The Volkswagen Golf has won the ACFO Fleet Car of the Year Award for the third year in succession after making the breakthrough to top spot in 2007.

ACFO members’ votes were based on the real world operating experience of vehicles in use on their fleets over the past 12 months and this year’s voting was the first to be organised and conducted online, which helped produce a record turnout by members.

In the small van sector, the Ford Transit Connect shared the title of Fleet Light Van of the Year with the Volkswagen Caddy - the first tie in the 26-year history of the ACFO Awards.

Meanwhile, in the Fleet Panel Van of the Year category, the Ford Transit’s grip on the award for the past 14 years is over with fleet operators voting the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter into top spot.

ACFO chairman Julie Jenner said: “Our decision to move to an online voting process has been rewarded with members voting in record numbers for their vehicles of the year, which is very pleasing and underlines the importance our members attach in sending a signal to manufacturers of their views on current model line-ups.”

The awards will be presented to the winning motor manufacturers at a lunch to be held in London on Friday, November 20.