NBR Car Of The Year 2016

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What a year to be in the business of selling new vehicles. It has been a record one for registrations; Motor Industry Association (MIA) data detailing nothing but tumbling records from January. 

In fact, just last month New Zealand saw the largest monthly total of new vehicle registrations ever recorded; 14,709 new vehicles.

This shattered a record that stood for 32 years and is the first time more than 14,000 new vehicles were registered within a single month. 

New vehicle sales are often seen as a key indicator of consumer and business optimism.

Add to that a comprehensive selection of stylish, efficient and downright exciting cars released this year, and the class of 2016 will be one to remember.

Supreme Car of the Year: Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Why Did It Win? The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the high-water mark within the German manufacturer’s deep pool of talents. What’s more, it’s an executive sedan taking technology to a new level without compromising on a grand sense of occasion.

Powertrains: 2.0-litre, four cylinder turbo petrol; 2.0-litre four cylinder turbo diesel; 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol; 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel; 9-speed automatic transmission.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the National Business Review Supreme Car of the Year.

From the elegant entry-level E 200 to the blistering brutality of the AMG E 43 and all points in between, this range of mid-size models remains a benchmark in the executive car segment.

Every E-Class features a laundry list of technological highlights including a standard nine-speed automatic transmission, an Agility Control system offering selective suspension damping, multiple driving programs offering degrees of sportiness or economy-minded vehicle responsiveness, as well as adaptive brakes and speed-sensitive steering.

And that’s just the stuff you can’t see. Inside the cabin, the E-Class features Mercedes-Benz’s comprehensive Comand infotainment system with internet accessibility, satellite navigation, both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectability, dual zone climate air, a widescreen virtual instrument binnacle and a 360-degree camera with guidance lines.

Did I mention that the E-Class can also effectively drive itself? It does so via semi-automated steering on highways through Lane Keeping software, autonomous braking in emergency situations as well as in heavy traffic with adaptive cruise control and a system that will even evade obstacles in emergency situations by steering around them.

This is one well-packaged, beautifully designed and future-proofed car.

NBR Motoring Editor Cameron Officer (NBR), Matt Bruce (Mercedes Benz), NBR Publisher Todd Scott (NBR) and Catherine Teoh (Mercedes Benz).
 

Luxury Car of the Year:  Jaguar F-Pace

Why Did It Win? The F-Pace presents a wholly realised new chapter in the redevelopment of Jaguar as a luxury brand, with a future to match its prestigious past.

Powertrains: 2.0-litre four cylinder and 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesels; 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol; 8-speed automatic transmission.

Here’s the overriding quandary Jaguar faced when developing its first ever SUV: through history, Jaguars have always been about length, while SUVs are all about height.

The F-Pace had to be absolutely right first time because the carmaker anticipated that 90% of F-Pace buyers would be new to the brand. And just to ensure no Jaguar designer would sleep well for months during its development, the F-Pace had to effortlessly bring to mind aspects of the F-Type sports car, yet remain practically proportioned.

Oh, and it also needed to debut world-first wearable technology in the form of the ruggedised, water-proof Activity Key (designed to be worn in lieu of carrying car keys around while engaging in high-energy recreation).

The F-Pace not only succeeded in these aims but also presents an exceptional on and off-road experience. It’s a stylish, powerful and practical vehicle from a luxury manufacturer once again in the ascendancy.

Full review. 

Todd Scott (NBR) and Steve Kenchington (Jaguar).
 

Sports Car of the Year: Lexus GS F

Why Did It Win? A visceral rear-drive V8 in the finest Euro track monster tradition. Except it’s from Lexus. A brand which, if we’re honest, is usually above this sort of thing. What a brilliant turn of events.

Powertrains 5.0-litre V8 petrol; 8-speed automatic transmission.

The rear-wheel drive Lexus GS F is as dramatic and aggressive in person as the photo suggests. It sits low and wide on edgy 19” alloy wheels, the vents behind the front wheel arches are highlights, as is the spindle grille, carbon-fibre boot spoiler and quad exhaust pipes at the back.

