BMW wins SA COTY for the eighth time.
Image: Supplied
The BMW X3 is South Africa’s 2025 Car of the Year.
The new-generation G70 model, which is built right here in South Africa, beat 16 other finalists for the overall prize.
This marks the eighth time a BMW has claimed the top honour in the competition, staged by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) for the past 39 years and sponsored by Old Mutual since 2023.
Overall winner: BMW X3
Image: Supplied
The Suzuki Swift took second overall place in the competition, while the BMW M5 hybrid secured third spot.
Second place: Suzuki Swift
Image: Supplied
Third place: BMW M5
Image: Supplied
The organisers also announced category winners, spread across the various segments:
“Locally-produced at the BMW's Rosslyn facility, the latest X3 is a beacon of the local industry's capabilities and exceptional manufacturing standards. The German sport-utility vehicle edged ahead in the scoring, thanks to its high refinement levels, innovative design, high level of digitisation and relative value for money,” the SAGMJ said.
The organisation also lauded the Suzuki Swift for upping the ante considerably over its predecessor, particularly in the area of safety, where six airbags are now standard across the range.
The South African COTY competition is one of a handful in the world that stage physical testing days for the finalists. To that end, the 17 finalists for 2025 were put through their paces back in March, in a three-day evaluation process that included various modules at Zwartkops Raceway and nearby road routes.
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