Toyota RAV4 scoops Stuff's top car title
Toyota’s RAV4 has been praised by leading motoring writers for its all-round excellence after being named Top Car 2019 in the Stuff Top Cars Awards.
The vehicle, pictured, also won the Top Medium SUV category and saw off competition from a host of more expensive cars to take out the main title. One of New Zealand’s top selling cars, it combines hybrid technology to save about 30 per cent in fuel as well as being better for the environment.
Now in its fourth year, Stuff Top Cars celebrates the best cars, utes and vans test driven in the past 12 months. Hundreds of vehicles were put through their paces by motoring writers David Linklater, Damien O’Carroll, Richard Bosselman and Rob Maetzig, before they came up with the top cars across 20 categories.
The Aston Martin Vantage was named Sexiest Car of 2019, with judges praising its distinctiveness, striking look and “cool” factor. The Mazda MX-5 took out the sports car category and the BMW Z4 won best convertible. Skoda’s Scala scooped Top Small Car, while the Peugeot 508 GT topped the station wagon and family car categories.
Linklater, Stuff Motoring channel director, says it was pleasing to see a “mainstream” car collect the top gong this year. “It’s natural for the expensive or exotic cars to rise to the top, so it’s really great that this year’s winner is both a practical and affordable choice,” he says.
He also notes the number of other electric and electrified vehicles among this year’s winners. “Of the categories in Top Cars, six winners are powered by high-voltage electricity in some form which shows how much the automotive industry is investing in this technology.” he says.
2019 Stuff Top Cars
Top Executive Car: Tesla Model 3* (from $75,900)
Top Performance Car: Renault Megane RS (from $59,990)
Top Ute: Mitsubishi Triton (form $31,99)
Top Family Car: Peugeot 508 GT (from $55,990)
Top Station Wagon: Peugeot 508 GT (from $55,990)
Top Coupe: Ford Mustang Bullitt (from $93,490)
Top EV: Jaguar I-Pace* (from $144,900)
Top Luxury SUV: Audi e-tron* (from $148,500)
Top Interior: Audi e-tron* (from $148,500)
Top Small Car: Skoda Scala (from $29,990)
Top Premium SUV: Mercedes-Benz GLE (from $128,200)
Top Sports Car: Mazda MX-5 (from $41,895)
Top Van: Volkswagen Crafter (from $65,000)
Top Convertible: BMW Z4 (from $133,800)
Top Luxury Car: Porsche Panamera* (from $210,500)
Top Compact SUV: Lexus UX* (from $59,900)
Top Large SUV: Seat Tarraco (from $47,900)
Sexiest Car: Aston Martin Vantage (from $249,000)
Top Performance SUV: Jaguar F-Pace SVR (from $157,900)
Top Car 2019: Toyota RAV4* (also Top Medium SUV, from $34,990)
(* Indicates electric or electrified vehicles)
For more information on the awards, including video, click here.
