The Ultimate Test Drive: Experience the Thrill of 30 Stunning Vehicles at ‘Car of the Year’

The title announcement ceremony is expected to take place on January 13, 2025.

THE LARGEST-SCALE TEST DRIVE EVENT EVER

CAR OF THE YEAR is the first program to evaluate and score car models launched in the Vietnamese market, starting in 2021. It is also the first program to organize practical test drives for judges in both the northern and southern regions. This year, the northern region’s test drive event has been upgraded on a larger scale, becoming the largest-ever gathering of cars for test drives, catering to three groups: judges, media channels, and customers.

The northern region’s test drive event exclusively dedicated December 25 to judges and media representatives, featuring 30 car models from 12 automotive brands in Vietnam. The second day, December 26, was reserved for registered customers, with 18 car models from six brands.

All these cars were newly launched in 2024, including 20 models with internal combustion engines, six hybrid vehicles, and four pure electric cars.

This unique opportunity allows judges, reporters, and customers to experience, form opinions, and compare cars in the same segment, such as pitting the Toyota Hilux against the Mitsubishi Triton, matching up several models in the B-segment crossover category, or contrasting cars within the same price range.

Directly comparing and scoring competing car models will enable judges to assess them more intuitively and impartially. Customers, by considering the strengths and weaknesses of multiple cars simultaneously, will be able to make more precise and suitable choices.

REFRESHED JUDGING PANEL

The CAR OF THE YEAR program has maintained a judging panel of over 30 members for several years. This year, out of the 32 judges, 16 are from the Executive Boards of the Otofun and Otosaigon communities, administrators of numerous nationwide car clubs and groups; eight are journalists and media professionals in the automotive industry.

The remaining judges include representatives from government agencies overseeing automobiles, vocational training institutions for automobiles, the Automobile Sports Association, and the Ho Chi Minh City Automobile and Power Equipment Association. Some judges are former champions of off-road and gymkhana races organized by OTV Media and Otofun. All judges are business owners or hold multiple roles related to the automotive field.

VOTING PHASES AND SEGMENTS

For the 2025 CAR OF THE YEAR, the cars up for voting are categorized by price range. This year, there are a total of 356 car versions spread across 14 price segments (only including cars priced up to 3 billion VND). Among these, 128 are new models launched in 2024.

Similar to last year, the 2025 CAR OF THE YEAR is divided into two phases. In Phase 1, from 3 pm on December 25, 2024, to 11:59 pm on January 3, 2025, the community (including the judges) will choose the top three car models in each segment. This phase will help determine the most popular car in each category. Community choices account for 50%, and the selections made by the entire panel of judges make up the other 50%.

At the end of Phase 1, the judges will select the new car models launched in 2024 from the leading cars in each segment for Phase 2.

In Phase 2, from January 5 to 8, 2025, the judges will score each chosen model according to the eight scoring criteria. The model with the highest score will be crowned the 2025 CAR OF THE YEAR. Additionally, based on scores given for specific criteria, the judges will consider other titles such as Impressive Car, Green Car, Safe Car, or Economically Efficient Car of the Year…

The eight scoring criteria are as follows:

Exterior Design

Interior Design and Materials

Performance and Driving Feel

Safety

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Impact

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Comfort and Convenience

Innovation

The 14 car segments are:

UNIQUE DISPLAY AND TEST DRIVE SPACE AT TASCO MALL

The northern region’s test drive event was held in the outdoor space of Hanoi’s leading shopping center, Tasco Mall, located at 7-9 Nguyen Van Linh, Long Bien. An area of over 1,000 square meters was dedicated to the event, including a stage for the announcement ceremony, a display area for six car brands (Volvo, Lynk & Co, Subaru, Omoda, Honda, and GAC), and a 1,000-square-meter parking lot for the 30 test drive cars.

The test drive route was secured by security personnel and had separate lanes and entrances to ensure a smooth and safe driving experience.

Additionally, the Tasco Mall management team promoted the event through large LED screens at the entrance and advertising screens inside the mall.

Tasco Mall has been a daily destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment, offering exciting experiences to over six million visitors annually for the past 12 years. It is particularly known as an automotive hub in Hanoi, housing showrooms of popular brands like Volvo, Lynk & Co, Toyota, and the pre-owned car trading center Carpla.

Besides providing customers with a shopping experience, Tasco Mall also hosts cultural and entertainment events and community activities.

TH (Tuoitrethudo)