Auto Trader Driver’s Choice Awards 2025 winners revealed

Auto Trader Driver’s Choice Awards

The latest Auto Trader Driver’s Choice Awards have been presented by the famous marketplace for new and used cars. As in previous years, the awards categories are a little different to the norm – including the Best Car for Dog Owners and Most Loved Car. Some of the winners may surprise you, too…

What are the Auto Trader Driver’s Choice Awards?

Unlike regular new car awards, which are voted on by motoring journalists, the Auto Trader Driver’s Choice Awards are decided by UK car owners. This year, more than 225,000 of them completed an online survey to determine the 20 winners.

And we start with the biggest winner of them all…

Car of the Year – Kia EV3

The Kia EV3 is on a remarkable roll. It’s been named UK Car of the Year, World Car of the Year, and is now the overall people’s winner in the Auto Trader Driver’s Choice Awards. We fully agree it’s a worthy champion.

Best Car for Families – BMW i4

Families, it seems, value a combination of sleek styling, advanced infotainment, engaging handling, high performance and a zero-emissions drive. Their dream car for 2025? The BMW i4.

Best Car for City Drivers – Hyundai Ioniq 5

All electric cars, with their neighbour-friendly silent running, are great for driving in the city. For 2025, motorists told Auto Trader the high-tech and distinctively-designed Hyundai Ioniq 5 was their top pick for the urban crawl.

Best Value New Car – Omoda 5

The Omoda 5 offers undeniably great value. The entry-level petrol car is priced about the same as a mid-range supermini – despite this being a Nissan Qashqai-rivalling family SUV. There’s also an electric version with a decent range that costs from around £33,000.

Best Car for Long Distances – Renault Scenic E-Tech

The long-range electric car is a firm reality in 2025. One of the best all-rounders is the Renault Scenic E-Tech. It doesn’t have the stratospheric list prices of some premium-badged alternatives, yet the largest battery still offers a range of nearly 380 miles. You’ll definitely need to stop before the car does.

Most Fun to Drive – Porsche Macan

You might expect to see a sports car here, but back in the real world, it’s cars that combine an engaging drive with everyday practicality that win votes. The Porsche Macan won the most votes of all.

Best Car for New Drivers – Volkswagen Golf

New drivers value cars that are safe, easy to drive and reliable, with just a little bit of panache to impress all their passengers. The Volkswagen Golf, one of the best-selling cars for more than 50 years now, is the people’s choice in 2025.

Best Car for Dog Owners – Skoda Enyaq

Dogs have a particular set of demands from cars. Obviously, they need to be roomy. Easy accessibility is vital, too. The boot should be sufficiently practical, to accommodate all those doggie accessories. And it should be robust, for when Rufus gets bored on a long trip. Top choice for 2025 is the roomy, great value and fully electric Skoda Enyaq.

Best 7-seater – Hyundai Santa Fe

They don’t get the headlines these days, but there are still more seven-seaters out there than you might think. One of the boldest-looking is the fabulous new Hyundai Santa Fe – and its boxy styling conceals a huge interior with an abundance of space across all three rows of seats.

Best Car for Towing – Volvo XC60

The Volvo XC60 has a generous towing capacity of up to 2,400kg, more than enough for most caravans or horse boxes. Its all-wheel drive adds grip on loose surfaces, while an eco-friendly range of engines includes plug-in hybrid options. Unlike some 4x4s, the Volvo XC60 isn’t unmanageably large, either.

Most Loved Car – Land Rover Defender 110

This is one of the categories voted for from the heart. The brilliant Land Rover Defender, in family-friendly five-door 110 guise, is 2025’s victor. It looks cool, feels special inside and offers a unique perspective for everyone on board. It’s easy to see why so many love it.

Best Plug-in Hybrid Car – Toyota RAV4

Toyota is known for its hybrid technology. A plug-in hybrid takes this a step further, with a larger battery to provide a much longer pure electric range. It helps make the RAV4 a winning PHEV, according to those quizzed by Auto Trader.

Best Mainstream Electric Car – Kia EV3

The Kia EV3 is not only Auto Trader’s overall Car of the Year, it’s also the finest Mainstream Electric Car. Helping its cause are prices that start from less than £33,000.

Best Premium Electric Car – BMW iX3

The BMW iX3 is a little long in the tooth now, but it still gets the Auto Trader vote for Best Premium Electric Car. It’s set to be replaced later this year by a radical new model, which will feature the latest BMW Neue Klasse design and tech.

Best Luxury Car – Porsche 911

Who says luxury cars need to be four-door saloons? The Porsche 911 isn’t just an iconic sports car, it’s also a luxurious everyday machine with a decidedly premium interior. People have loved the 911 since way back in 1964.

Most Loved Brand – BYD

BYD is a new Chinese brand in the UK, but its sales are already rocketing. They are up over 570 per cent in 2025 alone, with BYD outselling Mini, Mazda, Dacia, Tesla and others in May this year. Owners aren’t disappointed, either – they’ve voted it 2025’s Most Loved brand.

Most Reliable Brand – Lexus

No surprises here. Lexus makes premium cars with watch-like precision. And while it doesn’t rest on its laurels, being named Most Reliable Brand seems almost an inevitability.

Car Brand with the Best Tech – Tesla

Tesla may not offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity, but the many other innovations from this software-first car brand are more than enough to keep owners happy. The features it offers are constantly evolving too, helping the brand to scoop the Best Tech award.

Best Value Brand – Dacia

Just like Lexus with reliability, Dacia winning the Best Value Brand is no surprise. Its cars are incredibly good value compared to the competition, so much so that it’s often a matter of double-checking the prices of rivals. Surely they can’t be that much more expensive?

Editor’s Choice Erin Baker – Renault 5

Auto Trader editor Erin Baker’s favourite new car in 2025 is the Renault 5. Chic, efficient and a joy to drive, the car is proving to be a smash hit in showrooms – and rightly so.

Editor’s Choice Rory Reid – Ferrari 12Cilindri

Auto Trader’s video editor Rory Reid, by contrast, preferred the raw horsepower and visceral excitement of the Ferrari 12Cilindri. It looks like nothing else on the road, too.

Most Anticipated Car – Jaguar 00

And finally, the rebrand may have been highly controversial, but it seems plenty of people can’t wait to see how the new electric Jaguar 00 shapes up as it nears production. Winning the Most Anticipated Car award will help those working in Gaydon breathe a small sigh of relief.