Latest news with #DriverPower
Auto Express
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Driver Power Award 2025: Mercedes GLE
Chosen not by us but by you, the large and luxurious Mercedes GLE has been rated the best car to own in this year's Driver Power customer satisfaction survey. It topped half of the 10 main categories and reached the podium places in several others, while it was the elegant interior and exterior design that impressed owners the most. The model is offered with petrol, hybrid and diesel engines, making it one of the very few cars on sale available with the latter fuel type. Our case study, Norman Eaton, loves the smooth and prodigious power delivery from his GLE 450 d's 3.0-litre diesel. He even returns 40mpg on the motorway, where the GLE thrives given its cushioned ride, slushy nine-speed automatic gearbox and fine sound deadening. Advertisement - Article continues below On the inside, owners love the Merc's superb quality, with plush leather, wood veneer and metal wrapping almost everything you touch. Even in its most basic form, the GLE is fully loaded with equipment and luxurious materials, negating the need for buyers to climb up the range and spend more. All cars get dual-screen displays as standard, with owners – including Norman – saying they like the GLE's balance of digital and physical controls. It's not often a premium car does well in Driver Power – having spent extra, customers usually expect a lot more from a car with a posh badge – but in this case, the GLE has fulfilled buyers' expectations commendably, even managing to wiggle its way onto the podium for the value section – no mean feat for a car starting from almost £80,000. Configure your perfect Mercedes GLE through our Find A Car service now. Alternatively, check out the best deals out there on a new Mercedes GLE from stock or top prices on used Mercedes GLE models... Find a car with the experts Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal The BMW M5 Touring is M car royalty, with a thoroughly impressive PHEV powertrain. It's our Deal of the Day for 29 June Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019 Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019 From poor electric car sales to crashes in F1, Mike Rutherford thinks its been a crazy few weeks in the automotive world New Skoda Epiq vRS to headline brand's hot-SUV onslaught New Skoda Epiq vRS to headline brand's hot-SUV onslaught Every future Skoda will get the go-faster treatment, with the brand also working on making cars sharper and more engaging
Scottish Sun
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
What's the BEST motor to own in the UK? Thousands of car owners reveal top choice rated for space, safety, value & more
Two Vauxhall models make up the top three RESULTS ARE IN What's the BEST motor to own in the UK? Thousands of car owners reveal top choice rated for space, safety, value & more THOUSANDS of new car owners across the country have taken part in a survey to help determine the best motor money can buy in 2025. Auto Express have revealed the results of their Driver Power owner satisfaction survey - and it's seen a plush SUV take top spot. 5 The luxury Mercedes GLE SUV tops the Driver Power survey with a 92.24% score, excelling in driving pleasure, safety and overall quality 5 Owners rave about its luxurious interior, advanced tech and smooth ride 5 Seen as an all-rounder, the Vauxhall Grandland secures second place with a spacious interior and great value 5 Ranking third, the Astra impresses with its smooth ride, advanced tech and timeless style Credit: PA 5 Rising to fourth place, the Kuga scores high for safety, practicality and versatile boot space Driver Power, which is the Carwow Group's flagship research study, asked thousands of new car owners to share their thoughts and real-life experiences of the vehicles they newly bought. They're asked to judge their motor's reliability, interior space, safety features, value-for-money and driving experience, in a bid to help car experts determine which set of wheels offers owners the ultimate satisfaction. Last year, the winner was the delightful Dacia Duster - championed for being roomy, well-built and great value for money. This year's winner, though, was the classy Mercedes GLE - which topped the tables across six categories, including driving pleasure and overall quality. The GLE reached a score of 92.24% overall, scoring highly across the board apart from in the economy and running costs category, where satisfaction with fuel economy sinks to 43rd place. If you want to run this car, you may need deep pockets. However, the GLE's key wins included driving pleasure, safety attributes, climate, audio and sat-nav function, as well as overall quality. Its exterior style, sat-nav and the balance of digital and touchscreen controls were all highly rated by owners, too. Owners said: 'The GLE's luxurious interior, smooth ride, and advanced tech make it a joy to drive, but it's roomy enough for family and luggage. 'Its powerful engine, spacious cabin, and sleek design blend comfort with performance perfectly.' Vauxhall Mokka hybrid is a smarter, greener & better equipped version of old motor… but small detail really lets it down Coming in just behind the GLE was the Vauxhall Grandland with a score of 90.55% - topping one category and taking second place in five others. Indeed, it failed to score outside of the top 10 in any of the categories, proving to be an excellent all rounder. 