French automaker Renault has landed the prestigious Car of the Year award for its electric Scenic E-tech at the Geneva Motor Show, as EVs dominated the top rankings for 2023.
The Renault Scenic e-tech won from a final list of seven contenders, that included the BMW 5-series, BYD Seal, Kia EV9, Peugeot E-3008/3008, the Toyota C-HR, and the Volvo EX30.
A total of 58 jurors voted, with the Renault Scenic amassing 329 votes and 22 best votes. The Scenic was followed by the BMW 5-series with 308 votes and 19 best votes, and the new Peugeot E-3008 in third with 197 and 3 best votes.
Voting for the remainder of the seven finalists is as follows:
- Kia EV9 (190 points)
- Volvo EX30 (168)
- BYD Seal (131)
- Toyota C-HR (127)
The Scenic is built on the a specialised electric platform, offers a range of up to 610 kilometres (WLTP) and retails in Europe from £37,495 (around $A72,500, converted).
“Winning the prestigious ‘The Car of the Year’ award is a great source of pride for everyone at Renault Group and the Renault brand,” said Fabrice Cambolive, CEO of Renault.
“This recognition demonstrates that we have made the right choices: record-breaking range, generous and inviting roominess, all with a closely managed environmental footprint!
“When you add in the driving pleasure and ‘voiture à vivre’ equipment such as the new Solarbay panoramic sunroof or the latest generation OpenR Link system with integrated Google systems, Scenic has all the right features to shore up its position on the European EV market.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.