NZ car of the year finalists announced
The top 10 finalists for New Zealand car of the year. Image: Supplied
The New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild has released a list of 10 new vehicles which have been selected as finalists to compete for the 2020 New Zealand Car of the Year title.
The Guild represents more than 20 motoring journalists from around the country, including AutoMuse’s Liz Dobson.
“This year will go down in history for a whole variety of reasons, but the reveal of the finalists culminating with the announcement of the winner will mean a positive finish to 2020 for one brand in particular,” said New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild president Richard Edwards.
The Audi Q3 is a finalist for car of the year. Photos: Liz Dobson
“After many tumultuous months full of Covid-related twists and turns, it will be a welcome relief to farewell what has been a challenging period with the announcement of the 33rd winner of this coveted trophy.”
The 10 new vehicles in contention for the 2020 award include two small cars – the Ford Fiesta and Toyota Yaris – while there are eight SUV newcomers in contention; the Audi Q3, Kia Seltos, Land Rover Defender, Mazda CX-30, Mercedes-Benz EQC, Mercedes-Benz GLB, Peugeot 2008 and Skoda Kamiq.
The all-new Land Rover Defender has made it the top 10.
“This year’s top 10 reflects the strong influence that SUV and crossover variants now have on the total new vehicle market, so it’s no small wonder these models make up the majority of finalists,” said Edwards.
On average, in excess of 50 new models from more than 30 brands are launched in New Zealand every year, although this number was down in 2020 due to supply restrictions associated with Covid-19.
“Given these numbers, the Guild takes great responsibility in determining the winner of the New Zealand Car of the Year as our decision contributes to and influences the buying decision of many Kiwi motorists,” said Edwards.
The seven-seater Mercedes-Benz GLB is also a finalist.
“New car buyers can rest assured that the winner is absolutely deserving of the title as it will have undergone extensive testing and excelled across a wide variety of measures, especially when compared with other finalists.
“It takes a very special vehicle to be crowned the New Zealand Car of the Year, an endorsement which represents a significant accomplishment for any new model.”
The 2020 winner will be revealed live on TV One’s Seven Sharp during the first week of December.
Mazda’s compact SUV, the CX-30, is in the running for the title.