How Do We Crown Drive Car of the Year 2026?

Australia’s new-car market has never been busier or more congested. As a nation of roughly 1.1 million new-car buyers, we can now choose from more than 70 brands and a wide variety of powertrains in cars that range in size from a sub-4.0-metre-long Kia Picanto to a near-6.5m-long Chevrolet Silverado HD. This can make answering the perennial BBQ question of “Which one is the best?” something of a horses-for-courses answer. For over 20 years, the Drive Car of the Year awards have addressed the many and varied needs of consumer car buyers by offering the most detailed and comprehensive new-car awards program in the country. How it works At Drive, we test drive more than 700 new cars every year, evaluating each against its innate promise to sort the best from the rest. We divide the majority of the 400-odd new passenger cars, SUVs, 4x4s and utes into 18 price-banded categories that place a key focus on the end-user, then analyse the strengths and weaknesses of every car to find the cream of the automotive crop. Click Here to Subscribe: http://drivesoci.al/1Cuo50FO51C Read Full Story Here: https://www.drive.com.au/news/drive-car-of-the-year-2026-best-urban-car-under-30k-finalists-announced/ 00:00 Introduction 00:26 Eligibility 01:00 Categories 01:44 Testing 03:09 Braking 0-100km/h 04:12 Off-road Testing 04:40 Announcement #caroftheyear2026 #Drive #drivecomau ______________________________________________________________________________________________ At Drive we pride ourselves on being the future of automotive and letting you, as the driver and reader, know where it's all headed. Drive showcases the best of all things automotive, covering all brands and areas of the motoring industry providing Australia's most engaging and entertaining content. The dedicated team at Drive are here to bring you their trusted advice, share their passion for all things motoring and to help simplify the Australian motoring landscape for all types of drivers. We're here to help you discover the Best of What's Next. Drive's YouTube channel showcases new car reviews, car comparisons, mega tests, great drives and the latest car news. We want to deliver everything you need to know about the car or cars you are interested in. Our team of motoring experts drive and review every car in the Australian market keeping the needs of both consumers and brands at the forefront. They are driven to help consumers navigate the dynamic and ever-expanding new car market, to help buyers find their best next new car. Visit our website: https://www.drive.com.au/ Join our facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/Drive.com.au Check out the latest cars on our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drivecomau/ What Is The Best Car Of 2025? Watch the winning video from our 2025 Drive Car of the Year https://youtu.be/ZclCG82eAPE See One Of Our Latest Comparisons: Hybrid Ute Comparison: Ford Ranger PHEV vs BYD Shark 6 vs GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV https://youtu.be/ytl9iuOsGOI Watch The Best EVs Of 2025 Reviewed By Drive: Electric Car Reviews Australia | Best EVs 2025 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUf4ibql_jDd8HJKgvnNW359fXI0LgB89 Take A Look At A Car Review From The Drive Team: 2026 Kia Tasman Review | Is This Ute A Game Changer? https://youtu.be/ezIn6aO3s-8 See Drive's Latest Ute Reviews: Ute Reviews by Drive.com.au https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUf4ibql_jDcxzHxrUEkAseKokoidasyj Watch One Of Our In-Depth Off-Road Reviews: 2025 Toyota LandCruiser Prado Altitude In-depth Review | On-road & Off-road https://youtu.be/DDKbT5PUYf4 Watch Season 8 of Drive TV: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUf4ibql_jDcD86-ti1Q2Z2syHQ_-jZnM&si=oKz70Y8nXUwelVEp Watch This Road Vs Track Video: Can A Road Car Outrun A Race Car? We Find Out With A Chevrolet Corvette! https://youtu.be/E2UthqAqCbE