Top Gear Magazine Announces 2009 Cars of the Year – We Judge Them
Wed, Dec 16, 2009
Since CarEnvy.ca hasn’t finalized its 2009 Cars of the Year, the second best publication around, Top Gear Magazine, will have to do for now. Their criteria are a little different than ours, and so are their categories, but we still value their opinion. Why? Because we have a subscription and the 1.5 centimetre thick, $13 magazines are worth it every penny, believe it or not. Also, unlike our awards, car companies actually care if they win the TG honours. Can’t say I’ve ever seen a CarEnvy award plastered on an advertisement. TG award? Definitely.
Follow the jump to find out who took top honours.
Supercar: Ferrari 458 Italia
CarEnvy says: Even though it’s not officially on sale, and there’s an absurd waiting list anyways, there’s no better car out there for out-and-out driver enjoyment and effortless speed.
Hot Hatch: Volkswagen GTI
CarEnvy says: Hard to beat. It’s the perfect all-’rounder and incredibly mature. The GTI has done to the hot hatch was the Porsche 911 has done to the everyday supercar: refined, refined, and refined a little more.
Muscle Car: Ford Focus RS
CarEnvy says: 300+ hp in a FWD car? You must be joking. Apparently Ford of Europe doesn’t have a sense of humour.
Family Car: Skoda Yeti
CarEnvy says: The VW-owned Czech brand continues to redefine value and quality. Another hit.
Least Boring Green Car: Ford Fiesta Econetic
CarEnvy says: Ford knows how to build exciting cars. See Muscle Car award for further proof.
Luxury Car: Skoda Superb
CarEnvy says: Uhhh, really? A Skoda?
Most Beautiful Car: Alfa Romeo 8C Spider
CarEnvy says: Tough to argue with the Alfa
Manufacturer: Renaultsport
CarEnvy says: No one gets small, fun, and properly quick cars like les gents de Renaultsport.
GT Car: Mercedes SLS AMG
CarEnvy says: Merc’s PR might have you believing that they’ve built an Ferrari-beater with the Gullwing, but don’t believe it for a second. They’ve built a car that you’d want to travel in from Vancouver to Percé Rock. In the summer, of course.
City Car: Toyota Prius
CarEnvy says: It might pain us to admit it, but the new Prius is really quite good. If you’re using it in the city, it truly shines.
Sports Car: Lotus Evora
CarEnvy says: Lotus might not have created the most powerful sports car out there, but for balance, feel, and (whisper it) comfort, the Evora is top-notch. Plus, it’s British so you know TG is going to fawn all over it.
Saloon (Sedan) Car: Jaguar XF S Diesel
CarEnvy says: Easy on the eyes, powerful, AND efficient? We need this car in Canada. Pronto.
Lifetime Achievement: Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV
CarEnvy says: Long name, yes, but also the swan song for the epitome of supercar flamboyance and excess.
SUV: Audi Q7 V12 TDI
CarEnvy says: Not sure why the SUV-hating UK magazine would have such a category in the first place, but the numbers the V12 TDI puts down might have something to do with it. That’d be 500 hp and 1000 Nm (738 ft-lb) of torque. Gulp.
Interior: Jaguar XJ
CarEnvy says: The Brits like the interior of a British luxury sedan? Weird… Although maybe it’s even more odd that no one has driven the car yet, much less produced it.
Car of the Year: Ferrari 458 Italia
CarEnvy says: It’s a new Ferrari, what did you expect?
Tags: Alfa Romeo 8C Spider, Audi Q7 V12 TDI, Ferrari 458 Italia, Ford Fiesta Econetic, Ford Focus RS, Jaguar XF S Diesel, Jaguar XJ, Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV, Mercedes SLS AMG, Renaultsport, Skoda Superb, Skoda Yeti, Top Gear Magazine, Toyota Prius, Volkswagen GTI
Skoda haven't 'redefined value and quality' as much as you'd have liked, then?
Value and Quality are vastly different than Luxury. The Skoda Superb is a no-nonsense utilitarian vehicle. A bit like a Subaru. How that qualifies as Luxury Car of the Year when vehicles like the the Phantom, the Jag XF, and the Merc S-class exist is beyond me.