Here at Ray Chapman Motors we are celebrating multiple honours for the Volvo SUV models, as voted for by the buying public.

The Volvo XC40 scooped Premium Crossover and the prestigious Car of the Year title at the annual Honest John Awards, while the XC60 was named best Premium Mid-size SUV and received top marks in the Safety Features category in the Driver Power survey. Both models are available through our dealerships, and the honours are all the more significant for being determined by the opinions of the readers of HonestJohn.co.uk and Auto Express magazine respectively.

The XC40’s two awards are the latest additions to the 15 major trophies the model has now received since its launch in February 2018. The hotly contested Car of the Year award cements the model’s popularity, which is also being demonstrated in its impressive sales, contributing to Volvo’s unprecedented UK growth during the first quarter of this year (up 39% on 2018’s figures).

In the Driver Power survey, the XC60’s safety rating was higher than any of the 100 different models featured. Asked to judge their cars on attributes such as design, cabin comfort, practicality, running costs, infotainment, engine and gearbox, ride and handling, reliability and build quality, the customer responses also secured the Volvo’s best premium mid-size SUV status with a score of 92.1%.

Steve Fowler, Auto Express Editor-in-Chief, praised the XC60’s achievement: “It takes something very special to reach the top of the competitive premium mid-size SUV market – and that’s exactly what the Volvo XC60 has managed in the Driver Power 2019 survey. Owners praised it in a wide range of areas, including seat comfort, where it beat every other car in the survey.”

On the XC40’s double success, Honest John said: “We were mightily impressed with the XC40 when it was first launched, but even we couldn’t predict just how popular it would be, ultimately being crowned Honest John Car of the Year for 2019.

“Well built, stylish and refreshingly different from the usual crossovers, the XC40 is a car we have found ourselves repeatedly recommending to readers over the past 12 months.”

Duncan Chapman, our Retailer Principal said: “It is hugely rewarding to see the XC40 and XC60 not just winning awards, but winning in the showroom, too.

“These awards reflect the popular enthusiasm for our new SUVs, cars which epitomise the style, desirability, quality and sheer all-round capability that we are bringing to our comprehensively renewed range.

“We are immensely proud of these two models and we encourage car buyers in York to come and take a test drive to experience the award-winning features for themselves.”