Bird’s eye view

Funny how women view cars so differently from men.

With many men, it’s a kind of testosterone thing. You know, the more butch, the more macho, or the more sexy the vehicle, the better the calibre of chick he’ll attract. Oh, and it has to go like hell off the start line.

With women, it’s often a kind of ”will-it-get-me-home-in-the-dark-without-packing-up-suddenly” thing. Or perhaps we worry about fitting the sprogs, their school bags, the shopping and the dogs into that two-door coupe. Oh sure, we love sexy cars too. But few of us seriously consider buying a car that we think will up our ratings with the opposite sex. And besides, I’ve driven a couple of Porsches and a Lotus and found them harder work than concocting a Baked Alaska … the latter, for me, being mission impossible.

So it’s quite interesting to view the selection of finalists chosen by this year’s South African Guild of Motoring Journalists’ jury for Car Of The Year. The eight cars were whittled down from a list of more than 100 new models launched in the country this year.

This august body now comprises both male and female judges, and the blend of both genders is reflected in their choices. The cars are the Mazda3 1,6 Dynamic, the BMW 120i, Peugeot’s 407 2,2 ST Sport, VW’s 2,0 Golf Tdi Sportline, the Volvo S40 2,4i, the Opel Astra 1,8i Sport, Ford’s Fiesta 1,5i and Audi’s A6 3,0 Tdi Quattro TIP.

An interesting and rather impressive bunch of cars. You’ve got the big and butch Audi A6, which I definitely rate as an all-male top exec runaround, and then there’s the fabulous Mazda3, a favourite of mine because it’s possibly the only car in the world that has a cubby big enough for a large handbag or a laptop! Very women-friendly, I think. There’s also the appealing little Fiesta, which I believe is more a woman’s car than a man’s, while the stunning BMW 120 is good for both.

Would we have seen the same line-up had the jury been all men? I doubt it. And would I have selected these cars too? Some of them, but there are several others that would definitely be on my list of potential winners.

One would be the dinky little Nissan Micra, one of the most appealing cars on our roads right now. Not only is it fun and funky to look at, it delivers a terrific ride, is packed with everything a girl needs, like anti-lock brake system, electronic brakeforce distribution, airbags for driver and front passengers, and with the top of the range model, the Elegance (both the Comfort and the Elegance have 1,4 motors) you’re also offered side-thorax bags for front occupants. Both models have childproof rear door locks and Isofix child seat fittings. Parking is a breeze in the Micra, and the ”bubbles” on the high-mounted headlights make it easy to negotiate your way through dense traffic or in close situations. It is equally attractive inside, almost retro with easy-to-read big dials (black on ivory), CD player, tons of storage space (including a cleverly concealed cellphone drawer), and enough cupholders to keep numerous toddlers happy. All of this, and it can be cranked up to a respectable 172kph if you feel like toying with your luck and your wallet. Cost? R122 637 or R132 747.

Also absent from the list is the new 2,0 Jaguar X Type, which has everything a woman wants from a car. Affordable (R265 000, for heaven’s sake — for a Jaguar!), so luxurious you feel positively blue-blooded swanning around cocooned in its walnut and leather, and a not too shabby performer on the open road. It’s gloriously quiet, unbelievably smooth and, let’s face it, sisters, there’s something quite decadent about luxury like this. Naturally it’s good for children, the massive boot will easily accommodate the shopaholic’s carrier bags, and, er, you do attract the odd glance from good-looking members of the opposite sex.

There’s every safety feature imaginable in this sleek and feline beast, but somehow, when you’re driving it, you just can’t imagine ever getting into trouble with the car or ever needing the safety features. Jaguars don’t have a reputation for misbehaving.

Others on my list would include Nissan’s 350 Z — a two-seater that will blow your hair back — and the cute and affordable Kia Picanto, which runs on the smell of an oil rag.

In the meantime, I’m waiting to win the lottery to be able to afford any of the above.

Ten of the best:

My top 10 cars of the year, in random order, would be: