Renault 5 named Car of the Year 2025

The Renault 5 and its Alpine A290 hot-hatch sibling have won the coveted Car of the Year (COTY) award for 2025 – giving Renault its second consecutive victory in the annual contest. 

The 5 and A290 were awarded 353 points by a jury of 60 judges from 23 countries. Of those, 25 ranked the pair in first place.

The runner-up, the Kia EV3, received a total of 291 points.

The Citroën C3/ë-C3 completed the podium with 215, followed by the Hyundai Inster (172), Dacia Duster (168), Cupra Terramar (165) and Alfa Romeo Junior (136).

Last year’s winner was the Renault Scenic, and the Jeep Avenger took top honours in 2023.

This means Renault is the first manufacturer to win back-to-back gongs since Fiat in 1995 and 1996, with the Punto and Bravo/Brava.

Autocar is a sponsor of COTY, with editor Mark Tisshaw having a seat on its jury.

Each of the 60 jurors nominates seven new cars that were driven and on sale before the end of the previous calendar year. The seven cars with the most combined votes then make up the final shortlist.

To qualify for COTY, a model must be all-new; facelifts such as the recent Tesla Model 3 and Renault Clio are not permitted. Derivatives do not qualify as new or standalone cars, hence the A290 being considered the same car as the 5 on which it is based, despite being sold by a different brand.

Car of the Year 2025: How Autocar juror Mark Tisshaw voted

Renault 5/Alpine A290: 9 points

Hugely significant not just for Renault but for the wider car industry in showing that electric cars can be both desirable and affordable. The 5’s wonderful styling is backed up by how good it is to drive, with excellent comfort levels and well-judged performance. The interior is a huge leap over the Clio for little extra cost. Alpine adds further sparkle but the 5 is strong enough on its own.

Dacia Duster: 6 points

So much better than the old Duster in almost every department and in ways that appeal to both the heart and the head. That Dacia asks for so little extra money in return makes it even more remarkable. The Duster shows that Dacia has successfully moved away from being a cheap car maker while still being a maker of cheap cars. It’s just unfortunate to run into the 5 in this competition.

Citroën C3/ë-C3: 4 points

Unfussy to drive and simple in its approach. It grew on me throughout the competition for driving so well. But it feels like Dacia has stolen a surprise march on Citroën by so cleverly disguising the Duster’s low-cost roots, whereas the C3 always reminds you that it’s a cheap car with its rather plain look and austere feel. Even so, the pricing is admirable, particularly for the ë-C3. More to like than not.

Kia EV3: 4 points

The EV3 does almost everything well and nothing badly and is a big improvement over the Niro EV, a car it will replace. The interior is a particular highlight and the range is strong. Keenly priced, too. What stops it scoring higher is how it feels like the next step on a path that cars of its type have long been on, whereas the 5 really breaks new ground.

Cupra Terramar: 1 point 

Quite a nice car in isolation but doesn’t feel anything new. We’ve seen the Terramar’s likes before from other related Volkswagen Group products. That’s not a bad thing, but it doesn’t stand out in this company. What it does best is provide a more visually interesting option inside and out against a fairly depressingly plain competitor set. For that reason, I like what Cupra is about and trying to do.

Hyundai Inster: 1 point

The cute styling on the outside is so far removed from the grown-up inside that you struggle to believe they’re contained within the same diminutive package. The clever interior packaging and space is the highlight. It doesn’t drive how you would expect, either, being quite grown-up and nowhere near as fun as the old Honda E. It’s priced alongside the 5 in the UK but can’t get near that.

Alfa Romeo Junior: 0 points

Stellantis brands have done well to differentiate themselves in the styling of their cars, but on the inside and in the way they drive, it’s hard to tell one from the other. The Junior is a case in point: it feels every bit the reskinned Jeep Avenger that it is. While the Avenger was COTY two years ago, the world has moved on plenty since. The Alfa just feels like it has been done before.