Wheels Car of the Year





COTY: Past winners
The annual Wheels Car of the Year is one of the world’s longest-running automotive awards, with a history that stretches back to 1963.
That makes our award the grand old age of 60 and in that time a broad spectrum of cars have earned the title, ranging from obvious choices to properly left-of-field. Holden Camira, anyone?
The common thread among all of them, however, is that they were good enough to be judged the best of their time by a panel of Australia’s most seasoned motoring journalists. Here’s the list.
All COTY stories

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Subaru Outback
Better at pleasing owners than wooing judges

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Skoda Octavia wagon
Bristles with a breadth of talent, if not quite true greatness

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Subaru BRZ
A top sport that couldn’t quite resurrect its glory of 2012

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Polestar 2
Intriguing Swede impresses, but is outshone by Korean rivals

2022 Car of the Year contender: Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
Proof positive that Porsche DNA can be electrified

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Mercedes-Benz S-Class
An endangered species, beautifully executed

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Mazda MX-30
Short range and high price take their combined toll on quirky EV

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Kia Sportage
A giant leap for Sportage, but only a small step for mid-size SUVs

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Lexus NX350
Blew in with a clean-sheet design; couldn’t quite sail beyond the PG

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Kia Carnival
Brings sexy to the people-mover segment, but did it move the judges?

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Genesis GV70
Korea’s premium brand continues to show promise, if not perfection

Hyundai Tucson at 2022 Wheels Car of the Year
Brings cool competence, but without any segment breakthroughs

Hyundai i20 N at 2022 Wheels Car of the Year
Brilliant hatch with a focus that’s both a blessing and a curse

Honda Civic at the 2022 Wheels Car of the Year
Does so much so well, up until the price tag swings into view

BMW iX places 6th in Wheels Car of the Year
A tech and efficiency blueprint for Munich’s electric future

The quietest cabins at Wheels Car of the Year 2022
Our judges like to hear themselves think, so a quiet contender is a plus

Hyundai Palisade takes 5th in Wheels Car of the Year
Eight-seater SUV makes its case on value, packaging and road manners

Volkswagen Golf places 4th in 2022 Wheels Car of the Year
Enduring hatch provides internal-combustion Proof of Life as elsewhere VW embraces the electrification age

The weigh-in: the 2022 Car of the Year contenders on the scales
Each car at COTY must cross the weighbridge… data ensues

Mercedes-Benz C-Class takes 3rd place in Wheels Car of the Year 2022
Compact three-pointed star advances to the pointy end

The fastest cars at Wheels Car of the Year 2022
It’s not all about speed at COTY, but a bit of punch certainly doesn’t hurt a contender’s chances

Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the Wheels Car of the Year 2022 runner-up
Boldly designed EV shares the winner’s platform, and just about all of its excellence – except for chassis tune

The Kia EV6 is the 2022 Wheels Car of the Year
Our COTY 2022 winner is a landmark model that stands as the exclamation point in its brand’s coming-of-age story

Wheels Car of the Year 2022 test loop explained
Wheels heads back to the AARC once again to put 21 cars through the wringer