'It is high off the ground, with plenty of room inside,' said an owner. 'Quiet and comfortable on long journeys, and the boot is amazing. 'I like absolutely everything; it's comfortable, easy to use and I look forward to driving it. It's good value, too.' Another Vauxhall – the most recent Astra - came in third place with a score of 89.97%, racking up six category 'top fives' - including first place in the ride and handling category. For generations, the Astra has been one of Britain's favourite family cars, with the latest iteration adored for its ride and handling, through to ride quality and road handling. Owners also love the exterior style, ranking it third, while front seat comfort is fourth and interior style sixth. An owner said: 'It is smooth, quiet, very comfortable, it has an impressive range of driver assistance technology and it looks stunning, even after three years and 50,000 miles.' Despite the Ford Puma continuing to enjoy a run as the nation's best-selling car, in fourth place is another Ford - the Kuga - which has risen six places since last year after scoring highly for safety, practicality and interior - notably for boot space and seating versatility. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class has also gone up by five places to rank fifth, thanks to especially good scores for infotainment and value for money. One owner said: 'I like the luxurious interior and the smooth ride, the advanced safety features, the strong performance and the elegant design.' Talking about the results, Paul Barker, editor of Auto Express, said: "Driver Power is Carwow Group's leading car ownership survey, brought to life by Auto Express. 'It reveals what owners genuinely think - and how they feel - about their cars. 'That unique perspective gives unrivalled insight into what prospective customers can expect, and tells manufacturers exactly what their own customers think of the cars they sell. "From running costs to quality and infotainment, we get the views of people living with these cars day-to-day, and the results show the cars that offer the best chance of a very satisfying ownership experience."
The Sun
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
What's the BEST motor to own in the UK? Thousands of car owners reveal top choice rated for space, safety, value & more
THOUSANDS of new car owners across the country have taken part in a survey to help determine the best motor money can buy in 2025. Auto Express have revealed the results of their Driver Power owner satisfaction survey - and it's seen a plush SUV take top spot. 5 5 5 5 5 Driver Power, which is the Carwow Group's flagship research study, asked thousands of new car owners to share their thoughts and real-life experiences of the vehicles they newly bought. They're asked to judge their motor's reliability, interior space, safety features, value-for-money and driving experience, in a bid to help car experts determine which set of wheels offers owners the ultimate satisfaction. Last year, the winner was the delightful Dacia Duster - championed for being roomy, well-built and great value for money. This year's winner, though, was the classy Mercedes GLE - which topped the tables across six categories, including driving pleasure and overall quality. The GLE reached a score of 92.24% overall, scoring highly across the board apart from in the economy and running costs category, where satisfaction with fuel economy sinks to 43rd place. If you want to run this car, you may need deep pockets. However, the GLE's key wins included driving pleasure, safety attributes, climate, audio and sat-nav function, as well as overall quality. Its exterior style, sat-nav and the balance of digital and touchscreen controls were all highly rated by owners, too. Owners said: 'The GLE's luxurious interior, smooth ride, and advanced tech make it a joy to drive, but it's roomy enough for family and luggage. 'Its powerful engine, spacious cabin, and sleek design blend comfort with performance perfectly.' Vauxhall Mokka hybrid is a smarter, greener & better equipped version of old motor… but small detail really lets it down Coming in just behind the GLE was the Vauxhall Grandland with a score of 90.55% - topping one category and taking second place in five others. Indeed, it failed to score outside of the top 10 in any of the categories, proving to be an excellent all rounder. 'It is high off the ground, with plenty of room inside,' said an owner. 'Quiet and comfortable on long journeys, and the boot is amazing. 'I like absolutely everything; it's comfortable, easy to use and I look forward to driving it. It's good value, too.' Another Vauxhall – the most recent Astra - came in third place with a score of 89.97%, racking up six category 'top fives' - including first place in the ride and handling category. For generations, the Astra has been one of Britain's favourite family cars, with the latest iteration adored for its ride and handling, through to ride quality and road handling. Owners also love the exterior style, ranking it third, while front seat comfort is fourth and interior style sixth. An owner said: 'It is smooth, quiet, very comfortable, it has an impressive range of driver assistance technology and it looks stunning, even after three years and 50,000 miles.' Despite the Ford Puma continuing to enjoy a run as the nation's best-selling car, in fourth place is another Ford - the Kuga - which has risen six places since last year after scoring highly for safety, practicality and interior - notably for boot space and seating versatility. