Motoring experts who have driven almost every new model in the last 12 months name the best cars of 2025
Every year, the cream of the crop is named by various panels, crowning their favourite for outstanding overall performance.
The most recent ceremony has seen automotive publication Auto Express deliver its Car of the Year 2025 gong to an electric car from a Czech brand that was formerly the butt of jokes in Britain.
Skoda's Elroq crossover - which starts from £31,510 - has taken this year's crown.
It marks the fifth year in a row that an EV has been awarded the top prize.
But it isn't just the quirky Elroq that's turned judges' heads this year. As Auto Express editor Paul Barker says, the 'standard of new cars coming to the market continues to rise'.
So, here are the cars that have impressed reviewers the most and are highly recommended by the experts...
The Skoda Elroq is the best car money can buy. Motoring journalists have crowned this electric car as Car of the Year at the Auto Express Awards. But it's not just the Elroq that made Skoda a winner....
Skoda Elroq voted best new car of 2025
Skoda is a bit of a cult classic brand at this point, winning a legion of fans for its ability to offer quality, reliability and affordability.
The Elroq can be praised for embodying all that in a mid-sized electric SUV, with a seriously competitive range of 360 miles and a huge amount of practicality – 470 litres of boot space to be exact – into a price package of just £31,510.
Paul Barker summed it up when he said: 'As a mid-size SUV, it hits the sweet spot for many UK buyers, offering space, comfort, usability, and value – while also delivering the electric performance and refinement that drivers increasingly expect.
'It's a car that feels ready for the mainstream, and importantly, it doesn't demand big compromises to go electric. Skoda's clever packaging, mature driving dynamics and understated quality all shine through in the Elroq.'
It is the fifth consecutive year that an EV has taken the top honour, with the Citroen e-C3 winning in 2024, the Hyundai Kona EV in 2023, the Nissan Ariya in 2022 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 a year earlier.
Responding to the Elroq's victory, Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer said: 'Winning Car of the Year means a lot to all of us at Škoda. I'm grateful for this recognition of the hard work, creativity, and care that goes into building a car we're truly proud of.
'We set out to create a car that people would love to drive on their daily explorations.
'To see it connect with drivers and experts alike is incredibly rewarding.'
Skoda picked up five awards at: Car of the Year, Family Car of the year, Mid-size SUV of the Year, Estate Car of the Year and Large SUV of the Year
Skoda's other winners
Skoda is on a roll, sweeping the board in all the categories that deliver maximum practicality to drivers.
As well as the Elroq being Car of the Year and Mid-Size SUV of the Year, the Octavia took home Family Car of the Year while the Superb won Estate of the Year, and the Kodiaq claimed Large SUV of the Year.
The Octavia is a key example of Skoda's reputation for offering sensible, good-value and massively spacious cars.
Available as a Hatch or Estate, it's a versatile family car. Not only is there a big range of petrol and diesel engines, but the interior is surprisingly plush and the Estate has a 640-litre boot.
And it only costs £28,250.
The Superb won Estate Car of the Year, and considering the new version has even better fuel consumption than before as well as an improved ride for a price that massively undercuts rivals, that's not all that surprising.
The Superb starts from £37,225 and comes with a PHEV option that gives you 62 miles of EV-only range.
And finally, the Kodiaq was crowned Large SUV of the Year, rounding out Skoda's winning night, with its seven-seater option making a go to for large families.
And then the Kodiaq made it to first place in the Large SUV category - a competitive class with many more luxurious seven-seaters losing to this sub-£40k car
Again, it won't break the bank costing £39,000 with loads of standard kit and tech thrown in, and a surprisingly plush interior.
Barker praised all Skoda winners but still elevated the Elroq as a step above its siblings saying: 'In a year where Skoda has taken home four major category wins, including with long-standing favourites like the Kodiaq and Superb, the Elroq is a worthy flagship.
'It shows how far the brand – and electric cars more broadly – have come.'
Other recommendations - from the luxurious to the affordable
BMW stormed home with five wins, making the German marque the other most awarded brand of the year.
