{"id":71409,"date":"2026-05-28T11:18:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T15:18:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/?p=71409"},"modified":"2026-05-28T11:19:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T15:19:37","slug":"five-star-cars-redefining-excellence-the-21-vehicles-that-set-new-standards-in-the-past-decade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/five-star-cars-redefining-excellence-the-21-vehicles-that-set-new-standards-in-the-past-decade\/","title":{"rendered":"Five-Star Cars Redefining Excellence: The 21 Vehicles That Set New Standards in the Past Decade"},"content":{"rendered":"

How Do Five-Star Ratings Illuminate Shifting Automotive Values?<\/p>\n

The five-star rating, awarded sparingly and with evident reluctance, functions less as a marker of perfection than as a barometer of evolving priorities in automotive design and consumer expectation. Over the past decade, only 21 vehicles have achieved this distinction, a fact that invites scrutiny. The evidence suggests that the criteria for such accolades are not static: what constitutes \u201cfitness for purpose\u201d is itself a moving target, shaped by regulatory, technological, and cultural shifts. For instance, the inclusion of both the Ariel Nomad\u2014an unapologetically raw, mud-slinging off-roader\u2014and the Rolls-Royce Phantom\u2014a paragon of refinement and isolation\u2014within the same five-star cohort, signals that excellence is now measured by how completely a car inhabits its intended role, rather than adherence to a universal standard of luxury, speed, or innovation.<\/p>\n

This interpretive flexibility complicates the consumer\u2019s task. The five-star rating is not a guarantee of broad-based superiority but rather an endorsement of singularity: a car\u2019s ability to embody, sometimes to the point of excess, a specific ethos or experience. This is particularly salient as the market fragments into ever-narrower niches, and as regulatory pressures (notably electrification and emissions standards) force manufacturers to make trade-offs that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.<\/p>\n

What Mechanisms Distinguish the Most Lauded Cars?<\/p>\n

A close reading of the five-star recipients reveals a consistent privileging of coherence over spectacle. Vehicles like the Alpine A110 and the Toyota GR Yaris Circuit Pack are not the most technologically advanced or the most powerful in their classes. Yet, they are celebrated for the way their constituent parts\u2014engine, chassis, steering, and even perceived value\u2014coalesce into an experience that is both immersive and accessible. The evidence here is largely qualitative, rooted in subjective assessments of \u201cdriver involvement\u201d and \u201cfitness for purpose,\u201d but the consistency of such language across disparate models suggests a shared evaluative framework.<\/p>\n

Notably, the five-star rating is rarely conferred for technological novelty alone. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the first electric vehicle to receive this honor, is praised not for its raw performance metrics but for its ability to translate the emotional grammar of traditional hot hatches into a new, electrified idiom. This points to a core mechanism: the translation of established pleasures into new technological contexts, without succumbing to mere pastiche or gimmickry.<\/p>\n

Why Do Certain Models Retain Value and Cultural Cachet?<\/p>\n

The practical significance of a five-star rating extends beyond the showroom. Many of these vehicles\u2014Alpine A110, Ford Focus RS, Porsche Cayman GT4\u2014command robust resale values, a phenomenon that cannot be explained by performance or rarity alone. The evidence suggests that cultural cachet, reinforced by critical consensus, plays a non-trivial role in shaping secondary market dynamics. Yet, this relationship is not unidirectional. The Bentley Bentayga Diesel, for example, was lauded for its audacious blend of luxury and efficiency, but its value was quickly undermined by external shocks (notably Dieselgate) that rendered its core proposition untenable.<\/p>\n

This dynamic reveals a blind spot in mainstream interpretations: the assumption that critical acclaim guarantees long-term desirability. In reality, the afterlife of a five-star car is contingent on factors\u2014regulatory shifts, reputational crises, demographic changes\u2014that lie outside the purview of initial road tests. The evidence here is circumstantial but compelling: models discontinued prematurely or tainted by reliability issues (Ford Focus RS, Porsche Panamera 4S Diesel) often retain a cult following, but their broader market appeal is sharply circumscribed.<\/p>\n

Who Benefits\u2014and Who Is Excluded\u2014by the Current System?<\/p>\n

The five-star system, for all its rhetorical power, is not a neutral instrument. It privileges certain forms of expertise and experience\u2014above all, the perspective of the enthusiast-tester. This has the effect of marginalizing vehicles that excel in less immediately thrilling but arguably more consequential domains: long-term reliability, cost of ownership, accessibility for disabled drivers, or integration with emerging mobility ecosystems. The Skoda Superb\u2019s inclusion is an outlier, its \u201crestraint\u201d and \u201cfitness for purpose\u201d celebrated in a context that otherwise valorizes excess and specialization.<\/p>\n

Moreover, the system\u2019s emphasis on \u201csingularity\u201d and \u201cdriver involvement\u201d may inadvertently reinforce structural inequities. Vehicles that are affordable, practical, and widely available\u2014such as the BMW 320d\u2014are rarely celebrated for these virtues alone unless they also deliver an unexpected surplus of engagement or innovation. The result is a canon that, while diverse in form, remains narrow in its conception of value.<\/p>\n

What Are the Structural Limitations and Second-Order Consequences?<\/p>\n

The methodological boundaries of the five-star rating system are rarely interrogated. Tests are typically conducted under controlled conditions, privileging short-term impressions over longitudinal data. This introduces a bias toward vehicles that perform well in high-intensity, short-duration scenarios, potentially at the expense of those whose virtues emerge over years or tens of thousands of miles. Furthermore, the system is vulnerable to vested interests\u2014manufacturers may \u201cgame\u201d the process by supplying specially prepared vehicles or by optimizing models for the specific parameters of the test.<\/p>\n

Second-order consequences abound. The pursuit of five-star acclaim can incentivize manufacturers to prioritize headline-grabbing features\u2014track-day capability, extreme power outputs, or avant-garde design\u2014over the subtler, less marketable attributes that underpin genuine long-term satisfaction. This dynamic is particularly acute as the industry transitions toward electrification: the risk is that emotional resonance and \u201cfitness for purpose\u201d become casualties of a technological arms race, rather than enduring criteria for excellence.<\/p>\n

What Should an Informed Reader Conclude?<\/p>\n

The five-star rating, for all its cachet, is best understood as a snapshot of automotive values at a particular historical moment. It rewards coherence, singularity, and emotional engagement, but its judgments are necessarily provisional\u2014subject to revision as technologies, regulations, and consumer expectations evolve. The informed reader should approach such ratings with a critical eye, recognizing both their interpretive power and their structural limitations.<\/p>\n

For those seeking vehicles that will deliver satisfaction beyond the initial thrill, it is prudent to interrogate not just the headline score but the underlying rationale: What trade-offs were made? Whose needs are being privileged? How might external shocks\u2014regulatory, technological, or cultural\u2014reshape the car\u2019s value proposition over time? Only by asking such questions can one move beyond the allure of the five-star rating to a more nuanced, durable understanding of automotive excellence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"Autocar<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Autocar has been giving cars comprehensive road tests since 1928.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Our first ever test was done for the Austin Seven<\/strong>, then the best-selling car in the UK. Since then we\u2019ve tested thousands of cars, and we give each one an overall score out of five. We very rarely give cars full marks \u2013 usually just one or two a year at most.<\/p>\n

In this story we\u2019ve gathered together all the cars that we have given the full five stars to in the past 10 years \u2013 just 21 cars<\/strong> made it. Join us, then, for a look at the best cars of the past decade \u2013 we include the date of publication for the test too:<\/p>\n

In alphabetical order<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Alpine A110 \u201316\/5\/18<\/h2>\n

\"Alpine\n<\/p>\n

In our test of this car, we concluded that every significant component part of the A110\u2019s driving experience \u2013 from the rasping turbocharged torque of its engine to the hilariously immersive poise and panache of its handling \u2013 was intoxicating. Moreover, it was ready to deliver its own fresh brand of fun pretty much whenever, wherever and however you might want. It brought to life journeys and roads that rivals wouldn\u2019t; and yet its handling for which your affection can only grow as you explored it more closely.<\/p>\n

You won\u2019t find too many mechanical ingredients or areas you could call genuinely exceptional.<\/p>\n

\n

Alpine A110 \u201316\/5\/18<\/h2>\n

\"Alpine\n<\/p>\n

But put them all together and we couldn\u2019t help but conclude that the A110 was and is a much, much greater car \u2013 and achievement – than the sum of its parts would suggest. Rarely does a car come along so devoted to driver involvement, and so singularly effective at it, even among sports cars.<\/p>\n

