Since its inception in 2010, the Autoworld Car of the Year Awards has developed into a key event in the country’s automotive calendar. Now in its third successive year, the nation’s first car award organized by an online portal has just announced its selection of the best cars launched between November 2011 and October 2012.
The results were announced in a grand presentation dinner attended by representatives of various automotive companies, members of the media, and other invited guests at the Tropicana Golf & Country Resort. Hosting the dinner were staff and management members of Autoworld.com.my Sdn Bhd and its parent company Jobstreet Corporation Bhd.
With the aim of providing consumers an independent and unbiased judging to acclaim only the best cars among the best, the Autoworld Car of the Year Awards 2012 selects its winners using a unique scoring matrix that combines scores from a panel of judges and also an online voting poll open to its database of over 120,000 registered members and more than 200,000 monthly unique visitors, setting itself apart as a truly credible awards that takes public opinion into account.
As it was in the preceding years, the 2012 panel is once again led by five-time Malaysian rally champion and Autoworld.com.my Editor Mr Y.S. Khong serving as the award’s Chief Judge. Working with him is a group of seven judges, all of whom boast considerable clout, credibility, and experience in the automotive industry.
The judges’ scores make up 80% of the overall evaluation with the remaining 20% decided by online voting.
A total of 31 cars were nominated for the 2012 awards and they were vying for honours in some 17 categories that cover all mainstream sections of the market including passenger cars, MPVs, and SUVs. Keeping consumer sentiment close to heart, the Autoworld Car of the Year Awards 2012 made special effort to recognize frugal and environmentally friendly green vehicles in the specially created Alternative Vehicle category. In addition, three special mention ‘Value for Money’ awards were created to recognize cars that deliver exceptional specifications that exceed expectations.
Specially recognizing the voice of consumers is the Autoworld Members’ Choice Award that is given to the car that gathers the highest number of votes in the online voting poll amongst all 31 cars. The panel of judges also had the pick of their favourite car revealed in the Judges’ Choice Award. Past iterations of the Autoworld Car Awards have notably refrained from naming an overall car of the year, but this particular tradition is being reversed for the first time ever in the awards’ history this time.
The Autoworld Car of the Year Awards 2012 continues to enjoy strong support from its long-term partners, with the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) maintaining its role as a supporting organization. It is also strongly backed within the media fraternity, with SME Magazine being the awards’ official media partner, and three other motoring publications – Cars.my, On The Road, and Traction – playing the roles of supporting media partners.
