Field of 32 cars eligible for 2024 Irish Car of the Year title – as new brands join the race

A field of 32 candidates for the Irish Car of the Year 2024 awards, in association with Continental Tyres, was announced this week. The winners from the 2024 Irish Car of the Year awards programme will be revealed at a gala event in The Conrad Hotel, Dublin, on Friday November 3rd.

Voted on by jury members who are drawn from the Motoring Media Association of Ireland (MMAI), a group made up of 33 of Ireland’s most experienced motoring journalists, the Irish Car of the Year awards highlight for Irish motorists the best cars that have been launched in the country this year taking account of the particular requirements of the Irish market.

Joe Rayfus, Chairman of the MMAI, said: “With 32 cars launched here in the past year, we have a very strong line up of models for this year’s awards. Slightly down on last year’s field of 37 models, it demonstrates the continued impact of the semi-conductor and supply shortage issues that affected the industry over the last year or so. However, the record number of new brands entering the market provides us with genuine optimism in the short term.

“We have seen four new marques launch models onto the Irish market this year and all are in the running for awards – BYD, INEOS, Maxus and Ora. It is a foretaste of things to come as a raft of new brands will launch here in the next couple of years. However, alongside the offerings from those new names, we have some really excellent models from the more familiar automotive brands – as ever, trying to predict who will win out in each category will not be an easy ask!”  

Tom Dennigan of awards sponsor, German premium tyre brand Continental Tyres, said: “We are excited to again support the Irish Car of the Year awards which recognises the best cars launched in Ireland each year. It is a welcome sight to see such a range of new brands extending the breadth of options for Irish motorists – increased choice and more competition can only be a good thing. We wish them all, old or new brands, the best of luck in the race for an Irish Car of the Year award”. 

The winner of the 2023 Irish Car of the Year award was the all electric VW ID Buzz, the third occasion that an electric car has won the overall title. To find out if the overall winner for 2024 is again an electric model, motorists in Ireland will have to wait until the awards event on November 3. 

The full field of candidates for the Irish Car of the Year 2024 awards is as follows: