Best of the carsales Best
We do the hard work picking the best in key consumer new-car buying categories, so you don’t have toIt’s a common question when anyone finds out what we do – that is test cars.
“What’s the best…?”
The object of the question might be a first car, a used family SUV or even a sports car. And the answers we deliver can be as varied.
At the very top of the heap each year we have our carsales Car of the Year award, which trumps them all. But, with many consumers looking for a distinct type of vehicle (hence the questions), we created our carsales Best awards to fill in the gaps.
Our focus is very much on testing the ‘best of’ fields in disciplines that suit their purpose.
For instance, in the case of our Best Family SUV award, the seven-seat SUVs were assessed in the real-world conditions that average mums, dads and kids put them through every day.
Thus our judging panel naturally also included mums and dads, albeit those with a strong background in automotive testing and evaluation.
In the case of utes, we took them to hell and back. First cars highlighted safety and connectivity. Crucially, our carsales Best awards also combine this expert evaluation with a matrix of ownership costs and data-based factors curated by leading industry data provider RedBook.
So here’s a look at, and links to, some of our best-read carsales Best awards.
carsales Best Family SUV
As noted above, this award focuses on the wants and needs of family SUV buyers. As such, we’re looking at family-sized SUVs priced under $70,000.
To be eligible contenders must have a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, autonomous emergency braking, automatic (or equivalent) transmission and at least seven seats.
We’ve also taken the perhaps controversial step of excluding derivatives of body-on-frame light commercial utilities. We have another category for these models with comparison testing having been conducted previously.
Buying your first car is a big deal, and there’s certainly a lot to think about – particularly if the budget stretches to brand-new. Beyond good looks and a great price, there’s considerations like running costs, safety, connectivity and roominess.
It can all be a bit daunting, and with so many terrific new models available for less than $20,000, we’re spoilt for choice.
But like any new-car segment, there are shades of great, which is where our expert team’s assessment of the best first cars on the market comes in.
The carsales.com.au Best Used Car Awards span no less than 10 categories and seek to give used-car buyers the same level of information as new-car shoppers.
carsales Best Commercial Van
The traditional plain white commercial van is an essential part of the economy. Once, Australia rode on the sheep's back. Now we rely on the mid-size van.
It's why manufacturers spend so much on research and development for these oft considered utilitarian vehicles. But make no mistake, these are vehicles designed to perform day in, day out, and often with little mechanical sympathy.
Commercial enterprises and owner-operators assess every square inch of their potential purchase and, in this comparison, we’ve done the same.
See more of carsales Best commercial van
carsales Best 4x4 Dual-Cab Ute
Australians are rarely more passionate than when the discussion comes to utes… Indeed, in recent years light commercial dual-cab 4x4 utilities have become far more than tool-of-trade vehicles.
They’re increasingly used for family duties and the sense of adventure that comes bottled into everyone’s tray is a key factor in buyer choice.
Whether it’s towing, payload hauling, off-roading, unsealed and sealed road driving, or in-cabin comfort, convenience, accommodation and technology – we left no stone unturned in our test of the top-sellers.
It’s a test that combines all of our experts’ knowledge with the most real-world testing we could conceive – and the results speak for themselves.
And there’s more to come...
Later in 2020, carsales will judge the carsales Best Medium SUV award. For a taste test of how closely fought this award will be, check out our most recent Medium SUV comparison.
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