What Car? Used Car of the Year Awards - Introduction

The What Car? Used Car of the Year Awards are every bit as important as our annual accolades for the best new cars.

That sounds like a bold claim, but not when you consider that around four times as many car buyers opted for a used car over a new one last year. The UK’s used car market is vibrant, with astute buyers revelling in falling prices and vast numbers of bargains.

The right used car should deliver many years of happy, hassle-free motoring for a fraction of the outlay needed for many new cars. Better still, even a modest budget goes a long way, offering far greater choice than in the new car world.

For example, £5000 will buy a year-old supermini, or an enormous executive estate car originally worth more than £22,000, instead. Both represent superb value; it just depends on what you need.

To help guide you in the direction of today’s cream of the used car crop, we show you which models offer the best value, and which cars are safe, reliable and a pleasure to own. Read on to find winners to suit every need and all pockets.