The Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric has been named Irish Car of the Year for 2025 in association with Continental Tyres, by members of the Motoring Media Association of Ireland (MMAI).
The journalist grouping of more than 30 of Ireland’s most experienced motoring journalists (including this one), hosted the awards event attended by Ireland’s leading car brands, importers and distributors.
Overall, this new Renault E-Scenic is a very impressive and comfortable car to drive. The car has a five-year warranty and eight years cover on the battery. This Renault E-Scenic comes out top of the class in terms of safety ratings.
The latest Euro NCAP rating gave the E-Scenic a top five-star award, helped by up to 30 advanced driver warning systems and seven airbags, on board.
When pitched against the competition, the range, safety and comfort features, all packaged in a modern and spacious car, this makes the Renault E-Scenic the worthy Irish Car of the Year 2025 winner that it is.
Entry prices for this battery electric car start from €39,995 or £37,495 in N Ireland, for a 430km range version. This latest model is the fifth generation Scenic and the first full electric version.
The jury members were very impressed with the driving dynamics of the vehicle, the stylish design and the 430km standard or long-range 625km model with 220hp, which was unanimously agreed to be a very worthy winner of the Irish Car of the Year 2025 title from an entry of 42 eligible new cars.
The Renault E-Scenic has already bagged the International Car of the Year Award for 2024.
The Irish awards are voted on by the members of the MMAI who individually assess each new car model that is launched in Ireland each year.
It is the fifth year in a row that an all-electric or battery-electric vehicle has been voted the Irish Car of the Year, the oldest and most reputable automotive award title in Ireland.
The field of eligible cars for this year’s awards were broken down into eight categories and then the overall winner was drawn from those eight models.
The Irish Car of the Year 2025 category winners were as follows:
There were also five van categories voted upon by a separate panel of jury members. The overall winners in each Irish Van of the Year category were as follows:
In the Irish Van of the Year awards programme for 2025, the overall Irish Van of the Year title was awarded to the Mercedes Benz Vito.
The Vito is available as a panel van, nine-seat Tourer and six-seat Mixto version, and has the option of diesel or battery electric power and with prices starting at €35,106 plus VAT.
New research presented by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), shows that one-quarter of all drivers involved in fatal road collisions over the past five years were driving for work.
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Those drivers were typically male and aged between 36-55, with half of them driving HGVs, according to the analysis which covers the years 2019 to 2023.
HGVs represented 11% of vehicles involved in fatal road collisions. In most of these collisions either the driver of the other vehicle or a pedestrian was killed.
The RSA’s most recent observational study also showed that almost one in 10 (9%) motorists are using a mobile device while driving. This is consistent across urban roads, rural roads, and motorways, with van (LGV) drivers the worst offenders at 13%.
Driving for work includes any person who drives on public roads as part of their job in a company vehicle or in their own privately owned vehicle.
It includes truck and van drivers, tractor drivers, bus, coach and taxi drivers, utility company employees and service engineers, sales, marketing and delivery staff.