BMW Group UK has made a strong start to the new year, picking up four coveted category wins at the prestigious What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2025. BMW collected three headline awards – with the BMW M3 Touring, BMW 4 Series and BMW X7 continuing to lead their respective classes – and a further six subcategory wins. Meanwhile, MINI was named Most Reliable Manufacturer.

The BMW M3 Touring retains its Performance Car of the Year title for the second consecutive year. Commenting on the win, Steve Huntingford, Editor of What Car? said, “The M3 Touring is one of those cars that's built to handle every scenario you can throw at it – and it does so with devastating effectiveness. Relatively compact exterior dimensions allow it to dance through corners, while its twin-turbo straight-six engine hits all the right notes. Yet the M3 Touring is just as capable of playing the practical and classy family car when circumstances demand."

The BMW 4 Series celebrated its win as What Car? Coupé/Convertible of the Year, continuing its impressive streak in the convertible category, where it has been named ‘Best Convertible’ for five consecutive years. The second-generation 4 Series received an array of updates last year, including a refreshed exterior design, striking new headlights and a redesigned cockpit. On presenting the award, Huntingford said, "While many convertibles feel vague and ponderous compared with their coupé sisters, the 4 Series is great to drive whether you go for the hard-top or the soft-top. The 4 Series is also a full four-seater, with enough space in the back for a couple of six-footers. And its interior combines high-quality materials with a class-leading infotainment system”.

The BMW X7 garnered BMW’s third category win of the evening after being crowned Luxury Car of the Year. The latest variant of the BMW X7 was introduced in 2022, and  has since been widely recognised for its premium feel, exceptional level of standard equipment and spaciousness – with room for up to seven passengers thanks to three rows of seats. What Car? judges praised the model, stating, “The BMW X7 is the rolling embodiment of the sort of houses you see on TV's Grand Designs: spacious, striking and beautifully constructed. What's more, the optional Ultimate Pack makes the interior of this luxury SUV even more cosseting, and brings upgraded air suspension that delivers a more stable and luxurious ride than any rival can offer."

The MINI brand was also recognised on the night as What Car?’s Most Reliable Manufacturer. Highlighting the dependability of MINI’s product range, Huntingford commented, "MINI had the lowest fault rate of any brand featured in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey. What's more, on the rare occasions things did go wrong, all of the cars remained driveable and almost half of issues were resolved in a day or less. MINI even showed that going electric is no barrier to producing dependable models, with the MINI Electric achieving a hugely impressive 98.4% reliability score”.

Alongside the above overall category wins, a further six BMW models were recognised for their excellence within sub-categories.

Three vehicles within BMW’s fully electric portfolio were commended. The first was the BMW i7, which topped the Best Electric Luxury Car category, adding a further win to the flagship’s growing list of accolades. Meanwhile, the BMW iX won the Family SUV Best Interior award – a testament to its meticulously crafted and comfortable cabin. The BMW i5 also stood out for its interior, winning the Best Executive Car Interior for a second consecutive year.

In addition, the recently revised BMW 330e which now offers up to 63 miles (WLTP, combined) of all-electric range was recognised as the Best Plug-in Hybrid to Drive. The BMW M240i Coupe won Best Performance Car for Value, with judges commending the model’s comprehensive offering at its price point. Finally, the BMW 1 Series won the award for Best Family Car Interior, continuing its success in this category from the previous year. Launched last year, the fourth-generation BMW 1 Series boasts a premium and versatile cabin with class-leading interior technology.

To learn more about these award-winning brands, please visit https://bmw.co.uk/ or https://mini.co.uk/.


Ends


The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2024, the BMW Group sold over 2.45 million passenger vehicles and more than 210,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2023 was € 17.1 billion on revenues amounting to € 155.5 billion. As of 31 December 2023, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,950 employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products from the supply chain and production to the end of their useful life.

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For further information please contact:

Sam Buckingham
Press Officer, MINI
Tel: 07815 362 262
Samuel.Buckingham@mini.co.uk

Tom Evans
Senior Press Officer, BMW
Tel: 07815 371 705
Email: Tom.Evans@bmw.co.uk

Helen Wilson
MINI Media Relations Manager
Tel: 07815 372 480
Email: Helen.Wilson@mini.co.uk

Chris Overall
BMW Media Relations Manager
Tel: 07815 370 990
Email: Chris.Overall@bmw.co.uk

Christina Burnham-Hepe
Corporate Communications Director
Tel: 07815 371 206
Email: Christina.Burnham-Hepe@bmw.co.uk