The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) has announced the winner of the 2026 South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition at a glittering event in Johannesburg. In its landmark 40th year, the COTY competition bestowed top honours on the Jetour T2, one of seven Chinese brands and 18 vehicles competing, marking the first-ever victory for a Chinese brand.
The overall winner of the 2026 COTY competition, the Jetour T2, also claimed victory in the Mild Adventure category. Combining rugged design, luxury and advanced technology, the adventure-focused SUV outperformed the Hyundai Santa Fe, a mid-size hybrid SUV with futuristic styling, as well as two Chinese rivals, the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid bakkie and the GWM Haval H7 hybrid SUV, to secure the category win.
The Jetour T2 was joined by another Chinese winner, the Omoda C7, which claimed victory in the Family (on-road) category. The stylish crossover SUV, blending advanced technology, luxury and comfort, outperformed fellow Chinese rivals, the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV and Leapmotor C10 REEV, as well as the Opel Grandland and Volkswagen Tayron, to secure top honours in the category.
In the Compact category, the Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI claimed the category win. The premium hatchback impressed jurors with its balance of turbocharged performance and fuel efficiency, beating the Alfa Romeo Junior, BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and the BYD Dolphin Surf, a battery-electric hatchback from China.
The Adventure category featured two hardcore and luxurious contenders competing for the category win: the Land Rover Defender OCTA, a hyper-performance SUV with advanced technology and sportscar performance, and the Lexus GX, a rugged body-on-frame off-roader focused on durability and mechanical capability. The Land Rover Defender OCTA ultimately claimed victory in this fierce contest.
The luxurious Volvo EX90, a large battery-electric SUV focused on family safety and sustainable technology, was the only fully electric entry in the Premium category among the four competitors. It faced the Hyundai Santa Fe, which also competed in the Mild Adventure category and the rugged Lexus GX, which also competed in the Adventure category. The Audi A5, with its sleek silhouette, fully digitalised cabin, and premium build quality, emerged as the category winner.
The Performance category featured the Audi RS Q8, Land Rover Defender OCTA (also an Adventure category contender), and Alfa Romeo Junior (also a Compact category entrant) competing for the top accolade. Audi’s flagship super-SUV, the RS Q8 with its twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, ultimately secured the category laureate.
“Congratulations to all the winners of the 40th edition of the 2026 COTY competition,” says Thami Masemola, SA COTY Chairman. “In this landmark year, your victories are especially meaningful to us. Your excellence will be recorded in the archives of the annual competition, where only the best of the best have been recognised since 1986, when the competition was first held.”
The winners of the 2026 COTY competition were selected through a rigorous process that began with more than 55 qualifying vehicles launched in 2025. In January 2026, a jury of 25 experienced automotive journalists shortlisted 18 finalists across the competition’s six categories. These finalists were then evaluated over three days at Zwartkops Raceway in Tshwane, assessed on engineering excellence, innovation, quality, safety, design, performance, handling and suitability for South African conditions.
The Chery Tiggo 7 was crowned winner of the 2026 Old Mutual Insure Car of the Year Motor Enthusiast “People’s Choice” Award. Voted for by the public, it is a firm favourite in the market, admired for its striking design, feature-rich interior, strong value proposition and extensive equipment included in its retail price, offering outstanding value for money.
This year marks Old Mutual Insure’s final year as sponsor of the South African Car of the Year competition, concluding a successful partnership that helps elevate one of the country’s leading motoring platforms while celebrating automotive excellence.
Presodhini Naicker, Executive of Marketing and Communication at Old Mutual Insure, describes the sponsorship journey as meaningful, impactful and an honour to be part of. She says the company is proud to support a platform that celebrates engineering excellence while encouraging conversations around road safety, mobility innovation and consumer empowerment.
Lightstone Auto, the official data partner to the South African Car of the Year competition, provides market intelligence for the scoring process. Following the jury’s physical evaluations, its data – including segment sales volumes and specification-adjusted competitor pricing – is used to determine segment weighting and to assess each finalist’s value relative to direct rivals. This complements the jury’s assessments by adding objective market context and uniting the competition with a leading provider of independent automotive intelligence.
“The South African Car of the Year competition continues to set the benchmark for automotive excellence, and that credibility rests on the rigour of its evaluation process,” says Paul Marshall, Managing Director at Lightstone Auto.
“We are proud that our data adds market context through segment sales and specification-adjusted pricing, ensuring the COTY awards recognise engineering excellence as well as value and relevance in the South African market. Congratulations to all winners and finalists.”
Mabuyane Mabuza, Chairperson of the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists, congratulated all winners and entrants of the 2026 COTY competition, highlighting the honour of support from South African automotive brands over 40 years. She noted the COTY competition’s role as a benchmark for automotive awards in South Africa.
“We are humbled by our continued success and our ability to adapt to the evolving South African automotive landscape while serving car buyers and stakeholders nationwide,” concludes Mabuza. “We thank all manufacturers, distributors, business partners and Guild members for honouring the spirit of South Africa’s premier motoring event.”
