The shortlist for the 2013 Car of the Year in Europe has been completed, with eight new models making the cut. These are:
1 Ford B-Max
2 Hyundai i30
3 Mercedes A-Class
4 Peugeot 208
5 Renault Clio
6 Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86
7 Volkswagen Golf
8 Volvo V40
The finalists were selected from a total of 32 new models by the jury of 59 international journalists from 23 countries.
“The decision will be exciting this year,” says Frank Janssen, motoring editor for Stern magazine in Germany and secretary general of the international jury. “There is an upcoming trend in 2013: the return to compact models. Driving pleasure is guaranteed by sportiness and high quality standards.”
Before the winning car is announced on March 4th at the Geneva motor show, the final eight cars will undergro further intensive testing, including a day-long session on a testing track near Paris that includes sections for suspension and dynamic testing.
The cars will be assessed under four criteria: innovation, quality, value for money and design. The votes of each jury member is published, along with their explanation notes, when the winning car is announced in March.
With the announcement of the 2013 winner, the European car of the year award will also mark its 50th anniversary. The award was initially created by seven European magazines from seven countries: Stern in Germany; Autocar in the UK; Auto in Italy; L’Automobile magazine in France; Autopista in Spain; Autovisie in The Netherlands; and Vi Bilägare in Sweden.