Dear Reader,

The OneShift Car of the Year 2025 has arrived: Our annual celebration of the best cars we've driven and a guide to help you choose your next set of wheels with confidence. Our editorial team has spent the past year test-driving, scrutinising and occasionally bickering over details, all in the name of crowning the finest cars on sale today.

Singapore's car market is shifting gears faster than ever. Electric vehicles (EVs) made up 33.6% of new registrations in 2024, a leap from 18.1% the year before. By the first quarter of 2025, EVs already accounted for 40.2% of all new cars registered, proof that they are no longer a futuristic curiosity but firmly part of everyday motoring. Hybrids, however, are just as much the story. In all of 2024, 210 plug-in hybrids were registered in Singapore; by June 2025, that number had already reached 215, eclipsing the previous year's tally in just half the time.

Together, these figures show that electrification in Singapore isn't just happening; it's accelerating. And crucially, it isn't about one technology replacing another. Instead, internal combustion engines, hybrids and full electrics are coexisting, each offering something unique to the drivers who choose them.

Our judging framework reflects this variety. We continue to assess contenders across the three key powertrains - electric, ICE and hybrid - before categorising them by body style: Hatchback, Sedan, Wagon, Compact SUV, Midsize SUV, Large SUV, MPV, Coupé/Convertible, Crossover and Commercial Vehicle. Within each, cars are further segmented by pricing tiers: Premium, Luxury, High Luxury and Super Luxury. Beyond these, we're awarding standouts in a special category, Highlights.

We hope you'll find this edition of OneShift Car of the Year both insightful and enjoyable. Stay tuned - the winners will be announced this November.