The Renault 5 is the best new car money can buy in 2025, according to the first major motoring honour of the year.
In the thick of awards season, with Hollywood's A-listers donning gowns and tuxes for the Golden Globes and Grammys, so too is the car industry as the hand out of gongs for the best new motors to enter the market in the last 12 months kicks off.
The red carpet for the the annual WhatCar? Awards - seen by the automotive sector as the Oscars of the automotive world - was rolled out on Monday evening.
Taking the most covetable accolade of them all - the prestigious title of Car of the Year trophy - is the ‘truly special’ Renault 5.
Don’t worry, you’ve not wound the clocks back to the 1970s; the R5 in question is the new battery electric Renault 5 E-Tech.
The retro remake of the famed French model - launched at the end of 2024 as a cool, chic, city car that invokes the hatchback of the same name sold from 1972 to 1996 - has taken the top prize in the consumer title's honours list.
This is partly thanks to its affordability; it slotted into the EV market as the third cheapest electric car in the UK starting at just £22,995.
Want to see which other cars scored big at the WhatCar? Awards? Scroll down to see which new models were voted best in their respective categories.
It is the fourth time that Renault has won the overall What Car? Car of the Year title.
The first time was 1997, when the original Scénic MPV - which has also made a comeback as an EV in recent years - took the top prize.
The win also marks the fourth time that a fully-electric car has been named Car of the Year, with the Renault 5 following in the tyre treads of the Kia e-Niro (2019), the Kia EV6 (2022) and the Volkswagen ID Buzz (2023).
As well as taking home the overall trophy, the Renault 5 was also crowned Best Small Electric Car.
Judges say the new R5 stood out for being comfortable, good to drive and very well priced.
Its infotainment system, which the magazine applauds for shaming those in far more expensive models, is another key deciding factor.
But crucially it's how well Renault has reincarnated the legendary car for a new generation that clinched it – as well as raking in the plaudits from both public and reviewers alike in the last year.
What Car? editor Steve Huntingford, said: ‘It’s a car that you can buy with your head and your heart, and one that proves you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a great electric vehicle (EV) at a time when the costs of motoring are more challenging than ever.’
Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive, was thrilled to collect the gong saying: 'The Renault 5 is designed to bring joy to the roads. And we believe it is a breakthrough EV for being a car that people will want regardless of its powertrain.'
The R5 E-Tech 40kWh battery costs £22,995 with the 52kWh version jumping up to £29,000.
Currently in the UK the only cheaper new EVs are the (very basic) Dacia Spring which costs from £14,995 and the £21,035 Citroen e-C3.
Renault 5: What you get for your money
For the R5’s sub-£23k price tag you get between 190 and 250 miles of range for the 40kWh and 50kWh versions respectively, five seats and five doors and a very practical 326-litre boot in a car that’s only in-between a Twingo and a Clio in stature.
And a finish inside and out that’s anything but cheap.
Not forgetting that judge-approved infotainment system which comes with in-built Google and EV-optimised navigation, the sport interior has smile-inducing French nods including a baguette holder.
The exterior matches the theme of fun and vibrant 80s and 90s with Pop Yellow! And Pop Green! colour options.
Huntingford pointed to Renault’s dedication to nailing the R5 design brief as another reason for its glittering success: ‘Given the affection that people clearly have for the 5's retro design, Renault could have penny-pinched on the engineering and still sold as many as it could make.
'But instead, it's clearly thrown everything at the car to produce something truly special.’
The R5 has already become the best-selling EV in France, knocking the ever-dominant Model Y off prime spot.
Renault’s Cambolive, said: 'The car industry is more competitive than ever, but at Renault we are really enjoying proving that the European players can still deliver innovation, excitement, and a little magic.’
The annual awards saw 23 winners collect trophies across numerous categories from Sports SUV to the Reader Award.
But it was a particularly good night for South Korean car brands.
Three big winners all hailed from there, with Kia having catching the biggest winning streak.
The circa £45,000 Hyundai Santa Fe was named Seven-Seater of the Year, but three of Kia's models topped categories.
The Kia EV3 took home Small Electric SUV of the Year, the Kia Sportage nabbed the Family SUV title and the Kia EV4 picked up the Reader award.
This accolade is especially coveted because the public vote on the most exciting upcoming electric car.
Last year's overall Car of the Year, the Lexus LBX, retained its Small SUV of the Year title.
But does the honour of What Car? Car of the Year guarantee the Renault 5 will be a major seller in 2025?
Below, we take a look at the winners since the turn of the century, and whether the motoring title made the correct choice for its annual COTY prize...
Hits and misses: Has What Car? got it right with winners in the past?
What Car?'s annual Car of the Year gongs have been handed out since 1978... but has the motoring magazine always got it right?
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and it means we can look back to the turn of the century to see if former winners lived up to What Car?'s billing:
2000: Skoda Fabia - HIT
When the Fabia supermini hit the market, it was reliable, cheap to run and built to last. The car essentially transformed Skoda's image, which has helped make it such a success today.
