Car of the Year 2025: Skoda Elroq
In the end, however, we chose the car which, try as we might, we struggled to find any obvious faults with – and that all-round strength sealed its position: the Auto Express New Car of the Year winner for 2025 is the Skoda Elroq.
Skoda has regularly bagged various category wins at our annual awards, but this is the first time that the Czech brand has scooped the overall award since the Octavia took the prize in 2020. And if the Octavia has long been the car that has played more strongly to the brand's virtues than any other model in its line-up, the Elroq has now inherited the baton from its rangemate for the all-electric age.
Everything we've come to expect and love from a Skoda is right here, with value for money at the forefront of everything it does. This is an electric car that starts from not much over £30,000, yet feels like a car that's sized a class above most alternatives at that price point. Step up the trim levels and models with more range become available; as many as 355 miles (WLTP) are on offer, but still at competitive prices. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Yet without genuine ability elsewhere, value for money isn't enough. The good news for the Elroq is that there's loads more to recommend. The cabin is both beautifully finished and incredibly spacious, making it an ideal family car, and everyone aboard will approve of its comfort, refinement and safety, too. Skoda's in-car tech is better than ever, while equipment levels are generous throughout. Then there are the powertrains, which offer plenty of smoothness and performance – there's even a hot vRS option, too. Advertisement - Article continues below
If Skoda wanted a model to showcase what its brand is all about, the Elroq shouts those qualities louder than any other. It's as close to faultless as a family car can be, and that's why it's a deserving winner of our 2025 Car of the Year Award.
'Winning Car of the Year means a lot to all of us at Skoda. 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." - Klaus Zellmer, Skoda CEO. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
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