The A110 is quick, agile, effusive and ultimately enormous, accessible fun. Their desirability and rareness seems to help them retain their value \u2013 you won\u2019t get a used one today for less than \u00a332,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Ariel Atom 4 \u2013 9\/10\/19<\/h2>\n

\"Ariel\n<\/p>\n

Having played the renegade on the ultra-lightweight sports car scene for so long, the Ariel Atom became a key part of the establishment it once sought to disrupt. Such progression doesn\u2019t happen by chance; and this car is so typical of how cleverly its maker has developed it over the years to retain what makes it so special.<\/p>\n

In a visual sense, the Atom remains an appealing car to anyone who likes the idea of being able to see their car working. It\u2019s also so deliciously simple that it makes modern ideas of perceived quality and more meaningful built-in quality one and the same consideration.<\/p>\n

\n

Ariel Atom 4 \u2013 9\/10\/19<\/h2>\n

\"Ariel\n<\/p>\n

A turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine has boosted the car\u2019s usability as well as its roll-on performance with little entailed compromise, while Ariel\u2019s other chassis and suspension tweaks have proven well worth making. The Atom retains so absorbing a dynamic character that it can be enormous fun on both road and track, when so many of its close rivals simply can\u2019t do both.<\/p>\n

They are very rare, but occasionally come up for sale for around \u00a360,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Ariel Nomad \u2013 24\/6\/15<\/h2>\n

\"Ariel\n<\/p>\n

It might not have four-zone climate control, adaptive LED headlights or a suite of level three autonomy functions, but the Ariel Nomad was worthy of a five-star verdict nonetheless. You see, a five-star rating doesn\u2019t necessarily indicate a perfect car. No vehicle that cheerfully slings mud in its occupants faces, as the Nomad does, could ever be described as perfect.<\/p>\n

Instead, what a five-star score signifies is a car that is so roundly accomplished at the task it was designed for that we could find no good reason to mark it down. It\u2019s called fitness for purpose. The Nomad is built to be a joy machine, pure and simple. Those chunky off-road tyres and the long travel suspension hint at muddy fields and rocky forest tracks – no mistake, the Nomad is in its element on the rough stuff – but Ariel\u2019s second model is actually every bit as fun to drive on the road, or even a race track.<\/p>\n

\n

Ariel Nomad \u2013 24\/6\/15<\/h2>\n

\"Ariel\n<\/p>\n

As we wrote in our road test, \u2018plenty of our testers would pick a Nomad to play with on a circuit before they\u2019d consider a dozen high-profile sports cars and supercars\u2019. It\u2019s still such a sought after car that you\u2019ll have to search high and low to find a used example for sale today, but they do occasionally appear from around \u00a350,000.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Aston Martin DBS Superleggera – 21\/11\/18<\/h2>\n

\"Aston\n<\/p>\n

This car is a big, powerful, elegant, front-engined, 12-cylinder, blood-and-thunder GT. It\u2019s also such a stunning one to behold, and so stellar to drive in its singularly enriching and enticing, occasion-cherishing long-distance mould, that it sets a new standard for its maker.<\/p>\n

\n

Aston Martin DBS Superleggera – 21\/11\/18<\/h2>\n

\"Aston\n<\/p>\n

Power comes from a 5.2-litre V12, an engine derived from the V12 that first arrived in the Vanquish back in 2001. This is an outstanding super-GT representing the British car maker at its absolute best, and can today be bought from around \u00a3110,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Bentley Bentayga Diesel \u2013 5\/4\/17<\/h2>\n

\"Bentley\n<\/p>\n

The concept of a diesel engine in a Bentley might seem strange, especially today. But we reckoned that placing an Audi 4.0-litre V8 diesel engine pinched from the Audi SQ7 was a masterstroke. Suddenly you had all the luxury of a Bentley, decent off-road capabilities, the practicality of an SUV, complete with the ability to drive a potential 700 miles<\/strong> on a single tank.<\/p>\n

Our testers loved it, and found it wonderfully refined. It even had the same amount of torque \u2013 664lb ft \u2013 as the W12 petrol version, generated much more economically.<\/p>\n

