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Opel Astra Wins its Thirteenth National Car of the Year Award

Opel Astra Wins its Thirteenth National Car of the Year Award

Date: 2017-03-24

The Opel Astra is the Wesbank South African Guild of Motoring Journalists' 2017 Car of the Year, making South Africa the thirteenth country where the Opel Astra has been recognised as a Car of the Year since its global introduction in 2015.

The latest accolade, which was announced at an industry banquet at Kyalami on March 15, comes on the back of a multitude of awards both here and abroad for the 11th-generation Astra. The most significant of these is the European Car of the Year for 2016, widely considered the most prestigious and important prize in the world of motoring.

The Opel Astra also picked up the 2015 SAFETYBEST Award and the 2015 Golden Steering Wheel Award.

"The last time Opel won a South African Car of the Year Award was in the 1990s when we won three awards with the: Opel Monza 160 GSi (1991), Opel Kadett 140 (1994) and Opel Astra 160iS (1995). I am very excited that the Opel Astra - which was the 2016 European Car of the Year - is now also a Wesbank South African Car of the Year," said Ian Nicholls, President and Managing Director General Motors Sub-Saharan Africa.

The COTY judges, all members of the SAGMJ, recognised the Astra's overall excellence but specifically praised its build quality and dynamic ability - its safety-boosting road-holding and handling characteristics were singled out. Other categories which the judges applied their minds to before allocating points to the Astra and other finalists included Exterior Design and & Styling; Interior Use of Materials; Interior Layout; Technology; Engine Performance; Gearbox & Transmission; Engineering Integrity & Build Quality; Ride Quality & Refinement; Steering & Handling; Affordability; Value for Money; and Overall Excellence.