These are the 21 finalists for South African Car of the Year 2023

·28 Jan 2023

The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) has announced the 21 cars in the running for the 2023 South African Car of the Year (COTY) Awards.

“The 2023 COTY finalists showcase cutting-edge innovation and fierce competition in the quest to offer the best mobility solutions,” said Mayubane Mabuza, Chairperson of the 2023 COTY Committee.

This year’s contenders are spread across nine categories:

Compact
Compact Family
Midsize
Premium
Adventure SUV
Double Cab
Luxury
Performance
New Energy

The budget category, however, was removed, as it did not have any worthy contenders on this year’s list of vehicles.

Almost 40% of the overall votes highlighted the strong competition in the highly contested Compact Family and Midsize categories, while the competition in the Premium, Luxury and ever-growing New Energy categories for a spot on the finalist’s list was just as fierce, noted Mabuza.

The judicators of this year’s competition decided that, instead of taking the top 12 scoring vehicles, a score cut-off would be applied with the objective of including a broader spectrum of finalists without favouring categories.

“The team looked at a few options, but once the suggestion of a score-cut off was on the table, it just made sense. It evened the playing field,” said Mabuza.

The final round of scoring will commence shortly and continue until the end of March 2023. The scoring will incorporate data that looks at factors like market segment sales volume and spec-adjusted competitor pricing.

In addition, the Motor Enthusiast’s Choice segment is running again this year and will allow the public to vote for their favourite model from the list of finalists via social media.

Three of the participating voters will win an off-road driving course sponsored by Old Mutual and the SAGMJ.

All the finalists of the 2023 COTY competition have “proven to be excellent contenders, and we’re looking forward with anticipation to see which deserving vehicle will take home the coveted overall winner’s crown, as well as who the category winners will be,” said Garth Napier, MD of Old Mutual Insurance.

“These finalists are the cream of the crop in South Africa, and we can’t wait to see who comes out on top,” added Mabuza.

The 21 finalists in each category are listed below.

Compact

Renault Clio 5