The UK’s largest automobile marketplace, Auto Trader held its annual New Car Awards voted for by over 220,000 UK car owners, with a variety of winners across 23 categories. One of the only sets of awards to not be decided by motoring journalists or industry experts, car owners completed an online survey sharing exactly what they think of their car from real-world experience. People were asked to rate their cars across 16 different criteria, from reliability and performance to appearance and running costs. They were also asked about their overall satisfaction with their car and how likely they would be to recommend it to others. Independent analysts then used this data to determine the finalists for 20 of the categories, with the exception being The Erin Baker Award, The Rory Reid Award, and the Sustainability Initiative Award.

The awards were a success for electric technology, with a record 10 award winners from the EV world. Climate concerns are clearly in the public’s thinking, as with the addition of the two hybrid winning categories, 58% of the model specific awards this year were low-emission vehicles. Due to the growing popularity of electric vehicles, Auto Trader introduced a new award, the Best Home Charger Category, which was won by myenergi.

Kia EV6 Continues to Win
Following its wins in various motoring awards shows, the Kia EV6 added another prize to its ever-growing cabinet with a victory in the most prestigious category, ‘New Car of the Year’. John Marcar reviewed the car in February, praising it for its value compared to other EVs on the market.

In another win for the South Korean company, the Soul EV scooped ‘best Value Electric Car’ at the awards. Originally launched to great acclaim in 2014, the Soul EV has come a long way with a boosted battery yet retains its practical and boxy design.

Kia’s range of impressive electric cars in the UK continues to grow as the brand prepared to welcome the EV9 later this year.

Nissan LEAF Scooped City Award
Originally introduced in 2010, this was the first mass market electric vehicle. The 2nd generation LEAF arrived in 2018 and continues to be incredibly popular with over 500,000 sold globally. Built at Nissan’s plant in Sunderland in the North of England, the LEAF has stood the test of time, winning several awards in its lifetime. At the Auto Trader New Car Awards, it added ‘Best Car for City Drivers’ to its collection.

Erin Baker, Auto Trader’s Editorial Director, said: “The Nissan LEAF is truly an electric icon. More than a decade after its introduction, it remains a great choice for so many people, thanks to its low running costs, great reliability, and reputation as an easy electric car to use every day.”

Hyundai IONIQ Double Win

Following on from the two IONIQ’s wins as World Car of the Year in 2022 and 2023, Hyundai has scooped two prestigious accolades during this year’s Auto Trader New Car Awards, with IONIQ 5 named the UK’s ‘Most Loved Car’ and IONIQ 6 clinching the ‘Erin Baker Award’.

Erin Baker recognised the sustainable credentials and striking design of the IONIQ 6. She commented: “It’s tough to follow in the footsteps of the IONIQ 5, but Hyundai has pulled it off with the 6 – a crazy-looking car with incredible boot space, brilliant reliability, decent electric range, competitive pricing and cool tech.”

Honda CR-V Hybrid Win

Solely available as a self-charging hybrid, the popular SUV is extremely well regarded amongst loyal Honda fans. Now recognised by the wider motoring public, the Honda CR-V has been named the ‘Best Hybrid Car’, beating strong competition along the way. The car is now in its fifth generation and continues to be highly sought after, ahead of the launch of the sixth generation CR-V, which will build on the iconic silhouette of its predecessor, offering a more sporty appearance.

Rebecca Adamson, head of Automotive at Honda UK collected the award at the ceremony, commenting: “We believe that the Honda CR-V is the ideal family car as it offers plenty of practicality, refinement, and quality.”

Full list of winners

New Car of the Year – Kia EV6
Best Car for Families - Tesla Model Y
Best Car for City Drivers – Nissan Leaf
Best Value New Car – Dacia Sandero Stepway
Best Car for Long Distances – Tesla Model 3
Most Fun to Drive – Ford Mustang
Best Car for New Drivers – Renault Zoe
Best Car for Dog Owners – Toyota RAV4
Best 7-Seater Car – Peugeot 5008
Best Car for Towing – Volvo V90 Cross Country
Most Loved Car - Hyundai IONIQ 5
Best Hybrid – Honda CR-V
Best Value Electric Car – Kia Soul
Best Premium Electric Car – BMW iX3
Best Luxury Car – Bentley Bentayga
Most Loved Brand – Porsche
Most Reliable Brand – Lexus
Car Brand with the Best Tech – Tesla
Best Value Brand – Dacia
The Erin Baker Award – Hyundai IONIQ 6
The Rory Reid Award - Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Sustainability Initiative Award – Citroen
Best Home Charger - myenergi

Words: Mike Booth
Pictures: Auto Trader & Hyundai