Having spent 25 years pitching ‘premium’ to the world, evidence of Lexus’ performance pulse has become more noticeable of late. The development of the F performance sub-brand, and of cars like this German sedan-worrying GS F V8 suggests there are more bullet points on Lexus’ resume than just ‘refinement’ and ‘craftsmanship’. We’ll gleefully add ‘horsepower’ and ‘noise’.

Full review.

Cameron Officer (NBR) and Steve Prangnell (Lexus).
 

Green Car Of The Year: BMW X5 xDrive 40e

Why Did It Win? It looks like an X5, it has all the premium features of an X5 and it drives like one too. But crucially it extends the idea of the EV beyond the fringes of the city centre.

Powertrain 2.0-litre four cylinder turbo petrol with electric motor; 8-speed automatic transmission.

No, not a headline-baiting Tesla but rather the plug-in version of BMW’s large SUV workhorse, the X5 xDrive 40e. It’s our Green Car of the Year because it’s so … well, normal.

Aside from the extra ‘fuel’ flap ahead of the front passenger door (where the socket for the charge cable is located), there is nothing to suggest it’s anything but a BMW X5. And for the mainstream new car buyer to adopt the idea of an electric vehicle as a go-anywhere car, the plug-in X5 is an important addition to our roads.

Full review.

Todd Scott (NBR) and Paul Sherley (BMW).
 

Crossover of the Year: Mercedes-Benz GLC

Why Did It Win? Whenever you step into a Mercedes-Benz, you can see the engineering prowess, you can touch the refinement and enjoy the premium level of technology on offer. The GLC is no exception.

Powertrains 2.0-litre four cylinder turbo diesel; 2.0-litre four cylinder petrol; 3.0-litre V6 twin turbo petrol; 9-speed automatic transmission

When it arrived, Mercedes-Benz confidently suggested the GLC-Class would become an instant hit. It was something the distributor had been wanting for some time and, as predicted, it proved a winner from the outset. The GLC range has leapfrogged over several other models within Mercedes-Benz’s expanded line-up to become its second-best selling car.

That the C-Class remains the manufacturer’s top-seller is relevant; the GLC is, after all, essentially the SUV version of a C-Class. With such a refined, well-packed and keenly priced base to build on, it’s no wonder the GLC is our Crossover of the Year.

Full review.

Matt Bruce (Mercedes Benz).

SUV Of The Year: Mazda CX-9

Why Did It Win? A gold standard SUV featuring the exterior flair, interior attention to detail and top-notch feature set of something that should in reality cost $20,000 more.

Powertrain 2.5-litre four cylinder turbo petrol; 6-speed automatic transmission.

What a transformation for Mazda’s CX-9. Framed around the manufacturer’s Skyactiv suite of driving and efficiency technologies, sharp exterior design and the local distributor’s keen sense of what buyers in this category expect, Mazda’s largest SUV has received a new lease of life.

From a packaging standpoint, the CX-9 serves notice to the competition that they need to up their game. Everything about this SUV – from the solidity of the instruments, to the high contrast screens, leather upholstery, safety features and aspirational detailing – speaks of a premium offering.

Full review.

Glenn Harris (Mazda) and Todd Scott (NBR).
 

Performance Car Of The Year: BMW M2

Why Did It Win? Compact, poised, aggressively styled and with plenty of power, the BMW M2 is a stunning wee thing. Bang for buck, it’s also astonishingly well-priced; not something you often find in this category.

Powertrain 3.0-litre twin turbo six cylinder; 7-speed M DCT automatic transmission.

The M2 is BMW performance distilled. In fact, it might be the perfect performance car. It’s a very simple, straightforward track-orientated coupe, featuring a newly-developed twin turbo six-cylinder engine pushing out 272kW, with 465Nm of peak torque available.

Based on the BMW M235i coupe but with aluminium axles, suspension and an electronically controlled Active M differential taken straight out of the M3/M4, this is a true ‘M’ car. Significantly it’s also about the same size as the original E30 M3.

Perfect? Pretty much.

Full review.