It may sound cliche, but this year it might be car expert’s Biggest year yet.
The team drives a number of different cars in any given year, but with so many new cars entering the market (which will continue to be the case until 2025), it takes the right thing to stand out.
Here, members of our team pick their favorite cars of the year. Which one do you choose? Do you disagree or agree with us?
Read more below and share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Marton Pettendi: Hyundai Ioniq 5N
The best car I’ve driven this year is very different from the best car I’ve driven last year, the latest 992-series Porsche 911 GT3 RS – the world’s greatest street-legal race car and naturally aspirated big-bore unparalleled pinnacle six-cylinder petrol power .
I never thought I’d say this, but my choice of cars launched in the past 12 months has been not just an SUV, but an EV.
It’s rare for an all-new model to live up to the pre-launch hype, but Hyundai Motor’s first high-performance electric N-car continues to attract praise from customers and journalists more than six months after its local launch in March.
After finally driving it at this year’s Hyundai N Festival last month, now I understand why.
No, there’s no escaping its mass, and its suspension felt a bit soft when pushed to its limits during a test run at Morgan Park, where the big 84kWh battery only managed a few dozen laps at full blast. It can be exhausted.
But with outputs of 478kW and 770Nm (about 100kW/300Nm more than the Porsche), and a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system with drift mode, the Ioniq 5 N easily breaks 200km/h on short straights without breaking a sweat. Every other N car will be overtaken in all 12 corners of the 3km track.
For three days in Queensland’s hot weather it consistently completed lap after lap without any reliability issues (when it wasn’t using a fast charger) – something that even impressed Porsche.
Sure, Porsche’s range-topping Taycan Turbo GT may be faster, quicker, and more engaging, and it’s still the best electric car I’ve ever driven, but this German sports sedan costs almost as much as this high-tech Korean family Four times as much as the SUV, and the GT3 RS costs almost five times as much.
Believe the hype, because the Ioniq 5 N is a true driver’s car that rewards you the harder you work, demonstrates a depth of engineering never before seen from a major electric car maker, and previews the order of things everyone should look forward to. People are excited about the future of electric performance cars.
More: Buy the Hyundai Ioniq 5
Jack Quick: Lexus LC500 Convertible
I’ve driven a few iconic Of this year’s models, but by far the most eye-catching is the Lexus LC500 convertible.
It’s a very good-looking car, but not over-the-top like many other sports cars. Instead, it exudes sophisticated luxury while still being eye-catching, especially with the infrared exterior paint.
Then there’s the 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 co-developed by Yamaha. I have never experienced such an orchestral engine in my life. Twist it close to the red line and I was grinning from ear to ear, like Smile monster.
There aren’t many cars like this left anymore, which is one of the main reasons I’m so grateful for the opportunity to drive it.
More: Buy a Lexus LC
Jordan Mullach: Audi RS7 Performance
My list of cars I drove this year was limited compared to some of my colleagues, but my winner came at the very end of the year.
I initially considered the Ford Everest Wildtrak and Cupra Leon VZx as my favorites, until the Audi RS7 Performance completely exceeded my expectations.
Yes, I could never own one, but there are plenty of people willing to pay for a car like this, and you’d be foolish not to consider it.
Honestly, driving in Comfort mode feels like a V6 turbodiesel A7, with an extremely comfortable ride, effortless gear changes and enough torque to pull into any gap.
However, wake it up in RS mode and it becomes a veritable weapon. It doesn’t look like a car that big at all, and its exhaust note is one of the most menacing— Long live V8!
This is a car that’s as at home on the track as it is on Australia’s highways, soaking up every bump despite its 22-inch wheels with rubber-band tires.
If I have any complaints about this, it’s with the climate control touchscreen and infotainment system, both of which require more power to use than conventional displays.
Regardless, the RS7 is more than just an impressive piece of kit, it’s probably one of the most underrated cars on sale right now.
More: Buy an Audi RS7
William Stopford: Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
In the words of Vanessa L. Williams, 2024 has passed, saving the best for last.
On my birthday, I drove two Chevrolet Corvettes (E-Ray and Z06 with the Z07 Performance Package) and an Audi RS7 Performance. Lucky boy…
All three cars are fun in different ways, but I would particularly recommend the Corvette E-Ray, which despite being a hybrid sounds much better than the Australian-spec Z06. The E-Ray’s 6.2-liter V8 sounds absolutely fantastic.
Alas, the persistent rain this week meant I was driving these vehicles with even more caution than usual – I guess you can’t have it all. Still, in this weather, I felt more comfortable driving thanks to the extra traction of all-wheel drive, and parking was easier than in my Z06 with its extensive carbon fiber exterior.
