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.

Off-roaders have been getting a hard time recently, but it's worth remembering that the best SUVs have abilities that normal cars lack. Whether it's fording deep water, ploughing through a muddy field, effortless towing or simply carrying the family, accomplished 4x4s should soothe the pains of everyday driving.

The sign of a great car is strength in depth. Just when we thought Fiat had forgotten how to make small models, along came the Panda and knocked us all for six. And the baby Fiat has been more than just a flash in the pan. Our Car of the Year three years ago, the Panda has once again proved itself the best bet for motoring in the city.

It's been another fantastic 12 months for the Civic, which holds on to its compact family car title. The passage of time has done little to dull the Honda's visual appeal - it still looks like nothing else on the road - and the recent arrival of a three-door version has given the range an even sportier edge.

The old phrase ‘rewriting the rulebook' could have been made for the Mercedes S-Class. Just when you think that every conceivable four-wheeled luxury gadget or safety aid has been invented, along come the boffins from Stuttgart with a raft of new ones.

The mark of a truly great New Car Honours champion is the ability to see off fresh rivals - and that's exactly what BMW's all-conquering 3-Series has done yet again this year. Unbeaten since its launch in 2005, the German saloon marches to its third successive title - despite the challenge of the all-new and highly competent Mercedes C-Class

If you're going to do a job, it's worth doing it properly. Not only has Ford managed to launch a brilliant new Mondeo hatch, it has somehow found the time to develop a class-leading estate version - a remarkable achievement.