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Kia, Mercedes Benz, Peugeot, Ford, Citroen and Alpine were all finalists at 2019’s Car of the Year, but it was the Jaguar I-Pace that took out the top spot on the eve of Geneva’s Motor Show in March of this year. 

These cars were selected from 60 jurors across Europe, as part of the oldest and most celebrated car award there is.  It is a combination of test-driving and voting for a new release. 

Part of the reason this is such a widely held is the fact that you won’t just see elite, expensive sports cars in the running. Hatchbacks and family cars that are new to the market hold equal chances at a crack at the title. Jurors make a very personal judgement based on what they consider to be the most important elements of a car, such as, safety, carbon use, technical innovation, reliability and price.

Because the Jaguar I-Pace is an electric car shows just how far the sophistication and reliability of electric cars has come in the past few years.  This is the first time an electric car has won the award, however, it certainly won’t be the last as research expects the majority of cars on the roads will be electric in the next 20-30 years, if not sooner.  While the upfront prices for electric vehicles can be higher than petrol cars, the fuel and maintenance savings offset is considerable, making electric vehicles, (or EV’s) a sensible long-term option.    

Jurors wrote comments such as “I-Pace as the first BEV (battery electric vehicle) which showed us what an electric car can really do” and “The low centre of gravity point and the powerful electric engines make the I-Pace better to drive than most traditional cars.”  However, there is still move for improvement when some voters pointed out an insufficient charging network together with a hefty price tag. 

See what the Jaguar I-Pace was up against at this year’s Car of the Year Awards.