Motoring Middle East: Car news, Reviews and Buying guides

What we really thought of this year’s UAE COTY gongs from the Sharjah Expo Centre

By Shahzad Sheikh

[For a full gallery of images of the awards cars and the Sharjah Motor Show, click here]

I was one of 17 judges on the Middle East Motor Awards run by the Sharjah Expo Centre alongside the Sharjah Motor Show – read all about that at this link.

All the awards were finally announced on Wednesday morning on the first day of the show, and were as much a revelation to me as to anyone else. The judging was done purely by closed voting with each juror asked to submit a score card on all the eligible cars in each category and the results tallied by the organisers.

Only a shortlist of the top three, or just two in some cases, was made available to us, as it was to the general public in the weeks leading up to the final announcement of the awards.

On the day the most number of awards went to Porsche which picked up three, but the happiest manufacturer of all was McLaren for picking up the overall Car of the Year title for its first entry into the junior supercar market, the MP4-12C.

So now that we know who won what (or if you don’t then just keep reading) the question remains: do I agree? Which cars would I have made the winners if this was a dictatorship? I reveal my personal verdicts here.

Best small sedan

Winner: Kia Rio

Shortlisted: Chevrolet Sonic, Honda Civic

Despite boasting decent sales volumes in the US, the Civic has been universally panned since it was first launched, so much so they’ve had to rush in a face-lift just revealed at the LA Auto Show.

For me it was very close between the Rio and Sonic, the Rio just taking it, because the Sonic visually worked better as a hatchback rather than a saloon. Both are great cars for the money though.

Best mid-sized sedan

Winner Volkswagen Passat

Shortlisted: Toyota Camry, Peugeot 508

Really not sure what the Peugeot is doing in this shortlist, especially with the far more Middle East-friendly Chevrolet Malibu having been left out of the top three. That made no sense to me.
The new VW Passat is more in tune with the needs of the region than ever before – it helps that it’s US-designed and built. The pricing is keen and it’s extremely spacious.

But the Camry has certainly stepped up its game, bringing forward all its best characteristics, and adding keen steering. I went with Camry myself, but concede the Passat’s also a worthy winner.

Best executive sedan

Winner: Lexus GS350

Shortlisted: Jaguar XF and BMW 3 series

This one was really difficult. Frankly speaking all the cars in this category are brilliant. I really love the new BMW 3 and the Jaguar XF is one of my favourite cars too. But the XF didn’t bring anything new to the table this year apart from even sexier looks.

The 3 series on the other hand feels like it’s going back to its roots as a driver’s machine and for that alone I’d have one, especially in 335i guise.

But I had to place the new Chrysler 300C higher (even though it didn’t make the shortlist voted by the other judges) because it’s such a step up, especially in terms of interior quality and appeal, and yet offers a big roomy, comfortable car, that’s decent to drive, great value, and boosts more attitude than all the rest of these put together.

However, even in my scoring the all-new Lexus GS350 (and for me it would have to be the F-Sport version) bested it by a single point because of the dynamic technology it brings to bear on the chassis which makes it not only a safer car, but somehow a more enjoyable car too.

Best performance sedan

Winner: BMW M5

Shortlisted: Mercedes C63 AMG and Jaguar XFR

Also listed in this category were the SRT8 versions of both the Dodger Charger and the Chrysler 300C. We conducted a triple test between the Charger, Jag and M5 ourselves not so long ago. Our result was SRT8 beats XFR beats M5. The reasoning was based on the performance for value equation.

The Charger gives you the biggest smiles per miles, followed by the 300C. And that’s how I voted.

The M5 is technically utterly sensational, but leaves you a bit cold, the Mercedes is a split personality (staid and sensible one minute, brutal and bullish the next), and the Jaguar is exquisitely charming.

Once again, all of these cars are absolutely amazing and you wouldn’t be disappointed with any of them, so it all depends on where your allegiances lie brand-wise and of course, your budget.

Best crossover SUV

Winner: Honda CR-V

Shortlisted Nissan Juke and Mini Countryman

I did put the Honda ahead of the Nissan by 1 point, and the new CR-V does do exactly everything you expect of it, very well indeed. Plus it’s a harmless, inoffensive shape, compared to the love-it or hate-it looks of the Juke.

