It's likely to use the same turbocharged 1.75-litre petrol engine found in Alfa Romeo's 4C, but detuned to 200 bhp. It'll still cover 0-62 mph in less than 7 seconds, giving the Nissan Juke Nismo RS and MINI Countryman JCW a run for their money.

Alfa Romeo Giulia

• £24,000 (estimate)
• Arriving September 2016

All we've seen so far is the Quadrifoglio Verde version which utilises a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 to produce 500 bhp. Thanks to all-wheel-drive, it'll get to 62 mph in 3.9 s and is expected to cost north of £50,000. It's aimed to take some customers from the BMW M3, Audi RS 4 and Mercedes-AMG C63. There will also be some sensible engines in the forms of a 2.2-litre diesel and a 2.0-litre petrol, all producing between 150 bhp and 280 bhp either with rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive.

Audi S4

• £40,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Early 2016

It's not the full hog - that would be named the RS 4. Instead, it plans to rival the BMW 340i and Jaguar XE S. Its 349 bhp and 500 Nm comes from a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6, meaning 0-62 mph takes just 4.7 s. It won't be cheap to run, with claimed figures of 38.2 mpg and 170 g/km. It'll use a new 8-speed single clutch automatic transmission.

Audi A5

• £30,000 (estimate)
• Arriving September 2016

It'll be built on the same platform as the recently refreshed A4, and it's more of a facelift this time. Still, we can expect the 148 bhp 2.0 TDI to emit less than 100 g/km, making the idea of owning a premium coupé a more attractive prospect.

Audi Q1

• £17,000 (estimate)
• Arriving September 2016

It's set to fill the gap in Audi's SUV range and is up against the likes of the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur. It'll have the same underpinnings as the Audi A1 and Volkswagen Polo, so we could see a 1.0-litre TFSI unit, but the 1.4 TFSI and 1.6 TDI will be the highlights. A plug-in hybrid could show its face too, with the same setup as the A3 e-tron with sub-25 g/km emissions. An all-new 10-speed DSG automatic gearbox will be available, as Audi plans to attract more male buyers (with 70-80% of the A1's buyers being female).

Audi Q5

• £32,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

It's built to rival its premium German crossover counterparts, the new Mercedes GLC and BMW X3. The engine range will be similar to that of the A4, and we could even see a plug-in hybrid four-wheel-drive Q5 with the titles of e-tron and quattro. It would borrow the Q7 e-tron's technology to achieve over 160 mpg.

Bentley Bentayga

• £160,000
• Arriving Spring 2016

Bentley claims the Bentayga will be the world's fastest, most luxurious, most exclusive SUV in the world. The 6.0-litre W12 demonstrates this, producing 600 bhp and 900 Nm. The 0-62 mph sprint is covered in 4.0 seconds, but the claimed figures of 22.1 mpg and 292 g/km aren't as impressive. But if you can afford this sort of car, that doesn't matter. Particularly if you can afford this car as well as the optional Breitling clock which'll cost some £150,000. That's not a typo.

Bentley Grand Convertible

• £TBC
• Arriving soon...

The Mulsanne-based convertible will feature the 530 bhp 6.75-litre V8. It produces no less than 1000 Nm and will be a limited edition collector's car. In short supply, the Grand Convertible will cost a lot more than the Mulsanne Speed's £252,000.

BMW M2

• £44,070
• Arriving April 2016

It's time for the 1 Series M Coupé's successor to show its face, and what a beautiful face it has. But it's what's underneath that counts, the uprated straight-six from the M235i with 370 bhp.

BMW 225xe Active Tourer

• £35,155
• Arriving March 2016

It uses the i8's 1.5-litre 3-cylinder engine with a combined output of 221 bhp. It should cover up to 25 miles in electric-only mode.

