A key part of being an avid motoring enthusiast is keeping up with the motor vehicle market both locally and at an international level. That can involve checking out reviews of latest models and the finalists and the winner of the various awards programs. One of the recent awards to be announced is the World Car of the Year Awards for 2022.
While not all models in the World Car of the Year awards are available on the Australian market, local buyers may take brand buying tips from the winners. For those with more than a passing interest in the global motor vehicle market, we take a look at this prestigious international awards program and which car took out the 2022 winner’s nod.
World Car Awards
The World Car Awards is a not for profit group which operates with a committee and over 100 jurors globally. The objective is to recognise and reward excellence in the automotive industry. The awards have been running for 18 years and the organisers state that this program is not meant to compete with other national awards but to complement them.
To be eligible to be judged for the various categories, vehicles must meet the criteria which for the Car of the Year category includes the production of a minimum 10,000 units per year in the judging period, be priced less than what is considered the luxury level in their main markets and be available for purchase in at least 2 of what they consider the major markets. The major markets being Europe, Japan, USA, Latin America, China, Korea and India and at least on two continents.
The judging period for the 2022 awards is 1 January 2021-30 March 2022. With the issues which have faced the auto sector over the past few years, that may have seriously impacted which vehicles were eligible for inclusion.
2022 Winners
This year’s winners were recently announced across the various categories:-
- Car of the Year: Winner is Hyundai Ioniq 5 with finalists the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Kia EV6.
- EV of the Year: Winner is Hyundai Ioniq 5 with finalists Audi e-tron Gt and Mercedes-Benz EQS
- Urban Car: Winner is Toyota Yaris Cross with finalists Opel Mokka and VW Taigun
- Luxury Car: Winner is Mercedes-Benz EQS with finalists BMW iX and Genesis GV70
- Performance Car: Winner is Audi e-tron GT with finalists BMW M3 M4, Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ
- Design of the Year: Winner is Hyundai Ioniq 5 with finaalists Kia EV6 and Audi e-tron GT
Impressive results for Hyundai and interesting announcements for those considering the purchase of a new vehicle. Specific voting results with scores given for the different judging criteria such as innovation, safety etc can be reviewed at the awards website.
Significance for Australian market
These are of course ‘world’ awards so how significant are the winners for Australian car buyers? As mentioned above, due to the eligibility criteria, not all the finalists or winners will be for sale in Australia. However, different variations of these vehicles may make it to the local market. But for buyers, seeing which manufacturers are considered winners can provide insights and direction to narrow down their selection.
Auto brands can utilise Car of the Year awards to spruik their manufacturing, safety, innovation and general quality credentials. These may assist buyers to look at brands or individual models they may not have otherwise considered.
In the case of the 2022 outcome, Hyundai has definitely captured the judges eye with the Ioniq 5 taking out a number of awards. The Hyundai Ioniq range is available in Australia with a number of variations. Whether these are the specific award winners – you’ll need to check specs to find out.
Mercedes-Benz also did well as did Audi and the very popular Toyota Yaris Cross. The Yaris has been a popular model for Toyota in Australia and will be well-known to many buyers. Of note is the predominance of EVs in the finalists’ lists. Australia has not been as fast as many other countries in the take-up of EVs but this could be another clear sign of the direction that manufacturers are going. Food for thought for buyers!
Acquiring Your Own Car of the Year
Finance for Hyundai, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota models in Australia is available through Jade Car Loans.
Loan types:
- Private Buyers: Secured Car Loan is the most commonly used loan type for new vehicles being purchased for private use.
- Business Buyers: The choice is wider with Hire Purchase, Lease and Chattel Mortgage in our portfolio of finance options.
The motor vehicle finance market is extremely competitive and with the record low interest rates still available, cheap interest rate car loans can be achieved. Meaning, it may not cost the earth to acquire your own world car of the year. Check out how much the loan repayments may be using our car loan calculators or just call for a quick finance quote.
Contact Jade Car Loans on 1300 000 003 for a quote on finance for a world car of the year finalist or winner.
DISCLAIMER: IN REGARD TO MISREPRESENTATIONS AND ERRORS CONTAINED IN THE MATERIAL AS PRESENTED, LIABILITY IS NOT ACCEPTED. THE DETAILS AND CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR CAR BUYERS AND INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESS SEEKING FINANCE PURELY AS GENERAL INFORMATION. THIS IS NOT PROVIDED AS THE ONLY SOURCE OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION. ANYONE THAT CONSIDERS THAT NEED FINANCIAL ADVICE ABOUT THEIR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS SHOULD SEEK THEIR OWN FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
