The finalists for the 2026 Car of the Year (COTY) competition have been announced – and a third of the vehicles are from Chinese brands. The 2026 SA COTY finalists represent a diverse mix of vehicles, from affordable compact hatchbacks to family-focused lifestyle SUVs and performance SUVs. Presodhini Naicker, Old Mutual Insure executive of marketing and communication, says: “We sincerely congratulate all the finalists of the 2026 COTY competition on reaching the final round. The SA COTY competition is among the few globally to retain hands-on testing, adding a distinctive and authentic dimension to the judging process. Masemola says: “For 40 years, the SAGMJ-organised SA Car of the Year competition has celebrated the cars South Africans love.