\n

Bentley Bentayga Diesel \u2013 5\/4\/17<\/h2>\n

\"Bentley\n<\/p>\n

Shame then the car lasted barely two years on the market. It was conceived and engineered in the glory days of Volkswagen\u2019s obsession with diesel. By the time it came out Dieselgate had arrived to help destroy diesel\u2019s reputation and severely dent the VW brand too.<\/p>\n

Which probably encouraged Bentley to yank it from production. A shame. Used examples are out there, from around \u00a350,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

BMW 320d \u201315\/5\/19<\/h2>\n

\"BMW\n<\/p>\n

The BMW 320d has been as consistent a contender for the title of \u2018best car in the real world\u2019 as the industry has made in decades \u2013 and the G20 version unquestionably raised the game. It was better in ways that greatly pleased long-time 3 Series owners \u2013 outright performance and sporting flair, as well as handling precision and driver appeal \u2013 but also in others that made it a more complete executive car.<\/p>\n

Both practicality and perceived cabin quality advanced, and the car now featured electronic driver aids and infotainment features that were the envy of almost any saloon. It has also advanced on real-world fuel economy and, in becoming a car easily capable of topping 60mpg at one moment and sprinting like a hot hatchback to 149mph the next, sets a dynamic standard matchable by absolutely none of its peers.<\/p>\n

\n

BMW 320d \u201315\/5\/19<\/h2>\n

\"BMW\n<\/p>\n

In a class where new rivals have been given room to emerge and old ones the opportunity to eke out a significant sales lead, this car was clearly the product of a company intent on making the 3 Series the default affordable executive option \u2013 for keen drivers, but perhaps even for others too.<\/p>\n

Plenty of used examples out there, of course, from \u00a312,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Ferrari 488 GTB \u2013 25\/5\/16<\/h2>\n

\"Ferrari\n<\/p>\n

The 488 GTB features a 3.9-litre turbocharged V8, which delivers 661bhp. \u00a0Driving a 488 for its road test at our test track made our testers marvel at what it could do. No other turbocharged engine in a 488 rival \u2013 not\u00a0the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, not the McLaren 650S or\u00a0McLaren 720S\u00a0\u2013 responded so quickly to the throttle.<\/p>\n

And none has a progressive power build, which Ferrari achieves by limiting torque at low revs. It\u2019s not just great, for a turbo. It\u2019s a great engine, full stop.<\/p>\n

\n

Ferrari 488 GTB \u2013 25\/5\/16<\/h2>\n

\"Ferrari\n<\/p>\n

Indeed, we concluded that the best chassis had met the best turbocharged engine. When the Ferrari 458 arrived in 2009, we were taken aback by how much better it was than the 430; in 2016, Ferrari did it again.<\/p>\n

Used examples can be bought from around \u00a3140,000<\/strong> today.<\/p>\n

\n

Ferrari 296 \u2013 21\/12\/22<\/h2>\n

\"Ferrari\n<\/p>\n

For years now Ferrari has been at the top of its game, time and again delivering mid-engined supercars of breadth, soul and unrivalled dynamic exploitability \u2013 class leaders all. Regulations obligated the arrival of electrification with this plug-in hybrid 296 GTB, with its downsized six-cylinder turbo engine.<\/p>\n

This new car was remarkable when it arrived. It picks up where the V8 lineage ended, seamlessly blending in the advantages of electrification with precious few of the drawbacks we\u2019d feared.<\/p>\n

\n

Ferrari 296 \u2013 21\/12\/22<\/h2>\n

\"Ferrari\n<\/p>\n

Benign and adaptable but also wildly quick and expressive, the 296 GTB was and is spectacular to drive and the V6 also sounds stunning. It is usable yet oh so special and its clear manner belies its complexity. Ferrari continues to set the standard.<\/p>\n

Of course this is not a cheap club to join: prices for used examples start at \u00a3200,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Ford Focus RS \u2013 4\/5\/16<\/h2>\n

\"Ford\n<\/p>\n

The third-generation Ford Focus RS wasn\u2019t without its fair share of shortcomings – the engine is no better than average, the low speed ride is tight and the driver\u2019s seat is set far too high – but these were all things we were happy to overlook. Simply put, we reckoned the RS was \u2018the most fun you can currently have in a hot hatchback\u2019.<\/p>\n

