Hyundai Elantra is South Africa’s Car of the Year

March 16, 2012

Hyundai Elantra is South Africa’s Car of the Year

16.3.12

Wheelsology

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The Hyundai Elantra 1.8 GLS has won the Car of the Year prize for 2012 in the prestigious annual competition of the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists and WesBank.

The elegant Elantra – Hyundai’s medium-luxury sedan with its exciting and eye-catching
'fluidic sculpture' styling and with driving dynamics to match – was announced as the winner at the SAGMJ and WesBank’s Car of the Year banquet at Gallagher Estate in Midrand.

It is the first time that a Korean car has been awarded the South African Car of the Year prize, and it follows two years where Hyundai Automotive SA had been knocking hard at the door. In the 2011 competition Hyundai had two finalists – the ix35 and Sonata – and the i20 was a finalist in the 2010 Car of the Year competition.

This has turned out to be a golden year for the Elantra - In January, at the Detroit Motor Show, the Elantra was also announced as the North American Car of the Year, and it also won the overall prize in the Canadian Car of the Year competition.

South Africa’s CAR Magazine named the Elantra as the Best Compact Saloon in their Top 12 Best Buys for 2012, and in their latest edition the topCar magazine chose the Elantra as their Best Compact Sedan in their Best Buy edition for 2012.

“We are extremely proud of the recognition that a world-class product such as the Hyundai Elantra has received from the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists,” said Alan Ross, Managing Director of Hyundai Automotive South Africa, after receiving the Car of the Year trophy.

“This award, and the fact that we had no less than two finalists in the previous competition, is confirmation of the giant strides that the Hyundai brand has made locally and globally. It is also recognition of the quality and emotional appeal that the Hyundai products have developed as part of the brand’s ‘Modern Premium’ strategy.”