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class has also gone up by five places to rank fifth, thanks to especially good scores for infotainment and value for money. One owner said: 'I like the luxurious interior and the smooth ride, the advanced safety features, the strong performance and the elegant design.' Talking about the results, Paul Barker, editor of Auto Express, said: "Driver Power is Carwow Group's leading car ownership survey, brought to life by Auto Express. 'It reveals what owners genuinely think - and how they feel - about their cars. 'That unique perspective gives unrivalled insight into what prospective customers can expect, and tells manufacturers exactly what their own customers think of the cars they sell. "From running costs to quality and infotainment, we get the views of people living with these cars day-to-day, and the results show the cars that offer the best chance of a very satisfying ownership experience." Driver Power Survey top 25 cars of 2025 Mercedes GLE - 92.24% Vauxhall Grandland - 90.55% Vauxhall Astra - 89.97% Ford Kuga - 88.69% Mercedes C Class - 88.31% Vauxhall Crossland - 88.25% BMW 4 Series - 88.19% Citroen C5 Aircross - 88.15% Dacia Duster - 88.04% BMW 2 Series Coupe - 87.91% Mercedes A Class - 87.87% Citroen C3 - 87.52% Hyundai Tucson - 87.45% Honda Jazz - 87.06% Tesla Model Y - 86.70% Peugeot 3008 - 86.52% BMW 1 Series - 86.21% Vauxhall Mokka - 85.81% Honda Civic - 85.76% Honda CR V - 85.60% MG HS - 85.58% Audi A5 - 85.50% Toyota Corolla - 85.37% BMW 3 Series - 85.29% Tesla Model 3 - 85.24%
The Irish Sun
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
What's the BEST motor to own in the UK? Thousands of car owners reveal top choice rated for space, safety, value & more
THOUSANDS of new car owners across the country have taken part in a survey to help determine the best motor money can buy in 2025. Advertisement 5 The luxury Mercedes GLE SUV tops the Driver Power survey with a 92.24% score, excelling in driving pleasure, safety and overall quality 5 Owners rave about its luxurious interior, advanced tech and smooth ride 5 Seen as an all-rounder, the Vauxhall Grandland secures second place with a spacious interior and great value 5 Ranking third, the Astra impresses with its smooth ride, advanced tech and timeless style Credit: PA 5 Rising to fourth place, the Kuga scores high for safety, practicality and versatile boot space Driver Power , which is the Carwow Group's flagship research study, asked thousands of new car owners to share their thoughts and real-life experiences of the vehicles they newly bought. They're asked to judge their motor's reliability, interior space, safety features , value-for-money and driving experience, in a bid to help car experts determine which set of wheels offers owners the ultimate satisfaction. Last year, the winner was the delightful Dacia Duster - championed for being roomy, well-built and great value for money. This year's winner, though, was the classy Mercedes GLE - which topped the tables across six categories, including driving pleasure and overall quality. Advertisement Read more Motors News The GLE reached a score of 92.24% overall, scoring highly across the board apart from in the economy and running costs category, where satisfaction with fuel economy sinks to 43rd place. If you want to run this car, you may need deep pockets. However, the GLE's key wins included driving pleasure, safety attributes, climate, audio and sat-nav function, as well as overall quality. Its exterior style, sat-nav and the balance of digital and touchscreen controls were all highly rated by owners, too. Advertisement Most read in Motors Breaking Exclusive Owners said: 'The GLE's luxurious interior, smooth ride, and advanced tech make it a joy to drive, but it's roomy enough for family and luggage. 'Its powerful engine, spacious cabin, and sleek design blend comfort with performance perfectly.' Vauxhall Mokka hybrid is a smarter, greener & better equipped version of old motor… but small detail really lets it down Coming in just behind the GLE was the Vauxhall Grandland with a score of 90.55% - topping one category and taking second place in five others. Indeed, it failed to score outside of the top 10 in any of the categories, proving to be an excellent all rounder. Advertisement 'It is high off the ground, with plenty of room inside,' said an owner. 'Quiet and comfortable on long journeys, and the boot is amazing. 