The prestigious 2022 South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition is back with its top 25 finalists.
The competition has been running continuously since 1986 and is staged by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ). And, according to Carl Wepener, Chairman of the SAGMJ, 2022’s finalists are perfect examples of how research and development have grown in South Africa’s automotive industry.
“This year’s COTY finalists show us the tremendous speed of research and development in the automotive industry. The finalists represent the best of the best in South Africa, and we are eager to see who the winners of this year’s competition will be,” says Carl Wepener, Chairman of the SAGMJ.
Ten categories are up for grabs
Other than the top prize, finalists also have the chance to win one of ten categories:
- Budget
- Compact
- Compact Family
- Midsize
- Premium
- Luxury
- Performance
- New Energy
- Adventure SUV
- 4×4 Double Cab
And when looking at this year’s finalists, the most competitive categories – with five finalists each – are Midsize and Performance.
When looking at the Compact and Compact Family categories, Toyota is the only OEM (original equipment manufacturer) that manufactures vehicles locally. All other contenders in these categories represent imported brands.
The New Energy category also represents a wider range of vehicles this year. And according to Wepener, this indicates “the increased focus by OEMs in this segment of the market”.
And finally, the Adventure SUV and 4×4 Double Cab categories are one of the most competitive, with a newcomer in the class is competing against an established, locally manufactured rival.
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The Top 25 Finalists for the COTY
This year’s semi-finalists group was very competitive and some contenders just missed the Finalist list. These contenders include Honda Fit, Land Rover Defender V8 and Haval Jolion.
And with six finalists in five different categories, Toyota is representing the most in 2022’s competition. Hyundai is strong on Toyota’s heels, with five finalists in three different categories.
Here are the 25 finalists for the 2022 Car of the Year competition:
| VEHICLE | CATEGORY |
| Kia Sonet | Compact |
| Hyundai i20 | Compact |
| Peugeot 208 | Compact |
| Toyota Urban Cruiser | Compact |
| Chery Tiggo 4 Pro | Compact Family |
| Toyota Corolla Cross | Compact Family |
| Hyundai Kona | Compact Family |
| Hyundai Staria | Midsize |
| Hyundai Santa Fe | Midsize |
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class | Midsize |
| Audi A3 | Midsize |
| Hyundai Palisade | Midsize |
| Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 | Luxury |
| Toyota GR Yaris | Performance |
| BMW M3 Competition | Performance |
| Volkswagen Golf GTI | Performance |
| BMW 128ti | Performance |
| Porsche 911 Carrera GTS | Performance |
| Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid | New Energy |
| Lexus IS | New Energy |
| Honda Fit Hybrid | New Energy |
| Toyota Land Cruiser 300 | Adventure SUV |
| Isuzu MU-X | Adventure SUV |
| Peugeot Landtrek | 4×4 Double Cab |
| Nissan Navara | 4×4 Double Cab |
Final scoring will continue until April
The final round of scoring will begin in February and continue until early April.
“The Car of the Year committee is extremely pleased with the variety of vehicles that made the Finalist round of this year’s competition. Our jury panel of experts has a tough task ahead of them,” says Graham Eagle, Chairman of the 2022 COTY committee.
This year’s COTY will again make use of Motor Enthusiast’s Choice (public vote) as during last year’s competition. Each finalist will regularly be posted on social media, and the post with the most likes wins.
“The 2022 COTY committee wishes all contenders good luck. The Category Winners and Overall SA Car of the Year Winner will be announced in May,” concludes Eagle.
Content and images supplied via MotorPress