As we reach the end of another eventful motoring year, it's time for us to hand out our annual best-of-the-best awards.
New vehicle sales in South Africa have bounced back 16 percent stronger than last year and motor companies have fired an almost unprecedented barrage of new models into an ever-more cut-throat market.
Because of the intense competition vehicles are getting increasingly more refined, sophisticated and reliable, which is shown up in customer satisfaction surveys.
For instance, the cars in this year's Synovate Quality Awards achieved a record average of 56 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) in the Passenger Vehicle category, 30 percent better than last year's overall average of 81 PP100, and there have been similar improvements in the bakkie and recreational vehicle categories.
That's very encouraging, but as always there were some vehicles that shone a little brighter than others and in this, our final motoring supplement of the year, we acknowledge those that revved our engines the most.
Out of the dozens of new models launched this year we've chosen the pick of the crop for our Best of 2011 awards in various categories, as voted for by our team of motoring journalists.
After picking through all the contenders we've chosen the Range Rover Evoque (pictured) as our overall car of the year. Making its South African debut at the recent Joburg International Motor Show, the “baby” Range Rover is an SUV with a unique blend of practicality and pizzazz, combining real offroad ability with great roadholding and dashing looks.
While there are a number of vehicles that conform to the same criteria, we gave the nod to the Evoque because it pulls it off with such flair and x-factor.
SUVs are becoming ever-more popular with buyers because of their jack-of-all-trades versatility, but the Evoque does it without compromising on style. Available in three-door coupé and five-door derivatives, the Evoque has sporty fastback styling that eschews the traditional bloated SUV look, making a fashion statement that draws oohs and aahs.
It also has a classy interior with some of the most handsome-looking seats we've ever seen.
Sealing the deal are two punchy engines (a 2-litre petrol turbo with 177kW/340Nm and a 2.2 turbodiesel making 140kW/420Nm), and a Terrain Response system offering four settings (General Driving, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud and Ruts, and Sand) which makes the Evoque a very capable dirt-kicker.
See the links above for our category winners.
*This contest was judged by the motoring journalists of the Independent Newspapers group, representing IOL, Star Motoring, Drive Times, Pretoria News and Mercury Motoring.