The 2024 SA Car of the Year test days in review

During water cooler banter this week a colleague was surprised to learn how exhaustive the testing process for South African Car of the Year is.

It is true. The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists does not merely pull a name out of a hat. Though it may have seemed that way in some instalments of the competition previously.

As it was in 2023, the latest round of the event is sponsored by Old Mutual Insure. Last week the jury, consisting of more than a dozen motoring journalists and automotive content creators convened to evaluate and score the 17 contenders. It was supposed to be 18 but stock issues meant one model had to sit out.

You can read our general pretesting overview of the finalists here. This piece is a compilation of my observations after putting the vehicles through their paces over two days.

Day one entailed track-based modules at Zwartkops Raceway in Tshwane, assessing handling, acceleration, wet road stability, braking and, where applicable, off-road capability. The second day involved a road route through outer sections of Gauteng that flirted with the North West.

It is worth mentioning that the temperature over the test days ran in the middle to high 30s. It was hot and just about every test unit had its air conditioning system turned up fully most of the time. Conditions were tortuous.

After the results are tallied and audited the winner and category winners will be announced at an event in May.

Budget and compact

Suzuki Fronx 1.5 GLX (manual) | Price: R324,900

It stands out, this little B-segment crossover and not just for its weird name and quirky styling. The 1.5l four-cylinder engine enjoys being worked hard, the five-speed manual is easy to operate and behind the wheel one feels more confident than one might have anticipated in a regular compact. Healthy equipment list, keen pricing, a package that resonates strongly with the average consumer.

Citroën C3 1.2 Feel (manual) | Price: R236,900

Similar money gets you into a Suzuki Swift or Nissan Magnite. The C3 is a plucky mover with a fizzy power source. But the driver is always reminded they are piloting a small light car, especially during emergency manoeuvres, where the Citroën exhibits considerable body-roll. Durable interior feel though, with an infotainment system that is possibly the best in the segment.

Compact family

Omoda C5 230T Elegance S (automatic) | Price: R509,900

The C5 has a dazzling outward appearance with a plush interior veneer to match, plus a bounty of bells and whistles. But under-skin engineering in overall refinement, including ride quality and road manners, was revealed to be lacking. Its boosted motor tends to overwhelm the front tyres, usually unintended by the driver.

Suzuki Grand Vitara GL (automatic) | Price: R368,900

Quite remarkable that even in standard GL specification Suzuki gives six airbags in the Grand Vitara. A likable vehicle, spacious inside, vanilla-flavoured styling and a respectable on-road character. One thing though: the four-speed automatic spoils the package. Lazy shifts and a tendency to drone, it saps the life out of the 1.5l engine. Get the manual instead.

Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.5 XR (manual) | Price: R356,100

Driving the manual twin of the Grand Vitara straight afterwards revealed how much better the three-pedal derivative is. The Urban Cruiser has the upper hand from badge reputation and dealership networks perspectives. But it has a shorter warranty and service plan than the Suzuki. It also has no rear windscreen wiper (which the Suzuki has). And it is more expensive. Easy decision, then.

Family

BMW X1 sDrive18d X-Line (automatic) | Price: R815,617

The German brand proffered a modestly specified diesel-powered specimen for evaluation. No M Sport frills. No glutton of costly optional extras. And what a refreshing experience. The standard X1 is not all that miserly with the kit. It stops and steers with the assured sense befitting a BMW. Acceleration is fair while frugality is a strong point. Sensible package, attractive styling. An agreeable car.

GWM Ora 03 300 Super Luxury (automatic) | Price: R686,950

The cute, cuddly appearance of the Ora had already endeared me before getting behind the wheel. Inspiration was taken from many sources but the amalgamation works. The slowest 0-100km/h of the four electric vehicles in South Africa priced under R800,000, but it is the least expensive of its peer group. Charming interior execution and a more spacious cabin than expected. Dimensions-wise, it is not far off from a typical C-segment hatchback. Huge list of toys, including semi-autonomous kit.

Premium

Mercedes-Benz GLC 220d 4MATIC Avantgarde coupé (automatic) | Price: R1,398,442

Excellent cabin insulation with one hardly noticing the diesel engine firing into life. Making slight adjustments before setting off gave a reminder of how frustrating the capacitive touch-slide fascia surfaces can be to operate. Sturdy, planted feel on the road and cruising manners are of a fairly polished standard. Highest starting price of all its main German rivals though. Note the regular GLC was supplied though the coupé derivative was made finalist — this was blamed on supply of stock.

