Besides, we weren’t short of contenders. If anything, the biggest challenge was determining a car’s significance: it’s a relative term, after all. It became harder when we were choosing cars for the more recent years: occasionally time provides a clearer context. The Ineos Grenadier, for example, was on the shortlist for 2023, but it’s the future success of that firm that will determine whether the Grenadier will be a significant milestone or a transient curio.
The easiest and most difficult years to pick
The easiest year to pick was in fact the first one: the new Mini of 2001 was the first entry written on our list, and nobody could suggest a credible alternative (although one team member did argue for the MG ZT). The next easiest pick was 2024: some great cars came out last year, but surely none as truly game-changing as the Hyundai Ioniq 5N.
Other years were far harder: 2013 included the Tesla Model S, the Toyota GT86, the hypercar ‘holy trinity’ and a step-change Ford Fiesta ST. Some years, meanwhile, were somewhat shorter on key contenders: 2016’s shortlist included the Jaguar XE and Toyota C-HR.
What might change?
Our picks for the final five years of this exercise required a bit of projection: significance is often revealed over time, so it’s hard to know how well some of our selections might age. For 2023, for example, we plumped for the Mk3 Dacia Duster over the Ferrari Purosangue and Ineos Grenadier. Those two very different SUVs have been successful but don’t feel like game-changers. But if the Purosangue boosts Ferrari’s fortunes or Ineos realises its potential, that could change.
This year’s pick, the Renault 5, was also an easy choice for now based on sheer instant impact. But it will take time to be certain its influence holds once the initial appeal has waned. We did consider the Fiat Grande Panda, but since that is later in the launch cycle, we’ve yet to judge if it will transform the firm’s fortunes in the way it might.
If we revisit this feature in 2050, which forthcoming cars could represent 2026? Well, it’s pure prediction, but if the Volkswagen ID Polo is the affordable EV its maker claims, it could be a game-changer; then again, the BMW iX3 is also supposed to rewrite the EV rulebook. And what about the first of the radically new luxury Jaguar EVs? If that works, it could transform the fortunes of the proud British brand.
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