\n

Ford Focus RS \u2013 4\/5\/16<\/h2>\n

\"Ford\n<\/p>\n

There were some reports of reliability issues, with many owners reporting head gasket failures. Ford has responded by offering a free repair for any car built between August 2015 and July 2017.<\/p>\n

The cars are desirable and retain their value well \u2013 you\u2019ll have to spend at least \u00a319,000<\/strong> to get a used one today.<\/p>\n

\n

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N \u2013 7\/8\/24 <\/h2>\n

\"Hyundai\n<\/p>\n

The Ioniq 5 N was and remains a game-changer. Reading about this hot hatch-cum-super-saloon on paper, it is perhaps difficult to imagine that all its tricks and innovations wouldn\u2019t feel a touch gimmicky. Certainly, you wonder whether the established German performance brands simply take themselves too seriously to explore, for example, synthesised gearshifts, or throttle-adjustability that at times can seem almost cartoonishly easy to generate.<\/p>\n

And perhaps that is their loss. The first N-badged EV from the South Korean marque with the N\u00fcrburgring test base is blindingly good fun and capable of rising to any occasion in dynamic terms.<\/p>\n

\n

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N \u2013 7\/8\/24 <\/h2>\n

\"Hyundai\n<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a heavy car, and complicated in software terms, but a swift and natural-feeling companion, and has clearly been conceived with the aim of entertaining, rather than mindlessly impressing with vast grip and accelerative clout.<\/p>\n

The electric driver\u2019s car has landed, and it will slot into most of our lives with ease \u2013 and plenty of smiles. It\u2019s the first electric car ever to get the full five stars from us. Used examples can be found from around \u00a355,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

McLaren 570S \u2013 30\/3\/16<\/h2>\n

\"McLaren\n<\/p>\n

It might give up more than 300bhp, an electric motor and a stack of batteries to the P1, but the McLaren 570S really does deliver a good chunk of the hypercar\u2019s driving experience. The basic carbon fibre tub is shared between the two cars, of course, and so is the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine architecture.<\/p>\n

The 570S feels monstrously quick in its own right, too, and it steers with all the precision of the P1.<\/p>\n

\n

McLaren 570S \u2013 30\/3\/16<\/h2>\n

\"McLaren\n<\/p>\n

That’s extremely good news for those of us who\u2019ll never be able to afford a P1. The 570S isn\u2019t exactly swapping hands for pocket change, but from \u00a375,000<\/strong> for a 2016 model, they\u2019re a whole lot cheaper to buy.<\/p>\n

\n

McLaren 720S \u2013 24\/5\/17<\/h2>\n

\"McLaren\n<\/p>\n

By beating the mighty Ferrari 488 GTB in a twin test, the McLaren 720S shot straight to the top of the supercar class and became the third McLaren to clinch a five-star rating. The 720S went through our road test process with imperious disregard for its norms.<\/p>\n

In accelerating from rest to 60mph in less than 3.0sec and to 190mph from rest within a measured mile, in stopping from 70mph in less than 40 metres and in coming within a fraction of a second of smashing our all-time dry handling circuit lap record, it showed itself to be a car of incredible, almost unprecedented speed and purpose.<\/p>\n

\n

McLaren 720S \u2013 24\/5\/17<\/h2>\n

\"McLaren\n<\/p>\n

The 720S\u2019s class-transcending performance comes combined with remarkable breadth of ability on the road (ride and handling that can be more supple, progressive, tactile and mild than any true rival), with excellent usability, too, and with more indulgent on-the-limit track handling than any McLaren we\u2019ve known before.<\/p>\n

Used examples can be obtained from \u00a3120,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Porsche Cayman GT4\u2013 23\/9\/15<\/h2>\n

\"Porsche\n<\/p>\n

The Cayman GT4 is the car that, for a long time, Porsche said it would never build. When it did eventually arrive in 2015 the GT4 won accolades across the globe. There are a handful of factors that will ultimately stop it from being as revered as any 911 GT3 you care to mention, however.<\/p>\n

\n

Porsche Cayman GT4 \u2013 23\/9\/15<\/h2>\n

\"Porsche\n<\/p>\n

For one thing, its 911 Carrera-sourced 3.8-litre flat-six engine was sweet, but no match for a GT3 motor. The hardcore Cayman was built in relatively large numbers, too, and – most significantly of all – it just isn\u2019t a 911.<\/p>\n

