Top 100 cars for 2020

1: BMW 3 Series – Our top choice for 2020 reminds us why driving is fun

Top cars for 2020: Plug-in 330e is the epitome of what’s great about this German

2: Toyota Corolla – Ireland’s top seller, and rightly so
3: Kia eSoul – Quirky crossover that’s on an electric charge
4: Tesla Model 3 – A genuine disrupter that’s in many ways quite brilliant
5: Jaguar I-Pace – proves enthusiastic drivers have nothing to fear from electric
6: Skoda Superb – Proof you don’t need an SUV in your life
7: Audi e-Tron quattro – All-electric but reassuringly Audi
8: Mazda 3 – now offering premium-class cabins for mass-market prices
9: Mercedes-Benz E-Class – Still king of the posh premium saloons
10: Toyota Camry – Relaxing, refined and will out-live the Rock of Gibraltar
11: Peugeot 5008 – reliable lion is ideal for family motoring
12: Audi A6 – Avant estate is the best in a range still built around diesel
13: Hyundai Kona – Well priced compact crossover with futureproof options
14: Toyota C-HR – So good it could easily carry a Lexus badge
15. Range Rover Evoque – Big surprise is that it’s fun to drive
16: Ford Focus – Well-engineered but starting to lose ground to rivals
17: Skoda Octavia – Still going strong as a new version prepares to land
18: Lexus UX – The stylish option in the small crossover segment
19. Hyundai Santa Fe – Good enough to scare the Germans
20: Mazda CX-30 – A crossover that’s fun to drive (who knew it could be done!)
21: Seat Ateca – Keen pricing, decent dynamics, and pleasing styling carry the day
22: Mercedes-Benz C-Class – A class act but not without flaws
23: Toyota RAV4 – Now with real off-road muscle
24: Mazda 6 – A premium package in the mainstream market
25: Lexus LC – Japanese take on the Italians and win
26: Mercedes-Benz S-Class – the true luxury car king
27: Volkswagen Golf – Dying days of seventh generation
28: Ford Fiesta – The best small car on the market right now
29: Dacia Duster – Second generation is a big value star
30: BMW 5 Series – Still slick and sleek enough to compete with rivals
31: Honda Civic – Driving fun makes up for some flaws
32: Audi Q8 – Mean, menacing and oh-so-good
33: Kia Ceed – Wider range and appeal wins out against Korean sibling
34: Hyundai i30 – Solidly sensible family hatch
35: BMW i3 – ageing but we still love this future collector’s car
36: Hyundai Tucson – Solid family car that’s a firm Irish favourite
37: Seat Ibiza – Makes strong case against trading up to larger car
38: Kia Niro – go for the plug-in hybrid over full-electric
39: Volkswagen Polo – Sometimes makes sense despite Seat Ibiza
40: Peugeot 3008 – Far more interesting than the average crossover
41: Suzuki Swift – a silent superstar
42: Volkswagen Passat – current king of the family saloon segment
43: Mini Hatch & Clubman – we’re waiting for its electric future
44: Volvo S60/V60 – Closing in on its German rivals
45: BMW i8 – Sounds strange but the i8 is one of the all-time great car bargains
46: Toyota Prius – Still relevant at a time when hybrids are the norm
47: Ford Mustang – Live life like a movie star
48: Nissan Leaf – electric pioneer now with a bigger battery
49: Opel Astra – More rewarding than you might imagine
50: BMW 1 Series – does enough to justify the premium badge
51: Hyundai i10 – Arguably all you need for urban motoring
52: BMW 2 Series Coupe - A truly classic BMW
53: Porsche 718 Boxster & Cayman - all the sports car you could ever possibly need
54: Hyundai Ioniq - best value electric choice this year
55: Seat Arona – sidesteps our criticisms of these cars and is quite good to drive
56: Honda CR-V – Should be a star but losing out to Japanese rival
57: Toyota Land Cruiser – our Armageddon car and now it’s affordable
58: Volkswagen Tiguan – surprisingly its more popular than the Golf
59: Audi A5 – slinky coupe offers you multiple personalities in one model lineup
60: Mercedes-Benz GLC – smooth and refined 2-litre diesel is the centrepiece
61: Peugeot 208 – Update as an all-electric surge to the little lion
62: BMW 8 Series – Best-looking Beemer in a long time
63: Tesla Model S – Top end electric power but lags on the luxury front
64: Mazda MX-5 – a welcome reminder of what motoring should be like
65: Mitsubishi Outlander – Keep the battery charged and it’s a winner
66: Skoda Kodiaq – Big seven-seater has a lot going for it
67: Nissan Qashqai – Colossal sales success starting to show its age
69: Citroen C5 Aircross – French riposte to Asian rivals
Find the Comfort Plus setting in the iDrive menu to set the air springs to their softest and you have a car that does a convincing impression of a 1970s Citroen in the ride comfort stakes 70: BMW 7 Series – Luxury from the front seat (where you can’t see that grille)
VW Touran: a straightforwardly roomy car that’s nice to drive (if perhaps a touch un-thrilling) with seats for seven 71: Volkswagen Touran – straightforwardly roomy car that’s nice to drive
