The all-electric Renault Scenic E-Tech won the converted title of European Car of the Year at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show.
The French family electric SUV beat seven shortlisted rivals to take the crown, including the BMW 5 Series and Peugeot 3008, which took second and third place respectively.
The award, voted on by 58 independent jurors (all road test journalists), aims to find the best new car on sale that year. It reflects the judgments of 22 countries across Europe.
The big question is: should he really have won?
Renault Scenic E-Tech electric SUV wins coveted European Car of the Year award at 2024 Geneva Motor Show
The family SUV won with 329 points, beating the BMW X5/iX5 and Peugeot 3008/e-3008, which came second and third respectively.
With 379 miles of range and 150 kW DC fast charging, the judges voted for it to be a much more affordable version of the Tesla Model Y.
The Scenic E-Tech achieved victory with 329 points, compared to 308 points for the BMW 5 Series and 197 points for the Peugeot 3008.
This is the seventh time that Renault has won the Car of the Year award and coincides with the centenary of the Geneva Motor Show.
Rounding out the top seven were the Kia EV9 (4th), the Volvo EX30 (5th), the BYD Seal (6th) and the Toyota C-HR took last place with 127 points.
The theme was clearly electric, since four of the seven finalists were completely electric and the other three had electric or plug-in hybrid versions.
Starting at £37,495, the Scenic E-Tech is designed for family comfort and easy electric driving.
With up to 600 kilometers of range, 150 kW DC fast charging and 545 liters of boot space, it has earned favor as a cheaper, longer-range version of the Tesla Model Y.
That said, the Tesla Y was the best-selling new electric car in 2023 in the UK and across Europe.
The ECOTY must have modern technology, be well designed and offer good value for money: all this is what the 58 members of the jury considered necessary for the Renault Scenic E-Tech.
The Scenic is a family car with a 545-litre boot. Order books are now open and prices start from £37,495
Practicality and passenger comfort are also important considerations when judging and the Scenic E-Tech comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and wireless charging.
Is the Renault Scenic a worthy winner?
The Car of the Year winning car has to be new on the market in the 12 months prior to the title date, but apart from the criteria it is broad; It should perform well in many areas, including technology, safety and value for money, but there are no details to satisfy.
Given these broad parameters, there is some very strong competition that surprisingly did not make the short list or winner’s circle this year.
The eye-catching sub-£40,000 Hyundai Ioniq 6 continued to do the Korean brand proud after the success of the Ioniq 5, offering a range of 338 miles, more rear legroom than a Mercedes S-Class and impressive performance.
At around £17,000 there is little that can beat the new seven-seater Dacia Duster, which offers an affordable engine for family car buyers on a tighter budget.
And it’s not that the European Car of the Year gong has always been a confirmation of a quality car.
In the last three decades, winners include the Fiat Bravo/Brava (1996), Alfa Romeo 147 (2001), Peugeot 307 (2002) and Vauxhall Insignia (2009), vehicles with irregular reliability records or with rather boring features.
On the first day of the Geneva Motor Show, Renault was presented with the COTY price, an event that marks the return of the Motor Show and to which Renault was one of the few manufacturers to attend.
This is the third generation Dacia Duster. While it may have a completely new look, it also retains its market position as the country’s most affordable family car, with a starting price of around £17,000.
The 2024 award marks the fifth year that an electric vehicle has taken the European Car of the Year award.
Last year’s title went to the Jeep Avenger EV, which is largely overlooked by UK customers.
In 2022, the impressive Kia EV6 won the award, three years before the Jaguar I-Pace took the award, being the first premium brand electric vehicle.
The first electric vehicle to win ECOTY was the Nissan Leaf, which won the award in 2011.
Turkey, Hungary, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg and Belgium voted for this year’s winner, marking the 60th anniversary of the European Car of the Year.
Orders for the Renault Scenic E-Tech are now open and the first deliveries will arrive in spring.
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