Top 10 finalists: carsales Car of the Year 2021

From an outstanding group of 31 contenders across 20 brands, the top 10 finalists and two wildcards have emerged for the 2021 carsales Car of the Year, proudly presented by Bingle.

And it’s a diverse collection of new models that are left in the running for this year’s coveted carsales Car of the Year title.

They include cutting-edge all-new electric cars, SUVs that raise the bar in Australia’s top-selling segment and, underlining the fact that traditional passenger cars remain highly relevant today, the best examples of a small hatch, mid-size sedan/wagon and people-mover we’ve seen in years.

Here are the top 10 finalists and the two wildcard entries for carsales Car of the Year 2021, proudly presented by Bingle:

Traditional favourites among the masses and enthusiasts alike that have gone through a significant generational change – if not total reinvention – include the sought-after Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, short-and-sweet Land Rover Defender 90, Aussie-favourite Subaru Outback and two accomplished Korean cousins in the form of the fully redesigned Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage.

Other cars in contention bring less-familiar nameplates to our roads but have earned their spot with advanced design, packaging and engineering that place them at the forefront of the EV movement – the disruptive Hyundai IONIQ 5, Polestar 2 and Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo.

Rounding out the list are two more sit-up-and-take-notice new models from the fast-rising Hyundai-Kia stable, the Genesis GV70 and Kia Carnival, and two from the Volkswagen Group – the Volkswagen Golf Mk8 and Skoda Octavia, both offering a best-in-class driving experience.

You can read our preview story, where we named the contenders in the running for 2021 COTY and detailed our judging process and eligibility criteria.

Our comprehensive awards program continues to roll on, but from November 3 we’ll also be opening up a readers’ choice poll to provide you with the opportunity to let us know which model you’d pick for your Car of the Year.

The People’s Choice will be announced on November 15 – and two days later, on November 17, we’ll name the carsales Car of the Year for 2021, proudly presented by Bingle.