Performance Car of the Year 2025: McLaren Artura
The McLaren Artura is the 2025 Auto Express Performance Car of the Year, with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Porsche 911 commended
Our Performance Car of the Year award goes to the stunning McLaren Artura. It may be the baby of the Woking brand’s supercar line-up, but it’s still hugely clever and very, very talented.
A key element to the Artura’s make-up that sets it apart from the rest of the McLaren range is the plug-in hybrid powertrain. A 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 is paired with an electric motor to deliver 690bhp, yet the car will also drive on electric power alone, which is perfect for silently threading through sleepy villages without disturbing the locals.
But while that powertrain is undoubtedly a highlight, it’s the chassis that won us over even more. Many high-performance cars can be utterly sublime on a warm, dry day, but introduce some rain and they become prickly and unpredictable. Not so the Artura. If anything, we found wet conditions only highlighted its strengths further. Its beautifully balanced chassis and wonderfully communicative steering are even easier to appreciate when grip levels are slightly reduced.
There aren’t many opportunities to explore the limits of such a fast machine on the road, but the Artura is so easy to live with on a daily basis. Key to this is the ride comfort, because McLaren’s chassis engineers have worked wonders to create a car whose body control is so staggering at high speeds, yet can also deliver a relaxing, supple ride. The Artura is genuinely a more comfortable place to be than many family hatchbacks. Then there’s the forward visibility, which is about as good as in any car currently on the market.
The view inside the cabin is pretty great, too, because the McLaren has delivered something of an ergonomic masterclass to further boost its usability. Indeed, whether it’s the interior design, the way it drives at low speeds, or how it feels when you’re exploiting its limits, the Artura is one of the most usable supercars ever created.
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Our choice
- McLaren Artura Spider (£221,500)
The Artura comes in Coupé or Spider forms, but we’d take the latter. Its roof opens in just 11 seconds and at speeds of up to 31mph, plus there’s only a modest 62kg weight penalty compared with the Coupé – a small price to pay for the joys of open-air motoring.
Commended
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Last year’s winner of this category still stands as the only mainstream electric car that we consider a stunning performance model, without the need to add the caveat “for an EV”. That’s because the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N doesn’t bank solely on straight-line speed like many other performance EVs – its phenomenal chassis sets it apart from competitors.
Porsche 911
Another year passes, and even more phenomenal Porsche 911 models join an already stellar range. From the divine GT3 RS-powered S/T to the new hybrid powertrains and the back-to-basics 911 T, every area of the range offers buyers something that’s as thrilling to drive as it is iconic to look at.
See all the winners...
Click on the gallery below to see all the winners of our 2025 New Car Awards...
You can find all the information on our New Car Awards 2025 winners and the reasons why we chose them on the pages below. Just follow the links to read more…
New Car Awards 2025: the winners
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Great leasing deals on the McLaren Artura's rivals
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Porsche 911
Alpine A110
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