The new car market can be overwhelming. Never before have Australian buyers had so much choice. From people movers, to family sedans and micro hatches.
The experts at the Australian Automobile Association – the umbrella organisation for the state-based agencies NRMA, RACV and so on – have put over 150 new vehicles through their paces to determine which is the best money can buy.
Each was assessed according to strict criteria, including value for money, design, function and on-road performance.
The result is Australia’s Best Cars 2016, a list of the top three cars in 15 categories, from micro cars, to family wagons and SUVs over $65,000 — plus one overall champion.
These are the winners…
Micro: Kia Picanto Si
Light: Sazuki Baleno GL
Small (under $35,000): Kia Cerato S
Small (over $35,000): BMW 1 Series 125i Sport Line
Medium (under $50,00): Mazda6 Touring
Medium (over $50,000): BMW 330i Luxury Line
Large (under $70,000): Hyundai Genesis
Family wagon: Kia Carnival SLi
Sports (under $50,000): Ford Focus ST
Sports (over $50,000): BMW M420i
Small 2WD SUV (under $35,000): Mazda CX-3 Maxx
AWD SUV (under $50,000): Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium
AWD SUV ($50,000 – $65,000): Land Rover Discovery Sport TD4 150 SE 5 seat
AWD SUV ($65,000 – $125,000): Mercedes-Benz GLC 250d
4X4 Dual Cab Utes: Ford Ranger XLT 3.2