My judgement is based on following grounds:

VW Polo
VW decided to create a mini-Golf for the new generation Polo and the result deserves an enthusiastic “thumbs up”. Classic lines on the outside will not make you fall in love but it won’t scare away any potential customers. The roomy interior shows a fit and finish standard that matches and even surpasses some cars belonging to upper segments and the retuned chassis makes it one of the top contenders in this class as far as road handling is concerned. Good steering feel, competent gearboxes and a wide and sophisticated engine range make it a popular choice among the more demanding drivers. Being fuel efficient (not only but also the impressive 1.2 TDi Bluemotion with a 3 cylinder “worth” 3,3 l/100 km…) only adds to the count of virtues that will most likely it allow it to dominate the “Polo segment”.

Mercedes E Class
Usually a new generation of any given model is filled with more quality and better looks, new technologies and improved chassis. Engines frequently allow better performances and consumptions and interiors prove to be more user-friendly. Most new vehicles proudly show some of these improvements, some have them all, like the new E Class, which – on top of that – managed to lower the price (in Portugal some versions are up to 6000 Euros less expensive than the former generation equipped with an equivalent engine). The intelligent lighting system, the innovative night vision system and the further developed Pre-Safe technology are some of the most relevant highlights of the new E Class. But the wide body range (sedan, coupé, Estate, cabriolet) and the all direct injection engine range (the dated V8 petrol is the exception to the rule) add up to the notion that this is the new benchmark in the premium upper class.

Peugeot 3008
Peugeot “betrayed” Citroen and entered the compact MPV segment that its sister brand manage to dominate after the long Renault reign. The 3008 benefits from the C4 Picasso platform and clever cabin storage solutions, and adds a little something with an exclusive rear seat row movement. The first use of a head-up display in this class deserves credit and the 3008 must also be praised for the efficient handling, pleasing the parent who still enjoys the thrills of driving. The Hybrid Diesel is definitely one of the highlights of the 3008, expected to arrive in 2011.

Opel Astra
Opel must be praised for having been able to launch two well achieved products through the most delicate stage of its history. The new Astra improves the ride comfort, benefits from new engines and new technologies (like the Opel eye and the sophisticated illumination system). However, there should be more soft touch materials surfacing the dashboard that is far from user friendly (there are dozens of Lilliputian buttons elbowing each other on the centre stack, in some cases placed with no obvious criteria). On the other hand, the extended body doesn’t result in added roominess and it pays the price in kilos, hurting performances and consumptions.

Toyota iQ
Clever engineering created what most people thought would not be possible to achieve: to fit 3+1 occupants inside less than 3 meters of a car. And this could be a great sign that being intelligent (i.e. having a high iQ) is better than being smart… The wide body is key to a very stable road handling and gives both driver and front passenger the feeling that they are in a much larger car.  Assembly quality is convincing (more than the materials and colours used, which already made Toyota come up with some changes in this field, adding new trim versions and softer touch materials) but presentation is somewhat dull. The wide body generates an audible contact with the wind as speed increases and the premium priced range will scare away a reasonable number of potential customers.

Citroen C3 Picasso
Citroen applied the C4 Picasso recipe to a downsized body to come up with a compact MPV with, again, an appealing design. Ingenious interior loaded with all the clever storage solutions that helped the larger Picasso to climb to the nº1 spot of the MPV sales in Europe. The best in class interior light and visibility and the improved material and built quality are proving its worth. On the negative side, steering is still vague, body movement excessive under mass transfers and a 6 speed gearbox mated to the 1.6 HDi 110 hp engine would be welcomed.

Skoda Yeti
The check brand has climbed the ladder of the quality rankings and the Yeti just proves this positive evolution. A very roomy and well built interior is a Skoda trademark, and so are the VW Group engines and transmissions, that are no longer the ones that the upper scale brands have stopped using. It’s still a niche product with a body that has mixture of utility vehicle genes crossed with a compact SUV nature. Most of the versions have 4x4 capabilities which seems a bit pointless: it adds cost, some weight and most customers would manage with an efficient ESP system.