Standard Bank People’s Wheels Awards 2015 nominees announced

The fourth annual Standard Bank People’s Wheels Awards are due to be held on Thursday, November 13, at the Montecasino Ballroom in Fourways, Johannesburg.

Initiated by the Future Group in association with Standard Bank, research house TNS South Africa and media partner Sunday Times, the People’s Wheels Awards provide the automotive sector with a unique platform to reward vehicle excellence.

South Africans came out in numbers to vote for their favourite cars in the 2015 Standard Bank People’s Wheels Awards survey. The online polls were open for over three months, from June to August, and once again the results were impressive.

About 60 000 votes were recorded across the competition’s 22 categories and a record number of responses were received from vehicle owners in a survey designed to determine their satisfaction levels with regard to the cars and bakkies they drive every day.

“Standard Bank as one of the key financiers of car buyers and lovers in South Africa believes that all motorists should have a voice in deciding what our country’s most esteemed cars should be. Nobody can better assess the merits of vehicles than the people who drive them. The awards enable motorists to use their experiences, and those of others to help them to make informed comparisons and purchasing decisions,” says Nicholas Nkosi, Head of Vehicle and Asset Finance – Personal Markets at Standard Bank.

“The People’s Wheels Awards’ success undoubtedly rests on two major factors. It is an event in which all motorists can be heard and an event in which every vote counts.”

The results of the survey present crucial insight for marketers and offer relevant and useful information to consumers regarding ownership perceptions of vehicle brands, as well as reliability, durability and loyalty factors.

Wynter Murdoch, Automotive Editor-in-Chief at Future Group, says: “Ordinary motorists can have their voices heard. The People’s Wheels Awards is the ultimate leveler in the car awards stakes.  The results reflect feelings on the ground and allow all brands, regardless of inclusivity or exclusivity, to participate on an equal basis for various classes of accolades. Acceptance of a vehicle’s merits and the ‘wow’ factor it arouses within the people, rather than the size of marketing budgets, is what counts.”

So, who voted for what in the 2015 poll? While full results will be revealed at the awards ceremony, to whet your appetite, here is a list of the vehicles that voters selected as their top six nominees in each of the 22 categories.

Presented category by category in alphabetical order, they range from budget buys to family sedans, from premium class road warriors to exotic supercars, from SUVs, MPVs and crossovers to delivery vans and bakkies.

The nominees are:

Category 1: Budget Buys
FORD – Figo
HYUNDAI – i10
KIA – Picanto
RENAULT – Sandero
TOYOTA – Etios
VOLKSWAGEN – Polo Vivo

Category 2: Compact Commuters
AUDI – A1/Sportback
FORD – Fiesta
KIA – Rio
RENAULT – Clio
TOYOTA – Corolla Quest
VOLKSWAGEN – Polo

Category 3: Compact Executive Cars
AUDI – A3/Sedan/Sportback
BMW – 1-Series
FORD – Focus
KIA – Cerato
MERCEDES-BENZ – A-Class/CLA
VOLKSWAGEN – Golf

Category 4: Family Friendly Cars
AUDI – A4
AUDI – A5 Sportback
BMW – 3-Series
KIA – Optima
MERCEDES-BENZ – C-Class
VOLVO – S60

Category 5: Mid-Sized Executive Cars
AUDI – A6
AUDI – A7 Sportback
BMW – 5-Series
JAGUAR – XF
LEXUS – GS
MERCEDES-BENZ – E-Class

Category 6: Premium Luxury Cars
AUDI – A8
JAGUAR – XJ
MASERATI – Ghibli
MERCEDES-BENZ – CLS
MERCEDES-BENZ – S-Class
PORSCHE – Panamera

Category 7: Super Luxury Cars
ASTON MARTIN – Rapide
BENTLEY – Continental Flying Spur
FERRARI – F12 Berlinetta
FERRARI – FF
ROLLS ROYCE – Ghost
ROLLS ROYCE – Phantom

Category 8: Sporty Drop Tops
AUDI – TT Roadster
BMW – 4-Series Convertible
JAGUAR – F Type
MERCEDES-BENZ – E-Class Cabriole
MERCEDES-BENZ – SLK
PORSCHE – Boxster

Category 9: Super Sports Cars
ASTON MARTIN – DB9
AUDI – R8
FERRARI – 458 Spider
LAMBORGHINI – Aventador
MERCEDES-BENZ – SL
NISSAN – GT-R

Category 10: Sport Coupés: Two-Door Hard Tops
AUDI – TT Coupe
BMW – 2-Series
KIA – Cerato Koup
SUBARU – BRZ
TOYOTA – 86
VOLKSWAGEN – Scirocco

Category 11: Premium Class Coupés
AUDI – A5 Coupé
BMW – 4-Series
BMW – 6-Series
MERCEDES-BENZ – C-Class Coupe
MERCEDES-BENZ – E-Class Coupé
PORSCHE – Cayman

Category 12: Hot Hatches/Sedans/ Coupés
AUDI – S3
FORD – Fiesta ST
FORD – Focus ST
MERCEDES-BENZ – A45 AMG/CLA 45 AMG
VOLKSWAGEN – Golf GTI
VOLKSWAGEN – Golf R

Category 13: Compact MPVs & People Carriers
CHEVROLET – Orlando
DODGE – Journey
MAZDA – 5
MERCEDES-BENZ – B-Class
TOYOTA – Verso
VOLKSWAGEN – Touran

Category 14: Large MPVs & People Carriers
CHRYSLER – Grand Voyager
HYUNDAI – H-1
MERCEDES-BENZ Viano
MERCEDES-BENZ Vito
TOYOTA – Quantum
VOLKSWAGEN – Kombi

Category 15: Small SUVs & Crossovers
FORD – EcoSport
JEEP – Compass
JEEP – Patriot
KIA – Soul
MITSUBISHI – ASX
NISSAN – Qashqai

Category 16: Compact SUVs & Crossovers
BMW 3-Series GT
FORD – Kuga
JEEP – Wrangler
KIA – Sportage
MERCEDES-BENZ – GLA
TOYOTA – Fortuner

Category 17: Premium Class SUVs & Crossovers
AUDI – Q5
JEEP – Grand Cherokee
KIA – Sorento
LAND ROVER – Range Rover Evoque
PORSCHE – Macan
TOYOTA – Land Cruiser Prado

Category 18: Luxury SUVs & Crossovers
AUDI – Q7
BMW – X6
LAND ROVER – Range Rover
LAND ROVER – Range Rover Sport
PORSCHE – Cayenne
VOLKSWAGEN – Touareg

Category 19: Hybrids/Electrics
BMW – ActiveHybrid 3
HONDA – CRZ
INFINITI – Q50 Hybrid
MERCEDES-BENZ – E-Class Hybrid
PORSCHE – Cayenne Hybrid
PORSCHE – Panamera Hybrid

Category 20: Light Delivery Vehicles
FORD – Transit Custom
HYUNDAI – H-1 Panel Van
MERCEDES-BENZ – Vito Panel Van
TOYATO – Quantum Panel Van
VOLKWAGEN – Caddy Panel Van
VOLKSWAGEN – Transporter Panel Van

Category 21: Single Cab Bakkies
CHEVROLET – Utility
FORD – Ranger
KIA – K2700
NISSAN – Navara
TOYOTA – Hilux
VOLKSWAGEN – Amarok

Category 22: Double Cab Bakkies
FORD – Ranger
ISUZU – KB
LAND ROVER – Defender
NISSAN – Navara
TOYOTA – Hilux
VOLKWAGEN – Amarok