BRIGHT SPARK
Tesla’s electric SUV overcame a strong field to win our Car of the Year award
Tesla’s Model Y is the News Corp Car of the Year. The electric SUV won by building on the brilliance of previous Tesla models while correcting their flaws. Ford’s Ranger ute finished second, ahead of a surprise package in the BYD Atto 3, an affordable electric hatchback.
The electric Kia EV6 narrowly missed out on a spot on the podium, joining the Ford Everest, Subaru BRZ, Nissan X-trail and Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid on a list of impressive finalists.
Our judges examined this year’s best new cars according to five criteria: value for money, performance, design, technology and safety. Testing took place on a mix of city and country roads.
Subaru’s BRZ stood out as the only sports car, winning praise from our critics for its fusion of crisp style and impressive athleticism.
The new model’s smoother and more powerful engine is a leap forward in performance and refinement. But customers have to choose between the engagement of a manual transmission or safety features only available on automatic models. You can’t have a manual Subaru with auto emergency braking and other driver assistance tech now commonplace on cheaper cars. Most judges felt the optional six-speed auto robbed too much from the pure sports car experience.
The new Nissan X-trail launched just in time for testing. Looking sharp inside and out, it won praise for a spacious and well-built interior.
This year’s X-trail misses out on hybrid power arriving in 2023, which counted against it. An underwhelming non-turbo motor felt noisy and sluggish compared with more sophisticated rivals.
Power was not a problem for Toyota’s Corolla Cross hybrid, which uses just 4.3L/100km to make 146kw. Cheap to fuel and service, the Corolla Cross was the only finalist on sale for less than $40,000 drive-away.
The entry-level Toyota is loaded with safety gear but the basic cabin felt cheap in this company. Brake vibrations at low speeds in our test car – a rare blemish for a company lauded for its quality – prevented it from winning a trophy.
Judges felt Ford’s Everest was “head and shoulders” better than other ute-based wagons in its class, but the big seven-seater’s rugged underpinnings compromised its road manners, particularly when compared with top-selling rival, the Toyota Prado.
First-rate infotainment and proper off-road capability are undermined by cozy back seat packaging and a high asking price. Our fourcylinder test car was almost $72,000 driveaway, while more desirable V6 versions cost even more.
Kia’s EV6 was an early favourite, having defeated the 2021 Car of the Year, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, in a head-to-head test.
Handsome, well-appointed and great to drive, the Kia is surprisingly athletic thanks to a low centre of gravity and masterfully sorted suspension.
The cabin blends tradition with luxury in an impressive manner, merging craftsmanship with a long range of standard features. The 239kw, all-wheel-drive Kia was the fastest but also the most expensive finalist.
Judges marked it down for an asking price just shy of $96,000 drive-away and an ongoing shortage of stock.
The EV6 was launched in February but the maker has managed to deliver just 514 vehicles so far. Waiting times stretch to two years and dealers are taking advantage of impatient buyers, charging $100,000 and more for lowmileage demonstrators.
In contrast, Tesla has delivered almost 6500 Model Y’s since August, charging a single, transparent price with low delivery costs.
New brand BYD – short for Build Your Dreams – had a bumpy start in Australia, with a less than desirable approach to warranties, service prices, launch dates and local child seat requirements. But there’s no doubt the BYD is an impressive machine, delivering five-star safety, more than 400 kilometres of electric range and a long list of standard features for about $47,000 drive-away.
State Government incentives bring that price down by at least $3000.
The brand takes a fun approach to interior design, with toys such as an integrated dashcam, pulsing mood lights and voiceactivated power windows. Downsides include tyres that chirp at the slightest provocation, average build quality and low projected resale value.
The new Ford Ranger was the only model that stole a single first-place vote from the
Tesla. It’s an incredible ute with unmatched safety credentials, a best-in-class 184kw V6 diesel engine and outstanding attention to detail.
Available for about $71,500 drive-away, the Ranger XLT V6 is loaded with features such as an ipad-like central display, integrated side steps to climb into the tray and a handy ruler moulded within the tailgate. But it’s still a jackof-all-trades ute, which means the ride is bumpy around town when the tray is empty and the back seat is uncomfortably upright with limited leg room. As a family vehicle it comes up short, with no sizeable lockable storage area, while fuel consumption is high around town.
Six out of seven judges awarded first place to the Tesla Model Y. The American brand’s fourth car addresses shortcomings from older models, including suspect build quality.
It’s not perfect, though. The four-year warranty is short of the industry standard five years, the ride can be uncomfortable at times and there are ergonomic quirks, including a centre screen that can be distracting to operate on the move.
The strengths far outweigh the negatives, though. This practical, Suv-like version of the Model 3 sedan employs clever packaging to deliver outstanding passenger and cargo space.
It also set new records for driver assistance and adult protection during independent crash tests, while the touchscreen serves up everything from Netflix to video games. It also has the best sound system in any sub-$100,000 car.
Widely available from about $75,000 driveaway, the rear-wheel-drive Model Y serves up 194kw of near-silent thrust.
Tesla claims the Model Y is good for 455 kilometres of range and its impressive Supercharger network means owners can find an out-of-town fast-charging option more easily than any other EV drivers.
Put simply, it nailed our test criteria, making it a worthy Car of the Year.