A sum of 35 vehicles has made it through the initial round of voting for the 2023 South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition, sponsored by Old Mutual Insure, with these semi-finalists representing a broad cross-section of the automotive landscape.
Alfa Romeo Tonale
The semi-finalists are (in alphabetical order):
• Alfa Romeo Tonale
• Audi e-Tron GT / RS e-Tron GT
• Audi RS 3 Sedan / Sportback
• BAIC Beijing X55
• BMW 2-series Coupe
• BMW 7-Series
• BMW i4
• BMW iX3
• Chery Tiggo Pro 7
• Chery Tiggo Pro 8
• Ford Ranger
• Haval H6 Hybrid
• Honda Civic RS
• Hyundai Grand Creta
• Hyundai Kona N
• Hyundai Tucson
• Isuzu D-Max
• Jeep Gladiator
• Jeep Grand Cherokee L
• Kia Carnival
• Kia Sorento
• Kia Sportage
• Land Rover Range Rover
• Mahindra XUV700
• Mercedes-Benz S-Class
• Nissan Qashqai
• Opel Mokka
• Porsche 911 GT3
• Porsche Cayman GT4 RS
• Renault Clio 5
• Suzuki Baleno
• Toyota GR86
• Toyota Rav4 E-Four
• Volkswagen Taigo
• Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge
Mahindra XUV700
Congratulations to the semi-finalists who have shown resilience amid a challenging market on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Each semi-finalist caught the judges' attention precisely because they are not relevant for today’s customers only but are also excellent contenders. We wish the jury the very best in the next round of voting, which we have no doubt will be tough given the calibre of the semi-finalists,” says Garth Napier, MD of Old Mutual Insure.
The first step in vehicle selection was determining eligibility based on the COTY Rules & Regulations. The COTY Validation Committee reviewed more than 80 vehicles and determined that 55 met the stringent entry requirements.
The list of validated cars then moves to members of the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists, all experts in all things motoring, on a dedicated online voting platform to pick the semi-finalists.
“The common denominator linking all the semi-finalists is that each car represents a step forward and upward in automotive excellence,” says Carshop.co.za content writer and Jury Member Colin Windell.
Finalists are then evaluated in their relevant price and market segment and judged against their peers within that segment.
Opel Mokka
In January 2023, the COTY jury will vote to whittle the semi-finalists list down to finalists. The worthy contenders will then undergo stringent evaluation before the jury locks in their scores to crown the official 2023 South African Car of the Year.
