All electric Jaguar I-PACE new Car of the Year in South Africa
Jaguar has taken the laurels in the AutoTrader South African Car of the Year contest, conducted for the first time ever through a virtual, digital adjudication process, with its splendid I-Pace EV400 AWD. The announcement was also made in a virtual awards ceremony.
This was Jaguar’s first win in this competition and also the first time an electric car came out tops. The Car of the Year competition has been running since 1986.
The Mercedes-Benz GLE400d 4Matic was second while the Toyota GR Supra 3.0T came third.
So far, the Jaguar I-PACE has won the 2019 World Car of the Year, World Car Design of the Year and World Green Car awards (the I-PACE was the first model ever to win three World Car titles in the 15-year history of the awards). It was also named the European Car of Year in 2019.
Category Winners:
The winner in the Urban Category was the Hyundai Atos 1.1 Motion. This category covers compact budget-friendly passenger vehicles that are ideal for in-town driving. Buyers of these cars typically rate practicality over luxury and performance.
In theFamily category consisting of mid-size sedans, the Toyota Corolla Hatch 1.2T XR CTV was voted the winner.
The Leisure category was won by the Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI Comfortline 85kW DSG. This category covers sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs). Owners of these cars enjoy the freedom of driving both on and off-road.
The Lifestyle Utility Vehicles category was won by the Ford Ranger Raptor. These vehicles typically offer supreme 4×4 ability and can be either an SUV or a single or double-cab bakkie.
The highly contested Premium Car category was won by the overall winner, namely the Jaguar I-PACE EV400 AWD SE. Buyers of these prestigious mid to large vehicles want powerful engines, luxury features and high-end trim options.
The Premium SUV Category caters for vehicles that offer a combination of versatility, comfort, style and performance both on and off the road. Boasting genuine 4×4 ability without low range, these vehicles are luxurious, spacious and refined. This category was won by the Mercedes-Benz GLE400d 4Matic.
The final category, Sport/Performance, was won by the Toyota GR Supra 3.0T. Whether it’s a sportier flagship of an existing passenger range or a pure stand-alone model, vehicles in this category have one common trait: superior performance. Accordingly, thoroughbred sports cars are included in this category.
