The prestige of the South African Car of the Year competition has made a comeback, with numerous manufacturers considering the 2025 event as a highlight of the South African automotive industry. While the previous format of the COTY award focused on a single model, introducing categories alongside an overall winner has enhanced the competition’s relevance to the public. The finalists showcase a diverse range of vehicles, from compact hatchbacks to family-sized SUVs and performance saloons, ensuring that buyers at various price points can find cars of class-leading excellence.

The Performance category features three long-anticipated competitors from BMW, Ford and Mercedes-AMG, all vying for coveted category honours. The newly-launched Mitsubishi Triton and GWM P 500 HEV will aim to repeat Ford’s victory in 2023 when the Ranger became the first bakkie in history to be crowned the overall winner. As the first Hybrid bakkie to ever make COTY Finalist, the P500 HEV is one of four new-energy vehicles, alongside the BMW M5, Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E performance and Volvo EX30, the latter being the only full EV that made the finalist list this year. The luxury sedan category sees one of the longest automotive rivalries in South Africa rekindled, with the BMW 5 Series fighting it out with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is set to strive for a fourth COTY trophy for the Japanese manufacturer, following previous victories in 1986, 1987, and 2022. Meanwhile, the Suzuki Swift might prove a fierce competitor, having received global acclaim and a coveted position as a finalist for the 2025 World Car of the Year. This budget-friendly hatchback is aiming high, with a singular goal of clinching the overall winner’s trophy.

The 2025 SA Car of the Year Finalists are (in alphabetical order):

BMW 5 Series Sedan

BMW M5

BMW X3

Ford Mustang GT

GAC GS3 EMZOOM

GWM P500 HEV

Jaecoo J7

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance

Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 220d

MINI Countryman

Mitsubishi Triton

Omoda C9

Suzuki Swift - The logical choice for an overall win, but hey, what do we know?

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volvo EX30

In early March, the competition enters the testing phase at Zwartkops Raceway where the jury will physically assess the vehicles. The South African COTY competition is one of the few in the world where physical testing with all the Finalists still takes place. Subsequently, the final scoring round incorporates data from Lightstone Auto, utilising automated scoring based on market segment sales volumes and spec-adjusted competitor pricing. The Motor Enthusiast’s Choice is a public vote, which returned in the 2024 COTY competition and has become more relevant. We’re just interested to see what comes in 2nd place after the Suzuki Swift wins it.

Take a look at the YouTube video put together by the title sponsor for the SA Car of the Year competition, Old Mutual Insure. This video introduces you to the judges who will be using an award-winning proprietory scoring system to properly evaluate the vastly different cars that made it to the finals: SAGMJ Reveals 2025 SA Car of the Year Jurors | Old Mutual Insure

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