The 2026 South African Car of the Year (COTY) is the Jetour T2, the win marking two auspicious occasions in that it is the first Chinese vehicle to win the prestigious award and this happened on the 40th running of the event. Organised by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) and sponsoired by Old Mutual Insure the competition, which started in 1986, seeks to recognise automotive excellence and innovation.
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The T2 was one of seven Chinese brands among the 18 vehicles in the running.
The overall winner also took the Mild Adventure category. The adventure-focused SUV, which brings together rugged design, luxury and advanced technology, edged out the Hyundai Santa Fe, a mid-size hybrid SUV with futuristic styling, along with two Chinese rivals, the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid bakkie and the GWM Haval H7 hybrid SUV.
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Another Chinese brand, the Omoda C7, won the Family (on-road) category. The stylish crossover SUV, which blends advanced technology, luxury and comfort, finished ahead of fellow Chinese entrants the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV and Leapmotor C10 REEV, as well as the Opel Grandland and Volkswagen Tayron.
In the Compact category, the Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI took the win. The premium hatchback impressed the judging panel with its balance of turbo-charged performance and fuel efficiency, beating the Alfa Romeo Junior, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé and the BYD Dolphin Surf, a battery-electric hatchback from China.
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The Adventure category saw two rugged and luxurious contenders vying for the win: the Land Rover Defender OCTA, a hyper-performance SUV with advanced technology and sportscar-like performance, and the Lexus GX, a body-on-frame off-roader built with durability and mechanical capability in mind. The Land Rover Defender OCTA came out on top in that contest.
The Volvo EX90, a large battery-electric SUV focused on family safety and sustainable technology, was the only fully electric entry in the Premium category among the four competitors. It faced the Hyundai Santa Fe, which also appeared in the Mild Adventure category, and the rugged Lexus GX, which also featured in the Adventure category. The Audi A5, with its sleek silhouette, fully digitalised cabin and premium build quality, was named the category winner.
The Performance category featured the Audi RS Q8, Land Rover Defender OCTA and Alfa Romeo Junior competing for the top accolade. Audi’s flagship super-SUV, the RS Q8 with its twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, secured the category win.
“Congratulations to all the winners of the 40th edition of the 2026 COTY competition,” says Thami Masemola, SA COTY Chairman. “In this landmark year, your victories carry special meaning. Your excellence will be recorded in the archives of the annual competition, where only the best have been recognised since 1986, when the competition first took place.”
The winners of the 2026 COTY competition were selected through a process that began with more than 55 qualifying vehicles launched in 2025. In January 2026, a jury of 25 experienced automotive journalists shortlisted 18 finalists across the six categories.
Those finalists were then evaluated over three days at Zwartkops Raceway in Tshwane, judged on engineering excellence, innovation, quality, safety, design, performance, handling and suitability for South African conditions.
The Chery Tiggo 7 was crowned winner of the 2026 Old Mutual Insure Car of the Year Motor Enthusiast ‘People’s Choice’ Award. Voted for by the public, it has become a firm favourite in the market, admired for its striking design, feature-rich interior, strong value proposition and extensive equipment included in the retail price.
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Lightstone Auto, the official data partner to the competition, provides market intelligence for the scoring process. After the jury’s physical evaluations, its data – including segment sales volumes and specification-adjusted competitor pricing – is used to determine segment weighting and to assess each finalist’s value against direct rivals. This adds objective market context and ties the competition to a provider of independent automotive intelligence.
“The South African Car of the Year competition continues to set the benchmark for automotive excellence, and that credibility rests on the rigour of its evaluation process,” says Paul Marshall, Managing Director at Lightstone Auto. “We are proud that our data adds market context through segment sales and specification-adjusted pricing, ensuring the COTY awards recognise engineering excellence as well as value and relevance in the South African market. Congratulations to all winners and finalists.”
Mabuyane Mabuza, Chairperson of the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists, added: “We are humbled by our continued success and our ability to adapt to the evolving South African automotive landscape while serving car buyers and stakeholders nationwide.”
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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