For the 2025 Awards, we’ve had a bit of a reorganisation. In the mid-sized family vehicle segment, the line between ‘car’ and ‘SUV’ has become so blurred that it’s effectively pointless. So we’ve grouped them together.
Instead, we’ve separated medium cars into mainstream and premium as that tends to better reflect how real-world car buyers look for their next vehicle. The badge and feature list tend to be more important than the body style, although customers are overwhelmingly choosing SUV-style cars instead of conventional hatchback/saloon/estate models – even if they’re no more practical and no more spacious (and have zero off-roading capabilities).
The premium category is inevitably smaller than the mainstream category, and there was inevitably debate about where to draw the line between mainstream and premium. In the end, the eligible cars this year were:
- Maserati Grecale Folgore
- Mini Countryman
- Mini Countryman Electric
- Polestar 3
- Polestar 4
- Porsche Macan Electric
Our awards recognise both the best new models launched over the last 12 months and the best overall cars in each category – because newest doesn’t always mean best.
- Best and worst medium cars – the complete index
- Best and worst medium SUVs/crossovers – the complete index
Best new premium medium car and class champion: Porsche Macan Electric (79%)
It’s been more than 20 years since Porsche first pushed beyond its sports car boundaries with the Cayenne, and over the last two decades it has steadily broadened its model range to cover more and more premium car buyers who don’t need or want a two-seat (or two-and-a-bit seats) sports car. The new Macan Electric is the company’s second electric offering after the highly-rated Taycan.
Reviewers have raved about the Porsche Macan Electric’s driving dynamics, with every model receiving fulsome praise. As it did with the Taycan, Porsche has used the fundamental differences of an EV to build a better car, rather than simply a different one.
The Macan Electric is a new premium benchmark for the rest of the industry to chase.
- Porsche Macan Electric (2024 onwards) – Expert Rating
- More Porsche Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features
Class champion, petrol/diesel: BMW 3 Series (84%)
It might be approaching retirement age, but the current BMW 3 Series is the mid-size car reviewers rate highest for anyone who wants to stick with an internal combustion engine. The 3 Series has long been the dynamic benchmark for small-to-medium saloons, and the current model has the refinement to match all but the best EVs.
The BMW 3 Series has been the petrol/diesel class champion for the last three years and comfortably retains that title this year.
