The people’s choice: Ford Ranger double-cab
The Future Group, in association with Standard Bank Vehicle and Asset Finance, research house TNS Global and media partner Sunday Times, has, based on 60 000 votes, announced the various category winners in the 2015 “People’s Wheels Awards”.
“Thank you to everyone that participated in the fourth series of the Standard Bank People’s Wheels Awards. This is an event in which all motorists can be heard and where every vote counts,” said Nicholas Nkosi, head of vehicle and asset finance, personal markets, at Standard Bank.
The People’s Choice – the vehicle which obtained the most votes of all in the People’s Wheels poll, was Ford’s Ranger double-cab. The leisure-styled bakkie – no stranger to accolades at the awards having taken victory last year in its category – made history this time around by becoming the first light commercial vehicle to win overall honours.
Another winner was motorist David Millard of Cape Town, who was delighted to receive a cheque for R25 000 following a lucky draw involving all those who took part in the People’sWheels vote or in the ownership survey.
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.
Richard Rice, director of business development at TNS Global said, “For motorists, the highest rated attributes were reliability, driving experience, looks and styling and build quality. Noise and vibration, ownership costs, cargo capacity and after-sales service received the poorest scores – similar to previous years.
Full details of the People’s Wheels Awards are contained in the 2015 edition of the Auto Annual. The 288-page coffee-table book not only offers extensive reports on all aspects of the People’s Wheels project, but also presents an authoritative overview of South Africa’s automotive industry.
Editor Wynter Murdoch said the aim of the Auto Annual was to highlight some of the rewards, issues and challenges that had influenced South Africa’s automotive industry over the year, putting into focus manufacturing, marketing and consumer related information of relevance to the passenger car and commercial vehicle segments.
