Now in its 39th year, the SA Car of the Year remains the premier automotive award in Mzansi. In 2026, the competition will commemorate four decades of existence, which is quite a feat. That said, this year’s competition saw 17 finalist cars vying for this prestigious crown. While only one vehicle ultimately earned top honours, being a finalist in this prestigious competition remains an honour.
This year's competitors included varying segments from budget to premium, but it's the number of crossovers and SUVs in the competition that truly stood out, highlighting the ever-increasing popularity of these distinct categories. A complement of 27 jurors, including yours truly, put the finalists through a rigorous testing process at Zwartkops Raceway in Tshwane to see how each model fared.
Following this process was the meticulous scoring by the jurors on various criteria, and the results were then verified by an independent auditor before the results were announced at a gala dinner event. When all was said and done, the BMW X3 emerged as the overall winner of this year’s competition while also bagging the premium category. A well-deserving vehicle with steady build quality, it is technologically astute and offers a drive polish befitting a sporty SUV – it is also relatively well priced and offers excellent value in its segment. A feather in its cap is the fact that it is built right here in SA at the Rosslyn plant in Tshwane.
Other category winners included the brilliant Suzuki Swift, which won Budget Car of the Year, and the Toyota Prado, which beat out competition to take the Adventure Utility laurels. Meanwhile, the Enthusiast’s Choice, essentially open to the public to vote, had the Mahindra 3XO come out trumps. In the Performance category, the G90 BMW M5 was the clear winner, all the while clinching the Jurors' Choice award.
In the Luxury category, the BMW 5 Series took the honours, while the VW Tiguan secured the Family category. These are all deserving winners who have proven their mettle in the hands of jurors who have scored them accordingly. While most jurors will have assessed the vehicles individually throughout the year, the COTY test days provide a valuable opportunity to reacquaint themselves with each vehicle, brush up on observations from the initial assessment, and possibly those they may have glossed over. It is all part of being thorough with the information gleaned from both the vehicle’s behaviour during physical evaluation and the comprehensive reams of info afforded to the jurors.
BMW’s latest X3 manages to tick most boxes in our testing criteria with its innovative technology, comprehensive specification, and relative value for money. It should also represent overall automotive excellence and move the goalposts forward, which it does to a large degree. The fact that it is locally manufactured and contributes towards employment at the plant makes its victory that much more impactful.
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