The fourth annual Standard Bank People’s Wheels Awards are due to be held on Thursday, November 13, at the Montecasino Ballroom in Fourways, Johannesburg.
Initiated by the Future Group in association with Standard Bank, research house TNS South Africa and media partner Sunday Times, the People’s Wheels Awards provide the automotive sector with a unique platform to reward vehicle excellence.
South Africans came out in numbers to vote for their favourite cars in the 2015 Standard Bank People’s Wheels Awards survey. The online polls were open for over three months, from June to August, and once again the results were impressive. About 60 000 votes were recorded across the competition’s 22 categories.
Furthermore, a record number of responses were received from vehicle owners in a survey designed to determine their satisfaction levels with regard to the cars and bakkies they drive every day.
“Standard Bank as one of the key financiers of car buyers and lovers in South Africa believes that all motorists should have a voice in deciding what our country’s most esteemed cars should be. Nobody can better assess the merits of vehicles than the people who drive them. The awards enable motorists to use their experiences, and those of others to help them to make informed comparisons and purchasing decisions,” says Nicholas Nkosi, Head of Vehicle and Asset Finance – Personal Markets at Standard Bank.
“The People’s Wheels Awards’ success undoubtedly rests on two major factors. It is an event in which all motorists can be heard and an event in which every vote counts.”
The results of the survey present crucial insight for marketers and offer relevant and useful information to consumers regarding ownership perceptions of vehicle brands, as well as reliability, durability and loyalty factors.
Wynter Murdoch, Automotive Editor-in-Chief at Future Group, says: “Ordinary motorists can have their voices heard. The People’s Wheels Awards is the ultimate leveler in the car awards stakes. The results reflect feelings on the ground and allow all brands, regardless of inclusivity or exclusivity, to participate on an equal basis for various classes of accolades. Acceptance of a vehicle’s merits and the ‘wow’ factor it arouses within the people, rather than the size of marketing budgets, is what counts.”
So, who voted for what in the 2015 poll? While full results will be revealed at the awards ceremony, to whet your appetite, here is a list of the vehicles that voters selected as their top six nominees in each of the 22 categories.
Presented category by category in alphabetical order, they range from budget buys to family sedans, from premium class road warriors to exotic supercars, from SUVs, MPVs and crossovers to delivery vans and bakkies. The nominees are:
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
| Budget Buys | Compact Commuters | Compact Executive Cars |
| FORD – Figo | AUDI – A1/ Sportback | AUDI A3/Sedan/Sportback |
| HYUNDAI – i10 | FORD – Fiesta | BMW – 1-Series |
| KIA – Picanto | KIA – Rio | FORD – Focus |
| RENAULT – Sandero | RENAULT – Clio | KIA – Cerato |
| TOYOTA – Etios | TOYOTA – Corolla Quest | MERCEDES-BENZ –
A-Class/CLA |
| VOLKSWAGEN –
Polo Vivo |
VOLKSWAGEN – Polo | VOLKSWAGEN – Golf |
Category 4 Category 5 Category 6
| Family Friendly Cars | Mid-Sized Executive Cars | Premium Luxury Cars |
| AUDI – A4 | AUDI – A6 | AUDI – A8 |
| AUDI – A5 Sportback | AUDI – A7 Sportback | JAGUAR – XJ |
| BMW – 3-Series | BMW – 5-Series | MASERATI – Ghibli |
| KIA – Optima | JAGUAR – XF | MERCEDES-BENZ – CLS |
| MERCEDES-BENZ –
C-Class |
