Currently reading: Have your say - the best 25 cars of the last 25 years

On impact alone - what car would you say is the most significant of the last 25 years?

We’re a quarter of the way through the 21st Century, and in the last 25 years the car industry – and the cars we drive on the roads – have undergone a dramatic transformation. So for an upcoming special issue of Autocar we’ve decided to celebrate the 25 most significant cars of the past 25 years.

The Autocar team has drawn up a list, featuring one car from every year from 2001 until 2025. We weren’t looking for the best, fastest or biggest-selling: we’ve judged them purely by the impact they had on their firms, the industry and car buyers.

You’ll be able to read our picks in a special Autocar feature in September, but we’re keen to hear what you think the most significant car from the past quarter century is.

Is it the huge-selling Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf? A groundbreaking EV such as the Nissan Leaf or Tesla Model 3? The record-setting Bugatti Veyron or Lotus Evija? A retro comeback hit like the Mini hatch or Fiat 500? Or a high-riding sales smash such as the BMW X5 or Kia Sportage?

Let us know what car you’d pick and why in the comments, and we’ll run some of the best as part of our special feature.

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James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Associate editor

James is Autocar’s associate editor, and has more than 20 years of experience of working in automotive and motorsport journalism. He has been in his current role since September 2024, and helps lead Autocar's features and new sections, while regularly interviewing some of the biggest names in the industry. Oh, and he once helped make Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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Anton motorhead 19 August 2025
The most significant car since 2000? Very hard question, but it has to be a car which has had massive affordable appeal to lots of people. The Quasqai is a relevant guess, and the delectable MX-5 comes to mind as well, but the overall winner must be the Fiesta. Fairly roomy, decently comfortable and inexpensive and yet always fun to drive no matter the vintage. Such a shame it has gone out of production. Well done Ford.
Thekrankis 19 August 2025
Mk 1 Focus for raising the bar for family car ride and handling.

Honda Jazz for setting the standards for ultra reliability.

Toyota Prius for being a proper decent hybrid.

Skoda for making g better cars then VW , cheaper, more reliable and often nicer to drive.

Nissan Quashqai for inventing SUV ( curse you Nissan)

Subaru Impreza for wild fun and top 4wd rally car.

Ford Transit for proving vans can ride and handle beautifully ( don’t mention the wet belt engine )

Tesla for making provocative, almost ( once the novelty has worn off they are dead boring ) fun electric cars