Car of the Year 2011

And it produced a surprise winner for 2011. It's the Kia Rio. The Korean compact claims the crown by just one vote over the impressive Volvo S60, with the funky Ford Focus rounding out the top three at the end of a year that is setting all sorts of records. More than one million cars will again find new homes in 2011, it's increasingly likely that the Holden Commodore's 15-year reign as Australia's favourite car will end, and new brands from China - Geely and Chery - have taken the count in showrooms to more than 60 individual nameplates. On the COTY front, the Rio becomes the second baby-class member and only the second Korean car to claim the crown, as well as the first from the junior member of the Hyundai-Kia conglomerate. The Rio scores its success off the back of impressive design and packaging, tweaking by an Australian suspension expert, topped by smart pricing starting from $16,290. Surprisingly, it was top choice with six of the 10 COTY judges in 2011, as the Volvo and Ford split the others. At the end of two intensive and tiring days of back-to-back running, the Rio did best when measured against the COTY judging criteria of value, design, technology and safety. "It's a nice, light, easy car to drive. It's got a feisty engine and some nice little touches like the hill-start system and an upshift indicator light," says chief judge, Ged Bulmer. The safety-first Volvo S60 is also a hit with judges, apart from one obvious shortcoming in Australia. "The only thing I don't like is the spare tyre. It doesn't have one," says Neil Dowling. "For what it is, it drives well. Inside, the design is kinda the anti-Focus." The baby Ford is a driving favourite but loses out for its ergonomics and a higher price point than the Rio. "It's good value, has a good sound system, and is good value. But the dash layout is ordinary - it looks like someone threw the buttons at the dash," says Mark Hinchliffe. The COTY contest in 2011 follows a familiar pattern of recent times, with 10 judges, 10 cars and two days of tough driving on a variety of surfaces to check everything from freeway noise levels and fuel economy to dust sealing and cornering grip. There is also an intensive pre-drive briefing and quality check on all 10 contenders, which range in price from the Nissan Micra at $14,990 as an ST automatic to the heavily-loaded Range Rover Evoque at nearly $100,000. Action starts at the Ford Proving Group at You Yangs when all the contenders come together for the first time, with the good looking Evoque and the homeground hero - the diesel-powered Ford Territory diesel - sharing the spotlight. Everyone wants to know how they will compare, which strengths and weaknesses will be revealed, and how the eventual contenders will stack up against the reigning COTY champion, the Volkswagen Polo. One change for 2011 is an early cull which takes out five hopefuls. At then end of a rugged first day, with many laps of the right-and-handling course at You Yangs, a gravel-road circuit and road time in and around Geelong, there are a few surprises. The Evoque is out early because it is poor value, quality and driving failings let the Micra down, while the Volkswagen Scirocco is way too sports focussed - one judge asks for a kidney belt because the ride is almost rock hard - and the Hyundai i40 is nothing special for design or driving. The Territory also goes out because of its basic age, despite the updated front-end styling and diesel for 2011, and shortcomings in a variety of areas. So day two starts early with five cars - with the Holden Cruze hatch as the only local - and two judges aboard each for a series of real-world road loops and plenty of swapping and changing. Then it's time for a sit-down, talk-through and the final voting. Each judge lists their cars from top to bottom and the one with the lowest score wins. The Cruze looks good but has plenty of shortcomings, from lacklustre rear suspension to reflections on the instruments. "Back-to-back it with the Focus and you have to go with the Ford," says Stuart Martin. The BMW is a driving favourite, but it has a cramped cabin and falls down on value. "It's not what you expect for that sort of money. The packaging is compromised," says Neil Dowling. So the final three emerge, at the end of a tight contest with no truly standout car. The Toyota Camry might have been The One, and Ford also has the four-cylinder Falcon coming soon, but both arrived too late for the COTY cutoff. Eventually, the Rio emerges as the judges' choice and a surprising favourite despite its compact size and value-first pricing. It's definitely helped by the suspension work by Graeme Gambold, as well as a six-speed gearbox and feisty engine. "It looks good and it's value for money. All the audio stuff is there.  It's got cruise control and a spare," says Karla Pincott. "Is it better than the best cars in the class? Yes." And there it is, the Carsguide Car of the Year for 2011. FINISHING ORDER 1. Kia Rio 2. Volvo S60 3. Ford Focus 4. BMW 118 5. Holden Cruze 6. Range Rover Evoque 7. Ford Territory 8. Volkwagen Scirocco 9. Hyundai i40 10. Nissan Micra.

