Honda Civic hybrid and Renault 5 pick up COTY awards
Words by NZ Autocar magazine
The Honda Civic hybrid has just arrived in New Zealand, and it has been named as the 2025 North American Car of the Year. This is the fourth time the Civic has won the NACOTY award.
The North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year awards honor excellence in innovation, design, safety features, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value. Initiated in 1994, vehicles are judged by 50 professional automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who work for independent magazines, television, radio, newspapers, and industry websites.
After receiving the award Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales said: “Our fun-to-drive hybrid-electric models are a key part of our Honda electrification strategy, and sales of the new Civic hybrid will ultimately represent about 40 per cent of Civic sales.”
Read more – Honda Civic hybrid NZ specs and pricing
Renault 5 wins Euro COTY
In other COTY news, the Renault 5 E-Tech electric and Alpine A290 have been named European Car of the Year 2025. The winning duo was chosen by 60 motoring journalists from 23 countries. Renault 5 E-Tech electric and Alpine A290 took first place with 353 points. The runner-up, the Kia EV3, received a total of 291 points. The Citroën C3/ë-C3 completed the podium with 215.
According to Renault, the award “highlights the relevance of the electrification strategy and the quality of the new Renault and Alpine ranges, developed as part of the Renaulution plan. Unique in Europe, the AmpR Small platform allows both vehicles to deliver a high level of customer value, while leaving each brand free to express its own positioning in terms of design, development, onboard technologies and customer experience”.
The 5 is Renault’s eighth vehicle to win the ECOTY award. Others include the Renault 16 (1966), Renault 9 (1982), Clio I (1991), Scenic (1997), Megane (2003), Clio III (2006) and Scenic E-Tech electric (2024).
