The best used cars

What Car? has revealed its top used cars of the year.

Second-hand cars are a major market in the UK, with seven million used cars sold every year compared to 2.2 million new, according to What Car?

So if you're in the market for a new used car, which one should you go for? The latest Used Car of the Year awards from What Car? may be a good place to start.

Here we have broken down the winners of each individual category.

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Estate car

Winner: Ford Mondeo Estate 2.0 TDCi 140 Zetec ‘10/10

This four-year-old Mondeo is a reliable, comfortable car. Despite its large proportions, the responsive steering and the sharp handling make this ride super smooth, according to What Car?. The 2.0 litre engine is just as smooth, reducing cabin noise on motorways. Air conditioning, electric windows, cruise control and a low price make this a great family car.

Coupé

Winner: Volkswagen Scirocco 1.4 TSI 160 ‘09/09

The Scirocco is a terrific all-rounder: fun and stylish, but practical and reliable too. There’s room for four adults and a decent-sized boot. The headroom in the back seats is a little restricted but the fold-down seats are convenient for an impromptu Ikea trip.
All models have both automatic and manual versions, but the automatic will land you with a £500 insurance premium. 

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Open-top car

Winner: BMW Series Convertible 320d SE ‘09/09

A winning combination of performance and economy make this BMW a great drive for slick drivers on a budget. Complete with alloy wheels, climate control, electric seats, rear parking sensors and automatic headlights and wipers, it’s made for comfortable cruising. The back is a little cramped though; great for friends with short legs, not so great for packing your shopping.

Small car

Winner: Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec 5dr ‘09/09

The Ford Fiesta has proved impressive both as a new and used car. What really makes it stand out is its comfort. Four adults can comfortably fit in it and it’s got a fairly big boot.

Its reliability is first-class too, which makes it no surprise that the Ford Fiesta is the UK’s best-selling car ever.

Luxury car

Winner: Jaguar XJ 3.0D V6 Luxury ‘11/11

Many of these will be trade-ins for new buys, so expect a service history. But it can reach speeds of 62 miles per hour in 6.4 seconds, which is part of the reason the judges rated it so highly: the wow factor.

Small SUV

Winner: Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dci Acenta ‘10/10

Usually the Qashqai is a car for either comfort or agility, but the newest version has both. This is part of the reason why this is the first Nissan car to win a What Car? Award. It’s smooth around corners and brilliant at shutting out wind and road noise, according to the judges.

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Used car of the year/Family car

Winner: Ford Focus 1.6 105 Zetec ‘11/11

Its fast, spot-on steering makes the Zetec an easy drive while the quietness leads to minimum disturbance in the cabin. It has plenty of room for passengers and the huge boot is brilliant for family holiday luggage.

Fun car

Winner: Mazda MX-5 2.0 Sport ‘09/09

This nifty little number handles beautifully, is cheap to insure and is surprisingly reliable. All that and you can ride with the roof down.

The catch? The engine emits 193g/km of CO2 which will get you an annual VED charge of £275.

Large SUV

Winner: Volvo XC90 2.4 D5 SE Lux ‘10/60

If you need a practical vehicle that can tow 2250kg, check out the Volvo XC90. It’s a seven-seater that can fit three child seats in the middle row, the only SUV that can. The two rearmost seats fold down to maximise luggage space, too.

The running costs are not as practical. The fuel and tax are expensive as it emits 215g/km of CO2.

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City car

Winner: Hyundai i10 1.2 Comfort ‘10/10

You can nip around the city in this zippy little car. It also seats five in a class which usually only seats four. Air conditioning, electric windows, folding rear seats and a CD player all come as standard, making a great first car for a young driver.

The low running cost is likely to appeal to cash-strapped youngsters, too.

Executive car

Winner: Lexus IS220d SE ‘10/10

A Lexus tends to lose a lot of its value early on in its life so is a smashing second-hand buy. Go for a model from 2009 onwards will save you around £50 a year in road tax and a 10% improvement in economy with no loss in performance.

MPV  

Winner: Citroën Grand C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi VTR+ ‘10/10

This MPV is great value for money- just under £8000, in fact. It works really well for larger families who want to keep costs down.

Used vs new

You’ve got masses of choice when buying a used car. What's more, they’re not subject to the same level of depreciation. About 20% of a new car’s value is slashed once it leaves the showroom, while many will have lost up to two-thirds of their value after just three years.

That said, new cars haven’t got the potentially dodgy unknown history. Buyers can go for their preferred specification depending on their needs, such as fuel efficiency. You’re also likely to get extras added on to your deal when you buy new.

What do you look for when buying a car? Tell us in the comments below.

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