MOTOR’s Top 10 Comparisons of 2017

Each year, we have to test so many cars that it’s sometimes better to kill two birds with one stone.

Our back-to-back drives help us pick the winner from a set of direct competitors, so we’ve picked the ten best comparisons for the year, in no particular order.

1. Kia Stinger vs Holden Commodore SS-V Redline - December 2017

It was the question we’d been asking ever since we discovered Kia was building a 272kW rear-drive sedan: Can it take the place of our beloved Commodore?

Though an XR6 Turbo might have been a closer comparison, the Kia Stinger appeared just as the Commodore left us, making it the perfect timing for a look back, and a look forwards.

2. NISMO GT-R vs BMW M4 GTS - August 2017

Two high-powered coupes go head to head on a track that might just be a little too small for them.

At the Haunted Hills Hillclimb, Japan’s almost robot-like GT-R takes on the wildest BMW M4 yet.

3. VW Golf GTI Performance vs Honda Civic Type R - December 2017

When Honda announced it was rolling out a new Type R, we were… maybe a little guilty of judging a book by its cover.

But when put up against the ultimate do-it-all hot hatch, the Golf GTI, the Honda proved it was more than just a playful-looking wannabe.

4. Walkinshaw W557 vs Herrod Mustang GT - September 2017

This is a Holden vs Ford battle on steroids. Take two of Australia’s favourite cars, give them to two of Australia’s favourite Tuners, and you get 964kW and 1660Nm of torque in the form of the Walkinshaw W557 and the Herrod Mustang GT.

5. Alfa Romeo Giulia QV vs Mercedes-AMG C63 S vs BMW M3 Competiton - September 2017

The German establishment was threatened this year by a newcomer – the Alfa Giulia in its most aggro form.

The QV has proven itself capable, but is it a better track weapon than a top-spec M3 or C63?

6. Mercedes-AMG GT R vs Porsche 911 GT3 - June 2017

This is the only comparo on this list which didn’t take place on Aussie soil – because when you have access to two of Germany’s angriest cars, you need an Autobahn.

This was more than just an excuse to test the new GT3, this was a battle for coupe supremacy.

7. Ford Mustang vs Nissan 370Z NISMO - The Annual 2017 issue

With the arrival of Nismo’s take on the 370Z in Australia (finally!), we figured it needed an opponent.

And what better car to face a new sports coupe than the sports coupe that had proven the most popular in Oz.

8. Mazda MX-5 vs Abarth 124 Spider vs Subaru BRZ - April 2017

Pitting three lightweight, rear-drive coupes against each other was only ever going to turn into one thing – a drift off.

Japan takes on Japan, and Japan takes on Italy’s take on Japan in this far-less-confusing than it sounds battle of the featherweights.

9. Mercedes-AMG C43 vs BMW 340i vs Jaguar XE S vs Audi S4 - June 2017

Hoon in a suit? These might be the picks for you. But which one suits your suit?

Four cars that are similar on the surface become very apparently different once you get behind the wheel – which is what made this comparo so interesting.

10. PCOTY! - February 2017

You didn’t think we’d forget the ultimate comparison test, did you?

While we work on bringing you the next Performance Car of the Year, take a look at what went down this year at MOTOR’s biggest calendar event.