The best car in Australia is completely subjective. What one person likes, another might hate. Plus you have the confusion over how you compare a ute with a small runaround.
Despite this, car websites across the nation have declared their winners for the year. We’ve rounded up some of the biggest and most popular so you can see them all in one place, but you’ll quickly see there’s no consensus and not just one brand you have to buy.
Hyundai Santa Fe (Drive)
Hyundai’s first ever SUV has gone from strength to strength since its introduction in 2001. Now in its fifth generation, the Sante Fe was crowned Drive’s car of the year for three key reasons:
- Brilliant fuel economy
- Exceptionally well-appointed from even the entry-level variant
- Hugely spacious and adaptable interior wins families over
This is the third time the Sante Fe has won Drive’s car of the year and if it keeps developing in the same trajectory it won’t be the last. Costs depend on finishes and additions, but start at around $57k.
Honda Civic (Which Car?)
The Civic is no stranger to Australian roads. First manufactured in 1972, the Civic has undergone a number of tweaks and facelifts since then and the 2025 model may be the best yet. The team at Which Car? ranked it as the best new model of the year thanks to its “blend of all-round quality, real-world comfort, space, practicality and driving enjoyment”.
The 11th generation Civic comes with hybrid technology as standard and a strong safety rating. Its driveaway price is $49,900.
BMW iX3 (Top Gear)
Unlike the previous two entries, the iX3 is a brand new vehicle that’s been introduced in the German car company’s all-electric range. And one that’s impressed Top Gear enough to name it as the best car on the market this year.
The iX3 is a compact SUV with a range of more than 800km when fully charged – and claims of up to 372km after just 10 minutes of high-power charging.
As a BMW, the price on a new iX3 is higher than other models on the list. Expect to pay around $100,000 once you’ve modified the design to your liking.
The iX3 was also Electrifying’s car of the year.
Toyota Camry (CarExpert)
The CarExpert awards are broken down into various categories, with no one overall winner. For the purpose of this list, we’ve taken their winner for ‘best affordable mid-size car’, which is the Toyota Camry. However, it could easily have been the Kia Picanto (best city car), Ford Ranger (best ute) or even the Ford Transit (best work van) that we featured.
Australians saw a new hybrid-only Camry range in 2025, which has a larger body than previous models. CarExpert noted these pros in its end-of-year review:
- Unrivalled fuel-efficiency
- Punchy performance
- Cheaper than key rivals
Driveaway price for the new Camry is from $39,990 but different models can jack up the price significantly.
Chery Tiggo 8 (Car Wow)
Chinese cars are earning more and more respect in the motoring world. Their low entry prices have made them some of the best-selling brands in Australia but as more people drive them, more people are coming to love them.
That’s why Car Wow has named the Chery Tiggo 8 as its car of the year. Describing it as “smartly styled, posh inside and roomy enough for the whole family”, the Tiggo 8 is a steal at $38,990.
BYD Dolphin (RACQ)
Like CarExpert earlier in the list, RACQ does a round-up of different categories but the Dolphin came top of ‘small passenger and SUV’ which tracks with most of the other vehicles named.
With a five-star ANCAP rating, at least six years’ warranty on the vehicle/battery and a range of more than 400km on a single charge, BYD’s leading electric vehicle deserves its spot on the list. With a driveaway price just over $32k, it’s a great option for those looking to switch to an EV.
Buying a new car for 2026
If you’re looking to buy a new car in 2026, looking at the best-rated models from last year is a great place to start. When you’ve decided what you want to buy – whether it’s on this list or not – get in touch with us and we’ll find the best car financing option available to you.
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