The annual Australia’s Best Cars (ABC) awards, a joint initiative of the nation’s auto clubs, stack up as the definitive answer to a car buyer’s needs, being a simple but relevant guide to the new vehicle market.
In 2008, almost 300 vehicles came under the judging panel’s scrutiny.
How it works
Now in its ninth year, Australia’s Best Cars has always put the motoring public first in all of its various processes.
The 12 award categories, together with the emphasis motorists wanted on each of the judging criteria, were formulated in response to polls of the nation’s auto club members.
As a result of the motorist research, a level of importance (low, medium, high or critical) has been attached to each criteria, in each class. These weightings can vary from class to class. For example, a factor such as engine performance carries more weighting in a sports car class than it would with small cars.
Vehicles are rated according to at least 19 (up to 21 in 4WD categories) criteria that includes value for money, design and function, on road competence and, for four-wheel drives, off-road ability.
Judges give every vehicle a score on a scale of one to 10 in each of these criteria. The weightings are then applied to determine a final score for each criteria, which in turn delivers an overall score to determine the winners.
Safety is the over-riding consideration across the board. And the nation’s auto clubs measure as many other characteristics of a vehicle as possible.
Responsibility for compiling information on residual sales values, running and repair costs, standard features, space, security and fuel consumption is shared among the nine judges.
Vehicles are continually rated against a national testing regime until the early-October (Australian International Motor show) cut-off. A short-list of 36 leading contenders is then taken on an exhaustive back-to-back test.
After a final week of testing the finalists, including driving them over a range of road surfaces, category scores are checked and then loaded into custom software.
An overall score is derived for each car in each category, with the best package clinching the crown.
For full scores and further information, visit www.australiasbestcars.com.au.
RACQ has two judges on the national ABC panel: The Road Ahead’s Barry Green and Club Vehicle Technologies technical specialist John Ewing.
Best Small Car
This year, the ABC criteria reflected the tougher financial times with a list price ceiling of $18,000 in the Small Car class.
Best Mid-Size car Under $28,000
Buyers looking for a mid-size car under $28,000 are spoiled for choice, and there were more than 30 models in contention is this category.
Best Mid-Size car Over $28,000
Reflecting the market shift from large cars down to medium size cars, this category is the most competitive, with around 50 models qualifying for judging.
Best Large Car
Ford has brought Falcon back to class supremacy with its new FG range, thanks to a sustained approach to product development.
Best People Mover
Just like the theatres of the same name, iMax is big on space and is something the whole family should enjoy.
Best Sports Car
The BMW 135i Coupe shined the brightest in a galaxy of new stars this year.
Best Luxury Sports
If Audi’s TT-S TFSI quattro were a cricketer, it might well assume the identity of a Garfield Sobers or Ian Botham. For it’s a consummate all-rounder among luxury sports cars.
Best Prestige Car
Nothing stays the same for long these days, and it’s never been more true of the auto industry.
Best Luxury Car
The Luxury Car class was one of the most fiercely contested this year, and the technically innovative Lexus GS 450h edged out the clinically efficient diesel Audi A6 TDI quattro in a classy field.
Best Recreational 4WD
Volkswagen has entered the congested compact 4WD market with its new Tiguan, elbowing its way past the long-term players to take out the award.
Best Luxury 4WD
The big, bulky and expensive end of town battled it out for the top prize and, for the second year running, BMW’s X5 took the honours, scoring consistently well across the 20 areas of assessment.
Best All-Terrain 4WD
If ABC had a Hall of Fame, the Discovery TDV6, a class winner for a fourth consecutive year, would surely be in it.
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