National Car Awards - 663,218 Owners Vote In Britain's Biggest Car Survey

They celebrate a Great British enthusiasm, our mutual love affair with cars. These awards - now in their second year - are on a very grand scale, decided by the results of Britain’s biggest ever car survey.

Yes, there are lots of other awards handed out every year across the motoring scene: gongs aplenty for the best, most beautiful, fastest, most frugal, most technically accomplished models produced by the car industry. So what is different about these awards?

UK Motorists Make Their Vote Count

The National Car Awards are not chosen by so-called experts, by small panels of professional car writers or technical boffins. They put the people who live with their cars, on a daily basis throughout the year, into the driving seat as judges. All the results are drawn from the experience and views of a vast army of actual owners of the cars reviewed.

Huge Database

The huge database of owner verdicts from which these awards are drawn exceeds any of those on which other motor industry gongs are based. The cars celebrated here have emerged as the best in their categories, resulting from the candid verdicts of over 650,000 actual owners who pay for, drive and live with their cars on a day-to-day basis over collectively millions of miles annually.

That is the acid test that all the winning cars in the WeLoveAnyCar awards have undergone: proving their merit in real world use by owners who have subjected them to the rigours of daily work, trial by family and all the punishing variety of driving in urban, rural and motorway conditions on roads throughout Britain.

Our Judges... YOU

Our judges – all 663,218 of them – are generous in their praise of cars that meet and exceed expectations, and just as candid in criticizing makes and models that fall below par.

So here we celebrate the winners of these exceptional car awards. This is the heartland of owner satisfaction, where collective weight of opinion matters. Drive the best.

Sue Baker
Editor In Chief

Sue Baker, seasoned Motoring Journalist, is the 'Editor In Chief' of the National Car Awards. Sue has overseen the process of making the Awards and adds her own commentary – helping car drivers decide on their next car - often one of the major financial decisions anyone can make.

Scooby Dooby Doo - Subaru is the Most Recommended Car in the UK

Subaru - Most Recommended  -  National Car Awards

Subaru is the most recommended manufacturer in the National Car Awards beating Porsche and even highly rated Skoda to the pole position in the 'recommended by owners' category.

Whilst Skoda gets top prize for best overall car maker in the WeLoveAnyCar.com National Car Awards, Subaru outstrips every other manufacturer when it comes to owner recommendations. 

The UK's Biggest Car Review Site

WeLoveAnyCar.com now has over 663,199 car owner reviews and covers virtually every model on UK roads.  

Each motorist is first verified as the owner of the car and then asked to rate a number of factors including "would you recommend your car?" Owners rate from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest. Subaru received the highest rating overall.

Everyone Agrees: Subaru Make Good Cars

What Car, Which Car and most of the motoring press would agree with Subaru owners. The Subaru line up today is impressive and almost universally recommended. The Subaru XV is a great alternative to Ford's C Max and the Nissan Qashqai. 

National Car Awards - Owners Love Their 'Scooby-Doos'

Sue Baker, noted motoring journalist and Editor in Chief of the National Car Awards, commented on Subaru: 

Well done to Subaru for beating all its rivals to be the most recommended manufacturer in the collective verdicts of owners. That is some achievement ahead of so many other well-respected brands. It makes it very obvious how enamoured those who drive them are with their Scooby-doos, and the cars come well up the list for reliability.

Subaru: International Success Story

Fuji Heavy Industries, the company behind Subaru, produced some 647,488 cars to October in 2014, 8.4% higher than last year.  Production is increasing month on month with 83,325 units produced in September alone.

Subaru is a very familiar site on the roads in countries like the USA and Australia.  Subaru has increased exports by over 17% in 2014 and the brand and the highly regarded cars are an international success.

UK Subaru Owners: A Small Group of Happy Owners

In the UK Subaru is less successful and, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, it only sold only 2,271 units in 2013.

Clearly the world loves the rugged, safe and reliable Subaru. The small group of happy owners UK will continue to wither which is a shame for such an admired vehicle. 