However for me the Mini Countryman was way ahead of either of these, despite its considerably higher price, because it just looks so fun and funky. Plus it’s astonishingly still a hoot and very Mini-like to drive. Additionally of course it’s a Mini. That brand rocks!

I’d have the CR-V but I’d want the Mini. Not everyone would agree, but I think the Countryman works very well for the brand in this region, and the sales boost they have experienced with it speaks for itself. There’s a John Cooper Works edition out soon, and that would be very tempting indeed.

Best mid-sized SUV

Winner: Ford Explorer

Shortlisted: Honda Pilot

No brainer I’m afraid. There were only two cars qualifying in this category, and as good as the Pilot is, and it’s usually heavily underestimated by a lot of people, it was no match for the newer, slicker, cleverer, cooler Explorer.

Best premium mid-sized SUV

Winner: Range Rover Evoque

Shortlisted: Audi Q3, Mercedes GLK

The Audi Q3 is competent enough, and the Mercedes remarkably capable off-road if rather ungainly looking on the road. But the Evoque is head and shoulders above these two in terms of style, presence, personality and ability both on and off-road. An easy win, this one.

Best premium large SUV

Winner: Mercedes ML350

Shortlisted: Lexus LX570

Only two cars in this category, and to be honest there was very little to choose between them. I agree with my fellow judges on this one, but in my scoring only one point separated them. So it was very close.

Best performance SUV

Winner: Mercedes ML63 AMG

Shortlisted: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

Again, we conducted this very twin test not so long ago ourselves, and although we found the ML63 a vastly improved car compared to its predecessor and a formidable rival to the SRT8, when it came down to value for money, road presence and desirability, it was the mighty Jeep that we wanted to take home with us. And that’s how I voted.

Best sports coupe

Winner: Toyota 86

Shortlisted: Hyundai Genesis Coupe

The Hyundai Genesis Coupe has been refreshed and given greatly improved looks to fit in line with the rest of the Korean brand’s good looking range of cars. Front-engined and rear-drive, it’s a popular drift car in the States, and it’s something of a hoon to drive. It’s also well equipped, good value and boasts a bigger engine than its Japanese rival.

However the Toyota 86 is a legend in the making. It’s brilliantly conceived, unerringly executed and perfectly balanced in every way. Addictive to drive, practical to live with, reliable as only a Toyota can be, and you just can’t argue with that pricing. I too voted it top.

Best premium sports coupe

Winner: Porsche 911 Carrera S

Shortlisted: Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe, Bentley Continental GT V8

Well it had to be, didn’t it? Despite familiar looks, the 911 is all-new and somehow they’ve managed to evolve it and make it better yet again. It still remains the ultimate sports car. So I agreed with this vote.

The Bentley and C63 are great cars, as are the Nissan GT-R and BMW 6 series that didn’t get into the shortlist. But I also thought the Jaguar XKR-S should get a mention here as I voted it second ahead of the Bentley.

Best sports convertible

Winner: Porsche Boxster

Shortlisted: BMW 6 series convertible, Mercedes SLK

There was another car in this category, the Jaguar XKR-S. That was my winner. There is nothing wrong with the Boxster, it’s a brilliant little roadster, even if some of the charm and tactility of the original Boxster has faded beneath the sheen of sophistication now so apparent.

The Jag, however, exudes cheeky chappy charm-your-panties-off charisma one minute, and leather-gloved bar-brawler aggression that would put a muscle car to shame the next. It’s a gent, it’s a bruiser, it’s a convertible that a bloke can drive and look, feel and be really cool in.

Best premium sports convertible

Winner: Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet

Shortlisted: Mercedes SLS Roadster, Ferrari 458 Spider

Actually the Porsche was number two on my scorecard and the SLS Roadster tied with the Bentley GTC V8 (not shortlisted). The winner this time, as far as I was concerned was the Ferrari 458 Spider.

Sure, it’s a kinda obvious choice, but that gorgeous body, and that heart-pumping scream from the engine as you blast along with the roof down and dream of being a modern-day Magnum PI, would win it any day. It’s the best way to experience Ferrari’s best car, and it should have won.

