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If you’re looking for a new car to lease or drive under a contract hire agreement then it can pay to pick an award winning model. The Fleet Car Awards, now in their 26th year, are designed to recognise the very best people, companies and cars in the fleet sector.
This year’s Fleet Car awards winners were announced at a glittering ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in March. We look at the cars that scooped the top prizes…
Peugeot scoop major Small Car award
All in all, there were 31 winners at the 2014 Fleet Car Awards. As well as awards commending the best car leasing firms, car hire companies and customer service there were a number of awards given to the best cars in a range of categories.
The Peugeot 208 – the company’s best-selling car – won the Best Small Car accolade, beating rivals including Ford’s best selling Fiesta model.
There are now over 60,000 of them on UK roads, and the judges liked the car’s combination of design, low price and specification. Prices start at just £9,995 for the 1.0-litre VTi, which can achieve 65.7mpg and has CO2 at 99g/km.
Stephen Briers, Fleet News Editor, stated: “Peugeot has made massive in-roads into fleet with the 208 thanks to its highly efficient petrol and diesel engines and competitive running costs. Quality is excellent throughout and residual values have held up well since launch thanks to a strong fleet policy. It is very stylish and has broad appeal for many types of driver.”
A surprise winner in the Best Lower-Medium Car prize was the Seat Leon. Beating a host of very highly regarded hatchbacks, including the BMW 1 Series and the Volkswagen Golf, it was praised by the panel for its alluring combination of quality, style and efficiency.
Mr Briers from Fleet News said: “The Leon is one of the great all-rounders in the sector with desirable looks, strong residual values and very low running costs. The new model represents a big leap forward compared to the old car. It’s bang on the fleet button with a range of body styles, good kerbside appeal and a quality interior.”
Mercedes win two prizes
It was a busy night for Mercedes-Benz who won two car Fleet Car awards on the night. The German manufacturer won Most Improved Fleet Manufacturer of the Year, being recognised for making the biggest strides forward in terms of fleet relationships over the past 12 months.
Mercedes also won the inaugural Best Chauffeur Car prize – presented for the S-Class – rounding off a busy start to the year for this flagship model, with five awards already under its belt.
Nick Andrews, Head of Fleet, Mercedes-Benz UK, commented: “We’re delighted to have been recognised as the Most Improved Fleet Manufacturer by Fleet News. This accolade confirms the commitment we have to our customers; we’ve listened to their feedback, we’ve acted, and now we are seeing the success.
“We couldn’t have achieved this without the outstanding product development across the range, the exceptional service our retailer network delivers, and the hard work from colleagues across the entire organisation.”
Other winners in the Fleet Car awards – which commend the best cars to drive on lease/contract hire included:
- Best Upper-Medium Car – Vauxhall Insignia
- Best Estate Car – Skoda Octavia Estate
- Best All Round 4×4 – Land Rover Discovery
- Best 7 Seat People Carrier – Citroen Grand C4 Picasso
- Best Crossover – Skoda Yeti
- Best Premium Car – Volvo S60/V60
- Best Executive Car – BMW 5 Series