The exhaustive process, which kicks off in September each year with the announcement of the 13 categories (continuously revised to reflect market changes), five semi-finalists per category, as well as a hand-picked judging panel, will reach its conclusion on 27 February.

This year’s event promises to be a must-attend, with a stunning Cirque du Soleil-themed set-up befitting the prestigious nature of the evening. With around 500 guests expected, it will be a rare opportunity for the entire motor industry, peripheral support businesses and media to network.

“It would be easy to simply announce the winners in the media, but we believe that this critical industry also needs to be celebrated,” says Amasi Mwela, Managing Director of Cars.co.za.

The 2024/2025 Cars.co.za Awards mark the second consecutive year that the programme is sponsored by Absa and endorsed by naamsa | The Automotive Business Council (of South Africa) – it’s the only motoring awards programme in the country to carry this backing.

“The consumer is at the forefront of our business, and we measure the success of our awards programme by its potential to impact consumer behaviour positively,” continues Amasi. “For this reason, we have introduced a very consumer-facing element to the Awards programme.”

During the weekend after the Awards gala event, the 13 category winners and other finalists of the 2024/2025 programme will be on display at the Mall of Africa, where consumers will be able to view the vehicles, interact with sales staff and, potentially, initiate purchases of new cars.

“In addition to staff from the various brands, representatives from Cars.co.za as well as Absa will be on hand to provide further assistance,” Amasi says.

“The Cars.co.za Awards, sponsored by Absa, is designed to guide all new passenger vehicle buyers," says Hannes Oosthuizen, the manager of the Awards since their inception in 2015.

“With 50% of the final scores determined by brands’ ratings in the survey, a vehicle only really stands a very good chance of winning if it is a good product in the eyes of the judges and if its brand delivers solid after-sales service.”

Full list of 2024/25 CarsAwards Finalists:

Best Budget Car (under R300 000):

• Hyundai Exter 1.2 Executive
• Mahindra XUV 3XO 1.2T MX3
• Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX

Best Compact Hatch (R300 000 to R500 000):

• Honda Fit 1.5 Elegance Auto
• Suzuki Baleno 1.5 GLX Auto
• Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI 85kW R-Line Auto

Best Budget Crossover (R300 000 to R400 000):

• Kia Sonet 1.5 LX Auto
• Suzuki Fronx 1.5 GLX Auto
• Toyota Urban Cruiser 1.5 XR Auto

Best Compact Family Car (R400 000 to R600 000):

• Kia Seltos 1.5 CRDi EX+
• Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid XR
• Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0 TSI R-Line

Family Car (R600 000 to R800 000):

• Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max 2.0TGDi 390T Executive AWD
• Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi GT Line Plus
• Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI R-Line

Premium Crossover (R700 000 to R1m):

• BMW X2 sDrive18i M Sport
• Mini Countryman S ALL4
• Volvo XC40 B4 Ultimate Dark

Executive SUV (R1m to R1.3m):

• BMW X3 30e xDrive M Sport
• Lexus NX 450h+ F Sport
• Mercedes-Benz GLC300d 4Matic

Best Premium SUV (R1.3m to R1.8m):

• BMW X5 xDrive30d M Sport
• Lexus RX 500h F Sport
• Mercedes-Benz GLE 300d 4Matic

Best Adventure SUV:

• Ford Everest 3.0TD V6 4WD Wildtrak
• Land Rover Defender 110 D350 X-Dynamic HSE
• Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 2.8GD VX-R

Best Leisure Double Cab (under R750 000):

• Ford Ranger 2.0SiT XLT 4x4 Auto
• Isuzu D-Max 1.9TD LS 4x4 Auto
• Toyota Hilux 2.4GD-6 Raider 4x4 Auto

Ultimate Double Cab (above R750 000):

• Ford Ranger 3.0T V6 Raptor 4WD
• Ineos Grenadier 3.0T Quartermaster Trailmaster Edition
• Toyota Hilux GD-6 4x4 GR-Sport

Performance Car (under R2m):

• Audi RS3 Sportback quattro
• BMW M2 Auto
• Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4Matic

Best EV (under R1.3m):

• BMW iX1 xDrive30 M Sport
• Mini Countryman SE ALL4
• Volvo EX30 Plus Twin Motor Performance

The public can follow #CarsAwards on Cars.co.za, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.