COTY finalists complete test days

The South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition sponsored by Old Mutual Insure concluded its evaluations for the 2024 annual competition.

24 COTY1

The comprehensive regimen testing vehicles' performance across key disciplines took place in high seasonal temperatures and included acceleration, handling, braking, wet-surface stability, fuel economy and, where applicable, off-road capabilities.

On the first day of the three-day event, the 27 jurors participated in a training session at the OMI COTY Training Academy to hone their assessment skills. This was followed by two days of on-track and off-track testing.

Throughout the test days, diverse evaluations assessed the vehicles' design, engineering, technology, powertrain, practicality, safety, ride, handling and overall standard of excellence in relation to their segment peers.

Value for money, a crucial criterion in the competition, will come under additional scrutiny in a follow-up study conducted by Lightstone Automotive.

As COTY's automotive information partner, Lightstone Automotive supplies data like average monthly sales volumes per product and market segment, and specification-adjusted competitor pricing to complete the scoring process. The jury's results are formally audited.

The field of contenders is diverse, ranging across eight categories. From affordable compacts to sensible family offerings, ultra-luxurious saloons and snarling performance vehicles, the line-up is representative of the breadth of the new car market in South Africa. But there can only be one 2024 Car of the Year.

  • This year's COTY winners will be announced on the 8th of May.

More Industry News stories

Isuzu’s ambitious plans for truck manufacturing in South Africa

Isuzu’s ambitious plans for truck manufacturing in South Africa

Isuzu Motors South Africa is positioning itself to become the primary manufacturing centre for commercial trucks across the African continent, a strategic move that could significantly boost production volumes while increasing the use of locally sourced components.

  • 21 August 2025
Kiara driving change, one pink truck at a time

Kiara driving change, one pink truck at a time

In a move that’s turning heads across the transport industry, Kiara Baijnath (photo), the founder and director of HerWay Logistics, is redefining what it means to be a woman in trucking by adding another pink Mercedes-Benz Actros 2645 to her fleet.

  • 21 August 2025