21 cars later and 2025 is all but done. It’s been another great year, filled with outstanding cars and some memorable drives. One question that often pops up is: “what’s the best car you’ve driven?” Well, this round up is an answer to that question. I keep a separate list of all the cars I’ve been lucky enough to review. Within it, I rate each one out of 10. TLE’s car of the year 2025 features all the 10/10 cars and picks out one which dialled things up to 11.
Not all the cars featured here were launched in 2025, this is simply a run through of the 10/10 cars that I’ve driven this year. Some have been available for a couple of years at least, but their greatness endures. At least in my eyes.
This list is also heavily driven by sentiment and subjectivity. These are the cars that I really gelled with, which spoke loudest to me. From hot hatch B-road blasts to long-legged GTs, we’ve covered quite the spectrum of cars this year.
One point to note is that there are no EVs on the list. I only highlight this because there were a couple that came very close. It feels like EVs have taken a significant step in the right direction in recent times, becoming more appealing, easier to use and, simply put, better at being cars.
There are, however, three hybrids on the list. If nothing else, this demonstrates the value of electrification and the enjoyment in can bring. If you’d said to me when I first drove hybrid cars that they’d be among my absolute favourites a few years later, I’d have questioned your sanity. But here we are. Saving the planet and enjoying ourselves. Or something like that…
TLE’s car of the year 2025 – the contenders
Here are the six outstanding cars I drove in 2025. To read the full review of each, simply click on the sub-heading. The list is in chronological order, with the winner crowned at the end. Of course, there was more to our automotive reviews in 2025 than the crem de la crem. Click here for everything else. And click here for 2024’s car of the year.
Toyota GR Yaris
The second generation Toyota GR Yaris had significant shoes to fill. It’s fair to say that it filled them all right. The same recipe is here: a Yaris, a firecracker of an engine and the might of Gazoo Racing’s engineering know how. They’ve even ironed out one or two minor irritations from the first generation, such as being able to see out of it.
The GR Yaris gave me one of my favourite drives of the year. A clear October night, a super moon illuminating the Surrey Hills and that rarest of things, a completely empty road. It was as close to perfection as you could wish for, running the manual ‘box through the gears, late braking, trusting the traction and steering. Who doesn’t want to feel like Tommi Makinen for 15 minutes?! It was bliss.
Audi RS6 GT
£177,000 for an Audi estate?! Oh for fu… prices are getting out of hand. Hang on, let’s give it a drive first. Could this thing possibly be justifying its price tag? It drives with the precision of a hot hatch and the performance of a super car. But then you can get your family and a couple of dogs in it. Then there’s the aggressive, 80s racing livery inspired paintwork. And a V8, that’s important to note.
This is a staggeringly good car. In fact, it has no business being this good. As a farewell to the internal combustion engined RS6 lineage, it is one of the most fitting farewells imaginable. The RS6 has long been king of the fast estates and the RS6 GT is a love letter to it. It does everything you could possibly want a car to do.
Ferrari Roma Spider
The Ferrari Roma coupe made this list in 2024. Sometimes, chopping the roof off doesn’t translate to the best driving experience. As an example, I’d take the Aston Martin DB12 coupe over the volante. Ferrari, however, absolutely nailed it with the Roma Spider. Not only does it look superb, but the spider is a fraction better than the coupe.
Lifting the lid brings you closer to the elements and lets more of that V8 soundtrack reverberate through the cabin. There’s also a delightful duality to the experience of driving the Roma Spider. One minute you can be cruising along, basking in the elements. The next you can flick the manettino round to race and give supercars something to think about. Living la nuova dolce vito (that’s from the marketing bumf) indeed.
McLaren Artura Spider
The first of the hybrids, the Artura Spider might as well be called something completely different to its initially launched coupe sibling. McLaren has really tightened it up and the folding hard top version is almost indistinguishable from its forebear.
