WhatCar? announces the shortlist for 2015 Car Of The Year.

What Car? has revealed the shortlist for its prestigious 2015 Car of the Year Award.

The shortlist comprises 26 outstanding vehicles that went on sale for the first time in 2014. But it includes the Smart Fortwo, Volkswagen Golf SV,Nissan X-Trail, Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe, BMW i8, Porsche Macan and the Lamborghini Huracan.

The annual What Car? Awards are the most sought-after prizes for car manufacturers and the car-buying public alike. What Car? experts ensure that only the cars that deliver exceptionally against stringent criteria are shortlisted.

As well as the overall Car of the Year Award, the event celebrates the very best vehicles across 16 separate caterories, as chosen by the public and What Car? industry professionals.

For 2015, individual categories are: city car, small car, family car, electric car, coupé, estate car, mpv, hot hatch, convertible, small SUV, large SUV, executive car, sports car, luxury car, reader award and a safety award. This last award is sponsored by the Thatcham research centre and open only to vehicles that have achieved five Euro NCAP stars and come fitted with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB).

What Car? editor Jim Holder said: “The new car market has been buoyant in the UK during 2014 and the automotive industry in the UK has bloomed – that means there are a heap of exciting new cars that are all genuine contenders for our main COTY prize. No wonder the decision-making process around the shortlist was even more intense than usual.”

Awards are given to the cars that set the highest standards in their class and only the best is named What Car? Car of the Year. Last year, the Sunderland-built Nissan Qashqai was crowned the overall winner.

This year’s event takes place on January 7, 2015 at the Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London.  

WHAT CAR? 2015 COTY AWARD SHORT LIST

City Car (sponsored by Warranty Direct)

Renault Twingo

Smart Fortwo

Small Car

Hyundai i20

Mazda 2

Mini 5dr

Skoda Fabia

Vauxhall Corsa

Family Car

Ford Mondeo

Nissan Pulsar

Electric car (sponsored by Hankook)

BMW i8

Coupe

Audi TT

Jaguar F-type Coupe

Mercedes S-Class Coupe

Estate Car

Ford Mondeo Estate

Volkswagen Passat Estate

MPV

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer

Volkswagen Golf SV

Small SUV

Citroen C4 Cactus

Kia Soul

Large SUV

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Nissan X-Trail

Porsche Macan

Executive car (sponsored by Allianz Global Assistance)

Volkswagen Passat

Sports Car

BMW M3

Lamborghini Huracan

McLaren 650S Spider

SEPTEMBER SALES - MAZDA - Great cars prove that the sales will come with a YOY increase of 20%

• September sales up 12% at more than 8,000
• Mazda3 is month’s best-seller
• Another year of 20% growth forecast

Mazda UK has grown at twice the rate of the industry so far this year with sales up 21 per cent in the first nine months of the year, well ahead of the industry which has seen sales increase by 9.1 per cent.

In the key month of September sales were up 12.2 per cent to just over 8,000 cars in a market up 5.6 per cent, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

This has taken Mazda’s sales in the first nine months of the year to more than 31,400 units and puts the company on track for its third successive year of 20 per cent growth, said Mazda UK Sales Director Peter Allibon.

Retail sales for the year-to-date have grown by 19 per cent to 21,278 led by Mazda’s range of award-winning SKYACTIV models including all-new Mazda3 – launched at the beginning of the year – Mazda6 and Mazda CX-5.

All-new Mazda3 was the brand’s best-seller in September with sales of 2,146, beating the ever-popular Mazda2 and will be the company’s best-seller for the year, predicts Allibon.

This strong showing has taken Mazda3 sales to 7,428, up 59 per cent on the same period last year.  Mazda6 sales have grown by 40 per cent in that time to 6,742 boosted by strong demand in the retail sector.

“What is really pleasing is that Mazda6 retail sales are up 63 per cent after we saw an opportunity to tackle a sector traditionally dominated by premium German brands,” said Allibon.

