SA Car of the Year finalists

The finalists are: Fiat Bravo 1,4 T-Jet Sport; Honda CR-V 2,2 I-CTDI; Land Rover Freelander 2,2 TD4 HSE; Lexus LS 460; Mazda2 1,5 Individual; Mazda5 2,0 Active; Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI; Nissan Qashqai 2,0 Acenta and Toyota Corolla 1,8 Exclusive.

The finalists were chosen by members of the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists and the next step in the process to determine the winner is a two-day test session to be held in January at the Gerotek facility near Pretoria, where the cars will be assessed independently by jury members of the SAGMJ.

The evaluation includes high-speed dynamic assessment; an autokhana test to mark manoeuvrability, parking prowess and general ease of control; driving tests under various conditions on track and road, in town and on gravel, all the while taking fuel economy into account.

A static evaluation of each finalist also contributes to the car's score in terms of aesthetics, build quality and ergonomics, while considerations based on perceptions of value for money, cost of a spares' basket, safety features and environmental friendliness contribute to overall points.

The jury marks everything from the car's styling and paint work to the quality of materials used for upholstery and interior plastics, the consistency of shut lines, the ergonomic attributes of arm rests and cup holders, the size and shape of the boot and the accessibility of the spare wheel; head room, leg room and shoulder room as well as passive and active safety features.

Driving comfort, engine performance, gearbox action, braking ability, preciseness of steering, quality of ride, sharp corner handling and high-speed stability, the effectiveness of dust and wind seals – even the ease with which the vehicle can be parked in terms of blind spots and overhangs – are assessed.

Then there's value for money to consider. What does the vehicle cost to run? Are parts expensive? What kind of fuel consumption figures does it return? How practical is the car? Is it equipped with all the comfort and user-friendly features you would expect at the quoted price? Is its performance worth the money? What innovations does it bring to the automotive mainstream?

The finalists were selected following a poll of over 150 full members of the SAGMJ.

South Africa's Car of the Year competition (sponsored for the past 23 years by WesBank with additional support this year from Total, Hollard Insurance, Protea Hotels and Garmin) is unique in the world in that the victor is determined not by popular vote as in most countries, but by actual testing of the finalists to determine by what margins they meet criteria for COTY honours.

The competition is significant is because it helps to specify from hundreds of new models on the market which recently launched passenger vehicle epitomises all round automotive excellence.

All passenger car models brought to market between 14 October 2006 and 30 October 2007 are eligible for entry.

This year's double finalists from one brand is unique, but then the two Mazda's have already won 46 awards between them.

“It's an honour indeed to have two Mazda products as finalists,” says Doreen Mashinini, Mazda Marketing Manager. “With an increasing number of car brands now available on South African roads and a number of new product entries introduced over the last 12 months it is becoming increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd, as such we are delighted that not one, but two, Mazda offerings were recognized as being among the best new vehicles in the country,” she said.

Another tough competitor in the competition is the Toyota Corolla which has won the coveted Car of the Year title twice in the past nine years.

The winner will be announced at a gala ceremony in March.

The 2007 Car of the Year is the Honda Civic 1.8 VXi sedan.