The Corvette is quite comfortable as a commuter, both in terms of ride and interior space.
But the E-Ray is cheaper and sounds better, and our example is an absolutely stunning spec, with warm, sparkling silver paint with surprisingly tasteful blue stripes and chrome wheels. I don’t want to give it back…
More: Buy a Chevrolet Corvette
Max Davis: Audi RS e-tron GT
I’ve had the pleasure of driving some real gems this year, but the Audi RS e-tron GT has to stand out.
Of course, there are some honorable mentions: Lexus UX300e and GX550, Mazda MX-5, BMW M135 xDrive and Ford Mustang GT, to name a few.
Simply put, I can’t forget the RS e-tron GT for several reasons. One is that it’s been my hero car for quite some time because it’s a $250,000+ German electric grand tourer that looks absolutely stunning, especially from the front.
But the other one has to do with the circumstances in which I was able to drive it. I was lucky enough to attend the Audi Media Driving Experience event at Sydney Motorsport Park in late September, and of course it was there.
The day started with a series of hard acceleration and hard braking defensive driving exercises in GT, where the car’s capabilities were brutally demonstrated.
But after a few laps in several other Audi RS models, the final challenge of the day was driving the Motorkhana on the track’s slippery discs.
The track is tight and twisty, and of course the challenge is to get the powerful RS e-tron GT across the track as quickly as possible.
Among the reporters there, I finished the race fastest, which earned me an Audi R8… keychain. Still, I’m kind of in disbelief that we’d get the chance to do something like this with such a special (and expensive) car.
The whole experience has definitely been a highlight of the year, and the RS e-tron GT is the icing on the cake.
More: Buy the Audi e-tron GT
Josh Nevitt: Lexus LC500
As it turns out, the best car I drove this year was one of the earliest. A 30-minute spin during one of our routine car swaps made me fall in love with the Lexus LC500, a car we’re unlikely to see again.
After all, the industry isn’t quite ripe for six-figure V8 grand tourers at the moment. Indeed, despite the LC500’s impressive styling and engineering prowess, Lexus has struggled to sell it.
But if anything, the LC500’s low-volume nature makes it even more special, if that’s possible.
That being said, I’d love to see more on the road. The LC500 isn’t necessarily a beautiful car from every angle, but that long hood and mesh grille are. chef’s kiss.
The same goes for the 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 petrol engine co-developed with Yamaha. The 2UR-GSE hits all the right notes, befits its connection to the musical world, and sounds stinky.
Above all, the LC500 is a great low-speed cruiser, full of refinement and luxury. I may never be able to afford it, but I will always cherish those precious moments in March.
More: Buy a Lexus LC
Paul Maric: BYD Shark 6
The cabin feels like a car worth twice the price—in fact, you can buy a Ford Ranger Raptor for almost twice the price, and its interior doesn’t feel as premium as the Shark 6’s.
It’s packed with technology and features, and despite its 2710kg weight, it’s surprisingly agile. Additionally, it offers vehicle-to-load (V2L) versatility and meets the requirements for cost-effective and innovative leasing.
It does have its drawbacks – in some extreme cases you’ll hit a torque limit on an incline, and if you’re towing at maximum capacity on an incline, you’ll end up draining the battery and relying on the petrol engine.
But if you don’t do a lot of off-road driving, or you don’t tow a lot, it can do everything the more expensive double cab does – just better and To be cheaper.
Huang Zhan: Aston Martin Vanquish
There are many vehicles and experiences that stand out this year, but it can be hard to achieve a lifelong dream.
Driving the new third generation Aston Martin Vanquish completed a bucket list item that I wasn’t sure I could do, and even better, I got to do it against the picturesque backdrop of Sardinia, Italy.
Like many car enthusiasts, I have a dream car that I’d love to own and/or drive if money were no object, and the Vanquish (in all three of its versions) has been mine since I unlocked the original Favorite. GT Sports Car 3 When I was a little racing driver, I pretty much raced on my Playstation 2.
While not all heroes are worth seeing, Conqueror certainly lived up to my expectations and even exceeded them. The new twin-turbo V12 is an absolute monster, taking you to the horizon faster than any Vanquish before it.
Sardinia’s winding roads feel like something out of a movie, with sunny skies and stunning Sardinian mountain views. I really feel like I’m on one of those old things Top equipment Each host chooses their own supercar for the episode.
Regardless, I still pinch myself about it. I can almost retire after that…at the ripe old age of 30…
More: Buy an Aston Martin Vanquish
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