2009 World Car of The Year Is..........

[poita]

VW Golf

http://carsguide.news.com.au/site/ne...olkswagen_golf

The World Car of the Year is the Volkswagen Golf.

The Volkswagen Golf VI was chosen from an initial entry list of 51 cars. Judges described it as feeling ``more expensive than other family hatches, thanks to its solid build and high quality cabin (and) more refined than its rivals’’.

The top three contenders for 2009 World Car of the Year title were, in alphabetical order, the Ford Fiesta, the Toyota IQ and the Volkswagen Golf VI.

Related Coverage
First drive: the new Volkswagen Golf 6First drive: 2009 VW Golf GTIVW Golf R-line and 35th AnniversaryTest drive: Nissan GT-R GodzillaWater-fuel Honda Clarity turns the tideFiat 500: Baby rebornThe cars were from a list 59 World Car jurors from 25 countries throughout the world, including News Limited Australia’s national motoring editor, Paul Gover.

Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Previous World Car of the Year winners were the Mazda2 in 2008, the Lexus LS460 in 2007, the BMW 3-Series in 2006, and the Audi A6 in 2005.

The 2009 World Performance Car award went to the Nissan GT-R, beating the Corvette ZR1 and the Porsche 911 Carrera. ``This GT-R – the R35 – throws even former GT-Rs into the weeds via an all-new 3.6-liter bi-turbo V-8. The drive of the GT-R, especially on a track, reveals an incredibly flexible all-wheel-drive chassis that lays down the rubber whenever you request it,’’ judges said.

The Honda FCX Clarity was declared the 2009 World Green Car, with expert environmental judges saying is ``an utterly real, hydrogen-fuelled luxury sedan that provides the amenities people expect in a premium car’’.

Meanwhile, the Fiat 500 was awarded the 2009 World Car Design of the Year. “Icon is an overused word in the automotive world, but the Fiat 500 dating from 1957 genuinely deserves the sobriquet. Revived by Fiat last year, the new Cinquecento is larger than its predecessor but still smaller than a Mini. Cheerful and cheeky, it does a brilliant job of capturing the visual appeal of the original version while meeting modern design and engineering standards.’’

"The Golf is a safe choice and no surprise given the global spread of the World Car voting panel. It's not as adventurous as the Toyota iQ, or as surprisingly sporty as the Ford, but still a classy car which is going to be a worldwide best seller," Gover says.

"The GT-R was always the odds-on favourite for the Performance Car award, for so many reasons, even if Porsche still disputes is benchmark track time at the Nurburgring.

"And what can you say against the Honda Clarity, which is the world's first true production car to run on hydrogen with a fuel-cell powerplant? It is the most significant new car in decades and proves there can be a realistic motoring future beyond oil."

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[gman]

Safe choice...

The GTR was always going to win it, unless "Zee Germans" were on the voting panel...

Only, the R35 GTR is 3.8lts not 3.6lts I think....

[glider]

This GT-R – the R35 – throws even former GT-Rs into the weeds via an all-new 3.6-liter bi-turbo V-8. The drive of the GT-R, especially on a track, reveals an incredibly flexible all-wheel-drive chassis that lays down the rubber whenever you request it,’’ judges said.

i thought it was a v6?

[sooty]

very predictable on all counts...

should be 3.8ltr V6, not 3.6L V8 lol...as mentioned

[gman]

This GT-R – the R35 – throws even former GT-Rs into the weeds via an all-new 3.6-liter bi-turbo V-8. The drive of the GT-R, especially on a track, reveals an incredibly flexible all-wheel-drive chassis that lays down the rubber whenever you request it,’’ judges said.

i thought it was a v6?

3.6Lt V8 not a 3.8Lt V6???

I think the copy boy transposed a couple of numbers there

[USC]

If you go to the link, people have been complaining heaps about VW...apparently, they are unreliable, parts cost a fortune and service costs are high too. Apart from interior build quality, they say its not a very good car...hmm....I wonder if that is true

[GreyRex]

If you go to the link, people have been complaining heaps about VW...apparently, they are unreliable, parts cost a fortune and service costs are high too. Apart from interior build quality, they say its not a very good car...hmm....I wonder if that is true

Cbf reading it, but this is a good way to tell...

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/volkswagen/golf/

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/volkswagen/gti/

[rjastra]

If you go to the link, people have been complaining heaps about VW...apparently, they are unreliable, parts cost a fortune and service costs are high too. Apart from interior build quality, they say its not a very good car...hmm....I wonder if that is true

Euro cars never seem to be as "reliable" as japanese cars. Yet they invariably seem nicer to own and drive. Take your pick I suppose... reliable, boring, relatively unrefined small japanese cars or the euros.

The new tech on the Golf VI is stuff you would have only found on top shelf luxo barges only a few years ago. Park assist, adaptive cruise control, 6/7 speed auto boxes, turbo direct injection engines on the base spec car.

Comparible japanese small cars still ask you to put up with optional esp and side airbags, 4 speed autos and old tech normally aspirated engines (no direct injection etc in sight). I suppose it is easier to make a reliable car if you keep regurgitating the same tech year after year.

[btm]

why do only 51 cars get initially chosen? is this short listed down already?

[Vectracious]

Speaking about reliability - it will be interesting to see how the DSG boxes and even the twincharge motors hold up in a few years when the car has 200,000+ km's behind it - and "if" they did go wrong, how much will it cost to fix it.

In saying that though - I wouldn't say no to a new Golf - my business partner may be getting one of them soon (1.4 DSG)