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Carsguide car of the year 2008

  • By Kevin Hepworth
  • Carsguide
  • 21 November 2008
image The first five finalists have been announced.

Second five finalists announced.

It's time to reveal the second half of the carsguide Car of the Year field - and this time it's all closer to home.

The second group of five finalists includes a pair of Aussie icons and three of the perennial favourites out of Japan.

These COTY contenders have been through the same gruelling three-day test program as the opening five contenders - the Audi A4, BMW 135i Sport, Fiat 500, Jaguar XF diesel and VW Tiguan.

With the full final field of 10 revealed, the votes are in and a winner will be announced next Friday.

For the stories, video and photos visit Carsguide Car of the Year 2009.

 

Comments on this story

Displaying 3 of 13 comments

  • If you drive every car, read every magazine, surely the Falcon would be the very deserving winner.

    Nicole of Adelaide Posted on 24 November 2008 3:57pm

  • Alex- Let's all vote the HOLDEN BARINA!!! YAY WOO HOO!!! Instead of WOO HOO Shouldn't you be saying DAE WOO!!!!!!!! lol.

    Gavin Posted on 21 November 2008 1:01pm

  • You put the 135i as a finalist....but then choose the automatic?

    elephino Posted on 19 November 2008 1:07pm

  • I have driven all the new big sedans that ford have and its a great car with so many pluses in all the range from the basic falcon to the typhoon and awesome GT-P...I think they have gopt it right and its definetely a winner in my mind,GO AUSSIE CARS.......

    s.nedovich of flemington Posted on 18 November 2008 5:23pm

  • Let's all vote the HOLDEN BARINA!!! YAY WOO HOO!!!

    the alex of brisbane Posted on 18 November 2008 3:41pm

  • Greg: Indeed it “would be hard not to pick the Falcon” had there not been upwards of 50 other cars released this year. You should drive all of them – as the Carsguide crowd has. As good as the new car is – especially the G Series – Falcon remains fourth or fifth best seller (not first or second as you amusingly claim) because some 80 per cent of its production run are knocked out to fleets at bargain basement prices. That’s why taxi drivers crowd ex-fleet auctions. Anyway, not all the finalists have been announced, so let’s see what next week holds, shall we? Carsguide team -------------------------------- I think people should get in and have a drive of the new FG Falcon- they will soon change their minds- fuel economy, features, comfort and quality is much better than people are giving it credit for. It is by far the best Australian car ever built and not the taxi some people still remember Falcon for. Looking a the new cars released this year it would be hard not to pick the Falcon expecially the Turbo XR6 or the luxury Gseries Turbo- they are both amazing vehicles and would stand proud on any showroom floor anywhere in the world- Forget it's a Ford and a Falcon and take a look at it with fresh eyes- you will be very surprised!- at the end of the day Falcon still outsells all but 1 or 2 other models.

    Greg of East Geelong Posted on 17 November 2008 4:55pm

  • Deep: You mustn’t judge everyone by your standards. Besides, we can’t see any major advertisers among this lot, can you? Carsguide team ---------------------------- Any car companies who are likely to spend huge advertising dollars will get their cars in the competition.

    Deep Throat Posted on 17 November 2008 3:55pm

  • Kevv: Admirable in every way though it is, the GTI was not released during the past 12 months. Carsguide team --------------------------------------------------------------- VW GOLF GTI!!!

    kevv Posted on 17 November 2008 11:26am

  • Tony: Neither should be ruled out – nor should any others—until the final five are announced. Carsguide team ------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is likely that the new Mazda 6 and new Honda Accord Euro will be on the list of final contenders.

    Tony Posted on 17 November 2008 10:15am

  • Andrew: The Tiguan perfectly captures the compact SUV zeitgeist, but as to calling it “cute” … not even the Carsguide judges who loved it went that far. Carsguide team -------------------------------------- Tiguan all the way. Cute as the Fiat but less contrived!

    andrew cahill Posted on 15 November 2008 8:46am

  • Dave: Oh, so you finally acknowledge the existence of a brand other than Holden? I suppose that’s progress of a sort. Meanwhile in the real world … Carsguide team ------------------------------------- Where are the Aussie cars? SS sportswagon, Holden and Ford sports utes and the entire FG range?

    Dave Posted on 14 November 2008 12:50pm

  • Gavin: Too true (see above). The excellent Mazda2 was a 2007 Carsguide Car of the Year finalist. Our chronological goalposts differ to those of the World COTY crowd. Carsguide team --------------------------------------- Didn't Mazda 2 win " World Car of the Year" in 2008. What else is there to say. Or is the world press wrong? I'm sure all the FALCODORE guys are going to tell us something different.

    Gavin Posted on 14 November 2008 11:56am

  • Stavros: Yes, you’ve seen right through us. Look at our long list of rarefied and elitist champions over the past years, such as Hyundai’s i30, Suzuki’s Swift, etc etc. Next? Carsguide team --------------------------------------- I bet you choose a car nobody can afford.

    stavros Posted on 14 November 2008 10:51am
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