Our 2007 Ride
& Drive event at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain,
Georgia was a tremendous success and great fun for all who
attended. In 2007, 33 vehicles were on-hand from 18 different
manufacturers, ranging from entry-level models like Kia
Rio5 SX and Suzuki SX4, all the way through exotic cars
like the Audi TT Roadster and the Mercedes GL 550. Many
of the manufacturers' PR representatives were at the event,
along with nearly two dozen journalists from across the
Southeast.
New at the 2007 event was our judging for the "Family
Car of the Year" award. Tom Kelley, SEAMO's Executive
Director, said "while there are dozens of 'Car of the
Year' awards out there, the family car segment has yet to
gain an appropriate level of attention, so the creation
of SEAMO's 'Family Car of the Year Award' was long overdue."
From the pool
of 33 available test-drive vehicles, attending journalists
submitted a total of 97 ballots to select the top family-friendly
vehicle. Vehicles were judged on family friendliness through
eight categories: safety, capacity, accessibility, value,
amenities, ergonomics, NVH (noise, vibration, harshness)
and styling. A maximum score of 100 points could be awarded
for each ballot.
To determine
the vehicle's final score, points from each ballot cast
for the vehicle were averaged and then the average score
was weighted with one additional point for each ballot cast
for the vehicle.
The 2008 Mazda
CX-9 took top honors with a final score of 91 points. "We
are honored to receive this inaugural award from journalists
in the southeast," says Dave Sweet, group manager,
Product Strategies, Mazda North American Operations. "The
CX-9 3.7L is our newest and most exciting vehicle that combines
the utility of a family vehicle with seating for seven,
and the power and 'zoom-zoom' of a sports car. "
Plans are currently underway for our 2008 Ride & Drive
event, again at Callaway Gardens. Please save the date for
our 7th annual Ride & Drive during Mid-October 2008.
We're considering extending the event with a two-day schedule,
so please contact
us if you'd like to provide any feedback or participate
in the planning.
SEAMO Mission
Founded in 2001, the South East Automotive Media Organization
(SEAMO) represents and supports a wide range of automotive
media professionals based in, or doing business in, the
Southeastern United States. Membership is open to all segments
of the press, as well as public relations and media support
personnel. In addition to the annual Concept Vehicle Awards
and the annual driving event, SEAMO also hosts a number
of press conferences and social networking events throughout
the year.
