What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2013

The Audi A3 Sportback has been named 2013 What Car? Car of the Year at the 36th annual What Car? Awards, sponsored by Warranty Direct. The Audi A3 Sportback was also named Small Family Car of the Year.

What Car? editor-in-chief Chas Hallett said: 'The Audi A3 Sportback mixes excellent refinement and an accomplished driving experience with easily the finest cabin quality ever seen in a small family hatchback.

'It sets a new benchmark and it is keenly priced, a combination that makes it a worthy Car of the Year.'

Ford collected four awards. The Fiesta won the supermini category, the Mondeo was named the best family car, the Mondeo Estate is this year's top estate car, and the Ford Focus ST is What Car?s best hot hatch.

Chas Hallett said: 'Ford really is building great cars. Its cars look good, are great to drive, reliable and make great buys.'

Ford Fiesta is What Car?'s 2013 Supermini of the Year

Three trophies went to the BMW Group; the BMW X3 took the SUV award, while the BMW 320 ED automatic picked up the executive car crown and the Mini Roadster Cooper S was named best open-top car.

Sports Car of the Year went to the Porsche Boxster 2.7, while the MPV award was won for the third year running by the Seat Alhambra. The Audi TT continued its run of success by being named best coupe for the seventh time.

The British-built Range Rover was crowned Luxury Car of the Year and the Volkswagen Up retained its City Car of the Year title.

Mazda was awarded the Ultra-low-carbon Award for its Skyactiv technology. Skyactiv shows how a radical rethink can deliver real gains without the need for more expensive hybrid and fully electric systems.

What Car? readers and website visitors voted in their thousands to name the Alfa Romeo 4C as most exciting car for 2013.

What Car? Car of the Year 2013 awards >>

By Tom Webster