Best coupés 2022

This five-door coupé is a beautifully made and comfortable cruiser with a surprising amount of space inside. It’s competent rather than particularly fun to drive, though, and its infotainment system can be distracting.

The Continental GT conjures up rose-tinted images of what driving used to be like, when the super-rich would blast across Europe to get to their second home on the Riviera. And yet it's a thoroughly modern car that makes progress effortless, thanks to a 6.0-litre W12 engine that drives all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The Continental GT is hugely expensive to buy and run, though.

While it's not the sharpest car in its class to drive, the E-Class Coupé is supremely quiet and comfortable. It can be had with a wide range of engines, too, including the popular 220d diesel, which is smooth, quiet and frugal, so an excellent fit for the car.

The 8 Series strikes a great balance between sportiness and comfort. What's more, it has a beautifully built interior that features BMW's intuitive iDrive infotainment system. The 8 Series is more expensive than direct rivals, though.

As luxury brands go, Aston Martin is as emotive as it gets. But that naturally brings sky-high expectations, so it says a lot that the DB11 offers everything you'd hope for from a big, modern Aston. Not only is it a sublime grand tourer, but it’s now usefully more communicative, while the interior matches modern tech and infotainment with classic craftsmanship.

The A5 coupé is based on a former What Car? Car of the Year, the A4 saloon, so the fact that it features in this top 10 should come as no surprise. Standout qualities include a plush interior and strong engines, plus it's surprisingly practical for a two-door coupé, with good rear space and a usefully large boot.

Climb into the CLA, and you'll be impressed at how lavish it feels, both in terms of pizazz and technology. Meanwhile, the 221bhp turbo petrol engine in the 250 version delivers stonking performance, and the keen pricing and rock-solid resale values ensure it even appeals to your sensible side.

Even with five doors, coupés are often compromised, but that's not the case with the Arteon. The tallest of passengers will find they have space to sprawl in comfort, while the boot is huge, with a wide-opening hatchback that makes loading a buggy easy. More than that, the Arteon is a confidence-inspiring, comfortable and satisfying drive, and has loads of equipment as standard.

If you're after a coupé that’s easy and affordable to live with, yet enjoyable to drive and filled with premium lustre, the TT strikes the perfect balance. Even the entry-level 40 TFSI version has serious gusto and delivers masses of handling poise.

Compared with the 3 Series saloon, the 4 Series gets a wider rear end, stiffer structure and lower centre of gravity, helping to make it far more rewarding to drive than similarly-priced rivals. Yet if you go for the M Sport Pro Package, it's also a comfortable choice. In fact, it’s a perfectly balanced take on the dual nature that makes for a world-class coupé.

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