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Cape Town - The 2017 South African Car of the Year competition has kicked off and the first round of elimination has taken place.
The 20 semi-finalists has been revealed by the South African Guild of Motoring Journalist (SAGMJ).
The process
All cars launched from August 2015 to August 2016 were eligible for nomination for the annual competition. All guild members could vote for 10 cars to be selected as semi-finalists.
Once voting closed, the Car of the Year (Coty) jury members gathered and discussed the eligibility of all the cars. From this list, 20 cars were chosen, of which each member voted for their top 10. The top 20 cars with the most votes made it to the list.
READ: 2016 SA Car of the Year - And the winner is...
Cream of the SA motoring crop
Bernard Hellberg Jr, chairman of the SAGMJ, says: "Following a vote by the full membership of the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ), on new vehicle ranges introduced to the South African new car market within the Coty eligibility period, the SAGMJ has announced the semi-finalist contenders for the 2017 South African Car of the Year competition (COTY).
Below are the semi-finalists: in alphabetical order
• Audi A4
• Audi Q7
• BMW 7 Series
• BMW X1
• BMW M2
• Ford Figo
• Ford Everest
• Honda Civic
• Hyundai Tucson
• Jaguar F-Pace
• Mazda CX-3
• Mazda MX-5
• Mercedes E-Class
• Opel Astra
• Renault Kadjar
• Suzuki Vitara
• Toyota Fortuner
• Toyota Hilux
•Volkswagen Tiguan
• Volkswagen Passat
Wheels24's Janine Van der Post, an official SA Car of the Year judge, shares her top 10:
• BMW X1
• Ford Figo
• Honda Civic
• Hyundai Tucson
• Jaguar F-Pace
• Mercedes E-Class
• Opel Astra
• Renault Kadjar
• Toyota Hilux
• Volkswagen Tiguan
Finalist?
The 2017 Coty Jury has already concluded voting for the finalists to be announced on September 27 at the Johannesburg Country Club in Woodmead.
The 2017 South African Car of the Year winner will be announced at a black tie event on March 15, 2017.
The competition
The 2017 Coty Jury will put the finalists through structured testing procedures in early February 2017, before scoring each finalist against its direct class competitors on aspects that include:
• Affordability
• Cabin Styling, Layout, and Ergonomics
• Engine
• Engineering Integrity and Build Quality
• Exterior Design
• Overall Excellence
• Ride Quality
• Steering and Handling
• Technology
• Transmission
• Value for money
The SA motoring guild has run the SA Car of the Year competition since 1986. This year, AutoTrader, South Africa’s largest online motoring portal, joins the SAGMJ as a sponsor.
