By Mpho Mahlangu
Following an announcement in September 2023 of the 65 vehicles which made the cut for the semi-finalists of the annual awards programme, only 39 vehicles which make up the finalists now remain.
The CarsAwards are aimed at recognising the best vehicles to shop for amongst 13 segments which are representative of what consumers are buying in the new-vehicle market.
Eligibility for the vehicles selected as semi-finalists included those that there available on the local market on September 1, 2023, and not only necessarily new vehicles that had been launched in the previous 12 months.
Managing Director for Cars.co.za Amasi Mwela says, “The CarsAwards underlines Cars.co.za’s commitment to helping our users understand the best way to spend their hard-earned Rands when purchasing new vehicles.
“As new-car prices escalate, it further underlines the need to make educated and informed buying decisions. The CarsAwards brings together the insights of the top motoring experts in the country combined with feedback from real people who drive these vehicles every day to help our users make the best choices for their budget and lifestyle,” adds Mwela.
And with that, the 2023/24 CarsAwards finalists are as follows:
Entry-level Hatch (Priced below R250 000)
- Renault Kiger 1.0 Zen
- Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GL
- Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX
Budget Hatch (R250 000 to R350 000)
- Renault Clio 1.0 Turbo Zen
- Suzuki Baleno 1.5 GLX
- Toyota Starlet 1.5 XR
Compact Hatch (R350 000 to R500 000)
- Honda Fit 1.5 Elegance
- Opel Corsa 1.2T Elegance
- Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI 85kW R-Line
Entry-Level Crossover (R300 000 to R400 000)
- Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 Elite Auto
- Haval Jolion 1.5T Premium
- Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 GLX Manual
Compact Family Car (R400 000 to R500 000)
- Haval Jolion S Super Luxury
- Renault Duster 1.5dCi Intens
- Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 XR
Family Car (R600 000 to R800 000)
- Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max 2.0TGDi 390 Executive
- Haval H6 1.5T HEV Ultra Luxury
- Kia Sportage 1.6CRDi EX
Premium Crossover (R700 000 to R1 million)
- Audi Q3 Sportback 40 TFSI quattro S Line
- BMW X1 sDrive 18d M Sport
- Volvo XC40 B4 Ultimate Dark
Executive SUV (R1 million to R1.3 million)
- BMW X3 xDrive20d M Sport
- Lexus NX 350h F Sport
- Mercedes-Benz GLC220d 4Matic Avantgarde
Premium SUV (R1.3 million to R1.8 million)
- BMW iX xDrive40
- BMW X5 xDrive30d M Sport
- Land Rover Defender 110 D250 SE County
Adventure SUV (R800 000 to R1.2 million)
- Ford Everest 3.0 V6 Wildtrak
- Isuzu MU-X 3.0TD Onyx 4x4
- Toyota Fortuner 2.8GD-6 4x4 VX
Performance Car (Below R1 million)
- Honda Civic Type R
- Toyota GR Corolla Circuit
- Toyota GR Yaris Rally
Leisure Double Cab (Above R800 000)
- Ford Ranger 3.0 V6 EcoBoost Raptor 4WD
- Ford Ranger 3.0 V6 Wildtrak 4WD
- Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 TDI V6 Aventura 4Motion
EV (Below R1.3 million)
- BMW iX1 xDrive30 M Sport
- Ora 03 Super Lux
- Volvo XC40 Twin Motor Ultimate
With 2nd and 3rd of November 2023 earmarked for back-to-back testing by the judging panel at the Gerotek Proving Ground, only time will tell which vehicles in the respective segments reign supreme.
Noteworthy, the judging panel’s scores account for 50% of the final standings. The remaining 50% will be based on rankings that the various vehicle brands represented by the finalists achieved in the Cars.co.za Ownership Satisfaction Survey.
The data compiled from the survey incorporates feedback from thousands of vehicle owners based on their personal experiences of their vehicles, provided that the vehicles had been less than four years old and serviced through franchised outlets.