The judging panel consisted of Cars.co.za's vehicle testing team and an external jury consisting of candidates who are not active in the automotive industry. Finalists were rated for their eligibility and all-round ability against the predetermined "pillars of success".
Event organisers said the annual Cars.co.za Consumer Awards recognises the best cars available in the local market using a unique, multi-faceted judging process. The Toyota Prado was one the three finalists in the Leisure Car category. However, the coveted Brand of the Year trophy - solely determined by the manufacturers' ratings in the Cars.co.za's Owner Satisfaction Survey - was clinched by Toyota South Africa Motors.
"The Brand of the Year award really means a lot to Toyota as it shows our efforts to 'create customer smiles' and deliver an exceptional customer experience throughout the ownership process. It is more humbling that we have been awarded as a result of the consumer scores," says TSAM general manager of communications Kerry Roodt.
The results of the Consumer Awards were verified by respected auditing firm KPMG. Customer experience manager of Cars.co.za Hannes Oosthuizen says: "We believe that Cars.co.za (in conjunction with Lightstone Consumer) has developed the fairest and most credible formula for determining the winner in this category.
"It is entirely data-driven, and entirely determined by what consumers and the market believe to be happening in South Africa. Toyota, of course, is a much-loved brand in this country, and our data confirms that its customers believe it is tops where it really matters. It is truly the people's champion."
