There are few modern mainstream cars around right now that enjoy genuine jaw-dropping good looks, but the Jaguar XF is one of them.

The Toyota Yaris was the sole occupant of the cute-as-a-button supermini segment.

For two years, I have been banging on about how the “Koreans are coming” and I’m not referring to the military strength of Kim Jong-Un’s recently inherited Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, but to the industrial strength of their hated southern neighbours in the Republic of Korea.

Since my first introduction to the Skoda Yeti last year, I was enthralled by this most unusual contender from the Czech manufacturer.

BMW is understandably proud of its 3-Series which, through five generations has been the most successful premium compact in the world, what with some 12.5 million of them sold since 1975 in a total of 132 countries.

Since it redefined the experience of driving an SAV with the original X5, BMW has maintained purpose and forethought in developing a range of ‘soft-roaders’ that now includes the X1, the X3 and the X6, as well as the venerable X5.

Those people who seem to think the job of a motoring correspondent involves a whirlwind of glitzy launches in foreign climates and a non-stop merry-go-round of driving the biggest, best, fastest and most expensive metal there is to find, never seem to realise there are other aspects of the job as well; like driving a Kia Picanto, for example.

This time of the year is that in which gongs of all shapes and sizes are awarded across a range of industries and activities and of course the motor business is no stranger in this department as you can see below with the Kia Rio securing the Irish Car Of The Year award.

Every now and then in this business you come across a car which is so astonishingly good that even though you’ve been in the business for an eternity and thought you’d seen everything and experienced the best, it rattles you.

The new Edition R Golf adds a few fancy-Dan styling elements and upper-end specification titbits to a well-known, well-regarded package that is well-supported by the buying public.

Given that the Ford Focus has been the top selling car in Ireland in 10 of the years since it was first introduced here in 1998, there is probably not a whole lot I can tell you about a car which is set to become an icon in the Ford ‘hall of fame’ pantheon.

The supposed ‘non-premium’ brands in the Volkswagen Group line-up — namely Seat and Skoda — offer some of the best value for money for car buyers, especially when it comes to mainstream products.

In fairness to Mercedes in Ireland, the company has been quite radical — some might say realistic would be a better word — in terms of its pricing structure over the past few years.

I often agree with the Top Gear crowd, but when they recently decided that Lancia was the marque which, down the generations, had provided more innovation and style than any other, I doffed my cap to their taste.

To say that the giant South Korean manufacturer Hyundai has big ambitions would be to seriously understate what is going on within the company.

If I had a euro for every press release I’ve received from motor companies claiming to have invented a new market niche with their latest whiz-bang design, I would be a rich man.

Travelling to the Frankfurt Motor Show last week from an Ireland in recession required suspension of disbelief — not least because of the buoyant rude health of the European motor industry.

Just a few short weeks ago in these columns, we were extolling the virtues of the absolutely cracking Seat Leon Cupra R which is as good a hot hatch as is out there right now.

The Audi A6 is an enigma in the executive-car segment; a front-wheel drive in a rear-wheel driver category, it has been pooh-poohed by the cognoscenti for being out-handled by its rivals from BMW and Mercedes.