Leading online motoring portal Cars.co.za is putting the final touches on its upcoming Awards event, set to take place at Mall of Africa on Thursday, 27 February. Sponsored by Absa, the prestigious event will host motor industry heavyweights, media, celebrities and other stakeholders when it crowns the best cars in 13 respective segments of the market.
Widely recognised as the country’s most authoritative and respected motoring awards programme, the Cars.co.za Awards is now in its eighth iteration.
The exhaustive process, which kicks off in September each year with the announcement of the 13 categories (continuously revised to reflect market changes), five semi-finalists per category, as well as a hand-picked judging panel, will reach its conclusion during a spectacular event at Waterfall City at Mall of Africa in Johannesburg on Thursday evening, 27 February.
This year’s event promises to be a must-attend, with a stunning Cirque du Soleil-themed set-up befitting the prestigious nature of the evening. With around 500 guests expected, it will be a rare opportunity for the entire motor industry, peripheral support businesses and media to network.
“It would be easy to just announce the winners in the media, but we believe that this critical industry also needs to be celebrated,” says Amasi Mwela, Managing Director of Cars.co.za.
The 2024/25 Cars.co.za Awards marks the second consecutive year that the programme is sponsored by Absa and endorsed by naamsa | The Automotive Business Council (of South Africa) – it’s the only motoring awards programme in the country to carry this backing.
“The consumer is at the forefront of our business and we measure the success of our awards programme by its potential to impact consumer behaviour positively,” continues Mwela. “For this reason, we have introduced a very consumer-facing element to the Awards programme.”
During the weekend after the Awards gala event, the 13 category winners and other finalists of the 2024/25 programme will be on display at the Mall of Africa, where consumers will be able to view the vehicles, interact with sales staff and, potentially, initiate purchases of new cars.
“In addition to staff from the various brands, representatives from Cars.co.za as well as Absa will be present to provide further assistance,” adds Mwela.
“The Cars.co.za Awards, sponsored by Absa, is designed to guide all new passenger vehicle buyers,” says Hannes Oosthuizen, the manager of the Awards since its inception in 2015.
“With 50% of the final scores determined by brands’ ratings in the survey, a vehicle only really stands a very good chance of winning if it is a good product in the eyes of the judges and if its brand delivers solid after-sales service.”
“The Cars.co.za Awards brings together insights of the top motoring experts in the country combined with feedback from real people who drive these vehicles every day to help our users make the best choices for their budget and lifestyle,” Mwela concludes.
Full list of 2024/25 CarsAwards Finalists
Best Budget Car (under R300 000)
- Hyundai Exter 1.2 Executive
- Mahindra XUV 3XO 1.2T MX3
- Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX
Best Compact Hatch (R300 000 to R500 000)
- Honda Fit 1.5 Elegance Auto
- Suzuki Baleno 1.5 GLX Auto
- Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI 85kW R-Line Auto
Best Budget Crossover (R300 000 to R400 000)
- Kia Sonet 1.5 LX Auto
- Suzuki Fronx 1.5 GLX Auto
- Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.5 XR Auto
Best Compact Family Car (R400 000 to R600 000)
- Kia Seltos 1.5 CRDi EX+
- Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid XR
- Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI R-Line
Family Car (R600 000 to R800 000)
- Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max 2.0TGDi 390T Executive AWD
- Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi GT Line Plus
- Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI R-Line
Premium Crossover (R700 000 to R1m)
- BMW X2 sDrive18i M Sport
- Mini Countryman S ALL4
- Volvo XC40 B4 Ultimate Dark
Executive SUV (R1m to R1.3m)
- BMW X3 30e xDrive M Sport
- Lexus NX 450h+ F Sport
- Mercedes-Benz GLC300d 4Matic
Best Premium SUV (R1.3m to R1.8m)
- BMW X5 xDrive30d M Sport
- Lexus RX 500h F Sport
- Mercedes-Benz GLE 300d 4Matic
Best Adventure SUV
- Ford Everest 3.0TD V6 4WD Wildtrak
- Land Rover Defender 110 D350 X-Dynamic HSE
- Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2.8GD VX-R
Best Leisure Double Cab (under R750 000)
- Ford Ranger 2.0SiT XLT 4×4 Auto
- Isuzu D-Max 1.9TD LS 4×4 Auto
- Toyota Hilux 2.4GD-6 Raider 4×4 Auto
Ultimate Double Cab (above R750 000)
- Ford Ranger 3.0T V6 Raptor 4WD
- Ineos Grenadier 3.0T Quartermaster Trialmaster Edition
- Toyota Hilux GD-6 4×4 GR-Sport
Performance Car (under R2m)
- Audi RS3 Sportback quattro
- BMW M2 Auto
- Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4Matic
Best EV (under R1.3m)
- BMW iX1 xDrive30 M Sport
- Mini Countryman SE ALL4
- Volvo EX30 Plus Twin Motor Performance