BMW 330e Saloon

• £33,935
• Arriving Early 2016

BMW still wants the 3 Series saloon to be the rear-wheel-drive sports saloon that it always has been, but in favour of fuel efficiency, it'll combine a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with the power of electric to produce 248 bhp and 420 Nm. 0-62 mph will take 6.1 s yet it will emit 44 g/km.

BMW X4 M40i

• £55,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

The 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six will rival the Porsche Macan Turbo S. 0-62 mph comes up in 4.9 seconds, with expected figures of 33 mpg and sub-200 g/km.

BMW M4 GTS

• £120,000 (estimate)
• Arriving March 2016

Only 700 units will be produced, just 30 of which destined for British soils. Costing twice the price of the by no means regular M4 Coupé, it will get to 62 mph in 3.8 s and on to a top speed of 190 mph. It does this thanks to an extra 68 bhp. Getting around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7:28:00 was an achievement too, that's the same as the 1st generation McLaren MP4-12C!

BMW 5 Series

• £32,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

Just in time to knock Mercedes' E-Class off the podium, the new 5 Series will concentrate on better fuel efficiency. Although the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder 520d will still be a best-seller, BMW might add some 3-cylinder petrol units and clean its diesels so that some could dip below 100 g/km. A 100 mpg-plus 530e will appear as well as a complete opposite, the gas-guzzling M5 with its 4.4-litre V8.

BMW 740e

• £TBC
• Arriving Summer 2016

Available in short wheelbase and long wheelbase, it shares its powertrain with the X5 xDrive40e that's already in production. That being a 2.0-litre petrol-electric hybrid that can do 134.5 mpg and 49 g/km.

BMW i8 Plus

• £150,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

The extra performance will come from the conventional engine as opposed to the electric motor. The 1.5-litre 3-cylinder already produces 228 bhp, it's difficult to see how BMW could squeeze any more out of it. That's why it's thought that a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder petrol engine could take centre stage in the i8 Plus, which will easily produce over 300 bhp. The 0-62 mph target is 4 seconds.

Dacia Duster

• £9,000 (estimate)
• Arriving March 2016

It's just a facelift, although I think it's time for the Duster to have a bit of a revamp. New is the 1.2-litre TCe 125, 1 petrol engine that produces 123 bhp and 250 Nm. Even with a 6-speed manual 'box and four-wheel-drive, it should get near 50 mpg.

Fiat Tipo

• £15,000 (estimate)
• Arriving September 2016

It's a saloon-shaped family hatch to rival the likes of the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra. It will use 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrols as well as a 1.6-litre diesel.

Fiat 124

• £19,500 (estimate)
• Arriving Autumn 2016

It's essentially a reworked Mazda MX-5, this time, with a 1.4-litre MultiAir II petrol engine that kicks out 138 bhp. A 6-speed manual is the only option, although further down the line we could expect Abarth to have a go at getting 170 bhp from the same engine.

Ford KA

• £9,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

Currently offered in a 3-door-only guise, the KA will just be offered as a 5-door. There's no word on engine lineup, but its pricing suggests that it will rival the VW up! (and SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo) and Hyundai i10.

Ford Focus RS

• £29,995
• Arriving Spring 2016

The 2.3-litre turbocharged unit produces 345 bhp. Thanks to all-wheel-drive, 62 mph can be clocked in 4.7 s. Still, it emits 175 g/km and is said to achieve 36.7 mpg.

Ford Edge

• £29,995
• Arriving Spring 2016

It's based on the new Mondeo and sits above the EcoSport and Kuga in Ford's SUV lineup. We can see it as a cheaper alternative to the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. This is shown in its limited choice of engines - it's just the 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel with 178 or 207 bhp. Ford reckons that almost 80% of all buyers will opt for the high-spec Titanium which is a little over £2,000 more than the entry-level Zetec.

Ford Ranger

• £19,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Early 2016

The 198 bhp 3.2-litre Duratorq 5-cylinder diesel engine has had efficiency upped by 18%. So has the 2.2-litre diesel which is available in 158 bhp and 128 bhp (up by 22%). It has a proper low-range gearbox that can tackle most things. It'll wade through 800 mm of water and tow up to 3,500 kg.

