Motor Awards 2020: The winners
The Sunday Times and Jeremy Clarkson's favourite cars of the year
THE VOTES are in and now we can reveal The Sunday Times cars of the year.
For the 2020 Motor Awards our expert road testers and writers created the shortlist and decided the winners in most categories, including city cars, SUVs, hot hatches and luxury models, though two categories were voted for by you: the Best-designed Car of the Year and Best Dog-friendly Car of the Year.
For cars to be eligible in their categories, they had to have first gone on sale between June 1, 2019 and May 31, 2020, which means certain newer models didn’t make the cut this year but will be eligible for the 2021 Motor Awards.
We had no shortage of vehicles to consider and the results are not just testament to the continuing hard work of the car industry, producing vehicles of many different flavours to suit every type of driver, but also how it is continuing to innovate — four of our winners are plug-in models, including one of the two Sunday Times cars of the year. And our Motoring Innovation of the Year award goes to an infotainment system that sets new standards for connectivity, ease of use and convenience.
Once again, The Sunday Times’s Jeremy Clarkson has picked his own supercar and people’s car of the year, and we’ve also selected our motoring personality of the year (hint: it’s not Clarkson).
Sadly we weren’t able to hold an awards ceremony this year due to the Covid-19 restrictions, but we’re delighted to be able to announce the results in full below. Congratulations to all our winners, particularly to the two Sunday Times cars of the year 2020.
The Sunday Times Car of the Year 2020 (joint award)
Volkswagen Golf 8 / Porsche Taycan
The new eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf has sharper looks but retains that classic, timeless silhouette that has proved so popular over the decades. Inside, though, there has been a revolution, with a huge focus on minimalism and technology. It perfectly blends all of the good things about the Golf with state-of-the art features. What’s more, it comes with petrol, diesel or hybrid power, and in a number of trim levels, making it a highly versatile family car. The Golf is still the hatchback against which all other hatchbacks are judged.
But while the Golf is an absolutely deserving winner, this year we also had to recognise a car that shifts the goalposts in a different way. The Taycan is proof that Porsche can engineer a class-leading driver’s car, whatever type of powers it. Other pure-electric cars are fast but the Taycan sets new standards for driver engagement, and shows that Porsche has a very bright future as the industry shifts away from fossil fuels.
Small SUV / Crossover of the Year
Ford Puma
Like a Fiesta on steroids, the Puma brings exceptional driving dynamics, practicality and — importantly — fun to the crowded compact SUV market. We were particularly impressed with the boot, which features a deep under-floor compartment for additional storage.
Also shortlisted:
– Kia XCeed
– Mercedes-Benz GLA
– Skoda Kamiq
– Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet
Family SUV of the Year
Volvo XC90 Recharge T8
Plug-in hybrids really can be the best of both worlds when topped up with electricity every day, but the Volvo XC90 Recharge offers a lot more besides potential fuel savings and ultra-low emissions. The calming, minimalist interior seats seven in comfort, the ride quality is class-leading and the powertrain really packs a punch. Performance, practicality, frugality, technology and luxury in one package.
Also shortlisted:
– Audi Q8
– DS 7 Crossback
– Land Rover Discovery Sport
– BMW X5
– Ford Kuga PHEV
Family Car of the Year
Volkswagen Golf 8
The Golf continues to be the benchmark against which all other family cars are judged. The new model is the perfect blend of forward-thinking and everyday practicality, with a modern but familiar shape and strikingly high tech, pared back interior. Its wide selection of powertrains will suit every type of driver, too.
Also shortlisted:
– BMW 3 Series
– Polestar 2
– Alfa Romeo Giulia
– Skoda Octavia
– Seat Leon
City / Small Car of the Year
Honda e
As a city car the Honda e is absolutely perfect, not only because of its zero-emission powertrain but also because of its compact size and astonishingly tight turning circle. We loved its characterful exterior design and lounge-style interior, with its high-tech panoramic screens, but also the responsive motor and comfortable ride.
Also shortlisted:
– Honda Jazz Hybrid
– Vauxhall Corsa & Corsa e
– Volkswagen Up! GTI
– Hyundai i10
– Renault Zoe
Sports Car of the Year
Porsche 911 Turbo S
The 911 is still, for our money, the ultimate sports car and the Turbo S is the ultimate expression of its extraordinary abilities. Capable of serious thrills when required but also comfortable for use every day, it has a depth of character that no others can match, built over decades of development.
Also shortlisted:
– Jaguar F-type
– Porsche Cayman GTS
– Ferrari SF90 Stradale
– McLaren 620R
Adventure Car of the Year
Land Rover Defender
Capturing the spirit of the original Land Rover while bringing the model into the 21st century could not have been an easy task, but Land Rover nailed it with new Defender. It’s more capable off-road than ever before and yet on-road it’s a revelation — poised, comfortable and engaging. Lots of effort has gone into making the interior just as practical, too, while still adding the technology and creature comforts expected of a modern car. It’s a remarkable achievement.
Also shortlisted:
– Jeep Compass Trailhawk
– Isuzu D-Max XTR
– Ford Ranger Raptor
– SsangYong Korando
– Subaru Forester eBoxer
Electric Car of the Year
Porsche Taycan
Porsche is famous for its petrol-powered sports cars, honed through decades of development, but it is also a company that has set its sights on the future. With the Taycan it has shown electric cars can be not only fast but also offer superb driver engagement. Taycan is the new poster child for plug-in cars and shifts the debate from ‘Why go electric?’ to ‘When can we go electric?’.
