The Car of the Year finalists for 2012 have been announced and it’s a (fairly) practical bunch this time around. With the exception of one purely indulgent fantasy car the line-up is dominated by family sized sedans and hatches. More surprisingly there are no SUVs among them, and only one MPV, the Peugeot 5008 2.0 HDi Active Manual, a nifty mom’s taxi with super modularity to for hauling people or gear around. Here is a quick round-up of the finalists:
2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.4 125 kW MultiAir Distinctive
Sexy beast! The Guilietta is a stunning looking vehicle, no surprise there… if the competition was just about looks it would have won already. But how well does it drive? The Guilietta is intended to inject some of the pure joy of motoring that has been lost over the years by car manufacturers pandering to the middle of the road buyer. For a start it offers three driving options – dynamic, normal and all-weather - so you can indulge your multiple personalities to the max. Of course the MultiAir engine is something special too. And so it should be considering they spent around 120,000 hours developing it. A 1,4 engine that shoves out 125KW? Eish… not only that, but it reduces fuel consumption by up to 10% due to its amazing efficiency. The vehicle also features the new energy saving trick of shutting down when you are killing time at the robots. Alfa calls it Start&Stop technology and reckons it will save you up to 15% of petrol consumption when driving in heavy traffic. Lekker! But the Guilietta is not just a pretty face. Boot space is actually pretty decent at 350 litres so you can use that to convince the missus that it’s not just all about impressing the chicks. The interior is almost as drop dead gorgeous as the exterior, with class-leading headroom and rear seat leg space. It’s a boy racer with heaps of Italian style and it can be yours for only R284,000. For more info, go to www.alfaromeo.co.za
2011 Audi A6 3.0 T TDI Quattro S tronic
The new A6 is a tremendously important model for Audi and it appears they have gotten it right. At one point it was reported they were struggling to keep up with demand for their executive saloon. Although the A6 looks much like any other Audi, it has several subtle differences, most not obvious to the naked eye. For one, Audi has used aluminium throughout the bodywork to make the car the lightest in its class and 80kgs lighter than the previous model. The other key difference of course is the 3.0litre TDi engine, which has been squeezed by Audi technicians to produce ever more power with greater efficiency, resulting in fuel economy and CO2 emissions that are a 20% improvement over the previous models. Combine that with a whisper quiet ride and interior finishing that autocar.uk describes as displaying ‘breathtaking richness and quality’ and you have an executive saloon that seems to epitomise refined power and Teutonic efficiency.
2011 Citroen DS4 THP 200 Sport
The DS4 is another drop dead sexy hatch that will go directly up against the Giuiletta. Not only do they look very similar and fall in the same price bracket (although this particular model blows right through the R300K mark) but they will be fighting for the same market of independent thinkers who want to stand apart from the slavish worshippers of all things German. The DS4, much like its predecessor the DS3, is different enough that it’s guaranteed to turn heads wherever it goes, especially if you opt for some of the more striking colour configurations that Citroen offers. At first glance the DS4 looks like a coupe, thanks to the cunning design that ‘hides’ the back door. While still looking sporty as hell, it manages to comfortably seat five adults, so it even qualifies as a good choice for a small family. The interior features nifty – and somehow essential – widgets like separate climate control for passenger and driver and seats that massage your back while you drive. Genius! The engine is another remarkable example of efficient engineering, squeezing an amazing 147KW about of a 1,6 litre power mill. Not only that, but a really low peak torque means you can enjoy excellent acceleration in just about any gear. No doubt the DS4 will make inroads into the traditional Golf GTI market but just how much remains to be seen.
2011 Ford Focus 2.0 TDCI Trend Sedan Powershift
The Ford Focus is bound to appeal to anyone who wants a solid family sedan with a useful boot size that still has plenty of voomah under the hood for when you need to overtake that lumbering 18 wheeler on a busy freeway. Apart from the nifty touches like the 17” alloy wheels, 3 spoke steering wheel and sport suspension, and the 5 star NCAP safety rating, the main source of excitement will come from the 2 litre turbo diesel engine. This features a ‘transient overboost’ facility that provides an extra 20Nm of oomph over the already 320Nm on tap, (which, coincidentally, kicks in at 2,000rpm). So expect big fun from the Ford if you like to feel an instant response when you tap the accelerator. The Ford Focus 2.0 TDCI retails from R291,060 incl VAT.
