2 days ago
The best cars you can buy: Luxury German SUV tops list of 10 models rated highest by owners
With so many car options to choose from, how do you go about buying the very best one?
It needs to combine several excellent traits, from being good to drive, reliable, relatively affordable to run, spacious and packed with kit.
Trying to whittle such a bustling market of capable motors down to one is no easy task... unless you get a few recommendations, that is.
Fortunately, thousands of drivers in Britain have been given the chance to vote on what is the best motor on the road, based on their own personal experience of owning them.
Auto Express' Driver Power study ranks every car by customer satisfaction based on a combination of measures, including dependability, value-for-money, engine and gearbox performance, boot space, comfort, ease of touchscreen system, and interior and exterior styling.
The results from the latest poll, completed by 91,000 UK motorists, are just in and these are the cars drivers say are worth every penny - with a very expensive luxury Mercedes coming out on top.
Paul Barker, editor of Auto Express said the survey is a useful tool for any vehicle buyer as it 'reveals exactly what owners genuinely think - and how they feel - about their cars'.
He told us: 'This unique perspective gives unrivalled insight into what prospective customers can expect, and tells manufacturers exactly what their own customers think of the cars they sell.
'From running costs to quality and infotainment, we get the views of people living with these cars day-to-day, and the results show the cars that offer the best chance of a very satisfying ownership experience.'
Here's a countdown of the 10 with the highest owner ratings and what it is that drivers adore most about them...
10. BMW 2 Series (2022-present)
Owner satisfaction rating: 87.91%
BMW's sporty 2 Series Coupe just makes the top 10 recommendations, cementing its place with top marks from owners for how it drives.
In fact, it was voted the second-most pleasurable car in terms of steering and braking feedback, as well as scoring high for plush ride quality - which is somewhat of a surprise given this essentially is a stiffly tuned performance machine tuned for ultimate road holding.
Owners also love the acceleration and engine sound it produces.
Even practicality scores are impressive for a two-door coupe, but BMW's infotainment set-up really hits the mark with a first place score for the quality of its sat-nav.
One owner said it combines the best of 'style, performance, comfort and quality build, with innovation, elegance, and good value for money'. Praise indeed!
9. Dacia Duster (2017-2024)
Owner satisfaction rating: 88.04%
The previous-generation Duster, which went off sale late last year to make way for the new version, has been highly commended for some time. In fact, in last year's Driver Power poll, it was the motor scored highest for satisfaction.
While it hasn't quite repeated that feat in 2025, it's still received a raft of high scores from those who use one on a daily basis.
It retained its crown as the top-scoring motor for value for money and was rated second overall for practicality and infotainment, and a fourth for running costs.
The Duster beats all comers for owner satisfaction for boot space, and it also rated highly for cabin storage, child-friendly features and rear legroom.
Low insurance premiums, respectable fuel economy and relatively inexpensive servicing bills also got a mention, while owners also had positive things to say about the cars' audio system and user-friendly cabin layout.
Drivers though were less impressed when reviewing their Dacia's driving performance. That said, no family car that cost less than £10k from new is never going to handle like a Lambo!
A Duster owner described it as: 'Great value, cheap to buy and run, feels safe, good customer service at the garage. It's a lot of car for the price.'
8. Citroen C5 Aircross (2019-present)
Owner satisfaction rating: 88.15%
The French car maker is synonymous ride quality, and the C5 Aircross lives up to Citroen's unflappable reputation for a cushiony-smooth experience.
Owners said the comfort levels are unmatched, though the ratings suggest road handing hasn't been entirely compromised, with drivers giving top marks in this department too.
The C5 Aircross ranks fourth overall for driving pleasure, and all from a driving seat rated second overall from a comfort perspective.
There's another first place for cabin storage satisfaction, and seating flexibility along with cabin quality also got thumbs ups all round from owners.
Running costs - including insurance, servicing outlay and fuel economy - are low and owners are very happy with the number of safety features on offer.
'I'm surprised at how good the quality is for a French car, and the seat comfort is excellent over long drives,' one owner said.
7. BMW 4 Series (2021-present)
Owner satisfaction rating: 88.19%
Building on the positive feedback received from 2 Series Coupe owners, BMW bosses will be overjoyed to hear that drivers of the bigger 4 Series Coupe are even more impressed with their two-door sportsters.
Where it wins big is on the performance side; owners are extremely complementary about its steering response, ride quality, and driving pleasure, where it ranks among the best three cars.
It gained plaudits elsewhere for its interior styling, dashboard layout, and ease of switching off irritating and nannying safety features.
Owners are also happy to report that the touchscreen system is better than others, with one BMW 4 Series driver telling Auto Express: 'I love how the infotainment system is intuitive and easy to use. Everything is pretty much one tap away, which makes driving so much more enjoyable.'
Customers are also impressed with the quality of the finish, though reliability isn't as robust as some might like and satisfaction with fuel economy and running costs is low too - something to bear in mind if frugality is top of your wishlist.
