Nine electrifying EVs that won in Round 1 face off in a Battle Royale for the title of Overall Best EV.
How Does ACOTY Define This Class?
Price notwithstanding, the Overall Best EV is chosen from the electric vehicles (EVs) that won in Round 1. We counted them. There were nine. Battle Royale indeed. Ding-ding-ding!
Check out their respective Round 1 awards below.
Meet The Contenders
BMW i7 xDrive 60
The BMW i7 xDrive 60 offers so much luxury car for its price. It’s expensive, no doubt, and we appreciate the technology inside that would keep wealthy tech geeks happy for hours on end and is pretty easy to use.
We are especially impressed by how well the i7 drives and rides, and how much of a compelling proposition it has become to the upper crust of society, and this is why it won Best Luxury EV in Round 1.
BMW i4 Gran Coupé eDrive35
The BMW i4 Gran Coupé eDrive35 brings brand cachet and sufficient technology to the table while driving, riding and handling well like a BMW should. Being a unique contender vis-a-vis price in the premium EV market segment sets the BMW i4 Gran Coupé eDrive35 apart from everyone else, and it’s also the most frugal premium EV we’ve tested to date. No surprise then that the i4 clinched Best Premium EV in Round 1.
Hyundai IONIQ 6
The Hyundai IONIQ 6 offers a very compelling price-to-performance ratio in its market segment. From a tech-focused interior to acceleration that can cause one to draw a sharp breath, there is much here that appeals to us.
Throw in the decidedly Saab-esque swooping and quirky aerodynamic exterior design, which likely caused a large leaf blown toward the IONIQ 6 on the highway to go absolutely space-shuttle status skywards upon contact with the front bumper, and it’s not difficult to see why it snaps heads and gets fingers pointing as it drives past. This is why it won Best Cat B EV in Round 1.
BYD Dolphin
The BYD Dolphin may be small in stature but it makes a big impression for sure. It looks bright and cheerful and turns heads as one drives by. It offers a tech-focused interior that’s nice, comfortable and modestly spacious.
Its battery pack offers great range, thanks to how efficient the Dolphin is. Its value-proposition is what won the Dolphin the Best Cat A Hatchback EV award in Round 1.
BYD Atto 3
The BYD Atto 3 is roomy, spacious, comfortable and has an infotainment screen that can be flipped from landscape to portrait and vice-versa. It also has a clean exterior design that will appeal to many.
On the road, the Atto 3 is quiet, comfortable and very energy-efficient with good range. It is also easy to drive and place into parking spots. Not difficult to see why it clinched the title of Best Cat A SUV in Round 1.
MG 4 EV
The MG 4 EV brings sharp and distinct looks to the table. Its tech-focused interior is comfortable, roomy and practical. That it goes like stink and sticks to the road through corners like a leech adds to its charm. Also, it’s rear-wheel driven, which stood out for us car enthusiasts in the judging panel.
It’s also priced attractively, and its value proposition clinched it the title of Best Cat B Hatchback EV in Round 1.
MAXUS MIFA 9
MAXUS, in its first overseas foray, has simply swooped in and swept up the win in the Best MPV EV category in Round 1 with the MIFA 9 Luxury. Now THAT’S a serious statement to make right there. Its price versus standard equipment and how well it performed on the road make this passenger paradise a stonking value proposition.
Volvo XC40 Recharge
The minimalists within us appreciated the clean aesthetic that the Volvo XC40 Recharge brings to the table. Add to that an interior that exudes functionality, practicality and eco-friendly material choices and a battery pack that offers very good real-world range and you have a very compelling package right here in the XC40 Recharge.
Not difficult to see, when combined with its price point why the XC40 Recharge won Best Cat B SUV EV in Round 1.
Opel Vivaro-e
We did say at the beginning that the Overall Best EV is chosen from the electric vehicles (EVs) that won in Round 1. That’s why we must not forget about the Opel Vivaro-e. It is an electric van. Its price, the offering of keyless start and stop, ease of driving and energy efficiency enabled it to clinch the win in the Best Commercial EV category.
So who won?
Nine EVs to choose from! This proved to be a massive headache for the judging panel indeed, but a good one. With the Battle Royale seeing numerous choke slams, body slams, figure-four leg locks and tombstone pile drivers delivered, there was only one left standing when the dust settled. No members of the judging panel were harmed in this process. Neither was any EV.
Where the points tally in Round 1 was the final determinant of each category’s winner, here in Round 2, points are taken into consideration but are not the final arbiter of victory.
AutoApp Car Of The Year Overall Best EV
Hyundai IONIQ 6
| Vehicle | Points Tally | Price Percentile |
| BMW i7 xDrive 60 | 386 | 96 |
| BMW i4 Gran Coupé eDrive35 | 377 | 67 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 6 | 367 | 56 |
| BYD Dolphin | 360 | 11 |
| BYD Atto 3 | 352 | 24 |
| MG 4 EV | 334 | 30 |
| MAXUS MIFA 9 | 326 | 61 |
| Volvo XC40 Recharge | 324 | 55 |
| Opel Vivaro-e | 315 | 3 |
Of the line-up, the Hyundai IONIQ 6 is easily the most desirable EV of the lot. While it didn’t clinch the highest amount of points on the board, its price-to-performance ratio is spot on. Its looks may be polarising but it undoubtedly turns heads. It’s also very spacious on the inside, and one would not be the wiser that they’re in a Hyundai thanks to the dearth of Hyundai logos within.
More on the scoring categories used to derive points in Round 1 here.
Congratulations to the Hyundai IONIQ 6 for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2024 Overall Best EV!
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