VW golf is the stand-out best
THE Volkswagen Golf has topped a field of more than 100 new arrivals in Australia over the past year to be named 2009 Carsguide Car of the Year,.
The Golf scored an eight point win over the Ford Fiesta, with the Mercedes-Benz E Class taking third place.
But the Fiesta ECOnetic was named as Carsguide Green Car of the Year for its affordable price tag and fuel economy as low as 3.7 litres/100km.
The COTY process culls all the new arrivals through the year to a field of 10 finalists. These are then assembled for a two-day, back-to-back assessment, held this year around Brisbane.
The 10 finalists for 2009 were Ford Fiesta, Holden Cruze, Hyundai i30 CW, Mazda3, Mercedes E-Class, Nissan GT-R, Subaru Liberty, Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Golf and Volvo XC60.
The Golf’s final margin, with cars scored 10-1 by each judge, was an 86-78 point victory over the Fiesta, with the Mercedes-Benz third on 73. Despite its green credentials, the hybrid Toyota Prius finished 10th with only 15 points.
The Golf tested for the COTY contest was the 1.4-litre twincharger model with a DSG manu-matic gearbox. It is priced at $32,990 but the Golf range starts at $25,990.
The little Volkwagen joins a long and impressive list of Carsguide COTY winners, starting with the Holden Commodore VT in 1997.
National motoring editor Paul Gover said the right car won.
"The Golf was voted World Car of the Year when it landed in Europe and now it has claimed the big prize in Australia," he said.
Neil Dowling, Sunday Times, Perth, said: "In a world of rapid change, Volkswagen stood back and reappraised its family hatchback. Changes to the Golf appear small yet the car is far better built, technologically breathtaking and has driving characteristics and safety beyond its pricetag."
Stuart Martin, Adelaide Advertiser: "Golf feels solid and completes its designated tasks with German efficiency and even a little bit of flair."
Karla Pincott, carsguide.com.au: "The Golf is pricier than other cars its size, but for that money it offers a lot of more of everything, and it’s simply more fun to be with. If you weigh up value for money and then add bang for the buck, this is a clear stand-out."
The Ford Falcon G6E was the winner for 2008 and the Hyundai i30 took the title in 2007.
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Accolades stack up: The VW Golf scored 86 out of a possible 100 points to be Carsguide Car of the Year 2009.
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