Following stringent evaluation of a whopping 80 vehicles, which, in turn, resulted in less than half meeting the entry criteria (30, to be precise), members of South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) have cast their votes for the 25 semi-finalists in this year’s South African Car of the Year awards.
“The 2024 COTY edition has a competitive line-up across all categories, setting the stage for fierce competition among overall and category winners,” said Mabuyane Mabuza, Chairperson of the 2023/2024 COTY Committee and Vice-Chairperson of the SAGMJ.
Garth Napier, MD of Old Mutual Insure, who sponsors the awards, commented: “We are excited to reveal this year’s semi-finalists; a diverse set of competitors that are great examples of innovation and excellence in the automotive industry, which is what the competition is all about. We anticipate a highly competitive and thrilling competition this year as the Validation Committee meticulously evaluated each contender.”
So, let’s look at the categories for SA COTY 2024. For starters, there are eight — the Budget and Compact category, Compact Family, Family, Premium, Luxury, 4×4 Double Cab, Adventure SUV, and Performance.
Wondering where the category for battery-electric vehicles (BEV) has gone? Well, it has been ditched, with the SAGMJ saying, “The rising prevalence of BEVs and hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs), coupled with the expansion of local infrastructure to support this sector’s growth, prompted the removal of the New Energy category of the COTY competition. These vehicles will now integrate seamlessly into other qualifying categories.”
So, let’s look at the contenders vying for the top spot in their respective categories and for the title of SA COTY 2024…
- Budget and Compact: Citroën C3, Suzuki Fronx, Toyota Vitz
- Compact Family: Omoda C5, Renault Captur, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser
- Family: BMW X1, GWM Ora 03, Mazda CX-60, Nissan X-Trail, Mitsubishi Outlander
- Premium: Lexus NX, Mercedes-Benz GLC
- Luxury: BMW 7 Series, BMW XM, Mercedes-Benz EQE, Mercedes-Benz EQS
- 4×4 Double Cab: Volkswagen Amarok
- Adventure SUV: Lexus LX, Mahindra Scorpio N
- Performance: BMW M2, Ford Ranger Raptor, Honda Civic Type R, Toyota GR Corolla