Favourite car of the year? Well, of course, it's the Car of the Year... My favourite car that I drove in 2025 was the Renault 5 . Given that it's won a host of awards, including the Car of the Year prize, it's a predictable choice, I know - but when I managed to pilfer our long-term Renault 5 from its custodian, Steve Cropley, I was as impressed as I'd hoped to be. First, there's the heritage: there are plenty of companies that are sceptical about looking backwards, but Renault is presently dining out on model names of old. My best friend had an original 5 as her first car, when we were in those early driving days of heady freedom, and this sort of nostalgia certainly helps the new 5 appeal. Second, the looks: how good are these proportions? It reminds me a lot of the Honda E , which I was a big fan of at the time. The 5 is retro yet totally modern, and the best ones are the most brightly coloured. Third, everything else. I drove it for a week: it had a respectable range for a supermini EV , was a joy to sit in and is a delight to drive. But there's an added bonus to driving the 5: everyone loves it and will openly tell you so, which made me unexpectedly popular.