Ferrari, Morgan, Dacia and more: Autocar's best reviews of 2022

Starting from £25,995 with 218 miles of range, the 4 offers a great deal, especially for the price. It's more agreeably engaging than rival Volkswagen ID 3, more sporting, better to sit in, better to look at and substantially more affordable. 

MGs are now a common sight on our roads, and this keenly priced, stylish, roomy, swift and very capable hatch guarantees that they will become more plentiful still.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS

The electric age is coming, and Porsche knows it. So it decided on a big old Cayman blow-out, launching this: the GT4 RS. Marking the end of the combustion-powered Cayman, the GT4 RS is built by those who wondered: ‘Could we put a GT3 engine in a Cayman?’. The answer is yes. And it’s a big 5-star yes from us. 

Road test editor Matt Saunders said it's one of the “most thrilling and special Porsche GTs yet”, adding that the car represents a new way to immerse yourself in the character of a truly wonderful engine and savour and cherish its every detonation, vibration and impulse. Big praise indeed.

Dacia Jogger

In a time when a “cheap” car costs more than £20,000, the return of low-cost family motoring from Dacia is truly a welcome one. Priced from £16,595, the Jogger represents fantastic value for money, with a versatility and practically above its price bracket.

Yes, it has a few shortcomings, such as a limited engine range, and passenger space that isn’t as generous for adults as it might be, but Dacia has demonstrated great design, outstanding product positioning judgement and not a little bit of bravery with the Jogger. For this, it got 4.5 stars from us.

Toyota GR86

After one of the greatest affordable driver’s cars that, sadly, only a handful of people will ever be able to get behind the wheel of? The Toyota GR86, which replaces the equally raved Toyota GT86, is that car. The two-year allocation of the Japanese sports car sold out in just 90 minutes, with all units of the £29,995 coupé gone and no new allocation on the way.

And there is a reason for this. We, like basically all other reviewers, loved it. And unlike its predecessor, skids aren’t all this car is about any more. It’s more complex on the palette, ready to ask more of you and do more for you than the GT86 ever was.

Honda Civic Type R

Hot-hatch fans rejoiced last month as the iconic Honda Civic Type R returned. Would it be better than the car it replaces? In fact, yes, and with a more appealing styling, it also opens itself to a wider market.

The new Type R arrives with higher outputs (325bhp and 310lb ft, up from 316bhp and 295lb ft) and a bit of a price bump to £46,995. And given that the old car was at the top of the class right up to the point that it disappeared, and this one is better, it’s no surprise to learn that it’s the best big hot hatch now – even though it also has a big price.

McLaren Artura

McLaren launched what was an unofficial reboot in the Artura earlier this year. The cleverly packaged sports car (like all McLarens are) arrived with a hefty £200,000 price tag, but with its V6 plug-in hybrid powerplant, it was the most technically daring project the firm has undertaken since the McLaren P1 hypercar.

Its key performance numbers were also eerily close to what the iconic McLaren F1 recorded back in 1994. Thirty years on, McLaren’s junior supercar has become as fast as its greatest icon. The Artura is a car that feels enhanced by the process of electrification – but not totally reinvented by it. 

Lotus Emira

The most important Lotus in decades arrived midway through the year, heralding a new era for the British brand. But, the arrival of the 3.5-litre V6 sports car also brought sadness, being the firm's last ever petrol offering.

Anyway, back to why we love the Emira. Firstly, it feels seriously good – it is a Lotus after all. And on challenging stretches of B-road is where it’s absolutely at its best, with its steering direct and accurate.