Three EVs make NZ Car of the Year’s top 10

Among this year’s New Zealand Car of the Year finalists, three out of the top 10 are electric vehicles.

The candidates are the Audi e-tron, Ford Focus, Holden Acadia, Hyundai Santa Fe, Jaguar I-Pace, Mazda 3, Mercedes GLE, Peugeot 508, Tesla Model 3 and Toyota RAV4.

The e-tron, I-Pace and Model 3 are all pure electric vehicles.

Professional automotive journalists from the New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild test vehicles in their home environments to vote on the Car of the Year.

“Simply having three electric vehicles in the top 10 shows how far this technology has come, and how much New Zealand has embraced it,” New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild president Richard Edwards says.

“Even so, with seven other incredible vehicles in the top 10 they have a challenge ahead.”

The winner will be decided by 21 voting members and announced live on TVNZ One’s Seven Sharp in December.

Criteria for the award will be judged on how the vehicle performs its intended role; its styling, interior design and accommodation; fit, finish and quality; ride and refinement; performance; value for money; road holding and handling; active and passive safety and environmental responsibility.

The New Zealand Car of the Year is in its 31st year, with Subaru Forester being the current titleholder.