Hundreds of new and updated cars arrive in Australia each year but only one is good enough to make the honour role for Carsguide COTY.This time around the prize fight is tougher than ever, with new arrivals for 2011 covering every size and price class, from the ordinary Chery J1 from China to the exotic Ferrari 458 Italia from Italy. Neither of them makes the COTY cut, but that's another story ...The reach for COTY 2011 contenders actually stretches back to the final months of last year, to include a couple of cars that just missed the 2011 cutoff, and this time around the newcomers must have hit showrooms by December 1.So, unfortunately, the all-new Toyota Camry is a non-starter. It's the same for the make-or-break four-cylinder Falcon.But the class of 2011 covers all the bases, from affordable mini cars through family and prestige cars to a hot new coupe. The hopefuls come from Europe, Asia and Japan, as well as right home in Australia.Setting the field for 2011 was not easy, particularly with the outgoing champion - the Volkswagen Polo - still casting a considerable shadow.But each of the COTY judges, who cover the Carsguide contenders and drive them in all conditions from coast to coast, has called up their personal favourites from Alfa Romeo through to Volkswagen to help guide the selection process.Then it is the final cull by the COTY veterans to produce the top 10 for a gruelling two-day shootout to consider everything from design and safety through to value and their driving ability on a wide range of roads from Ford's You Yangs proving ground to freeways, suburban streets and gravel roads on the outskirts of Melbourne.The field is set, the race is about to be run, but we cannot get ahead of ourselves.So here are the 10 COTY contenders ... now it's over to the judges: 

Few cars polarized Carsguide opinion like the Ford Territory turbodiesel.Comments for the big SUV were all over the road, from "dated, but effective" to "it's a bus".The 2.7-litre engine takes a moment to overcome more than two-tonnes of mass either from standstill or when accelerating around town. Get it up to speed, though, and it's hard to criticise the ride.There's some body roll when it is pitched into a corner ... but few drivers are going to drive the seven-seater that hard with their family on board. The SZ range also has an anti-rollover function linked to the stability control, so tipping the Territory should take some doing.The features in the Titanium model are extensive, from a hi-res touchscreen for the satnav, sound and Bluetooth functions to an Alpine DVD player with a pair of headphones for the first row of rear seat occupants.There are more efficient turbodiesels on the market but you will also pay more for them in this segment.The Territory is the grand old lady of the Ford fleet and continues to defy its age (it was launched in 2004) by selling strongly. That appeal earned it a spot in the field, but it couldn't keep up with the smart young things it was stacked up against.Ford Territory Titanium AWDPrice: $63,240Engine: 2.7-litre turbodiesel, 140kW/440NmTransmission: Six-speed automaticThirst: 9.0 litres/100km, 236g/km CO2.

While a number of judges liked the Adelaide-built hatch, it still fell short of a podium finish.The Port Melbourne designed hatch version of the popular sedan found favour for its balance between ride and handling, the result of local engineering prowess in the black art of suspension tuning.Taken in isolation the front and rear styling were not derided by the judges but as a package there was a lack of cohesion to the exterior, according to the bench of judges.Inside, the Cruze was lauded for a decent dash layout - although the cloth trim cover was questioned for it's ability to last and remain clean - and deemed less fussy than the Focus.The little Holden was deemed to have good interior space for four adults, but full-grown folk should leave the fifth seatbelt unused.The little Holden was criticised for a number of things, including its smooth little Austrian-built turbo petrol engine getting thirsty when asked to work hard, its steering was declared lifeless and its Korean-sourced six-speed automatic was indecisive and slow to change.Holden Cruze CD 1.4 hatchPrice: $24,990 (as tested)Engine: 1.4-litre turbocharged DOHC 16-valve (variable) 103kW/200Nm four-cylinder.Transmission: six-speed auto, front-wheel driveThirst: 6.9l/100km (ADR claimed).

... right from its release date in August.At launch the critics raved about its Golf-equalling driving dynamics, while the exterior styling presented a car for the modern age with sharp styling.Our analysis over two days of rigorous COTY testing in a variety of conditions proved those original assumptions spot-on. In fact, the chassis, steering and suspension are better than the all-round compound tyres fitted as standard. It is a spirited drive, yet with sensible ride for the urban streets and occasional spotty B roads outside the city limits.Ford must be taking a bit of a hit on this one until it can get the car built a bit cheaper in Thailand next year because it is absolutely packed with hi-tech features, but costs no more than the previous model. The techno-geeks will love the self-parking feature, voice-activated controls and Bluetooth streaming.However, one of the persistent criticisms of our judges was the busy and confusing interior. The steering wheel, in particular, would freak out a Qantas pilot. Not only are the controls busy and confusing, but the design is fussy and outdated. It's like living inside an '80s ghetto blaster.Seats are accommodating and supportive and there is genuine room in the back bench for three well-fed motoring journalists. Boot space is also ample and there is a full-size spare under the floor carpet.While the judges loved the spirited drive, they criticised the dual-clutch 'Powershift' automatic transmission's toggle switch. It is used for manually selecting gears in sport mode. But most found it too awkward to use and just gave up.Still, the transmission worked quite well in sport mode around the track, although some judges found the changes occasionally clunky and hesitant on steep grades. It worked best in normal "Drive" mode.Dusty roads revealed a flaw in the fuel filler area where there is a clever no-cap filler neck. It means you don't have to touch a petrol cap and get your hands smelly. However, the filler flap is not properly sealed and we were concerned that the dust that leaked in could also get into the fuel tank when you insert the fuel nozzle.Safety is guaranteed with a five-star rating and six airbags, stability control, hill start assist, and anti-lock brakes with brake force distribution to compensate for uneven loads and brake assist for panic stops.Of the small hatchbacks in this crop, it had the most power, yet also returned the best economy figures.VERDICTOne of the outstanding cars of the year, compromised by over-fussy interior styling and a few quirks that are easily fixed when it comes time for a mid-term update.Ford Focus 2.0 Trend hatchPrice: $26,790 (as tested)Engine: 2.0-litre petrol, 125kW/202NmTransmission: 6-speed Powershift DSG, front-wheel driveThirst: 6.6L/100km; 154g/km.

