The ceremonies may have taken place digitally this year, but BMW’s joy in receiving a number of prestigious awards for its current range of models, design philosophy and technology was very real despite the switch to virtual. The Munich-based premium carmaker earned praise once again in 2020 both in Germany and abroad with an array of title wins and top rankings in expert assessments and public votes.
These distinctions ranged from awards for new models and prizes for BMW’s current design language, its latest technological innovations and its brand presence, to special accolades recognising the brand’s exceptional quality, reliability, safety and customer satisfaction record.
The models crowned by specialist publications, market observers, other institutions and readers’ polls as the best vehicles of the year for 2020 span the full breadth of the brand’s product range, from the compact class to the luxury segment. Added to which, the worldwide spread of awards endorses the “Power of Choice” approach with which the BMW Group has addressed the mobility needs of customers around the globe. The latest BMW models with electrified drive systems, the brand’s vehicles powered by conventional combustion engines and the high-performance cars from BMW M GmbH all made a compelling case for themselves with their characteristic driving pleasure and advanced technology.
Winning efficiency: BMW models with electrified drive systems.
BMW’s success in 2020 again underscores its leading position as a maker of vehicles with electrified drive systems. Among the brand’s biggest winners was the BMW 330e Sedan (fuel consumption, combined: 1.8 – 1.5 l/100 km [156.9 – 188.3 mpg imp]; electric power consumption, combined: 14.8 – 13.9 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions, combined: 41 – 35 g/km). In Germany, the plug-in hybrid model was presented with the “Goldenen Lenkrad” by “Auto Bild” and “Bild am Sonntag” and the “Auto Trophy” by “Auto Zeitung”. Back at the start of the year, British magazine “What Car?” had named the BMW 330e Sedan “Best Executive Car” and “Best Plug-in-Hybrid”, and added an “Electric Car Award” to the collection in August 2020. The plug-in hybrid also earned the “Best Company Car” prize from both “Autocar and “Parkers” magazine.
Another “Electric Car Award” from “What Car?” went to the BMW X5 xDrive45e (fuel consumption, combined: 2.1 – 1.6 l/100 km [134.5 – 176.6 mpg imp]; electric power consumption, combined: 25.2 – 23.5 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions, combined: 47 – 37 g/km), which was also named “Best Large Premium SUV” by “Auto Express” magazine and “Best Large Plug-in-Hybrid” by online portal “Car Buyer”. Meanwhile, “Car Buyer” handed the title of “Best Large Company Car” to the BMW 530e Sedan (fuel consumption, combined: 1.9 – 1.7 l/100 km [148.7 – 166.2 mpg imp]; electric power consumption, combined: 14.9 – 13.8 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions, combined: 43 – 39 g/km).
The purely electrically powered BMW iX3 (fuel consumption, combined: 0.0 l/100 km; electric power consumption, combined: 17.8 – 17.5 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions, combined: 0 g/km) claimed its first awards in China, where the locally emission-free Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) has been produced by the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture for a few months now. The national publications “miaodongche30”, “Auto World”, “sohu.com” and “zhongshulaila” rated the BMW iX3 as the new arrival of the year against the other electric vehicles on sale in China.
Outstanding driving pleasure in the compact segment.
Several BMW models in the premium compact segment earned international recognition in 2020. The new BMW 1 Series was given the title of “Premium Lower Medium Car of the Year” by British publication “Company Car Today” and also won a “Great British Fleet Award” (likewise in the UK) as the “Best Lower Medium Fleet Car”. In the “Used Car of the Year Awards” conducted by “What Car?”, the previous-generation BMW M140i was voted “Best Used Hot Hatch” of the year.
At the “Festival Automobile International” for 2020 in France, it was a new vehicle concept for the compact segment that stole the show: the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé was anointed the “Most Beautiful Car of the Year”.
Heading for success around the world: the new BMW 3 Series and BMW 4 Series.
The latest run of success for the BMW 3 Series began in February 2020 with class victory in the “Best Cars 2020” competition held by German motoring magazine “auto, motor und sport”. This was followed later in the year by the “Auto Trophy” awarded by “Auto Zeitung” magazine, a “sport auto Award” for the BMW 330i Sedan (fuel consumption, combined: 6.0 – 5.6 l/100 km [47.1 – 50.4 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions, combined: 138 – 129 g/km) and BMW 330i Touring (fuel consumption, combined: 6.3 – 5.9 l/100 km [44.8 – 47.9 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions, combined: 144 – 134 g/km).
The BMW 3 Series collected further prizes in the UK, including the “Safety Award” from “What Car?”, the “Great British Fleet Award” as “Best New Fleet Car”, the “Car of the Year” distinction bestowed by “Company Car Today” and the “Most Loved Car” title from online portal “Auto Trader”. In Spain, meanwhile, the magazine “El Economista” rated BMW 3 Series Sedan as “Best Sedan” of the year.
