Best cars 2022

Looking for the best cars to buy? You've come to the right place. Cars come in all shapes and sizes, and what we know is that most now achieve a very high standard across the board. But what are the absolute best ones out there?

To help you, we've gathered up the latest winners in the Parkers New Car Awards and present them here for you. We have SUVs, hatchbacks, saloons and sports cars – what a great selection for you to choose from, and tell you why we think they're all winners.

If you're looking for what the next best thing is, check out our page detailing the best new cars to look forward to.

Best cars 2022

Scroll down to discover our list of the best cars in the UK

1. Skoda Enyaq iV
2. Renault Clio
3. Ford Puma
4. SEAT Leon Estate
5. Kia Sorento
6. Fiat 500e
7. Volkswagen ID.3
8. Land Rover Discovery
9. BMW 330e
10. Toyota GR Yaris

1. Skoda Enyaq iV

Winner: Car of the Year 2022

Pros:
✅ Claimed battery range of up to 336 miles
✅ Good value for money

Cons:
❌ Options can significantly jack up the price
❌ Looking for a 'sporty' drive? Look elsewhere

The Skoda Enyaq iV achieves top honours in the Parkers New Car Awards 2022—not only bagging Car of the Year, but also Best Large Electric Car—and in doing so beats some very impressive challengers to do so. Sharing technology with sister brands, the VW ID.4 and Audi Q4, the Enyaq achieves something quite remarkable by outshining both. Not only because it's better value or cheaper to run, but because it's a more appealing all-rounder.

2. Renault Clio

Winner: Best First Car 2022

Pros:
✅ Looks great from all angles
✅ Impressively low running costs

Cons:
❌ Handling and refinement could be better
❌ Tight rear passenger room

Winning in 2021 makes it a hat-trick of awards for the Renault Clio, taking home our Best First Car trophy for the third year in a row. It’s high praise for the French supermini, but it’s deserved – this is a car that’s not only handsome to look at but good to drive, well-equipped and very well priced.

3. Ford Puma

Winner: Best Small Family Car 2022

Pros:
✅ Great to drive & boot is spacious
✅ Economical mild-hybrid engines

Cons:
❌ Dashboard is uninspiring
❌ Infotainment not especially intuitive

Last year’s Small Family Car winner retains the crown for 2022, with the Puma fending off potential rivals that have since been launched. This Ford is still the one to beat, with the stylish SUV offering a range of economical petrol engines, a fun driving experience and a large dose of practicality for family life.

4. SEAT Leon Estate

Winner: Best Medium Family Car 2022

Pros:
✅ Up-to-date interior tech
✅ Good value for money

Cons:
❌ Lack of dash buttons a bit off putting
❌ Tech is spec dependent

The SEAT Leon Estate's spaciousness and style win out here. The back seat provides plenty of room for adults or child seats alike, and interior storage is plentiful. Better yet, the price for this practicality isn’t driving an ugly bus – the Leon’s a lean, attractive estate car that drives as sharply as it looks.

5. Kia Sorento

Winner: Best Large Family Car 2022

Pros:
✅ Flexible cabin space, up to 7 occupants
✅ Reasonable running costs

Cons:
❌ Top models remain pricey
❌ Hybrid models can str

The Kia Sorento is well equipped, well built and should prove totally dependable with a seven-year warranty to back that up. It’s easy to drive and comes with a choice of frugal engines, be it a traditional diesel, regular hybrid or a plug-in if you want to really lower running costs or company car tax bills.

6. Fiat 500e

Winner: Best Small Electric Car

Pros:
✅ Wonderfully stylish inside and out
✅ Quick and fun to drive

Cons:
❌ If you want it well-equipped, it'll cost you
❌ Not especially practical

The Fiat 500 Electric nails the brief in today’s world – combining style, the latest tech and a nippy driving experience without having to use a drop of petrol.  The interior is sleek and simple to use with up-to-date tech.

7. Volkswagen ID.3

Winner: Best Medium Electric Car 2022

Pros:
✅ Impressive performance, space
✅ Low starting price, decent equipment

Cons:
❌ Cheap-feeling interior
❌ Infotainment not especially intuitive

If you want an EV that looks and feels futuristic, but won’t leave you feeling alienated, the ID.3 manages this extremely well. You can be as bold as you like with the styling and all models claim to achieve over 200 miles per full charge. The longer-range Tour offers 330+ miles from its larger battery if you need to go further.

8. Land Rover Discovery

Winner: Best Seven-Seater of the Year 2022

Pros:
✅ Despite size, it's surprisingly economical
✅ Great off-road, good on it

Cons:
❌ Premium pricing, costly opti
❌ Infotainment not especially intuitive

The Discovery has always been a hugely commodious family car, with seven well-sized seats and the ability to remotely fold the rear two rows electrically at the push of a button. In-car wifi, off-road capability and that all-important commanding view out of the windows makes this an easy pick.

9. BMW 330e

Winner: Company Car of the Year

Pros:
✅ Precise steering and balanced handling
✅ Great hybrid efficiency and performance

Cons:
❌ 320d more frugal if you can't charge battery regularly
❌ Reduced boot space, compared with non-plug ins.

There are few plug-ins that are as much fun to punt down your favourite B road as BMW 330e. Thankfully it settles down to a comfortable and quiet cruise, making this a fine mile muncher.  A plush interior with plenty of high-quality materials and the best infotainment system on the market today make this BMW 330e a Company winner.

10.Toyota GR Yaris

Winner: Thrill-seeker of the Year 2022

Pros:
✅ Fabulous acceleration and performance
✅ Compact and confidence-inspiring

Cons:
❌ Sounds less than exciting
❌ Less practical than a regular Yaris

If there’s one thing we’ve got to say about the Toyota GR Yaris, it’s believe the hype. Few performance cars have delivered such a joyous driving experience in recent years, and the fact it’s relatively affordable makes it even better. Its diminutive size means it’s ridiculously light for a modern hot hatch and fast!

More help finding the best cars on sale today

Parkers is dedicated to helping you find the best cars at the best prices to suit all budgets. Our ongoing mission is to find you the best deals on new cars. We take a look at the best deals for buying a new car – either with cash or on monthly finance – in our constantly-updated Deal Watch article, plus many of our features include the latest lease deals for your favourite cars too. From superminis to supercars, we cover all mainstream corners of the car market, whether you want an Audi or a Volvo, or anything inbetween. 

How to find the best cars for sale 

Check out these sections if you need more help finding the perfect new car to buy today: 

You can contact us for help with car-related advice, and we'll try and get back to you