Twin caroftheyear New Zealand awards
THE finalists have been revealed, and in a few weeks’ time the winners of New Zealand’s Car of the Year Trophy (or rather trophies) will be announced.
As was the case in 2018, there are two major awards touting their claim as the ultimate car of the year accolade.
This slightly confusing state of affairs arose for the first time last year, when the Guild of Motoring Writers’ and the Automobile Association went their separate ways after several years of running a combined award. Having supported the guild award — which has been made annually since 1988 — the AA joined forces with Driven, the motoring publication of The New Zealand Herald ,to offer a separate accolade.
While not wishing to bore readers with a detailed account of the reasons for the split, it would be fair to say that the guild — which represents the country’s motoring writers — has been a stubborn guardian of the independence of its award from any type of interference.
Notably, and modelling its own criteria on that of the European Car of the Year, the guild’s award is all about one winner. A single, allnew model, that is judged by its roughly twodozen voting members to be the best launched here in the preceding 12 months. It is a judgement made on the basis of the entire model range not just one special model. There are no placegetters, class winners, or people’s choice winners. Just one car of the year.
Further, that judgement is based on the votes of members who have tested the various finalists on roads across the length and breadth of the country. That geographically broad view — as exemplified by both my role as current chair of the guild’s Car of the Year and fellow Otagobased writer Bob Nettleton as a fellow guild voting member — is especially important at a time when a northern, and particularly Aucklandcentric view, dominates our country.
Add in regular Drivesouth contributor Richard Bosselman (Manawatubased) on the guild panel, and you can see why the guild’s award is the one we back.
For all that, the lists of finalists selected for the two awards are, at their core, quite similar.
Both groups have gone for the Ford Focus, Holden Arcadia, Jaguar I Pace, Mazda 3, Peugeot 508, Tesla Model 3 and Toyota RAV4. AA/Driven has chosen the BMW 3series, Renault Megane and Toyota Supra to complete its 10 finalists, while the guild has opted for the Audi etron, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mercedes GLE.
Over the coming weeks there will be a scramble as the various companies with finalists ensure those key new models have been circulated to sufficient guild members for test.
Then, come December, the votes will be tallied, and the 32nd winner of New Zealand’s premier car of the year title will be announced.