Editor Paul Barker awarded the Elroq Car of the Year saying: 'As a mid-size SUV, it hits the sweet spot for many UK buyers, offering space, comfort, usability, and value – while also delivering the electric performance and refinement that drivers increasingly expect'
The iX – the car with very divisive looks but an almost unparalleled combination of EV luxury and practicality – won Large Premium SUV of the Year and Premium Electric Car, while the X3 was awarded Mid-size Premium SUV.
With the iX's range of up to 426 miles and maximum luggage capacity of 1,750 litres you'd think it would be a slow sensible car. But no, it can do 0 to 62 in 4.6 seconds.
However, it isn't cheap, starting from over £75k and going up sharply to over £114k.
The fun 2 Series took Coupe of the Year – a car that's always a hit with keen drivers who like old-school handling and rear-wheel drive.
The 530e seek past the post in the Premium Hybrid category, rounding out that grand total of five awards.
Today there are four in five models available as battery electric, plug-in hybrid or hybrid, and almost two in five completely zero emission.
So, it's not surprising that EVs are being recognised as some of the very best options on the market, shown by the number of categories won by zero emissions models.
The Kia EV3, the South Korean brand's small electric B-segment SUV, was awarded Small Company Car of the year, while the Tesla Model 3 took home Mid-size Company Car of the Year. Kia's little Picanto won the City car category, bringing the total wins for Kia to two.
The EV3's rival, the Volvo EX30, was crowned Small Premium SUV and was the only trophy for the Swedish manufacturer.
Audi's new A6 e-tron was an electric car that beat out intense competition from the fellow German rivals BMW i5 and Volkswagen ID.7.
Its long-distance driving capabilities – it can do up to 464 miles on a single charge, undeniable good looks, plush interior and refined ride managed to snag it Large Company Car of the Year.
The Volvo EX30 won the Small Premium SUV category - a single win for Volvo but an important category as the market is full of new premium SUVs at the moment
The Bentley Flying Spur which can easily cost over £260k is the Luxury Car of the Year. If you've got the money what's not to like? As well as impressive power you can customise every inch of it to your heart's desire
Beating all others to the ultimate luxury tag was the Bentley Flying Spur.
It topped Range Rover (no easy feat) to be Auto Express' Luxury Car of the Year. Is it the sustainable Nappa leather interiors, the endless customisation options, the Wellness seating specification or the Ultra Performance Hybrid V8 powertrain that's most covetable? We'll let you decide.
In pure performance though, the McLaren Artura took home first, winning Performance Car thanks to its V6 twin-turbo hybrid petrol engine, 700PS, and rear spoiler with 50kg of downforce.
The Renault 4 is based on the original that sold over eight million units . Now electric it has a driving range of up to 247 miles and quick charging and only costs £26,995
The Honda Civic Type R is a cheaper and more compact option for performance lovers, but potentially no less fun. It's Hot Hatch of the Year – approved by boy racers the world over no doubt.
On the cheaper end the MG3 Hybrid + was awarded Affordable Hybrid Car of the Year, the Mazda MX-5 took Convertible of the Year and the newly reincarnated Fiat Grande Panda (available as a hybrid or electric) won Supermini of the year.
Ford's big-seller pick-up the Ranger was a shoo-in for winning the pick-up category too – and did.
But a special mention goes to Renault who had a massive 2024 and first half of 2025 thanks to the launch of the Renault 4 and Renault 5.
Both cars have captivated modern buyers with their retro-centric design, affordability and ability to bring the winning formula from the past into our electric present in such a well-designed and fun way.
