Winner: Volkswagen Golf GTI Call it destiny if you like, but the car that started the whole hot hatch craze has now finally turned full circle. The original 1976 Volkswagen Golf GTI MkI has passed into folklore for introducing the concept of a high-performance family model, but later versions failed to live up to the legend - until the MkV arrived in a blaze of retro-inspired publicity back in 2004.

For a car that's used to winning awards, it has taken the Focus a while to triumph in the Used Car Honours. Honda's Civic has made this sector its own with four straight wins, but it was toppled by the big-selling Ford this year.

The Jazz continues to hit all the right notes in the supermini category. It has now won four consecutive titles in this sector, and our judges couldn't look beyond last year's overall winner because the model simply gets better with age.

Back then, our judges loved its looks, road manners and practicality - and these are still strong attractions. The Panda is also cracking value, and isn't plagued by the reliability issues which have afflicted some older stablemates.

So here it is - our overall champion of 2007... the Number One car in the UK. The new Mondeo is the most crucial model for some time from Britain's biggest car maker. And we are delighted to report it proves conclusively that the family car's obituary, written with the rise of the compact executive sector, is premature.

The shortlist for the Auto Express Special Honour is always the most varied of the year. It's designed to recognise any special achievement by a car, innovation, manufacturer or development. Previous years have seen the Honda ADAS driver-assist system, Toyota Prius and Bentley clinch the silverware.

Over the past six years, the Auto Express Driver Power Survey has become the biggest and most influential car reliability and satisfaction survey around.

Buying a small car doesn't have to mean compromising on space - just take a look at the current crop of supermini MPVs. The market has grown in popularity so much that last year we introduced a new award specifically for these smaller multi-purpose vehicles. And it's 2006's winner, the Nissan Note, which retains its crown.

Best Executive Car BMW 5-Series Commended: Audi A6, Mercedes E-Class July 2007BMW 5-SeriesWinner: BMW 5-SeriesCan anything topple the 5-Series? The all-conquering BMW has now won this award four years running – and shows no sign of being usurped any time soon.

Picking a winner in this category is a tough task - the best sporting car needs to offer driver involvement by the bucketload and bring a smile to your face every time you hit the road. Beautifully sorted handling and communicative controls are also a must. With contenders coming from a wide spread of hot hatches, coupés and super saloons, it's a fiercely contested category.