- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr He
‘Car of the Year 2023’ in Europe. The electric car will win
On November 25, 2022, the jury of the international ‘Car of the Year 2023’ competition in Europe published a list of 7 finalists, five of which are fully electric, have an electrified version or are equipped with a hybrid system: Jeep Avenger, Nissan Ariya, Kia Niro, Volkswagen ID. Buzz, and Toyota bZ4X. And only two models are equipped with internal combustion engines: Renault Austral and Peugeot 408. Therefore, we can say with certainty that an electric car will surely win. We will briefly talk about each candidate for the main prize and try to understand for what qualities they were chosen by a respected jury. And, yes, our rating was compiled in random order. Choose your favorite for yourself!
The "Car of the Year 2023" (COTY) in Europe is an international award given by a jury of European professional automotive journalists. The COTY competition has been held annually since 1963.
The public will discover the best car in the Old World at the 2023 Brussels Motor Show. We remind you that the Kia EV6 electric car won the prize in 2022 (it is not supplied to Israel). The full list of 2022 finalists can be found here. Of all the Car of the Year 2023 contenders, two models are officially sold in Israel: the Kia Niro and the Toyota bZ4X. Let’s start with them.
Kia Niro
The front-wheel drive compact hybrid SUV is already available in second generation, which is distinguished by its ‘green zone driving’ mode. This means that SUVs with an HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) system or a PHEV (plug-in hybrid) system switch to electric traction themselves. Using the on-board navigation or a history of previous journeys, the car itself determines the ‘green zones’. They include residential areas, schools or hospitals, you can also add your home or office.
Toyota bZ4X
The electric SUV created jointly with Subaru, the Toyota bZ4X (in Japan, its quasi ‘twin brother’ is sold under the name Subaru Solterra), belongs to the compact class. The SUV has a 204 hp electric motor or two motors with a total power of 217 hp (for the top version, which means the presence of rear-wheel drive). It’s the first model in a series of electric vehicles (bZ stands for “beyond zero”) from the Japanese auto giant, and it has global status. It looks stylish and differs from gasoline and hybrid models.
Jeep Avenger
The Jeep Avenger attracts attention not only with its formidable name, but also its fairly compact dimensions (just over 4 m in length). Moreover, this is the first all-electric Jeep model. It was created for European markets on the basis of the CMP (Common Modular Platform) modular platform, which makes this front-wheel drive vehicle similar to the Peugeot 2008, DS 3 and Opel Mokka. A 156 hp engine is powered by a 54 kWh capacity battery, which should provide a range of 400 km on the WLTP cycle, while in the city the range reaches 550 km.
Nissan Ariya
The Nissan Ariya is an electric front or all-wheel drive SUV produced since the end of 2021. Its advantages are countless: a flat floor in a spacious passenger compartment, a large trunk, an eye-catching appearance, and four modifications to choose from. The fastest modification accelerates to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds, and the modification with the greatest range is capable of driving up to 610 km on a single charge. The power of the engines is from 160 to 290 kW. The vehicle is equipped with all security systems.
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is the first production electric minivan from the German company Volkswagen and the only finalist with such a body. The vehicle was presented in March 2022, but it is already characterized by a wide sales geography: it is planned not only to conquer Europe, but also America. In the Old World, the ‘electric bee’ is offered as a 5-passenger or cargo van. There will be traditional versions with a long wheelbase and three rows of seats, as well as the popular California motorhome based on the electric Buzz. In addition, all-wheel-drive modifications are also promised.
Renault Austral
The Renault Austral is a new Renault model designed specifically for European countries. The 5-seat compact SUV is just 4.5 m long and features optional matrix headlights, a 9.3-inch head-up display, a central airbag that deploys between the driver and passenger, adaptive cruise control with lane keeping system and the prestigious Esprit Alpine sports package. The Austral is powered by mild hybrid systems based on 1.2-litre or 1.3-litre turbo engines, front or all-wheel drive.
Peugeot 408
The Peugeot 408 is a new crossover liftback for Europe introduced by Stellantis in June 2022. Sales will start at the beginning of 2023, the length of the car is 4.69 m, and the ground clearance is 188 mm. The beautiful and elegant novelty gracefully blends the features of a sports car and an SUV: a miniature rear spoiler is adjacent to a protective plastic body kit around the perimeter, and a frameless grille adorns the ‘face’. The advantages also include a spacious rear row of seats and a spacious trunk with a volume of up to 536 liters. The car will be offered in two hybrid versions with 180 and 225 hp engines, as well as in the gasoline version with a 1.2-liter engine (130 hp). And all versions are equipped with 8-speed automatic gearboxes.
