Car enthusiasts in Russia are ready to argue until hoarse about the advantages and weaknesses of their "swallows". "Germans" are at war with "Japanese", "Americans" with "French", and fans of the Russian car industry with "Chinese".
However, when figuring out which car is the best goes international, arguments like “I the owner, I know best” are not enough. And here experts from different countries come into play. They define car of the year at prestigious competitionssuch as European Car of the Year and others.
We present to you five brands of cars that have become best cars of 2016 in various car competitions.
5. World Car of the Year - Mazda MX-5
World car of the year (abbreviated as WCOTY) is an international competition judged by 48 automotive journalists from different countries. The Russian judge was Leonid Golovanov from the Autoreview.
The new model of the popular Japanese car, named the best of the best by the WCOTY jury, is wider, lower and - most importantly - lighter. The sporty Mazda MX-5 has a retractable roof, is available with a 1.5 or 2.0-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine, an automatic transmission, and is equipped with active and passive safety systems. And the manufacturer promises that the buyer will experience Jinba Ittai - a term meaning the unity between the car and the driver.
The World Car of the Year also won the Best Car Design category, although it was opposed by the handsome Jaguar XE and fellow Mazda CX-3.
4. Car of the Year in Russia - Hyundai Solaris
Contest - Russian Car of the Year... “How do you remember your trip to Russia? Beautiful women, red caviar and an abundance of Hyundai Solaris on the roads. " Of course, a foreigner is unlikely to include this car among the memorable features of our country, but the fact remains: there are a lot of Hyundai Solaris in Russia. And it is not surprising that the Korean car is affordable, reliable, not “gluttonous” and successfully withstands both a fierce winter and a hot summer.
3. European Car of the Year - Opel Astra
Jury European Car of the Year, consisting of automotive reviewers from 23 countries, favors relatively affordable cars. Only once in the history of the competition, and it has been going on since 1963, a supercar won. In 1978, the Porsche 928 was named Car of the Year.
The judges singled out the Opel Astra from the competition for the best value for money. Compact and spacious at the same time, the 5-door family hatchback is based on the new modular lightweight D2XX platform designed by General Motors.
The best car in Europe is not only beautiful on the outside, but also functional “from the inside”, thanks to the folding rear seat backs. This option "increases" the boot volume from 370 to 1235 liters. And the unique Flex Floor system allows you to change the height of the luggage compartment floor.
For safe driving, the car is equipped with both standard ABS, ESP systems and blind spot monitoring systems and adaptive head lighting. The latter highlights the section of the road that is needed at the moment.
2. America's Car of the Year - Honda Civic
Honda Civic model became the best version North American Car and Truck of the Year and took gold at the prestigious 2016 Detroit Auto Show, beating 40 other contenders.
Not long ago, the car was ridiculed for its poor performance and quality, and as a result, Honda made a complete redesign of the Civic much earlier than planned. As a result, the car became longer, wider and lower, and also received a turbocharged version of the engine (174 horsepower). It is now praised for its smooth ride and handling, plus an affordable price tag.
The all-new Civic has been designed and built in North America, making the American victory even sweeter.
1. Japan Car of the Year - Mazda Roadster (Mazda MX-5)
In auto competition Japan car of the year, which has been held in Japan since 1980, only domestic car brands participate. This year, a jury of 65 journalists presented the main prize to the brainchild of Mazda, in which everything is perfect - from the exterior to passive safety.