In the second instalment of the New Straits Times Car of the Year 2014 category reviews, the Premium Compact Car, Compact SUV, Family Car CKD and Family Car CBU groupings will be put under the microscope for readers to better understand the pros and cons of each nominee.
Premium Compact Car
The Premium Compact Car category is home to compact hatches and sedans that offer a more premium driving experience and feel within the petite constraints of a small car. Being a premium class, pricing is not such a cardinal consideration and even with the huge disparity in price between the two nominees, both have their pros and cons.
Citroen DS3
Citroen’s DS3 represents a stepping stone into the premium compact game with its gamut of style and premium materials in an eccentric package that focuses on, design and a quality finish over outright performance and a sophisticated drivetrain that has proven to be a shrewd one that resulted in a relatively affordable price for the segment.
Mini Cooper
What is there really left to say about the new Mini Cooper? It has redefined the premium compact segment with its new take on an old school icon that retains all the charm and go-kart handling its predecessor possessed, albeit in a larger body. Even the entry-level model here is nippy and takes corners like it’s riding on rails.
Compact SUV
Marrying practicality and useable space in a small SUV body, the Compact SUV segment is a new class altogether in the local market and; on paper, looks to be one that will win plenty of fans with local car buyers.
Ford EcoSport
Ford’s take on this segment centres on features and practicality with storage spaces, 12V sockets and seating flexibility galore in what is essentially a high-riding Fiesta. The EcoSport will see urban dwelling for the most of its life but that has not stopped Ford from giving it decent ground clearance and a high water-wading capability of 0.8-metres.
Peugeot 2008
Just like its French cousin Citroen, Peugeot has placed an emphasis on a premium feel over mechanical prowess in an elegant body that blends lots of refinement and style.
Family Car CKD
Always amongst the most hotly contested categories, this year’s Family Car is as competitive if not more; even with the split into two separate categories based on assembly status. The locally-assembled grouping consists of four nominees this year.
Usually dominated by the Japanese, the segment this year sees an equal number of European representatives at two a piece to the Japanese cars. The Euro entries, priced competitively as well with one boasting excellent after-sales support, are well positioned to put up a strong fight. Safety has been a centre point this year with all but one of the nominees coming standard with six airbags.
Renault Fluence CKD
It would require a Herculean effort to put a dent in the Japanese dominance of the C-segment and Renault has gone the extra mile with a fantastic after-sales package that offers a five year warranty, five years of free maintenance with a pick-up service and courtesy car included.
The Fluence itself is a simple yet functional and comfortable car that returns to the basics of C-segment motoring for a fuss-free experience.
Toyota Corolla Altis
Once a superior force in the C-segment, the rise of the Koreans and Europeans has placed plenty of pressure on the Toyota Corolla Altis by offering value-for-money that is hard to resist. The complete redesign of the Corolla Altis has given it a fresh opportunity to rise to the top again but it has its work cut out for it, especially when it comes with only two airbags as standard and extra airbags are an optional extra.
Volkswagen Jetta CKD
The other European car in the segment, the Volkswagen Jetta is now priced much more competitively due to local assembly and it will be hard to ignore with impressive tech such as TSI and a dual-clutch DSG transmission.
Nissan Sylphy
The Nissan Sylphy was a revelation in its first iteration here, bringing class-leading interior room to the table and the new model is a commendable evolution that combines plenty of small improvements across the board for a hugely upgraded car.
Family Car CBU
For those that prefer a more high-end take on their C-segment family cars, the units assembled outside the region tend to pack more premium features and a luxurious feel but with the caveat of a higher price due to taxes and duties. Nonetheless, it caters for a distinctively growing bracket of buyers that demand more and are willing to pay for it.
Hyundai i30 1.8L
The uprising of the Koreans continues with the Hyundai i30 that brought with it a distinctive continental flavour courtesy of its European origins. Available in a five-door hatch body style, the i30 combines a premium interior with loads of refinement in a well-priced package.
Mazda 3 2.0L SkyActiv
The Mazda 3 SkyActiv raised the bar in the C-segment with a marriage of a finely-balanced chassis and an impressive drivetrain for a fun drive in a luxurious cabin with all the right features.