It might sound cliché, but this year was probably CarExpert’s biggest year yet.
The team drives so many different cars on any given year, but with so many new vehicles coming to the market – and that’s set to continue in 2025 – it takes a properly good thing to stand out.
Here, the members of our team choose their favourite car of the year. Which is your pick? Do you disagree or agree with us?
Read more below, and share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Marton Pettendy: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
The best car I drove this year couldn’t be more different from the best car I drove last year, the latest 992-series Porsche 911 GT3 RS – the world’s greatest street-legal race car and the unrivalled zenith of naturally aspirated big-bore flat-six petrol power.
I never thought I’d say it, but my pick of cars launched in the last 12 months is not only an SUV, but an EV.
Few all-new models live up to the hype that precedes their release, yet Hyundai’s first high-performance electric N-car continues to attract plaudits from customers and journalists more than six months after its local release in March.
Now I can see why, after finally driving it at this year’s Hyundai N Fest last month.
No, there’s no escaping its significant mass, and its suspension felt a little soft when pushed to the limit around the testing Morgan Park Raceway, where its big 84kWh battery could be emptied in just a few dozen laps at full noise.
But with outputs of 478kW and 770Nm (about 100kW/300Nm more than the Porsche), and a rear-biased all-wheel drive system complete with drift mode, the Ioniq 5 N easily cracked 200km/h on the short main straight and effortlessly gobbled up every other N-car on the way out of all 12 corners around the 3km circuit.
And it did it consistently, lap after lap, on a baking hot Queensland day, for three consecutive days (when it wasn’t at the fast-charger) without any reliability issues – that’s something even Porsche would be impressed with.
Sure, Porsche’s top-shelf Taycan Turbo GT might be quicker, faster and more engaging, and it’s still the best EV I’ve driven, but the German sports sedan costs almost four times as much as this high-tech Korean family SUV, and the GT3 RS is almost five times pricier.
Believe the hype, because the Ioniq 5 N is a genuine driver’s car that rewards you more richly the harder you push it, demonstrating a depth of engineering previously unseen from a mainstream EV maker and previewing an exciting electric performance car future that everyone should look forward to.
MORE: Buy a Hyundai Ioniq 5
Jack Quick: Lexus LC500 Convertible
I’ve driven a fair few iconic vehicles this year, but by far the one that sticks out was the Lexus LC500 Convertible.
It’s such a beautiful-looking car that doesn’t shout over-the-top like a number of other sports cars do. Instead it exudes refined luxury while still turning heads like nothing else, especially with Infrared exterior paint.
Then there’s the Yamaha co-developed 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8. I hadn’t experienced an engine quite as orchestral as this in my life. Wringing it out close to redline had me grinning from ear-to-ear like the Smile monster.
There aren’t many cars like this anymore, and that’s one of the main reasons why I’m so thankful I got the opportunity to drive it.
MORE: Buy a Lexus LC
Jordan Mulach: Audi RS7 Performance
The list of cars I’ve driven this year has been limited compared to some of my colleagues, but my winner came in the dying moments of the year.
I had initially submitted the Ford Everest Wildtrak and Cupra Leon VZx as my favourites, until the Audi RS7 Performance completely blew away my expectations.
Yes, I’ll never be able to own one, but there are plenty of people willing to spend their money on cars such as this, and you’d be foolish to not consider it.
In all honesty, driving around in comfort mode it feels like a V6 turbo-diesel A7, with an extremely comfortable ride, effortless gear changes and enough torque to pull into any gap.
Wake it up in RS mode however, and it becomes a weapon worthy of the badge. This simply doesn’t feel like a car that’s as large as it is, and it has one of the most menacing exhaust notes out there – viva la V8!
This is a car which is just as at home on the track as it is touring Australia’s highways, and even though its 22-inch wheels have rubber bands for tyres, there isn’t a bump that it doesn’t soak up.
If I had any complaints about it, it’s the climate control touchscreen and infotainment system, both of which require a bit more force to use than conventional displays.
Regardless, the RS7 is more than an impressive bit of kit, it’s possibly one of the most underrated cars on sale now.
MORE: Buy an Audi RS7
William Stopford: Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
To paraphrase Vanessa L. Williams, 2024 went and saved the best for last.
On my birthday week, I got behind the wheel of two Chevrolet Corvettes (the E-Ray and the Z06 with the Z07 Performance Package) plus the Audi RS7 Performance. Lucky boy…
All three were fun in different ways, but I’ll single out the Corvette E-Ray which, despite being a hybrid, manages to sound a lot better than the Australian-spec Z06. The E-Ray’s 6.2-litre V8 is absolutely glorious to listen to.
Alas, constant rain during the week meant I was driving these vehicles more gingerly than usual – you can’t have it all, I guess. Still, I felt more comfortable behind the wheel in this weather thanks to the extra traction of all-wheel drive, while it was less of a pain to park than the Z06 I had with its extensive carbon-fibre exterior trim.
