2024 "Actual" People's Choice - Car of The Year

pegaxs on 13/12/2024 - 12:05
Last edited 18/12/2024 - 23:17

Sitting here going through work emails and got sent a link to "Car of the Year" and thought… JFC, here we go again with the paid off actors, what weird cars are the gongs going to this year? Who has paid the most to have their car get an award…

Every year, it is some "out of touch with the common consumer" car that either no one has heard of, no one knows anyone who owns one, or just an outright "yeah, they bought that award"…

  • From Drive, we have COTY '24: Kia EV9 Air, starting at a paltry $106,550 in NSW.
  • From News, we have COTY '24: BYD Shark, a vehicle that has had zero deliveries and no one owns them and expected deliveries are starting around Jan/Feb '25
  • From Wheels, we have COTY ‘24: The Hyundai Ionic 5 N, a cheap, sporty family hot hatch EV… for a measly $124,000 in loose change…

So, I want to know, what is your pick. Not what the numbers tell you, not who sold the most, not the most trusted brand/default answer, what is your honest opinion on what should be the actual overall "Car of the Year"…

NB: It has to be a 2024 vehicle, released in and sold in 2024, not a 2006 burgundy coloured Toyota Camry Altise. Also, if you have some class nominations that you think deserve a nod, ie: best sports car over $400,000, then feel free to add that.

Have added a poll with the current top 10 11 selling vehicles in Australia for 2024 to date… Pick one of them, or nominate your own… If someone posts a car you think deserves the OzB COTY gong, feel free to use their comment as a poll option and give it an upvote.

Poll Options

  • 11
    Ford Ranger
  • 6
    Toyota HiLux
  • 127
    Toyota RAV4
  • 5
    Isuzu Ute D-Max
  • 16
    Mitsubishi Outlander
  • 22
    Toyota Corolla
  • 205
    Tesla Model Y
  • 27
    Mazda CX-5
  • 9
    MG ZS
  • 9
    Ford Everest
  • 5
    Fiat 500e
  • 250
    Other/None of those/See comments
Automotive Car Fiat Ford Ford Everest Isuzu Mazda MG Mitsubishi SUV Tesla Inc Toyota Ute Electric Vehicle

Comments

Search through all the comments in this post.
    • brad1-8tsi on 13/12/2024 - 15:30

      Hasn't there been some mungas in the past!

      • CurlCurl on 13/12/2024 - 17:58

        Leyland P76

        • miwahni on 14/12/2024 - 23:18

          I loved the P76 - not sure whether I should be embarrassed about that or not, so I'm going with "not". It was a great car and really comfortable.

  • sane on 13/12/2024 - 14:51
    +6

    Let's be honest, all of these are ugly and/or boring. Nobody in 20 years is going to look back fondly on a 'classic' Rav4 or Model Y. Zero passion or soul. The automotive equivalents of a new build estate.

    • MrThing on 13/12/2024 - 20:05
      -1

      Literally no consumer level car made today in 20years will be a classic like old bombadores or falcoons are

      • derrida derider on 14/12/2024 - 10:12
        +4

        The last car that the average person could buy that was also destined to be a classic was the NA MX5. Even the cheapest and nastiest car on the market today (probably the MG3) is objectively a far far better car than most of those old classics.

        The truth is that most such classics are lousy cars that become classic only through sheer nostalgia, as old guys get the car they wanted when they were teenagers. That goes in spades for the Falcodores.

        • rossnroller on 14/12/2024 - 15:42

          Completely agree. Cars are one of the relatively few outstanding bargains of today. You get FAR more for your money than the equivalent back in the 20C, and the further back you go the more this applies.

          Style and sentiment are very different matters. No one's ever going to look back on cars of today with the nostalgia and fondness of the classics of yesteryear. But that's partly because no one's going to look back on circa 2024 with any nostalgia. It's a shit of a world at the moment and has been for most of the 21C, with peak shitness still ahead of us.

    • bender000 on 15/12/2024 - 07:45

      Nobody buys a Camry or a Corolla because they're good looking or fun, they buy them coz they're OzBargainers.
      The RAV4 fits in this category too, its a great car for the use-case/price. No comment on the Y

    • dealsucker on 15/12/2024 - 09:20
      +2

      Yeah if it leaks oil, goes slow and burns a lot of fuel, need maintenance all the time, is unrefined and not a pleasure to drive and sucks passion and soul out of you. That passion and soul?