LEXUS – GS | MERCEDES-BENZ –
S-Class |
| VOLVO – S60 | MERCEDES-BENZ – E-Class | PORSCHE – Panamera |
Category 7 Category 8 Category 9
| Super Luxury Cars | Sporty Drop Tops | Super Sports Cars |
| ASTON MARTIN – Rapide | AUDI – TT Roadster | ASTON MARTIN – DB9 |
| BENTLEY –
Continental Flying Spur |
BMW – 4-Series Convertible | AUDI – R8 |
| FERRARI – F12 Berlinetta | JAGUAR – F Type | FERRARI – 458 Spider |
| FERRARI – FF | MERCEDES-BENZ –
E-Class Cabriole |
LAMBORGHINI –
Aventador |
| ROLLS ROYCE – Ghost | MERCEDES-BENZ – SLK | MERCEDES-BENZ – SL |
| ROLLS ROYCE –
Phantom |
PORSCHE – Boxster | NISSAN – GT-R |
Category 10 Category 11 Category 12
| Sport Coupés: Two-Door Hard Tops | Premium Class Coupés | Hot Hatches/Sedans/ Coupés |
| AUDI – TT Coupe | AUDI – A5 Coupé | AUDI – S3 |
| BMW – 2-Series | BMW – 4-Series | FORD – Fiesta ST |
| KIA – Cerato Koup | BMW – 6-Series | FORD – Focus ST |
| SUBARU – BRZ | MERCEDES-BENZ –
C-Class Coupe |
MERCEDES-BENZ –
A45 AMG/CLA 45 AMG |
| TOYOTA – 86 | MERCEDES-BENZ –
E-Class Coupé |
VOLKSWAGEN – Golf GTI |
| VOLKSWAGEN –
Scirocco |
PORSCHE – Cayman | VOLKSWAGEN – Golf R |
Category 13 Category 14 Category 15
| Compact MPVs & People Carriers | Large MPVs & People Carriers | Small SUVs & Crossovers |
| CHEVROLET – Orlando | CHRYSLER – Grand Voyager | FORD – EcoSport |
| DODGE – Journey | HYUNDAI – H-1 | JEEP – Compass |
| MAZDA – 5 | MERCEDES-BENZ Viano | JEEP – Patriot |
| MERCEDES-BENZ –
B-Class |
MERCEDES-BENZ Vito | KIA – Soul |
| TOYOTA – Verso | TOYOTA – Quantum | MITSUBISHI – ASX |
| VOLKSWAGEN – Touran | VOLKSWAGEN – Kombi | NISSAN – Qashqai |
Category 16 Category 17 Category 18
| Compact SUVs & Crossovers | Premium Class SUVs & Crossovers | Luxury SUVs & Crossovers |
| BMW 3-Series GT | AUDI – Q5 | AUDI – Q7 |
| FORD – Kuga | JEEP – Grand Cherokee | BMW – X6 |
| JEEP – Wrangler | KIA – Sorento | LAND ROVER –
Range Rover |
| KIA – Sportage | LAND ROVER –
Range Rover Evoque |
LAND ROVER –
Range Rover Sport |
| MERCEDES-BENZ – GLA | PORSCHE – Macan | PORSCHE – Cayenne |
| TOYOTA – Fortuner | TOYOTA –
Land Cruiser Prado |
VOLKSWAGEN – Touareg |
Category 19 Category 20 Category 21
| Hybrids/Electrics | Light Delivery Vehicles | Single Cab Bakkies |
| BMW – ActiveHybrid 3 | FORD – Transit Custom | CHEVROLET – Utility |
| HONDA – CRZ | HYUNDAI – H-1 Panel Van | FORD – Ranger |
| INFINITI – Q50 Hybrid | MERCEDES-BENZ –
Vito Panel Van |
KIA – K2700 |
| MERCEDES-BENZ –
E-Class Hybrid |
TOYATO –
Quantum Panel Van |
NISSAN – Navara |
| PORSCHE –
Cayenne Hybrid |
VOLKWAGEN –
Caddy Panel Van |
TOYOTA – Hilux |
| PORSCHE –
Panamera Hybrid |
VOLKSWAGEN –
Transporter Panel Van |
VOLKSWAGEN – Amarok |
Category 22
| Double Cab Bakkies |
| FORD – Ranger |
| ISUZU – KB |
| LAND ROVER – Defender |
| NISSAN – Navara |
| TOYOTA – Hilux |
| VOLKWAGEN – Amarok |
ABOUT THE FUTURE GROUP
Future Group has a proud 17 year history of providing premium quality, well-respected products and services for the media, automotive, business travel, corporate, hunting and outdoor sectors. The business also provides strategic marketing communications, hosts leading events, and publishes industry-leading reference publications. A portfolio of events that includes: MTN Radio Awards; ON AIR Radio Conference; the Future of Media and Advertising Conference; Business Traveller Africa Awards; People’s Wheels Awards as well as publications such as The Annual; the Redzone magazine; The Auto Annual; IMPERIAL Auto, Future Trucking & Logistics, Fleet, and Automobil.
For more information, visit www.thefuturegroup.co.za / www.peopleswheels.co.za