FORD SAYS: The first ever Women’s World Car of the Year competition will take place this year. A short list of 21 vehicles has been compiled from cars new to the market in at least ten countries, between September 2008 and September 2009.
Both the Ford Fiesta and the Mazda3, soon to be launched in SA, have been announced as finalists in the economy category while the Mazda MX-5 has been shortlisted in the sports car category.
“We are excited to have our cars nominated in the Women’s World Car of the Year competition,” says Jacques Brent, Vice President Sales & Marketing for FMCSA. “Increasingly we are seeing that women are the final decision makers when it comes to new vehicle purchases however women motoring journalists are still very much in the minority. With women’s priorities and needs being very different to those of their male counterparts these awards are probably long over due.”
Ten women motoring journalists from around the globe will be involved in selecting the inaugural winners, set to be announced later in the year.
The South African representative is Durban based, Heléne Griffiths, who has been involved with the motoring industry for the past 31 years. Heléne has been one of the evaluators for Associated Magazines’ Women on Wheels Car of the Year competition since it’s inception two years ago.
Other jury members hail from North America, India, the UK, Australia and Europe. All are established writers or broadcasters.
The women will select cars from the short list to decide on four separate category winners - Family Car of the Year, Sports Car of the Year, Luxury Car of the Year and the Best Economical Car. The supreme award winner will then be chosen and announced at the end of the year.
The adjudicators will look at driveability, examine whether a car is child-friendly, whether it is value for money and what the carbon footprint is like. The focus is firmly on all things women genuinely want to know about before they buy a car.
The international panels of women judges plan to assemble at the head office of the winning car company when the supreme award-winner receives the trophy in November this year.
WOMEN’S WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR SHORT LIST
FAMILY CAR:
Dodge Journey
VW Jetta
Volvo XC
Honda Accord
GM Cruze
ECONOMY:
Ford Fiesta
Mazda3
Toyota Prius
Honda Insight
Hyundai i30
VW Golf diesel
SPORTS CAR:
Audi TTS
BMW M3
Mazda MX-5
Porsche Boxster
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
LUXURY CAR:
Aston Martin Vantage
Jaguar XF
Saab 9-3
Audi A6
Porsche Cayenne