My judgement is based on following grounds:

Opel Astra. Good and very well balanced design, in conjunction with up to date technical specifications. Perhaps there is some lack of very modern techniques, like direct fuel injection on the petrol side and double clutch transmission, but the new rear suspension really is amazing in all of its simplicity. Good range of diesels and pretty good finishing too. Roomy interior en well priced.

Volkswagen Polo. More or less exactly what could be expected, so not very surprising. But nevertheless you feel at ease immediately in the car, which offers more than enough interior space and drives well. The design of the Polo exactly follows the VW-trend, technically it’s the same stuff also. Very economical BlueMotion-version surprises in driving qualities and very low CO2. Finishing is fabulous, especially regarding the segment.

Toyota iQ. Could be the perfect solution for trendy youngsters living in busy cities. Probably 'smarter than smart', amongst others in respect to safety and packaging. Very nice details, like the rear window airbag and the very compact turning radius make it a car that  not only drives very well, but also feels much bigger than it is. Perhaps the 3-cilinder engine is not the best choice, but its pretty economical and not too noisy.

Skoda Yeti. Not really an innovative car in respect to new solutions or surprising developments, but in my opinion one of the nicest looking and best driving mid-mpv's (not really an suv…) in recent years. Yeti's roominess is excellent, driving position is optimal also for very tall people and the design is really good. Very easy to drive and possibility of 4WD gives some advantage compared to others in the same segment. Quite a gap in the availability of petrol engines though.

Mercedes-Benz E-class. Very well developed diesel engines and lots of safety features make the new E-class a very desirable car. New CGI-engines and very sporty top-of-the range models are very appealing too. Probably the largest range of safety features that can be acquired in any car.