Earlier this year, Opel’s Astra hatchback took the title of 2017’s Wesbank and SAGMJ Car of the Year. There’s already a new batch of cars lining up for the 2018 title, though, as yesterday the SAGMJ (South African Guild of Motoring Journalists) announced the semi-finalists for the 2018 competition.
In alphabetical order, they are:
- Alfa Romeo Giulia
- Audi Q2
- Audi Q5
- BMW 5 Series (G30)
- Honda BR-V
- Honda CR-V
- Hyundai Creta
- Hyundai Elantra
- Kia Picanto
- Kia Sportage
- Land Rover Discovery 5
- Mini Countryman
- Mitsubishi Pajero Sport
- Nissan Navara
- Peugeot 3008
- Porsche Panamera
- Renault Megane
- Suzuki Baleno
- Suzuki Ignis
- Toyota C-HR
- Volvo S90
The finalists will be announced on the 19th of September, and then after thorough testing at the end of January in 2018, votes will be cast, in secret, and the winner will be announced in March 2018.
The thorough testing will evaluate each individual finalist against its direct rivals, with each car being rated on several aspects including:
- Affordability
- Cabin Styling, Layout, and Ergonomics
- Engine Performance and Technology
- Engineering Integrity and Build Quality
- Exterior Design
- Overall Excellence
- Ride Quality
- Steering and Handling
- New Technology
- Transmission Performance
- Value for Money
So then, who do you peg to make it through to the finalists list? More importantly, who deserves to win?