Lexus NX 350h EX AWD (automatic) | Price: R1,010,100

The fitment of a continuously-variable transmission at this price is not likely to win awards for breaking new ground. Hybrid powertrain works reasonably well. Excels in the refinement, interior build quality and standard equipment departments. Cabin has a cosseting feel. Silky driving manners. The keyless system in the unit seemed to be a tad finicky.

Luxury

BMW 740i Design Pure Excellence (automatic) | Price: R2,172,751

Three Old Mutual Insure executives asked to tag along on my test run. They were stunned by how such a large vehicle negotiated the slalom, high-speed lane-changing and emergency braking tasks. Nobody lost their lunch. It drives like a proper BMW. Dazzle factor comes in features such as automatically-closing doors, just like a Rolls-Royce. Feels special — you might even warm up to those monstrous kidney grilles.

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 450 4MATIC (automatic) | Price: R2,731,951

The Stuttgart brand has been accused of a lazy approach to its electric vehicles: they all look like similar blobs of varying sizes. The EQS SUV is the largest blob of the family. The spacious interior feels like a mobile luxury apartment with an extreme degree of screen-ery. And while its rival in the category feels like a sharpened driving instrument this offers a more detached, pod-like sensation. Technically, impressive but myself (and the Old Mutual Insure executives who tagged along again) felt a bit cold on exit.

4x4 Double Cab

Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 TDI V6 Style 4MOTION (automatic) | Price: R966,000

If anything, getting behind the wheel of the Amarok was a reminder of why the Ranger took the crown last year. The model offers a lot for the price and elevates expectations of how a pickup ought to be. Creamy V6 power, a well-appointed digitised interior, accomplished road manners and effortless off-road ability: it has a decent breadth of talents. Could it win overall? That would be controversial. Also remember just because it is the only vehicle competing, a default category win is not guaranteed. It would need to score within a certain margin.

Adventure SUV

Lexus LX 500d Urban (automatic) | Price: R2,519,000

The vehicle was withdrawn from participation as no test unit could be availed.

Mahindra Scorpio-N 2.2D Z8 4XPLOR (automatic) | Price: R560,000

A giant leap versus the previous Mahindra Scorpio model, the new version boasts a contemporary interior, impressive levels of kit and hugely improved road manners. Expectedly, bodyroll was significant on the more dynamic sections of the test, but it has an unbreakable feel off-road. Exceptional value, considering that the base versions of more traditional seven-seater, ladder-frame alternatives cost a great chunk more. For the average South African family the Scorpio-N will do fine — though it is not entirely quirk-free.

Performance

Ford Ranger 3.0 V6 EcoBoost Raptor 4WD (automatic) | Price: R1,149,700

Just before testing the agency assisting Ford with its communications sent out a release to jurors reiterating the perceived virtues of the Raptor. It had more exclamation marks than one could count and was smug in tone about the Ranger going toe-to-toe with hot hatchbacks and a coupé. Many exclamations escaped my mouth while testing the Raptor on track. Some involving unsavoury words. The bellowing Raptor felt out of its depth in that environment, encumbered by off-road tyres and a suspension designed for dune jumping. If we had tested the other sports cars here against off-road metrics, they would also have floundered. Judging a fish by its ability to climb a tree? Maybe next year we should look at the inclusion of a more focused, extreme double-cab category emphasising flagships specifically.

BMW M2 (automatic) | Price: R1,512,475

Rear-wheel drive, a compact coupé body style and a potent straight-six motor. The M2 proved exhilarating, particularly with its variable traction control system allowing the execution of heroic drifts in relative safety. Note: this was done in the private, secured confines of Zwartkops. The fiery little Bimmer elicits a smile every time, inducing a light sweat and butterflies in the tummy for the right reasons.

Honda Civic Type R 2.0 VTEC (manual) | Price: R999,900

Some electrical gremlins rendered our test unit out of action for a bit. Bad luck really, because when have you heard of an unreliable Honda? Still, jurors' enthusiasm for the car had not been dampened as we jostled to make up for lost time. With its wonderfully tactile manual gearbox, circuit-tuned suspension and energetic turbocharged VTEC motor, the Type R tickles the senses in a dramatic way. Its red interior, replete with grippy bucket seats and a numbered dashboard plaque, are further affirmations that you are piloting something quite special.

Toyota GR Corolla 1.6T Circuit | Price: R902,400

Seemingly, this is the most sensible of the performance offerings here. Aside from being the most affordable, the GR Corolla is a forgiving tool, easy to drive on normal roads and largely unfazed by poor surfaces. Its all-wheel drive system is excellent, offering the more seasoned driver room for fun with a 30:70 torque-split mode. Not as hard-core in constitution as the Civic Type R, it appeals to the pragmatic sensibilities. Some lamented it for that reason.