The 2019 New Zealand Automobile Association and Driven Magazine New Zealand Car of the Year Awards bestowed the country’s most prestigious award on the new Ford Focus.
The Ford Focus took out the title of AA Driven New Zealand Car of the Year due to its impressive line-up of technology and dynamic driving, as well as the excellent value for money it provides. The award was presented at a cocktail event attended by the who’s who of the motoring industry in Auckland, and decided by a panel of judges drawn from the country’s finest motoring journalists and the AA.
Chief Judge and Driven’s Editor at Large Liz Dobson said there was stiff competition for the AA Driven New Zealand Car of the Year title, but the Focus ultimately stood above the rest.
“From everyday use family vehicles to luxury, sports performance, hot hatches, and electric and hybrid models for the first time in the award’s history, there was a great mix of vehicles vying for the title this year,” Liz said. “The Focus has stylish interior and exterior features that sets it apart from other hatchbacks. It won over judges thanks to its standard features, new technology and superb drivability, while providing excellent value for money.”
“What a fantastic result, especially considering the very high calibre of finalists,” said Simon Rutherford, Managing Director Ford New Zealand. “This award is especially good recognition considering the judging panel and thorough testing regime all the vehicles are put through. We’ve already sent a big thank you to our engineers in Germany who designed and built the new Focus. They’ve managed to create a magic combination of style, technology and capability - all in an incredible value for money package.”
Also revealed at the awards event were 2019’s Best in Class winners. The Ford Focus won Best in Class for the small car segment and the incredible Ford Ranger pulled in another Best in Class award for ute segment - for the 7th time!