Motorist Car of the Year (mCOTY) 2025 campaign hits the road and aims for the apex

The Motorist Car of the Year (mCOTY) 2025 campaign has started its “SG Grand Prix” race with these contenders.

They are in the running for the mCOTY accolades which await the winners at the checkered flag. The results will be announced on 3 January 2026, right before Singapore Motorshow 2026. 

Our mCOTY awards recognise the year’s “good, better, best” new cars in their respective categories, with Motorist Singapore readers and app users as our campaign co-drivers who get to vote online for their favourite cars.

Therefore, the best cars need to impress not only the Motorist mReviewers doing the road tests, but also their fellow motorists in the Motorist Singapore ecosystem who love automotive achievements as much as we do.  

mCOTY 2025 judging criterion "Fitness for purpose" - how well the car does what it is designed to do, and also how cost-effectively it fulfils its motoring mission.

Here in our Little Red Dot, we experience and sometimes enjoy a turbo-micro version of the massive, busy and increasingly electric automotive world. 

Out there and everywhere, from the fabulous East to the wonderful West, automakers are always creating/refreshing/replacing products, services and technologies to stay in the fast lane, or at least not stray too far from it.   

mCOTY 2025 judging criterion "The drive" - how the car performs on the road and feels behind the wheel, relative to its peers, for its station in automotive life.

Singapore is small in the grand scheme of things-on-wheels which move people from point to point, often in more ways than one - like feeling/seeking the thrill of driving and not merely going along for the ride. 

Yet, Singapore is big on vehicular science (e.g. digital infotainment and advanced driving-assist systems), automotive art (e.g. special supercars and designer showrooms) and motoring culture (such as 'Cars & Kopi’). 

Furthermore, Singapore hit the big time by hosting the F1 night race since its 2008 debut, after years of setting unusually high standards in carpark motorsports. 

mCOTY 2025 judging criterion "The X factor" - the car's unique characteristics on top of the usual attributes.

Our country is also quite a pioneer in redefining the dollars and sense of driving, with initiatives which have been painful but useful - such as ERP (electronic road pricing), COE (certificate of entitlement) and a variety of prohibitive vehicle taxes. 

Cost-effectiveness, therefore, is one of our mCOTY judging criteria, under fitness for purpose which also includes how well the mCOTY nominee does what it is designed to do. We also consider the car’s comparative driveability, relative appeal to drivers and passengers, and unique characteristics. 

The Motorist Car of the Year 2025 campaign is fuelled by Esso and co-sponsored by Trapo.Click on this picture to cast your votes before the end of 30 November 2025.

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