Talmyn Car of the Year
An annual pick for the car that made the strongest overall case this year — across design, engineering, and what it's actually like to live with.
What this offers
A real driving-informed feature
We write about what the car is actually like, not a spec sheet with adjectives attached.
All categories welcome
EVs, combustion, hybrids, and every price bracket are eligible for the same recognition.
No manufacturer sign-off needed
Owners, journalists, and enthusiasts can all nominate a car.
No cost to nominate
Free to submit a nomination.
Who this is for
Anyone with a specific, informed case for a car released or significantly updated this year — owners, reviewers, and enthusiasts alike.
How it works
- Nominate a car. Make, model, and the specific case for why it stands out this year.
- An editor reviews available coverage. Independent reviews, owner reports, and specs.
- Strong nominees are featured. Added to the current year's list.
- The year's pick is announced. A full feature on why it won.
Rules & eligibility
- This is free to enter, and always will be — we never charge a submission fee.
- No age, location, industry, or follower-count requirement. Selection is about the work itself, not who you are.
- Submitting doesn't guarantee publication or a reply beyond the automatic confirmation — we get more submissions than we can feature, and we'd rather say that upfront than overpromise.
- One nomination per person or company at a time. If yours isn't selected this round, you're welcome to be nominated again later.
- Selection is editorial, not a public vote — we're not obligated to name a winner every single cycle if nothing meets the bar.
How do I actually apply?
I make the case for a specific car with specific reasons — how it drives, what it does better than its direct competitors, what surprised me about it — not just that it's new or expensive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it cost anything to submit?
No. It's free to submit to Talmyn Car of the Year, and free to be featured if selected. We don't charge for consideration, and we never will.
How long does it take to hear back?
If your nomination is selected, you'll hear from an editor directly. If it isn't, we don't send a rejection notice — the volume we receive makes that impractical.
Can I submit on behalf of someone else?
Only with their knowledge and involvement — we want the real details, and that usually means hearing from the person or team directly.
What happens if I'm not selected?
Nothing gets published without being selected first. Unselected submissions simply aren't used, and you're welcome to submit again later.
Does this run every year?
Yes — Talmyn Car of the Year is evergreen. It runs all year, every year, with no deadline to catch.
Selection is editorial and unpaid on both sides — no one is charged to submit, and no one is paid for work we publish. Talmyn's editorial standards apply the same way here as everywhere else on the site. See can companies pay to appear in Talmyn's rankings or awards for the full answer.
Submit
Current nominees
The first entries are being reviewed now — check back soon, or be one of the first to submit yours below.