ACFO reveals fleet operators’ top vehicles

2009 has been a year of firsts in the annual ACFO Fleet Car and Vans of the Year Awards with votes based on members’ real world operating experience of vehicles in use on their fleets, over the past 12 months.

This year’s voting was the first to be organised and conducted online, which seems to have produced a record turnout by members. The results also delivered the first-ever tie for one of the three ACFO awards, as well as a new name on one of the trophies.

The Volkswagen Golf range won the ACFO Fleet Car of the Year Award for the third year in succession after making the breakthrough to top spot in 2007.

Once again, the Golf’s triumph continues to underline the importance in the minds of fleet decision-makers’ of value for money, vehicle reliability and a varied model range with low emission engines.

However, the continuing opening up of company car choice lists to meet employees’ life-style requirements was underlined with no less than 40 different models receiving at least one vote.

Meanwhile, Ford continued its dominance of the small van sector with the Transit Connect being named Fleet Light Van of the Year for the seventh time in succession. However, this year, Britain’s largest van seller has to share the title with the Volkswagen Caddy - the first tie in the 26-year history of the ACFO Awards.

In the Fleet Panel Van of the Year category, the Ford Transit’s grip on the award for the past 14 years is over with fleet operators voting the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter into top spot.

ACFO chairman Julie Jenner said: “The 2009 Awards in many ways mark a sea-change. Our decision to move to an online voting process has been rewarded with members voting in record numbers for their vehicles of the year, which is very pleasing and underlines the importance our members attach in sending a signal to manufacturers of their views on current model line-ups.

“Additionally, the fact that a total of 40 cars and 35 vans all scored at least one vote underlines the breadth of models that are applicable for business use and the importance of the fleet sector to a wide range of motor manufacturers.

“Only a few years ago the Awards were dominated by just a handful of manufacturers and a similar number of models, but that has changed significantly as all mainstream car and van makers look to get their vehicles on to fleet choice lists.”

Julie added: “The quality of the vehicles available to fleets is further underlined by the fact that the Transit Connect and the Caddy scored equal votes giving the first tie in the history of the awards and the Sprinter narrowly overhauling the iconic Transit.”

The Awards will be presented to the winning motor manufacturers at a lunch to be held in London on Friday, November 20.