WhatCar? Have announced the nominees for its exceptionally privileged ‘Car of the Year Awards 2015’, an award which is often regarded as the pinnacle of motoring acclaim – and there are dozens of cars on this list who are serious contenders for the most reputable of awards.
It is fair to say that the eventual winner of this award will flaunt their success fairly significantly over the next few months, and this will eventually lead to increased sales and a greater success-rate in the long-run for what has already been judged to be a truly superb vehicle.
What Car? editor Jim Holder said: “It is an exciting time of the year releasing the challengers for the What Car? Car of the Year Awards. The build-up really starts now. Our panel of experts has a job on its hands to choose the best car in each category and then the overall What Car? Car of the Year for 2015, which has to be exceptional.
“A welcome fact about our list of contenders is that one in eight of them are built right here in the UK – a reality the manufacturing sector should be very proud of.''
All of the cars will be carefully considered by the WhatCar? Panel of experts – a seasoned, and undoubtedly an experienced group, who have taken their share of flak for decisions in the last ten years – but have also, picked out some absolute corkers.
The awards offer the best opportunity motoring fans around the world have to gauge the success of vehicles, and this is outlined by the ‘Reader Award’ which is everything it’s title implies – an award where readers of one of the UK’s leading motoring magazine pick out their most anticipated vehicles for the future. This is usually a superb opportunity to forecast the cars that will make or break for future year’s nominations.
There is also becoming a greater push for electric and more environmentally friendly cars. Last month Toyota announced what could be a revolutionary hybrid vehicle: the Mirai, and it definitely feels like the winds of change are sweeping the motoring world. Although, unarguable growing enthusiasm for although a lack of widespread distribution for alternatively powered vehicles makes it, perhaps an unlikely winner.
Last year’s winner, the Nissan Qashqai, enjoyed it’s moment in the limelight – and certainly reaped the rewards that WhatCar’s approval typically brings to a manufacturer.
Land Rover carried the flag for Britain – receiving nominations across four different categories, although it was a good year for UK manufacturers in general, as 13% of the 100 nominations were vehicles produced in the UK.
The awards will be presented on January 7th 2015, at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London. Among the following candidates, one lucky winner will be picked to join some of the most iconic vehicles of the late 20th, and early 21st century, in the motoring hall of fame.
City Car: Hyundai i10, Renault Twingo, Seat Mii, Skoda Citigo, Smart Forfour, Smart Fortwo, Volkswagen Up
Small car: Dacia Sandero, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai i20, Mazda 2, Mini 5dr, Skoda Fabia , Vauxhall Corsa, Volkswagen Polo
Family car: Audi A3 Sportback, Ford Focus, Ford Mondeo, Kia Cee’d, Nissan Pulsar, Skoda Octavia
Electric car: Audi A3 e-tron, BMW i8, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Renault Zoe Expression, Tesla Model S, VW e-Golf, VW Golf GTE
Coupe: Audi TT, BMW 2 Series, Jaguar F-type Coupe, Mercedes S-Class Coupe, Peugeot RCZ R, Seat Leon SC, Volkswagen Scirocco
Estate car: Audi A6 Avant, BMW 5 Series Touring, Ford Mondeo Estate, Kia Cee'd Sportswagon, Volkswagen Golf Estate, Volkswagen Passat Estate
MPV: BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, Citroen C3 Picasso, Citroen Grand C4 Picasso, Fiat 500L MPW, Seat Alhambra, Volkswagen Golf SV
Hot hatch: BMW M135i, Ford Fiesta ST, Suzuki Swift Sport, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Volkswagen Polo GTI
Convertible: Audi A3 Cabriolet, Citroen DS3 Cabriolet, Fiat 500C , Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet, Mercedes SL, Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet
Small SUV: Audi Q3, Citroen C4 Cactus, Kia Soul, Land Rover Evoque, Nissan Qashqai, Renault Captur
Large SUV: BMW X3, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Lexus NX, Mazda CX-5, Nissan X-Trail, Porsche Cayenne, Porsche Macan, Range Rover Sport, Volvo XC90
Executive car: Audi A3 Saloon, Audi A6, Audi A7 Sportback, BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes CLS, Porsche Panamera, Volkswagen Passat
Sports car: BMW M3, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Lamborghini Huracan, Porsche 911 Carrera, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche Boxster, Porsche Cayman GTS, McLaren 650S Spider, Mercedes AMG GT
Luxury car: Bentley Flying Spur, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Land Rover Range Rover, Rolls-Royce Ghost II, Rolls-Royce Phantom
Reader Award: Audi A4, Bentley SUV, Fiat 500X, Ford S-Max, Honda HR-V, Jaguar XF, Kia Sorento, Mazda MX-5, Mercedes MLC, Nissan Murano, Range Rover Evoque cabrio, Skoda Superb, Suzuki Vitara, Toyota FCV, Vauxhall Viva, Volvo XC90.
