This year’s search for the country’s most popular automobiles in the Standard and Premium Luxury segments as well as the most preferred models in each automobile category of sedans, SUVs/crossover, pickups, sports cars and vans/MPVs based on actual sales and the public’s votes ends this Sept. 30.
With a few more days of voting left in the 2018–2019 Auto Focus Automobile of the Year - People’s Choice Awards, perhaps a quick update of present rankings is in order.
Let’s start with the top three (3) leading models in each category.
| Standard | Premium/Luxury |
| Sedan | |
| 1. Toyota Wigo | 1. Lexus IS 350 |
| 2. Mitsubishi Mirage G4 | 2. Lexus LS 500 |
| 3. Hyundai Accent | 3. BMW 7 Series |
| Sports | |
| 1. Ford Mustang | 1. Audi R8 V10 |
| 2. Subaru WRX | 2. Lexus LC 500 |
| 3. Subaru WRX-STI | 3. Lamborghini Huracan |
| SUV/Crossover | |
| 1. Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 1. Lexus NX 300 |
| 2. Isuzu Mu-X | 2. Lexus RX 350 |
| 3. Ford Everest | 3. Lexus LX 570 |
| Vans/MPV | |
| 1. Toyota Hi-Ace | 1. Honda Odyssey |
| 2. Nissan NV350 | 2. Toyota Alphard |
| 3. Suzuki Ertiga | 3. Mercedes-Benz V-Class |
| Pickup | |
| 1. Toyota Hilux | |
| 2. Nissan Navara | |
| 3. Ford Ranger |
Here are the leading contenders for this year’s Auto Focus Automobile of the Year-People’s Choice Awards, distinct for each market segment.
| Standard | Premium/Luxury |
| 1. Toyota Wigo | 1. Lexus NX 300 |
| 2. Mitsubishi Montero Sport | 2. Lexus RX 350 |
| 3. Toyota Hi-Ace | 3. Lexus LX 570 |
This year marks the 14th staging of the Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards and it has been a long learning process for the awards’ creators and organizers to come up with the most accurate method to determine the motoring public’s prevalent choices.
For 2018, the equation of combining actual votes and unit sales with valuation of 80 percent for the former and 20 percent for the latter to determine individual scores shall hold steadfast, with the actual nationwide registration figures of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) still the basis to determine actual sales.
Voting this year has been done so much easier with the application of the “top-of-mind” principle. The online voting is simplified with voters having to enter just one to a maximum of five picks for Automobile of the Year in either or both Standard and Premium/Luxury classifications in entering their daily votes.
The last day to cast your vote for your favorite car is on Sept. 30. And you can do this every day, wherein you stand a chance to win valuable prizes like T-Shirts and coffee mugs (with Auto Focus logo) in daily electronic raffles, which will culminate after the deadline with a grand raffle that offers three cellphones namely; Vivo Y53C, a Huawei Nova 2 Lite and a grand prize of a Samsung Galaxy J8 — all free for you to own.
For details on how to cast your vote and qualify to win any of the raffle prizes visit our website www.autofocus.com.ph or search for our Auto Focus Facebook page.
Auto Focus Media’s Choice Awards
Another much-awaited annual recognition event by the local auto industry for remarkable automobile models in the market is the Auto Focus Media’s Choice Awards (AFMCA). It seeks to acknowledge the automobile industry’s continuing efforts to offer car buying public the best possible products. It gives honors to models that demonstrate the top features, value and performance as adjudged by a panel consisting of motoring media professionals and practitioners. Awards are for those chosen for best in Design, Engine Performance, Safety Features and Value-for-Money for each of the 12 Standard and 10 Premium/Luxury model categories.
But, with very stringent criteria applied, the highest voted model does not necessarily merit an award. In order to merit a win, a model must exceed at least half of the total media votes cast within a specific model/award category. No winner will be declared unless the 50-percent majority vote is achieved. Perhaps, this single factor is what gives an AFMCA award much more value.
Fitting ceremonies to hand out the distinctive People’s Choice Awards and Media’s Choice Awards, the “Oscars” of the local automobile industry are scheduled on Oct. 18 when most of the industry’s top executives and their associates come dressed for the occasion.
2018 Pre-Christmas Multi-Brand Test Drive Festival — a full house
Like the Summer Multi Brand Test Drive Festival, which was held last March, its Pre-Christmas version, which will also be held at the open concert grounds of the SM Mall of Asia from Nov. 15 to 18 (Thursday to Sunday) is expected to again bring in the crowds of car buyers and enthusiasts for free test drive of brand new vehicles from the country’s top automobile manufacturers, importers and dealers.
With twelve of the top players in the local auto industry participating, the event will literally be a “full house” of the most desired automobile models in the local market — indeed a very convenient haven or “one-stop shop” for those who are looking for their first or succeeding vehicle for their personal use or the family’s. The formidable list includes (alphabetically) Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, SsangYong, Subaru, Suzuki and market leader Toyota.
Similar to last year, Phoenix Petroleum shall be the Presenting Sponsor of the “multi-brand” institutional industry event with Phoenix Fuels with Pulse Technology as its “official fuel,” which means all test drive vehicles will have a tank full all throughout the staging of the test drive.
Don’t forget the mantra for car buyers for a more complete decision-making process, “Test drive it, before you buy it.”
Happy Motoring!!!
For comments, email sunshine.television@yahoo.com or visit www.motoringtoday.ph.