Renault wins Car of the Year award at brand-empty Geneva show

Renault wins Car of the Year award at brand-empty Geneva show

Renault’s Scenic electric crossover won the Car of the Year competition for the European region, giving a boost to the French company as it electrifies its business.

The Renault Scenic narrowly beat the BMW 5 Series sedan for the title, which was awarded by a jury of 58 European journalists who cover the automotive sector. The Peugeot 3008, Kia EV9 and Volvo EX30 rounded out the top five.

The ceremony was held at the Geneva International Motor Show, which returned after a nearly five-year hiatus linked to the Covid pandemic.

Renault is the only European carmaker with a presence at this year’s industry gala as giants Volkswagen and Stellantis, whose brands include Peugeot and Fiat, decided to skip the event.

“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 Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive.

“This recognition demonstrates that we have made the right choices: record-breaking range, generous and inviting roominess, all with a closely managed environmental footprint!”

Renault launched an electric version of the Scenic model in late 2023 and the first deliveries are due to begin in the coming spring.

The company, which aims to be a fully-electric brand in Europe by 2030, also unveiled the new Renault 5 hatchback at the show – read more about the R5 here.

“This car is about Renault projecting itself into the future and taking millions of Europeans with us on the journey of energy transition,” Renault chief executive Luca de Meo said as two flashy yellow R5 models were brought to the stage at the auto show.

Agence France-Presse