Star power: Jana Santhiran (front row, fifth from left) with Chan (front row, second from left), Wang (front row, second from right) and Ng (front row, right) posing with all the winners of the StarCarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards 2024. — GLENN GUAN/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The night sparkled with excitement and camaraderie as automotive industry leaders gathered to celebrate excellence at the StarCarSifu Editors’ Choice Awards 2024.
At the heart of the celebration, Great Wall Motor (GWM), Proton and Kia emerged as the big winners, sweeping the top three prestigious awards.
The GWM Haval H6 grabbed the Hybrid of the Year title, while the Proton S70 Flagship showed exceptional promise to become the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Car of the Year and the Kia EV9 raced to the front as Electric Car of the Year.
To reflect the changing local automotive landscape, the new top three awards replace the previous apex categories of Local Car of the Year, Asian Car of the Year and Continental Car of the Year.
Other awards included categories for Best Hatchback, Best Mid-size Sedan, Best Business Sedan, Best Mid-size SUV, Best Value AWD/4X4 SUV and Best Pick-up Truck, to name a few.
The awards honoured outstanding cars, launched locally from Oct 1, 2023 to Sept 30 last year, for advancements and innovations in areas such as design, features and green technology.
A total of 54 vehicles were shortlisted for 30 categories.
Winning rides: (From left) The Proton S70, Kia EV9 and GWM Haval H6. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
Shortlisted cars were from 28 brands such as Audi, BMW, BYD, Chery, Ford, GAC, GWM, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jaecoo, Kia, Lexus, Maxus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MG, MINI, Peugeot, Porsche, Proton, smart, Suzuki, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo and Xpeng.
The nominees also include those powered by petrol or diesel as well as hybrids and electric vehicles.
Cars are judged in areas such as safety, performance, comfort, handling, styling and value-for- money proposition, as well as their individual “wow” factor.
Judging was conducted by StarCarSifu’s editorial team.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke, who was the guest of honour, commended the Star Media Group (SMG) for highlighting vehicles that have made a significant impact on the market through the auto awards over the years.
His speech was read out by the ministry’s secretary-general Datuk Jana Santhiran Muniayan.
Loke said the 6.6% Total Industry Volume growth in the first half of 2024 to 390,296 units was a testament to the auto industry’s adaptability and the robust demand in the domestic market.
He pointed out the 112% rise in electric vehicle (EV) sales, which he said was in line with the government’s goal for EVs and hybrids to make up 20% of new car sales by 2030, as the country advances towards sustainable mobility.
Collaboration between the government, industry players and consumers is key to advancing EV initiatives and overcoming challenges, he added.
SMG group chief executive officer Chan Seng Fatt said StarCarSifu has evolved over the past nine years into a trusted automotive source of information for enthusiasts, offering expert insights into AI advancements and green technologies.
The platform’s growth, fuelled by support from industry partners, is recognised for inspiring and connecting people while providing valuable information and analysis to help drive the industry forward, he said.
Chan also noted that 25% of Malaysians are now interested in owning an EV, driven by factors like rising fuel prices and growing environmental awareness.
He said StarCarSifu has a role to play in sustainable mobility.
“Through StarCarSifu, we continue to highlight the latest advancements in electric and hybrid vehicles while promoting responsible practices across the industry.”
Other VIPs at the event were Transport Ministry Land Division undersecretary Datuk Mohamed Irwan Mansor, Malaysian Automotive Association president Mohd Shamsor Mohd Zain, Malaysian Advertisers Association president Claudian Navin Stanislaus, as well as Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute deputy chief executive officer Nizmar Mohd Nazar, SMG chief business officer Lydia Wang and SMG chief content officer Datin Paduka Esther Ng.
The awards were first held in 2016 and became an annual event in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
It took a break in 2020 and 2021 when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, before resuming in 2022.
For the full list of winners, go to carsifu.my.
