BMW 5 Series: A Strong Second in 2024 Euro Car of the Year

The new 5 Series Sedan and XM represented BMW in the final 2024 European Car of the Year list. However, only the G60 made it to the finals by the year’s end. The Renault Scenic E-Tech clinched the top honour at the 2024 Geneva Motor Show’s opening, securing 329 votes from the jurors.

The Bavarian luxury car clinched second place with 308 votes. The Peugeot 3008, with 197 votes, landed in third. The Volvo EX30 received 168 votes. The BYD Seal gathered 131 votes. The Toyota C-HR counted 127 votes. The Kia EV9 tallied 190 votes. The winner, one of the final four, showcased the trend towards electrified vehicles. Remarkably, the 5 Series boasts various drivetrains: plug-in hybrid, diesel, gasoline, and all-electric.

The 2024 European Car of the Year jury consisted of 58 members from 22 countries. These journalists evaluated vehicles currently on sale or will be by year’s end. Despite its broad title, “Car of the Year,” the award is specifically European. The COTY jury represents nine publications from the Old Continent: Vi Bilägare (Sweden), Firmenauto (Germany), and Autopista (Spain). It also includes Auto Trends (Belgium), Autocar (UK), Autopista (Italy), Autovisie (The Netherlands), and Automobil Revue (Switzerland).

BMW has clinched second place several times in the Car of the Year awards but has never won the top prize. Notable second-place finishes include the 1600 in 1967, the 2500/2800 in 1969, the 3 Series in 1976, and the 7 Series in 1978. Since its inception in 1964, the Car of the Year Award has been an annual event. In 2023, it was associated with the Brussels International Motor Show, but it returned to Geneva this year.

Despite its second-place finish in the overall competition, the 5 Series won the 2024 Women’s World Car of the Year Award in the large car category. This victory qualifies it to compete for the overall WWCOTY title, which will be announced on March 8.