Ford GT

• £250,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

The production will span 3-4 years with 250 being produced each year. It will feature a 592 bhp mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 petrol engine and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Honda FCV

• £30,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

The Toyota Mirai has just hit the streets, so it's time for a bit of healthy competition. All we know is that it will do 435 miles on a full tank and produce roughly 134 bhp.

Honda NSX

• £120,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

It's for sale for $156,000 (c. £105,000) over the pond, but add on some import taxes to that and we have ourselves an Audi R8 and Porsche 911 rivalling sports car. It uses a conventional 9-speed automatic gearbox, but modernism takes over with the V6 petrol engine that is used in conjunction with 3 electric motors. It has 550 bhp and all-wheel-drive.

Hyundai i20 Active

• £13,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Early 2016

It's already for sale in India, named the i20 Cross. It's a supermini that wants to have a piece of the Dacia Sandero Stepway's cake. It'll be a front-wheel-drive car (there simply wouldn't be enough custom for a four-wheel-drive car of this sorts) and will come with the same range of engines as the i20.

Hyundai i30 N

• £25,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

It could use a tweaked version of the i30 Turbo's 184 bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, or opt for a 2.0-litre unit like many of its rivals. We don't know what sort of hot hatch it will be, a Ford Focus ST rival or a Focus RS rival. Only time will tell.

Hyundai Ioniq

Literally all we know is that this car will not be sold with any conventional forms of propulsion. It will be offered an an all-electric 'EV', a hybrid, or a plug-in hybrid 'PHEV'.

Infiniti QX30

• £27,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Spring 2016

It will be a small crossover rival to Audi's Q3 and Range Rover's Evoque. It's based on the Q30, which is essentially a Mercedes A-Class. So there we have it, the QX30 is, in essence, a Mercedes GLA. It will even share the 2.0-litre petrol and 2.1-litre diesel engines. There's even talk of a hot QX30 that would rival the Audi RS Q3.

Infiniti Q60

• £38,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

It's a 2+2 coupé to take some cash away from the BMW 4 Series, Audi A5 Coupé and Lexus RC.

Jaguar F-Pace

• £34,170
• Arriving April 2016

The top-of-the-range F-Pace S will have the F-Type's 3.0-litre supercharged 375 bhp V6 petrol engine. It sits somewhere between the Audi Q5 and Q7, but its closest rival is the Q5. It will also have a 178 bhp 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel engine with rear-wheel-drive output and a 6-speed manual gearbox which will emit just 129 g/km and achieve up to 57.7 mpg. If you want a bit more bang for your buck, try the 3.0-litre V6 diesel which produces 296 bhp and gets to speed through an 8-speed ZF automatic 'box and all-wheel-drive.

Kia Niro Hybrid

• £25,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

It will fuse electric power with a 1.6-litre petrol powerhouse and a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission. Kia's targeting CO2 emissions of less than 90 g/km which means we could expect 70 mpg.

Kia Sportspace

• £22,000 (estimate)
• Arriving September 2016

It's the company's largest estate, but aims to be more like the Mercedes CLA and CLS Shooting Brakes rather than a conventional estate.

Kia Sportage

• £18,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Spring 2016

It will use a range of 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines combined with both front- and four-wheel-drive, just as you'd expect. The biggest change is the design, with its bold tiger-nose grille and in-your-face LEDs.

Land Rover Discovery 5

• £45,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

The current Discovery 4 is just a facelifted Discovery 3 which was introduced back in 2004. We will see a complete redesign as well as some efficient 2.0-litre 4-cylinder diesel and petrol Ingenium units. There's also the possibility of a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 and even an electric-diesel hybrid.

