The popular British presenter, one of the icons of the motoring world, has selected what he considers the most relevant cars of 2021, either for their attractive qualities or for their striking flaws.
Jeremy Clarkson’s style is unmistakable and since he began presenting topgear in 1988, has been one of the journalists of reference in the motor world. Now, at 61, he has become more of a showman and is known mainly for being one of the protagonists of The Grand Tour with his former companions on the BBC, Richard Hammond and James May.
For all this, and because of his unique style in explaining his reasoning, it is always interesting to pay attention to his particular ranking of the best and worst cars of the year. Here goes the 2021.
The best cars of 2021
Jeremy Clarkson has chosen six models from among all those that have been launched on the market in 2021. In this selection we find utility, compact, sedans, SUVs and sports cars. Let’s meet them.
1.Toyota GR Yaris
Our colleague Óscar Micó tried it months ago and it was clear to him from the beginning: “I am completely sure that this model will go down in history.”
Jeremy Clarkson agrees with him completely, noting about this little monster that he particularly liked the excellent power-to-weight ratio that it has (1280 kg for 261 hp and 360 Nm of torque) and the fact that with its all-wheel drive and limited-slip differential it made him feel “like a driving God”.
The Toyota GR Yaris is worth each of the 34,143 euros that the less wild version costs and, according to Clarkson, “it is a car that made me laugh out loud. I took it out to my fields one morning and made a terrible mess, but I didn’t care because it was a complete orgy.”
2.BMW M550i xDrive
It is not the M550i, but it is the BMW M5 and Javier Gómara tells you all about it.
Or, described in the words of Jeremy Clarkson, “the seats are perfect, the driving position is perfect and You don’t have to be Bill Gates or 12 years old to use the infotainment system.”.
“Also, the headlights are capable of lighting up Exeter, even if you’re in Norwich (511km between the two cities), there’s plenty of room at the back and you get more space in the trunk than in the back of a Lincoln Continental”.
3.Volkswagen Golf GTI
This car has always been one of Jeremy Clarkson’s great passions and the latest generation hasn’t changed that. This classic, but always at the forefront, compact GTI makes Clarkson fall in love with its power, dynamic behavior and, “as has always been a characteristic of the Golf GTI, as comfortable in hard explosive backroad driving as it is in quiet day to day”.
“That’s the trick you don’t get from other Hot Hatches. They are sharp or smooth. The Golf GTI is both.” Of course, Clarkson could not avoid criticizing the appearance of the new model or the interior touch screen that “baffles and annoys everyone over the age of twelve”.
4. Ferrari Rome
Another of Jeremy Clarkson’s passions has always been the Maranello brand and one of its most recent models has once again dazzled him.
The 612 hp front engine matches a good interior, “even practical”, although according to Clarkson “the seats offer little lateral support for the driver, and the options are expensive, which makes the Roma not particularly good value for money”.
5. Volkswagen Touareg R
The first -and only- SUV on the list has a very racing gene, how could it be otherwise. We are talking about the Volkswagen Touareg R, which with its 462 hp 700 Nm of torque, is the most powerful Volkswagen ever made.
It’s also stylish on the inside, and while Clarkson found the infotainment system annoying, she was left quite impressed by the comfortable ride and the considerable off-road capability of this model.
“It says VW on the badge and as a result it’s priced the size of VW, but underneath it’s made mostly from Porsche and Bentley parts. so effectively you get a Cartier watch for a Timex price».
6. Honda Civic Type-R Sportline
Another of the classic sports compacts has pleased Clarkson. We refer to Honda Civic Type-R in its Sportline variant, which offers 320 hp under the front hood, plus 400Nm of peak torque.
According to Clarkson, it hasn’t lost any of its performance credentials and lets you enjoy the space, pace and excellent road holding it offers. While he still finds the exterior ugly, Clarkson said the interior is quite nice. “It’s a well-ordered car and it has the best manual gearbox in the entire history of the car”.
The worst cars of 2021
We have already seen the best cars of last year, but we all know what our protagonist likes to criticize, so the selection of the worst cars of the year could not be missing.
1.Genesis GV80
Clarkson is horrified by the SUV version of this Korean vehicle, which Jeremy especially hates. electronic interference existing in the Genesis GV80, particularly the predictive suspension, but also the lane keeping assist which he says “just doesn’t work on the narrow roads of the Cotswolds”.
Even after “turning off all the electronic nanny systems” they came back on as soon as Jeremy started the car again, leading him to a point where “I just wanted the experience to end”.
“Even in ‘comfort’ mode, this car rides like a plane in a tropical storm, wobbling even on smooth tarmac. It’s not the most uncomfortable car I’ve ever driven because I’ve driven a Nissan GT-R Nismo, but it’s close. I’d certainly keep some barf bags in the glove box.”.
2.Jeep Renegade Trailhawk 4xe
The Jeep Renegade Trailhawk is a plug-in hybrid that’s a long way from satisfying Jeremy Clarkson. Especially due to the fact that “the rugged looks and cool name weren’t backed by any real off-road ability and shared its underpinnings with the humble Fiat 500X”.
“It’s too expensive and clunky.” And its ability to cope with snow could be compared to a “loosening intestine.” The steering is vague, the engine is rough, the gearbox is constantly confused, the wind noise is laughable and the interior looks like a Sanyo stereo from the late 1970s.”
3.Cupra Formentor
Óscar Magro has tested the CUPRA Formentor, will he agree with Clakrson?
While he liked the look and performance, the main sticking point with the Cupra Formentor was its interior. The infotainment screen worked for him “unfathomable with some of its slightly cheap interior plastics”.
Despite his sporting pretensions, Clarkson says he is “bored driving”. And while it has four-wheel drive and a raised ride height, he doesn’t see it as a useful car in the field.
“Only when I came back did I realize that I could have used the 4×4. It didn’t occur to me because it doesn’t make you feel like it’s the kind of car you can fill up with pig food and use in the mud. It doesn’t seem like it’s really the kind of car that would suit any role.”.
4. Mercedes S-Class
One of Mercedes’ classic and most prestigious saloons gets a Clarkson thumbs up. And it is that the Mercedes S-Class is, for the British, “a compendium of electronic nonsense.”
Clarkson found the interior too complex. “There were too many screens, too many submenus, and the voice control functions didn’t understand much of what I was asking it to do”.
“After a very short period of time, had developed a foaming hatred for this new car, and at this point I hadn’t even delved into the control system, which is displayed on a TV-sized screen in the center of the dash.”
“You definitely can’t use this on the move, because if you try I can guarantee you will crash.
5.Land Rover Defender Hard Top
Óscar Magro tested the Land Rover Defender when it was launched on the market.
We end this acid and incisive review with one of the brands that Jeremy Clarkson has always particularly liked. Not so the new Land Rover Defender, which in its Hard Top version has “looks great, felt like it was too expensive and makes me question its capabilities as a family car”.
“The side-opening rear door is not practical in confined spaces and the space on the back is full of pieces of brittle plastic that prevent it from being a good car to transport things on a farm, ”he insists. “I think if I had one I would want to get rid of it as soon as possible and get my old Range Rover back,” he says. Clearer, impossible.
Do you agree with Jeremy Clarkson’s views?