But we\u2019re nit-picking \u2013 the GT4 is a wonderful point-to-point sports car. And the car\u2019s sheer desirability means they hold their value very well; 2018 examples are to be had from \u00a364,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS \u2013 14\/9\/22<\/h2>\n

\"Porsche\n<\/p>\n

When we first drove the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, we concluded that it was one of the most thrilling and special Porsche GTs yet. Its configuration makes it more raw and exciting, arguably, than any fast roadgoing 911, while its mid-engined chassis gives it a dynamic purity and instinctive handling poise that few sports cars have known, the best GT3s included.<\/p>\n

What this car represents is every bit as wonderful as what it does: a new way to immerse yourself in the character of a truly wonderful combustion engine and savour and cherish its every detonation, vibration and impulse.<\/p>\n

\n

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS \u2013 14\/9\/22<\/h2>\n

\"Porsche\n<\/p>\n

That feels like a particularly timely invitation, and whether Porsche intended it that way or not, you can\u2019t help interpreting this car as a celebration of the combustion-engined sports car at the most vivid and affecting height that it may ever reach. Yet you don\u2019t need sentimentality to build a case for a five-star score here.<\/p>\n

Few sports cars have offered such a spectacular blend of dizzying dramatic performance, supreme handling accomplishment, sublime track-day purpose and all-round sensory involvement as this spine-tingling new RS. It deserved every plaudit we can give. Used examples are from \u00a3120,000<\/strong> today.<\/p>\n

\n

Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991) \u2013 19\/8\/15<\/h2>\n

\"Porsche\n<\/p>\n

It may have ripped up the patented GT3 RS blueprint with all the recklessness of a common vandal spray-painting over Banksy original, but, somehow, the 991-era 911 GT3 RS got away with it. Out went the manual gearbox in favour of a twin-clutch item and gone was the Mezger engine.<\/p>\n

Even the steering junked hydraulic assistance in favour of EPAS. The ride and handling magic, however, was very much still intact.<\/p>\n

\n

Porsche 911 GT3 RS (991) \u2013 19\/8\/15<\/h2>\n

\"Porsche\n<\/p>\n

\u2018The GT3 RS is truly outstanding and deserves our categorical praise,\u2019 is what we wrote at the time. Today, you won\u2019t pick one up for less than \u00a3125,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Porsche 911 S\/T – 3\/7\/24<\/h2>\n

\"Porsche\n<\/p>\n

Taking the blueprint of the ever-so-serious GT3, tactically applying some GT3 RS know-how, then stripping out weight, fitting unashamedly road-optimised suspension and putting\u00a0the driver at the heart of the matter has resulted in an utterly magic 911 with the 911 S\/T.<\/p>\n

\n

Porsche 911 S\/T – 3\/7\/24<\/h2>\n

\"Porsche\n<\/p>\n

Did this all make it the greatest 911 ever? Quite possibly. Extremely rare, they currently sell for a major premium on their original list prices.<\/p>\n

\n

Porsche Panamera 4S Diesel \u2013 1\/2\/17<\/h2>\n

\"Porsche\n<\/p>\n

\u2018Still not exactly beautiful\u2019 is how we described the new Porsche Panamera. In just about every other respect, though, it was beyond criticism. The car features a 4.0-litre diesel which delivers 416bhp, but with 627lb ft of torque produced from just 1000rpm without the aid of electric turbochargers made it intriguing.<\/p>\n

\n

Porsche Panamera 4S Diesel \u2013 1\/2\/17<\/h2>\n

\"Porsche\n<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the most luxurious GT of its kind, but in the light of other talents, it is a brilliant compromise. Real-world fuel economy and range is as outstanding as the acceleration. This is a near-43mpg cruiser with a 90-litre tank, capable of more than 800<\/strong> miles between fills.<\/p>\n

Sadly the car didn\u2019t stay on sale for long; there aren\u2019t that many out there, and they\u2019re priced from \u00a330,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Range Rover Sport SVR \u2013 15\/4\/15<\/h2>\n

\"Range\n<\/p>\n

By earning a perfect five-star rating the Range Rover Sport SVR – the very first model from Special Vehicle Operations – proved that Jaguar Land Rover\u2019s newly-formed department had hit the ground running.<\/p>\n