AUTOEXPRESS NEW CAR OF THE YEAR WINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP IN 2025
CATEGORY WINNER HIGHLY COMMENDED HIGHLY COMMENDED
Car of the Year 2025 SKODA ELROQ
City Car of the Year Kia Picanto Hyundai i10 Leapmotor T03
Supermini of the Year Fiat Grande Panda Renault 5 Citroen C3
Family Car of the Year Skoda Octavia Citroen C4 Dacia Jogger
Estate Car of the Year Skoda Superb Toyota Corolla Touring Sports VW Passat
Small Company Car of the Year Kia EV3 Hyundai Kona MG4
Mid-size Company Car of the Year Tesla Model 3 BMW i4 Mercedes C300 e
Large Company Car of the Year Audi A6 e-tron BMW i5 Volkswagen ID.7
Small SUV of the Year Renault 4 Alfa Junior Dacia Duster
Mid-size SUV of the Year Skoda Elroq Tesla Model Y Dacia Bigster
Large SUV of the Year Skoda Kodiaq VW Tayron Hyundai Santa Fe
Small Premium SUV of the Year Volvo EX30 BMW X1 Mini Countryman
Mid-size Premium SUV of the Year BMW X3 Lexus NX Porsche Macan Electric
Large Premium SUV of the Year BMW iX Porsche Cayenne RR Sport
Luxury Car of the Year Bentley Flying Spur Range Rover BMW 7 Series
Hot Hatch of the Year Honda Civic Type R Audi RS 3 Alpine A290
Coupé of the Year BMW 2 Series Ford Mustang Maserati GranTurismo
Convertible of the Year Mazda MX-5 Morgan Supersport Mini Convertible
Performance Car of the Year McLaren Artura Porsche 911 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Affordable Electric Car of the Year Renault 5 Renault 4 Fiat Grande Panda
Premium Electric Car of the Year BMW iX Lotus Emeya Porsche Taycan
Affordable Hybrid Car of the Year MG3 Hybrid+ Toyota Yaris Dacia Duster
Premium Hybrid Car of the Year BMW 530e Audi A3 TFSIe Mercedes C300 e
Pick-up of the Year Ford Ranger VW Amarok Toyota Hilux
Electric Van of the Year Renault Master E-Tech Ford E-Transit Custom Ford E-Transit Courier
Small Van of the Year (shared between identical Stellantis products) Citroen Berlingo/Vauxhall Combo Cargo/Peugeot Partner/Fiat Doblo Ford Transit Courier Renault Kangoo
Mid-size Van of the Year Ford Transit Custom Volkswagen Transporter Stellantis Medium
Large Van of the Year Renault Master Stellantis Large Ford Transit
Driver Power most reliable car Mercedes-Benz GLE
Driver Power most reliable manufacturer Subaru
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
44 minutes ago
- BBC News
Frustration over padlocked new school car park in Marton
People living in a Lincolnshire village have told of their frustration that a car park built for its school is not being car park is opposite the primary school in Marton, near Gainsborough, and was constructed as a requirement for the developer behind a new housing being finished months ago, it remains padlocked while it waits to be handed over to the county council and then to the Marton Academy said a pedestrian crossing from the car park to the school was needed. Villager Nicoya Palastanga got in touch with BBC Look North to express her frustration."Like lots of other communities, we have issues with school parking in that twice a day it's chaos," Ms Palastanga told the programme."[The car park was] finished in February and we just don't know why it is not open and being used."Kevin Stevens of developer E5 Holding said the car park cost about £50,000 and he could have it open for use with "three hours' notice"."Our obligation is to submit it to the council, so as far as we're concerned we've done what we needed to do," he said."We've obviously invested the money so it's a bit frustrating for us, not only the school parents and the school themselves... that it isn't being used."Lincolnshire County Council said that its property team was working with the school over the transfer of the car park from the developer."Once an agreement is formally made, both transfers are expected to take up to six months," a spokesperson said."When the car park is transferred to the school, it will be up to them when they open it." In a statement, The Marton Academy said it understood parents' frustrations. "However, work remains to be completed to bring the car park into use," the school said."Essentially, this includes the definite need for a pedestrian crossing on Stow Park Road. "The car park is on the other side of a busy main road from the academy and entry to the car park lies on the brow of a hill with poor visibility both for drivers and for those seeking to cross the road."The school added that the council had told it the crossing would be "installed over the Easter holiday period in 2026".Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Auto Express
an hour ago
- Auto Express
The Skoda Elroq is a great all-round EV and a worthy Car of the Year winner
