Voting Volvo EX30 for Car of the Year 2025?
Seventeen cars have recently been listed as finalists for the SA Car of the Year (COTY) 2025 Awards, with the Volvo EX30 being the only fully electric vehicle in the line-up.
While Old Mutual Insurance sponsors the award, the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) organises the event. And, the 39th edition of the awards will see the introduction of category winners alongside the overall winner. Consequently, in early March, the finalists will undergo an intense three-day evaluation process, where physical testing and user experience will be scored.
South Africa’s Car of the Year
A spin-off of the World Car of the Year Awards, South Africa has taken matters into their own hands. However, instead of evaluating motoring vehicles based on the average world user, the finalists (and winner) are selected based on South African consumers’ needs and wants.
Thami Masemola, chairman of COTY, says: “The prestige of the South African Car of the Year competition has made a comeback, with numerous Original Equipment Manufacturers regarding the 2025 event as a significant highlight of the South African automotive industry. This has placed considerable pressure on the COTY committee and respected jurors to elevate the standard of excellence that the competition provides.”
Of course, Masemola adds: “The culmination of the COTY competition is its most thrilling phase. Using their expertise and experience, jurors meticulously evaluate every aspect of the cars. Their discernment determines the crème de la crème that caters to diverse market needs and elevates local mobility standards.”
The Volvo EX30
Interior & Exterior
The Volvo EX30 – a fully electric vehicle – has taken South Africa by storm. Small but mighty, the EX30 is Volvo’s smallest SUV ever. With an electric range of up to 476km and an energy consumption of 17.5kWh per 100km, it is dynamite in a small package. In addition, its acceleration from 0-100km/h is a mere 3.6 seconds, rivalling supercars double and triple its price at around R830 000.
With a stylish soundbar, parking and brake assist, various ambiance themes and smart storage solutions, it is perfect for urban dwellers. It has a 12.3” tablet-style centre display that allows for distraction-free driving and Google is built in to make technology user-friendly.
Finally, the EX30 is also a responsibly designed vehicle, using recycled and renewable materials on its surfaces where possible. It has ergonomic seats, a driver alert system, fast charging mechanisms and more.
Motoring Critics
Top Gear South Africa’s Jordan Schmidt gave the Volvo EX30 an overall rating of seven out of ten. According to him, it is “wicked fast off the line,” with good cornering grip while also looking futuristically classy. However, he also says it has “poor range, a highly digital interior, little rear leg room, no driver’s display and tricky interior mechanics,” referring specifically to the cupholders.
Whilst the EX30 is a “stylish and simplistically stunning small SUV with the safety and class of a Volvo and acceleration comparable to supercars,” it feels a little “too modern” to some.
Whilst marketing itself as an adventurous car, Schmidt recommends it to South Africans living and working in city centres. In fact, he says the car is best for short distances and that it is exceptionally nippy around small roads and incredibly environmentally friendly.
All-Rounder
Additionally, Felipe Yagi, Head of Marketing and Communications at Volvo South Africa, says: “Having racked up multiple international awards, the EX30 has proven itself to be a class-leading vehicle and has already garnered many fans in South Africa, where it continues to be one of the best-selling electric vehicles on the market.”
These awards include: EV of the Year at the 2024 Top Gear South Africa Awards; World Urban Car 2024 at the World Car Awards; The Sunday Times Small SUV of the Year; and Carwow’s Car of the Year 2024.
Competitors for SA Car of the Year
The final testing stage at Zwartkops Raceway in Tshwane will occur in early March. Part of the criteria includes data from Lightstone Auto, based on sales volumes and spec-adjusted pricing.
Says Mabuyane Mabuza, chairman of the SAGMJ: “Rapid technological advances intensify the annual competition, with innovative features becoming commonplace, even in entry-level vehicles, showcasing the evolution of automotive technology.”
The finalists – in alphabetical order – of the South African Car of the Year Awards 2025 are:
- BMW 5 Series Sedan
- BMW M5
- BMW X3
- Ford Mustang GT
- GAC GS3 EMZOOM
- GWM P500 HEV
- Jaecoo J7
- Mahindra XUV 3XO
- Mercedes-AMG C 63 SE Performance
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class (E 220d)
- MINI Countryman
- Mitsubishi Triton
- OMODA C9
- Suzuki Swift
- Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
- Volkswagen Tiguan
- Volvo EX30
The Volvo EX30 has made a name for itself in the EV category, but will it be enough to let it win overall? What do you think?
