The What Car? Car of the Year Podcast - listen now

We've chosen the very best new cars on sale across 21 different categories, but why did they win?Why is the Volvo XC40 the best of the best? What cars surprised us the most this year? Should you buy a diesel?

Find out the answers to those questions and much more by listening to the What Car? judging panel discuss the major talking points from the biggest new car awards in the country.

Click the play button to listen to our Car of the Year podcast special, which is also now available on iTunes.

And if you enjoy the show then please subscribe, rate and review it.

Running order

Part 1 – What are the What Car? Awards? (0m 52s)

Part 2 – Why the XC40 won; what next for Volvo? (3m 40s)

Part 3 – Close contenders; Seat Ibiza, Peugeot 5008, Skoda Karoq (13m 22s)

Part 4 – Year of the hot hatches; Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai i30N (21m 26s)

Part 5 – Sports car; Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, McLaren (31m 03s)

Part 6 – Electric car & technology award; New Nissan Leaf and Tesla (39m 40s)

Part 7 – Should you buy a diesel?; cars to look forward to in 2018 (48m 08s)

Send questions, feedback or suggestions to doug.revolta@haymarket.com

Read the full Volvo XC40 review here