Eight finalists from the more than 100 new car models launched in 2006 were last week evaluated by a panel of motoring journalists to select the Car of the Year for 2007. Which of these deserves to be in with a chance, and which are the losers? After three days of flirting with the cars in Gauteng, South African Guild of Motoring Journalists juror Gavin Foster airs his views.
If only the Alfa Romeo 159 2.2 JTS had a decent amount of power tucked away under its bonnet, it could have been a contender. At a tad under R300Â 000, the Alfa was the most expensive car there, but its parts were by far the cheapest of the lot, in terms of absolute cost and as a percentage of the car’s price. I know that the car is available with a more powerful engine, but the 2,2-litre version was the one that made it to the finals. That famous badge and the sleek styling deserve better than a 10,71-second 0-100km/h time. No chance for the prize then, I say.
If only the Hyundai designers had styled the new Accent a little better, and injected more soul into the car, it could have been in with a chance. The cheapest and least pretentious car there, the Accent 1.6 HS was fun to drive around Wesbank Raceway, and surprisingly brisk in a straight line — its 0-100km/h time is a mere three-quarters of a second slower than the Alfa’s, while its 400m sprint time of 17,83 seconds is just 0,36 seconds slower than the Italian car’s. The Hyundai is an immensely competent, practical car, with an enormous boot, but the price of its spares also did it no good. See you next time around, kid.
If only the people at Toyota had started with a clean slate and given the Avensis 2.2 D4D crisper lines and some personality, their car would have been a favourite. The handling’s a little flabby around the racetrack, but it is a family sedan, after all, and it’s a brilliant cross-country cruiser with excellent manners at high speeds. The parts are competitively priced, and the car’s very well built. Trouble is, it’s just not special enough when compared with its peers in a very competitive segment of the market to justify it being Car of the Year. Not in my book, anyway.
If only the Renault Clio 1.6 Dynamique five-door stood out from the pack a little more, it could have picked up extra points on my scorecard. Horrendously expensive spares prices — and interior rattles on the dirt-road sections — also did the little French car’s chances no good. Superb equipment levels and better-than-average handling around the racetrack were its strong points. Good effort, chaps.
If only the Ford Focus ST three-door hadn’t been prone to overheating around the track, it would have been a potential winner. The cars delivered for the shootout all showed a tendency to run alarmingly hot after a couple of laps, so were rotated continuously as a safety precaution. Also, handling on the racetrack, although good, wasn’t as crisp as that of the Opel Astra 1.9 CDTI. The car has lots going for it, though. It’s quick, it’s fun and it’s well priced. I scored the Ford joint third, alongside the Opel.
If only the Opel Astra 1.9 CDTI weren’t so cheap and plasticky inside, it could have taken my vote for Car of the Year. The Opel was the best handling car around the racetrack by a country mile, and it has a great engine/gearbox combination. When the jurors’ votes are tallied, the Opel could well come out top dog. That’s not how I scored it, though.
That takes us down to my top two cars, either of which could win. Take a bow, Lexus. Your IS250 is a winner, even if it doesn’t crack the nod when the results are announced in March. It does everything well, it’s fun, it’s well designed and exquisitely built, and it’s well priced. And, of course, its parts pricing is very competitive.
The joint winner, in my book, is Honda’s latest Civic 1.8 VXI sedan. A quality item, superbly screwed together, well-specced and at a price that makes it affordable to loads of South Africans on a budget. When weighed against its direct competitors in the marketplace, the Honda is superb. That’s what the Car of the Year competition is about, so I reckon the Honda could possibly just pip the Lexus to the post when the big day comes.