Top 10 favourite driving songs

According to an Auto Trader poll, Dire Straits’ hit song Sultans of Swing is the UK’s favourite driving tune – coming in just ahead of We Will Rock You and Another One Bites the Dust by Queen.

The same survey also reveals that 76% of drivers crank up the volume whenever their favourite driving song starts playing on the radio. 60% will sing along – if they’re alone in the car – and 38% will drum on the steering wheel. Rock on.

7% will even apparently ‘jig about’, 2% play air guitar and 1% sing into an imaginary microphone. Here’s hoping they do most of these while stationary in traffic. Air guitar at 70mph on the motorway could be a little risky.

We can’t quite call the results comprehensive, as the May 2012 survey only had 1,217 respondents, but it does give us an excuse to think about what kind of car might go with each of the top 10.

So, in reverse order, here are the top 10 driving songs as chosen by the customers of Auto Trader.

10. I CAN’T GET NO SATISFACTION (The Rolling Stones)

If you can’t get no satisfaction this rather suggests – assuming we ignore the double negative, being the hipsters that we are – the car you’re driving is unreliable. Or really boring. But if you’re truly a big fan, maybe you’ve gone so far as to import a Rolling Stones special edition Volkswagen Golf from Germany. Yes, they do exist.

On Bing: see images of the Volkswagen Golf Rolling Stones special edition

Find out how much a used Volkswagen Golf costs on Auto Trader

Read a Volkswagen Review on MSN Cars

9. HEARD IT ON THE GRAPEVINE (Marvin Gaye)

Not entirely sure we get this particular track as a driving song – it’s kind of mellow, after all. So while we did consider looking for famously purple cars (grapes/purple… we’re losing you aren’t we?), perhaps Marvin himself had the right idea in the famous 1976 picture of him walking ahead of his Rolls-Royce. Can’t get much more comforting than a Roller, can you?

On Bing: see images of purple cars

On Bing: see Marvin Gaye and his Rolls-Royce

Find out how much a used Rolls-Royce costs on Auto Trader

Read a Rolls-Royce review on MSN Cars

8. ROLLING IN THE DEEP (Adele)

Adele’s Rolling In The Deep is quite literally the only modern tune on this list, and again strikes us as a slightly odd choice. None the less rolling and deep makes us think of big cars on big rims. So lets go for a Hummer. A car so clichéd it’s almost becoming cool again.

On Bing: see images of Hummer

Find out how much a used Hummer costs on Auto Trader

Read a Hummer review on MSN Cars

7. BORN IN THE USA (Bruce Springsteen)

This is much more like it – who hasn’t sung along to Born In the USA while driving down, er, the M1 or something? This immediately suggests humungous pick-up trucks and Mustangs, but for the ultimate modern American hit, how about the Chevrolet Camaro, which is now officially available from dealerships over here.

On Bing: see images of Mustangs

Find out how much a used Ford Mustang costs on Auto Trader

On Bing: see images of the Chevrolet Camaro

Find out how much a used Chevrolet Camaro costs on Auto Trader

Chevrolet Camaro v California

6. ALL RIGHT NOW (Free)

If you’re ‘all right now’ it implies you might not have been just a little while ago, which in turns makes us think of vehicular safety. Perhaps we’ve just got that kind of mind. Anyways, most cars are pretty safe these days, but if there’s one brand that still stands out in this field it’s Volvo. Particularly the new V40, with its pedestrian airbag system.

On Bing: see images of the Volvo V40

Find out how much a used Volvo costs on Auto Trader

First Drive Review: Volvo V40 (2012 onwards)

World’s first pedestrian airbag from Volvo

Video: World’s first pedestrian airbag from Volvo

5. GO YOUR OWN WAY (Fleetwood Mac)

This song – well, the title – speaks to us of individuality, of standing out from the crowd, of not following the herd. So perhaps it appeals to Saab fans? Now that Saab is no more for the time being, those seeking an alternative kind of car might consider Infiniti. Posh Nissans with plenty of performance. And nice stereo systems too, if we remember correctly.

On Bing: see images of Saabs

Find out how much a used Saab costs on Auto Trader

Read a Saab review on MSN Cars

On Bing: see images of Infinitis

Find out how much a used Infiniti costs on Auto Trader

Read an Infiniti review on MSN Cars

4. GOOD VIBRATIONS (Beach Boys)

There’s not much that vibrates like an old school Land Rover Defender – but if we’re talking the good kind then it’s performance cars, especially with firm, track orientated suspension and lots of noise. The latest Porsche 911 fits the bill, Sound Symposer and all. 911s are also vaguely related to the original VW Beetle, foundation for many a beach buggy as well…

On Bing: see images of beach buggies

Find out how much a used Land Rover Defender costs on Auto Trader

On Bing: see images of the Land Rover Defender

Find out how much a used Porsche 911 costs on Auto Trader

On Bing: see images of the Porsche 911

First Drive Review: Porsche 911 991 (2012 onwards)

3. ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST (Queen)

If you’re looking for the ultimate in take-on-all-comers automotive performance then that’s easy – nothing else even vaguely attainable can compete with the Nissan GT-R. After all, the 2012 version hits 62mph in just 2.8 seconds. For cheaper thrills but a similar approach see also the Mitsubishi Evo.

On Bing: see images of the Nissan GT-R

Find out how much a used Nissan GT-R costs on Auto Trader

Nissan GT-R v the Nürburgring 24-hours

On Bing: see images of the Mitsubishi Evo

Find out how much a used Mitsubishi Evo costs on Auto Trader

Read a Mitsubishi Review on MSN Cars

2. WE WILL ROCK YOU (Queen)

Short entry this one: camper van. We’ll let you figure it out – just don’t come a knockin’…

On Bing: see images of camper vans

Find out how much a used camper van costs on Auto Trader

First Drive Review: Volkswagen California (2009 onwards)

We drive the Queen’s Land Rovers

1. SULTANS OF SWING (Dire Straits)

We bet the Sultan of Brunei has been known to dance a hot step or two in his time. He also has a shed, sorry, several sheds full of cars. And his brother Prince Jafri has been selling a few off lately, so maybe the finances are in Dire Straights… Ahem. Anyways, the Sultan is apparently particularly keen on Ferraris. Who are we to argue?

On Bing: see images of the Sultan of Brunei’s cars

Find out how much a used Ferrari costs on Auto Trader

Read a Ferrari review on MSN Cars

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Prince Jafri’s ultra-rare supercars for sale