2026 South African Car of the Year semi-finalists revealed – With pricing
The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) has announced the semi-finalists for the 2026 Car of the Year (COTY) competition.
Now in its 40th year, the COTY competition has been held annually since 1996 as a way to assess all of South Africa’s latest models, from entry-level hatchbacks all the way to multi-million rand supercars.
The 2026 COTY competition features a panel of 25 jurors who have evaluated all the cars launched in Mzansi in 2025 to create a list of 30 semi-finalists.
“It is a tremendous honour to be part of this significant milestone in SAGMJ’s annual COTY competition, which has become a widely recognised name among the motoring public and the broader automotive industry,” said Thami Masemola, Chairman of the COTY competition since 2024.
“For the 2026 competition, the stakes are higher than ever, driven by intense rivalry for the hearts and minds of South African car buyers.”
A total of 55 cars launched this year qualify for the competition, which is split into multiple categories for segments like compact hatchbacks, family SUVs, performance saloons, bakkies, and new-energy vehicles.
This list has been shaved down to 30 semi-finalists, which will be cut down to a list of finalists in January 2026.
The group of finalists will then undergo an intensive two-day testing process in March, which will determine the winner of each category and the overall winner of the 2026 COTY competition.
The winners will be announced in May 2026.
One thing that stood out this year is the number of Chinese entries, as brands like Jetour and BYD have rapidly expanded in our market.
“The 2026 COTY competition features a mix of traditional and emerging Eastern brands, with many new entrants joining or returning to the South African market.”
“In such a competitive landscape, securing a place on the semi-finalist list of the annual COTY competition is an achievement in itself.”
Best of the best
These are all of the 2026 Car of the Year semi-finalists in South Africa.
Unfortunately, the SAGMJ has yet to reveal the categories that each car is competing in, so we’ll have to wait until January to see who makes the final cut.
Click on the underlined prices for more information.
Alfa Romeo Junior
- Starting price – R799,900
Audi A5
- Starting price – R1,123,000
Audi RS Q8
- Starting price – R3,266,100
BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
- Starting price – R733,559
BYD Dolphin Surf
- Starting price – R339,900
BYD Shark
- Starting price – R959,900
Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV
- Starting price – R619,900
Chery Tiggo 9
- Starting price – R689,900
Haval H7
- Starting price – R604,950
Honda Amaze
- Starting price – R254,900
Hyundai Alcazar
- Starting price – R499,900
Hyundai Santa Fe
- Starting price – R1,249,900
Jaecoo J5
- Starting price – R379,900
Jetour T2
- Starting price – R569,900
Land Rover Defender OCTA
- Starting price – R3,663,600
Leapmotor C10 REEV
- Starting price – R759,900
Lexus GX
- Starting price – R1,801,300
Mercedes-AMG CLE 53
- Starting price – R2,086,465
Mercedes-AMG E53 Hybrid
- Starting price – R2,514,203
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E
- Starting price – R4,386,748
MG Cyberster
- Starting price – R1,399,900
MG ZS Pro
- Starting price – R397,600
Mini Aceman
- Starting price – R800,000
Omoda C7
- Starting price – R539,900
Opel Grandland
- Starting price – R739,900
Renault Duster
- Starting price – R489,999
Suzuki Dzire
- Starting price – R229,900
Volkswagen Golf TSI
- Starting price – R580,900
Volkswagen Tayron
- Starting price – R811,800
Volvo EX90
- Starting price – R2,650,000
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