According to CarCountUK, the WeLoveAnyCar.com service which gives out how many makes and models are registered to drive on UK roads, there are 87,710 Subaru's on UK roads.  With such low sales in recent years this figure alone is testament to Subaru longevity and reliability.

Subaru Exclusivity

Perhaps part of the appeal of owning a Subaru is its exclusivity.  One Subaru Legacy owner on the WeLoveAnyCar.com car review site said:

"Great car that stands out from the crowd because it is so rare. Fun to drive."

WeLoveAnyCar.com ranks all cars sold and the Subaru is one of the best. Hopefully Britain will soon wake up to the advantages of owning Subaru once again.

For full information on all the winners of the National Car Awards please click here.

The New Penguin from Google

Looking For A Car Review - Will Google's New Penguin Help You?

Google Shows Respect to the 655,000 WeLoveAnyCar.com Car Reviewers

Google has recognised the contribution our 655,000+ car reviewers have made and now, when a car buyer uses Google for a specific car review, they are likely to find WeLoveAnyCar.com car reviews with Google on their 'first' page of results. 

Of course this makes us happy.  It also shows respect to the hundreds of thousands of motorists who have spent their time and energy trying to help other car buyers by submitting a car review to the WeLoveAnyCar.com site.

Without Google, Would We Find The Way?

We invite people we know who own specific cars to say what they think. Our car reviewers tell us about the things people buying cars want to know:  Is that car reliable, is it economical, fun to drive, practical for the kids, easy to park and so on?

Google Penguin Update

Every so often Google will look at the way it generates results.  When Google does this in a major way they have called the change 'Panda', 'Hummingbird', 'Penguin' and so on.

Apparently, this weekend, Google updated their 'Penguin' which tries to do an even better job at giving people, who use Google to search for information, better results.

WeLoveAnyCar.com and the Penguin

Unlike many car sites we don't have clever scientists to work out what Google is doing.  We certainly don't know what their new 'Penguin' will mean to people looking for honest and independent car reviews.  

Our focus, here at WeLoveAnyCar.com, will therefore be to carry on asking more drivers to submit more car reviews. 

If we stick to our aim of enabling car owners to help each other - we think Google will respect this and especially the hundreds of thousands of car reviewers who have built the biggest car review site in the UK and beyond.

WeLoveAnyCar.com 

We ask motorists what they think about their cars - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly cars. 

Our free online site allows anyone to look see what owning a specific car is like.  With over 655,000 car reviews WeLoveAnyCar.com gives prospective buyers the inside track on car ownership.

We invite people we know who own specific cars to say what they think. Our car reviewers tell us about the things people buying cars want to know:  Is that car reliable, is it economical, fun to drive, practical for the kids, easy to park and so on?

The End of the Tax Disc - Driver's Beware!

No more paper tax discs from the 1st of October!

The DVLA has just asked us to tell you that tax discs won't be needed after 1st October 2014. 

You will still pay for car tax. A reminder will be sent to you when the road tax is about to expire, even if your car is exempted from paying it.

How do I pay for the road tax?

From the 1st October 2014, you will be able to pay the road tax annually, twice a year or monthly by direct debit. 

If you decide to pay every six months or every month, it will be 5% more expensive. Payments will be continued until cancelled.

What if I am selling my car?

Once you have sold your car privately, you should notify the DVLA to get a refund on remaining months.

Tax discs WILL NOT carry over to the new owner.  You can no longer sell a car with remaining months valid tax after 1st November 2014.


If you sell your car to WeBuyAnyCar.com or a car dealer, they will sort it out for you. You can get a car valuation here .

94 Years Ago the First Road Tax Disc was issued 

Road tax was introduced in the 1888 budget and the current system of excise duty applying specifically to motor vehicles was introduced in 1920.

Thinking about buying a new car?

A new car with lower CO2 emissions means a cheaper road tax. New cars with less than 100g/km CO2 emission don't pay road tax.

