Wheels Car of the Year announced

TS50 · 17-01-2012, 10:22 PM

So even though the Focus made the top 6

The Honda CR-Z Hybrid came out on top

http://motoring.ninemsn.com.au/cars/...011-honda-cr-z

Benjamin Smith · 17-01-2012, 10:48 PM

********! At least it wasn't a VW but a hybrid seriously! Wheels mag are loosing it year after year

MONSOON · 17-01-2012, 10:56 PM

Another car of the year that won't sell, except maybe to the governments fleets, but I never thought the focus would win

Gobes32 · 17-01-2012, 11:23 PM

Was Territory in the running?

calais · 17-01-2012, 11:29 PM

pfft..... what exactly does car of the year stand for anymore?

wrongwaynorris · 19-01-2012, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calais

pfft..... what exactly does car of the year stand for anymore?

Wheels ( Holden Monthly ) has had a history of monumentally stupid COTY's . I believe they do it as a means of publicity to sell magazines and raising their profile among the non car enthusiasts once a year . Gave up buying this unabashed Holden PR publication a long long long time ago .

Rodge · 19-01-2012, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrongwaynorris

Wheels ( Holden Monthly ) has had a history of monumentally stupid COTY's . I believe they do it as a means of publicity to sell magazines and raising their profile among the non car enthusiasts once a year . Gave up buying this unabashed Holden PR publication a long long long time ago .

I tend to agree. If this award is based on new technology, exaclty what are Honda doing differently with their so called hybrid technology that they wern't doing with thier 2006 Honda Civic hybrid ?

Honda's "hybrid" technology's only advantage its its relativly cheap cost compared to other hybrids, that's it end of story. They're now calling their technology intergrated motor assist, (IMA), and using phrases like electric boost....well I'll be honest enough to say my wife drives a Honda Civi hybrid as her shopping basket so we're familiar with Honda's technology and from my viewpoint all they're doing with the name change is dressing mutton up as lamb. That might fool non-thinking Wheeels jurno's but I for one am not impressed that Honda have done very little, if anything to improve their hybrid technology over the last 6 years.

Honda keep ringing my wife up, almost every 3 months or thereabouts looking to get us to change to the so called new "Insight" which has an even less powerful version of the IMA system than is in her Hybrid and I suppose yesterday's call was to inform her of the wonderful opportunity available with this all new model. I was there when she took the call, she didn't even let the sales girl get her usual patter out, just not interested and put the phone down. Even she, who clealry hasn't got a genuine motoring bone in her body, (hence the vehicle choice), realises Honda have lost the plot.

One time a while back on a previous pesky call from Honda she asked the sales girl when Honda were going to release a plug-in hybrid and the sales girl tried to convince her that if they relased one of those all the number that would but them would overload the national power grid...oh dear....no wonder she just now hangs up. Honda have lost the plot IMO and clearly Wheels journo's have too.

Auslandau · 17-01-2012, 11:33 PM

A 2 door Hybrid ... over $40,000 for the basic model .... should be a winner to the Australian families out there!

Really ........... ? Just to repeat the above ...... what exactly does car of the year stand for anymore?

**Elks** · 17-01-2012, 11:37 PM

Hybrid Honda. It's no P76

Auslandau · 17-01-2012, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elks

Hybrid Honda. It's no P76

At least there was quite a few P76's that were sold .... you could fit the family in very comfortably .... had a decent engine ..... and could fit a tonne of bodies in the boot!

PS .... Would love a P76 in the drive way today

TS50 · 17-01-2012, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auslandau

At least there was quite a few P76's that were sold .... you could fit the family in very comfortably .... had a decent engine ..... and could fit a tonne of bodies in the boot!

PS .... Would love a P76 in the drive way today

Bodies in the boot huh
you didnt work at the Melbourne Whalf did you?

Windsor220 · 18-01-2012, 12:00 AM

The only thing WCOTY gaurantees is that the car will be unreliable. It has a good history of it.

Leyland P76
Camira
TM Magna
VN Commodore
BA Falcon
Mazda RX8
Original Territory
VE Commodore

bobthebilda · 18-01-2012, 12:00 AM

Out of all the newspapers / magazines / TV shows and organisations that have named their cars of the years for 2011, has any one car actually won two awards? A few years ago, one of these awards actually meant something, nowadays its starting to resemble a childrens sports event, when even the slowest kid in the race picks up the award for trying the hardest.

**SSD-85** · 17-01-2012, 11:37 PM

Im suprised it wasnt the 2016 VF 10.456L V8 SS-Clubsport-****inshaw Wet dream-Spec with bogan magnet touchscreen DRL starwars.

(Sorry, as you can tell Wheels holds little reverence for me.)

Falcman0o7 · 23-01-2012, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scotty85

Im suprised it wasnt the 2016 VF 10.456L V8 SS-Clubsport-****inshaw Wet dream-Spec with bogan magnet touchscreen DRL starwars.

(Sorry, as you can tell Wheels holds little reverence for me.)

