WHEELS EVENTS
2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: Volkswagen Amarok PanAmericana
Volkswagen’s new Amarok is a Ranger under the skin, with vastly improved safety and second row comfort compared with the original.
2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: MG U9
MG has no intention of missing out on the dual-cab fever currently running wild in Australia. Enter the new U9, which has more than a few party tricks to reveal.
2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: Mazda BT-50 GT
The Mazda BT-50 hits a lot of the right notes in the dual-cab segment, but there are some crucial areas where it falls a little short.
2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: KGM Musso Ultimate Luxury XLV
The ‘other’ challenger brand in this segment is one that some of you might not immediately think of – South Korea’s first dual-cab entrant, the KGM Musso.
2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: Kia Tasman X-Line
It might have a face only a mother could love but underneath that Ugly Duckling exterior lives a refined and well-sorted dual-cab.
2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, contender: Isuzu D-Max Terrain
Updated and tweaked recently, the D-Max continues to appeal to buyers looking for rugged reliability and all-round capability.
2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, 3rd: Ford Ranger V6 Sport
The Ford Ranger redefined the segment when the latest-gen launched in 2022, establishing itself as the best-selling vehicle of any kind over the last two years.
2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year, 2nd: GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV
The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is disrupting the dual-cab universe with larger overall dimensions and its fuel-sipping plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
2025-26 Wheels Ute of the Year Winner: BYD Shark 6
In a first for Wheels, dual cabs get their own segment and new yearly award – with a razor sharp focus. And it’s one of the newer brands taking out our first-ever Ute of the Year award, the BYD Shark 6.
Robbo’s 2025-26 COTY Notebook – and why the Honda Civic had to win
Esteemed former Wheels editor and 2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year judge Peter Robinson is famous for his fearless opinions – here are his notes on each of this year’s COTY contenders…
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Top 8: IM5 Performance
Upmarket MG sub-brand IM is looking to make an immediate impact with the IM5, setting its sights firmly on Tesla’s Model 3.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Top 8: Kia EV3 Air Long Range
Kia’s EV3 arrives as a pivotal, long-range EV contender with sharp pricing and bold design, yet mixed dynamics and tough rivals prevent it from claiming the win at this year’s COTY judging.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Top 8: Mahindra XUV3XO AX7L
Mahindra’s budget-friendly XUV3XO surprises with comfort, capability and value, earning unexpected praise from the judges – despite some obvious gaps – as the brand expands in Australia.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Top 8: Skoda Kodiaq Sportline 4×4
Skoda takes on stablemate Volkswagen with the 5+2 Skoda Kodiaq – value packed and designed to appeal to budget-conscious family buyers.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Top 8: Volkswagen Tayron 150TSI Elegance
The Tiguan Allspace replacement impressed by offering a lot of SUV for the price tag.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: Volvo EX30 Cross Country
Volvo’s EX30 Cross Country blends big power, cool Scandi design and AWD capability, but range concerns and ride compromises raise some questions.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: Tesla Model Y
How does the modern pioneer of electrified cars compete with renewed competition, both electric and internal combustion powered?
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: Subaru Forester
Subaru’s Forester hybrid keeps its trademark all-wheel-drive composure and everyday comfort, delivering balance in a segment crowded with flashier, less capable mid-size SUVs.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: Polestar 4 Long Range Single Motor
Swedish minimalism in an electric future – while Polestar aims to rewrite the rule book with its left-field Polestar 4, it wasn’t enough to progress in this year’s award.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: Nissan Ariya
Nissan’s long-delayed Ariya EV promised range, space and style, but lacklustre performance, dated design and average refinement saw it quickly ruled out in COTY testing.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: Mazda CX-60 G40E GT
Can an SUV really deliver the ‘Zoom Zoom’ by which Mazda defines itself?
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: Isuzu MU-X
Isuzu’s MU-X SUV delivers rugged, old-school diesel durability and true go-anywhere ability, but its agricultural manners and dated refinement make it feel trapped in another era.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: Hyundai Inster
Hyundai’s pint-sized Inster EV delivers charm, solid engineering and urban range, but faces fierce price competition from cheaper Chinese rivals in Australia’s fast-moving electric city-car market.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hi4 AWD
GWM’s mid-sized hybrid blends huge power, sharp value and family practicality, but its firm ride and hefty weight temper an otherwise standout performance SUV.
