Car of the Year 2025: these are the finalists
Quite a few models with gasoline engine
It is quite striking this year that not only battery-electric cars can be found on the shortlist, but also models with a somewhat “normal” powertrain: the Cupra Terramar and Dacia Duster, for example, but also the Alfa Romeo Junior (also available as a BEV) and Citroën C3 (also available as ë-C3). The other finalists are 100% electric though, namely the Hyundai Inster, Kia EV3 and the new Renault 5 (including Alpine A290). Below the line, we thus arrive at the following finalists in the European Car of the Year election for the 2025 edition.
Finalists Car of the Year 2025
- Alfa Romeo Junior
- Citroen ë-C3/C3
- Cupra Terramar
- Dacia Duster
- Hyundai Inster
- Kia EV3
- Renault 5/Alpine A290
This is how the election works
In September 2024, the first major test of the candidates took place at the Tanni Test in Denmark. Now a shortlist has been presented. From now on, the judges have eight weeks to thoroughly test the candidates and come to a vote that will allow them to choose the best in Europe. Finally, all seven car models will be brought together for a joint test at the Mettet testing facility in Belgium until the final vote for the 2025 Car of the Year title.
For the final choice, each juror can distribute 25 points, with a maximum of 10 points awarded to a car. It is mandatory to vote for at least five vehicles of the seven finalists.
The 2024 award went to the Renault Scenic, which won the final vote over six other contenders: BMW 5 Series, BYD Seal, Kia EV9, Peugeot 3008, Toyota C-HR and Volvo EX30. The Renault received the most votes with 329 points, beating the BMW 5 Series with 308 points, followed by the Peugeot 3008 with 197 points. Fourth place went to the Kia EV9 (190 points), fifth place to the Volvo EX30 (168 points), sixth to the BYD Seal (131 points) and seventh to the Toyota C-HR with 127 points.
Another Renault?
Renault has been doing good business in this election in recent years. Indeed, for the fourth year in a row, a Renault model is on the shortlist of seven finalists in the European Car of the Year election. In 2024, the Renault Scenic E-Tech electric was named “Car of the Year. On January 10, 2025 – during the Brussels Motor Show – the jury will announce the winner.
