All things considered, 2015 has been an absolutely stellar year for new cars, with amazing offerings produced by virtually every manufacturer from Vauxhall to Lamborghini.
Over the course of the year, the Car Keys team has driven more cars than Jay Leno could shake his wallet at, but there are always going to be some that stand out more than others.
From Land Rover to Honda, Mazda to Nissan, here are the cars that we enjoyed more than any others throughout this year.
Richard Bush – Honda Civic Type R
The most powerful car to bear the red H badge in Honda history, and at present the most potent hatchback currently available on the market, the Civic Type R is everything a good hot hatch should be.
Able to snort out 306bhp from its turbocharged 2.0-litre VTEC engine, the Type R’s fast enough to reach 62mph in a standstill in just 5.7 seconds, before blasting its way on to a top speed of 167mph.
Hugely exciting, with an intense personality and the looks to match, the Civic Type R is a complex beast, but thanks to five doors and an ergonomic layout it’s also one that’s surprisingly practical for a fire-breathing super-hatch.
As a result, it’s easy to see why the Type R was Rich’s choice for the best car of 2015. He said: “Honda had to smash it with the Type R and they did. Not only is it a monster when you put your foot down, especially if you use +R mode, but its practical as well. Happy days.”
Stephen Goldasz – Land Rover Discovery Sport
One of the most hotly-anticipated Land Rovers in recent years, the Discovery Sport replaced the aging Freelander earlier this year and is the first member in an all-new Discovery family.
With seven-seat capacity, loads of cutting-edge technology packed inside and some surprisingly capable engine options, the versatile Disco Sport makes for a capable and cost-effective dance partner.
As pleasing on the inside as its exterior is to look at, writer Stephen Goldasz reckons that the Discovery Sport isn’t just good looks and smart features, but at its core is 100 per cent Land Rover.
He said: “What’s notable as well is that while this is unmistakeably a 4x4 and can tackle rough terrain like a true Land Rover, the Discovery Sport doesn’t feel like a 4x4 when you’re on the road.
“I mean that in a good way. The agility and lack of bodyroll you get when taking this Land Rover through corners is seriously impressive. Clearly, the use of the word ‘Sport’ isn’t just for show.”
Andy Goodwin – Mazda MX-5
Ask any driving enthusiast what the most fun you can have with all your clothes on is, and you’ll find that ‘Mazda MX-5’ crops up again and again and again.
For more than a quarter of a century, the MX-5 has been offering drivers the ultimate in smiles per miles motoring, and the latest fourth-generation version is no different.
Thanks to a new lightweight setup and a choice of 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engines, the new MX-5 takes Mazda’s timeless recipe and makes it even better.
We’re all big fans of the world’s best-selling two-seater roadster, but none of us were more impressed with the MX-5’s telepathic handling than editor Andy Goodwin.
“I like it because it’s more fun than virtually anything else and it only costs £20,000. It just goes to show that anyone can afford what’s easily one of the best drivers’ cars ever,” he said.
“As well as that, it’s one of those cars that even in the basic trim is just amazing. If you go for the 1.5-litre engine it’s cheap to run as well.”
Ryan McElroy – Nissan Juke R 2.0
What happens when you take the powertrain from Nissan’s eye-wateringly fast GT-R Nismo and smush it down into the body of the Juke? A 600bhp screaming ball of pure lunacy, that’s what.
Built strictly as a prototype, you can’t buy the Juke R 2.0, but in all honesty that’s probably for the best. The raw speed this ASBO-on-wheels generates is genuinely, physically disorienting.
Still, if there’s one thing we’re a sucker for it’s an oddity, and writer Ryan got to take this shrunken Godzilla for a high-speed run round an airfield high in the French Alps back in October.
He said: “It hardly even feels like a car at all, more like some sort of four-wheeled Howitzer that you point in the direction you want it to fire, and then blast off like a 600bhp heat-seeking missile.
“If this car was a person, it would wear an electronic tag round its ankle and flip off grannies on the bus. It’s not pretty and it’s not polite but in terms of sheer experience it’s up there with the best.”