Perhaps the most remarkable performance has come from the Mazda CX-5, launched in April 2012 and still seeing demand outstrip supply with sales up 36 per cent at 6,143 to the end of September. It is also the sixth most searched for car on the What Car? website despite not being advertised since its initial launch.

“Our stronger range gives us a more equal balance of sales with a fairly even split across our four main models,” said Allibon.

“It means we are going into the last quarter of the year in a good place with strong demand and dealer profitability improving,” he said.

Mazda MX-5 and Mazda 2 venture editions adds hightec equipment for great value.

• Enhanced Mazda2 ‘Venture Edition’ with premium high-tech equipment from £13,295 (OTR)
• Three new ‘Venture Edition’ Mazda MX-5 models priced from £18,895 (OTR)
• TomTom® navigation, integrated Bluetooth®, climate control air-conditioning as standard
• Representative 0% APR finance with Zero deposit and monthly payments from £212

To offer even greater value to customers in 2013, Mazda is introducing four new special versions of its best-selling model in the UK, the Mazda2, and its iconic Mazda MX-5 – the world’s best-selling two-seater sportscar.

On sale now, the enhanced Mazda2 Venture Edition five-door hatchback is priced at £13,295 on-the road (OTR).  For 2013, this 84ps, 1.3-litre model gains 16-inch Bright Finish alloy wheels, black mirror housings, rear parking sensors, dusk-sensing lights and rain-sensing wipers, new sporty seat trim with red stitching, two unique exterior colours (Zeal Red Mica and Meteor Grey Mica) and special ‘Venture Edition’ badges.

The generous standard specification for this Mazda2 model already includes: a sports styling kit, front fog lamps, privacy glass and a rear bumper sports trim.  Inside, there are front, side and curtain airbags, leather steering wheel with audio controls, CD radio with Auxiliary jack and four speakers, plus a TomTom® navigation with a 5.8-inch touch screen, integrated Bluetooth® hands-free kit, climate control air-conditioning and electric rear windows to create a genuine premium car ambience.

“The availability of the enhanced Mazda2 Venture Edition, with its unique combination of advanced technology, sports styling, a premium interior and even greater added value, will attract new customers to our showrooms,” comments Peter Allibon, Sales Director, Mazda UK.  “In its latest form, Mazda2 combines superior ride comfort, superb handling and quality with the spirited and fun-to-drive attributes for which Mazda is renowned.

“Fun-to-drive characteristics are at the very heart of our legendary and immensely popular Mazda MX-5 sportscar.  That popularity will be enhanced by the three new Venture Edition vehicles which are based on the 2013 upgraded MX-5 and come with additional features to make them even more distinctive as ‘stand-out’ sportscars which can be used everyday of the year,” adds Allibon.

The Mazda MX-5 Venture Edition is also on sale now, upgrades include: new design 17-inch Bright Finish alloy wheels, heated tan leather sports seats, tan leather door inserts and (on the soft-top model) a tan fabric roof.  A choice of four exterior colours is offered – Brilliant Black, Copper Red Mica, Meteor Grey Mica and Stormy Blue Mica – plus Venture Edition badges.

Prices start at £18,895 (OTR) for the 126ps, 1.8-litre Venture Edition soft-top with five-speed manual transmission and peak at £22,295 for the 160ps, 2.0-litre Venture Edition Roadster Coupe with powered folding roof. The 1.8-litre Roadster Coupe sits in the middle of the range.

Until the end of March 2013, Mazda is offering a great combination of offers on its new ‘Venture Edition’ vehicles.  Customers have a choice of Representative 0% APR* or 5.9% APR** finance with zero deposit and low-cost monthly payments from just £212 (Mazda2) and £286 (MX-5).  In addition, customers buying their new car with a Mazda PCP will be offered a generous deposit contribution of £219 (Mazda2) and £1,155 (MX-5).