Our annual celebration of the best new cars is one of our favourite times of the year. Once the ridiculous amount of hard work has been completed, the issue is off to press and everything uploaded to our website, that is…! Every year we seem to say the competition is hotter than ever, but that's only because it's true. In the final reckoning, there were five cars that could easily have claimed the ultimate accolade of 2025 Auto Express Car of the Year. Whatever you need your vehicle to do, we've exhaustively tested every model out there to put together a three-car shortlist for each category – so if you don't agree with our winner, there are a couple of other excellent options. Advertisement - Article continues below Our winners are – in the opinion of our test team, which has decades of experience behind it – the best in their class. But we know that in any given sector of the market, buyers have very different requirements around brand, pricing and appeal of different models. So you won't always agree with our king of the castle. But every one of the cars across our New Car Awards extravaganza is bloomin' brilliant. From city cars to supercars, we love them all, and the conversations about the winners were always enthusiastic and animated, no matter what sort of model we were discussing. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Some categories have been retained by our 2024 winners, but the car world moves fast and we have a lot of new models that have come straight in at the top of the class. As if to highlight the strength in depth across the car industry, we have no fewer than 17 different brands with their name on a winner's trophy, and 25 different marques were commended across the categories. There are very few dominant brands; a couple collected four or five awards each, but there are particular high points in most manufacturers' model ranges, and we've picked them out, along with our choice of the sweet spot in the line-up for each of the winning cars. So enjoy our walk-through of the very best in the business, culminating in the Skoda Elroq winning our 2025 Auto Express Car of the Year. We think it's a very worthy winner, highly recommendable and an all-round great new arrival. Because that's the point of the Auto Express New Car Awards. Configure your perfect Skoda Elroq through our Find A Car service now. Alternatively, check out the best deals out there on a new Skoda Elroq from stock or top prices on used Skoda Elroq models... Find a car with the experts Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal The BMW M5 Touring is M car royalty, with a thoroughly impressive PHEV powertrain. It's our Deal of the Day for 29 June Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019 Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019 From poor electric car sales to crashes in F1, Mike Rutherford thinks its been a crazy few weeks in the automotive world New 2026 Honda 0 SUV: Japanese brand to finally have an EV to rival Tesla and BYD New 2026 Honda 0 SUV: Japanese brand to finally have an EV to rival Tesla and BYD Honda EV plans are gathering momentum, and they'll be realised in the groundbreaking 0 SUV next year
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
When is Amazon Prime Day 2025? Plus best early deals
Amazon Prime Day is back next week from 8 to 11 July, bringing four days of offers on everything from mattresses and air fryers to electric toothbrushes, laptops and Apple tech. Exclusive to Amazon Prime subscribers, prices will be slashed across third-party brands like Shark, CeraVe, Elemis and Dyson. There will also be offers on Amazon's own devices – think Kindles, Echo Dot smart speakers and Fire tablets. In previous years, we've seen plenty of big-ticket products fall to their lowest-ever price, such as the AirPods Pro 2 earbuds, which were reduced to just £179 last year. While the sale hasn't kicked off yet, there are still countless deals at Amazon right now, and we're seeing more and more each day as we get closer to the sale. Keep scrolling for all the latest details on the next Prime Day sale and our team's selection of tried and tested products for the very best Amazon deals available today. When is Amazon Prime Day 2025? Amazon has confirmed that the next Prime Day sale will take place from Tuesday 8 to Friday 11 July. This is the first time the sales event has run for four days, so you'll have even more time to shop the best deals. What is Amazon Prime Day? Amazon Prime Day is a four-day sale event for Prime members. It's usually held twice a year – once in the summer and again in October to kick-start Christmas shopping. The event features deals across top brands, from Apple to Dyson, as well as offers on its bestselling own tech, including Kindle and Echo dot smart speakers. Do you need to be a Prime member? If you want to take advantage of Prime Day discounts, you must be a Prime member. A Prime membership costs £8.99 a month, or £95 if you pay annually. If you're between 18 to 22-years-old, this is half the standard price, and you get a 6-month trial to see if it's for you. Perks include unlimited one-day delivery, access to Prime Video and the chance to shop Prime-exclusive deals. However, if you're