This gathering is unique in the Swiss automotive industry – and this year it will take place for the eleventh time in the TCS driving safety center Betzholz in Hinwil ZH. For the vote for the Swiss Car of the Year 2022 – organized nationwide by Schweizer Illustrierte and its partners AutoScout24, Blick, SonntagsBlick, l’Illustré and Corriere del Ticino – the who’s who of the Swiss car scene will meet on this cloudy October day.
In addition to ex-Sauber team boss and the new jury president Monisha Kaltenborn (50), the racing professionals Nico Müller (29) and Marc Surer (70), environmental experts from EKZ, Empa and VCS, as well as influencers, car experts and specialist journalists from all over Switzerland belong to the 14-member jury. Your task: Choose a favorite from the 15 pre-selected cars that will be chosen as the Swiss Car of the Year 2022 at the big gala on December 6th. What is remarkable about this year’s election: All 15 vehicles are purely electric.
The 15 finalists for the Swiss car of the year 2022
Audi E-Tron GT
BMW i4
Cupra Born
Dacia Jump
Fiat 500e
ford Mustang Mach-E
Hyundai Ioniq5
Kia EV6
Mercedes EQS
Opel Mocha-e
Renault Mégane E-Tech
Skoda Enyaq IV
Tesla Model Y
Toyota Mirai
VW ID.4
On the day of the test, 15 candidates ran for the “Swiss Car of the Year 2022” election at the TCS test site in Betzholz in Hinwil ZH.
Raoul Schwinnen
Audi E-Tron GT
BMW i4
Cupra Born
Dacia Jump
Fiat 500e
ford Mustang Mach-E
Hyundai Ioniq5
Kia EV6
Mercedes EQS
Opel Mocha-e
Renault Mégane E-Tech
Skoda Enyaq IV
Tesla Model Y
Toyota Mirai
VW ID.4
Enormous range of e-cars
“It reflects the zeitgeist that this election only includes electric vehicles. But they are extremely different and can hardly be compared, which makes the choice very difficult, ”says Monisha Kaltenborn. What the well-known jury president addresses: The range of vehicles to be tested is enormous. For example, the Dacia Spring, the cheapest electric car in Switzerland for less than 19,000 francs, competes directly against the electric S-Class EQS from Mercedes – with a price of at least 137,000 francs and the latest high-tech systems, the new benchmark in the electrical market.
Not only in ex-F1 legend Marc Surer is there a slight despair after the first fast laps on the handling course: “There are a few such great cars here on the field – how should I be fair about which is the best ? » The jury demands everything from the cars in the slalom, talking shop about design, space utilization and multimedia systems.
Renault, VW, Skoda, Kia – or is it Hyundai?
The Renault Mégane E-Tech turned out to be a big surprise on the pitch, which will not be launched on the Swiss market until March 2022, but will still be available to the 14 experts for testing six months earlier. Auto journalist Philipp Aeberli from CH Media says when trying out the compact electric car: “The new operating system is modern and, above all, easy to use. Travel planning with charging stops, for example, is very simple – in other words, the way it should be. “
A further complication for the jury with the abundance of chic, fast and ultra-modern e-cars is that there are also models with the same technical basis at the start, such as the two compact SUVs VW ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq iV from the VW Group or the Korean Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Mathias Huber from Empa says: “The Ioniq 5 is not only very spacious, with its 800-volt technology and fast charging it is revolutionizing the market for electric family cars.”
Baschi likes the Mustang
For singer and Ford brand ambassador Baschi, who is also on site in Hinwil to record a promo video for choosing Switzerland’s favorite car, the favorite is hardly surprising right from the start: “The Mustang Mach-E takes me away without any problems Gig after gig, and then hot again! ”Says the Basel musician with a smile and a reference to one of his greatest hits. “But I am also fascinated by the electrical power of the Mustang Mach-E.”
For the jury of experts, the decision in the quiet room should have been much more difficult. Which of the 15 candidates was voted Swiss Car of the Year 2022 will be revealed at the gala on December 6th. So it remains exciting!