The car deployed 542bhp from its supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine and adopts a raft of mechanical and dynamic changes to accompany the extra horsepower.<\/p>\n

\n

Range Rover Sport SVR \u2013 15\/4\/15<\/h2>\n

\"Range\n<\/p>\n

All that power, speed and decent on-road handling, combined with impressive off-road ability too. While there are high-mileage used examples out there from just \u00a323,000, we suggest spending a bit more as these complicated heavy cars can be expensive to maintain. We liked the look of a 2016 example with 56,000 miles and a \u00a327,000<\/strong> price tag.<\/p>\n

\n

Rolls-Royce Phantom \u2013 4\/4\/18<\/h2>\n

\"Rolls-Royce\n<\/p>\n

When we tested the then-new V12 Rolls-Royce Phantom, we concluded that it was \u2018the best car in the world’. Sequels are rarely better than the books, films or shows they succeed. And yet the functional superiority of the new Phantom over its super-luxury peers may be even greater than the margin by which its predecessor led its field.<\/p>\n

Despite the strides taken by the Audi A8, Mercedes S-Class \u00a0and even by the Bentley Mulsanne, the Phantom surpassed by some distance what they offer in every way that\u2019s critical for a genuinely luxurious car: on mechanical refinement, ride comfort, cabin isolation, convenience, outright space, lavish richness and easy drivability.<\/p>\n

\n

Rolls-Royce Phantom \u2013 4\/4\/18<\/h2>\n

\"Rolls-Royce\n<\/p>\n

We reckoned that it had grandness, ostentation and sense of occasion far in advance of anything else on four wheels, and it still has that today. It also seems even better aimed at the tastes and preferences of its customer base than its predecessor was; it has an even deeper and more easily accessed reserve of silken performance to plunder; and it has added greater dynamic flexibility and range without having compromised the supreme highlights of its utterly singular and special driving experience.<\/p>\n

The car is frankly in a league of it own, and the design has stood up well, being marginally tweaked in a facelift in 2022. Used Phantoms can be had from \u00a3218,000<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\n

Skoda Superb \u2013 17\/7\/24<\/h2>\n

\"Skoda\n<\/p>\n

The Superb is the perfect example of how the brand takes mass-market VW mechanicals and software, and then makes them just that bit more usable and accessible with careful design, and by adding a well-judged selection of physical controls, while also avoiding technolog y excesses and overstyling.<\/p>\n

While other manufacturers boil down their model ranges to just a few big sellers, Skoda also continues to offer buyers a wide range of bodystyles and powertrains, including petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid, which are all impressive in their own right. With the fourth-generation Superb, Skoda hasn\u2019t tried to reinvent the wheel.<\/p>\n

\n

Skoda Superb \u2013 17\/7\/24<\/h2>\n

\"Skoda\n<\/p>\n

In the modern car industry, that kind of restraint seems almost an achievement in itself. By sticking to the essentials \u2013 space, efficiency, ease of use and intuitive driving characteristics \u2013 and doing those well, Skoda produced a car that is outstandingly fit for purpose, makes the case for the estate car like few current rivals and does it at a price that significantly undercuts its competition.<\/p>\n

Used examples can be had from \u00a328,000<\/strong> today.<\/p>\n

\n

Toyota GR Yaris Circuit Pack \u2013 3\/3\/21<\/h2>\n

\"Toyota\n<\/p>\n

With this car, Toyota launched a new hot hatch champion of the kind you just didn\u2019t think people made any more \u2013 removed from a standard production line, chopped and changed in what must be hugely expensive fashion and fitted with a high-revving, powerful engine, a passive suspension set-up and a good old manual gearbox.<\/p>\n

\n

Toyota GR Yaris Circuit Pack \u2013 3\/3\/21<\/h2>\n

\"Toyota\n<\/p>\n

It is spookily fast if you\u2019re absolutely on it and so a bit more interaction at lower speeds wouldn\u2019t hurt, but this is a driver\u2019s car hero that\u2019s great fun and approachably priced. And worth savouring because, well, who will ever build something else like it?<\/p>\n

They hold their value very well, and used examples start at \u00a324,000<\/strong> today.<\/p>\n

If you enjoyed this story, please click the Follow button above to see more like it from Autocar<\/strong><\/p>\n

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