Lexus LF-C2

• £40,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Autumn 2016

It will be powered by the IS 300h's petrol-electric powertrain as well as being offered with a 5.0-litre V8. This convertible will be a rival for the Audi A5 Cabriolet and BMW 4 Series Convertible.

Lexus RX

• £39,995
• Arriving January 2016

It's up against the BMW X5, and for the first time we've seen a petrol-only version, the RX 200t. No doubt, the RX 450h will return. It uses the same 3.5-litre V6 300 bhp engine as before, but it's just a mild hybrid. It doesn't offer the same plug-in capabilities as the BMW X5 xDrive40e and Mercedes GLE 500e.

Maserati Levante

• £40,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

It's based on the Ghibli and is by no means as extravagant as the Bentley Bentayga, but who wouldn't want a twin-turbo V6 or V8-powered exotic coupé SUV? Power outputs for the diesels are between 247 and 345 bhp, and all will get automatic gearboxes and all-wheel-drive as standard. I think it's best if Maserati keep the runnings costs to itself, though.

Mercedes E-Class

• £35,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

The 7th generation E-Class is Mercedes' most technologically advanced car yet, and takes its fluid lines from the C-Class and high-tech, quality interior from the S-Class. Power could be up to 600 bhp from the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 E63 AMG which would put fear into the BMW M5's boots. We'll have to wait until 2017 for that though, as well as the Coupé and Cabriolet variants, although the Estate should find its way to showrooms sometime in 2016 shortly after the Saloon.

Mercedes GLC Coupé

• £TBC
• Arriving Summer 2016

The SUV is up for grabs at £35,000, and if Mercedes uses the same 20% difference between its GLE SUV and Coupé, we could expect the GLC Coupé to cost around £42,000. It's finally an answer to BMW's X4, and a strong range of petrol and diesel engines as well as a possible plug-in hybrid will make it a strong contender.

Mercedes GLS

• £69,100
• Arriving Mid 2016

It's nothing more than a facelift, and if you take a look at Mercedes' website you'll see that there are two options. The GLS 350d (an unchanged 187 bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel unit) and the GLS 63 S AMG, which, thanks to a twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre V8, produces 577 bhp. There's a possibility of yet another plug-in hybrid PHEV in this range, too.

Mercedes SLC

• £34,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Spring 2016

It's a rebadged SLK that rivals the Audi TT and BMW Z4. The hard-top can be operated at speeds of up to 25 mpg, and the range will kick off with the 1.6-litre 4-cylinder 154 bhp petrol SLC 180, which isn't confirmed for the UK. What we will get, however, is the SLC 200, the SLC 300 (formerly SLK 250) and Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 with its twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 producing 362 bhp.

Mercedes SL

• £74,000 (estimate)
• Arriving April 2016

It's just another facelift. It's largely unchanged with the SL 400, SL 500 and SL 63 and SL 65 AMG remaining integral parts of the lineup. All versions now come with the firm's 9G-TRONIC transmission as standard.

MINI Convertible

• £18,475
• Arriving March 2016

It will only be available in 3 variants, the 1.5-litre 3-cylinder units that are the petrol Cooper and diesel Cooper D, as well as a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder Cooper S. The fabric roof will take 18 seconds to fold at speeds of up to 19 mph.

MG GS

• £18,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

It's a much needed SUV for the MG range to rival the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage and Honda CR-V. It will utilise a 2.0-litre petrol engine to make 217 bhp and 350 Nm to get to 62 mph in around 8 s. There will also be a 1.8-litre diesel.

Mitsubishi ASX

• £15,500 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

It's more of a Nissan Juke rival, but its engines are unconfirmed. It's most likely going to have some form of plug-in hybrid.

Mitsubishi Shogun

• £28,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

The L200-based Pajero Sport could land on British terrain badged as the Shogun Sport, but we're due for an upgrade in the form of the regular Shogun too. They will both feature front ends similar to the facelifted Outlander's, but the 2.4-litre 4-cylinder diesel that emits under 200 g/km that's been previewed in Thailand might not make it here. All being said, the Outlander PHEV's powertrain could be featured.

