Was surfing last night when I stumbled on an article from UK’s Telegraph, where Andrew English, a judge in the 2013 European Car of the Year award, talks about this year’s hopefuls. Mr. English pointed out that this year, the 58 judges overlooked big money and/or high-tech cars for more bread and butter models. Appropriate, considering the state of the European economy.
The eight “quarter finalists” are Ford’s B-Max, Hyundai’s i30, Mercedes-Benz’s A-Class, Peugeot’s 208, Renault’s Clio, the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86 twins, Volkswagen’s Golf Mk7 and Volvo’s V40. They were shortlisted from a list of 32 new cars that will be on sale in Europe next year.
The writer pointed out that after two years of green car winners (Nissan Leaf, Opel/Vauxhall Ampera), judges lost appetite for the two plug-in hybrids from Volvo (V60 diesel plug-in) and Toyota (Prius plug-in). Also ignored were all-aluminium-alloy posh cars like the Mercedes-Benz SL and Range Rover. SUVs such as the Peugeot 4008, Citroën C4 Aircross, Honda CR-V, Subaru XV and Mitsubishi Outlander also didn’t stand out enough.
The down to earth menu dominated by hatchbacks and seasoned with one affordable sports car and one MPV will be judged on safety, driver appeal, value for money and ride/handling. The winner will be announced on the eve of the 2013 Geneva Motor Show in March.
Which of the eight do you think deserves the gong more? Armchair critics, state your case!
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments express excitement over the European Car of the Year finalists, favoring models like the VW Golf Mk7, Mercedes A-Class, and Volvo V40 for their innovation, safety, and design. Some highlight that these cars are groundbreaking in Europe, but note their high prices in Malaysia. Enthusiasm for specific models, such as the Toyota GT86 and Hyundai i30, is evident, though some critics question their availability or value. Overall, comments reflect positive interest and recognition of the finalists' features and impact.