What gorgeous hunk of metal will be crowned Car of the Year 2014? The shortlist is in!
The shortlist for Car of the Year 2014 has been announced and predictably there are several crackers. The shortlist features highly regarded accolated that will fight it out to be crowned the ‘most outstanding new car to go on sale in the previous 12 months.’
It will be hard-fought battle, with city cars, family MPVs, sports cars and luxury cars all vying for the top honour. The list even features a couple of electric vehicles competing with their conventionally-powered internal combustion cousins. Here’s the final seven and a why we think each one may have been included.
BMW i3
BMW’s first serious attempt at electric motoring had us impressed. We dished out a five-star rating based on the i3‘s impressive blend of style and practicality. It also drives fantastically well. While the price isn’t ideal, we can only hope increased market penetration will drive the price down and with a backlog of orders, the future’s looking bright.
Citroen C4 Picasso
French manufacturer Citroen has done a stellar job with the C4 Picasso. It might not be the most joyous thing to drive thanks to its lethargic gearbox, but it more than makes up for this with a sophisticated design and excellent versatility.
Mazda 3
Though the Mazda 3 doesn’t carry the street cred of the Golf, it offers a drive we’d be all too happy to live with on a day-to-day basis. It feels more comprehensively well-engineered than the Kia Cee’d and Hyundai i30, while losing little to the SEAT Leon in the style stakes. Its steering might not be quite as fluent in road-feel as the Focus, but we’d take the Mazda’s less-fussy interior any day.
Mercedes Benz S Class
It’s hardly a surprise the S-Class is up for the gong. Smart-looking, spacious, with a luxurious interior that plays host to a state-of-the-art infotainment system, this is a sure-fire nominee. But will it win? It’s got some tough competition.
Peugeot 308
The Pug has a hell of a job competing with such esteemed company, but this all-new model is bigger and more efficient than its predecessor, with a lovely exterior design inspired by the smaller 208. The interior is nice too, and there’s plenty of tech to sink your teeth into.
Skoda Octavia
It’s no surprise the Skoda Octavia is the best-selling estate car in Europe. It offers immense practicality, low running costs and extremely efficient, offering headline figures well north of 70mpg. Don’t write this one off — it could be set for world domination.
Tesla Model S
The Model S seems to have taken the world by a storm. With its stylish looks and unparalleled electric range of 265 miles on one charge, it stands a more than respectable chance of taking the top spot. We’ll be able to give you our take on the Model S early next year so watch this space.
The Car of the Year winner will be announced at the Geneva motor show in March 2014. Voting begins at the end of February. Which one are you placing your bet on?
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