      • SupeNintendoChalmers on 15/12/2024 - 22:43
        -1

        It's actually analogous for the human body. It leaks (bleeds), burns alot of fuel (eats a lot), needs maintenance (gets sick) and you know how hard its working by the amount of pressure you place on the pedal.

        If you're not a car guy, you won't and will probably never understand.

        I don't mind electric cars and completely agree they have a place, especially in congested cities, but I have yet to drive one that gives me a connection, like a man used to have with his horse

    • p1 ama on 16/12/2024 - 07:39

      Let's be honest, all of these are ugly and/or boring. Nobody in 20 years is going to look back fondly on a 'classic' Rav4 or Model Y.

      And we are all looking back fondly on a Camry, Commodore, Falcon or Magna from the 90s?

  • Jaspa7 on 13/12/2024 - 15:27
    +21

    Loving my BYD Seal - but understand it's not for everyone

    • someone else on 13/12/2024 - 15:32
      +6

      Bought one early this year and also like the car very much. Definitely my car of the year. We have two votes here 😂

    • drprox on 13/12/2024 - 19:53
      +3

      Another vote here. I won't argue it's more fun or as practical as other options but it's a very 'normal' car for an EV so easy for ppl to adjust to!

      Edit - also unlike other EVs where it's clear manufacturers have dropped material quality in order to retain margins (or recoup dev costs looking at the euros) it actually feels like a $60k car.

      • NMC on 14/12/2024 - 01:05
        +2

        It's also a really good looking car.

        • Eeples on 14/12/2024 - 07:08

          It looks a bit bland to me. Non descript.

          But, everyone looks at cars differently.

          • NMC on 14/12/2024 - 15:38
            +4

            @Eeples: I actually think it's one of the more striking cars on the road. Most cars are bland these days, that's what sells. Look at VW, their designs are all very 'safe'.

            I don't get how anyone can look at a RAV4 or a Ranger and think that's a good looking vehicle. They have zero style

          • Jaspa7 on 15/12/2024 - 19:54

            @Eeples: compared to what though? Teslas look far more "non-descript"
            Model Y especially looks like a 20:1 scale bar of soap

        • drprox on 14/12/2024 - 08:18

          I guess so. I'm not much for car looks unless it's a sportscar :)

        • SupeNintendoChalmers on 15/12/2024 - 22:45

          Agree. It gets my attention every time, especially in that blue

    • Cliche Guevara on 14/12/2024 - 09:14
      +1

      My vote would BYD Seal as well. Such a nice car.

    • ramb9 on 16/12/2024 - 01:54
      +2

      Nice, this is probably it…

      Price / spec / drive / innovation is pretty unbeatable.

      I was literally hours from buying a model y before test driving the seal and found the model y fared so poorly against it i couldnt buy a model Y anymore.

      Now i ended up with no new car in 2024 lol

      • drprox on 16/12/2024 - 06:45
        +1

        Lol
        This is the way

  • AngusD on 13/12/2024 - 16:02
    +7

    If you're not actually a car journo, how many brand new 2024 cars is anybody likely to have actually driven this year to be able to make some kind of useful comparison? That's the main problem with a "peoples choice" award for new cars. I guess if you were buying a new one then you might have test driven a few.

    I'm going to vote BMW M340i because it's one of only 3 2024 model cars I drove this year and I bloody love it. The others being an Audi S5 which was OK and a Mitsubishi Outlander which was utter dogsh*t.

    • Name on 14/12/2024 - 19:19
      +3

      I got an outlander and can confirm your opinion. 😂 I'm getting rid of it next year.

    • ThadtheChad on 14/12/2024 - 20:15

      Tried out the 2024 RS4 wagon, gave me a stiffy. The m340i is (profanity) epic too, we had a family member give that a spin and they couldn't stop talking about it.

      The cars in the list are really not my jam. I may need to get something sensible in a couple of years, so may look at something like the Kia EV9

      Mitsubishi Outlander which was utter dogsh*t.

      I can imagine. Also I test drove the RAV4, I genuinely don't get it.

      • AngusD on 15/12/2024 - 18:48
        +1

        The RS4 and M340i ARE sensible! They just manage to also be a -****load of fun, too :D

  • JimmyF on 13/12/2024 - 16:43
    +1

    From News, we have COTY '24: BYD Shark(news.com.au), a vehicle that has had zero deliveries and no one owns them and expected deliveries are starting around Jan/Feb '25

    Tell me the car had a wad of cash in the glovebox without telling me….

