Safety feature of award finalists
TEN cars have been confirmed as finalists for the 2018 New Zealand Car of the Year award, and all of them feature advanced safety technology that was once reserved for highend luxury and prestige models.
This year’s finalists include cars from manufacturers in Europe, Korea and Japan, and comprise (in alphabetical order) the latest BMW X3, Holden Commodore, Hyundai Kona,
Kia Stinger, MercedesBenz AClass, Skoda Karoq, Subaru Forester, Toyota Camry and a pair of Volvos, the XC40 and XC60.
To qualify for the award, which is made annually by the New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild, a vehicle must be a new model launched between October 1 in the previous year and September 30 in the current year. This year’s 10 finalists were selected from a list of more than 30 vehicles by a national panel chaired by Drivesouth editor David Thomson.
‘‘Safety is certainly one of the criteria we consider when shortlisting our finalists, but that all of the models chosen have features such as lane keeping assist and autonomous emergency braking as standard is as much a reflection of how these features are becoming ubiquitous on new cars,’’ Thomson said.
‘‘Similarly the fact that six of the 10 finalists are crossover or sports utility vehicles is reflective of reducing demand for conventional cars, both nationally and worldwide.’’
Another feature of this year’s finalists is that half of them are either currently available, or set to be available, as hybrid or fully electric vehicles.
By way of example, the Hyundai Kona is available in a fullyelectric version now. The BMW X3 will come in an electric version in 2020, preceded by an electric Volvo XC40. That car’s big brother, the XC60, already offers as a plugin hybrid. The latest Camry continues with the option of a hybrid drivetrain.
The most affordable car this year is the Kona, which starts from $31,990, with the most expensive the X3, available from $94,650. Five of the 10 finalists are available for less than $50,000.
The New Zealand Car of the Year dates back to 1988 and is considered the country’s most prestigious motoring award since it is a truly national prize, without commercial ties. The award is decided by motoring commentators throughout New Zealand, and results from them having assessed the candidate vehicle in their local areas over an extended period.
The winner will be announced in early December and will receive the Peter Greenslade Trophy. The current recipient is the Skoda Kodiaq, and previous winners include the MercedesBenz EClass (2016), BMW i3 (2015), Mazda3 (2014), and VW Golf (2013).