Drive Car of the Year 2026 | Surprise Winner!

The Drive Car of the Year overall award assesses all of the year’s category winners against the criteria of ‘the car that moves the game forward the most for Australian new car buyers'. In 2026, there’s no question as to which car has not only moved the game forward, but launched it into a new era. The Tesla Model Y was already Australia’s best-selling electric vehicle in 2025, and was the tenth-best-selling vehicle overall. But the addition of a five-year warranty, and subscription availability of the US-based brand’s remarkable Full Self-Driving (Supervised) driver-assistance software, simply shifts the concept of science-fiction motoring to real-world implementation. Consider this, along with a well-packaged, highly-equipped, efficient, comfortable and highly capable electric SUV that is priced from under $60,000 ($58,900 before on-road costs) and it’s impossible to look past the Tesla as a car that significantly changes the new-car playing field. Congratulations to the Tesla Model Y, the 2026 Drive Car of the Year. Click Here to Subscribe: http://drivesoci.al/1Cuo50FO51C Read Full Story Here: https://www.drive.com.au/news/tesla-model-y-wins-drive-car-of-the-year-2026/ 00:00 Introduction 00:22 Testing & Voting 01:44 Category Winners 04:08 Overall Winner 06:07 Interior 07:41 2nd Row 08:37 Pricing & Specifications 09:06 Charging & Range 10:07 On-road Driving 13:55 Summary #caroftheyear2026 #bestcars #Drive ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 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