    How can a car with zero deliveries by 'car of the year'.

    • MetalPhreak on 13/12/2024 - 19:53

      Do you actually expect news.com.au to be anything else? Surprised they didn’t announce some taboola car as the coty.

      • JimmyF on 13/12/2024 - 21:42

        Do you actually expect news.com.au to be anything else?

        Not really……

    • Pussqunt on 14/12/2024 - 22:24
      -1

      Because although it shouldn't be, it is innovative, and many people want to see more competitors.

      This hybrid powertrain is actually useful. Ever drive a hybrid, go to over take but struggle like the petrol because the battery is flat because the battery is stupidly small? How about wanting to take your hybrid more than 300km from a gas station?

      Competitors skimp on features or charge silly prices. And none of these are in ute form.

      • JimmyF on 15/12/2024 - 09:37
        +1

        How about wanting to take your hybrid more than 300km from a gas station?

        This isn't America, we don't have GAS stations.

        Because although it shouldn't be, it is innovative, and many people want to see more competitors.

        Don't disagree with these points, but my point is how can a vehicle that has delivered zero units to customers in 2024, be classed as car of the year!?

        • us3rnam3tak3n on 15/12/2024 - 10:38

          we don't have GAS stations

          Except for AU Falcons

          • JimmyF on 15/12/2024 - 10:44
            -2

            @us3rnam3tak3n:

            Except for AU Falcons

            They're not GAS either, again we call it LPG. Hence why it is called the Ford Falcon LPG.

            • Euphemistic on 15/12/2024 - 14:02
              -1

              @JimmyF: What does the G stand for in LPG?

              • JimmyF on 15/12/2024 - 21:28
                -3

                @Euphemistic:

                What does the G stand for in LPG?

                WhaT Does THe g StaNd For?

                We all know what it stands for, but that isn't what we call it in Australia, We dont call it 'Gas Stations' in this country as claimed, nor do we use the term gas for either Petrol or LPG when referring to car fuels.

                So keep your American sh!t terms to where they belong.

                • Euphemistic on 15/12/2024 - 22:39
                  -1

                  @JimmyF: What the …?

                  When i had an LPG car, and when they were a lot more common, it was always called gas. Everyone knew a car running on gas was LPG. Taxis ran on gas. You had ypur petrol car converted to gas The servo had a big gas tank for the LPG (if it had LPG). So its not an americanism, its a statement of fact and a legitimate alternative to petrol.

                  • JimmyF on 16/12/2024 - 08:16
                    -1

                    @Euphemistic:

                    The servo had a big gas tank for the LPG (if it had LPG)

                    So let me get this straight, you went to the servo which sold you LPG that you put in your car?….. So not gas from the gas station as claimed? 🤔 Which under the americanism terms, gas wouldn't work in your LPG car anyhow 😂

                    So its not an americanism, its a statement of fact and a legitimate alternative to petrol.

                    It is Americanism when 'gas' is used for a petrol station/servo as per the thread you are replying to. Cast your eyes up and they referred to it as a gas station which we don't have in this country, then someone tried to double down like you, BuT wE SelL GaS fOr CaRs. Yeah its called LPG.

                    So yep gas is not a legitimate alternative wording to petrol or a petrol station in our English language that is used in this country.

                    Its Americanism. No wonder Australia has turned into a cesspool of imported crud.

                    • Euphemistic on 16/12/2024 - 09:22
                      +1

                      @JimmyF: Yeah, nah. Im refuting your point that we dont call lpg gas. We do. Im not refuting that we dont use the americanisation to refer to petrol as gas.

                      Ive never been to a gas station. Ive bought gas from a servo to put in a gas powered car plenty of times. Ive never referred to a gas station.

                      statement of fact and a legitimate alternative to petrol.

                      i could have worded that better, but its kinda funny you are so triggered. Gas is an alternate fuel to petrol, not an alternative name for petrol. We buy lpg and refer to it as gas - because it is a gas, not because its short for gasoline

        • Pussqunt on 16/12/2024 - 22:13

          Because the team at Drive.com choose the criteria for their car of the year that works best for their publication, their advertiers and their industry. Probly while eating traveler pies at the gas station while waiting for the battery to charge.

