A jury member takes the Audi RS 3 Sportabck through the slalom test at Zwartkops Raceway for the 2023 Car of the Year competition
Twenty-one cars. Never in the history of the Car of the Year competition has there ever been this many finalists since its inception in 1986 - but that's because so many fantastic new cars were launched in 2022.
For the first time since 2020, just weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, full testing days resumed for the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists' jury members for the annual competition, with Old Mutual Insure as the headline sponsor.
Earlier in April, the 27 jury members, one reserve, and four trainee jurors found themselves at Zwartkops Raceway just outside Pretoria to put the 21 finalists through its paces in a series of tests. Each jury member would take the vehicle around Zwartkops.
Click on the arrows on the picture below to scroll through the fantastic image gallery by Chris Wall:
Coty judge Jeanette Kok-Kritzinger tests the hands-free tailgate feature on the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
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Coty judges about to take two vehicles out on track.
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Mercedes-Benz S-Class
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News24 Motoring editor Janine Van der Post and some of her fellow Coty judges reflect after a long day of testing.
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Guild secretary Michelle York brings out frozen lollies on the hot track.
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The Audi e-tron GT charging at the racetrack.
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Kia Sportage
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Isuzu D-Max on the skidpan.
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Jeep Grand Cherokee on the skidpan.
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Kia Sportage
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BAIC Beijing X55 on track.
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Audi RS 3 Sportback going through the slalom test.
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BAIC Beijing X55 on track.
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Car of the Year testing on track.
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Cars lined up for testing.
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Motoring industry legend Roger McCleery with Kia SA's Toni Herbst.
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BAIC Beijing X55
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A Coty judge taking a vehicle out for testing.
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Jeep Grand Cherokee
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Isuzu D-Max being taken through the off-road track.
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The Ford Everest being tested on the off-road track.
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The Ford Ranger being tested on the off-road track.
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The Jeep Grand Cherokee being tested on the off-road track.
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The Jeep Grand Cherokee being tested on the skidpan.
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Coty finalists out on the skidpan.
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A volunteer puts a cone back in place on the skidpan.
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The Ford Ranger being tested on the skidpan.
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A Car of the year judge takes the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid for testing on the skidpan.
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A Car of the year judge takes the Audi RS 3 Sportback out for track testing.
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A Car of the year judge takes the electric Audi e-tron GT through the emergency brake lane test.
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A Car of the year judge takes a vehicle through the emergency brake lane test.
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A Car of the year judge takes a vehicle through the emergency brake lane test.
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A Car of the year judge takes a vehicle through the emergency brake lane test.
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Car of the year judges and Guild chairwoman Mabuyane Mabuzaa and Ziphora Masethe take a vehicle out on track.
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Car of the year judges about to take a vehicle out on track.
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News24 Motoring editor Janine Van der Post takes the Ford Everest out for track testing.
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Car of the year finalists being tested on track at Zwartkops Raceway.
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Coty volunteers pose next to the Audi e-tron GT
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SA's Car of the year judges checking their scoresheets.
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Old Mutual 2023 SAGMJ Car of the Year
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Old Mutual 2023 SAGMJ Car of the Year
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Testing started on the racetrack with a slalom test first, followed by an emergency brake-lane change test, and then a braking test. Judges would then drive over to the skidpan and take it through a slalom and brake tests in the wet as well.
Vehicles like the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max bakkies, and the Everest and Jeep Grand Cherokee were taken over to the off-road track.
These are the 21 finalists for the 2023 Old Mutual Insure SA Car of the Year competition:
VW Taigo
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Renault Clio
Hyundai Tucson
SuppliedChris Wall
Kia Sorento
Nissan Qashqai
Audi RS 3 Sportback
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Ford Everest
Haval H6 HEV
Honda Civic RS
Chery Tiggo 8 ProMax
BAIC Beijing X55
Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge
Alfa Romeo Tonale
Toyota Rav4 Hybrid
Opel Mokka
Isuzu D-Max
Ford Ranger
Audi e-tron GT
Kia Sportage
Supplied Chris Wall
The second day of testing was dedicated to on-road driving, along with static evaluations. Jury members then had to lock in their individual scoring by the close of business on the second day.
Each vehicle is rated against its direct competitors in the market based on the automakers. That means the 21 finalists are not scored against each other unless the vehicles fall in one category, i.e. Ford Ranger versus the Isuzu D-Max in the double cab category.
The 2023 Car of the Year will be announced later in June.
The nine categories include Budget, Compact Family, Midsize, Premium, Adventure SUV, Double Cab, Luxury, Performance and New Energy.
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