The 2024 SA Car of the Year (Coty) winner has been announced. The BMW 7 Series took the title. The Suzuki Fronx and the BMW M2 secured the second and third spots respectively.
Charles Nortjé, the managing director of Old Mutual Insure (Omi) and the main sponsor of Coty for the past two years, expressed his delight at this year’s outcome. He remarked on the industry’s rapid advancements, particularly in automotive safety. “Congratulations to the overall victor and category winners of the 38th annual Coty competition. With ever-heightening competition levels each year, and with new technology and better value-for-money offerings from different brands, this year’s winners should feel immensely proud of achieving top honours.”
The 2024 competition saw 18 finalists carefully selected from an impressive pool of 80 qualifying vehicles, representing various fiercely contested categories. These included budget/compact, compact family, family, premium, adventure SUV, 4×4 double-cab, luxury and performance. With a greater representation of electric vehicles (EVs) across the categories, the previous new energy category was dropped this year.
The category winners of the 2024 Coty competition are:
The Mahindra Scorpio-N won the Motor Enthusiasts Choice Award, determined by public votes in a social media campaign led by the Omi.
Another accolade for the BMW brand, which clinched the overall Coty victory plus three category wins, is the Coty Jurors Excellence Award granted to the 7 Series. This award recognises the jurors’ admiration for its exceptional driving experience, vehicle quality and craftsmanship.
After the formal vehicle evaluation and jury scoring, Lightstone Auto, Coty’s competition partner, contributed data-driven insights and online market intelligence. This allows Coty to measure market relevance regarding volume and segment share objectively. This change has been particularly successful, resulting in recent winners ranging from an EV, two family crossovers, a 4×4 double-cab and, for 2024, a luxury sedan.
Mabuyane Mabuza, the chairperson of the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ), congratulated the winners and all the competitors. “It’s heartening to see the automotive industry’s dedication to providing high-quality, technologically advanced products across all categories to meet modern buyers’ mobility needs.”
Mabuza explained that the Coty competition evaluates all entrants based on design, technology, engineering, powertrain performance, handling, ingenuity and safety. After the expert panel completes scoring, the automated insights provided by Lightstone Auto offer a data-driven perspective that transcends merely scoring the driving experience.
“After securing victory in the 38th edition of the Coty competition in 2024, BMW now holds the record for the most overall wins in this prestigious showcase, having triumphed in six previous years: 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2011. It is remarkable that the BMW 7 Series now marks their seventh win in the competition!”
Since 1986, the SAGMJ-hosted the annual competition has maintained its reputation as the country’s most respected and coveted motoring event.
Source: QuickPic
