The Volvo XC90 sports-utility vehicle has been crowned as South Africa’s 2016 Car of the Year, as voted for by the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists.
The 12 finalists in the competition were the Citroen C4 Cactus, the Ford Fusion, the Honda HR-V, the Jaguar XE, the Kia Sorento, the Land Rover Discovery Sport, the Mazda 2, the Opel Corsa, the Opel Adam, the Peugeot 308, the BMW i3 and the Volvo XC90.
Second place in the yearly competition went to the Ford Fusion, with the Mazda 2 placed third.
The Volvo XC90 is the second Volvo vehicle to walk away with the motoring accolade in the competition’s 31-year history. The Volvo S40 received the award in 2005.
The Swedish manufacturer regards the XC90 as the first step in a complete brand rejuvenation. This model, Volvo’s flagship product, is also spearheading its entry into autonomous drive technology.
The 2017 Drive Me initiative will see 100 fully autonomous XC90s drive their owners in and around Sweden.
The XC90 has already secured a number of awards, including Women’s World Car of the Year, European Car of the Year and Icelandic Car of the Year.
“We are absolutely delighted with our victory,” says Volvo Car South Africa MD Greg Maruszewski.
“With the all-new XC90, we are not only rewriting the rules of a post-modern luxury driving experience, but reinventing our brand as well. Our ethos, ‘Made by Sweden’, expresses our intrinsic Scandinavian roots, love for people, heritage and attitude to building some of the world’s most desirable – and safest – luxury vehicles.”