The Sun’s Motor Awards have been announced – winner is cracking family SUV
LET’S be clear. Winning The Sun’s Car of the Year is serious business.
It has to be exceptional. It has to be the car that really does everything for everybody.
And it has to be sensibly priced and stress-free.
It has to be . . . the Kia Niro.
Kia has gone to every length possible to make Niro as good as it can be for every type of person, all wrapped with low-rate finance and underpinned by that seven-year warranty.
We thought the old Niro was good but this new one is next-level.
Swanky Merc-like interior, tech-rich, luxurious, comfy, big drink holders, buttons to warm and soothe your back, hugely satisfying.
But you are not being punished for it by paying a premium price.
Equally, Niro stands out because it is one of the few models available as a self-charging hybrid, plug-in hybrid or pure electric.
Which means there’s a Niro to suit you — no matter where you live, or where you need to get to.
Some people don’t want the faff of a plug. Try the £28k petrol hybrid that does 60mpg.
Some people like the idea of doing short runs on pure electric but want a petrol engine as back-up for longer trips. That’s the plug-in hybrid. It’ll do 40 miles in e-mode.
Then there’s the 285-mile Niro EV for those ready to go all-in with electric motoring.
As I said, Kia has thought of everything and everyone.
Niro punches way ahead of the rest and for that reason it is the obvious choice as The Sun’s 2022 Car of the Year, as well as our Small SUV/Crossover of the Year.
Further proof that Kia is absolutely killing it right now is that Sportage, heartland do-it-all SUV, was crowned Family Car of the Year, as well as being voted for by YOU as Readers’ Car of the Year.
With Kia UK selling more cars than ever — and set to top 100,000 for the first time this year — it was a no-brainer that the Koreans should also be rewarded with Manufacturer of the Year, making it an unprecedented FIVE awards.
Comically cheap
Other big winners were the Dacia Jogger, our Value Car of the Year, Ford’s pure electric E-Transit as Best Van, Toyota’s Aygo X as Best Small Car, and the bonkers Audi RS3 as Hot Hatch of the Year.
The seven-seat Jogger costs £8.57 a day with just £240 deposit. That’s comically cheap motoring.
There is nothing, apart from a McDonald’s Happy Meal and this newspaper, that represents such good value.
Transit has gone from flip-phone to smartphone with E-Transit.
Priced aggressively, decent 197-mile range, 25 body styles, onboard socket to power work tools and lighting, plus slick 12in touchscreen and heated driver’s seat as standard. Bonus.
Aygo X is a fun little thing, does good numbers and you can trust Toyota for bombproof reliability. Surprisingly well-equipped from £15k.
Then we have the supercar-slaying Audi RS3 with 400hp, 4WD, drift mode and that glorious five-cylinder engine.
We know petrol performance cars are on borrowed time and this is ultimate hot hatch.
There is no such thing as a bad new car nowadays.
But if you want the absolute best of breed, you won’t go far wrong with any of the above.
The Motor Awards 2022
The Sun Car of the Year: KIA NIRO
Legend Award: FORD FIESTA
Motoring Personality: MARTIN BRUNDLE
Value Car of the Year: DACIA JOGGER
City car: TOYOTA AYGO X
Small SUV/Crossover: KIA NIRO
Large SUV: RANGE ROVER
Family Car: KIA SPORTAGE
Hot Hatch: AUDI RS3
Readers’ Car of the Year: KIA SPORTAGE
Van of the Year: FORD E-TRANSIT
Company Car: BMW i4
Manufacturer: KIA
Used Car: SKODA OCTAVIA
Dream Car: FERRARI 296 GTB
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