COTY

2017 Wheels Car of the Year: The early contenders

Your form guide to some of the early standouts for the 2017 Wheels Car of the Year award

30 Jun 2016 4:01 PM

Gallery 1

Your form guide to some of the early standouts for the 2017 Wheels Car of the Year award.

ACCOUNTANTS everywhere are starting to scratch a line under the 2015-16 financial year, the days are growing longer and spring will soon be upon us. But it’s also another very important time of the year for a different reason: Testing season for the 2017 Wheels Car of the Year is almost upon us.

Okay, so six months in, we have a bit of an idea of the metal set to duke it out for the longest continually running motoring award in the world, won this year by the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5. Next year marks the 54th running of Wheels COTY.

Here’s the shiny new metal that has caught our attention so far, and some that are yet to arrive

Audi A4/S4

It’s easy to dismiss the latest Audi A4 as a lightly reworked version of the previous generation sedan. But beneath what is a disappointingly familiar skin lies a lighter and stronger car, with a knockout cabin, much improved dynamics, and a level of safety and security to worry the Swedes. The formula may be much the same as what’s come previously, but the real advances are obvious the moment you step inside and push the start button. A less forgiving ride is one of the few downsides in what is a very real threat to the BMW 3 Series and something good enough to rattle the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

PLUS: Stunning cabin design, improved dynamics, punchy powertrains, refinement, safety MINUS: Samey exterior design, firm ride without adaptive dampers, some trim rattles

BMW M2

PLUS: Looks tough, but not absurd; performance; engine sound; handling and balance; the perfect size for a sporty coupe; still got six cylinders; a proper M car. It also hits a dynamic sweet-spot the current M4 couldn’t quite find. MINUS: Road noise; back seats not great for adults; interior not quite special enough.

Ford Mustang

We’re liking Mustang: This is a genuine sports coupe with a good mix of retro-cool design and modern amenity. The 2.3-litre four-pot may have half the cylinder count of the brawling 5.0-litre V8, but in visual terms you don’t miss much.

PLUS: Knockout styling; generous grip; fine dynamics; sane pricing MINUS: Very firm ride, convertible not ultra-rigid, both engines need to be louder

Honda Civic

Honda appears to have turned out a seriously accomplished, convincing sedan. Dare we say it may have rediscovered its missing mojo?

PLUS: Composed ride and handling; spacious; good comfort behind the wheel MINUS: Price a bit high compared with rivals; engine can get a bit vocal high in the range

Jaguar XF

The XF’s cabin is a much more convincing place to sit than the smaller XE’s thanks to a cleaner design and more logical layout. It’s roomy too – especially in the rear seat – with the XF’s lightweight undies allowing Jag’s boffins to provide 15mm more legroom and 27mm more headroom than before.

What’s lacking is the same level of tech wizardry and autonomous systems featured on rivals. Jaguar admits it’s a step behind here.

PLUS: Balanced, engaging handling; ride quality; oodles of rear space; sweet 2.0-litre diesel MINUS: Lacks class-leading tech; interior good rather than great; expensive options

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

As with the C-Class sedan, the C-Class Coupe is a polished performer and one that brings added driving nous thanks to AMG suspension. Still, it’s more about cruising in style with the C200 and C250d, although the C300 livens things up thanks to its rortier engine.

And then there’s the Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe…

PLUS: Sharp pricing and decent equipment; rorty 2.0 turbo for C300; ride on Airmatic suspension; sleek design MINUS: Steering not as sharp as other dynamic aspects; C200 and C250d drivetrains aren’t particularly sporty; it’s a decent step up to C300.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet

Like the Coupe on which it’s based, Mercedes is positioning the Cabriolet as a sportier option for younger buyers, with all versions offered with the AMG line as standard in Australia, which brings bigger wheels and a more aggressive body kit. We also score a thicker ‘acoustic’ version of the cloth roof, which can be opened or closed in 20 seconds at up to 50km/h.

Four variants are coming to Australia, two tweaked by the boffins at AMG.

The rag-top Mercedes-Benz C-Class manages to avoid most of the usual convertible pitfalls. Its handling is composed, engines are strong and in the beauty stakes, it easily outshines its German competition.

PLUS: styling; performance and sound of AMGs; body strength MINUS: Extra weight dulls handling; price premium over coupe; boot space

Mini Clubman

All the usual Mini character traits are there. The steering is sharp and the front axle quick to turn in. And while the Clubman isn’t quite as frenetic or responsive as the Mini five and three-door hatches, its longer wheelbase gives it a more planted feel when pushed hard.

Bigger, better packaged and more practical than before, the new Mini Clubman is a much more convincing ownership proposition. And importantly, one that still handles like a go-kart.

PLUS: Quirky styling; improved packaging; spacious interior; zingy engines; still handles like a go-kart MINUS: Firm ride; artificial steering; interior lacks the polish of German rivals

Skoda Superb

Given the visual awkwardness of the old Superb sedan, Skoda has performed a miraculous turnaround in making the new sedan the looker of the range, complete with a neat liftback tailgate, a ginormous 625 litres of boot space and an Octavia RS engine, all for 40 grand. More dynamic panache would be appreciated but at least the grippy 4×4 variant gives the Skoda Superb a genuine point of difference over its relatively conservative rivals.

PLUS: Beautifully proportioned styling; unbeatable space; excellent quality; sweet turbo-petrols; refinement; ride; solidity MINUS: Not as dynamically poised as a Passat; adaptive dampers only available as part of a pricey options pack; 206kW turbo-petrol deserves a fruitier exhaust note

And what’s yet to come?

Ford Focus RS

PLUS: Engine; steering; brakes; grip; handling; price MINUS: Interior; thirst when performance exploited; turning circle

Jaguar F-Pace

PLUS: Individual styling; fluid handling and steering; comfortable and roomy; Jaguar’s most accomplished interior design in recent times; performance and exhaust rasp of supercharged V6 S; refinement MINUS: Front headrests block view from rear seat; form-over-function transmission dial; Portfolio’s dated alloys; some erroneous cabin trims; Macan remains the SUV handling king

Mazda CX-9

PLUS: Smarter look, vastly improved efficiency yet superior drivability; more safety gear and rear passenger space, excellent cabin refinement MINUS: Sorry kids, no third-row air-con vents; boot packaging compromise by lower roof; no diesel engine option will limit appeal

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

PLUS: Raises the bar with cutting-edge tech; luxurious interior; oodles of standard equipment; pleasing road manners MINUS: Oz not getting some tech; wind noise; more expensive