Countdown to the 2017/18 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards powered by WesBank

The 2017/18 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank, will conclude with the announcement of the 13 category- and prestigious Brand of the Year winners at a glamorous event hosted at The Galleria in Sandton, Johannesburg on 25 January 2018.

Now in its third iteration, the definitively consumer-oriented awards programme has steadily grown in stature, reach and influence since the inaugural event in 2016. Apart from being supported by South Africa’s largest vehicle finance provider, #CarsAwards is regarded an energetic, impactful opening number to the automotive industry calendar.

No fewer than 20 brands are represented in the list of 39 finalists in contention for category wins… The Volkswagen Group leads the nominations with 10 derivatives (Audi and VW have five apiece), followed by the BMW Group (four), with Alfa Romeo, Kia, Mitsubishi, Peugeot and Subaru making their first respective appearances in the final.

The eagerly anticipated ceremony will be hosted by well-known media personality (and #CarsAwards guest judge) Anele Mdoda, with live entertainment courtesy of GoodLuck and an intriguing line-up of guest speakers, one of whom will share insights to South African car consumers’ search activities on Google. The event will be attended by no fewer than 350 guests, among them motor industry leaders, celebrities and specialists from a variety of fields.

There are several reasons why the #CarsAwards has broader appeal than most other automotive awards programmes. For one, winners aren’t chosen exclusively by those who review the latest new vehicles in the market… The experienced Cars.co.za editorial team of 7 motoring journalists chose the finalists, yes, but a combined panel (including 11 respected and experienced guest judges from a variety of backgrounds) to evaluate the finalists back-to-back during a two-day test at Gerotek at the end of 2017.

Moreover, the South African public has just as much say in the outcome of 2017/18 #CarsAwards as the 18 judges do. Fifty percent of the final scores are based on rankings that the respective vehicles’ brands achieved in the Cars.co.za Ownership Satisfaction Survey, in partnership with leading data specialists Lightstone Consumer. The data incorporates feedback from thousands of vehicle owners, based on their experiences of their vehicles (less than five years old and serviced through franchised outlets).

In fact, the most prestigious Brand of the Year title (previous winners include Toyota and Suzuki) is based solely on the findings of the Cars.co.za Ownership Satisfaction Survey.

Members of the public can follow developments of the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank on Cars.co.za and its social media channels (content bearing #CarsAwards hashtag) Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and watch the event live on Cars.co.za’s YouTube channel.

To access more information about the programme (including categories, judges and finalists) visit https://www.carsawards.co.za