Seen Here: South African motoring media has something to celebrate! Cars.co.za has been named Automotive Media House of the Year, while Ryan Bubear takes home the coveted Automotive Journalist of the Year award at the 2026 naamsa Accelerator Awards, powered by WesBank. Unveiled at SA Auto Week 2026 in Durban, the double recognition celebrates excellence in automotive journalism, industry insight and the power of credible reporting to shape conversations across South Africa’s evolving automotive landscape.From championing industry dialogue through DealerCon to delivering insightful reporting on vehicle sales, electrification, affordability and the automotive economy, Cars.co.za continues to demonstrate that motoring media is about more than cars — it’s about shaping the future of mobility. 🏁 Photo Credit: Supplied
South African automotive platform Cars.co.za has been named Automotive Media House of the Year, while motoring journalist Ryan Bubear scooped Automotive Journalist of the Year at the 2026 NAAMSA Accelerator Awards, powered by WesBank. The double recognition highlights the growing importance of credible automotive journalism, industry insight and informed consumer decision-making.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – 23 October 2026: Cars.co.za has secured a significant double victory at the 2026 naamsa Accelerator Awards, earning recognition for its contribution to South Africa’s automotive industry, while one of its journalists received an individual accolade for excellence in motoring journalism.
The awards were announced during SA Auto Week 2026 in Durban, where Cars.co.za served as the official media partner. The event brought together key players from across the automotive value chain to discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of mobility, manufacturing and trade in South Africa.
The Automotive Media House of the Year award recognises Cars.co.za’s broader contribution to the sector through industry reporting, business-focused insights and platforms that connect automotive businesses, policymakers, finance providers, dealers and consumers.
Ryan Bubear’s Automotive Journalist of the Year award adds to the occasion, recognising his data-driven coverage of vehicle sales, imports, electrification and the wider economic forces influencing the local automotive market.
More than motoring news
In an industry undergoing rapid transformation, automotive journalism extends well beyond new-car launches, road tests and vehicle specifications. Changing consumer expectations, rising affordability pressures, evolving finance models and the transition towards new-energy vehicles are increasingly influencing how South Africans buy, finance and use their vehicles.
Cars.co.za’s recognition as Automotive Media House of the Year reflects its work in covering these broader developments and creating platforms for conversations that matter to the industry.
Initiatives such as DealerCon, Dave News and BizCars form part of this approach, bringing together industry perspectives on automotive retail, commercial developments, economic policy and the changing dynamics of vehicle ownership.
DealerCon, hosted by Cars.co.za, provides a platform for automotive retail leaders to explore issues such as digital retail, shifting consumer behaviour, vehicle affordability, financing and the expansion of new-energy vehicles.
Meanwhile, Dave News and BizCars deliver industry-focused reporting and analysis on commercial, economic and policy developments affecting South Africa’s automotive landscape.
Together, these platforms help broaden the conversation around motoring, connecting developments in the showroom with the economic and regulatory realities influencing the entire sector.
Recognition for shaping industry conversations
Nicole Capper-Austin, Chief Marketing Officer at Cars.co.za, described the award as a proud moment for the organisation and its team.
“Being named Automotive Media House of the Year is a proud moment for the entire Cars.co.za team,” said Capper-Austin.
She highlighted the importance of creating platforms where the industry can engage with issues ranging from retail transformation and electrification to economic policy and consumer trust.
The recognition, she said, reflects the organisation’s ambition to do more than report on developments in the automotive sector by helping create conversations that contribute to its progress.
That role is becoming increasingly relevant as South Africa’s automotive industry navigates changing market conditions, technological advances and the pressures of a shifting global automotive landscape.
At SA Auto Week 2026, Cars.co.za’s position as official media partner supported discussions among government representatives, manufacturers, investors, dealers and other stakeholders on the future of automotive manufacturing, trade, mobility and economic growth.
These conversations are particularly important for an industry whose performance has implications for investment, employment, exports and the broader economy.
Ryan Bubear recognised for data-driven motoring journalism
The second award went to Ryan Bubear, who was named Automotive Journalist of the Year for his reporting on the forces shaping South Africa’s automotive market.
His coverage spans vehicle sales, imports, electrification and the broader automotive economy, translating complex industry developments into accessible information for readers.
For motorists, prospective buyers and industry professionals alike, this type of reporting offers context beyond headline figures. Understanding vehicle sales trends, for example, can provide insight into consumer demand, while reporting on imports and electrification helps explain the changing composition of the local vehicle market.
Bubear said the recognition reinforced the importance of accuracy, independence and accessible reporting.
“I’m deeply honoured by this recognition,” he said.
“Good automotive journalism should do more than tell readers what is new. It should help them understand the economic, regulatory, and consumer forces shaping the industry and give them information they can trust.”
He also pointed to the growing importance of credible journalism in an environment where AI-generated content and misinformation are becoming increasingly common.
His comments underline a challenge facing the wider media industry: as information becomes easier to produce and distribute, reliable reporting, careful analysis and editorial independence remain essential to helping audiences distinguish substantiated information from speculation.
Why credible automotive journalism matters
South Africa’s automotive sector is shaped by a complex mix of consumer demand, financing conditions, manufacturing activity, trade policy, technological innovation and regulatory developments.
For consumers, these forces can influence everything from the cost of vehicle ownership and the availability of finance to the range of models entering the market.
For manufacturers and dealers, reliable industry analysis can help contextualise changing demand and emerging opportunities. For policymakers and investors, informed reporting can contribute to a clearer understanding of the challenges and prospects facing the sector.
Against this backdrop, the naamsa Accelerator Awards’ recognition of both an automotive media organisation and an individual journalist highlights the role of journalism in supporting a better-informed industry.
It also reflects the value of platforms that encourage engagement between stakeholders whose decisions collectively shape the future of mobility in South Africa.
A milestone for South African motoring media
The double win gives Cars.co.za a notable presence at the 2026 naamsa Accelerator Awards, recognising both its wider industry engagement and the contribution of its journalism.
While the awards celebrate achievement, they also point to the responsibilities facing automotive media as the sector evolves. Reporting on electrification, affordability, retail transformation and economic policy requires more than keeping pace with the latest developments; it requires explaining what those developments mean for businesses and the people who buy and drive vehicles.
For Cars.co.za, the recognition places the spotlight on an approach that combines consumer-facing motoring content with broader industry coverage and opportunities for professional engagement.
For Ryan Bubear, the individual award recognises reporting that seeks to make the automotive economy easier to understand.
Ultimately, the significance of these honours extends beyond the awards ceremony in Durban. In a market where purchasing decisions are increasingly influenced by affordability, technology and economic uncertainty, independent automotive journalism remains an important link between the industry and the public it serves.
As South Africa’s automotive industry continues to change, the challenge for motoring media will be not only to report what happens next, but to explain why it matters.
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