The all-new Peugeot 3008 SUV has been announced as the Carbuyer 'Car of the Year 2017', also winning the highly sought after 'Best SUV 2017' and 'Best Medium SUV' categories too. It might look like just another SUV/crossover, but inside it's a revolution. Peugeot has pulled out all the stops in the cabin and is the most sophisticated offering from the brand I can remember. It also drives really well, particularly with the 1.6-litre diesel with automatic transmission. The petrol delivers as well. A car that easily copes with cross-country motorway runs or short school hops, this is the best family car Peugeot has offered in many years. The former crossover, resembling a minibus, suited only the French. Now it is expected that the model will be in demand on a global scale.

The second place in the rating is given to the compact rear-wheel drive sedan Alfa Romeo Giulia. It is considered the first model among the new products, which should revive the previously popular Italian brand, part of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles concern. With its future still in question and revolution in the air across the automotive world, Alfa needs to focus a lot more on the future and stop harking back to the past.

Of course, the Mercedes E-Class is good and takes the third line. It would need to be, given the billions invested in its development. Reportedly €2 billion was spent on a new range of 2.0-litre diesel engines for the E-Class, which will eventually trickle through to the rest of its model range. It is indicative of the level of thought, care and attention that has gone in to creating the new E-Class. The release of this model is planned at the company's plant in Moscow. The car will be launched in mass production in 2019.

The fourth place in the ranking of the best cars is occupied by Volvo S90 / V90. Cars of this class have the same basis as the huge crossover XC90. The car uses The latest technologies are used in the car to help the driver. In the future, this will help the company to release a series of fully autonomous vehicles. If your primary interest is in comfort and refinement with some fancy tech, then the Volvo delivers.

The third generation Citroen C3 hatchback takes the fifth position. The Citroen doesn't drive as well as the Nissan Micra or many of its rivals already on the market. Yet it has more charm and character in its dashboard than the rest of the cars in this segment put together. The French firm claims that it is engineered for comfort, which on the road means it bounces along and leans into corners. The smaller petrol engine is the better one to drive, while some tech features, such as the optional built-in camera, are a bit of a gimmick.

The sixth place among the best cars is occupied by Toyota C-HR. The C-HR supposedly represents the future of Toyota. The message is “no more boring cars”. The engineers claim this car was built for dynamic European driving tastes, but the hybrid powertrain is ill-suited to such styles. It spends too much time in high revs and the CVT auto transmission doesn't help matters. The 1.2-liter petrol is by far the better version to drive, but this crossover cries out for a more powerful engine.

The seventh place of the ranking is given to Nissan Micra. The last model was conceived as a “world car”, designed to appeal to all markets and therefore, predictably, delighted none. This, then, is the first Micra in years that you could consider buying. It drives noticeably better than the Citroen C3, although the little petrol engine spends a lot of its time at full screech. Scores for design and because it's monumentally better than the last generation. But that's not enough to win car of the year.