Irish Car of the Year

The Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year award was established in 1978, based on similar awards of Car of the Year. It is organised and judged by the Irish Motoring Writers Association (IMWA) and Association of Professional Motoring Press (APMP) a grouping of Irish motoring journalists. The award was initially sponsored by Semperit, but has been sponsored by Continental Tyres since it acquired Semperit in December 2009.

Irish Car of the Year
Sponsored byContinental Tyres
CountryIreland
First awarded1978 (1978)
Last awardedNovember 7, 2019 (2019-11-07)
WinnerKia e-Soul
Websitewww.caroftheyear.ie

The award has eleven category winners: Irish Car of the Year (overall winner), Compact Car of the Year, Medium Car of the Year, Large Car of the Year, Compact SUV of the Year, Medium SUV of the Year, Large SUV of the Year, Green/Efficient Car of the Year, Performance/Luxury Car of the Year, Hot Hatchback of the Year, and MPV of the Year since November 2019.[1]

Ford has won the competition eight times, with the Ford Mondeo winning the overall title the most times for an individual model. The current Irish Car of the Year title holder is the Kia e-Soul, the first time ever an electric car has won the top title.[2] The awards event takes place each year, at a venue in Dublin in November. The award ceremony for the Irish Car of the Year 2020 took place on 7 November 2019, at The Westin Hotel.[3]

Current rules

Cars are assessed by jury, comprising 34 of the experienced motoring journalists in Ireland. Each member road test each car individually on the following criteria:[4]

  • Use of new technology/new ideas.
  • Safety factors.
  • Equipment level, fuel economy, practicality.
  • Environmental impact (emissions, recyclability).
  • Use of space, comfort, ventilation and layout.
  • Build quality, fit and finishing.
  • Ride, dynamic qualities, road holding, steering, manoeuvrability.
  • Engine, ease of driving, braking.
  • Price, warranty, dealer network, after sales service.
  • Driver/user feedback.

Results

The first receiver of the award was the Volkswagen Golf Diesel, when it received the inaugural award in 1978. It debuted some four years after the regular Volkswagen Golf. The second receiver, the Volkswagen Derby, was around 1½ years old when it won the award, as was the third receiver, the Fiat Ritmo.

The Datsun Stanza received the award soon after its launch, while the next receiver, the Ford Escort, had been on sale since September 1980. Mercedes won the award of 2017, the first time in the forty year history of the award. The Peugeot 3008 won the accolade for 2018, the second time the car has won the top award since 2010. The current winner is the Kia e-Soul, which also won the categories of Irish Compact Car and Irish Green/Efficient Car of the Year 2020.[5]

The Ford Mondeo is the only model achieving three time winner of the title Irish Car of the Year, winning it in 1994, 2008 and 2016.

YearIrish Car of the Year Winner
2020Kia e-Soul [6]
2019Volvo XC40 [7]
2018Peugeot 3008 [8]
2017Mercedes-Benz E-Class [9]
2016Ford Mondeo
2015Nissan Qashqai [10]
2014Citroën C4 Picasso [11]
2013BMW 3 Series (F30) [12]
2012Kia Rio [13]
2011Nissan Juke [14]
2010Peugeot 3008 [15]
2009Citroën C5 [16]
2008Ford Mondeo [17]
2007Honda Civic [18]
2006Suzuki Swift [19]
2005Ford Focus [20]
2004Toyota Avensis [21]
2003Mazda6 [22]
2002Renault Laguna [23]
2001Opel Corsa
2000Toyota Yaris
1999Ford Focus
1998Citroën Xsara
1997Peugeot 406
1996Volkswagen Polo
1995Opel Omega
1994Ford Mondeo
1993Toyota Carina E
1992Opel Astra
1991Fiat Tempra
1990Renault 19
1989Fiat Tipo
1988Toyota Corolla
1987Fiat Croma
1986Ford Granada
1985Opel Kadett
1984Fiat Uno
1983Ford Sierra
1982Ford Escort
1981Datsun Stanza
1980Fiat Ritmo
1979Volkswagen Derby
1978Volkswagen Golf (Diesel)

Winners sorted by manufacturer
Brand Award nb. Models
Ford 8 Escort (1982) Sierra (1983) Granada (1986) Mondeo (1994) Focus (1999) Focus (2005) Mondeo (2008) Mondeo (2016)
Fiat 5 Ritmo (1980) Uno (1984) Croma (1987) Tipo (1989) Tempra (1991)
Opel 4 Kadett (1985) Astra (1992) Omega (1995) Corsa (2001)
Toyota 4 Corolla (1988) Carina (1993) Yaris (2000) Avensis (2004)
Citroën 3 Xsara (1998) C5 (2009) C4 Picasso (2014)
Peugeot 3 406 (1997) 3008 (2010) 3008 (2018)
Volkswagen 3 Golf (1978) Derby (1979) Polo (1996)
Kia 2 Rio (2012) e-Soul (2020)
Nissan 2 Juke (2011) Qashqai (2015)
Renault 2 19 (1990) Laguna (2002)
BMW 1 F30 (2013)
Datsun 1 Stanza (1981)
Honda 1 Civic (2007)
Mazda 1 6 (2003)
Mercedes 1 E-Class (2017)
Suzuki 1 Swift (2006)
Volvo 1 XC40 (2019)

See also

References
  1. "Winners 2020". Irish Car of the Year. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  2. "Kia e-Soul named Irish Car of the Year 2020". www.joe.ie. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  3. "Field of 48 cars eligible for 2020 Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year title". The Avondhu. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
  4. "Judging". Car of the Year. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
  5. "Kia e-Soul named Irish Car of the Year 2020". www.joe.ie. 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  6. "Winners 2020". Car of the Year. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
  7. "Winners 2019". Car of the Year. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  8. "Winners 2018". Car of the Year. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  9. "Winners 2017". Car of the Year. Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  10. "Nissan scores top prize at 2015 Continental Irish Car of the Year awards". cullencommunications.ie. 2 December 2014.
  11. "Citroën C4 Picasso Irish Car of the Year 2014". atthelights.com. 21 November 2013.
  12. "BMW 3 Series named Irish Car of the Year". atthelights.com. 22 November 2012.
  13. "KIA RIO WINS CONTINENTAL IRISH CAR OF THE YEAR AWARD". joe.ie. 24 November 2011.
  14. "NISSAN JUKE WINS IRISH CAR OF THE YEAR TITLE FOR 2011". joe.ie. 25 November 2010.
  15. "Peugeot 3008 Irish Car of the Year". caradvice.com. 2 December 2009.
  16. "Citroen C5 takes Semperit Irish Car of the Year Crown". advertiser.ie. 27 November 2008.
  17. "New Ford Mondeo takes Semperit Irish Car of the Year crown". autotrade.ie. 29 November 2007.
  18. "European Civic Wins Semperit Car of the Year (Ireland)". vtec.net. 20 November 2006.
  19. "SUZUKI SWIFT TAKES IRISH CAR OF THE YEAR CROWN". Suzuki. 25 November 2005.
  20. "Focus wins Semperit's Irish title". irishtimes.com. 24 November 2004.
  21. "Toyota Avensis takes Semperit Irish Car of the Year crown". eforecourt. 15 January 2004.
  22. "Mazda6 Irish Car of the Year". eforecourt. 27 November 2002. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  23. "Renault Laguna takes Semperit Irish Car of the Year crown". eforecourt. 26 November 2001.
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