The coveted Carsales People's Choice Awards have been delivered for 2009 and it's Japanese brand Mazda that is the biggest winner. The brand scooped the three awards -- Light, Small and Medium Car categories -- for the second consecutive year.
Decided by genuine customer enquiries across the Carsales Network (including carsales.com.au, CarPoint.com.au, Redbook.com.au, discountnewcars.com.au and prestigenewcars.com.au), the awards are seen as a key indicator of a vehicle's popularity in the marketplace. Points are tallied between November 1, 2008 and October 31, 2009, with each enquiry worth one vote.
"The Carsales Network People's Choice Awards are a true measure of the popularity of makes and models with the people who really count -- new car buyers," says Managing Director of carsales.com Ltd, Greg Roebuck.
"Our awards are a measure of what real world car buyers are shopping for. The categories are clear and the results equally so.
"In a year when new car buyers were very careful with their dollars, many of the categories were harder fought than in any of the previous six years we have conducted the awards. Each of the winners has clearly struck a chord with their respective target markets."
Mazda wasn't the only multiple award winner, with four other brands all taking home two gongs each. Holden earned wins in the Large Car category, with the Commodore knocking off the Ford Falcon and Honda Accord, and Medium SUV with the Captiva pipping the Toyota Kluger and LandCruiser Prado. Despite being beaten in those categories, Toyota managed to win both the Large SUV (LandCruiser 200 Series) and Light Commercial Car (HiLux) categories.
Volkswagen claimed Sports Car honours for the third consecutive year with the Eos, and bested the competition to win in the Light Commercial Van category with the Transporter range.
But the closest voting of the competition was in the Luxury Car and Luxury SUV categories with all three major players -- BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi -- all in contention. But it was the latter who came out on top of voting with the A4/S4/A5/S5 range and Q5 earning a narrow advantage.
Subaru and Kia each won one category. The Forester was crowned best Compact SUV while the Kia Carnival/Grand Carnival was best People Mover.
Carsales People's Choice Award winners:
Large Car
Winner
HOLDEN COMMODORE
Medium Car
Winner
MAZDA 6
Small Car
Winner
MAZDA 3
Light Car
Winner
MAZDA 2
Sports Car
Winner
VOLKSWAGEN EOS
Luxury Car
Winner
AUDI A4 range (inc: S4/RS4/A5/S5)
Large SUV
Winner
TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 200 Series
Medium SUV
Winner
HOLDEN CAPTIVA
Compact SUV
Winner
SUBARU FORESTER
Luxury SUV
Winner
AUDI Q5
People Mover
Winner
KIA GRAND CARNIVAL/CARNIVAL
Light Commercial Car
Winner
TOYOTA HILUX (inc TRD)
Light Commercial Van
Winner
VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER range