My judgement is based on following grounds:

The E-class does exactly what it’s supposed to. It’s great to drive and to ride in, wonderfully made, and available with a staggering array of electronic safety technologies that will filter down into ‘normal’ cars in the next few years. But I’m most impressed by the relatively basic versions, and especially the estate, with the new four-cylinder diesel. Only one fault with that car: the engine’s a bit loud.

I haven’t put it top though, because there’s another car that’s more original. I don’t normally like crossovers, but the Yeti has charmed me. Of course tall vehicles are never as good to drive nor as economical as normal estate cars, yet that said this Skoda really does come very close. And families will love it because of its room and remarkable versatility, and its cross-country potential. It’s good-looking too, but not in the usual aggressive SUV fashion.

I drove the 3008 some months before the Yeti, and I felt that was the first crossover worth driving, and the Yeti doesn’t really surpass it. Trouble is I don’t much like the look of the 3008. More important in this family sector, there isn’t much rear seat space.

The other car to share my bottom-table position with the 3008 is the Astra. To me it can’t be a Car of the Year because it isn’t at the top of its class (whereas the Insignia was last year). It’s good looking and refined and nicely made, but dynamic finesse is missing and packaging is poor: why is it so long when the rear room is so mediocre?

The Citroën and Toyota on the other hand are brilliantly packaged. Neither is much fun to drive and the Toyota is unpleasantly finished for a car that wants to be ‘premium’. But if your parking habits can take advantage of an ultra-short three-and-a-toddler seater then the iQ is your only choice. And if you need a great-value fun-looking little family car, the Picasso is unsurpassed.

As a supermini that’s perfectly finished and brilliantly refined and comfortable, the Polo is just the thing. And it’s superbly economical. But I like my small cars to have a bit more of a sense of fun, so it drops a point.