unsure about adding another monthly cost to your bills, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial. This will give you full access to all the Prime member benefits, and you can cancel at any time during your trial to avoid being charged when it expires. Just bear in mind that this only works if you haven't signed for the free trial before. How to get the best deal on Amazon Prime Day Before you shop the Amazon Prime Day sale, make a wish list to avoid buying products that you don't need. Once the sale starts, use price history tools, such as CamelCamelCamel, to see if you're truly getting a good deal or if you should hold off buying until the price goes down even further. It's also worth doing a quick Google search to see if you can get a better price at other retailers. Competing retailers often reduce the prices of popular products to match, or even provide a better offer, than Amazon. They may also throw in a longer warranty or free delivery. Best early Amazon Prime Day deals in the UK: Shark's HydroGo portable fan combines the five fan speeds of the FlexBreeze, which we named our best cordless fan, with a fine mist, thanks to the addition of a 150ml water tank. Our reviewer found that the original FlexBreeze did a 'great job of cooling the air to each side of the unit as well as directly in front of it', so you can expect the same cooling power from this model. Right now, you can save 24 per cent on the portable fan at Amazon. The price fell at the end of June, so we'll let you know if there are further reductions when Prime Day starts next week. If you want to invest in an electric fan, this one from Duux, which is also one of our best electric fans, has an impressive 24 per cent off at the moment. The height is adjustable, so you can also use it as a desktop fan, making it all the more versatile. Our reviewer liked 'the natural breeze mode that simulated real wind,' as well as its free app, which allows you to control it from any room in the house. With 26 different speed settings, you can truly customise just how cool it gets, along with its direction. This will no doubt come in handy over the summer months. Turning your pillow to the cool side in this heatwave? You need these climate control pillows. Our favourite budget cooling pillows, our tester found that 'The pillow maintained a consistently comfortable temperature without that clammy feeling that often accompanies standard synthetic options.' If you're on a tighter budget, we found that 'these pillows offer remarkable value while delivering genuine cooling benefits that make a noticeable difference to your sleep'. This Garnier vitamin C SPF50 is one of our senior shopping writer's favourite budget SPF formulas. It's now almost half price on Amazon, arriving just in time to stock up for the summer months. She finds that it 'gives premium formulas a serious run for their money' and is 'easily blended with your fingers' thanks to its gel consistency. However, it's one of Amazon's lightning deals, so you'll need to be quick if you want to snap it up. We're expecting to see a range of discounts on Ninja's kitchen appliances and cookware when Prime Day lands. Right now, you can save almost 20 per cent on the brand's electric outdoor pizza oven, perfect for summer entertaining, and it's the cheapest we've ever seen it. We put Ninja's woodfire pizza oven to the test and found it gave us pizzas with a 'lovely charred taste and crispy crust'. This version doesn't come with the option to use wood pellets, but if you can do without that smoky taste, you'll save yourself around £50. Amazon slashed the price of this Tefal air fryer to £99.99 in October's Prime Day sale, and it's dropped back down to this price again. Our tester Katie reviewed the XXL model and found that her frozen chips and chicken shawarma cooked 'quickly and evenly'. She also liked its 'easy-to-use controls, the dishwasher-safe baskets and trays, and the family-sized proportions'. Shark is an Indybest favourite with its vacuum cleaners and hair tools often earning spots in our round-ups. Its anti-hair wrap cordless vacuum is now 36 per cent off at Amazon. It's a good choice, with pet, crevice and upholstery tools that are perfect for tackling messy carpets. We're expecting more discounts from Shark when Prime Day rolls around, so we'll update you on the best deals as soon as they arrive. If you're looking to upgrade your video doorbell, our best model for digital privacy has a huge 40 per cent off on Amazon. Our reviewer's favourite feature on the video doorbell was its night vision camera, which has 'probably the sharpest and brightest picture' that she's tried. This is the lowest the Eufy doorbell has ever dropped on Amazon. If it goes out of stock, you can also get it for the same price at Eufy when you use the discount code 'WS24E8222'. However, both are limited-time deals, so they won't be around for long. If you'd rather go