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IAF Car of the Year Testing & Review Process

Testing & Review Process

This page explains how shortlisted vehicles are made available for review, how testing is conducted under practical conditions, and how structured observations support the final evaluation process.

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Why practical testing matters

Technical specifications, declared features and launch materials provide only partial insight into vehicle quality. The IAF Car of the Year testing process therefore places strong emphasis on structured observation under realistic operating conditions, where integration quality, usability, consistency and overall execution can be assessed more meaningfully.

This process does not attempt to replace certification, homologation or laboratory-based regulatory testing. Instead, it complements those frameworks by examining how shortlisted vehicles behave in practical driving, everyday use and comparative review contexts.

Vehicle availability for testing

Testing generally takes place after shortlist confirmation. Shortlisted vehicles are expected to be made available through appropriate programme-supported arrangements so that meaningful review can be carried out under comparable conditions.

In practice, this will normally mean that the manufacturer, authorised representative or approved market entity provides access to a suitable vehicle for evaluation. The programme may define reasonable requirements regarding vehicle specification, condition, timing and availability in order to preserve fairness and review quality.

Testing availability principles
  • Testing normally applies to shortlisted vehicles rather than all submitted entries
  • Vehicles should be supplied in a customer-relevant and clearly defined configuration
  • Availability should allow meaningful review rather than brief promotional exposure
  • Where comparable access cannot be achieved, shortlist progression may be affected

Testing phases

Phase 1
Vehicle familiarisation

Evaluators establish first-hand understanding of the vehicle’s layout, controls, ergonomics, visibility and initial usability characteristics.

Phase 2
Practical driving review

Vehicles are reviewed in urban, suburban and mixed-use environments to observe comfort, system behaviour, drivability and daily-use characteristics.

Phase 3
Extended observation

Longer-distance or broader-use review may be used to identify consistency, fatigue-related factors, ride behaviour and the stability of key assistance systems over time.

Phase 4
Comparative review

Findings are considered comparatively across shortlisted vehicles to strengthen consistency, context and relative understanding during the decision process.

What is evaluated during testing

Driving behaviour
  • Throttle, braking and steering response
  • Predictability and driver confidence
  • Ride quality and chassis balance
  • Noise, vibration and harshness characteristics
Usability & comfort
  • Seat comfort and adjustability
  • Cabin ergonomics and control logic
  • Infotainment clarity and distraction implications
  • Storage, access and day-to-day practicality
Safety systems in use
  • Driver assistance behaviour in normal traffic conditions
  • Intervention quality, calibration and false-alert behaviour
  • Clarity of system limits and user understanding
  • Practical ease of enabling, managing or disabling features
Technology integration
  • Software stability and responsiveness
  • Integration across key vehicle systems
  • Coherence of digital and physical interfaces
  • User understanding of advanced functions

Possible testing formats

Depending on the cycle design, programme resources and vehicle availability, testing may be organised through one or more recognised formats. The programme may use a single format or a combined approach where this improves comparability and evaluation quality.

Structured test sessions

Multiple shortlisted vehicles may be reviewed during organised programme sessions designed to support side-by-side familiarity and consistent exposure.

Individual review periods

Vehicles may also be reviewed individually where broader use, route diversity or additional observation time improves understanding.

Combined model

A combined approach may use shared programme sessions for comparison and individual review periods for deeper observation in practical use.

What is not tested

To preserve methodological focus and consistency, certain factors are intentionally excluded from the testing process.

  • Marketing claims, advertising narratives or brand-positioning statements
  • Sales volume, order intake or market-share performance
  • Short-term promotional demonstrations that do not support meaningful review
  • Prototype-only or non-customer features not representative of the reviewed vehicle

Documentation & traceability

Testing observations support, but do not replace, the wider evaluation framework. Relevant findings may be documented in order to support scoring logic, internal consistency and traceability of the decision process.

Where required by the programme, observations may be recorded in structured form so that evaluation outcomes remain grounded in review evidence rather than broad impressions alone.

Explore the programme

About Car of the Year

Purpose and scope of the programme.
Eligibility & Rules

Submission, candidate status and programme conditions.
Jury & Voting

Evaluation structure, voting and decision safeguards.
Evaluation Criteria

Weighted scoring, definitions, and evaluation structure.

Transparency & Governance

Oversight mechanisms and integrity safeguards.

Back to overview

Return to the main programme page.

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