CAR magazine’s annual Top 12 Best Buys for 2011, in conjunction with FNB Vehicle Finance, appears in the March issue of CAR – currently on sale. But, we also wanted to know what our readers’ choices for each of the categories were. Since December, readers have cast their votes on CARmag.co.za and here you can read the full results and download the complete survey in pdf-form.
1. Best budget car for under R115 000
This battle was clearly between the Ford Figo and the Volkswagen Polo Vivo. Even though South Africans have a serious love affair with Polos, it was Ford’s Figo that came out top with 37 per cent compared to 24 per cent of the votes. Hyundai’s i10 came third and in fourth, also a previous CAR Top 12 winner, was the Chevrolet Spark Lite.
2. Best light car
Here the Volkswagen Polo did its thing with 28 per cent, although Honda’s Jazz is clearly a very relevant contender with a quarter of you picking it as the best light car. Hyundai remains in a constant position with another third place while one interesting fact is that the Toyota Yaris came sixth, despite being one of the best sellers in South Africa.
3. Best compact
With 22 players in this category there was more to choose from than the previous two cateogires, but still the Volkswagen Golf showed a strong following with a decent 27 per cent. The Audi A3 (also a Volkswagen Group product) came in second place followed by the first Kia on the podium, the well priced Cerato. Honda’s Civic saloon and hatch just missed the podium and very few of you seem to like the Peugeot 308 or Subaru Impreza.
4. Best compact executive
Here the results almost reflect the monthly local sales figures of the top three cars. Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class took the overall position followed by BMW’s 3-Series at 19 per cent and Audi’s A4 in third place with 16 per cent. The Honda Accord, Lexus IS250 and Volvo’s S60 scored within one per cent of each other.
5. Best executive saloon
BMW and Mercedes-Benz recently launched their 5-Series and E-Class ranges, but it’s the more sporty 5-Series that readers would pick if they had the chance. The E-Class came second with a convincing 26 per cent followed by one of Britain’s best cars, the Jaguar XF with 25 per cent.
6. Best grand saloons
You might like the exterior design or not, but Porsche’s performance orientated Panamera put the luxurious Mercedes-Benz S-Class in second place with 24 percentage points compared with the S-Class’ 16 per cent. Another surprise is that Jaguar’s new XJ and BMW’s 7-Series scored 9 per cent each. Audi’s A8 slotted in at number 6, just below one of the most elegant cars in this category, the Aston Martin Rapide.
7. Best hot hatch
No doubt that if this was a public contest, the fists would have fly! Everyone has an opinion about what they think is the best hot hatch. Here sales are again a good indication and most of you picked Volkswagen’s Golf GTI. Audi’s more powerful S3 came in second place, 15 per cent compared to the Golf’s 30 per cent. Two of our hot hatch contenders in our Performance Shoot, the Forcus RS and Renault Mégane RS, achieved both 13 per cent.
8. Best sports/performance car
Two totally different cars in terms of its execution, but the Porsche 911 triumphed over Nissan’s GT-R with only one percentage point, 15 per cent versus 14 per cent. Audi’s R8 (13 per cent) ruled over much more expensive exotica such as Ferrari’s 458 Italia (10 per cent) and Lamborghini’s Gallardo (8 per cent). Considering there are 24 contestants in this category, BMW’s dynamic M3 in sixth position shows SA’s fascination with M products.
9. Best MPV/Crossover
Nissan’s Qashqai, with its several drivetrain and engine options, achieved almost double the percentage points compared with the second placed Renault Scénic and Grand Scénic. Joint third place goes to Subaru’s Outback (the company’s only podium in this survey) and the Volkswagen Touran. The expensive but spacious Volkswagen T5 Kombi range came in fifth place along the Mazda5.
10. Compact SUV
Kia will be happy to know that its more striking design has paid dividends. Priced just below its sister company’s Hyundai ix35, the Kia Sportage scored 21 per cent compared to the Hyundai’s 13 per cent. Also in second place was the first German in the form of the Audi Q5 followed by Honda’s CR-V with 11 per cent. Volvo’s XC60 achieved a single percentage point more than one of the most serious 4×4 SUVs in this category, the Land Rover Freelander.
11. Best buy in the SUV market
Toyota’s dominance in the SUV market with the Fortuner is also evident in this survey. Although the top 5 contenders are very evenly spread out, the Fortuner came first with 15 per cent compared to the second placed Volkswagen Touareg’s 13 per cent. The very capable Land Rover Discovery 4 achieved 12 per cent, the same figure as the more sport orientated Porsche Cayenne that got 12 per cent.
12. Best pick-up/Double-cab
The winner by the biggest margin. It is a bakkie that is as big a part of our culture as braaiing. Toyota’s Hilux got a phenomenal 61 per cent of the votes. Interestingly enough, Volkswagen’s all-new Amarok took second place along Isuzu’s KB, both with 7 per cent each. The highest placed light bakkie was the Opel Corsa Utility with 4 per cent of the votes.
Congratulations to the following winners of the Mr Hands-free bluetooth car kits for participating in our survey: Bjorn Coetzee, Chris Steyn, Gavin Dowrie, Hasan Mahomed, Iqbal Hoosen, Jo-Ann Petersen, Kenneth McPherson, Krystle Williams, Mark le Roux, Nadia Harmse, Natalie van Niekerk and Rivahl-J Ramlall.
