A Jaguar I-PACE is seen at the Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 4, 2019. Jaguar's first electric SUV I-PACE won the Car of the Year award on Monday in a neck-to-neck race against Alpine A110 on the eve of the 89th Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS). (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)
GENEVA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Jaguar's first electric SUV I-PACE won the Car of the Year award on Monday in a neck-to-neck race against Alpine A110 on the eve of the 89th Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS).
It was the first Car of the Year win for Jaguar.
The race for the award has never been so tight, as it was the first time ever that two cars had the same highest number of winning points during the run-off for the final trophy. Both Alpine A110 and Jaguar I-Pace scored 250 points, but the Jaguar stood out at last because it scored top marks more often than its competitor: 18 for the Jaguar, 16 for the Alpine.
The top two rivals were followed by Kia Ceed with 247 points, Ford Focus with 235 points, Citroen C5 Aircross with 210 points, Peugeot 508 with 192 points, and Mercedes-Benz A-class with 116 points.
The evaluation was done by a jury of 60 automotive journalists from 23 European countries. They considered the design, comfort, safety, economy, handling, performance, functionality, environmental requirements, driver satisfaction, and price. Technical innovation and value for money are particularly important factors.
Founded by seven European auto magazines in 1964, the Car of the Year trophy is considered as the most prestigious and conveted award in the automobile world.