The big Volvo twins really do vie for the title of most handsome cars on the road 72: Volvo S90 & V90 – vying for tile of most handsome car on our roads
The 1.2 petrol engine is revvy and zippy, and economical enough that you can ignore the diesel options. 73: Citroen C3 – Soft and supple French supermini worth a look
Merc GLE: All that holds it back, really, is a slight sense of waywardness to the handling; it doesn’t feel as well tied-down as opposition 74: Mercedes-Benz GLE – revamp has turned also-ran into real competitor
The ES is only available as a hybrid, and only with the single 2.5-litre engine option, so there’s no point in speccing one up trying to be sporty 75: Lexus ES – Sit back and relax in the silence
We’re rather pleased that the Renault Scenic has survived the dramatic MPV market cull, 76: Renault Scenic – A better family buy than the Kadjar
Alfa Giulia: the BMW M3-beating 510hp Quadrifoglio, a car with 6/8ths of a Ferrari engine under the bonnet 77: Alfa Romeo Giulia – Looking a little old-fashioned but still fun
You could find another car with similar levels of on-road refinement, but none of them could climb mountains and ford rivers like the Discovery 78: Land Rover Discovery – Rugged mountain climber
Arguably not as good a car as were previous generations of Mondeo, but it still has its charms 79: Ford Mondeo – Old stager still worthy of your attention
Alfa Romeo Stelvio: 2.2 diesel engine is not quite as smooth as those of its rivals, but the 280hp petrol turbo is rather lovely. 80: Alfa Romeo Stelvio – Italian fun dressed for SUV tastes
With the ‘55’ 3.0-litre V6 TDI diesel engine fitted, the A7 is very quick (700Nm of torque will do that), very refined, and decently frugal 81: Audi A7 – Slinky saloon undermined by sleeker A6 sibling
Volvo has, partially, sworn off diesels for some of its models, but you still need an oil burner for a big lump like this 82: Volvo XC90 – Big Swede ageing gracefully
Polo bits underneath mean that it’s nice to drive and space in the back and boot is just about enough for a growing family 83: Volkswagen T-Cross – a Polo with a loft conversion
The new Clio picks up exactly where the last one left off in terms of style, but it has moved on in leaps and bounds in terms of cabin design and quality 84: Renault Clio – Newest version is a revelation
It’s not especially roomy, so don’t go for a 500 if you’ve got kids to raise, but it is still fun and engaging to drive 85: Fiat 500 – Holding its own as we wait to see what happens next
The Insignia isn’t perhaps as sharp to drive as once it was, but it’s a handsome car on the outside, and one that majors on both space and comfort within 86. Opel Insignia – old-school but with lessons to teach
A shame that the long-awaited RX450h-L seven-seat version has such small third row seats 87: Lexus RX450h – maximum comfort for the longest journeys
There’s nothing that the Kia Sorento does that’s in the least flashy, nor attention-grabbing 88: Kia Sorento – sensible shoes for seven
XF is pretty much as practical if you buy the gorgeous Sportbrake estate 89: Jaguar XF – Still worthy in a world of SUVs
BMW X3’s styling is far, far, better than that which clothed its predecessors 90: BMW X3 – smart styling and engaging driving
People carriers are out of fashion but we are genuinely thankful that the Alhambra is still available 91: Seat Alhambra – genuine space for seven genuine passengers
This is not the re-creation of the 1990s A80 Supra that fans were craving, it must be said, but it is still a Supra, and for that we should be thankful 92: Toyota Supra – time-travelling drifter returns
BMW has long been a car selfishly designed around the person sat behind the wheel, and the X5 delivers here 93: BMW X5 – still arguably the best large SUV to drive
Volvo XC60: T8 plugin hybrid a good diesel alternative, although it gets thirsty if you forget to charge it up. 94: Volvo XC60 – Classy Swede now with plug-in appeal
Mercedes-Benz A-Class: tackling the issue of premium hatchbacks 95: Mercedes-Benz A-Class – solving the premium hatchback conundrum
Audi Q5: It’s roomy, has a big boot, and is not even especially bad value for money 96: Audi Q5 – Lacks character, yet it’s a really good car
If you’re looking for a way to haul people and luggage around, the van-based rivals at Citroen are a much better option 97: Citroen C4 Spacetourer – remembering Picasso
Ford Raptor: It’s essentially a mildly de-tuned off-road racer underneath, 98: Ford Ranger Raptor – embrace your inner cowboy
The big 6.0-litre W12 turbo engine is hardly in keeping with the cultural zeitgeist, but it’s massively (in every sense) impressive 99: Bentley Continental GT – genuinely agile and sporty
Ford S-Max: masses of space, great comfort, high levels of cabin quality, and handling that can be truly entertaining and engaging 100: Ford S-Max – a hugely capable and appealing car
We look at the best cars for 2020 Best buys: The Irish Times Top 100 cars for 2020