Audi A4 scoops Car of the Year 14 | 01 | 2016
AUDI SCOOPED THE main award at the annual What Car? Awards when the A4 was crowned Cat of the Year 2016. The Ingolstadt car maker also saw its TT named as Best Coupe.
Audi is now the only car manufacturer to have won the coveted What Car? Car of the Year trophy more than once in the past 10 years, with the A1 and A3 winning the main prize in previous years.
In all, Volkswagen Group brands — Audi, Skoda and VW —won eight of 19 'best buy' categories, as well as the overall trophy for Car of the Year in the awards, which were held in association with Warranty Direct.
Related: Roadtest — Audi A4 2.0TDI Ultra
The brand has stressed that none of its winners are affected by the recent NOx and CO2 emissions scandals involving the VW Group.
In its awards citations for the A4, the What Car? road test team pointed to the new ground that has been broken by the latest A4 as a key contributor to its win, writing: “Audi deserves congratulations for the new A4. It brings new standards of refinement, interior quality and technology to the compact executive class.”
Thee award was welcomed by Andre Konsbruck, director of Audi UK.
“The compact executive class is arguably still the hub of the market in terms of the sheer pace and scale of progress," he said, "so for the A4 to be ranked most highly in this environment is gratifying enough in itself.
Related: Roadtest — Audi TT 2.0TDI Ultra
"For it then to be elevated above every other car the What Car? team tested last year is a truly momentous achievement of which we are all extremely proud.”
Konsbruck went on to acknowledge the What Car? editorial team’s unerring support of the TT.
"For a title such as What Car? — that is so inherently trusted and respected in its judgement — to be so firmly and consistently behind one of our cornerstone models, is an incredible endorsement that is highly valued by Audi UK,” he continued.
“The TT has won an outright category or price point award, and mainly the former, for the past ten years and that’s a run of success to which only a very select few models can lay claim.”
Other winners at the prestigious awards included the Hyundai i10, which was named best city car; Ford's Fiesta ST, which took the hot hatchback category; and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which was named as the best luxury car.
Audi is now the only car manufacturer to have won the coveted What Car? Car of the Year trophy more than once in the past 10 years, with the A1 and A3 winning the main prize in previous years.
What Car? Car of the Year Award Winners:
Car of the Year: Audi A4 3.0 TDI 218 Sport
Best City Car: Hyundai i10 1.2 Premium
Best Small Car: Skoda Fabia 1.2 TSI 90 SE
Best Family Car: Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI 110
Best Small SUV: Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi 110 N-tec
Best Large SUV: Land Rover Discovery Sport 2.0 TD4 180 SE Tech auto
Best MPV: Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI 110 Bluemotion Tech SE
Best Estate Car: Skoda Superb Estate 2.0 TDI 150 SE Business
Best Hot Hatch: Ford Fiesta ST-2
Best Convertible: Mazda MX-5 2.0 SE-L Nav
Best Coupe: Audi TT 2.0 TFSI Sport
Best Sports Car: Porsche Boxster 2.7
Best Electric Car: Volkswagen Passat Estate GTE
Best Compact Executive Car: Audi A4 3.0 TDI 218 Sport
Best Large Executive Car: BMW 5 Series 520d SE auto
Best Luxury Car: Mercedes-Benz S-Class S350d SE Line L
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Jim McGill