AA Awards for Small, Compact, and Medium Cars

Media Release: 3 March 2006

AA Announces Motoring Excellence Awards for Small, Compact, and Medium Four Cylinder Cars

The winners of the first three 2006 AA Motoring Excellence Awards have just been announced in Auckland tonight:

Fairfax New Zealand Small Car Class Award
JEVIC NZ Ltd Compact Car Class Award
EYEPRO Marketing Ltd Medium 4 Car Class Award

Stella Stocks, General Manager of AA Technical Services, says the AA Motoring Excellence Awards aim to identify and reward excellence amongst new vehicles and in areas of concern to motorists. The Awards are being announced at a prestigious black tie dinner in Auckland tonight.

The Fairfax New Zealand Small Car Class Award went to the Toyota Yaris 1.3 litre 5 door manual.

Ms Stocks said the small vehicle category was a difficult one to judge as there is a need to balance vehicle space with style.

“The judges said the Toyota Yaris 1.3 litre 5 door manual had the space-swallowing abilities of Dr Who’s Tardis, combined with the driving feel of a much larger car. The Toyota Yaris 1.3 litre 5 door manual allowed motorists to buy small yet enjoy everything that was the domain of medium-sized vehicles just a few short years ago.”

The JEVIC NZ Ltd Compact Car Class Award went to the Honda Civic 1.8 litre S.

Ms Stocks said the Honda Civic 1.8 litre S imparts 2 litre performance with Accord rivalling interior space, and was sharper on the road than its more powerful siblings.

“The judges called the Honda Civic 1.8 litre S sleek, stylish and spacious, with an engine and body that feel larger. They liked its open road feel, and even more, the value for money it offers, indeed they called it a high-technology small car at supermini prices - and one that demonstrates the forward-thinking of the brand.”

The EYEPRO Marketing Ltd Medium Four Cylinder Car Class Award went to the Mazda6 MPS.

Ms Stocks said the Mazda6 MPS has a very capable chassis, its all-wheel-drive really shines in the wet, and it’s much more than simply a Mazda6 with a turbo.

“The judges called this car a stealth bomber on wheels, and one that might have held its own in the performance car class. You would never know this beautifully engineered vehicle is a missile until you get in the driver's seat, but it will leave you smiling. The Mazda6 MPS offers high-performance motoring at a reasonable cost.”

The AA will announce the remaining 2006 Motoring Excellence Awards, including the AA Supreme Award for Motoring Excellence, later this evening.

ends

© Scoop Media