Pure electric vehicles and vehicles with electrified powertrains dominate the list of finalists for 2022’s edition of New Zealand Car of the Year.
The Motoring Writers’ Guild have announced a list of 12 finalists spanning 10 different brands.
Nine of the finalists are either fully electric, or include a hybrid in their respective line-ups.
The finalists for 2022 New Zealand Car of the Year are:
- BMW iX
- BYD Atto 3
- Ford Everest
- Hyundai i20 N
- Kia EV6
- Kia Sportage
- Lexus NX
- Mercedes-AMG EQS 53
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class
- Mitsubishi Outlander
- Polestar 2
- Tesla Model Y
The BMW iX, BYD Atto 3, Kia EV6, Mercedes-AMG EQS, Polestar 2, and Tesla Model Y are all pure electric vehicles.
The Lexus NX, Mitsubishi Outlander, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class are available as a plug-in hybrids, with the NX also available as a mild hybrid.
The Ford Everest, Hyundai i20 N, and Kia Sportage are the only pure combustion finalists, with the i20 N the sole traditional performance car making the list.
Motoring Writers’ Guild president Richard Bossleman says that the list highlights the importance and growing popularity of plug-ins.
“The finalist selection again underscores the rapid addition of electrified options to the country’s new car model lists,” says Guild president Richard Bossleman.
“Seeing electric vehicles come to the fore for New Zealand Car of the Year is not in itself new – of last year’s 10 finalists, all but one ‘battery-included’.
“Having as finalists six cars that are available solely with electric power does set a new benchmark for the award.”
Three EVs have previously been recipients of the Car of the Year prize; the Jaguar I-Pace (2019), Mercedes-Benz EQC (2020), and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (2021).
This year’s winner is set to be crowned on One’s Seven Sharp in February, 2023.