Wrong mate! It's the 15.8L V8

nickdl · 18-01-2012, 12:30 AM

I thought a prerequisite was that the COTY had to sell at least 250 per month. I think this will struggle. I'm glad that another bloody VW didn't win but I'm surprised that either the A6 or the Focus didn't.

|Nate · 18-01-2012, 07:24 AM

Somehow I knew if I clicked on this I would be once again stumped by an idiotic decision about the C.O.T.Y
I watched the review on this on T.G US (Top Gear) and it looks like a cool little nippy car. But the fact that you pay through your teeth for such a little benefit (Even with the fuel use not being that good either) it's a complete waste of time.

Useless car magazines, I'll go choose my own car of the year.

Wretched · 18-01-2012, 08:20 AM

I'll read the full COTY article (including criteria) before passing judgement.

Nikked · 18-01-2012, 08:28 AM

So what if a hybrid won....its 2012 not 1971.

TS50 · 18-01-2012, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikked

So what if a hybrid won....its 2012 not 1971.

I am not against Hybrids
but did it win the award because it is a Hybrid
or did it win because it deserved it
TO me there seemed to be a few negative comments in the judges comments

I was amazed at the wheel and tyre comment, more comfort and chaeaper to replace, that was different

stev3n · 18-01-2012, 08:53 AM

I might just run out and buy one. Get a towbar fitted, hook-up the 16 foot tinne, pack the boot up with clothes and camping gear throw the family in and head 600km up the coast. Being COTY it should do it easy

Nikked · 18-01-2012, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stev3n

I might just run out and buy one. Get a towbar fitted, hook-up the 16 foot tinne, pack the boot up with clothes and camping gear throw the family in and head 600km up the coast. Being COTY it should do it easy

Yep, because thats it's intended use and the sole reason it won!

XD 351 Ute · 18-01-2012, 09:27 AM

P76 is probably better on juice too.

Ed

new2ford · 19-01-2012, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XD 351 Ute

P76 is probably better on juice too.

Ed

The P76 V8 was getting well over 20 mpg when the equivalent Holden/falcon was getting about 15. You guys have the P76 to thank for the fact that you still have V8s. The Whitlam government wanted to ban V8s and Leyland went along to them with figures that showed their V8 was getting better fuel economy than the Aussie 6s at the time, which was true, and the idea was dropped!

I wonder how many people who make throwaway remarks about the P76 have actually driven one, zilch I imagine? The car was a revolution for an Australian car, it handled like a 2000s Falcon in the 1970s when the Holden and Falcon were wallowing Yank tanks with no steering or brakes. Underneath it was a European car with a V8. The COTY was well deserved.

Its problem, exactly like Holden and Ford was its Australian manufacturing "quality" which was atrocious in those days and gave the Japanese an easy road into the local market. But don't anyone let facts get in the way of throwaway remarks!

I too am perplexed by this year's choice.

**russellw** · 18-01-2012, 09:45 AM

Judging Criteria

FUNCTION

How well does it work?
Does the nominated car work better than its competitors?
Does it represent an improvement in user-friendliness?
Is it better designed?

TECHNOLOGY

Does it deliver genuine advantages to consumers through the use of improved technology? Includes the use of new materials, superior production techniques and the use of innovative systems. The focus must always be the delivery of genuine advantages through the application of better technology ... and at a reasonable price.

EFFICIENCY AND ENVIRONMENT

How efficiently does the car use resources. What impact on the environment does its use involve?
Takes into account fuel consumption relative to competitors. Also, to a lesser extent, whether the car represents an efficient investment of materials and energy. The environmental rating is based on carbon dioxide and emissions associated with use.

SAFETY

How well does the car protect?
Rates both active and passive safety systems of the car, whether standard or optional equipment.
A possible five points can be achieved for active safety features (ABS, EBD, BA, TC, ESP), while passive safety features (specifically, the number of airbags fitted) is also scored out of five.

VALUE

Does the price accurately reflect its qualities?
Essentially, quality - in every sense - versus price. Affordability is pre-scored (from a possible five points) based on the cost of the range.
A further possible five points can be awarded by each judge based on the actual pricing relative to competitors.

tweeked · 18-01-2012, 10:48 AM

I am confused as to why the Territory Deisel was not eligible to be judged????

Gobes32 · 18-01-2012, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tweeked

I am confused as to why the Territory Deisel was not eligible to be judged????

This^, why was the Territory not included?

duaned · 18-01-2012, 10:30 AM

Since when has a COTY been soley based on performance? I personally don't like the vehicle which has taken the first prize, but in the magazine's eyes it's about running costs, practability, enviromental, and saftey. From what we have read, it seems to have all of this in spades. It's just missing displacement!

aussie muscle · 18-01-2012, 11:20 AM

i guess it didn't have enough 'new' in it. i seem to remember a furore over the exclusion of the VY commodore (which was the old car with new headlights).

Gobes32 · 18-01-2012, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

i guess it didn't have enough 'new' in it. i seem to remember a furore over the exclusion of the VY commodore (which was the old car with new headlights).

I find that very disappointing, it is most certainly a new Territory and the driveline proves this. It has already been compared with the X5 in TDi Titanium form. Would have been a huge shot in the arm if it was at least in the running.