The Ford Fiesta 1.0 litre EcoBoost has beaten out tough competition to win the Women’s World Car of the Year for 2013.
The Fiesta won the economy car category in the finalist voting round and, in the second voting round consisting of finalists only, edged out the Mazda CX5 and the Range Rover.
The official results in each category are:
Family Car:
1st – Audi Allroad
2nd – Volkswagen Golf
3rd – BMW 3 Series
Luxury Car:
1st – Range Rover
2nd – Mercedes Benz SL550
3rd – BMW 6 Series
Sports Car:
1st –Porsche Boxster S
2nd – Audi RS5
3rd –Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ
SUV:
1st – Mazda CX5
2nd – Hyundai Sante Fe
3rd – Nissan Pathfinder
Economy Car:
1st – Ford Fiesta 1.0l EcoBoost
2nd – Kia Forte
3rd – Toyota Prius
This year judges were asked to vote for SUVs in a separate category. The Mazda CX5 was the narrow winner over the Hyundai Sante Fe.
And in a purely fun category, judges were asked to nominate their ‘dream car’. This was won by the Aston Martin Vanquish, just nudging out the Jaguar F-type.
Commenting on the win, Craig Von Essen, product and communications manager for Ford Motor Company, Asia-Pacific and Africa, says the company is ‘thrilled’ to receive not only the economy car category award but the overall supreme award.
“Women pack powerful purchasing power, representing a huge market opportunity,” says Essen. “The fact that a respected panel of published and specialist women motoring writers selected the Ford Fiesta 1.0l EcoBoost is a significant accolade as we work to design, develop and market our vehicles, technologies and services in a way that captures the attention of this very influential buying group.”
Chief judge, Sandy Myhre of New Zealand, says the judging categories changed for 2013 and the three-tier voting system makes it hard for any car to be selected as a category finalist, let alone winning. Judges supply their own short list from 2013 model year cars they’ve tested. From there a short list is formed to determine the finalists and from the finalist list judges choose their supreme winner and the podium finishers.
She says the Women’s World Car of the Year awards are designed primarily to reflect the preferences of women buyers through the ballot box of women motoring writers from around the world. She points out that while some of the judging criteria remains consistent throughout, there are variables.
“The Family Car category, for instance, includes child-friendliness, storage space and value-for-money and individually these aren’t always appropriate on which to judge a sports car, for example.
“It’s what makes these awards unique, quite apart from the fact there is no other international motoring award in the world which is voted for by women and with women in mind.”
Commenting on some of the reasons for their selection, UK judge, Victoria MacMillan-Bell, says Ford’s styling gets better and better.
“The Fiesta has such a high-end look and feel to it. Pair this with the multi award-winning 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine achieving range figures and performance never before seen and this very stylish pocket rocket wins in every category, with bells on.”
The awards are audited from the Auckland, New Zealand, office of international accountants, Grant Thornton.
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