Most Driven Car Rankings 2021

When choosing a first car, beginners first of all pay attention to the engine, equipment, equipment, appearance. Experienced drivers value comfort and safety more and pay attention not only to the number of electronic systems and assistants, but also to the driving performance of the model.

In this aspect, one of the most important characteristics of a vehicle is its handling - the ability of the vehicle to adequately respond to the driver's actions, including when driving in a straight line, during high-speed maneuvering, when sliding and skidding.

And here the presence of modern electronics really comes to the fore, from which it follows that the best handling characteristics automatically become the prerogative of expensive premium cars. We bring to your attention a fresh rating of such cars, compiled according to the results of testing various models by experienced drivers.

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT-S

This sports sedan is considered by many experts to be the most manageable car in the world. The supercar has been produced since 2013 and is fully consistent with its classification: two doors, an expressive sporty look, from which it blows dynamics and aggression.

And it is provided by a four-liter 585-horsepower power unit with a twin turbocharger V8 AMG, which, despite its extraordinary power, consumes only 11.5 l / 100 km. Acceleration time to "hundreds" is not a record, but close to it - 3.6 seconds. So this compact sedan may well be called a half-race car.

But concern for the safety of the driver and passengers is raised to the rank of absolute here, and all thanks to the most modern set of active safety systems, including the functions of maintaining a safe distance and emergency braking.

The excellent handling of the car was achieved thanks to the carefully calculated layout of the power unit: the engine and gearbox are located here in such a place that the front axle accounts for 47% of the car's weight, and, accordingly, 53% of the rear axle. Considering that the sports car is low, with a low center of gravity, one can imagine how easily the car can overcome high-speed turns.

Moreover, the designers have equipped the car with a function that gives the driver the ability to influence handling. In other words, the reaction of the car to the driver's actions on the part of the suspension, engine and stabilization system can be changed depending on the experience and personal preferences of the car owner - there are 4 modes in total. It is clear that for such a car you will have to pay a tidy sum - about 16 million rubles.

Audi R8

The eternal competitor Mercedes also has its own sports car. It has been produced since 2015, and then became available in Russia.

In terms of dynamics, the car is in no way inferior to the leader - a 5.2-liter V10 power unit is capable of delivering 550 horsepower, which is enough to accelerate a two-door sedan or a coupe to "hundreds" in 3.5 seconds at a maximum speed of 320 km /hour.

As for the controllability itself, here the designers made a similar decision, placing the engine in the middle of the car. To maintain the straightness of the vehicle during hard braking, the electronic control system "directs" the operation of the transfer case so that the braking force is first transmitted to the rear axle, while the rear drive is deactivated. Front axle braking begins after the vehicle starts to slow down. This scheme allows you to safely brake even on ice.

According to the auto edition "Behind the wheel", the Audi R8 sports car deserves the title of "the most controllable car", and it costs a little cheaper than the main competitor - about 12 million rubles.

Range Rover Sport

Fans of SUVs are generally not too concerned about handling, but ... There is a buyer for each product, and sales of the sports version of a premium SUV are going very well - up to 80 thousand copies of the car are sold annually, which, taking into account its cost (about 7 million rubles in 2021) a decent figure.

The SUV is equipped with a fairly extensive line of engines, the most powerful of which is a 525-horsepower five-liter V8 unit, which relies on an eight-band automatic and an all-wheel drive transmission.

Of course, in terms of speed indicators, the car is not able to compete with sports cars, and in terms of design (both exterior and interior), the SUV looks a bit archaic, but as for the car's handling, especially off-road, here it cannot be equal in its class.

And this is with a ground clearance of 26.5 centimeters, allowing to overcome almost one meter fords (or rather, up to 85 cm deep). In normal, non-off-road mode, the ground clearance is reduced to 20 cm.

Audi Q8

Not only sedans can be sporty, but also crossovers, and the Audi Q8 is one of the brightest representatives of this subcategory of cars with pronounced off-road characteristics. The model has been produced since 2018.

In appearance, you cannot say that this SUV is the best handling car in its class, but premium quality is visible here in everything, from huge black wheels to the upholstery of the interior, where there are expensive leather, mahogany, and premium plastic ...

There are also no complaints about the technical component: a 340-horsepower three-liter engine, a separate climate control system, touch control of seat adjustments. Due to the presence of a considerable number of active safety systems, the crossover copes well with icy road sections, and roads with deep snow slurry are not afraid of it either. You can knock a car off course only with directional actions; on a flat road, you may not hold on to the steering wheel at all.

The electronic descent system controls the uniformity of the movement, preventing acceleration above the set speed. The car's ground clearance is solid - 22.5 cm - not every SUV can boast of such a ground clearance.

Bmw x5

It would be strange if the Bavarian automaker did not try to oppose something to its competitors in terms of handling, so the X5 crossover is a direct answer to the Audi Q8. Yes, this is a mid-size SUV, but its engine is no worse: the same 3 liters and 340 horsepower. And there is a crossover, the fourth generation of which appeared in car dealerships in 2018, about the same - about 5 million rubles.

In terms of handling, it is provided by the xDrive system on slippery roads. This intelligent assistant, which distributes forces between the front and rear axles, allows you to confidently overcome areas of ice slurry at a sufficiently high speed. Controlled sliding is implemented here at the highest level: the crossover almost instantly changes its turning radius in response to the driver's actions. The ground clearance of 28.5 cm is enough for driving in very deep snow, and the electronics confidently upset the car on steep descents.

Bmw 3-series

Although this executive sedan is not a sports car, it can be confidently ranked among the most manageable cars. If anything, the sedan's handling, safety and hybrid powertrain were honored in 202 by the jury for the annual What Car?

If desired, you can purchase a BMW 3-Series with all-wheel drive, the engine line includes six configuration options, the top-end of which, a 387-horsepower three-liter engine, allows you to accelerate to 100 km / h in just 4.4 seconds. And this is at a flow rate of 7.7 l / 100 km!

A considerable number of systems are responsible for safety and controllability, including intelligent adaptive cruise control. The basic configuration of the sedan will cost you 2.8 million rubles.

Of course, good handling is not limited to premium models. Among the cars with excellent handling and an affordable price, one can distinguish, for example, the Ford Mondeo and Seat Leon hatchbacks, the Ford Kuga and Kia Sportage crossovers, and the Ford C-Max compact van.