Nissan Micra

• £11,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

Taking inspiration from the Sway concept, the new Micra will ditch its bubbly, curvy looks in favour or a more modern style, featuring a DS 3-like C-pillar as well as a floating roof and the V-Motion grille.

Nissan Pulsar Nismo

• £23,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Mid 2016

It will rival cars like the Ford Focus ST with 247 bhp from a 1.6-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine. There's talk of a more powerful 275 bhp Nismo RS, too. The design is a lot more in-your-face than other hot hatches, with a deep front bumper and a striking red splitter.

Peugeot 308 R Hybrid

• £35,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

The 1.6-litre 267 bhp turbocharged petrol from the 308 GTi will be mated to two 114 bhp to give a total system output of 493 bhp and 730 Nm. It will get to 62 mph in less than 4 s in Hot Lap mode, but can emit 70 g/km in its normal PHEV mode.

Porsche Panamera

• £65,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

Based on the VW Group's MSB platform that will underpin future generations of the Audi A8 and Bentley Continental, it will favour turbocharging in all engines. The lineup will include the Cayenne Turbo S's 562 bhp bi-turbo V8.

Range Rover Evoque Convertible

• £47,500
• Arriving Spring 2016

On sale in time for 2016's summer, the Evoque Convertible has been strengthened more. This adds 277 kg in the diesel models, heavily affecting acceleration and fuel efficiency. But at the end of the day, if the summer doesn't live up to what we expect, it's still a true 4x4 that can deal with 45-degree gradients, 35-degree tilts and 500 mm-deep water. Now that sounds more like a British summer(!)

Renault Twingo GT

• £14,000
• Arriving Summer 2016

It could be named the Renaultsport Twingo RS, but due to its complex engine setup, it probably won't produce enough power, so Renault will keep it low with the 'GT' suffix. It'll probably keep the 0.9 TCe engine with power upped by 30 bhp to 120 bhp.

Renault Mégane

• £16,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Spring 2016

It shares its design cues more with the Talisman and Espace than the Clio and Scenic. It's 25 mm lower and over 39 mm wider, giving it a much more domineering stance. The outgoing engines will have quite a bit of work done to them, maybe we might even see some new engines. There will be a 300 bhp turbocharged Renaultsport arriving later, but the 3-door Coupé and Sport Tourer estate will join the range in 2016.

Renault Alaskan

• £18,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Early 2016

It's heavily based on the Nissan NP300 Navara and is powered by the 187 bhp 4-cylinder twin-turbo dCi diesel engine. It will have a switchable 4WD transmission for some proper off-roading, and will be available as a 5-seater double-cab, but a single-cab is also a possibility.

Renault Alpine

• £50,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

Created to mark the brand's 60th anniversary, the two-seat, rear-engined rear-wheel-drive coupé will produce an estimated 300 bhp.

Rolls-Royce Dawn

• £250,000
• Arriving Spring 2016

It's essentially a Drophead Wraith disguised by a new name. It will share many of the Wraith's components including the 6.6-litre turbo-V12.

Skoda 7-seater SUV

• £23,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

A rival to the 7-seat Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento, it will take the form of a stretched Yeti body. It will rely on 1.6 and 2.0 TDI and 1.4 TSI engines.

SEAT Leon Cross Sport

• £30,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

As we wait for the SEAT SUV range, the rugged-looking Cross Sport makes an appearance. It's a crossover take on the 3-door Leon SC. It will use the VW Golf R's 296 bhp 4-cylinder 2.0-litre petrol engine, four-wheel-drive and DSG automatic transmission to get to 62 mph in 4.9 seconds. The same time as a Golf R and a second quicker than the Leon Cupra 265!

