Mercedes-Benz C-Class wins 2015 World Car of the Year

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is the best car in the world.

A vote by 75 motoring journalists from 22 countries has awarded the compact prestige car the World Car of the Year award for 2015.

It finished on top of a 24-car field and eventually beat the two other finalists, the Ford Mustang and Volkswagen Passat.

The other big prizes for 2015, Green Car of the Year and Performance Car of the Year, went to the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 and the Mercedes-AMG GT coupe.

The winners were announced at the New York Motor Show today at an event hosted by Bridgestone Corporation and Autoneum at the culmination of a six-month voting process.

The C-Class delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.

The awards are in their 11th year and previous winners include the Audi A6, BMW 3 Series, Lexus LS460 and Volkswagen Golf, Polo and Up.

To be eligible for the overall World Car award, candidate cars must have become available for sale on at least two continents between January 1, 2014 and May 31, 2015.

The WCOTY wins by Mercedes-Benz follow its victories in the Green Car contest in 2007 with the E320 Bluetec and 2012 with the S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and its Luxury Car success with the S Class in 2014.

“We are extremely delighted of winning the honour of World Car of the Year,” says the chairman of Daimler, Dr Dieter Zetsche.

The WCOTY victory follows a similar success for the C-Class in the CarsGuide Car of the Year award.

The WCOTY judging panel says: “Taking its design and technological cues from the S-Class, the C-Class employs an all-new aluminium/steel hybrid platform and updated rear-drive powertrains that delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.”

WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2015
Overall winner: Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Green Car: BMW i8
Performance Car: Mercedes-AMG GT
Luxury Car: Mercedes-Benz S Coupe
Design: Citroen Cactus

PREVIOUS WORLD COTY WINNERS:
2014: Audi A3
2013: Volkswagen Golf
2012: Volkswagen Up
2011: Nissan Leaf
2010: Volkswagen Polo
2009: Volkswagen Golf
2008: Mazda2
2007: Lexus LS460
2006: BMW 3 Series
2005: Audi A6