Search for any make and model, new or used here (the road tax information and mpg figures are included to help.


Our Top 10 cars with no road tax

1. VOLKSWAGEN UP 1.0 BlueMotion Tech Move Up 3dr
2. SKODA CITIGO 1.0 MPI GreenTech SE 3dr
3. CITROEN C1 1.0 VTi Touch 3dr
4. FIAT PANDA 0.9 TwinAir [85] Easy 5dr
5. HYUNDAI I10 1.0 SE Blue Drive [4 Seat] 5dr
6. KIA PICANTO 1.0 1 3dr
7. TOYOTA AYGO 1.0 VVT-i X-Play 5dr
8. SUZUKI ALTO 1.0 SZ3 5dr
9. DACIA SANDERO 1.5 dCi Ambiance 5dr
10. MITSUBISHI MIRAGE 1.0 5dr

Have a look at the UK’s biggest car review database to see what others think about their cars and which are the most economical run and maintain.

For more information, visit our special information page on the changes taking place, just click here.

‘DO NOT BUY THAT CAR’ - CAR BUYERS WARNED

‘DO NOT BUY THAT CAR! - CAR OWNERS CAN NOW ‘SPOT THE DOGS’ BEFORE THEY BUY

Car buyers should NOT buy any car until they've checked what other owners say about the cars they are considering.

By checking with WeLoveAnyCar.com, motorists can make a better choice by ruling out specific model derivatives. 

For example, motorists shouldn't buy:

• The popular cabriolet which leaks in the rain – owners get soaked with the top up.
• Some cars with run flat tyres that spoil the ride enough to make owners sell early.
• The 4x4 with a turbo which has failed for many owners – and cost them thousands.
• The supercar susceptible to rusts under the front floor mats.
• The particulate filter in certain diesel cars which doesn’t clear causing loss of power.
• A specific seat design in a variant of a best-selling car which gives owners back ache.
• The expensive to repair electrical faults found on a high selling estate model.

Do Not Buy A Car 
Without Asking Owners 
What They Think

Nice Brochure, Pretty Car - Shame About the Faults

The WeLoveAnyCar.com site is a ‘must use’ for anyone who has a specific car in mind.  

Car buyers can access the biggest source of ‘real life’ car information because each car review is provided by car owners themselves.

There are few poor cars, but there are some really bad individual model derivatives which people should simply steer clear of because of specific problems. 

Owners, who have lived with, paid for, and sometimes suffered with a car, are the only people car buyers can trust when it comes to avoiding the hidden dogs of the automotive world.

Only Owners Can ‘Spot the Dogs’

Today there are some 30,000 individual derivatives of cars on sale.  The choice of engine, specification, optional extras and subtle differences in design can give rise to unforeseen problems.  

Persistent faults can only found once ownership is well under way so even the manufacturers and expert car reviewers are unable to ‘spot the dogs’ as well as car owners who have first-hand experience. 



137,357 WeLoveAnyCar.com reviewers rate their car’s economy, reliability, driving experience and this gives an overall rating.  

Not Recommended

Owners also give a score out of five on how much they would recommend that car to a friend.  In addition to the star ratings, motorists give their own comments providing prospective owners insight into the real cost and practicality of owning that car.

Each day thousands of car buyers check out what owners of the car they have an eye on is like, how it is rated and if there are any issues to look out for. Three minutes on WeLoveAnyCar.com car review site can save much heartache and a great deal of unexpected cost by finding out what cars to avoid. In most cases though, the mainly positive reviews will give prospective buyers comfort so then it’s just about finding the best deal.
 

Owners Rate Other Reviews

Car buyers can trust WeLoveAnyCar.com as only known car owners are asked to submit a review and the majority are ‘moderated’ by owners of the same car who may, or may not, agree with the comments made.

Here, the site only allows motorists known to own or have owned the car to submit a review and give ratings. Other owners of exactly the same derivative of car are then asked to ‘vote’ on whether they agree or disagree with the opinion given.  

