For 18 consecutive years in Russia, the award ceremony "The best car of the year in Russia". The best and most popular cars are defined in each of the classes - from city cars to vans.
This year, prize winners were determined by online voting, in which over a million people participated (including 84% of men and 16% of women). We present you the best cars of 2018.
City Car Winner - Kia Picanto
The best car for the city was recognized by the Korean Kia Picanto. It is easy to maintain, attractive in appearance and roomy. Users praise it for its high clearance, low fuel consumption (about 8 liters in the city), trouble-free operation in the cold, and maneuverability.
Small Class Winner - Lada Vesta / SW
You can scold AvtoVAZ products as much as you like, but one of its cars - Lada Vesta / SW - has become the best Russian compact car according to the respondents polled on autogoda.ru.
Excellent handling, good visibility, high-quality brakes and high ground clearance - these are the main advantages that most Lada Vesta / SW owners note.
Small Middle Class Winner - Ford Focus
Unpretentious in service, reliable in operation and representatively looking Ford Focus is one of the best cars of 2018. Its maneuverability, dynamics, controllability, ergonomics, comfortable landing of the driver earned numerous positive ratings from Russian motorists.
Middle Class Winner - Hyundai Sonata
Beautiful and spacious "Korean" has become the best car in the middle class. Due to its reliable suspension, large trunk, smooth ride and good visibility, this car is one of the preferred options for trips around the city and for country trips.
Business Class Winner - BMW 5 Series
With all the wealth of choice, there is no alternative to the BMW 5 Series as the best representative of an auto business class. This car is respected not only for its solid appearance, but also for comfort and safety for both the driver and passengers, excellent dynamics¸ reliability and excellent handling.
Executive Class Winner - Mercedes-Benz S-Class
This large, beautiful and reliable car is characterized by a smooth ride, increased comfort for the driver and passengers, excellent ergonomics and is highly respected on Russian roads.
The winner in the nomination "Executive class" premium "- Mercedes-Maybach S-Class
And one more worthy brainchild of the German auto industry was ahead of all competitors. A powerful, safe and very elegant car with a leather interior is characterized by amazing comfort and thoughtfulness of even the smallest details. And the excellent smoothness and softness of the ride, excellent driving dynamics and impeccable handling make this car the true queen of the roads.
Coupe Winner - Chevrolet Camaro
Many fell in love with the appearance of the Chevrolet Camaro after the blockbuster Transformers. It was under this solid American car that Bumblebee disguised himself.
When operating on Russian roads, the Chevrolet Camaro behaves like a respectable autobot: it is not capricious, it drives smoothly and predictably, it accelerates quickly and brakes quickly. However, he does not like Russian frosts very much, and in heavy snowfalls he can go into a skid.
Premium Coupe Winner - Audi R8 Coupe
Elegant and aggressive design, four-wheel drive, a spacious leather interior with good sound insulation, excellent acceleration and braking dynamics - what else do you need from a good premium sports coupe? One misfortune - in urban traffic jams this thoroughbred German horse cannot fully express itself.
Granturera Winner - Kia Stinger
This car was created to give the pleasure of driving long distances. Four-wheel drive, a comfortable driver's seat, a powerful engine of 247 hp, quality assembly - this is not a complete list of the advantages of a participant in the ranking of the best cars of 2018 in Russia.
Convertible & Roadster Winner - Porsche 718 Boxster
This is a car with a truly sporty character. One of its main advantages is its excellent handling. As one of the reviews said, “it seems that when turning, the car rotates around the driver”. Boxter also has fast acceleration, good visibility, but a very small clearance.
Winner in the “Premium Convertibles and Roadsters” nomination - Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster
Fast (accelerates to 100 km / h in 3.7 seconds), a powerful roadster with an aggressive design and carbon-ceramic brakes. The Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster can reach its full potential only on the track or on a very long and uninhabited track.
Winner in the category "Off-road Universal" - Lada Vesta SW Cross
The growing interest of Russians in this station wagon is fueled by such advantages as a spacious interior, a large trunk, a comfortable fit behind the wheel, maneuverability and high ground clearance.
The winner in the nomination "Compact SUVs" - Subaru XV
It easily overcomes long distances, it is convenient for both the driver and passengers, it has a large number of options already in the basic version, it is equipped with an elastic suspension - and this is all about the Subaru XV car. Also, users praise the excellent stabilization system of the machine and its cross-country ability, including in snow and sand.
Winner in the Light SUV category - SKODA Kodiaq
At the end of April, a presentation of the Russian-made Skoda Kodiaq crossover was held in St. Petersburg. The new version in the basic configuration will cost 1 million 339 thousand rubles, which is 350 thousand rubles cheaper than the version of the Czech assembly. And although the Rapid model remains the best-selling Skoda, there is hope that Kodiaq sales will increase in 2018, because Russian car owners have an attractive option for the price.
Medium SUV Winner - Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
All competitors in the title of the best SUV of the year were ahead of the frame model with 9 airbags, Japanese build quality and high liquidity in the secondary market. Land Cruiser Prado is inexpensive to operate and allows you to travel comfortably around the city and off-road.
Heavy SUV Winner - Range Rover
The ageless design, excellent cross-country ability on all types of roads and off-road, a cozy and elegant interior, durability and a lot of options designed to make life easier for the driver make Range Rover a desirable choice for those who often travel for a long time by car. One trouble - spare parts are very expensive.
Pickups Winner - Mitsubishi L200
An economical “workhorse”, which Russian roads with an abundance of pits are indistinguishable. Its carrying capacity, high traffic, great visibility and good dynamics allowed the car to win the title of the best pickup of 2018.
Winner in the CompactVten nomination - Volkswagen Caddy
What good is this winner of the “Auto of the Year” award? High landing at the wheel, trouble-free operation in severe Russian frosts, economical fuel consumption (about 9 liters per 100 km in the city), high-quality assembly, and an excellent on-board electronics system. And Volkswagen Caddy is a rare guest on Russian roads, and he immediately attracts attention.
Winner in the Minivans nomination - Volkswagen Multivan
The positive aspects of this all-wheel drive car are comfort, good sound insulation, high ground clearance and a wide selection of trim levels. This is a great car for a large family or travel with friends of hunting or fishing. The disadvantages of users include expensive service from an authorized dealer.
Winner in the Mini Vans nomination - Lada Largus Box
High ground clearance, independent front suspension, cope with any irregularities on the road, large payload (over 700 kg) - this is the Lada Largus Box. If you need a car for work, which requires daily transportation of small loads, then the best option is difficult to find. In the city, the consumption of this minivan is quite economical - about 10 liters per 100 km.
Light Vans Winner - Ford Transit Custom
A fairly easy-to-maintain hard worker can boast of a comfortable cabin, maneuverability and economy. It is able to accommodate from 6 to 8 people and take up to 1 ton of cargo.
Vans nomination winner - Volkswagen Crafter
This car easily and comfortably for the driver allows you to carry loads of up to 2.5 tons. It features an unkillable suspension, excellent handling even on a winter snowy road, high driver seating, and low prices for spare parts. Is it possible to demand more from a machine that is designed for long and high-quality work for the benefit of man?
Special Nominations
Favorite brand in the mass segment was recognized Lada.
The leader in the category "Favorite Brand in the Premium Segment" was named Mercedes-Benz.
In the nomination "Novelties" Kia Stinger passed all competitors.
And the most recognizable Chinese brand was Chery.