As every year for more than fifty years, a jury of automotive journalists rewards the best car sold on the European market. The trophy Car of the year Where car of the year has, for example, rewarded the Toyota Yaris (2021), or the Peugeot 208 (2020).
This year, for the first time, electric cars dominate the list of finalists with no less than six zero-emission vehicles out of the last seven candidates for the title.
The equivalent of the Ballon d’Or for the automotive industry will be announced on February 22, but on our side, we were able to test all the models selected, and we also have a fairly specific opinion on what the final ranking should look like. . Without further ado, here is our list for the car of the year 2022.
1st place: Kia EV6
If we had to keep only one, it would be this one: the Kia EV6 is our favorite model among the seven finalists for the Car of the Year trophy. Why ? Because it offers a very homogeneous whole between driving performance, autonomy, design, and technology on board. Not content with being almost flawless, Kia’s electric SUV even allows itself to be a benchmark in terms of charging with a record power of 239 kW.
Read : our test of the Kia EV6
2nd place: Ford Mustang Mach-e
Devastating look, dantesque autonomy (up to 610 km, which makes it the most efficient model among the seven finalists) and thunderous performance make the Mach-e a very serious contender for the title. Especially since Ford’s first 100% electric car has achieved the double feat of revolutionizing the Mustang brand both in terms of engine (goodbye thermal) and format (hello SUV).
Finally, to complete the whole, the huge 15-inch screen, similar to what Tesla offers, for example, runs on a very successful OS: the excellent Sync 4.
Read : our test of the Ford Mustang Mach-e
3rd place: Hyundai Ioniq 5
She climbs on the third place of the podium, but could have easily climbed the first. Why ? Because the Ioniq 5 is, technically, a copy/paste of our favorite model, the EV6.
Built on the same platform, it differs from its cousin from the same automotive group only in design and driving style. It is precisely these two criteria that make us prefer Kia’s electric SUV. Sportier driving and aesthetics are subjective criteria, of course, but the second also has an impact on autonomy. With better aerodynamics, the EV6 allows around ten kilometers more at an equivalent load.
Read : our test of the Hyundai Ioniq 5
4th place: Cupra Born
Sporty version of the Volkswagen ID.3, wearing the sporty Seat crest, the Cupra Born is a compact that is quite enjoyable to drive and above all less divisive than its German cousin. Despite an offensive style and an interesting quality/price ratio, it suffers from a less technically accomplished interior and OS than its rivals to secure a place on our podium. But for the rest, it’s pure happiness.
Read : our test of the Cupra Born
5th place: Skoda Enyaq iV
It is the most discreet of the VW group, but not the least interesting, quite the contrary. Developed on the same technical platform as the Volkswagen ID.4 or the Audi Q4 e-tron, the Enyaq iV has the only disadvantage compared to its two cousins to wear a much less prestigious coat of arms.
But, on closer inspection, in addition to offering identical performance, the Czech electric SUV is better equipped and above all cheaper than its counterparts.
Read : our test of the Skoda Enyaq iV
6th place: Renault Megane Electric
The Mégane could have ended up much higher in this ranking. Indeed, Renault’s electric sedan is a pure marvel in electric driving and benefits from a sacred level of equipment.
But that was without counting on a relatively high price and, above all, a rather inexplicable clamping of its recharging power. Nevertheless, Renault’s electric has many advantages that can make our ranking lie.
Read : our test of the electric Renault Mégane
7th place: Peugeot 308
And if the greatest fault of the Peugeot 308 was not to have a 100% electric motor? The compact Lion is certainly a car of character, but not only. It offers excellent driving sensations, as well as a modern and neat passenger compartment, while benefiting from a controlled driving environment. In a word, it made us want to wait until the arrival of its 100% electric version.
Read: our test of the Peugeot 308 PHEV
Marked absentees
But where did the Tesla Model Y go? Released at the end of the summer in Europe, the Californian SUV is one of the essential models of recent months. However, the competition jury did not select Elon Musk’s baby?
The European arrival two years after the release in the United States undoubtedly weighed in this choice, the Model Y being in reality a car released in 2020. But Tesla is not the only manufacturer missing.
A Porsche with its Taycan, an Audi with its e-tron RS or even a Mercedes with the excellent EQS and its record autonomy could have claimed a place in the final. Their price undoubtedly weighed for a lot in their absence.
Finally, on a personal level, the absence of a model as emblematic as the Dacia Spring is difficult to justify. Certainly, the low-cost electric city car does not have the same claims as our finalists, but it has the merit of turning the market upside down and proves that in the eyes of the consumer, the price is worth at least as much as the autonomy.