Electric car tops prestigious Which? product of the year list

An electric vehicle has been crowned product of the year by Which?

The Hyundai Kona Electric scooped the top spot in Which?’s annual awards, where judges said it was a “game changer” which would encourage people to “make the switch to emissions-free driving”.

The consumer champion’s product researchers nominated and voted for their exceptional products launched and tested over the last year - whittling down 3,500 products to just 50 based on products considered outstanding for performance, innovation or value.

Also in the top two was the Sony SRS-XB01 speaker whch measures less than 10cm in width, height and depth. Meanwhile, the Ikea Malfors mattress was said by testers to provide better support for people’s spines than many other mattresses, including luxurious handmade mattresses costing 10 times more.

Harry Rose, editor of Which? magazine, said: “The Kona Electric isn’t just an excellent and affordable EV, it’s an excellent car full stop. That’s what makes it both a game-changer and our pick as the product of 2019.

“Which?’s tests and reviews set the gold standard - and our pick of products shows that whether you’re looking for sustainability, the latest gadgets or just a quality product at a bargain price - there are great buys out there for those prepared to do their research.”

The Hyundai Kona managed 233 miles on a single charge when it was tested by Which?, while other electric cars make only 124 miles before needing to be recharged. Meanwhile, researchers found that not only does it have the potential for vastly reducing both running costs and has zero exhaust emissions, they also believe it improves the driving experience over Hyundai’s petrol vehicle.

Which? said: “To drive any further on a single charge you’d have to sink vastly more into a Tesla, of which the cheapest – the Model 3 – is around £7,000 more. For this you’ll get just 31 more miles, based on Which?’s expert tests.”

Another environmentally-friendly pick at number six in the list was the rCUP Leakproof Travel Cup - the world’s first reusable cup to be made from recycled paper cups. It impressed Which?’s testers with an “excellent” lock mechanism to prevent leaking, while retaining heat well.

the Realme 3 Pro smartphone, which sells at just £165, came in ninth place but excelled with its “magic” combination of looks and performance.

Apple Airpods, the Apple iPad Pro 11-inch and the latest edition of Amazon’s Kindle e-reader also made the top ten.