          I honestly don't understand why you care so much. Do you own shares in Ford?

          • JimmyF on 17/12/2024 - 08:03

            @Pussqunt:

            I honestly don't understand why you care so much.

            I'll spell it out to you seeming as you asked. I cared enough to make a comment that a car with zero deliveries got 2024 peoples car of the year.

            It's a pretty wild claim to be making considering the people as such haven't even had a chance to own one this year. So yeah, I would make the same comment for any car/make/article making the same claims with zero deliveries, so before you claim it is some BYD thing, it isn't. The BYD Shark looks to be a great product and would have zero issues if it got 2025 peoples choice, you know after it delivered some units and the people to to review it.

            Do you own shares in Ford?

            How do you figure that one? I didn't bring up Ford, someone else did.

        • saltypete on 18/12/2024 - 13:20

          Really depends on their voting criteria I guess. Understand the positive on the Shark as its sort of ground breaking at a good price point. Remains to be seen if its a 'Camira'……
          I think a key criteria should be how many bought by non fleet or businuss buyers - call it a Peoples Choice.

          • JimmyF on 18/12/2024 - 14:11
            +1

            @saltypete:

            Really depends on their voting criteria I guess

            Agreed, but one would think that being called the 'peoples choice' it might be picked by the people, so considering zero deliveries to customers in 2024, that doesn't seem to be the case. Which is my beef.

            Understand the positive on the Shark as its sort of ground breaking at a good price point

            As above in other comments, I like the Shark, been following it and part of a few BYD Shark groups. No issues if it was 2025 peoples choice after some deliveries.

            I question any car that gets people choice when it has had zero deliveries in Australia. Even worldwide, the BYD shark numbers are very low sub 100k units as it is such a new vehicle.

            I think it will sell well.

  • sim777 on 13/12/2024 - 18:03
    +1

    Honda Civic Type R (FL5)

  • lordofdestruction on 13/12/2024 - 19:11
    +5

    Tesla Model Y. It is quiet, smooth and quick.

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 15/12/2024 - 22:52

      It's two of those, but certainly not the middle one.

    • ChickenAdobo on 16/12/2024 - 01:46

      Smooth. Clearly haven’t driven enough EV to really experience smooth driving.

  • IcySpicyStew on 13/12/2024 - 19:43
    +1

    and they tell me democracy works

  • drprox on 13/12/2024 - 19:51
    +6

    Byd Seal

  • MetalPhreak on 13/12/2024 - 19:52
    +5

    BYD Shark could be a genuine contender…. For 2025.

    Slightly biased because i bought one but the BYD Sealion 6 is very good value. Not much can touch it in performance/features for the price in the hybrid category.

    • JimmyF on 13/12/2024 - 21:43

      BYD Shark could be a genuine contender…. For 2025.

      I'm sure the Shark will be a great PHEV ute, but for 2025!! The first deliveries are not till Jan 2025! So calling it 2024 car of the year is a joke!

  • Scrooge McGoose on 13/12/2024 - 19:54
    +6

    These should be called "Car advertiser of the year" award.

    • saltypete on 18/12/2024 - 13:21

      There would be but they wont stop 'feeling it'……

  • MrThing on 13/12/2024 - 20:04

    Lame poll, can't withdraw fat finger vote

  • SuperMid on 13/12/2024 - 20:05
    -3

    The new model ranger looks sick, and actually has a decent interior to boot.

  • serpserpserp on 13/12/2024 - 21:41
    -1

    Sorry, the is ozbargain, how can you not have the MG4 listed? Is it not considered a 2024 car?

    • pegaxs on 13/12/2024 - 22:11

      Other/none of these/see comments…

      And I just posted the list of what are the top 10 11 selling cars from 2024.

  • atris17 on 13/12/2024 - 22:52
    +2

    Mg4 best purchase at 31k

  • PinzVidz on 13/12/2024 - 23:03

    New gen Camry, it's like a Lexus for Toyota money.

    • TightAl on 14/12/2024 - 11:42

      Double negative lmao

  • [Deactivated] on 13/12/2024 - 23:40

    Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 7 Seats

    • pegaxs on 14/12/2024 - 07:21

      Don’t know why the negs… Outlander was one of the highest selling vehicle this year… someone must like them…

      • [Deactivated] on 14/12/2024 - 22:55

        yeah, I guess it's a bit pricey LOL

  • bar gain man on 14/12/2024 - 00:12
    +2

    Kia Sorento, Sportage are missing

  • Smokey010 on 14/12/2024 - 00:21

    Tank 300 😬

  • amail2you on 14/12/2024 - 01:30

    People's choice car of the year is TOYOTA KLUGER HYBRID. The number of these cars on the road.. I stopped counting.

