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Australia's Best Cars (ABC) is the combined Motoring Clubs' annual new vehicle assessment, scoring and judging process. It provides recommendations for consumers purchasing new cars in a range of popular categories. Voting and formal scoring of contenders is conducted by the engineers and vehicle road testers from each of Australia's state Motoring Clubs. A judging advisory panel provides information from other key areas of expertise within each organisation and where applicable information is obtained from recognised independent industry bodies. All volume selling new vehicles currently on sale are grouped into 12 popular categories in keeping with consumer purchasing preferences and recognised industry classifications. These categories are:
— Best Small Car The awards are open to all volume-selling new vehicles on the Australian market, not just current year releases. Eligibility is based on general availability within Australia and limited edition models are not considered. The judging panel reserves the right to exclude cars which the panel believes lack consumer relevance or whose value exceeds three times the luxury tax threshold of $57,000. All cars are assessed, scored and ranked on a category scorecard according to objective criteria and using a standard scoring deviation. Each of the scientifically derived scores is then weighted by its importance to buyers in that segment of the market from consumer surveys. The contenders are formally scored against 19 to 21 set criteria depending on class. There are three areas of assessment: Value for Money, Design and Function, and On the Road. Four-wheel drives are also scored on 4WD ability, with different weightings for recreational, luxury and all terrain 4WDs. At the cut-off date each year, the top three contenders from each category are assembled for back-to-back road testing and final scoring. While the highest scored vehicle in each category receives the Australia's Best Cars trophy, the category scorecard is used by advisors at each state Motoring Clubs to discuss the relative merits of any vehicle in the class with members. Formal scoring of each car involves members of the judging team being allocated a specific scored area, gathering the data on each vehicle and ranking each vehicle against its category competition. This scoring process ensures not only that an enormous amount of data and information is gathered efficiently and ranked independently, it also ensures that none of the nine judges has an overall influence on the final result.
Depreciation: Vehicles are ranked by the cost of depreciation in dollars, based on "Predicted Future Values" compiled by industry recognised Glass's information services. Running and Repair Costs: A comparison of calculated scheduled servicing and repair costs over five years, including the most common metropolitan insurance cost. Fuel Consumption: Measured fuel consumption according to Australian Design Rule 81/01 government fuel consumption test figures weighted by fuel grade price, and ranked within each class. Warranty: Warranty scores include the manufacturer's specified cover in years, with additional points given to extended power-train and body rust warranties. Standard Features: Australia's Best Cars judges compile and rate a list of the features (including safety features), which are provided as standard. Vehicles that do not provide features that are expected in the class are penalised.
Safety: Using both ANCAP data and overseas crash testing information an assessment of each vehicle's primary safety performance, including pedestrian safety is made. The score generated from this assessment represents approximately two thirds of the total Australia’s Best Cars safety score. The remaining third of the safety score is based on the vehicle’s standard dynamic safety features, the most important being Electronic Stability Control (ESC). ESC offers greater benefits to high centre of gravity vehicles like 4WDs, and these categories of vehicle gain a higher dynamic safety score if this technology is fitted as standard equipment. Other technologies that may enhance a vehicle's dynamic safety are also rewarded under the scoring system and these are Anti-locking Brake Systems (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA) and either Traction Control (TC) or constant All Wheel Drive (AWD). Security: Vehicles are rated by IAG Insurance according to their theft prevention features. Environment: The Australian government "Green Vehicle Guide" rating based on fuel consumption and emission standards. Comfort: All seat shaping, support and comfort, as judged by the Australia's Best Cars road test panel. Space: Interior dimensions, including the occupant and luggage area, as measured according to the standard Australia's Best Cars road test procedure. Practicality: This is an assessment of the vehicle's practicality for its intended use and includes access, versatility and convenience. Consideration is given to cargo/storage areas, seat folding or removal, seat belts and child restraint anchorages. Vehicles are penalised for impractical features such as space-saver tyres etc. Ergonomics: This is the road test panel's assessment of user interaction. It encompasses the interior design, and the position, layout, access and operation of all controls and facilities. It incorporates the human aspects of usability and how the occupants interface with the machine. Build Quality and Finish: An examination of several examples for the standard of assembly, painting, trim materials, quality and finish, together with a review of reliability records. Performance: Measured acceleration and passing performance, as recorded in accordance with Australia's Best Cars road test procedure using electronic data collection. This is combined with an assessment of every-day drivability and towing specification where applicable. Ride: The road test panels assessment of the vehicle's suspension compliance and ride comfort. Handling: The vehicle's stability, precision and control in cornering manoeuvres as judged by the road test panel. This includes steering sensitivity, response and road feedback. Braking: These areas are a combination of measurements using the electronic road test equipment and the assessment of the road test panel and include braking performance, stability, control/regulation and pedal feel. Smoothness and Quietness: This includes both measurement and evaluation of Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) levels of the vehicle's engine, transmission, suspension and body refinement. 4WD Ability: This is assessed during off road testing and is presented as one overall score for Recreational Vehicles and Luxury 4WDs, or broken into two more specific aspects gearing/traction which includes off-road engine performance and clearances/articulation for the more dedicated, all terrain 4WD.
All state Motoring Clubs follow a standard road test procedure and data collection process when assessing all new vehicle releases during the year. Additional information such as safety, security, operating costs, depreciation and environment is compiled by experts in these fields. Each of the state Motoring Clubs has responsibility for monitoring one or more of the objective scoring formulas and maintaining consistency of scoring across the class. Each area of scoring is given a weighting (critical, high, medium or low) according to information gathered from market research and Motoring Club Member feedback for importance to buyers in that car category. For example, buyers in the "Small" car class considered pricing to be 'critical'; security to be 'high'; equipment to be 'medium' and smoothness/quietness as 'low' in their buying decision. Scoring in objective areas involves a computer program ranking of hard data and the application of a standard deviation scoring spread to allocate up to ten points. Scoring in the subjective areas is conducted in the same manner, but relies on the expertise of the judging panel, having researched, driven and inspected the contenders. Finalists are subjected to a final comprehensive back-to-back road test. Each score is entered on to the computer score sheet, which enables the team to review the scores for all contenders in the category, side by side, and confirm as an Australia's Best Cars category award winner. The full scoring sheets are posted for consumer information on the Australia's Best Cars website and used by motoring advisors in each state to discuss the relative merits of comparable vehicles. The Australia's Best Cars award is presented to winning manufacturers at an industry function each year. |