Which Car To Buy - What Car to Avoid

In an example of owner power, one car reviewer said, “Beautiful car to drive. Silky smooth with multitronic gearbox. Watch electronics. Sensors tend to go after a number of years.” Here, 12 other owners of the same model agreed.  Encouraged to buy the car, prospective buyers might want to check out the sensors on the models they see for sale.

Over 617,566 second review votes have been cast on 137,357 car reviews submitted – making the WeLoveAnyCar.com car review site not only the biggest in the UK but also the fairest and most advanced review sites of any kind.

Each day hundreds of new reviews are published by WeLoveAnyCar.com and the base of information available is fast attracting manufacturers and dealers who can respond and react to what has become the biggest source of car ownership experience in the UK.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST: 8,176 ORIGINAL MINIS STILL ON BRITISH ROADS

There are still 8,176 original Minis driving around British roads - out surviving many of its contemporary competitor models. The Mini's unloved replacement, the Mini Metro sold under the Austin and Rover brands, has fared less well with just 3,262 left despite being produced later on.

Just One Mini Van Left

A Mini Van 850 dressed up in AA livery

There are 34 different Austin Mini models remaining on UK roads. Some models are the last of their kind; someone is driving around Britain in the last licenced Austin Mini ‘850 Van’ and there are just 3 Mini ‘SPL’ versions left.

Remember the Metro?

Only 3,261 of the poorly built and unloved Austin and Rover Metros are left on the roads with an amazingly high 77 model versions. Some are facing total extinction; there is just one Austin Metro ‘HL’ left and two licenced Rover Metro ‘MG Turbo’ versions remaining.

Since WeLoveAnyCar.com launched the #CarCountUK page, 10’s of thousands of people have visited the site to see how many of the cars they knew, loved and drove remain on British roads.  Of the greatest surprise to many is the fact that they are discovering the car they drive today might also be quite rare.”

Your car, your last car, your first car? 

Find out how many there are left on British roads.

Just click here 

Today’s Exclusive Cars

BMW has been successful worldwide with the modern Mini and there are 490,376 registered for British Roads. There are only three Mini Cooper Graphite C-Man DA models registered; their owners can rightly claim to own a very rare and exclusive modern car.  The most exclusive Mini driver in Britain is the owner of the only Mini One ‘Soho Clubman Auto’ registered before December 2013.

A younger Tom Daley takes delivery of his
free Mini given to him by the Company

Everyone Can Drive an Exclusive Model

There are 206 different modern Mini models registered to drive on British roads.  In an increasing trend to ‘design’ a car,  offered by Fiat 500, Vauxhall Adam and others, prospective owners can choose exactly what they want from thousands of extras to add-on to the hundreds of base models available.

WeLoveAnyCar.com - the UK's Biggest Car Review Site

WeLoveAnyCar.com is the UK’s biggest car review site with over 601,179 car owner reviews and opinions.  We designed the #CarCountUK website so anyone could find out how many of a certain model of car is left registered to drive on public roads.  

WeLoveAnyCar.com has 1,482 Mini owner reviews (as at 10th July 2014)   

Visit our Mini review page to find out what Mini owners feel about their car.

Government Statistics Made Easy

The figures are produced each year by the government and WeLoveAnyCar.com has taken this and reprocessed the information so it is easy, and free, to use. There may be other models of any of the cars mentioned in garages and sheds but these, for whatever reason, have been taken off the road by their owners.

