Renault 5 defeats the BMW in the final

The 2025 car scores a historical moment for Renault, who wins for the eighth time that this prestigious European title, thus becoming the second car brand that obtains victory in two consecutive years, after the Fiat performance 1995-1996. This year’s competition was extremely close, with 42 new models assessed by a jury of 60 journalists from 23 European countries, but only 7 of them have reached the final.

Renault 5 E-Tech dominated the ranking with an impressive score of 353 points, which exceeded Kia Ev3, which has accumulated 291 points, while Citroen C3/EC3 completed the podium with 215 points. It should also be mentioned that Dacia Duster has obtained a remarkable performance, ranking in 4th place with 172 points, being the first model of the Romanian brand that reaches the final of this competition.

Renault 5 dominates the competition with 353 points

The decisive vote for the title «Car of the Year 2025» was held at the Brussels Motor Show, where the jury of 60 car experts expressed its preferences.

The evaluation process was rigorous, each member of the jury has 25 points for the distribution, with the possibility of granting a maximum of 10 points to a single model and the obligation to vote at least five vehicles between the final.

In order to refrain from impressions and establish the final verdict, the jurors met on the Belgian track on January 8-9. Following this complete evaluation, the Renault 5 E-Electric E-Tech has demonstrated an indisputable superiority, accumulating an impressive total of 353 points.

In the second position there was Kia EV3, which obtained 291 points, while the podium was completed by Citroën C3/E-C3 with 215 points. Dacia Duster, the first Romanian model that never reaches the final of the competition, ranked fourth with 172 points.

The following positions were occupied by Hyundai Inster with 168 points, Terramar Cup with 165 points and Alfa Romeo Junior with 136 points.

This victory marks the eighth triumph of the Renault brand in the prestigious «Car of the Year» competition, continuing the series of successes began with Renault 16 in 1966. Previously, the French brand also won with the Renault 9 (1982) models, Clio I (1991), Scenic (1997), Megane (2003), Clio III (2006), Electric E-Tech (2024).

With this performance, Renault once again demonstrates its ability to innovate and adapt to the requirements of the European market. In addition, the consecutive victory of 2024 and 2025 confirms the brand’s leader’s position in the electric vehicles segment. The winning model will be available on the market at a competitive price, starting from about 25,000 EUR.

Revolutionary technology pushes Renault in front

The new Renault 5 E-Tech Electric brings a series of significant technological innovations that contributed to its victory in the «Machine of 2025» competition. The first remarkable appearance is the AML Lon Loan platform, specially designed for electric vehicles in the B segment, which offers competitive advantages such as the flat floor, 2.54 meters long -paced and a generous 326 -liter trunk.

As for the propulsion system, the model offers three power variants: 150 HP with a pair of 245 Nm, 120 HP with 225 Nm and 95 HP with 215 Nm. For the upper version, the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is reached in less than 8 seconds and the maximum speed is electronically limited to 150 km/h.

The impressive autonomy is provided by two battery options: one 52 kWh which offers up to 410 km according to the WLTP standard and another 40 kWh with a 300 km autonomy. In addition, the batteries benefit from an innovative architecture with large modules, which reduces the weight of 20 kg compared to the previous generation.

A distinctive element is the bidirectional 11 kW charger, compatible with V2L (vehicle perched) technologies (vehicle in Gry), which allow the car to provide energy on the network. For quick charging, the upper version has a 100 kW dc outlet, which allows load from 15% to 80% in just 30 minutes.

The interior benefits from the Openr Multimedia link with Google, offering access to over 50 practical applications and services. These include Google Maps with the real updating of traffic information and an integrated planner for charging necessary during the trip.

The E-Echite Renault 5 electric also includes advanced driving assistance systems such as intelligent adaptive control and active driver assistance, an autonomous level 2.

Competitors remain behind

While Renault celebrates Victoria, the European car industry is facing significant challenges. Sterlant, one of the largest car manufacturers, recorded a dramatic reduction in the stock market, losing almost $ 10 billion in the market value of the Spoxx Auto & Parts index. In addition, the company’s securities decreased by about 38% this year, marking the weakest performance among European car manufacturers.

Citi analysts provide that the difficulties in the sector will persist, estimating that a stellar recovery does not seem possible until 2025. For the current year, experts foresee almost 14% of the winnings, after the favorable post-Pocanda period.

Volkswagen, the largest European automotive manufacturer, refused the annual forecasts for the second time in less than three months. At the same time, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have reduced annual estimates, citing the reduced demand in China, the largest automotive market globally.

Kia EV3, the main competitor of Renault 5, offers an impressive autonomy of up to 605 km (WLTP). With a 400 V quick charging technology, the model can reach 80% of the capacity in just 29 minutes. It can also add 202 km of autonomy in just 15 minutes of charge.

However, despite these advanced technical specifications, Kia Ev3 was unable to overcome the Renault 5 score, accumulating 291 points compared to the winner. The Kia debit loading network, with access to over 800,000 points in 28 European countries, was not enough to convince the jury.

Peugeot, who had previously collaborated with BMW in the development of small petrol engines, remained behind this competition. Although Peugeot 3008 struck by the design and quality of production, he was unable to qualify among the finalists, scoring a difficult time for the French producer.

In the final

Victoria Renault 5 in the «2025 car» competition marks a decisive moment for the European automotive industry. The impressive score of 353 points demonstrates the technical and innovative superiority of the French model. The Lon Amall platform, together with advanced propulsion systems and generous autonomy, establishes new standards in the accessible electric vehicles segment.

However, Renault’s success also highlights the challenges that traditional competitors face. STALANTIS, Volkswagen and other main producers are going through a difficult period, marked by decreases in the market value and negative reviews.

In addition, Renault’s consecutive victory in 2024 and 2025 underlines the ability of the French producer to quickly adapt to the needs of the modern market. Therefore, this success is not only an individual success, but also a confirmation of the correct direction for electrification and technological innovation in the European automotive sector.

In essence, the Renault 5 E-Tech shows that the future of electric mobility can combine technical performance with accessibility, thus setting a new point of reference for the next generation of European electric vehicles.