2011 Mercedes Benz SLK 350 BlueEFFICIENCY
The MB SLK 350 is pretty much anyone’s idea of a dream car, so no surprise to find it amongst the Car of the Year finalists. This two seater roadster offers glamorous open top motoring of the first order. The roof flies back at the push of a button, but it doesn’t end there. You get three different options for your convertible requirements, including Magic Sky Control, which Merc describes as a ‘worldwide premier in automotive engineering’. Sounds absolutely wonderful. What this involves exactly is the glass roof goes from dark to transparent at the touch of a button and vice versa within seconds. Which means you can enjoy a view of the sky even when the roof is closed. If the sun is getting a little too overbearing, simply push the button and hey presto – instant shade and a lovely cool interior. Like designer sunglasses for your car. Of course that’s just one of the many features of this incredibly beautiful car. After all, when the price tag is a cool three quarters of a million rand, you expect to get something pretty special for it. You can even select fibre optic based lighting hidden in various places throughout the cabin to create a ‘pleasant atmosphere’ while driving at night. With touches of 21st century technology throughout and the finest in German engineering under the hood, you can rest assured the SLK350 represents the ultimate in luxury motoring.
2011 Peugeot 5008 2.0 HDi Active
As mentioned earlier, the 5008 is the soccer mom’s dream. The main appeal lies in the modularity of the design. The 5008 is primarily a people mover and takes 5 people as standard but if you need space for more, the seats can be configured to take 7 people. They also all fold down so you can expand the boot considerably in case you need to move cargo rather than bodies. Even the front passenger seat can be folded right down and turned into a storage shelf. But it doesn’t end there. There are a plethora of storage spaces throughout the car, so if you are planning a long trip in the 5008, you can rest assured you will be well provisioned for the journey. In fact, the car seems expressly designed for travelling. Another feature which is ideal for long journeys is the panoramic roof which slides back at the touch of a button. And if you order the Allure model, you get built-in DVD consoles on the back of the headrests so the kiddies don’t get too bored on those long hauls. The Peugeot will no doubt appeal to the family-orientated motorist and is bound to be a highly popular choice with travel-crazy South Africans. The 5008 starts at R283 400 and tops out at R315 700 for the Allure model.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi 2.4 SDLX
As a mid-sized sedan, priced at around R300K, the Kizashi is a new entry to segment that already has more than a few well-loved contestants. At first glance, it’s certainly a handsome-looking vehicle. With its sloping bonnet and the stylised 'S' mounted on the mesh grille there is a definite family resemblance to the rest of the Suzuki brood. The profile follows conventional three-box sedan form, although the integrated boot spoiler that rises from the boot lid and houses the additional brake light is a nice sporty touch. Speaking of sporty, this is also the swiftest Suzuki yet, with a 2,4 litre VVT engine under the hood pushing out 131kW and 230Nm at 4,000 rpm. To make your choice easier, there are only two engine models available, either a 6 speed manual or CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). The Kizashi rides on Macpherson struts with a cradle-like frame up front; the rear it is suspended by a multi-link arrangement. ABS and EBD braking assistance comes standard. Also standard are six airbags, projector head and fog lights, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and go. To make your daily travels more pleasant there is a leather-covered steering wheel with audio controls as well as cruise control. The audio system is compatible with CDs and MP3s and the driver and front passenger seats have power adjustment. Striking 18” alloys complete the external look and a full-size spare is housed in the generously sized (461 litre) boot. Prices are R295 900 for the manual and R310 900 for the CVT version.
2011 VW Jetta 1.4 TSI 118 kW Highline
Before we get started let me say this, there is absolutely nothing exceptional about the new VW Jetta. Nothing, except the engine, that is. Truth be told the new Jetta is much like the old Jetta. A little bit bigger, yes, and with a few more airbags, sure. But otherwise much the same. But take a look at that model spec again. A 1,4 litre engine that shoves out 118kW? OK so it’s not quite up the standards of the Guilietta that pulls a remarkable 125kW out of a 1.4litre mill. But don’t forget, this is a family car, with a boot and everything, not some designer hatchback. And that, I believe, is what has earned this Gen 6 Jetta a place in the COTY line-up. Because you’re talking about getting 0 – 100km/h in 8.3 seconds and a top speed of 221 km/h out of the little engine that could. How DO they do it? Well, the VW website is not very forthcoming about their TSI engines but there is direct injection and turbocharging involved apparently. I’ll bet! Of course if you don’t need all that power under the hood there is also the 77KW TDI which is so frugal you don’t even have to pay the carbon emissions tax when you buy one, which is nice. But it’s hard to resist a 1,4 litre with power like that. If nothing else it will impress the hell out of your friends. And, honestly, why else do we buy new cars? The Jetta retails at R274,500.
