Toyota C-HR named the Parkers New Car of The Year 2018
16 category winners chosen for real-world new-car buyers, not the industry
All-new awards, based on car buyers’ lifestages rather than traditional segments
In partnership with Bauer Media radio stations, websites and magazines
Parkers.co.uk, the reviews website that delivers trusted no-nonsense advice for Britain’s car-buying public, has announced the Toyota C-HR as the winner in the Parkers New Car Awards 2018. The groundbreaking crossover takes the overall prize, but there are also 16 category winners, ranging from the Best First Car to the Best Car for Thrill-Seekers.
The Parkers.co.uk team had a tough job choosing the overall winner, with the C-HR strongly challenged by the Skoda Kodiaq, SEAT Ibiza and BMW 5 Series Touring. But the Toyota took the honours based on its involving drive, futuristic yet practical design, low-cost engine options and long five-year warranty.
The Parkers New Car Awards are launched this year, and reflect the views of Britain’s car-buying public. The winners were chosen based on the buying habits of the website’s 2.9+ million users* actively involved in the buying process.
The awards categories have been shaped by constant analysis of Parkers.co.uk traffic. Detailed research shows that 77% of Parkers.co.uk site users consider buying cars from multiple market sectors, destroying the idea of traditional competitors and rivals. Hence the Parkers New Car Awards are not based on conventional segments.
Parkers.co.uk research also found that 78% of UK car buyers don’t like automotive jargon. As a result there are no categories based on industry terms such as SUV, Crossover and Supermini. Instead, the Parkers New Car Awards are based around car-buying lifestages – for instance Best Car for Small Families or Best Seven-Seater – reflecting how the great British public buy cars to fit their lifestyles.
The winning cars have been tested rigorously by the Parkers.co.uk team, which judged them on a combination of cost per month, value, quality, excellence and fitness for purpose. The Parkers New Car of the Year 2018 was chosen from the category winners, and is the car the team felt is the most compelling new vehicle you can currently buy.
In another automotive media first, the Parkers New Car Awards 2018 is partnering with sister brands from across Bauer Media’s portfolio of 107 magazines, websites and radio stations, which reaches one in two of all UK adults. We are truly speaking to car buyers in places other publishers cannot reach, including on national radio stations such as Kiss.
Keith Adams, Parkers.co.uk editor, said: ‘It’s exciting that we’ve combined what we know about what our users are viewing on Parkers, with the team’s total 100+ years of editorial expertise. We’re pleased to have chosen such an interesting winner in the Toyota C-HR, in a thoroughly excellent line-up of cars.
‘The Toyota C-HR is a brilliant example of how the most functional of family cars can be spiced up with exciting detail, thoughtful touches and intelligent design to become a true game-changer. The Parkers.co.uk team loves the way it drives, and so, it seems, do the younger buyers who are now flocking to Toyota dealers, after years of passing them by.’
See more on the winning cars at: www.parkers.co.uk/awards
* Based on Google Analytics data, August 2017: 2,862,952 users (+22% compared with 2016), with a total of 24.6 million page views (+36%). Parkers is perennially one of the UK’s biggest and most successful motoring websites and Bauer Media’s flagship digital brand.
SHORTLISTED CARS AND AWARDS
BEST FIRST CAR in association with Kiss Radio
Winner: SEAT Ibiza
http://www.parkers.co.uk/seat/ibiza/
Highly recommended: Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Up
BEST SMALL FAMILY CAR in association with Mother & Baby
Winner: Toyota C-HR
http://www.parkers.co.uk/toyota/c-hr/
Highly recommended: Skoda Fabia Estate, Volkswagen Golf
BEST LARGE FAMILY CAR in association with Absolute Radio
Winner: BMW 5 Series Touring
http://www.parkers.co.uk/bmw/5-series/touring/review/
Highly recommended: Skoda Superb Estate, Volvo XC60
BEST SEVEN-SEATER in association with Closer
Winner: Skoda Kodiaq
http://www.parkers.co.uk/skoda/kodiaq/
Highly recommended: Land Rover Discovery, SEAT Alhambra
BEST CAR FOR SUN-SEEKERS in association with Magic Radio
Winner: Mazda MX-5
http://www.parkers.co.uk/mazda/mx-5/
Highly recommended: Audi A5 Cabriolet, Porsche 718 Boxster
BEST CAR FOR THRILL-SEEKERS in association with Mustard.co.uk
Winner: Ford Focus RS
http://www.parkers.co.uk/ford/focus/
Highly recommended: McLaren 570S, Toyota GT86
BEST COMPANY CAR in association with Fleet News
Winner: BMW 330e
http://www.parkers.co.uk/bmw/3-series/
Highly recommended: Vauxhall Astra 1.0 Tech Line Nav, Volkswagen Golf GTE
BEST LUXURY CAR in association with Today’s Golfer
Winner: Mercedes-Benz S-Class
http://www.parkers.co.uk/mercedes-benz/s-class/
Highly recommended: Bentley Bentayga, Porsche Panamera
BEST ECO CAR in association with The Debrief
Winner: Renault Zoe
http://www.parkers.co.uk/renault/zoe/
Highly recommended: Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Golf GTE
BEST VAN in association with Commercial Fleet
Winner: Volkswagen Crafter
http://www.parkers.co.uk/vans/reviews/volkswagen/crafter/2017
Highly recommended: Ford Transit Custom, Renault Kangoo ZE 33
BEST PICKUP in association with MCN
Winner: Nissan NP300 Navara
http://www.parkers.co.uk/vans/reviews/nissan/np300-navara/2016
Highly recommended: Mitsubishi L200, Volkswagen Amarok
BEST NEW CAR FINANCE SCHEME in association with Mustard.co.uk
Winner: Skoda
Highly recommended: BMW, SEAT
BEST APPROVED USED CAR SCHEME in association with AM
Winner: Kia
Highly recommended: Jaguar, Mitsubishi
BEST CAR TECH INNOVATION in association with CAR magazine
Winner: Vauxhall OnStar
Highly recommended: Citroen C3 dash-cam, Jaguar Land Rover’s activity key
BEST SAFETY AWARD in association with Mother & Baby
Winner: EuroNCAP: 20 years of crash-testing
Highly recommended: Nissan Micra’s standard safety equipment, Volkswagen van AEB standardisation
BEST OWNERS’ REVIEWS
Winner: Porsche
Highly recommended: Lexus, Jaguar
