Road tests of the year 2012: December

Volkswagen Golf Mk7 vs BMW 1 Series vs Ford Focus

Winner: Volkswagen Golf Read the full test >>

Widely regarded as the most important car of the year, the Volkswagen Golf will arrive in dealers in early 2013. However, in December we got our hands on a left-hand-drive 2.0 TDI for its first UK test – and set it against two already established rivals in the competitive family hatch market.

The previous class leader, the BMW 1 Series, put up a good fight, but was beaten by the beautifully rounded new Golf. A roomy interior, sharp drive and low running costs made sure it saw off the distinctive Ford Focus, too.

Skoda Rapid vs Kia Cee'd vs Chevrolet Cruze

Winner: Kia Cee'd Read the full test >> 

Skoda had an exceptional year in 2012, with numerous road test victories and another first place finish in our tough Driver Power survey. So the brand was aiming to capitalise on this success with its all-new VW Polo-based Rapid.

The great-value Skoda pipped the cheap Chevrolet Cruze, but fell just short of the impressive Kia Cee’d. The latter featured some neat design touches, a capable diesel engine and grown-up driving experience, while its low emissions were simply the icing on the cake.

Vauxhall Mokka vs MINI Countryman vs Nissan Juke

Winner: MINI Countryman Read the full test >>

The all-new Vauxhall Mokka signalled one of our last tests of 2012, but that didn’t make it any less important. We put the compact crossover up against the pint-sized Nissan Juke and stylish MINI Countryman to see which small crossover would be crowned champion in the last few weeks of the year.

The Vauxhall’s versatile interior and smart looks stood out, but the high quality MINI, with its punchy diesel engine, took the honours here. The Nissan’s firm ride and poor refinement left it languishing in last place, slightly behind the more practical Mokka.