[imagesource:topgear]

The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) has revealed the winners of the 2024 Car of the Year competition.

Of the 80 vehicles presented to the judging committee this year, 25 vehicles were selected for the semi-finals across eight different categories – Budget/Compact, Compact Family, Family, Premium, Adventure SUV, 4×4 Double Cab, Luxury, and Performance.

From there, 18 finalists were carefully chosen, with a further 10 cars eliminated, leaving the winners in each category.

And the winner is…the BMW 7 Series! The prestigious title of South Africa’s 2024 Car of the Year marks a record seventh win for the German carmaker.

The BMW 7 Series also received the COTY Juror’s Excellence Award, which recognises the jurors’ admiration for its exceptional driving experience, vehicle quality, and craftsmanship based on their input scores.

BMW 7 Series | Image: Top Gear

Top Gear notes the BMW 7 Series as “a machine with real character, which is a major achievement,” while also investigating whether it is the car with the best interior in the world – see header image.

BMW has won the 38th COTY competition and has set a new record for the most wins overall, having previously won in 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2001, and 2011.

BMW 7 Series | Image: BusinessTech

The 2024 COTY 2nd place award was given to the Suzuki Fronx, while the BMW M2 landed third place. In their respective categories, the 7 Series won the Luxury award, while the Fronx and M2 secured the Budget and Performance titles, respectively.

Suzuki Fronx | Image: BusinessTech

BMW M2 | Image: BusinessTech

The evaluation process is rigorous, ensuring the top cars get the recognition they deserve, considering both their popularity with customers and how well they stack up in the market.

The evaluation process for each vehicle involves a thorough assessment and scoring by a jury. In addition, Lightstone Auto provides valuable data-driven insights into each car’s popularity with customers. This data is then used by the committee to determine a model’s market relevance, including its volume and sales share while comparing it to its direct competitors.

Since SAGMJ decided to eliminate the ‘New Energy Vehicle’ category this year due to the significant surge in electric and hybrid car adoption, these models competed in their intended segments against traditional petrol and diesel vehicles.

“Being able to judge the i7 directly against its petrol-engined equivalent suggests that a crossover point has been reached”, notes Top Gear.

“BMW, it appears, is on a rapid upward trajectory with its EVs, and the i7 is a phenomenally accomplished machine.”

Overall, it’s been a great year for BMW, with the X1 snagging three out of eight awards, including the top spot in the Family segment.

BMW X1 | Image: BusinessTech

The Toyota Urban Cruiser beat two rivals and won the Compact Family category, while the Mercedes-Benz GLC was awarded the Premium title. As the only entry into the 4×4 Double Cab category, the VW Amarok won by default. The Ford Ranger Raptor, despite being a highly anticipated vehicle, was not allowed to compete in the Double Cab category as it is essentially a variation of an existing model. Plus, the Ranger had already won the COTY award in 2023.

The Mahindra Scorpio-N won the Adventure SUV segment and earned the Motor Enthusiast’s Choice award, which was determined through a public vote on social media.

[source:businesstech]