Renault 5 wins Best Car of the World award

An independent panel of judges from across the continents have voted and collectively decided the Best Car of the Year 2024/2025 is the new Renault 5.

The French supermini that recently went on sale in Europe returns for the electric age four decades after production ended in 1985. 

The Best Cars of the Year (Best COTY) is an unaffiliated, nonprofit organisation where judges operate under an unrestrictive, totally democratic, one-person, one-vote system that enables the panel to cast votes for any new car or car-like quadricycle regardless of retail price and production volumes.

The hand-picked, diverse judging panel with links to the automotive industry, among journalists and former racing drivers, includes:

• SA-born designer and father of the iconic McLaren F1 super car Gordon Murray;
• former Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer;
• former Nissan head of design Shiro Nakamura, responsible for the R35 GT-R;
• US designer Frank Stephenson, who designed the original BMW X5;
• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee John Oates, who is one half of pop duo Hall & Oates; and
• Car SOS presenter Tim Shaw.

The French manufacturer of cars such as the Renault Megane and Clio expressed its delight at winning what it describes as “the most prestigious award”. The pure-electric supermini also won the Best Electric Car of the Year award.

Chinese behemoth BYD won two awards, including the Best Car Line-Up of the Year award for its Seal saloon/sedan and SUV range.

The Chinese-owned, British brand MG won the Best Sports Car of the Year award for the Cyberster electric roadster. “We’re honoured to receive such high praise from the Best Cars of the Year judging panel,” MG said. 

Volkswagen won the Best Car of the Half-Century gong for its iconic Golf born in 1974. The German firm was thankful to the official judging panel for what it is describing as the “major accolade” it received from Best COTY this week.