Seven new cars have made the shortlist for Europe’s prestigious Car of the Year award 2025.
The seven finalists are the Alfa Romeo Junior, Citroën ë-C3/C3, Cupra Terramar, Dacia Duster, Hyundai Inster, Kia EV3, and new Renault 5.
These were chosen from a longlist of 42 new cars introduced to the market this year, ranging from the new Ford Capri and Volvo EX90 to the BYD Seal U an Audi Q6 e-tron.
Along with regular road tests, jury members also tested the initial entrants at a week-long test session in northern Denmark, where the contenders were driven on multiple local roads, from motorways to rough tracks.
The cars also underwent testing at the Sindal airstrip, where handling tests - such as the famous Elk test - were carried out, plus tests on the cars’ stability control, emergency braking and rear pedestrian protection systems.
The number of small electric cars in the final round highlights the battle in this particular market segment that’s set to take place in 2025.
The final seven will undergo more testing by judges, including a two-day session at the Circuit Jules Tacheny Mettet track - and surrounding roads - in Belgium in early January.
The winner will be announced on Friday, January 10th at the Brussels Motor Show.
