The year’s best cars are among us as we launch our 2022 AA DRIVEN New Zealand Car of the Year (COTY) programme.
The schedule kicks off properly next week, with awards for a range of vehicle sizes and classes, plus the AA Safest Car award, and the overall 2022 NZ Car of the Year.
DRIVEN readers are also a hugely important part of the awards, as voting will open for the popular People’s Choice, which is a reader vote system from the 15 top-selling cars in NZ from January-to-October, 2022.
Vote, register and win big, as this year’s prize is $5000 of fuel, either AA SmartFuel/BP petrol, or $5000 worth of ChargeNet EV charge credit.
Cars eligible for the AA DRIVEN NZ COTY include any vehicle currently on sale and that the AA and DRIVEN judges have all had a chance to experience, which means last year’s winners are also in with a chance for a repeat.
Last year, the Toyota GR Yaris took out the award, but in a year where supply issues, the move the cleaner cars and the rise of EVs and hybrids have changed the landscape, the popularity of SUVs and the resilience of utes have both remained.
Over the month of November, we will announce the finalists in each category, both on our Zooming with DRIVEN webcast on Fridays, and DRIVEN print on Saturdays, until December 2/3 when we announce the class and overall winners. ANd People's Choice.
Keep an eye out for the People’s Choice award to be in the running to win the big $5000 fuel prize.
2022 AA DRIVEN NZ COTY CLASSES
1. Small SUV
2. Medium SUV\
3. Large SUV
4. Clean Cars
i. HEV
ii. PHEV
iii. BEV
5. Passenger (sedan, hatch, wagon)
6. Sports & Performance
7. LCV (van & ute)
8. Luxury (above $100k)
9. AA Safest Car
10. People’s Choice
Overall 2022 AA DRIVEN NZ COTY