Wheels Car of the Year is back!

For 61 years and counting, Wheels Car of the Year (COTY) has reigned as the most coveted award on the Australian motoring scene.

Now the longest-running annual car award in the world, Wheels COTY is cherished by both auto-makers and consumers as a trusted verdict on the best all-around vehicle on the market each year.

In 2024, Wheels COTY is back bigger and better than ever, with 25 cars in the running for the prestigious award. In a sign of the times, close to half of this year’s contenders were electric vehicles.

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This year Wheels is also proud to welcome a new Official Partner of the award: Australia’s leading leasing company, Smart.

Smart’s chief customer officer Bianca Bates said this year’s Wheels’ COTY was exciting for Australia and reflected a new era for the auto industry. “The cars coming to the Australian market are changing rapidly, making the quality information provided by Wheels crucial for consumers,” Bates said. “Novated leasing allows customers to own the latest car flexibly and cost-effectively and is particularly popular with EV drivers.”

Over the course of a week, six current and former editors of Wheels magazine put each car through its paces at Victoria’s Lang Lang Proving Ground. From handling, speed and braking, to safety and design, over 12,000 kilometres of testing was completed, including independent performance testing of all 25 cars completed by 7-time Australian Rally Champion, Cody Crocker.

At the end of the week, the judges gathered to compare notes and come to a decision on the 2024-25 Wheels COTY winner.

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“We've gathered a stellar line up for Wheels COTY '24. It was hard to pick a pre-event favourite from the 25 cars in contention, but the industry's most comprehensive testing process and six of Australia's most experienced judges will deliver a worthy winner,” said Wheels editor Andy Enright.

Models from BMW, BYD, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MG, Mini, Nissan, Polestar, Renault, Skoda, Tesla, Toyota and Volvo were among those tested during the exhaustive process.

The 2024-25 Wheels Car of the Year winner will be announced on Monday, December 16, coinciding with the on sale date of the 2024 Yearbook edition of Wheels.

This year’s award signals an exciting new chapter for both the Wheels brand and the iconic COTY award under new owner, Motoring Media Network (MMN).