Irish Car of the Year

The Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year award was established in 1978 based on similar Car of the Year awards. It is organised and judged by the Irish Motoring Writers Association (IMWA) and Association of Professional Motoring Press (APMP) a grouping of motoring journalists in Ireland. The award was initially sponsored by Semperit, but has been sponsored by Continental Tyres since it acquired Semperit in November 2009.[1]

Irish Car of the Year
Sponsored byContinental Tyres
CountryIreland
First awarded1978 (1978)
Last awardedFebruary 11, 2022 (2022-02-11)
WinnerKia EV6
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 2019.[2]

Ford has won the competition eight times, with the Ford Mondeo winning the overall title the most times for an individual model. The winner for 2022 was the Kia EV6, making the manufacturer the back-to-back winner of the top title for the first time ever in the competition.[3] The awards event is held each November in Dublin, though the ceremony for 2022 was held on 11 February 2022 at the Aviva Stadium.[4]

Current rules

Cars are assessed by a jury of thirty four of the most experienced motoring journalists in Ireland. Each jury member road tests each car individually on the following criteria:[5]

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

The Datsun Stanza received the award soon after its launch, while the next winner, the Ford Escort, had been on sale since September 1980. Mercedes won the award for the upcoming year in October 2016 for the first time in the forty-year history of the award.[6] The Peugeot 3008 won the award in November 2017 for the following year, the second time the car has won the top award since 2010.[7]

The winner for 2022 was the Kia EV6, which also won the categories of Irish Compact Car and Irish Green/Efficient Car of the Year 2022.[8]

The Ford Mondeo is the only model to have won the title three times, winning in 1994, 2008 and 2016.[9] It was beaten into second place in November 2001 by the Renault Laguna, which went on to win the title.[10] Opel celebrated two wins at the Irish Car of the Year Awards for 2022, with the Mokka being crowned Irish Small SUV of the Year 2022 and the Opel Vivaro-e took home the title Irish Van of the Year 2022.[11]

YearIrish Car of the Year winner
1978Volkswagen Golf (Diesel)
1979Volkswagen Derby
1980Fiat Ritmo
1981Datsun Stanza
1982Ford Escort
1983Ford Sierra
1984Fiat Uno
1985Opel Kadett
1986Ford Granada
1987Fiat Croma
1988Toyota Corolla
1989Fiat Tipo
1990Renault 19
1991Fiat Tempra
1992Opel Astra
1993Toyota Carina E
1994Ford Mondeo
1995Opel Omega
1996Volkswagen Polo
1997Peugeot 406
1998Citroën Xsara
1999Ford Focus
2000Toyota Yaris
2001Opel Corsa
2002Renault Laguna[12]
2003Mazda6[13]
2004Toyota Avensis[14]
2005Ford Focus[15]
2006Suzuki Swift[16]
2007Honda Civic[17]
2008Ford Mondeo[18]
2009Citroën C5[19]
2010Peugeot 3008[20]
2011Nissan Juke[21]
2012Kia Rio[22]
2013BMW 3 Series (F30) [23]
2014Citroën C4 Picasso[24]
2015Nissan Qashqai[25]
2016Ford Mondeo[26]
2017Mercedes-Benz E-Class[27]
2018Peugeot 3008[28]
2019Volvo XC40[29]
2020Kia e-Soul[30]
2021not held
2022Kia EV6[31]

By manufacturer
Brand Award no. 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 3 Rio (2012) e-Soul (2020) EV6 (2022)
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. "Continental Irish Car of the Year". www.rte.ie. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  2. "Winners 2020". Irish Car of the Year. November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  3. "IRISH CAR OF THE YEAR WIN LATEST IN AWARD LIST FOR EV6". press.kia.com. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  4. "Field of 48 cars eligible for 2020 Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year title". The Avondhu. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  5. "Judging". Car of the Year. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  6. "Irish Car of the Year 2017 crowned". clarechampion.ie. 29 October 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  7. "Peugeot 3008 is the IRISH Car of the Year – wins too for Alfa, Kia, Toyota and more". carsuk.net. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  8. "KIA EV6 TAKES CONTINENTAL TYRES IRISH CAR OF THE YEAR TITLE FOR 2022". bestdrive.ie. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  9. "Ford Mondeo is Ireland's Car of the Year 2016". farmersjournal.ie. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  10. "Peugeot snub hard to fathom". independent.ie. 25 November 2001. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  11. "Opel Wins Twice at Continental Tyres Irish Car and Van of the Year Awards 2022". gowanmotors.ie. 15 February 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  12. "Renault Laguna takes Semperit Irish Car of the Year crown". eforecourt. 26 November 2001. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  13. "Mazda6 Irish Car of the Year". eforecourt. 27 November 2002. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  14. "Toyota Avensis takes Semperit Irish Car of the Year crown". eforecourt. 15 January 2004. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  15. "Focus wins Semperit's Irish title". irishtimes.com. 24 November 2004. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  16. "SUZUKI SWIFT TAKES IRISH CAR OF THE YEAR CROWN". Suzuki. 25 November 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  17. "European Civic Wins Semperit Car of the Year (Ireland)". vtec.net. 20 November 2006. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  18. "New Ford Mondeo takes Semperit Irish Car of the Year crown". autotrade.ie. 29 November 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  19. "Citroen C5 takes Semperit Irish Car of the Year Crown". advertiser.ie. 27 November 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  20. "Peugeot 3008 Irish Car of the Year". caradvice.com. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  21. "NISSAN JUKE WINS IRISH CAR OF THE YEAR TITLE FOR 2011". joe.ie. 25 November 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  22. "KIA RIO WINS CONTINENTAL IRISH CAR OF THE YEAR AWARD". joe.ie. 24 November 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  23. "BMW 3 Series named Irish Car of the Year". atthelights.com. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  24. "Citroën C4 Picasso Irish Car of the Year 2014". atthelights.com. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  25. "Nissan scores top prize at 2015 Continental Irish Car of the Year awards". cullencommunications.ie. 2 December 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  26. "Continental Irish Car Of The Year 2016 Winners!". changinglanes.ie. 23 November 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  27. "Winners 2017". Car of the Year. November 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  28. "Winners 2018". Car of the Year. November 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  29. "Winners 2019". Car of the Year. November 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  30. "Winners 2020". Car of the Year. November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  31. "Kia EV6 wins Continental Tyres Irish Car of the Year". autobiz.ie. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
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