  • angywoo on 14/12/2024 - 01:38
    +3

    Lovin my Kia Carnival!

    Surprised it's not on the list…

    • angywoo on 14/12/2024 - 01:41
      +1

      Got it down to 3.9 l/100!!!!!
      Not bad for an 8 seater.

      • dealsucker on 15/12/2024 - 09:22

        were you coming down an incline? what is the lifetime l/100?

      • Euphemistic on 15/12/2024 - 14:03

        My ute averaged 2l/100 commuting last week.

    • souljah on 14/12/2024 - 06:55

      Kia Carnivals assemble!

    • nosey on 14/12/2024 - 14:29

      Few months back saw a very new looking Carnival get scraped down both sides navigating KFC drive through. Poor bastid.

      • angywoo on 14/12/2024 - 21:01

        Yep I will not take mine through some. The carnivals are nearly 2m wide

  • pogichinoy on 14/12/2024 - 06:50
    -1

    Wow surprised the Prado isn’t on that list.

  • thereyougo on 14/12/2024 - 07:37

    Pre-ford Amarok

  • thrift seeker on 14/12/2024 - 08:03
    +2

    Kia carnival

    • angywoo on 14/12/2024 - 12:38
      +1

      Got mine down to 3.9l!
      Absolutely love it!

      • dealsucker on 15/12/2024 - 09:23
        +1

        Boss why are you copy pasting the same reply anytime anyone mentions Kia Carnival? Like paid by Kia or what?

        • angywoo on 16/12/2024 - 15:34

          because I didn't think it was possible.

  • ArskinF on 14/12/2024 - 08:06
    +1

    The Lightburn Zeta is the obvious and clear choice!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeta_(automobile)

  • Randolph Duke on 14/12/2024 - 08:28
    +2

    Where’s the Dacia Sandero?

  • cfuse on 14/12/2024 - 10:12

    Uber.

  • Ooops on 14/12/2024 - 10:15

    BYD Atto 3

  • UFO on 14/12/2024 - 11:45
    +1

    Sooooo… tradies are doing well then?

    Ranger, Hylux, Dmax, and Outlander are all top 5 sales by volume in 2024.
    Everest is the other big clunker in Top 10, so massive utes/4wd's are clearly still the flavour here in Australia.

    Can't wait for some EV variants to come onto the market in 2025.
    BYD Shark is just the beginning, but get stuffed with the PHEV rubbish. Give us full EV!

    • netjock on 15/12/2024 - 15:52
      +2

      Tradies can hardly do their own job competently. I wouldn’t look to them for car advice.

      You don’t see any big companies buying fleets of Ranger Raptors but tradies think they have the magic money tree.

      • UFO on 15/12/2024 - 16:56
        +1

        I completely agree with you.

  • smartProverble on 14/12/2024 - 12:01

    The EV9 is such a nice looking car

  • grog on 14/12/2024 - 12:28
    +2

    Suzuki mighty Boy and Messerschmitt KR200 walk all over others

  • Series4Episode10 on 14/12/2024 - 13:48

    Like to see the updated opinions and stats from these same people who still own the same vehicle in 7yrs, bet the one on top slides down a bit!

  • Series4Episode10 on 14/12/2024 - 13:51

    2001 AU Falcon Cab Chassis with maximum sized tray on it.

  • Speckled Jim on 14/12/2024 - 14:48
    +1

    Current RAV4 failed the Moose Test.

  • Lastchancetosee on 14/12/2024 - 14:53

    Nissan Leaf. Coming in at $38k with high end specs.

    • SupeNintendoChalmers on 15/12/2024 - 22:57
      +1

      You can get a 2023 Leaf E+ for under $40K driveway.

      For a car with a large battery, useable, physical HVAC controls and both V2L and V2G it's an absolute bargain.

  • callum212 on 14/12/2024 - 15:05
    +1

    Lol really? Tesla? You guys complain all the time about the build quality and price

    • dealsucker on 14/12/2024 - 15:16
      +2

      No, thats only non Tesla owners.

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