Best cars to own in each class: Driver Power 2026 results
From urban runabouts to large SUVs and everything in between, these are the best cars to own by class in 2026
As well as pitting cars from right across the market against each other, our Driver Power survey also gives great insight into the models that existing owners think are the best in each of the main classes.
Many people’s new-car shortlist will include rivals of the same shape and size, so here we’ve pulled together the best in class across all seven of the categories represented in Driver Power 2026.
Unsurprisingly, given their long-term popularity, SUVs from three categories represent more than half of the 50 cars in this year’s survey. This is the same as last year, while small cars – also still a popular segment – account for a further 11 models, with the number of traditional hatchbacks falling to just eight of the 50 as their ubiquity wanes. We’ve also crowned class winners for the executive car and coupé segments.
The most obvious class winner is our overall champ, with the Tesla Model 3 picking up the best executive-car award along with the main title, while the US brand’s only other offering, the Model Y, was our top premium SUV.
Vauxhall’s good recent Driver Power form continued this year, with both the Grandland (mid-size SUV) and Frontera (small SUV) topping their classes. Meanwhile, the popular Peugeot 208 is clearly a favourite of supermini owners, bagging the top spot in the small-car category, ahead of its Vauxhall Corsa sibling.
BMW’s enduring popularity helps it take first place in both the family-car and coupé sectors with the 1 Series and 2 Series respectively, the latter coming close to taking top overall spot.
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Best small car: Peugeot 208
The chic little Peugeot is on top of the hotly contested Small Car category, narrowly edging out Vauxhall’s Corsa, which finished just a single place below it in the overall rankings.
Owners love the 208’s styling, particularly the exterior, and the Peugeot’s handling also drew praise. The driving qualities earned high scores across the board, in fact, including for the powertrains, both petrol and electric.
The Corsa was rated highly for being user-friendly and for its safety features, while Renault’s Clio ranked third in class.
Best family car: BMW 1 Series
BMW’s second category win came courtesy of the 1 Series. While it scored fairly well in the driving categories, the five-door hatch saved its best scores for its interior, finishing top for front-seat comfort, and scoring top-five spots for overall quality and reliability, infotainment, interior styling and material quality.
Peugeot’s 308 was our number two family car, although a dozen paces behind the BMW in the overall standings, with drivers a big fan of its styling, and the way the car handles.
Best small SUV: Vauxhall Frontera
A new entry into Driver Power for 2026, the Frontera resurrects a Vauxhall name, but it's bang up to date, nestling inside the top five overall and bagging the small SUV title.
Despite this being a small SUV, owners love the rear-seat and boot space, as well as the cabin and front-seat comfort. Efficiency and running costs also score well.
The Peugeot 2008 is placed second in this class, also highly rated for its running costs and efficiency, while Vauxhall’s other small SUV, the Mokka, takes the final podium spot.
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Best mid-size SUV: Vauxhall Grandland
A second consecutive year on the Driver Power podium for the Grandland, and a second consecutive victory in this class. Again, it finished in front of the Ford Kuga, as was the case in 2025, with the Hyundai Tucson taking the final spot in the class top three.
The Vauxhall didn’t top any of the segments outright, although it was second of our 50 cars in several of the practicality-based categories, including its interior, boot space, economy and running costs. Its safety equipment and child-friendly features were also rated highly.
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Best premium SUV: Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y was helped to a class win by the top ranking overall for its infotainment, and top-six positions for its tech, including navigation, safety features and overall efficiency. The acceleration and braking smoothness were also rated highly by owners of a car that benefited from a significant update last year.
That helped it to 12th place overall, despite the Model Y finishing dead last for its styling inside and out, and for the quality and fit and finish of its materials. Despite these wins, Tesla clearly still has work to do.
Best coupe: BMW 2 Series
The car that proves sporty can still be sensible, BMW’s small coupé, the 2 Series, predictably topped its class for all the reasons we praise the brand’s cars, showing that owners love their BMWs as much as we do.
The 2 Series was the number one for driving pleasure and engine sound, and second for ride and handling. It also topped the charts for the user-friendliness of its controls, which is interesting because it's yet to embrace the modern fashion for button-free cabins.
Best executive car: Tesla Model 3
Our best executive car is also our overall winner, although the Model 3 only topped the tables in three categories: smartphone connectivity, built-in sat-nav and touchscreen displays, playing to Tesla's traditional strengths.
Reliability, running costs and overall value for money scored well, too, and the only place the Model 3 didn’t score highly was for fit and finish, and styling inside and out.
BMW's 3 Series and 5 Series grabbed both the other two spots on the podium here.
