NZ motoring Writers’ Guild announces finalists for car of the Year

The top 10 finalists for the Guild Car of the Years was announced on Friday night. Photo: Supplied

The New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild has announced its Car Of The Year top 10 contenders with five of the vehicles pure electrics.  

The vehicles are (in alphabetical order): Audi e-tron GT, Ford Escape,  Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia Sorento,  Mazda MX-30,  Mercedes-Benz EQA, Peugeot 208, Skoda Octavia, Toyota Highlander, and  Toyota’s GR Yaris

 The Audi e-tron GT, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Mercedes-Benz EQA are all pure electric vehicles. There is also a pure electric variant of the Peugeot 208, the e208. The Mazda MX-30 is available as both pure EV and hybrid models.

Variants within the Ford Escape, Kia Sorento, and Skoda Octavia ranges are plug-in hybrids that combine internal combustion power with battery-electric power, and each has the ability to cover around 50km on electric power alone on a single battery charge.

The latest Toyota Highlander is offered here in a non-plugged hybrid guise for the first time, while the Toyota Yaris GR is a highly focused, pure petrol performance machine.

Six of the finalists are able to attract subsidies of up to $8625 under the government’s Clean Car Discount scheme.

In 2015, guild members voted the BMW i3 as their first-ever electric-powered Car of the Year. More recently, pure-electric models – the Jaguar i-Pace and Mercedes EQC - have scooped the New Zealand Car of the Year in 2019 and 2020.

“Obviously those previous pure-electric title winners are vehicles from recognised luxury brands, and both of the most recent winners carry price tags well in excess of $100,000,” said New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild President, Richard Edwards.

“What is particularly significant in this year’s list of finalists is the presence of electric vehicles across a range of prices. Five of this year’s pure electric and plug-in finalists are available at prices below the $80,000 threshold that allows them to qualify for the Government’s Clean Car Discount scheme.

The award’s winner will be decided by the Guild’s two-dozen voting members over the coming months and announced live on TVNZ One’s Seven Sharp programme in February next year.