Triple Triumph For Honda

Today (23 July) Honda is awarded three top prizes by Britain’s best selling motoring weekly magazine, Auto Express.

• Jazz receives Supermini award for second successive year
• First major UK award for new Accord Tourer
• Another major award for Accord (previously Top Gear winner)
• Honda Civic and CR-V both commended

Following on from its 2002 Supreme Honour Car of the Year accolade, the Jazz is the winner of this year’s Supermini category in the magazine’s New Car Honours. Meanwhile the new Accord takes a double award, with the saloon winning the "Family Car" category and the Tourer taking the "Estate Car" title.

And if this wasn’t enough, both the Civic and CR-V earned commendations in their respective classes, proving that they’ve got what it takes to compete even with the latest arrivals on the scene.

The Jazz saw off strong competitors in the shape of the new Nissan Micra and the Skoda Fabia, but the judges acknowledged that the Honda was too good to be beaten in this company, stating "Honda has wisely left the formula alone, its fabulous interior and bullet-proof quality has yet to be equalled by newer rivals. Thanks to its innovative cabin and driving simplicity, the award for the best Supermini of 2003 goes to the Honda Jazz."

In the Family Car class, the judges were won over by the sheer all round competence of new Accord. "It feels a cut above the rest with rock-solid build quality, musclebound engines and executive levels of refinement," they said. In presenting the award the magazine remarked that the Accord had stepped out from the shadows and leapt straight to the top of the class – proving that the Japanese have finally found the winning combination.

Not surprisingly then, the Accord Tourer was a strong contender in the Estate Car category. But here it was up against stalwart opposition in the shape of the Volvo V70, Mercedes E-Class and the new Mazda6 Estates. But Auto Express said that the mighty Volvo V70 has finally met its match – for the star of those amazing television commercials is every bit as wonderful as the advert that promotes it. "For sheer load lugging ability, style and interior innovation, the Honda Accord Tourer wins this year’s Best Estate honour," they said.

Each year Auto Express tests more than 350 new cars. Its verdicts are based on thorough objective and subjective assessments by a team of experienced testers. They take into account styling, driving characteristics, safety, quality, equipment, and not least, value for money. The Auto Express New Car Honours represent the very finest products tested by the publication each year within a range of categories.