2001: Ford Mondeo - HIT
The first-generation Mondeo was the best-selling family car in Britain at the time but this follow-up blew everything out of the water at the car's height of popularity.
2002: Toyota Corolla - HIT
The Corolla was comfortable and practical, if not all that exciting. However, it is still to this day one of the most dependable family hatches sold this side of 2000.
2003: Seat Ibiza - HIT
Under the stewardship of the VW Group, the Ibiza hit the market as an excellent package that undercut rivals on price.
2004: VW Golf MK5 - HIT
Some will argue this is the best modern-era Golf of all, with the Mk6 version being something of a disappointment. Bought in droves, this is a surefire hit.
2005: Land Rover Discovery 3 - MISS
A capable off-roader with loads of luxury, but the third-generation Discovery has more reliability issues than you've had hot dinners. Owners regularly vote it one of the least dependable motors on the road.
2006: BMW 3 Series - HIT
This 3 Series is the one that helped change the game in the small executive segment as the premium-branded Beemer outsold more affordable rivals from non-prestige marques.
2007: Vauxhall Corsa - HIT
While this version of the Corsa never quite made it to the top of the sales charts, at the time it was the most spacious and comfortable supermini on the market.
2008: Jaguar XF - MISS
While it might have impressed at launch, the XF was no match for its German rivals - and there was a gulf in sales between it and more accomplished models like the BMW 5 Series.
2009: Ford Fiesta - HIT
This is the Fiesta that started a 12-year run at the top of the sales charts that ended in 2021. Brilliant to drive, affordable and practical; it could do it all.
2010: Peugeot 3008 - MISS
With compact SUVs growing in popularity, the arrival of the Peugeot 3008 took the segment to a new level of refinement and interior style. But less than impressive engines and rapid depreciation makes this choice a miss.
2011: Audi A1 - MISS
There's not much wrong with the Audi A1, but it hasn't become the sales success Audi would have hoped. Outsold by the Mini and with prices deemed too steep for a supermini, it has never been the volume seller it hoped for.
2012: Volkswagen Up! - HIT
The Up! arrived and offered levels of interior quality, refinement, space and maturity not seen before in the city car class. It was sadly discontinued towards the end of 2023.
2013: Audi A3 Sportback - HIT
Wonderfully refined, a lovely interior and heaps of refinement kept this generation of the A3 at the top of the premium hatchback segment.
2014: Nissan Qashqai - HIT
The second-gen Qashqai was not only a best-seller in the UK, where it's built, but also went on to be Europe's most popular crossover with three million sold across the Continent and five million sold globally.
2015: Skoda Fabia - HIT
That's right, the Fabia has won this award twice since 2000. This generation of Fabia was replaced in 2022, but even by today's standards feels like an exceptionally well-rounded supermini.
2016: Audi A4 - HIT
When this new A4 arrived, it took the junior executive segment to new levels. However, sales never really reflected this. It was out-sold by the Mercedes C-Class that year.
2017: BMW 5 Series - HIT
One of the most accomplished premium executive saloons to hit the market, it might be expensive but for those who could afford it, it failed to disappoint.
2018: Volvo XC40 - HIT
Probably still the best compact SUV on the market today and very recently won What Car's coveted Used Car of the Year prize.
2019: Kia e-Niro - HIT
With a real-world range of more than 250 miles and a price tag that made it more accessible to a broader audience of drivers, the e-Niro was fully deserving of the 2019 award.
2020: Ford Puma - HIT
The Puma was the most-bought small SUV in 2021. Sharp handling, pokey engines and mild-hybrid tech makes this a certified hit.
2021: Dacia Sandero (REVOKED) - MISS
What Car? handed its 2021 gong to the Dacia Sandero in January that year. By April, it had stripped the car of the accolade over a poor crash safety rating. Euro NCAP had given the car a two-star rating, which What Car? said: 'Two stars falls short of What Car? expectations for an award-winning model, due to the need for Car of the Year winners to push boundaries for consumers.'
2022: Kia EV6 - MISS
The EV6 might have impressed with its daring looks but it hasn't ever broken into the annual top 10 best-selling electric cars list for the UK.
2023: VW ID.Buzz - MISS
The ID.Buzz came with plenty of fanfare but that's hasn't resulted in high sales. A near-£60k price tag puts it out of reach of most drivers, especially at the time it was crowned when Britain was in the depths of a cost-of-living crisis.
2024: Lexus LBX - MISS
Just a bit of a snooze fest really. It might have taken the trophy in a year where its £29,995 starting price reflected the need for affordable cars but it didn't make car buyers jump for joy or excitement. As a compact crossover with a 'premium casual look' it did give buyers max fuel economy and good quality for the price but we don't believe it's captured the attention of the younger, style-conscious buyers it was after.