Either Corvette is also fairly comfortable as a commuter, both in terms of ride and interior space.
But the E-Ray is cheaper and sounds better, while the example we had was in an absolutely stunning spec with warm, shimmering silver paint with surprisingly tasteful blue stripes and chrome wheels. I didn’t want to give it back…
MORE: Buy a Chevrolet Corvette
Max Davies: Audi RS e-tron GT
There have been some real gems I’ve had the privilege of driving this year, but the Audi RS e-tron GT has to take the cake.
Of course there are some honourable mentions: the Lexus UX300e and GX550, Mazda MX-5, BMW M135 xDrive, and Ford Mustang GT to name a few.
Plain and simple though, I cannot forget the RS e-tron GT – and there are a couple of reasons for that. One is the fact it’s been a hero car of mine for quite some time, given it’s a $250,000+ German electric grand tourer that looks absolutely stunning, particularly from the front.
But the other has to do with the circumstances in which I was able to drive it. I was lucky enough to attend Audi’s Media Drive Experience 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 the GT, in which the car’s capabilities became brutally apparent.
But after spinning laps in a couple of other Audi RS models, the day’s final challenge involved a motorkhana at the circuit’s wet skid pan.
A tight and twisty course was laid out, and of course the challenge involved navigating the immensely powerful RS e-tron GT through it as fast as possible.
Of the journalists there I ended up with the fastest time, which won me an Audi R8… keyring. Still, I’m in some disbelief that we got the opportunity to do something like that with such a special (and expensive) car at all.
The whole experience was definitely a highlight of the year, and the RS e-tron GT was the cherry on top.
MORE: Buy an Audi e-tron GT
Josh Nevett: Lexus LC500
As it turns out, the best car I drove this year was one of the very first. A 30-minute spin during one of our routine car swaps was all it took for me to fall in love with the Lexus LC500, a car the likes of which we’re unlikely to see again.
After all, the industry isn’t exactly ripe for six-figure V8 grand tourers right now. Indeed, Lexus has struggled to sell the LC500 despite its breathtaking styling and engineering prowess.
But if anything, the low-volume nature of the LC500 makes it just that little bit more special, if that’s even possible.
With that said, I’d love to see a few more on the roads. The LC500 isn’t necessarily a beautiful car from all angles, but that long bonnet and webbed grille is chef’s kiss.
As is the 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 petrol engine co-developed with Yamaha. The 2UR-GSE sings all the right notes, in keeping with its ties to the music world, and goes like stink.
To top it off, the LC500 is a wonderful low-speed cruiser, dripping with refinement and luxury. I’ll probably never be able to afford one, but I’ll forever cling to those precious moments from back in March.
MORE: Buy a Lexus LC
Paul Maric: BYD Shark 6
I was genuinely surprised at the price point of the BYD Shark 6, but then even more surprised when I actually drove it.
The cabin feels like it’s from a car worth double the price – in fact, you can pay almost double the price for a Ford Ranger Raptor and its interior doesn’t feel anywhere near as premium as the Shark 6.
It’s loaded with tech and features, and it’s surprisingly quick and agile despite its 2710kg mass. Moreover, it offers the versatility of vehicle-to-load (V2L) and ticks the boxes for a cost-effective novated lease.
It does have its downsides – there are edge cases where you run into torque limitations on inclines, and if you are towing at capacity on an incline, you’ll eventually run the battery down to rely solely on the petrol engine.
But, if you don’t need to do a great deal of off-road driving or you’re not towing regularly, it does everything more expensive dual-cabs do – just better and for cheaper.
MORE: Buy a BYD Shark 6
James Wong: Aston Martin Vanquish
There are a number of vehicles and experiences that have highlighted this year, but it’s pretty hard to top living a lifelong dream.
Getting to drive the all-new third-generation Aston Martin Vanquish ticks off a bucket list item I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to do, and even better I got to do it with the picturesque backdrop of the island of Sardinia, Italy.
Like many car enthusiasts I have that single dream car I’d love to own and/or drive if money was no object, and the Vanquish (in all three of its iterations) has been my all-time favourite since I unlocked the original in Gran Turismo 3 back when I was a little tacker racing cars virtually on my Playstation 2.
While not all heroes are worth meeting, the Vanquish really lived up to, if not exceeded my expectations. The new twin-turbo V12 is an absolute monster, rocketing you towards the horizon quicker than any Vanquish before it.
The winding roads of Sardinia made for what felt like a scene out of a movie, with sunny skies and stunning Sardinian mountain scenery. I really felt like I was on one of those old Top Gear episodes where each host chose their own supercar.
Anyway, I still pinch myself about it. I could almost retire after that… at my ripe old age of 30…
