Hyundai Ioniq a NZ Car of the Year finalist

An electric Hyundai Ioniq is included among the 10 finalists in the 2017 New Zealand Car of the Year.

EVs have their own category for the first time too, although they’ve been included in the general line-up before with the BMW i3 taking top honours in 2015.

The new EV category reflects the increasing numbers available and growing market interest.

“The inclusion of an EV category is recognition of an important facet that is growing,” AA Motoring Services general manager Stella Stocks says.

“We want to give consumers good information about all vehicles, and the time is right to put it in there so we have more information about them.”

The top 10 comprises new vehicles for sale this year while the overall classes feature those available on the market this year – which may include older models.

The New Zealand Automobile Association and New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild (NZMWG) will announce the Car of the Year at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland on December 12.

Members of the guild and AA judges who have driven the top 10 cars will independently rank each of them on a number of elements including value, design and quality.

Once again, the public has an opportunity to have its say to determine the winner of the New Zealand Car of the Year People’s Choice award.

Guild president Robert Barry agrees the top 10 Car of the Year line up offers something for virtually every market segment.

“Each of the top 10 selections is a worthy contender for the ultimate Car of the Year award. It’s going to be a difficult choice for the judges this year,” Barry says.

Stocks says the judges – members of the guild and an AA representative – have their work cut out for them.

“This year the top 10 line up represents a great cross section of new cars available to the market today, from lower cost small cars loaded with technology to very practical and more expensive luxury vehicles,” Stocks says.

“From this list it is clear that car manufacturers are anticipating the market’s needs and producing vehicles to match.”

The New Zealand Car of the Year is in two parts. The Car of the Year finalists were chosen by a panel earlier this month. To be eligible, the car must have been released in the New Zealand market between October 1, 2016, and September 30, 2017.

The Best in Class awards are selected from any new car on sale now in each category. This means a make and model released in previous years could beat out a newer car in its class.

The safest car for 2017 will also be announced at the December 12 event based on Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP) crash test results.

The New Zealand Car of the Year People’s Choice award will also be announced on December 12. From November 1, the public will have a chance to vote for one of the top 10 finalists on the AA’s website and earn a chance to win a nine-day Pacific islands cruise for two.