Ford Focus Favored to Be Named 2019 Car of the Year in Europe

• Ford Focus is poised to win its second ECOTY honor
• The current Focus edition is a massive hit with European drivers and critics
• Peugeot and Citroen are the biggest threat to Focus on ECOTY odds

After failing to make the cut in each of the past three years, Ford Motor Company has returned to the list of finalists for European Car of the Year, with the Ford Focus leading the way as the favorite to drive home this year’s award at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, sporting short +250 odds.

Odds to Win 2019 European Car of the Year

Ford Focus Garnering Accolades Across Europe

Promoted as the “most advanced” edition of the brand to hit European roads upon its introduction in April 2018, the nominated model of the Ford Focus has been a hit with European car buyers, with 42,100 vehicles reportedly sold through the end of November 2018.

The Ford Focus has  won over the critics, picking up Car of the Year honors in both Croatia and Finland

The Ford Focus has also won over the critics, with the vehicle picking up Car of the Year honors in both Croatia and Finland among the dozen awards it has garnered across Europe. Industry accolades are nothing new for the Focus. Just one year after the first models rolled off the assembly line, the Focus MK1 earned the 1999 European Car of the Year award, and was also among the ECOTY finalists in 2005 and 2012.

Europe Loves The New Ford Focus https://t.co/vSig2rVGsv pic.twitter.com/xOpIrUhe3z

— FordAuthority (@FordAuthority) December 27, 2018

However, Ford will face stiff competition in the race to win this year’s European Car of the Year award from a pair of French-designed vehicles. The Peugeot 508 sits as a close second favorite to the Focus, sporting +275 odds, while the Citroen C5 Aircross rounds out the front of the pack as a +300 bet.

Peugeot 508 European Sales in Steep Decline

A mid-sized family car, the Peugeot 508 was a hit upon its debut in 2011, garnering multiple international awards including Spain’s Car of the Year for 2011. However, the 508 has seen a steady decline in European sales volume in recent years, tumbling from its peak of over 85,000 units in 2011, to just over 9000 of the current “Limited Edition” model in the first 10 months of 2018.

#automotive #peugeot #508 The new PEUGEOT 508 wins the Design award from Automotive News Europe. https://t.co/ww4lqPtVY9 pic.twitter.com/XBpDMJ2qB0

— lulopdotcomglobal (@lulopdotcomglob) October 3, 2018

However, the 508 has received kudos for its sleek design, earning the 2018 Eurostar Design award from the industry publication Automotive News Europe.

Citroen Remains Perennial Contender with C5 Aircross

Citroen appears on the list of ECOTY finalists for a third straight year with its C5 Aircross. The Citroen C5 was first introduced to the market in 2001, with the Aircross edition making its debut at the 2018 Paris Motor Show, and subsequently generating 1500 orders across Europe.

New Citroën C5 Aircross SUV shortlisted for 2019 Car of the Year award https://t.co/Q1BJbXsn1z

— Automotive World (@automotiveworld) November 27, 2018

While the C5 Aircross is new to the road, Citroen has been a perennial contender for European Car of the Year honors, with one of the company’s brands cracking the list of finalists in 14 of the past 18 years. The French-based automaker has claimed the ECOTY award on three occasions, but has failed to pick up a win since 1990.

Further down the odds to win European Car of the Year, the Jaguar I-Pace lags at +500, ahead of the Alpine A110 at +600, and the Kia Ceed at +800, while Mercedes-Benz trails in its bid to win its first award since 1974, with the A-Class pegged as a distant +1100 longshot.