Who should take the coveted Car of the Year crown?
Mark Tisshaw: It’s my third cycle as Autocar’s COTY representative and it feels like the mean, median and mode car tested in that time is a 4.6m-long electric crossover weighing close to two tonnes, having around 200bhp and a range of 270 miles, created by a mainstream European car maker and with about six different models from other brands related to it. These have made up the majority of shortlists too. But not this year.
Matt Saunders: No. Encouragingly, we seem to have quite an appealing selection. And with at least three of the seven cars being fully paid-up superminis, it looks to me like the first proper, European-flavoured COTY shortlist in some considerable time. That’s because zero-emissions powertrain tech has finally become affordable enough to be viable on small cars at small-car prices. Good news.
Predictably, we’ve got a few big-selling mid-sized SUVs and small crossovers as well. I’d have liked at least one genuinely big car, and something higher-end as well. The Polestar 3 would have covered off both considerations and I think it was deserving. Either Skoda’s Kodiaq or Superb would have been well worth a place too.
Still, at least there’s nothing dull or unappealing. Even the worthiest car here, the Duster – for all its dedication to versatile function – has at least a hint of design star quality about it. Though not nearly as much, admittedly, as the contender from its sibling brand…
MT: Yes, from the outside the Renault 5 would appear to start as the favourite. The hype has never really died down since it was first revealed almost four years ago and, if anything, it’s only grown since we finally got to drive it last autumn.
The 5 majors on comfort and refinement, and these qualities translate well on UK roads. Like the very best small cars, it doesn’t feel small. The looks are backed up by the way it drives, and at just under £23,000 it’s little more money than a hybrid Clio. Hard to find a weakness.
