The shortlist for the Semperit Irish Car of the Year 2008 has been announced by the Irish Motoring Writers Association. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on Thursday November 29, 2007.

The finalists are as follows: Fiat Bravo, Ford Mondeo, Kia c'eed, Nissan Qashqai, Renault Laguna

From 42 eligible cars, selection of the final five models was based on factors such as value for money, style, engineering and performance. Members of the Irish Motoring Writers Association cast their votes based on comprehensive testing of all vehicles.

The shortlisted cars cover a range of interests in the market. The Fiat Bravo and Kia c'eed are at the entry level, with the Ford Mondeo and Renault Laguna competing at the larger car level. Nissan's Qashqai is in a different league as a car that combines regular motoring features with the option of a 4x4 system in a relatively compact package. I would expect the Mondeo to be one of the hot favourites; it is an impressive car, with space and features that set it apart in its segment.

Nissan's Qashqai while from a different market segment has been a success with the car buying public for its features and looks so it's expected to be near the top of the league.

Last year's Semperit Irish Car of the Year was the Honda Civic. The Semperit Irish Van of the Year title was awarded to the Mercedes Sprinter. This year marks the 18th year in which Semperit has sponsored the awards.

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