The car Britons love the most is French: Peugeot's 3008 is crowned the motor that makes its owners the happiest
- Peugeot 3008 voted the best car to own in the 2018 Driver Power survey
- It scored the highest owner satisfaction rating in 16 years - a massive 93.88%
- Other highly rated models included the Kia Niro SUV and Alfa Giulia saloon
- No British brands models made it into the top 10 most loved
Britons have named the car that makes them the happiest - and it's French.
The Peugeot 3008 SUV was named the most pleasing new car to own by Auto Express Driver Power 2018 survey, scoring a massive 93.88 per cent customer satisfaction rating.
And it appears we are a nation of jollier motorists, as on average we claim to be enjoying our cars more than last year - despite a rise in the cost of fuel, tax and insurance, as well as the Government's recent crackdown on diesel.
Nation's favourite: The Peugeot 3008 was voted the most satisfying new car to own in the latest Driver Power survey
Overall vehicle satisfaction for more than 80,000 respondents rose from 89.83 per cent in 2017 to 90.94 per cent this year, suggesting Britons are relishing their cars more despite motoring becoming more expensive.
But while most might think it would be a fast-paced Porsche or a luxury Mercedes-Benz that makes owners happiest, it was the £22,770 French SUV that topped the satisfaction poll.
Of the 75 examples reported on in the survey, the Peugeot 3008 averaged a rating of 93.88 per cent - a new record in the study that's in its sixteenth year.
It's not the first award given to the family-friendly Peugeot - so far it has racked up no fewer than 38 global awards since hitting the market last year.
Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief at Auto Express, said that the 3008 was 'providing precisely what owners want these days'.
He added: 'It’s got the SUV style that’s in huge demand, but backs it up with a high-quality interior, plenty of space, a great drive and excellent reliability – it’s no surprise owners love it so much.'
The French SUV finished ahead of the similarly-sized £23,135 Kia Niro and the new £28,990 Alfa Romeo Giulia family saloon to round off an unlikely mix of the most liked cars in the country.
The remainder of the top 10 had a more traditional Japanese feel to it, made up of two Lexus, a pair of Toyotas and a Honda.
The Kia Sorento and Skoda Octavia also made an appearance.
That means no British manufacturers made it into the list of models that make their owners happiest.
The only solace for UK manufacturing was the Swindon-built Honda Civic placing ninth in the standings.
Auto Express suggested that one reason why car satisfaction as a whole might be on the up is because of the quality of cars entering the market, though they're still causing some headaches with unwanted faults.
Martin Saarinen, consumer editor at the motoring magazine said: 'The last 12 months have seen some exceptional cars launched, so it’s no surprise to see Brits happy with their new motors.
'There’s still work to be done, though, as new car owners continue to tell us that their vehicles aren’t always trouble-free.'
The handsome family SUV has now racked up no fewer than 39 global awards since hitting the market last year
One of the aspects of the car most loved is the futuristic cockpit
Placing second was the Kia Niro (left), which is similar in size and price to the Peugeot. The Alfa Giulia saloon (right) came in third
New car owners reported more problems with their cars in 2018 than the year previous, the stats showed.
One in seven (14.36 per cent) drivers polled said their car had developed an issue that needed fixing in the last 12 months, which was up from one in eight (12.15 per cent) who reported back in 2017.
Another trend highlighted in the survey was a growing appreciation for hybrid cars.
More hybrids featured in the top 10 than any year before, with their owners rating them highly for their engines, gearboxes and running costs.
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