THE Citroen C4 and the e-C4 electric variant have been named as the cars most likely to make owners happy, according to the results of the UK's most comprehensive new car satisfaction survey.

The results, published by Auto Express, saw the C4 come out on top with a sensational score of 93.39 per cent.

The highly regarded Citroen hatchback also achieved a victory in the overall quality category, while scooping podium places for attributes as varied as front-seat comfort, smartphone connectivity and child-friendly features.

The Citroen C4's closest rival and runner-up in the Driver Power survey was the Kia Sorento SUV, itself a Driver Power champion in 2020.

Third place went to the luxurious and practical Lexus RX, ahead of the value-focused but still stylish Dacia Duster in fourth place, and the rugged and dependable Subaru Outback which ranked fifth.

With great scores across the board, the Citroen is a clear winner among owners, according to Auto Express.

Champions have to perform well across multiple different Driver Power categories, and the C4 and its electric sibling, the e-C4, bagged top-10 placings in an incredible six out of ten of them.

As well as raving about its quality, owners especially love the car for its smooth ride and handling, affordable MPG and running costs, strong reliability and impressive roster of easy-to-operate safety features. High ratings for seating flexibility and child-friendly features mean the Citroen is great for families, too.

Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief at Auto Express said: "We've been greatly impressed by this sleek and stylish Citroen from the outset, and it's clearly making a huge impression on its owners. It's a remarkable win for the French firm, which has not only transformed its product range in recent years, but has also invested hugely in improvements to quality."

Greg Taylor, Citroen UK's managing director, said: "This is a wonderful accolade for everyone at Citroen UK, but much more importantly it's fabulous news for present and future Citroen customers. An enormous amount of work has gone into our latest products to ensure they're best in class in terms of quality and ownership experience. And now, the outstanding service delivered by our retailer partners means Citroën can proudly say that we are the maker of the most satisfying car to own in the UK right now.

While Citroen scored an emphatic win in the 2023 survey, once again cars from Asian brands have dominated the upper reaches of Driver Power, with seven finishing in the top 10 - including three from Korean brand Kia alone.

First launched in 2001, Driver Power is the biggest and most comprehensive car satisfaction survey in the UK.

Owners of cars up to 24 months old are quizzed on all aspects of ownership, across 31 areas that combine to make up 10 voting categories. That means Driver Power is able to clearly rate cars across areas as diverse as boot space, quality of in-car tech, economy, ride and handling, and reliability.

Full results of the Driver Power 2023 survey:

Top-ranked new cars: 1. Citroen C4 2. Kia Sorento 3. Lexus RX 4. Dacia Duster 5. Subaru Outback 6. Ford EcoSport 7. Kia EV6 8. Toyota Prius 9. Mazda CX-5 10. Kia Ceed