Electric vehicles charge for NZ Car of the Year gong
Electric vehicles have charged into contention for the AA Driven New Zealand Car of the Year awards.
Nearly a third of the top 10 contenders for the annual honour are electric or hybrid models.
The awards will select the New Zealand Car of the Year plus Best in Class, alongside the publicly voted People’s Choice Award, with winners announced at a cocktail event on December 10.
A panel of motoring journalists will judge the top 10 vehicles chosen by the AA. The list this year features cars in a range of classes and prices including two electric vehicles – the Jaguar i-Pace and Tesla Model 3 – and the Toyota RAV4, which is available as a petrol/electric hybrid.
The full list of finalists includes the BMW 3 Series, Ford Focus, Holden Acadia, Jaguar i-Pace, Mazda3, Peugeot 508, Renault Megane RS, Tesla Model 3, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Supra.
AA Motoring Services general manager Stella Stocks says the selected cars have been put through their paces in a rigorous trial on the road and at the Pukekohe Park Raceway.
“Each of the top 10 finalists have been put through a set of exercises that saw all judges scoring from the driver’s seat. To top it off, Kiwis can see what went on in the testing process with video content from the trials that includes commentary from the judges,” Stocks says.
“We are confident that the AA Driven New Zealand Car of the Year Awards are the country’s most comprehensive motoring awards, and that motorists will be provided definitive answers on the top vehicles in the market today.”
Impressive variety
Chief judge and Driven’s editor at large Liz Dobson says the judging panel was impressed with the variety of vehicles this year.
“From everyday-use family vehicles to luxury, sports performance and hot hatches, and prices from $31,990 [for the Ford Focus] to $144,900 [for the base model Jaguar i-Pace], there’s a great mix of vehicles in this year’s top 10,” Dobson says.
“The BMW 3 Series delivers a sporty yet comfortable drive with enjoyably low seating and firm and assured handling, while the Ford Focus is fun to drive but also has the practicality of a well-designed hatch and a very capable adaptive cruise control system.
“The Holden Acadia is a big, bold, brash and unashamedly American seven-seater with a better-than expected performance and plenty of tech; the Jaguar i-Pace has power and torque up to V8 supercar standard but is also great for everyday driving, while the Mazda3 is a significant step up from previous generations with modern safety equipment and confident driving dynamics even on challenging roads.
“The Peugeot 508 has the potential to overcome any residual prejudice against French cars with its strong design, frisky-yet-frugal powertrain and premium level fit and finish, while the Renault Megane RS is a hot hatch, which sounds fantastic in sport settings but could also double as an everyday runabout.
“The latest electric vehicle to hit our roads, the Tesla Model 3, is an everyday car that packs a punch with an easy-to-use single screen to operate many functions; the Toyota RAV4 has good safety technology, outstanding fuel economy and a striking new look which reflects a keen off-road rugged nature, and lastly the Toyota Supra has convincingly athletic road-holding abilities and a reasonably strong 250kW/500Nm inline six capable of yanking it off the line to 100kph in 4.1 seconds.”