Best premium luxury coupe

Winner: Bentley Continental GT V8

Shortlisted: Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Series II, Ferrari FF

Actually I put the Phantom at the top of my score sheet on this one. You might argue that it’s not really new, that it’s just a facelift with some revisions, and you’d be right. You could suggest that it’s just too much car for daily use compared to the other two, and you’d be absolutely right in saying it would never stick with an FF when things got racy.

But one doesn’t race in one’s Phantom. One wafts. Serenely. Regally. Decadently. It’s the ultimately luxury coupe. And since the word ‘luxury’ has been specifically used in this category, the Rolls was the only way to go, I figured.

Best hatchback

Winner: Hyundai Veloster

Shortlisted: Ford Focus, Toyota Yaris

With the Kia Rio and Chevrolet Sonic also in this lineup this was a fiercely-fought category (as long as we ignore the Indian-made and silly-looking Micra). All of these are brilliant city runabouts and it would be hard to pick one even to put my own money on, never mind vote for in a competition.

I ran a long-term Yaris for a while and against my expectations, really enjoyed it and ended up genuinely missing it when it was gone. So just on a personal level alone it was going to score highly and took second place on my score sheet.

But I find myself in agreement with the other jurors when it comes to the winner. The Hyundai is one amazing looking car – it manages to pull off an asymmetrical design with panache – not only is there one door on the driver’s side and two on the other, but one front door is longer than the other.

Such audacity from a Korean company! This shouldn’t work. But it just so does. And it demonstrates a new-found self confidence from the company. It further helps that it’s a perfectly comfy, affordable and enjoyable thing to live, all of which elevates this humble Hyundai to winner status.

Best premium hatchback

Winner: Volkswagen Scirocco R

Shortlist: Mini Coupe Cooper S

Closer but no cigar – the Scirocco R is a great little pocket rocket, but the regular non-R car is better in my opinion. And when compared to the Mini Coupe which looks like an extra from the Step Up series of movies, all baggy trousers, baseball cap on backwards and attitude, the VW has no chance.

And judging by the sheer number of Mini Coupes I started seeing on the roads just days after it first went on sale, I think it’s certainly captured the imagination of the local car-buying community. It’s a trendy young thing that’s a city-slicker with style. It should have won this.

Best supercar

Winner: McLaren MP4-12C

Shortlist: Ferrari 458 Spider, Ferrari FF

Actually I really struggled with this one and ended up giving a joint highest score to the 458 Spider and the MP4-12C.

Where the Ferrari is beautiful, the Macca has scissor doors and taillights integrated into the rear slats. Where the Ferrari iss passion and emotion, the Macca is technical brilliance and efficient execution.

Where I almost gave it to Ferrari – and this will sound an odd thing to say – is for reliability, because Ferrari’s are relatively well behaved now, whereas the 12C has been subject to teething troubles, even during its very short tenure with us!

But in the end the simple assessment of McLaren’s achievement in entering a segment dominated by Ferrari and Lamborghini and coming up with something so superlative straight out of the box, had to demand recognition and applause. So I’ll go with the majority vote on this one. A deserved win for the Macca.

Overall car of the year

However, that doesn’t mean that I will concede the overall accolade and ultimate COTY gong to the McLaren. Nor did the two runners up deserve the top throne in my opinion. The second-placed ML63 is too elitist and the third-placed BMW M5 is too expensive.

There is one other car here that is neither costly, aloof or a segment-hijacker. It is a car that has not only achieved and emphatically ticked off each one of its lofty aims and objectives, but which has also effected an image and perception change for its parent manufacturer, and redefined and reignited a long-dormant segment of the market, throwing down a tuneable gauntlet that almost every rival is scrambling to snap up.

The Toyota 86 has revived the era of affordable and genuinely exciting Japanese coupes, it’s also brought the driving back to the driver by lowering its performance and dynamic envelope and handing control to the person behind the wheel. It was so good, we even bought one!

It’s a game-changer, an indisputable trend-setter, and a certified future classic. A car of this kind only comes along once in a very long while, and in my book it was robbed of a recognition that it already holds whether the rest of my esteemed colleagues are able to admit it or not.

The Toyota 86 is the true, Car of the Year, for 2012!

Agree? Disagree? Express yourself below!