The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) has announced the list of semifinalists for the 2026 Car of the Year (COTY) contest. Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the competition held annually since 1986.
The road to choosing South Africa’s best car of the year began early in November with the announcement of the 25 jurors. The competition is sponsored by Old Mutual Insure and comprises new vehicles launched in 2025.
The 30 semifinalists for the 2026 COTY, in alphabetical order, are:
- Alfa Romeo Junior
- Audi A5
- Audi RS Q8
- BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
- BYD Dolphin Surf
- BYD Shark
- Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV
- Chery Tiggo 9
- GWM Haval H7
- Honda Amaze
- Hyundai Alcazar
- Hyundai Santa Fe
- Jaecoo J5
- Jetour T2
- Land Rover Defender OCTA
- Leapmotor C10 REEV
- Lexus GX
- Mercedes-AMG CLE 53
- Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid
- Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E
- MG Cyberster
- MG ZS Pro
- MINI Aceman
- Omoda C7
- Opel Grandland
- Renault Duster
- Suzuki Dzire
- Volkswagen Golf 1.4TSI
- Volkswagen Tayron
- Volvo EX90
“For the 2026 competition, the stakes are higher than ever with 55 vehicles launched in 2025 qualifying. The entries span compact hatchbacks, family SUVs, performance saloons, bakkies and new-energy vehicles. We are thrilled for this year’s semifinalists, especially as we celebrate the 40th COTY anniversary,” said COTY chairperson Thami Masemola.
In January the COTY Jury will select finalists from the semi-finalist list followed by a two-day testing process in March, scoring each contender to determine category winners and ultimately crown the overall winner. The winners will be announced in May 2026.
