After announcing a list of 21 semi-finalists for the 2018 WesBank and South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) Car of the Year competition, the guild yesterday announced a list of 10 finalists that will be taking part in the evaluation process in January 2018. The 26 member Car of the Year jury voted to narrow the list down from an original list of 35 eligible vehicles.
The 10 finalists, in alphabetical order, are:
- ALFA ROMEO GIULIA
- AUDI Q5
- BMW 5 SERIES
- KIA PICANTO
- LAND ROVER DISCOVERY
- PEUGEOT 3008
- PORSCHE PANAMERA
- SUZUKI IGNIS
- TOYOTA C-HR
- VOLVO S90
In late January 2018, the manufacturers of the aforementioned vehicle ranges will nominate the derivative that they feel best represents the entire model line-up. From there, the jury will evaluate the finalists over several days of testing. Specific criteria have been set aside for evaluation, including aesthetics, build quality, ergonomics, fuel consumption, environmental friendliness, safety features and value for money.
The winner of the 2018 WesBank Car of the Year will be announced at a banquet on the 13th of March 2018.
As for our predictions, the Alfa Romeo Giulia is an exceptional sports sedan that has a strong chance. But the Peugeot 3008 has already won the European Car of the Year title in 2017 and has a very strong chance. But our pick for the 2018 COTY title is the Volvo S90. Following the Volvo XC90’s win last year, the S90 is based on the same SPA architecture and is a phenomenal executive sedan boasting exceptional value and quality.