Austin Mini.  Numbers by Model remaining on UK Roads as at 12/2013. https://www.weloveanycar.com/carcountuk  

Make	Model	Number left on British   Roads
AUSTIN	MINI	1336
AUSTIN	MINI 1000	485
AUSTIN	MINI 1000 AUTO	20
AUSTIN	MINI 1000 CITY E	1363
AUSTIN	MINI 1000 CITY E AUTO	166
AUSTIN	MINI 1000 HL E	86
AUSTIN	MINI 1000 HL E AUTO	8
AUSTIN	MINI 1000 VAN	3
AUSTIN	MINI 1275 GT	60
AUSTIN	MINI 25	131
AUSTIN	MINI 850 VAN	1
AUSTIN	MINI ADVANTAGE	118
AUSTIN	MINI AUTO	13
AUSTIN	MINI CHELSEA	70
AUSTIN	MINI CLUBMAN	218
AUSTIN	MINI CLUBMAN AUTO	9
AUSTIN	MINI COOPER	434
AUSTIN	MINI COOPER S	397
AUSTIN	MINI COUNTRYMAN	88
AUSTIN	MINI DESIGNER	146
AUSTIN	MINI JET BLACK	88
AUSTIN	MINI MAYFAIR	1591
AUSTIN	MINI MAYFAIR AUTO	274
AUSTIN	MINI MOKE	31
AUSTIN	MINI PARK LANE	52
AUSTIN	MINI PICCADILLY	82
AUSTIN	MINI RACING FLAME	235
AUSTIN	MINI RED HOT	49
AUSTIN	MINI RITZ	58
AUSTIN	MINI SKY ROSE	107
AUSTIN	MINI SPL	3
AUSTIN	MINI SPRITE	35
AUSTIN	MINI THIRTY	402
AUSTIN	MINI THIRTY AUTO	17

Photo Credits.  AA Picture from WikiPedia  which also gives more information about the Mini.

Mini picture featuring Tom Daley sourced via Newspress - provided to them by Mini

40% of Jaguar, Audi, BMW and Mercedes Owners: "We'll Buy Electric"

Nearly 40% of BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Jaguar drivers said they would buy, or seriously consider buying, an all-electric car capable of 300 miles from one charge from their brand.  

Electric cars can accelerate faster, are quieter, better for the environment and now their range is climbing fast - but who would buy them?

Electric Cars- Mainstream Choice For Prestige Car Buyers 

WeLoveAnyCar.com surveyed 24,227 owners of prestige cars and the results suggest the market for all electric cars is ready to move from the ‘eco-shadows’ to the mainstream and possibly become the one of the most important car market sectors in the next 10 years.

Tesla - Now Available In the UK

Currently, only the US-made Tesla boasts range and performance figures considered in the survey but now solid evidence exists that the European brands’ investment in all-electric technology could be a way to increase sales and retain customers.

The Survey - Shock Results?

Each car owner in the survey (3,896 Jaguar owners, 8,154 BMW, 6,240 Mercedes and 5,937 Audi drivers) were asked the question: “All other things being equal (price, style, options and performance), would you consider buying a totally electric Jaguar/BMW/ Mercedes/Audi with a range of 300 miles from one charge?”

Would You Buy an All-Electric Car with a Range of 300 miles?

The results of this survey are remarkably similar across all prestige brands. BMW drivers are perhaps more open but, with around 40% of all prestige brand car owners surveyed saying they would, or would seriously consider, buying an all-electric car, manufacturers interested in retaining their market share must take note.”

Only 12 to 17% of all respondents said they'd never buy an electric car with a 300-mile range. 

Electric Cars - Highly Charged Battle Ground For the Luxury Sector

BMW is arguably ahead of the electric race with a multi-million Euro investment in electric technology.  They have clearly done the research and see the size of the market becoming the key battleground for the prestige driver.  

Investment Available For New Entrants? 

Tesla, the most advanced all-electric car manufacturer, have recently announced that they are happy to share technology, helping both major car companies and, perhaps, new start-up automotive manufacturers alike.  It can’t be long before the market potential, access to technology and governments with ambitious emission-reduction targets attract major investment from the deep pockets of the investment community.

Big Budget Buyers - Ready To Switch? 

Our 132,872 car owner reviews have major themes; the most popular being fuel economy.  This survey shows that fuel economy is just as attractive to the motorists with high disposable income as those on a tighter budget.