BMW Group South Africa has announced that the stylish BMW X3 has been named the 2025 South African Car of the Year (COTY), recognising the strength of the locally produced BMW X3 in the automotive segment in South Africa.
Now in its 39th year, the South African Car of the Year Awards are hosted by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) and recognise vehicles that set new benchmarks across key segments, with additional honours including the Jurors’ Choice Award and the Motor Enthusiast’s Choice.
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Produced at BMW’s recently upgraded, state-of-the-art Group Plant Rosslyn since October 2024, the BMW X3 continues to play a strategic role in both local and global markets. The vehicle represents BMW Group Plant Rosslyn’s continued evolution, supported by the reintroduction of a third production shift to meet growing global demand.
In addition to the BMW X3, the BMW 5 Series Sedan and BMW M5 were also recognised at this year’s Car of the Year Awards. The BMW 5 Series was named the Executive category winner, while the BMW M5 was awarded the Performance category win, Juror’s Choice Award, as well as third place overall.
Peter van Binsbergen, CEO of BMW Group South Africa: “Our amazing achievements in the 2025 Car of the Year competition reflect the commitment of our teams at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn and across BMW Group South Africa, as well as the trust our customers place in our brand. The overall Car of the Year win for the locally-produced BMW X3, as well as strong performances by the BMW M5 and 5 Series reinforce our efforts to remain focussed on delivering quality products that resonate with South Africans and to continue striving for engineering excellence.”
BMW Keeps Winning:
BMW holds the record with the most South African Car of the Year winners, dating back to 1988.
The latest accolades join a growing list of honours for BMW Group South Africa in 2025, including:
2025 CAR Magazine Top 12 Best Buys Awards
- Luxury Car: BMW 7 Series
- Premium Midsize SUV: BMW X3
2025 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards
- Premium Crossover: MINI Countryman S ALL4
- Executive SUV: BMW X3 30e xDrive M Sport
- Premium SUV: BMW X5 xDrive30d M Sport
- Performance Car: BMW M2 Auto
- Electric Vehicle: MINI Countryman SE ALL4