SEAT SUV

• £18,000 (estimate)
• Arriving in 2016

It will rival smaller crossovers like the Mazda CX-5, but again, based on the Leon. It will even share its engines with the Leon, with 1.4 TSI and 1.6 TDI units making up the bulk of the sales.

Smart ForTwo Cabrio

• £13,265
• Arriving Early 2016

If your budget doesn't stretch to a Range Rover Evoque Convertible, maybe you could consider the ForTwo Cabrio. Its three-layer soft-top will close in 12 seconds on the move up to 96 mph! It will use the same 1.0-litre 70 bhp and 0.9-litre 89 bhp engines.

Smart ForTwo Brabus

• £15,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2015

Just like the hot Twingo, the ForTwo will use the 0.9 turbocharged petrol engine. Gone are the days of the automated 5-speed manual, though, as you can now specify the Mercedes A-Class's 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. It'll rival the Abarth 500.

Subaru Impreza

• £17,500 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

The main difference will be new engines. Four-cylinder units that will feature active cylinder technology.

Suzuki Baleno

• £12,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

A Skoda Fabia rival, the Baleno will feature a new 1.0-litre Boosterjet petrol engine that produces 110 bhp and 170 Nm, emitting 103 g/km. This will sit alongside the 1.2 Dualjet naturally-aspirated petrol. They will both be available with a 5-speed manual or 6-speed auto, and a mild hybrid has also been confirmed with CO2 emissions of 93 g/km.

Tesla Model X

• £50,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Spring 2016

If this doesn't get your heart racing, I don't know what will. The high-performance P90D will produce 762 bhp and 967 Nm, and when in Ludicrous Mode, it will reach 62 mph in 3.2 seconds. "Nelly the elephant went to town". There you go, you would have already broken all speed limits in the UK. But it's a practical all-electric all-wheel-drive 7-seat SUV that has stylish rear 'falcon wing' doors and all-round automatically opening doors! It overshadows the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S's 562 bhp and 0-62 mph time of 4.1 s.

Toyota Prius

• £25,000 (estimate)
• Arriving February 2016

The 4th generation Prius will use the same trusted 1.8-litre petrol-electric hybrid mix but with targets of 90 mpg and 70 g/km. This time, with the rear axle-mounted electric motor, it's an e-AWD. The Prius Plug-in will join shortly after.

Toyota C-HR

• £15,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Summer 2016

Still looking like a concept, the Juke rival is expected to use the Prius's powertrain.

Vauxhall Astra GSi

• £22,000
• Arriving Early 2016

Sitting between the SRi and 3-door-only VXR, it will produce around 250 bhp from a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol. This could change to be a 1.6-litre, though, just like what's favoured by the Peugeot 308 GTi.

Vauxhall Zafira

• £22,000
• Arriving Late 2016

The Zafira is taking a whole new direction. Instead of being an MPV, it will become an SUV that's built in partnership with PSA Peugeot-Citroën, but this won't be evident to the general public with designs worlds apart. It will feature a range of 4-cylinder and 3-cylinder turbocharged engines.

Volkswagen Tiguan

• £23,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Early 2016

With quality matching the Mercedes GLA and BMW X1, the new Tiguan will feature VW's Active Info Display (the Virtual Cockpit seen in Audi's TT and A4). 1.6 and 2.0 TDI and 1.4 and 2.0 TSI engines will feature, but a GTE plug-in hybrid is being considered.

Volkswagen Golf R400

• £38,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

Another 100 bhp on top of the crazy Golf R! The 395 bhp 450 Nm 2.0-litre 4-cylinder figures seem almost unreachable. But then again, VW has access to the Audi RS 3's 2.5-litre 5-cylinder TSI engine, so that could be transferred to give it a 0-62 mph time of 3.9 s.

Volvo S90

• £35,000 (estimate)
• Arriving Late 2016

The S80 replacement and BMW 5 Series rival will feature the D4 and D5 turbodiesels as well as a 50 g/km T8 plug-in hybrid.