Toyota wins brand of year in Cars Consumer Awards

Toyota/Lexus has won brand of the year in Cars.co.za’s 2023/24 Consumer Awards, announced in Sandton on February 29. There were 13 category winners announced in the Absa-sponsored competition.

BMW and Suzuki took the most category wins (three each). BMW has the second most category wins in CarsAwards history (12), followed by Toyota (11) and Suzuki (10), but Volkswagen (20) comfortably leads the category trophies tally.

This year’s recipients were:

* Entry-level hatch: Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX

Runners up: Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GL, Renault Kiger 1.0 Zen

* Budget hatch: Suzuki Baleno 1.5 GLX

Runners up: Toyota Starlet 1.5 XR, Renault Clio 1.0 Turbo Zen

* Compact hatch: Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI 85kW R-Line

Runners up: Honda Fit 1.5 Elegance, Opel Corsa 1.2T Elegance

* Entry-level crossover: Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 GLX

Runners up: Haval Jolion 1.5T Premium Auto, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 Elite Auto

* Compact family car: Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 XR

Runners up: Haval Jolion S Super Luxury, Renault Duster 1.5dCi Intens

* Family car: Kia Sportage 1.6CRDi EX

Runners up: Haval H6 1.5T HEV Ultra Luxury, Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max 2.0TGDi 390 Executive

* Premium crossover: BMW X1 sDrive18d M Sport

Runners up: Volvo XC40 B4 Ultimate Dark, Audi Q3 Sportback 40TFSI quattro S Line

* Executive SUV: Mercedes-Benz GLC220d 4Matic Avantgarde

Runners up: BMW X3 xDrive20d M Sport, Lexus NX 350h F Sport

* Premium SUV: BMW iX xDrive40

Runners up: BMW X5 xDrive30d M Sport, Land Rover Defender 110 D250 SE County

* Adventure SUV: Ford Everest 3.0 V6 Wildtrak

Runners up:  Toyota Fortuner 2.8GD-6 4x4 VX, Isuzu MU-X 3.0TD Onyx 4x4

* Performance car: Toyota GR Yaris Rally

Runners up: Toyota GR Corolla Circuit, Honda Civic Type R         

* Leisure double cab: Ford Ranger 3.0 V6 EcoBoost Raptor 4WD

Runners up: Ford Ranger 3.0 V6 Wildtrak 4WD, VW Amarok 3.0 TDI V6 Aventura 4Motion

* Electric vehicle: BMW iX1 xDrive30 M Sport

Runners up: Volvo XC40 Twin Motor Ultimate, GWM Ora 03 Super Lux

* Brand of the year: Toyota/Lexus

Runners up: Suzuki, BMW/Mini

BMW, the first manufacturer to win #CarsAwards trophies with a fully-electric vehicle – with the i3 model in the inaugural 2015/16 programme – won the new Electric vehicle (EV) category in the 2023/24 iteration with the iX1 xDrive30 M Sport.

In another notable achievement for BMW, one of the German marque’s EV models defeated a pair of internal combustion engine rivals at the first attempt when the iX xDrive40 took the spoils in the premium SUV category ahead of its X5 sibling and Land Rover Defender.

The Sportage’s win in the family car category marked Kia’s first win in the history of the awards.