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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

COTY

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Subaru Outback

Better at pleasing owners than wooing judges

COTY

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Skoda Octavia wagon

Bristles with a breadth of talent, if not quite true greatness

COTY

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Subaru BRZ

A top sport that couldn’t quite resurrect its glory of 2012

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2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Polestar 2

Intriguing Swede impresses, but is outshone by Korean rivals

COTY

2022 Car of the Year contender: Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo

Proof positive that Porsche DNA can be electrified

COTY

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Mercedes-Benz S-Class

An endangered species, beautifully executed

COTY

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Mazda MX-30

Short range and high price take their combined toll on quirky EV

COTY

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Kia Sportage

A giant leap for Sportage, but only a small step for mid-size SUVs

COTY

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Lexus NX350

Blew in with a clean-sheet design; couldn’t quite sail beyond the PG

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2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Kia Carnival

Brings sexy to the people-mover segment, but did it move the judges?

COTY

2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Genesis GV70

Korea’s premium brand continues to show promise, if not perfection

COTY

Hyundai Tucson at 2022 Wheels Car of the Year

Brings cool competence, but without any segment breakthroughs

COTY

Hyundai i20 N at 2022 Wheels Car of the Year

Brilliant hatch with a focus that’s both a blessing and a curse

COTY

Honda Civic at the 2022 Wheels Car of the Year

Does so much so well, up until the price tag swings into view

COTY

BMW iX places 6th in Wheels Car of the Year

A tech and efficiency blueprint for Munich’s electric future

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The quietest cabins at Wheels Car of the Year 2022

Our judges like to hear themselves think, so a quiet contender is a plus

COTY

Hyundai Palisade takes 5th in Wheels Car of the Year

Eight-seater SUV makes its case on value, packaging and road manners

COTY

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

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The weigh-in: the 2022 Car of the Year contenders on the scales

Each car at COTY must cross the weighbridge… data ensues

COTY

Mercedes-Benz C-Class takes 3rd place in Wheels Car of the Year 2022

Compact three-pointed star advances to the pointy end

COTY

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

COTY

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

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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

COTY

Wheels Car of the Year 2022 test loop explained

Wheels heads back to the AARC once again to put 21 cars through the wringer