6. Vauxhall Crossland (2021-present)
Owner satisfaction rating: 88.25%
Just pipping the BMW 4 Series to sixth place overall for owner satisfaction is a car that couldn't be more different to the German coupe if it tried.
Vauxhall's compact crossover, the Crossland, has rated well for its efficient running costs thanks to its 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engines returning impressive miles to gallon, the servicing bills being welcomingly low and insurance premiums relatively cheap.
Other areas where it excelled include reliability and quality, while boot space, seating versatility and child-friendly features also scored high among drivers. Value isn't a strong point, though, and safety scores left a little to be admired.
One driver described their Crossland as being 'nice to drive and very practical' while also being loaded with cabin tech that's easy to operate but also makes the car feel 'modern'.
5. Mercedes C-Class (2021-present)
Owner satisfaction rating: 88.31%
Despite this being a premium Mercedes product, owners still rated their C-Class saloons high for value for money.
Also among the things they adore is the infotainment system, practicality, cabin storage and child-friendly features. Exterior style is also scored fifth overall.
On the road, the C-Class's supple ride and driving pleasure are the best-placed attributes, albeit road handling is far from among the top contenders.
Fuel economy and service costs weigh it down slightly.
'I like the luxurious interior and the smooth ride, the advanced safety features, the strong performance and the elegant design,' one C-Class driver quoted.
4. Ford Kuga (2020-present)
Owner satisfaction score: 88.69%
Ford's Kuga SUV is ticking all the right boxes when it comes to family-friendly practicality, according to those who currently drive one
Ford's SUV scored extremely well for safety, practicality and interior, proving its excellent credentials as a family wagon.
Owners also gave the Kuga top marks for boot space and seating versatility, along with front seat comfort and rear legroom - yet more traits that make it ideal for drivers who regularly need to transport kids while covering longer journeys.
But it's also not a complete borefest: it was among the top 10 best for steering, braking and road handling and wasn't far off the leaders for driving pleasure too. That's some achievement for a relatively run-of-the-mill practical SUV.
'It features the latest technology and has many great features. It is also a perfect family car at a reasonable price,' one keeper reported.
While reliability wasn't earmarked as a major concern in the poll, Ford has recently recalled Plug-in Hybrid - some 26,000 UK cars in total - over a conerning fire risk.
3. Vauxhall Astra (2022-present)
Owner satisfaction rating: 89.97%
While Vauxhall's evergreen Astra has fallen down the popularity order - and no longer features among the best-selling cars in Britain - that's not to say owners of the current model aren't mightily impressed with its performance.
Drivers love the exterior style, ranking it third overall against far sportier options, while front seat comfort and interior styling all scored strongly.
Excellent infotainment ratings combined with top marks for overall quality and reliability are backed by positive scoring on safety features and drivers loving the value for money over some rivals.
One keeper, who's racked up plenty of mileage in their Astra, had nothing but good things to say.
'It is smooth, quiet, very comfortable, it has an impressive range of driver assistance technology and it looks stunning, even after three years and 50,000 miles,' they told the motoring publication.
2. Vauxhall Grandland (2018-2024)
Owner satisfaction rating: 90.55%
Though recently replaced with the second-generation Grandland, the original Vauxhall family crossover scored 90.55 per cent overall for owner satisfaction, which is good enough for second overall in the list of best rated motors in 2025.
Owners love how it looks inside and out and have been blown away with by just how comfortable the front seats are, how much rear legroom is on offer and the luggage-swallowing size of the boot.
In fact, practicality is where it wins most of its plaudits, as outlined in this very positive owner review: 'It is high off the ground, with plenty of room inside. Quiet and comfortable on long journeys, and the boot is amazing.'
Touchscreen functionality ranks well, too, while servicing and reliability both net first place ratings suggesting this is a dependable and cheap motor to keep running.
1. Mercedes GLE (2019-present)
Owner satisfaction rating: 92.24%
The most loved car of the moment is the £90,000 Mercedes GLE. While it might not be cheap, owners are saying they are getting a lot for their money with class-leading attributes, including unrivalled driving enjoyment, build quality and safety features
Costing from around £90,000 new, the Mercedes GLE is not what you'd call cheap. But owners say it's worth the substantial financial outlay as it's a class above everything else.
It ranked first overall in six different categories in the Driver Power poll of 91,000 motorists this year.
GLE's key wins include driving pleasure, safety attributes, climate settings, audio and sat-nav functionality, and overall quality. Exterior style, the sat-nav performance and the wonderful balance of conventional and touchscreen controls also rated highly among owners.
Where it was slightly marked down was for fuel economy and running costs - though any £90k-plus family SUV is likely to come with bills of a similar scale.
Despite this minor criticism, it still scored a mightily impressive 92.24 per cent overall for owner satisfaction, making this the most-loved motor of the last 12 months.
An owner said about their GLE: 'Its luxurious interior, smooth ride, and advanced tech make it a joy to drive, but it's roomy enough for family and luggage.'