Volkswagen Scirocco, from $47,490The Scirocco is the hottest new coupe on the road, even if it has arrived very late in Australia because of fears it would steal sales from Volkswagen's Golf GTi. It's a Golf under the skin but gets lots of go-faster gear including a 188 kiloWatt engine to ensure it can deliver on the styling promises.Gover says: The good looking coupe has only just arrived in Australia and rivals the Evoque for style, but perhaps the Euro-focussed suspension will be too extreme. It also has to provide worthwhile gains over the GTi.

Evoque by name, evocative by nature.Our judges applauded the fact it has gone virtually straight from designer Gerry McGovern's drawing board to concept to sheet metal production and the showroom floor without major alterations.On the street - or out in the bush where it is not out of its depth with its Feerlander II underpinnings and Terrain Response drive system - it is a bold statement.It comes in five-door and three-door variants. The one we got was the Miranda Kerr version. Skinny and sexy.Unfortunately form overcomes function in the three-door model with long, heavy and cumbersome doors, difficult rear access and a claustrophobic feel in the back where the slit-sized windows won't even wind down.It's also expensive. And the options fitted here make it more so.Judges winced at $1300 for the cold climate pack which features heated seats, mirrors and stuff; $1495 for keyless entry and $1300 for metallic paint. However, we would consider selling our first born for the $2385 Meridian audio system - truly the best sound on four wheels.The expense would be bearable if it wasn't for the fact that the car comes with a temporary spare tyre and the interior light hadn't fallen out in our hands.Ford's ride and handling circuit at the You Yangs proving ground reveals a sophisticated suspension set-up that copes with high-speed bumps and thumps and hangs on with Tarzan's grip.Some judges didn't like the floaty feel or lack of steering feedback, but conceded it was good for a heavy car being pushed to the limit.Safety is assured with seven airbags and a host of driver aids, but rear vision is limited by the design so the $1090 park assist option is a necessity.VERDICTLike the Mini or the BMW X6, this is a decision for the heart, not the head and the heart says va-va-voom! But too many pragmatists on our judging panel marked it down on practicality. Range Rover Evoque Si4 5-door wagon autoPrice: $75,895 ($98,759 as tested)Engine: 2.0-litre turbo petrol, 177kW/320NmTransmission: 6-speed auto, four-wheel driveThirst: 8.7L/100km; 199g/km.

BMW 1 Series, from $39,593Several impressive new BMWs hit the road in Australia in 2011 and the pocket rocket 1 M is a Carsguide driving favourite. But it's the overall 1 Series range that is the best ambassador for the brand, even ahead of a new X3 that has most of the strengths of the original X5.The new One is a major improvement and refinement of the original One and introduces the idea of streamlining the options at BMW, taking the fight right up to Audi and Benz with sharp pricing for the 116i starter car.Gover says: The original 1 Series was a big breakthrough at the bottom end for BMW and its replacement is impressive, but I'm not a fan of the puffed-up nose or seemingly-endless options.

Judged on criteria ranging across styling, safety, innovation, value, functionality, build quality and performance, the finalists are scored in a variety of situations including two days of road driving and a full day's examination. The process starts with each judge selecting their top ten cars of the year. Those choices are based on years of experience, and in the case of our ten experts that is well in excess of a century of accumulated knowledge, applied to driving as many as 100 models in the past year. The first round of selections are scored and the top ten become the finalists. With the finalists brought together for three days of extensive back-to-back comparisons, the judges have the opportunity to revisit each of the cars on the same surfaces and conditions before ranking the final ten from best to not-so-best. The top car in each judge's list is awarded ten points, the second nine, the third eight points and on down to a single point for the 10th car. Those points are then tallied to provide a possible score out of 80 and reveal the winner.