'I like absolutely everything; it's comfortable, easy to use and I look forward to driving it. It's good value, too.' Another Vauxhall – the most recent Astra - came in third place with a score of 89.97%, racking up six category 'top fives' - including first place in the ride and handling category. Advertisement For generations, the Astra has been one of Britain's favourite family cars, with the latest iteration adored for its ride and handling, through to ride quality and road handling. Owners also love the exterior style, ranking it third, while front seat comfort is fourth and interior style sixth. An owner said: 'It is smooth, quiet, very comfortable, it has an impressive range of driver assistance technology and it looks stunning, even after three years and 50,000 miles.' Despite the Ford Puma continuing to enjoy a run as the nation's best-selling car, in fourth place is another Ford - the Kuga - which has risen six places since last year after scoring highly for safety, practicality and interior - notably for boot space and seating versatility. Advertisement The Mercedes-Benz C-Class has also gone up by five places to rank fifth, thanks to especially good scores for infotainment and value for money. One owner said: 'I like the luxurious interior and the smooth ride, the advanced safety features, the strong performance and the elegant design.' Talking about the results, Paul Barker, editor of Auto Express, said: "Driver Power is Carwow Group's leading car ownership survey, brought to life by Auto Express. 'It reveals what owners genuinely think - and how they feel - about their cars. Advertisement 'That unique perspective gives unrivalled insight into what prospective customers can expect, and tells manufacturers exactly what their own customers think of the cars they sell. "From running costs to quality and infotainment, we get the views of people living with these cars day-to-day, and the results show the cars that offer the best chance of a very satisfying ownership experience." Driver Power Survey top 25 cars of 2025 Mercedes GLE - 92.24% Vauxhall Grandland - 90.55% Vauxhall Astra - 89.97% Ford Kuga - 88.69% Mercedes C Class - 88.31% Vauxhall Crossland - 88.25% BMW 4 Series - 88.19% Citroen C5 Aircross - 88.15% Dacia Duster - 88.04% BMW 2 Series Coupe - 87.91% Mercedes A Class - 87.87% Citroen C3 - 87.52% Hyundai Tucson - 87.45% Honda Jazz - 87.06% Tesla Model Y - 86.70% Peugeot 3008 - 86.52% BMW 1 Series - 86.21% Vauxhall Mokka - 85.81% Honda Civic - 85.76% Honda CR V - 85.60% MG HS - 85.58% Audi A5 - 85.50% Toyota Corolla - 85.37% BMW 3 Series - 85.29% Tesla Model 3 - 85.24%
Auto Express
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Touchscreens are one of the biggest bugbears on modern cars
It's Driver Power time, our annual report where you tell the world what you really think of your car. We've been hearing from thousands of people eager to spill the beans on what they love, like and hate about their vehicles. We deep dive into every area, from running costs to infotainment, quality to practicality and, of course, what you think about how your motor drives. But the best bit about Driver Power is your comments, because they give away all the little details that make living with a car good or bad. We spot patterns when numerous drivers complain about the same thing – a jarring engine stop-start system on one car came up time and again, for example. And some complaints cross brands and seem to universally annoy drivers – switching off the 'infernal beeping', as more than one respondent called it, was a common theme, while cars without rear wipers seem to irritate their drivers, which is something for manufacturers to chew over. Advertisement - Article continues below But there are also lessons for consumers – in particular, making sure you carefully go through the spec of your prospective purchase before taking the plunge. A lot of comments mentioned equipment that wasn't fitted; cars not having automatic folding mirrors was one example. So it's essential to make sure you know what you want from a car, and that the trim level you're choosing has everything you desire. I know this from experience; heated seats were on my beloved wife's list of non-negotiables, so we had to go up a trim level on her current car to make sure she was warm all winter. And it's amazing just how many people felt their car wasn't powerful enough. Yes, it's hard to assess this on a short test drive with an eager salesman alongside you, but you simply must make sure you use that time to check out how it drives. However, the biggest single gripe in the comments across brand after brand was the technology. It's no surprise to us at Auto Express; we have long banged the drum that touchscreens in particular aren't always a great user experience, and as cars get more complex, the usability and reliability of interfaces haven't kept up. It's a tricky one to solve, but it's clear that you, as drivers, are on the same page and are not happy with what manufacturers are currently giving you. Click here to find out the best cars to own in the UK by class ... Find a car with the experts Car Deal of the Day: A Volkswagen Golf R Estate for less than a GTI Car Deal of the Day: A Volkswagen Golf R Estate for less than a GTI The Golf R Estate is one of the best performance estates around – and right now it's criminally cheap. It's our Deal of the Day for 9 June. Should Citroen make a new 2CV? Some say oui, others say non Should Citroen make a new 2CV? Some say oui, others say non A new Citroen 2CV could be inbound, but would this be a French fancy or a financial flop? Car Deal of the Day: A fully-loaded Jeep Avenger for under £200 per month Car Deal of the Day: A fully-loaded Jeep Avenger for under £200 per month The petrol-powered version of Jeep's charming baby SUV is our Deal of the Day for 8 June
