Other contestants are the Citroen C4, Ford Focus, Opel Astra and Peugeot 407.
Automotive News Europe said the seven nominees truly represent the selection of the jury as a whole, because there was a clear gap between the seven nominees and the first of the non short-listed cars (the Mercedes A class).
The 2004 Car of the Year was the new Fiat Panda. Next year’s winner will be chosen on November 9.
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Nominations are now closed for the Just Auto Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.
Excellence in Action Continental has secured the Window Displays Innovation Awardin the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for its Window Projection solution, transforming side windows into dynamic, data-rich canvases. Discover how this compact projection technology and intelligent software are reshaping in-car UX and opening fresh revenue streams for OEMs and mobility providers.