WHEELS CAR OF THE YEAR
COTY: Past winners
The annual Wheels Car of the Year is one of the world’s longest-running automotive awards, with a history that stretches back to 1963.
That makes our award the grand old age of 60 and in that time a broad spectrum of cars have earned the title, ranging from obvious choices to properly left-of-field. Holden Camira, anyone?
The common thread among all of them, however, is that they were good enough to be judged the best of their time by a panel of Australia’s most seasoned motoring journalists. Here’s the list.
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.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid Urban
Chery’s Tiggo 7 plug-in hybrid surprises with strong performance, long electric range and generous safety kit, though its firm ride reminds you it’s built to a price.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
BMW’s 2 Series Gran Coupe delivers comfort, polish and familiar driving pleasure, but its somewhat conventional approach failed to truly excite the judges.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year Contender: Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida
Alfa Romeo’s new Junior hybrid SUV trades the brand’s famous flair for economy and practicality – but left our judges unimpressed by its modest performance and lack of emotional spark.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year finalists, 3RD: Toyota GR Corolla
Toyota’s GR Corolla hogged both keys and tyres at COTY, blending rally-bred pace with daily-driver polish, proving Gazoo Racing’s magic lives on in 2025.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year finalists, 2ND: MG HS Hybrid+ Essence
MG’s new HS Hybrid delivers unexpected polish, combining refined handling, smooth hybrid performance and impressive value to stand out in Australia’s crowded mid-size SUV field.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year issue now on sale
From 20 contenders to a surprise top three and a deserving winner, the 62nd edition of the world’s longest running annual car award, Wheels’ Car of the Year, returns in our annual yearbook along with plenty of other highlights.
2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year WINNER: Honda Civic E:HEV L
It’s back to the future for this year’s winner, not just an excellent Honda, but an exceptional car all round.
Wheels Car of the Year: Every winner since 1963
Ahead of the announcement of the 2025-26 Wheels Car of the Year on Monday, December 15, a look back at the honour roll for Australia’s most prestigious and longest running annual motoring award (some of the cars in this year’s field, pictured).
Robbo’s Notebook: Wheels Car of the Year 2024-25
We asked Peter Robinson for his notes on the ten most intriguing cars at Wheels Car of the Year 2024-25.
Wheels COTY 2024-25 Winner: HYUNDAI IONIQ 5 N
All hail the unanimous winner of Wheels Car of the Year 2024-25, the truly innovative Hyundai IONIQ 5 N – a spectacularly well-realised performance EV destined to put a smile on the face of anyone who gets in one.
