Skip to Content

The Best Cars We Drove In 2019

Rounding up the cars of the year

By Will Hersey
Best cars 2019
Toyota

In a year of banner automotive releases, picking the best cars of 2019 was always going to be challenging. This was a year when the industry unveiled some revolutionary electric vehicles, gave a bunch of classics a 2019 makeover, and showed it could still do high-performance gas-guzzlers as well as ever. In no particular order, these are our favourite drives this year.

1

Toyota Supra

Best cars 2019
Toyota

The Supra has a special place in Japanese car history so its comeback – 21 years after the last Supra – was always going to be one of the stories of 2019. But its all-round capabilities are what makes the Supra really stand out this year. It looks the part, has a roomy and well-equipped cabin, can switch from calm to rapid, and has just enough punch and character to be fun to drive pretty much anywhere. One of the most complete coupe packages on the road.

2

Audi e-tron

Land vehicle, Vehicle, Car, Audi, Automotive design, Mid-size car, Personal luxury car, Audi allroad, Audi a6, Snow,
Audi

Audi’s first all-electric production model is kicking off a spurt of electric cars from the brand over the next few years, so it was always going to have an important job in setting the tone. The smart trick Audi has pulled off is taking the formula that makes conventional SUVs sell in such big numbers – space, refinement, practicality, imposing looks – and seamlessly delivering it into the EV market.

3

Porsche Taycan

Land vehicle, Vehicle, Car, Automotive design, Supercar, Performance car, Sports car, Luxury vehicle, Personal luxury car, Sedan,
Porsche

A rare case of execution matching hype. The most anticipated and significant launch of the year came right at its end, and pound for pound, it can stake a strong claim to being the most advanced car on the planet (which is why we made our best car of 2019). Graceful, unflappable, astonishingly fast; as a technical feat of engineering alone, this car is impressive enough. As a timely statement of what the electric car is capable of, even more so.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4

Porsche 911

Land vehicle, Vehicle, Car, Supercar, Automotive design, Techart 997 carrera, Sports car, Coupé, Performance car, Rim,
Porsche

To successfully evolve a design that remains faithful to a car from 1963, yet with each update still feels fresh alongside contemporary rivals (many of which begin enjoy the luxury of a clean sheet of paper), deserves more praise than it might receive. For this car, code-named 992, a longer, more angular bonnet, a broader, re-styled rear-end, and an interior which combines the very latest tech with almost Seventies analogue styling, are amongst the biggest changes. As so often, the overall effect is subtle-bordering-imperceptible, but the design team seems to have an uncanny knack of knowing what to tweak and what to leave well alone.

5

Polestar One

Land vehicle, Vehicle, Car, Automotive design, Personal luxury car, Audi, Luxury vehicle, Audi a6, Performance car, Mid-size car,
Esquire

The most anticipated under-the-radar launch of the year from one of the most interesting car 'disruptor' stories in the industry. Polestar has the backing of Geely and Volvo, but also the attitude of an agile tech start-up and ambitious plans to change how we buy, own and drive cars in the electric era. The launch car – Polestar One – delivers on the promise, with the looks, swagger, tech and performance to make a big statement in the coming months and years.

6

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Land vehicle, Vehicle, Car, Luxury vehicle, Automotive design, Rim, Wheel, Automotive wheel system, Sedan, Automotive tire,
Esquire

After the initial mixed reaction to its sheer size and blocky design, it's only after experiencing the Cullinan in different environments over the past 12 months that its personality has started to show. The real achievement here is that Rolls-Royce levels of refinement and luxury have been retained in a car that can surprise you with its off-road abilities. As an engineering coup, it's worthy of a genuine hat doff.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7

Mercedes AMG GT 4-door

Land vehicle, Vehicle, Car, Automotive design, Mid-size car, Rim, Wheel, Luxury vehicle, Performance car, Automotive wheel system,
Esquire

A family supercar sounds like an oddly niche idea, but drive this astonishingly rapid 4-door GT and it will start to make a lot more sense. One part stately saloon, one part family wagon and one part supercar with the kind of speed that can make your palms sweat, it's less a niche car and more extreme all-rounder.

8

McLaren 720s Spider

Land vehicle, Vehicle, Car, Automotive design, White, Supercar, Black, Mclaren mp4-12c, Mclaren automotive, Sports car,
McLaren

Convertible supercars have traditionally been about compromise. If you wanted the option of taking down the top, then you’d be paying the price on speed and feel compared with its coupé equivalent. Except McLaren, a company more focused on weight reduction than a model agency, doesn’t seem to have accepted this status quo for its 720S Spider. Overall it’s just 49kg heavier than its hard-top brother, making it – at 1,332kg – the lightest Spider in its class. And on the road you’d be hard-pressed to notice any difference. With the roof up, it records the same 0–62 time of 2.9 seconds, and still hits 212mph. With the roof down, you could top out at 202mph. Just don’t expect your hair to recover.

Watch Next
 
preview for Esquire UK - Featured Videos
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Design

amazon tech deals

Amazon Spring Sale Tech Deals

bowers and wilkins px8 deal

These Mega B&W Headphones Have Hit the Amazon Sale

best over ear headphones

Best Over-Ear Headphones to Buy in 2024

best projectors

The Best Projectors in 2024

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below