For 18 years in a row, Russia has hosted the award ceremony "The best car of the year in Russia". The best and most popular cars are determined in each of the classes - from city cars to vans.
This year, the winners of the awards were determined by online voting, in which over a million people participated (including 84% of men and 16% of women). Introducing the best cars of 2018.
Winner City Cars - Kia Picanto
The Korean Kia Picanto was recognized as the best car for the city. It is an easy-to-maintain, attractive and spacious model. Users praise it for its high ground clearance, low fuel consumption (about 8 liters in the city), trouble-free operation in cold weather, and maneuverability.
Winner in the category "Small class" - Lada Vesta / SW
You can scold AvtoVAZ products as much as you like, but one of its cars - Lada Vesta / SW - became the best Russian small car according to the respondents interviewed on the autogoda.ru website.
Excellent handling, good visibility, high-quality brakes and high ground clearance are the main advantages noted by most owners of Lada Vesta / SW.
Small Medium Class Winner - Ford Focus
Low maintenance, reliable and personable looking Ford Focus is one of the best passenger cars of 2018. Its maneuverability, dynamics, handling, ergonomics, comfortable driving position have earned numerous positive reviews from Russian motorists.
Winner Middle Class - Hyundai Sonata
The handsome and spacious "Korean" became the best middle-class car. Thanks to its reliable suspension, large trunk, smooth ride and good visibility, this car is one of the preferred options for both city and country trips.
Winner Business Class - BMW 5 Series
With all the richness of choice, there is no alternative to the BMW 5 Series as the best representative of a business class car.This car is respected not only for its solid appearance, but also for the comfort and safety for both the driver and passengers, excellent dynamics, reliability and excellent handling.
Winner in the category "Executive class" - Mercedes-Benz S-Class
This large, beautiful and reliable car is distinguished by its smooth running, increased comfort for the driver and passengers, excellent ergonomics and is highly respected on Russian roads.
Winner in the category "Executive class" premium "- Mercedes-Maybach S-Class
And one more worthy brainchild of the German car industry outstripped all competitors. A powerful, safe and very elegant car with a leather interior, it is distinguished by delightful 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 a true queen of the road.
Coupe Winner - Chevrolet Camaro
Many fell in love with the look of the Chevrolet Camaro after the release of the blockbuster "Transformers". It was under this solid American car that Bumblebee was disguised.
When operating on Russian roads, the Chevrolet Camaro behaves like a respectable Autobot: it is not capricious, drives smoothly and predictably, accelerates quickly and slows down quickly. However, he does not really like Russian frosts, and in heavy snowfalls it can go into a skid.
Premium Coupe Winner - Audi R8 Coupe
Elegant and aggressive design, all-wheel drive, spacious leather interior with good noise insulation, excellent acceleration and braking dynamics - what else do you need from a good premium sports coupe? One trouble - in city traffic jams, this thoroughbred German horse cannot fully express itself.
Winner in the category "Granturers" - Kia Stinger
This vehicle is designed to provide the pleasure of driving long distances. Four-wheel drive, a comfortable driver's seat, a powerful engine of 247 hp, high-quality assembly - this is not a complete list of the advantages of a participant in the rating of the best cars of 2018 in Russia.
Winner, Convertible and Roadsters - Porsche 718 Boxster
This is a car with a truly sporty character. One of its main advantages is excellent handling. As one of the reviews put it, “the car seems to rotate around the driver when turning.” The Boxter also features fast acceleration, good visibility, but very low ground clearance.
Winner, Premium Convertible & Roadsters - Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster
Fast (0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds), powerful roadster with aggressive styling and carbon ceramic brakes. The Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster can only unleash its full potential on the track or on a very long and lonely track.
Winner in the nomination "Off-road wagons" - Lada Vesta SW Cross
The growing interest of Russians in this station wagon is fueled by such advantages as a spacious interior, large trunk, comfortable driving position, maneuverability and high ground clearance.
Compact SUVs Winner - Subaru XV
It easily covers long distances, is comfortable for both driver and passengers, has a large number of options already in the basic version, is equipped with an elastic suspension - and this is all about the Subaru XV. Users also praise the vehicle's excellent stabilization system and its cross-country ability, including on snow and sand.
Winner in the category "Light SUVs" - SKODA Kodiaq
At the end of April, a presentation of the Russian-assembled Skoda Kodiaq crossover took place 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 Skoda's bestseller, there is hope that sales of Kodiaq will increase in 2018, because Russian car owners now have an attractive option.
Medium SUVs Winner - Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
All competitors for the title of the best SUV of the year were outstripped by a 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 both around the city and off-road.
Winner Heavy SUV - Range Rover
Timeless 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 and for a long time travel by car. One problem is that spare parts are very expensive.
Pickup Winner - Mitsubishi L200
An economical "workhorse" that does not care about Russian roads with an abundance of holes. Its carrying capacity, high cross-country ability, great visibility and good dynamics allowed the car to win the title of the best pickup in 2018.
Winner in the category "Compact van" - Volkswagen Caddy
Why is this winner of the Auto of the Year award so good? High driving position, 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 visitor on Russian roads, and it immediately attracts attention.
Minivan Winner - Volkswagen Multivan
The positive aspects of this all-wheel drive car are comfort, good sound insulation, high ground clearance and a wide range of trim levels. This is a great car for a large family or traveling with friends for hunting or fishing. The disadvantages of users include expensive service from an authorized dealer.
Winner in the category "Mini-vans" - Lada Largus Van
High ground clearance, independent front suspension, coping with any irregularities on the road, high carrying capacity (over 700 kg) - this is the Lada Largus Van. If you need a machine for a job that requires you to transport small loads on a daily basis, then it is difficult to find the best option. In the city, the consumption of this mini-van is quite economical - about 10 liters per 100 km.
Winner Light Vans - Ford Transit Custom
Quite easy to maintain, the hard worker boasts a comfortable interior, maneuverability and efficiency. She is able to accommodate from 6 to 8 people and take away up to 1 ton of cargo.
Winner Vans - Volkswagen Crafter
This car easily and comfortably for the driver can carry loads up to 2.5 tons. It features an unkillable suspension, excellent handling even on a snowy winter road, a high seating position of the driver, 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
Lada was recognized as the favorite brand in the mass segment.
Mercedes-Benz was named the leader in the "Favorite brand in the premium segment" nomination.
Kia Stinger outperformed all competitors in the "New Products" nomination.
Chery became the most recognizable Chinese brand.