PEUGEOT AND NAZA-KIA BAGS THREE TROPHIES FOR CIMB PREFERREDS & GETACAR BEST CARS OF 2009

Best Cars of 2009 is a special award. For the first time in Malaysia comes an award ceremony that will be aired on television via our weekly television show, Getacar, starting this Wednesday the 19th of August on NTV7 at 7.30pm and lasting for 10 weeks, culminating in our season finale, which is a half an our special covering CIMB Preferred’s Best Cars of 2009.

After driving countless cars between the months of August 2008-2009, three cars came up tops from Naza Kia and Peugeot. Through months of toiling and numerous hard decisions, we came to the decision that these cars truly are the best in class.

The 207CC was and still is, undoubtedly, the best value coupe cabriolet and a huge improvement over the previous 206CC. It’s strikingly sexy shape and trick roof is the perfect example of a modern, affordable cabriolet – or coupe if you’d like.

The Kia Rondo was the undisputed champion for Malaysia’s best MPV for 2008-2009 because it has the complete package of space, pace and grace – the key components that pipped it for the title above other competitors in its class.

And why was the 308 our choice pick for the best hatchback of 2009? Simple. Here was a European car that had bundles of Euro-flavor and tons of character, but comes with a Malaysian price tag. It’s affordability, coupled with its well engineered chassis and huge cabin space meant that, in its class, nothing comes close really. In our honest opinion, the only hatchback that’s better than the 308 VTi is the 308 GT.

On Saturday, 9 professional judges from all walks of life and industries went up to Bukit Tinggi to pick the ultimate winner for two main trophies: People’s Choice and Performance Car Of The Year. Among these judges were Peter England, Head Of Retail Banking for CIMB Bank, Fairuz Fauzy, former A1 Team Malaysia driver and current GP2 driver and Lee Kok Kuan, CIMB Group’s CFO and Aston Martin Cup driver.

In Brief:

• Peugeot 308 VTi – CIMB Preferred & Getacar’s Best Hatchback for 2009
• Kia Rondo - CIMB Preferred and Getacar’s Best Coupe/Cabriolet for 2009
• Kia Rondo - CIMB Preferred and Getacar’s Best MPV for 2009