The Car Awards Group, Inc. (CAGI), successfully completed the first test day for the search of the 2015 Car of the Year - Philippines and Truck of the Year - Philippines. Held last Saturday, October 10, 2015, the Fontana Convention Center served as the staging area for the qualitative testing, as well as part of the technical testing. A total of 15 vehicles joined the first day of trials, and were driven by CAGI jurors around a pre-determined route, inside the Clark Freeport Zone.

The list of vehicles processed included five pickups contesting in the Truck of the Year Philippines (TOTY-PH), namely, four variants of the all-new Strada from Mitsubishi and a Tata Xenon XT 4x2. As for the Car of the Year Philippines (COTY-PH), Toyota’s entries were the Alphard and the new Avanza. Honda entered the 1.8 EL CVT and 1.8 E CVT variants of the HR-V compact crossover, the Mobilio 1.5 V CVT and 1.5 RS Navi CVT variants, and the Odyssey EX-V Navi luxury MPV. Volvo brought the updated S60 D4 and XC60, while BYD’s lone entry is the country’s first sports hybrid, the QIN.

For the Qualitative testing, participating vehicles are judged and scored according to factors such as design, fit and finish, ergonomics, comfort, access, driving dynamics, response, and functionality. The Quantitative test, on the other hand, requires expert drivers from the CAGI Technical Team to measure each vehicle’s performance on a safe closed track. The CAGI Technical Team uses a Racelogic VBox data logger to determine and record the acceleration, braking, performance, and handling. VBox is internationally recognized as a quality standard in automotive testing.

“With the consumer in mind, we worked with KPMG to refine the scoring process and methodology. CAGI’s jurors are rating the vehicles based on the same criteria used by the car buyers and testing the vehicles in “real world” road conditions. A secret ballot ensures that the vote cast is free from the pressures due to relations and influence” said CAGI president Robby Consunji. “To determine the award-winning car, we assigned weights to the testing criteria just like a car buyer would do. The consumers can look forward to a proclamation of the award winning car and truck at the COTY Awards Night on November 13 at Fontana.” he added.

The 2015 Car of the Year – Philippines is made possible by event partners Fontana Hot Spring Leisure Parks & Casino, and R. G. Manabat & Co. / KPMG, and sponsors Bose, Air Asia, HitchPro, the Manila International Auto Show, Worldbex Services International, Manila North Tollways Corporation, North Luzon Expressway, Sonax, Ultra Modular Concepts, Inc. (UMCI), Romac Group of Companies, Columbia Sportswear, SpeedLab, and LG Electronics. Media partners include BusinessMirror, Malaya Business Insight, Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer and The Philippine Star.