Further afield, the BMW 3 Series picked up a pair of awards in a competition held by the Chinese offshoot of “auto, motor und sport”. As well as being voted “Best Locally Produced Middle Class Sedan”, it also took the overall honours as “Best Middle Class Sedan”. The “autohome.com” and “Gasgoo.com” portals added to the awards amassed by the BMW 3 Series. The new BMW 4 Series also notched up some notable successes in China, winning the “Fashion Award” offered by the publication “Autolooke” and the “Design of the Year” title from “Auto World”. It was also voted the new arrival of the year by the portal “163.com” and the “Most Popular Imported Car of the Year” by “cheyiquan” magazine. Plus, the “ZAKER” portal presented the BMW 4 Series with the “Premium Sports Car of the Year” accolade.
More awards for the new BMW 5 Series range.
The BMW 5 Series also added to its sizeable collection of trophies and titles. In the “Best Cars 2020” rankings compiled by “auto, motor und sport”, the 5 Series took its third victory in a row. “What Car?” handed the BMW 5 Series its “Best Luxury Car” honour and identified the BMW 5 Series Touring as the “Best Used Estate Car” and “Best Used Tow Car”. Further evidence that the BMW 5 Series has become an even more appealing proposition following its latest model update came with victory in the “Auto Trophy” presented by Germany’s “Auto Zeitung”, the “Best Executive Car” title in the contest held by British magazine “BusinessCar” and the “Connected Car of the Year” prize at the “Automobile Awards 2020” in France.
In China, the BMW 5 Series was voted “Best Locally Produced Executive Car” by the local edition of “auto, motor und sport” and the “Best Middle Class Premium Vehicle” by the magazine “We-cars”. Another three national awards went to the long-wheelbase version of the BMW 5 Series Sedan developed exclusively for the Chinese market.
Luxury-segment BMW models enjoy international success.
BMW’s current range of luxury-segment models have snapped up some major international awards. Chinese portal “shujincm” named the BMW 8 Series luxury sports car “Selected Premium Car 2020”. And the 8 Series also won a “Luxury Cars in Quality” prize at the “J.D Power Awards” in the US.
The sumptuous BMW X7 SAV tasted success in the “Best User Experiences 2020” competition held by US magazine “Wards”. The X7 was also crowned “Premium SUV of the Year” by Chinese portal “iauto-ilife”.
International awards for BMW X models in all segments.
The worldwide popularity of the BMW X models was likewise reflected in numerous title wins decided by juries and readers in 2020. British magazine “BusinessCar” lauded the BMW X1 as “Best Premium Medium SUV”. The BMW X3 won the “Auto Trophy” from Germany’s “Auto Zeitung” in its class, as well as the “Best Medium SUV” prize from Spanish newspaper “El País”, France’s “Automobile Award 2020” as “SUV of the Year” and the title “Best Locally Produced SUV and Off-Road Vehicle” from “auto, motor und sport” in China.
The BMW X5 was anointed “Best Big SUV” by “El País”, “Best SUV of the Year” in China by the “autoreport.cn/yiche.com” portal and “Best Buy Award 2020” in der category “Mid-Size Luxury SUV” by US magazine “Kelly Blue Book”. Staying in the USA, the BMW X6 was a double winner in the “J.D Power Awards”: the Sports Activity Coupé was successful in the categories “Luxury Cars in Quality” and “Best SUV to Buy in 2020”. Added to which, the Spanish edition of German motoring magazine “Auto Bild” ranked the BMW X6 as “Best SUV” of the year.
BMW M cars on a winning run worldwide.
The current crop of BMW M cars also powered their way impressively to the top step of the podium several times over the course of 2020. Readers of German magazine “Auto Bild Sportscars” named the BMW M2 CS (fuel consumption, combined: 10.4 – 9.4 l/100 km [27.2 – 30.1 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions, combined: 238 – 214 g/km) as their favourite car in its class. British magazine “Evo” rated the special-edition model as its “Car of the Year”. And the BMW M2 Competition (fuel consumption, combined: 10.0 – 9.2 l/100 km [28.3 – 30.7 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions, combined: 227 – 209 g/km) was the standout model in its class at the “sport auto Awards”.
Also celebrating class victory in the “sport auto Awards” was the BMW M340i xDrive Sedan (fuel consumption, combined: 7.0 – 6.6 l/100 km [40.4 – 42.8 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions, combined: 161 – 152 g/km) and the BMW M340i xDrive Touring (fuel consumption, combined: 7.2 – 6.9 l/100 km [39.2 – 40.9 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions, combined: 166 – 157 g/km). Plus the BMW X6 M Competition (fuel consumption, combined: 13.1 l/100 km [21.6 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions, combined: 301 g/km) tasted success in the “Best Interiors” contest hosted by “Wards” magazine. In the UK, meanwhile, the car savants at “Top Gear” magazine had an eye on the future. They are already looking forward to the new BMW M3 Sedan (fuel consumption, combined: 10.8 l/100 km [26.2 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions, combined: 248 g/km) and declared the new generation of the high-performance sports car to be the “Car we’re most looking forward to driving in 2021”.
The most important awards for BMW in 2020 at a glance:
Awards presented by “auto, motor und sport”
“Best Cars”:
BMW 3 Series (Category: Midsize)
BMW 5 Series (Category: Executive)
Award presented by “Auto Bild” and “Bild am Sonntag”
“Das Goldene Lenkrad”:
BMW 330e Sedan (Category: Midsize and Executive-class Plug-in
Hybrid Vehicles)
Award presented by “Auto Bild Sportscars”
“Sportscars des Jahres”:
BMW M2 CS (Category: Series-produced Small and Compact Cars)
Awards presented by “Auto Zeitung”
“Auto Trophy”:
BMW 3 Series (Category: Midsize)
BMW 5 Series (Category: Executive)
BMW X3 (Category: SUVs 25,000 – 50,000 euros)
BMW 330e Sedan (Category: Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles)
BMW brand (Category: Best Design)
BMW brand (Category: Best Brand)
Awards presented by “sport auto”
“sport auto Award”:
BMW 330i (Category: Sedans/Estates up to 50,000 euros)
BMW M340i xDrive (Category: Sedans/Estates up to 75,000 euros)
BMW M2 Competition (Category: Coupés up to 75,000 euros)
BMW Z4 sDrive30i (Category: Convertibles/Roadsters up to
50,000 euros)
Awards presented by “What Car?” (GB)
“Car of the Year”:
BMW 330e (Category: Executive Car)
BMW 330e (Category: Plug-in Hybrid)
BMW 5 Series (Category: Luxury Car)
BMW 3 Series (Category: Safety)
“Electric Car Awards”:
BMW 330e (Category: Hybrid Executive Car)
BMW X5 xDrive45e (Category: Hybrid Luxury SUV)
“Used Car of the Year Awards”:
BMW 5 Series Touring (Category: Used Tow Car)
BMW 5 Series Touring (Category: Used Estate Car)
BMW M140i (Category: Used Hot Hatch)
Award presented by “Auto Express” (GB)
“New Car Award”:
BMW X5 xDrive45e (Category: Large Premium SUV)
Award presented by “Autocar (GB)
“Autocar Award”:
BMW 330e (Category: Company Car)
Award presented by “Evo” (GB)
“Car of the Year”:
BMW M2 CS
Award presented by “Top Gear” (GB)
“Car of the Year”:
BMW M3 Sedan (Category: Car we’re most looking forward
to driving in 2021)
Award presented by “Festival Automobile International” (FR)
“Most Beautiful Car of the Year”:
BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé
Award presented by “Service Academy, Ipsos and Trusteam Finance” (FR)
“Customer Excellence Award”:
BMW Group France
Award presented by “El Economista” (ES)
“Car of the Year”:
BMW 3 Series (Category: Sedan)
Award presented by “Auto Bild” (ES)
“Car of the Year”:
BMW X6 (Category: SUV)
Awards presented by “El País” (ES)
“Car of the Year”:
BMW X3 (Category: Medium SUV)
BMW X5 (Category: Big SUV)
Awards presented by “auto, motor und sport” (CN)
“Car of the Year”:
BMW 3 Series (Category: Middle Class Sedan)
BMW 3 Series (Category: Locally Produced Middle Class Sedan)
BMW 5 Series (Category: Locally Produced Executive Car)
BMW X3 (Category: Locally Produced SUV and Offroad Vehicle)
Award presented by “autohome” (CN)
“Car of the Year”:
BMW 3 Series (Category: Most Anticipated New Premium Vehicle)
Award presented by “autoreport.cn/yiche.com” (CN)
“Best SUV of the Year”:
BMW X5
Award presented by “163.com” (CN)
“Car of the Year”:
BMW 4 Series
Awards presented by “Auto World” (CN)
“Ten Best Cars”:
BMW iX3
BMW 4 Series (Category: Design)
Award presented by “Sohu.com” (CN)
“Best NEV Vehicle Launched in Auto Show”:
BMW iX3
Awards presented by “J.D. Power” (US)
“J.D. Power Awards”:
BMW 8 Series (Category: Luxury Cars in Quality)
BMW X6 (Category: Luxury Cars in Quality)
BMW X6 (Category: Best SUV to buy in 2020)
Awards presented by “Wards” (US)
“Best Interiors 2020”:
BMW X6 M Competition
“Best User Experiences 2020”:
BMW X7
Award presented by “Kelly Blue Book” (US)
“Best Buy Awards 2020”:
BMW X5 (Category: Midsize Luxury SUV)
