The car awards season is probably not over, however two of the extra prestigious annual races got here nearer to a climax this week.
One may want a scorecard to maintain monitor. We’re targeted right here on two occasions: the World Automotive of 2024, now diminished to a few finalists in six classes. Then there’s the Automotive of the Yr, identified in some quarters because the European Automotive of the Yr. Besides that the automobile doesn’t need to be European to win, solely offered there.
Acquired that?
Winners out of the way in which first: On the Geneva Motor Present on Monday, the Renault Scenic E-Tech all-electric has been voted Automotive of the Yr 2024. The Scenic is a reasonably compact, considerably trendy SUV for Europe solely, and is the seventh car from the French model to win the award. It sells in the UK for about $47,500.
The opposite six finalists that had made the primary minimize of voting in November have been the BMW 5 Collection, BYD Seal, Kia EV9, Peugeot E-3008/3008, Toyota C-HR, and Volvo EX30. The trophy winner was chosen by a jury of 59 motoring journalists from 22 international locations. Scenic got here in first place with 329 factors.
The Seal was the primary Chinese language-made automobile to make this award’s shortlist; it completed sixth out of seven, simply up from the Toyota. One decide defined his choice to grant the Seal zero votes. Writing in Prime Gear, Paul Horrell wrote this entertaining critique: “It appears good and is properly specified, so makes a powerful market entry. The superior electrical system and cobalt-free battery are commendable too, and it is pleasurable sufficient to drive shortly. That is undermined by an agitated trip over bumps, and the logic of screens and switches is fairly eccentric.”
Recapping the World Automotive of the Yr 2024 replace, the sponsors shared the stage at Geneva on Monday with the Europeans as properly, though they revealed solely the highest three finalists in six classes. For the final word prize, they’re the Kia EV9, the Volvo EX30 and the BYD Seal. The winners might be introduced March 27 on the New York Worldwide Auto Present. Here is extra on the World Automotive finalists.