Also shortlisted:
– Mini Electric
– Honda e
– Renault Zoe R135 Z.E. 50
– Kia Soul EV
– Vauxhall Corsa e
Luxury Car of the Year
Bentley Flying Spur
The Flying Spur is the new range-topping Bentley and as such represents the very best of hand-built luxury, with stunning attention to detail and exceptional craftsmanship. Yet it’s also stunning quick and wonderful to drive, so while the back seats are a wonderful place to spend time, when Jeeves gets tired you’re more than happy to take over behind the wheel.
Also shortlisted:
– Ferrari Roma
– McLaren Elva
– Mercedes-Maybach GLS
– Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge
– Aston Martin DBX
Best-designed Car of the Year
Aston Martin DBX
A brand traditionally associated with sports cars had a tough job on its hands creating its first SUV, but the fact that Sunday Times readers voted the DBX their favourite design of the year — against some truly stunning competition — is a clear indication that Aston Martin got it right first time.
Also shortlisted:
– Honda e
– Land Rover Defender
– McLaren Elva
– Peugeot 208
– Polestar 1
Best Dog-friendly Car of the Year
Land Rover Defender 110
The Defender was a clear winner in the public vote for best dog-friendly car of the year, suggesting customers can’t wait to load their pooches in the back. The five-door Defender 110 has a big boot for your four-legged friends to stretch out, and the car’s go-anywhere four-wheel drive capability means walkies can take place in the most extreme locations. And the car’s fantastic on-road ride mean a relaxing journey home after a tiring day chasing local wildlife.
Also shortlisted:
– Aston Martin DBX
– BMW 3 Series Touring
– Volkswagen Passat Estate
– Volvo V90
– Skoda Superb Estate
Value Car of the Year
Volkswagen Up! GTI
The Up! GTI captures the spirit of the original Golf GTI — a pocket rocket that’s great fun to drive. But importantly for this award, at just over £16,560 it won’t break the bank. It’s hard to imagine more bang for your buck.
Also shortlisted:
– Fiat Panda Hybrid
– Hyundai i10
– Ssangyong Tivoli
– Dacia Duster
Hot Hatch of the Year
Audi RS 5 Sportback
A hot hatch needs to be eminently usable for the weekly shop and school run but also able to set your pants on fire, if so desired. The Audi RS 5 Sportback does all that in spades, offering comfort and practicality before turning from Bruce Banner to The Hulk at the flick of a drive mode switch.
Also shortlisted:
– Mercedes-AMG A 45
– Mini GP
– Volkswagen T-Roc R
– Renault Mégane RS Trophy-R
– BMW M135i
British-built Car of the Year
Mini Electric
As the original Mini was born out of the Suez oil crisis, when the world was starved of fuel, one could argue the Mini Electric is the ultimate expression of Alec Issignonis’s vision. But Mini didn’t just rip out the petrol engine and stick an electric motor in its hatchback — the engineers made sure there was no compromise when it came to the legendary sporty feel, fine balance and fun-to-drive character. It’s a car that brings a smile to your face every time you get in it, and the fact that it’s built in Britain adds enormously to the unique appeal.
Also shortlisted:
– Toyota Corolla Trek
– Nissan Leaf
– Bentley Flying Spur
– Morgan Plus Four
Motoring Innovation of the Year
Polestar Android Auto
Infotainment systems play an increasingly important role in the overall appeal of a car — dud ones can really put off customers. Striking a deal with Google to create the first fully integrated Android system was a masterstroke and adds greatly to the pleasure of owning a Polestar 2. It integrates harmoniously with the car’s functions — displaying how much charge will remain when you reach your destination is one key function we loved — over and above the integration of familiar apps such as Spotify, Audible and Google Podcasts. It’s fast, clear and user friendly, and importantly, Apple phone users can still connect their phone via Bluetooth. Other cars will feature this in the future but Polestar 2 will be remembered as the trailblazer.
Also shortlisted:
– Jaguar Land Rover ultra-wide-bandwidth (UWB) keyless entry
– Bosch Virtual Visor
– Subaru Driver Monitoring
– Continental/Sennheiser Ac2uated Sound (speakerless audio)
– Nissan lightweight soundproofing material
Motoring Personality of the Year
Lando Norris
The McLaren F1 driver has proven he has what it take on track but this year also showed he’s an e-racing leading light, too, with his jocular live streams on Twitch entertaining thousands of fans in real-time. Norris is a breath of fresh air in the increasingly corporate motor sport world, whether the races be real or virtual.
Jeremy Clarkson’s Supercar of the Year
Eagle Lightweight GT
Jeremy Clarkson has never been a terrific fan of classic cars, but bring a classic design up to date with modern technology and creature comforts, and he’s sold. “You’d imagine from its name that the Lightweight feels like a stripped-out racer, but no,” he writes in today’s Sunday Times Magazine. “The GT means it’s a grand tourer, a leatherlined, air-conditioned, long-distance cruiser … I just wanted to sit in there, for ever, touching stuff.”
It gets his supercar award thanks not only to the performance but also the drama that comes from hitting the accelerator. “When you put your foot down in a 380bhp carb-fed straight-six such as this, and that long bonnet rears up slightly, you know what’s missing from your all-electric motorised vacuum cleaner. The soundtrack.”
Jeremy Clarkson’s People’s Car of the Year
Mini GP
Clarkson’s review of the Mini GP hasn’t appeared in print yet, but here’s a spoiler bigger than the one on its tailgate: he liked it.
“Imagine being Tigger after he’s just received news of a big premium bond win and you get the idea of this car,” he says. “It is too loud, too powerful and a crazed dog on the motorway, but it is also one of the best cars I’ve driven all year.”
Read Clarkson’s full review in The Sunday Times Magazine next week.
