ICOTY 2025: Mercedes-Benz E-Class Clinches Premium Car Title; BMW 5 Series, Kia Carnival Finish Close Behind
ICOTY 2025: The Mahindra Thar Roxx emerged as the Indian Car of the Year, while the MG Windsor earned the Green Car of the Year title.
By Reetika Bhatt
ICOTY 2025: The much-anticipated results of the latest Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) awards have been announced, following a rigorous evaluation process by a distinguished panel of automotive journalists. Winners across all three prestigious categories – Indian Car of the Year, Premium Car of the Year, and Green Car of the Year – have been unveiled. The Mahindra Thar Roxx emerged as the Indian Car of the Year, while the MG Windsor earned the Green Car of the Year title.
The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class won the coveted Premium Car of the Year award, with the BMW 5 Series and Kia Carnival being recognised as the first and second runners-up, respectively. Other competing contenders included the BMW M5, Mercedes-Benz EQS, Mini Cooper S, BMW i5, and the BYD Seal. The jury, comprising Dhruv Behl, Chairman of ICOTY and Founder/Editor-in-Chief of autoX, and Ishan Raghava, Secretary of ICOTY and Managing Editor at autoX, brought their extensive expertise to the selection process, identifying the standout vehicles that advanced to the final round of this esteemed competition.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Key Specifications
The redesigned E-Class boasts an eye-catching exterior, featuring a prominent grille with a 3D emblem and advanced LED headlights. It also showcases smooth, flush door handles and elegant 18-inch wheels. At the rear, new LED taillights incorporate the iconic three-pointed star motif, complemented by a chrome-trimmed bumper. Customers can select from five exterior colour options: High Tech Silver, Polar White, Graphite Grey, Nautic Blue, and Obsidian Black.
Also Read: ICOTY 2025: MG Windsor EV Named Green Car of the Year; BMW i5, BYD Seal Finish as Runners-up
The E-Class is offered in two variants: the petrol-powered E 200 and the diesel-powered E 220d. The E 200 is equipped with a 1,999cc four-cylinder turbocharged engine, delivering 201bhp and 320Nm of torque. The E 220d features a 1,950cc four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 194bhp and 440Nm of torque. Both variants come with a 48V mild-hybrid system, which includes an integrated starter generator, providing an additional 23bhp and 205Nm of torque for up to 30 seconds. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The interior of the E-Class boasts a revamped dashboard, featuring a 14.4-inch central infotainment display and a 12.2-inch digital instrument cluster. Additionally, a distinctive 12.3-inch screen is available for the front passenger. Other notable features include a Burmester 4D surround sound system, a selfie camera, a panoramic sunroof, four-zone climate control, and wireless charging pads for front and rear passengers.
ICOTY 2025: Jury Members
This year's ICOTY jury consisted of 21 members - Dhruv Behl (autoX, Chairman), Ishan Raghava (autoX), Yogendra Pratap (Auto Today), Dipayan Dutta (Auto Today), Aspi Bhathena (Car India), Joshua Varghese (Car India), Sirish Chandran (Evo India), Aatish Mishra (Evo India), Pablo Chaterji (Motoring World), Kartik Ware (Motoring World), Kranti Sambhav (Overdrive), Rohit Paradkar (Overdrive), Vikrant Singh (Carwale), Arpit Mahendra (TOI Auto), Ameya Dandekar (Cardekho/Zigwheels), Kushan Mitra (The Print), Abhay Verma (Turbocharged), Cyrus Dhabhar (Powerdrift), Bob Rupani, Ashish Masih (Times Drive), Sagar Bhanushali (Carwale).
