Semperit Irish Car of the Year
The Semperit Irish Car of the Year award was established in 1978 based on similar Car of the Year awards. It is organised and judged by the Irish Motoring Writers Association (IMWA), a grouping of 28 motoring journalists. The award is sponsored by German tyre manufacturer Continental Tyres / Semperit. In 2010, the title of the award was changed to Continental Irish Car of the Year as the sponsor sought to raise the profile of the Continental Tyres brand in Ireland.
The award has 5 category winners, Continental Irish Small Car of the Year, Continental Irish Compact Family Car of the Year, Continental Irish Family Car of the Year, Continental Irish Executive / Luxury Car of the Year and the Continental Irish Performance Car of the Year.
It also has a "Continental Irish Van of the Year", The winner of that category for the 2014 award is the Ford Transit.
The awards event takes place each year at a venue in Dublin in late November.
Current rules
Cars are assessed by the 28 jurors on the following criteria:
- Use of new technology/new ideas.
- Safety factors.
- Equipment level, fuel economy, practicality.
- Environmental impact (emissions, recyclability).
- Use of space, comfort, ventilation and layout.
- Build quality, fit and finishing.
- Ride, dynamic qualities, road holding, steering, maneuverability.
- Engine, ease of driving, braking.
- Price, warranty, dealer network, after sales service.
- Driver/user feedback.
Results
The original award winner in 1978 was the diesel-engine version of the Volkswagen Golf, which debuted some four years after the petrol-engine version. The second winner, the Volkswagen Derby, was almost two years old when it won the award, as was the third winner, the Fiat Ritmo.
The Datsun Stanza won the award soon after its launch late in 1981, while the 1982 winner, the MK3 Ford Escort, had been on sale since September 1980. It was a similar story with the 1990 winner, the Renault 19, which had gone into production during the summer of 1988.
- 2015 Nissan Qashqai
- 2014 Citroën C4 Picasso
- 2013 BMW 3 Series (F30)
- 2012 Kia Rio
- 2011 Nissan Juke
- 2010 Peugeot 3008
- 2009 Citroën C5
- 2008 Ford Mondeo
- 2007 Honda Civic
- 2006 Suzuki Swift
- 2005 Ford Focus
- 2004 Toyota Avensis
- 2003 Mazda 6
- 2002 Renault Laguna
- 2001 Opel Corsa
- 2000 Toyota Yaris
- 1999 Ford Focus
- 1998 Citroën Xsara
- 1997 Peugeot 406
- 1996 Volkswagen Polo
- 1995 Opel Omega
- 1994 Ford Mondeo
- 1993 Toyota Carina E
- 1992 Opel Astra
- 1991 Fiat Tempra
- 1990 Renault 19
- 1989 Fiat Tipo
- 1988 Toyota Corolla
- 1987 Fiat Croma
- 1986 Ford Granada
- 1985 Opel Kadett
- 1984 Fiat Uno
- 1983 Ford Sierra
- 1982 Ford Escort
- 1981 Datsun Stanza
- 1980 Fiat Ritmo
- 1979 Volkswagen Derby
- 1978 Volkswagen Golf diesel
| Winners sorted by manufacturer | |||||||||
 BMW |
1 | F30 (2013) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Citroën |
3 | Xsara (1998) | C5 (2009) | C4 Picasso (2014) | |||||
 Datsun |
1 | Stanza (1981) | |||||||
 Fiat |
5 | Ritmo (1980) | Uno (1984) | Croma (1987) | Tipo (1989) | Tempra (1990) | |||
 Ford |
7 | Escort (1982) | Sierra (1983) | Granada (1986) | Mondeo (1994) | Focus (1999) | Focus (2005) | Mondeo (2008) | |
| Honda |
1 | Civic (2007) | |||||||
 Kia |
1 | Rio (2012) | |||||||
| Mazda |
1 | 6 (2003) | |||||||
| Nissan |
2 | Juke (2011) | Qashqai (2015) | ||||||
| Opel |
4 | Kadett (1985) | Astra (1992) | Omega (1995) | Corsa (2001) | ||||
| Peugeot |
2 | 406 (1997) | 3008 (2010) | ||||||
| Renault |
2 | 19 (1990) | Laguna (2002) | ||||||
| Suzuki |
1 | Swift (2006) | |||||||
| Toyota |
4 | Corolla (1988) | Carina (1993) | Yaris (2000) | Avensis (2004) | ||||
| Volkswagen |
3 | Golf (1978) | Derby (1979) | Polo (1996) | |||||