The announcement was made last night in Houghton, as voted for by the Guild of Motoring Journalists of SA.
Porsche Cayenne (Panamerra) that has been taking the first prize for a while came in second and Swedish made Volvo XC 40 notched third place.
Jury members of the SAGMJ last month tested all 12 finalists with each vehicle scored against its direct class competitors on aspects such as exterior and interior design, engine and transmission performance, ride and handling, braking, safety features, overall excellence and affordability.
It is only the second Mercedes victory in the 34 year history of the competition, after the Mercedes 260 won it in 1987.
For the first time in the 34-year history of the annual contest, categories were introduced and the five winners are:
Suzuki Swift – urban compact, Suzuki Jimny – lifestyle utility, Mercedes-Benz A-Class – family sedan/hatch, Lexus ES 250 – premium sedan, and Porsche Cayenne – leisure crossover.
Sponsored by AutoTrader, this year also saw the likes of Volkswagen/Audi and BMW/Mini, not participating for reasons best known to them.
Image (Mercedez Benz SA gorgeous representatives posing with the awards last night.)