hands-free with your vacuuming, Samsung's jet bot robot vacuum cleaner is at its lowest ever price on Amazon right now. Our reviewer found that it had 'the most powerful suction of any robot vacuum,' that they tried, plus they appreciated how it 'successfully avoided toys, piles of laundry and whatever else was left out on the floor'. So, if you're looking to invest in a robot vacuum, you'll need to be quick, as stock is limited. We'll make sure to update you if we spot any more bargains on robot vacuums. Here's a chance to save on Samsung's smartwatch, with a deal on the predecessor to the latest Galaxy watch 7. This version doesn't have as many AI or sleep tracking features, but our tech reviewer said even those familiar with the Galaxy range 'would struggle to tell the difference between them'. With a 38 per cent discount, we haven't seen the price of the smartwatch drop any lower on Amazon. If there are further reductions when Prime Day lands, we'll make sure to let you know. Amazon's 32in Fire TV plummeted to its lowest ever price in the last Prime Day sale. While the viewing experience may not be as needle-sharp as a pricier TV set, you can change programmes with just your voice, thanks to Alexa capabilities. There's built-in access to all the main streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video. Right now, you can pick up the set with a 28 per cent discount, so this inexpensive TV is now even cheaper. Amazon reduced the price of the latest Macbook Air last month, and now, with a further reduction, it's at one of its lowest prices ever at the online retailer. Our tech critic, David Phelan, praised the 'preposterously slim, sharply designed and appealingly light' laptop after putting it to the test. We've seen some fantastic Apple discounts during Prime Day in the past, so we'll make sure to update you as the best deals drop next month. Toothbrush deals aren't just limited to Prime Day, as we often spot them throughout the whole year. This electric model is our best budget pick and is currently half price. Tech critic Steve Hogarty said, 'It has everything you really need and none of the frills: it's compatible with the standard Oral-B brush heads, it has a timer with 30-second pacing buzzes, three modes, a pressure sensor and a two-week battery life.' It left him with that classic 'just been to the dentist' feeling. In his review, Steve explained that Suri's sustainable toothbrushes are designed to be 'more easily recycled or repaired'. Once your toothbrush has reached the end of its lifespan, you can send it back to the brand for free, and they will recycle it for you. While we can't test these sustainability claims, our reviewer, Steve, was impressed with how the Suri toothbrush performed and liked its 'sleek, slim, and compact' design. With this deal, the brush has a fairly decent discount of 20 per cent off, and we'll be keeping an eye out for more reductions on Prime Day. If you need a stain remover that lifts tough dirt, you can't go wrong with Vanish oxi action. We put its oxi action whitener to the test and found it 'effective on collar grime and food stains'. This version is better for dark and coloured clothing, as it doesn't include a whitener. However, with more than 50 per cent off, you won't be able to get this 1.4kg pack cheaper elsewhere, even on your weekly supermarket shop. The stain remover also comes under Amazon's ' You Buy. We Donate ' campaign. When you buy two selected everyday essentials, Amazon will donate a third item to the Multibank charity, who distribute hygiene and household essentials to families in need across the UK. A favourite among the IndyBest team, Elemis' award-winning cleansing balm has 25 per cent off right now, taking it to less than £37. Our tester noted how their 'skin felt smooth and was left with a velvety texture,' after using it to remove their makeup before bed. They added, 'the luxurious feel and effect of this cleanser make it a great choice for at-home pampering nights'. We'll certainly be stocking up at that price. This lightweight hair oil from Olaplex can be used as a pre-styling treatment, as it provides heat protection up to 230C. 'It doesn't leave my strands feeling heavy, weighed down,' said our tester. She also found that a little goes a long way and said, 'While the bottle looks decidedly small, from experience, it lasts a very long time'. You can save 20 per cent on the hair oil with this deal. We'll be on the lookout for price drops from the haircare brand as we approach Prime Day. When we compared the original hydrating cleanser (£10, to this cream-to-foam iteration, our expert reviewer, Louise, said she was "pleasantly surprised at how rich and creamy the lather felt on [her] skin.' She added: 'If you love the hydrating cleanser but want a bit more make-up removing power and hydration thanks to the amino acids, we'd suggest trying the new version' – especially with 20 per cent off.