The electrically assisted V6 also provides plenty of theatre. And power. Boy, is there power. It’s perhaps the handling dynamics which really set the Artura Spider apart, through. As always, the steering provided by McLaren is class leading. It involves you on any drive at any speed. Then there’s the traction this car finds. You can just throw it into bends and it never wavers from its convictions. It is also surprisingly usable on the day-to-day. There are practicalities, but really you’ll only take it out to marvel at how it gets round roundabouts then flies away up the road.
Lamborghini Revuelto
The second of the hybrids, really, you’re here for the V12 which redlines at 9500rpm. The Revuelto, however, can almost be defined by its numbers. 1015bhp and 807Nm of torque, 0-60mph in 2.48secs and 0-100mph in 4.8secs. If that sounds absolutely mental, that’s because it is, in the most glorious of ways.
Despite the madness, the Revuelto is an entirely approachable proposition. You can get in and out of it easily, the infotainment system is decent and you can see out of it. This hasn’t always been the case with Lamborghinis. In fact, so good is the Revuelto, you’re hard pressed to find anything to dislike at all. It starts in electric mode, but the V12 explodes into life behind you when you call for it. It sounds sensational. Then you find an empty stretch of tarmac and it somehow manages to exceed your already lofty expectations. It’s every bit as good as you’re imagining it to be. And then some.
Bentley Continental GTC Speed
Few cars nail their brief so spectacularly as the Bentley Continental GTC Speed. The Continental is, arguably, the definitive modern GT, so this fourth-generation model needed to be brilliant. And it is. Similarly to the Roma Spider, there’s a wonderful duality to the experience. It will cruise along silently in EV mode, then clear its throat and attack the road with great gusto when you command.
Another hybrid, it combines battery and V8 imperceptibly. It’s a stunningly good hybrid system. Then the V8 really makes itself heard via the Akrapovic exhaust system. I said that if you could drive silk, this is what it would be like. The big Conti just glides across the road and I never really wanted to get out. Heated steering wheel, arm rests, seats and neck warmers even meant that the roof was off at every opportunity in late November. My youngest son insisted we remove it on one drive to nursery despite the outside temperature being -1°C. No drama for the Bentley, we were nice and toasty, free to enjoy the sunny morning.
TLE’s car of the year 2025 – the winner
Much like last year’s winner, the mighty McLaren 750S, this year’s winner had the knack of being absolutely ballistic yet strangely amiable. From settling into a comfortable motorway cruise to absolutely blowing your hair back on a B-road, it never failed to impress. One drive in particular stood out, snaking north from Haslemere along the A286. My friend and I (hi, Alex!) were locked in total silence, enjoying the V12 in all its redline-chasing glory, with momentary conversation as I flicked back into EV mode for each village we silently slunk through. The winner of our 2025 car of the year is: the Lamborghini Revuelto.
I loved everything about this car. It looks outlandish, as a Lamborghini should. It sounds outlandish, as a Lamborghini should. Then they’ve refined the cabin and the driving experience to make this the gold standard of modern day supercars.
Perhaps counterintuitively, hybridisation suits the Revuelto. The ability to creep away silently is welcome. In its predecessor, the Aventador, a neighbour who lives 10-doors down from me commented that she heard me leaving one morning at 06:30. The Revuelto retains the decibels but only when you want them. Granted, that’s most of the time, but being able to keep the peace is a good thing.
Everything, however, fades into insignificance one you’ve planted your right foot. There’s nothing like the surge of power of you experience as this thing flings you towards the horizon. Life comes at you very fast indeed in the Lamborghini Revuelto. You barely have time to swear as it pins you back, the V12 braces for action and the mayhem ensues.
This is absolutely the best of Lamborghini. It’s also absolutely the best of 2025.
Thank you!
I hope you’ve enjoyed our car reviews throughout the year. Stick with us in 2026 for more independent reviews, we’ve got plenty coming up!
A final thank you to all the manufacturers and PR folk who make these reviews possible. I’m eternally grateful that you trust me with your cars.