"At this point I should draw your attention to the recently published BBC Top Gear Magazine customer satisfaction survey. This is the largest independent motoring survey of them all, and my God there are some boring cars at the top."

Jeremy Clarkson

9: Suzuki Swift Sport "I’ve been toying with giving it five stars but won’t, for two reasons. First, it is a bit noisy, and second, it takes ages for the engine to deliver any warm air to the cabin on a cold morning. Tiny faults in what’s a great little car. Sure, it’s built in China, Japan, India and Hungary so it’s not quite as British as the Mini, but for me that’s not such a bad thing. If it is for you, why not simply buy one and paint a Union Jack on the roof." Read Clarkson's full review

8: Citroën C4 "It’s not often that I’m stunned by any car, leave alone a family hatchback. But the C4’s equipment package genuinely had me reeling in open-mouthed disbelief. And now you’re expecting the but. The moment when the whole pack of cartes comes crashing down. Well, sorry, but the five-door version is elegant and the three-door is properly striking. And I must say the 2 litre VTS coupé I drove went, handled and stopped with much aplomb and vigour." Read Clarkson's full review

7: Subaru Forester "The Forester has always been built like the countryside, and as a result it’s a virtually permanent fixture in the top five of every customer satisfaction survey, anywhere in the world. Apparently they never go wrong, ever. Think, then, of the new Forester as a paddock. It started out all rough and practical but now it’s been mowed and rolled so that it's still a paddock. But it’s as smooth and well manicured as a croquet lawn. The perfect country car for townies - even if you do have to change gear yourself." Read Clarkson's full review

6: Toyota Corolla Verso T2 "The best thing about the Corolla Verso is the quality. There’s a robustness which you simply don’t find in any of its rivals. This car looks like it was designed by someone who actually knows how destructive children can be. Kids never understand that their feet are going to be further away than they were the week before. So they break stuff. Mine smashed a Renault Scénic to pieces the other day in about 15 minutes" Read Clarkson's full review

5: Nissan Qashqai 2.0 Tekna (4x4) "I sort of get the Kumquat. For all its abilities, and there are many, the Focus is a bit boring. The Nissan isn’t. It gives you a sense of wellbeing, a sense that while you may live in a normal house with two normal children, at least the car you use makes you look a little bit interesting" Read Clarkson's full review

4: Nissan Navara Double Cab Aventura "The Navara has a torquier diesel engine than any of its chief rivals and a bigger load bay, which comes with all sorts of clever mounting points to ensure stuff doesn’t roll about. This, then, is probably the best of the bunch" Read Clarkson's full review

3: Daihatsu Charade : "I’m going to stick my neck out here. We often talk about which car has the best engine. The BMW M3’s is very good but the Ferrari 360’s V8 cannot be ignored. Nor can the VTEC motor in a Honda S2000. Honestly, though, all things considered, as a technical tour de force you’re hard pressed to do better than the low-friction twin-cam in this Charade. It even makes a growly grrrrrrrr sound" Read Clarkson's full review

2: Skoda Fabia vRS : "You think that for £12,000 there must be something wrong with it, and you know that telling people at parties you have a Skoda is like telling them you have an embarrassing discharge. Britain’s new boys will be less bothered about such things. They’ll buy this car because it’s cheap, and as a result of that, they’re going to be tearing around Britain’s yellow boxes and bus lanes in a genuinely very good little car" Read Clarkson's full review

1: Ford Sportka SE: "Remember the old Mini and how it could always put a smile on your face, even if you were used to a Ferrari or a Bentley? Well the little Ka is just the same. It’s like a Pitts biplane compared with a jumbo jet. And I know which most 747 pilots would prefer to fly. More importantly, it can defeat the black dog. For 3,000 years man has been trying to explain the reason we have bad moods. Now, Ford has come up with a way to make them go away." Read Clarkson's full review

And of course . . .

Ford Mondeo 2.5i Titanium X : "It’s exceptionally good looking. Colleagues in the motoring press have called it pretentious but I disagree. I think it’s balanced, handsome and that all the trinketry is well chosen. On looks alone, and interior space, it leaves all of its rivals trailing. I won’t urge you to buy a Mondeo just to save an institution. It’s your money and your choice. But I’ll be sad if you have the wherewithal and you don’t... Verdict: the poached egg on toast of cars ". Read Clarkson's full review

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