The online car research publication cited a more complex marketplace for car buyers to navigate than was the case six years ago as the driving force behind the decision.

Award winners across a range of vehicle categories, including one overall winner, will be announced in February.CarsGuide head of editorial, Justin Hilliard, said the CarsGuide Car of the Year award is designed to “distil and intensify the information CarsGuide’s expert editorial team publishes throughout the year, further highlighting the best possible choices available to car buyers”.

“The time is right for the publication to relaunch CarsGuide Car of the Year,” Mr Hilliard said.

“When the CarsGuide Car of the Year awards were last run in 2019, Australia’s automotive landscape looked vastly different.

“With more brands and vehicles than ever before vying for customers’ attention, there has never been a more pressing need to comprehensively assess the technological shift happening around us and recognise the industry’s standouts across a range of key consumer-focused categories,” Mr Hilliard said.

Justin Hilliard

The COTY Awards program will be split into the following consumer-focused categories:

• Small Car Under $50K
• Small Car Under $80K
• Medium SUV Under $60K
• Medium SUV Under $130K
• Large SUV Under $100K
• Large SUV Under $220K
• Ute Under $85K

CarsGuide said its expert panel of judges would be assessing key criteria including price and features, design, practicality, engine and transmission performance, fuel/battery efficiency, safety, ownership experience including servicing and running costs as well as how the vehicle drives.

CarsGuide said it would soon announce a short list of vehicles in each category. It said selected manufacturers would be invited to take part in the awards program .

Jessica Hunter, director of advertising at CarsGuide’s parent company, Gumtree Group, said the return of CarsGuide COTY “is an exciting announcement in Gumtree Group’s growing portfolio of client offerings”.

“The return of CarsGuide’s flagship Car of the Year program marks more than the revival of an industry icon. It represents a new chapter in how we connect brands with Australian car buyers,” Ms. Hunter said.

Jessica Hunter

“Our editorial team remains fearlessly independent and focused on helping Australians choose the right vehicle for their needs. With the support of Australian Community Media, this year’s program will reach over 7.1 million people across digital, print and in-person channels, giving partners more meaningful ways to engage consumers,” she said.

The publication said COTY coverage will begin to appear across the CarsGuide site and all its

affiliated channels in the coming days as the awards program moves through its expert judging periods.

A gala industry event in Sydney will mark the conclusion of COTY judging and the announcement of all category winners and an overall CarsGuide COTY winner in early February, which will be combined with Gumtree Group’s Media Upfronts for 2026.

Gumtree Group is Australian-owned and operated with more than two million live listings. Gumtree, together with CarsGuide and Autotrader, create a network of three brands that reach more than five million Australians each month while generating in excess of $3 billion in monthly gross listing volume.

By John Mellor