85:, began closing their local assembly plants. With a shrinking local manufacturing base and reliability and quality issues that affected Australian-made cars, Wheels changed the basis of the award to include imported cars. At first, this was condemned by the local industry, unions and media, however, the approach permitted local products to be judged on a global basis. This, in turn, is claimed to have contributed towards a more competitive local industry and sees each winner heavily advertised as a COTY winner.
104:, Edsel Ford II, took out a 1-page advertisement in Wheels magazine, depicting the Falcon and other contenders as lemons and stating "There are times when being a lemon is not a bitter experience at all". This was both in answer to the award's withdrawal against the Falcon and Wheels' cover for March 1980, which was a four-wheeled lemon under the title "NO CAR OF THE YEAR".
134:
Starting from 2015, the temporal basis of how the award is branded has been changed such that, the award now carries the year of when the winner was announced, instead of the preceding year when testing took place. Consequently, what would have been the 2015 COTY winner is instead be the winner for
88:
The award is given on an annual basis, except in 1972, 1979 and 1986 when, under the stewardship of the then-editor Peter
Robinson, no newly released car in those years was considered worthy of the award.
115:
cars and, in 1991, between completely different types of cars. Over the years, the COTY criteria has been further refined and, for 2004, it was amended to allow any
34:
magazine. The publisher claims that it is the world's oldest continuous motoring award of its kind. The award is given to the best newly released vehicle each year.
1002:
433:
100:
series). On the second occasion, as the Falcon (XD) was a sales success and leading candidate for the 1980 COTY award, the then deputy manager of
1126:
1055:
1149:
385:
143:
To date, in chronological order, the award winners (by name including series where available) have been the following:
1104:
1029:
349:
373:
1073:
1181:
355:
931:
427:
379:
92:
The withholding of the award in 1972 and 1979 twice coincided with the release of a new Ford Falcon (the
409:
120:
976:
197:
739:
216:
757:
660:
612:
116:
8:
1134:
463:
445:
439:
367:
343:
304:
240:
228:
173:
50:
became the inaugural COTY winner, which was built in many countries including
Australia.
280:
258:
58:
361:
286:
77:. With the fuel crisis in the 1970s, European makers also based in Australia, such as
1154:
1089:
502:
54:
29:
753:
729:
599:
421:
112:
97:
93:
743:
478:
415:
327:
310:
24:
391:
333:
270:
264:
252:
222:
185:
951:
814:
682:
397:
167:
161:
128:
101:
921:
Includes award won by the S-Class predecessor—the
Mercedes-Benz 380 SE (W126).
337:
274:
1175:
863:
695:
647:
298:
179:
46:
has awarded the title of Car of the Year. In its inaugural year, the French
520:
316:
234:
108:
53:
The original intention of COTY was to promote excellence in the
Australian
793:
Commodore (5), Barina (1), Camira (1), Gemini (1), Monaro (1), Torana (1)
484:
625:
508:
209:
155:
119:(SUV) to be eligible for the first time, permitting the Australian-made
909:
876:
840:
496:
490:
451:
403:
191:
124:
82:
457:
323:
149:
47:
889:
111:
for 1977. In 1982, the award was shared for the first time between
66:
550:
899:
514:
78:
853:
788:
469:
74:
70:
62:
827:
801:
806:
MX-5 (3), 626 (2), 323 (1), RX-8 (1), CX-9 (1), CX-30 (1)
107:
The first imported car to win the award was the
Japanese
832:
Accord (2), CR-Z (1), NSX (1), Prelude (1), Odyssey (1)
563:
22:(commonly abbreviated to COTY) is an annual automotive
1150:"The Mazda CX-30 is the 2021 Wheels Car of the Year"
1056:"The top five iconic Wheels Car of the Year moments"
819:
Falcon (3), Telstar (2), Territory (1), Everest (1)
666:
594:
592:
590:
766:
1173:
637:Award shared between different types of vehicles
587:
1030:"Renault R8: The First Wheels Car of the Year"
1053:
1071:
1067:
1065:
1003:"Honda's CR-Z wins Wheels Car of the Year"
1147:
1105:"The road to 2016 Wheels car of the Year"
1074:"Wheels Car of the Year 2016: Fast facts"
1027:
1062:
977:"C-Class is 2007 Wheels Car of the Year"
710:
672:Last Australian-made vehicle to win COTY
540:First manufacturer to win consecutively
474:2015 – temporal basis for award changed
1174:
1009:. News Corp Australia. 18 January 2012
57:industry, dominated at the time by
13:
1133:. 30 November 2007. Archived from
868:S-Class (2), C-Class (1), EQC (1)
858:Liberty (2), BRZ (1), Impreza (1)
14:
1193:
123:to take the title. For 2011, the
705:
1141:
845:Golf (3), Passat (1), Polo (1)
767:Multiple awards by manufacturer
688:
675:
653:
640:
631:
618:
605:
578:
569:
556:
543:
534:
138:
1119:
1097:
1080:
1047:
1028:Kenwright, Joe (17 May 2013).
1021:
995:
969:
944:
1:
1148:Westerman, Ash (2021-03-01).
937:
362:Mitsubishi TE Magna/KE Verada
1054:Cameron Kirby (2020-01-12).
932:List of motor vehicle awards
562:First model-specific award (
428:Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W204)
380:Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W220)
7:
1072:Wheels staff (2016-01-07).
925:
575:First fully imported winner
259:Mercedes-Benz 380 SE (W126)
198:Chrysler VH Valiant Charger
10:
1198:
37:
885:
849:
127:instead became the first
1087:"My tilt at the wheel".
458:Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ
1093:. May 1993. p. 78.
881:Magna (2), Nimbus (1)
598:Awards shared between
217:Volkswagen Passat (B1)
758:Mercedes-Benz S-Class
711:Most awarded vehicles
661:sport utility vehicle
613:multi-purpose vehicle
117:Sport Utility Vehicle
1182:Motor vehicle awards
914:XC60 (1), XC40 (1)
760:, Mitsubishi Magna
584:First luxury winner
464:Volkswagen Golf Mk7
446:Volkswagen Polo Mk5
440:Volkswagen Golf Mk6
368:Holden VT Commodore
344:Holden VR Commodore
328:Nissan Pulsar (N14)
305:Holden VN Commodore
287:Mitsubishi TM Magna
241:Holden VB Commodore
229:Volkswagen Golf Mk1
174:Chrysler VE Valiant
135:2016 and so forth.
28:award presented by
1127:"The road to COTY"
1107:. 20 November 2015
131:to win the award.
983:. 22 January 2008
952:"Car of the Year"
922:
918:
917:
764:
763:
503:Mercedes-Benz EQC
434:Honda Accord Euro
410:Ford SX Territory
281:Mitsubishi Nimbus
55:car manufacturing
1189:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1162:
1145:
1139:
1138:
1123:
1117:
1116:
1114:
1112:
1101:
1095:
1094:
1084:
1078:
1077:
1069:
1060:
1059:
1051:
1045:
1044:
1042:
1040:
1025:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1014:
999:
993:
992:
990:
988:
973:
967:
966:
964:
962:
948:
920:
771:
770:
756:, Honda Accord,
754:Chrysler Valiant
730:Holden Commodore
715:
714:
699:
692:
686:
679:
673:
670:
664:
657:
651:
644:
638:
635:
629:
622:
616:
609:
603:
600:badge engineered
596:
585:
582:
576:
573:
567:
560:
554:
547:
541:
538:
422:Holden VE Calais
392:Holden XC Barina
265:Holden JB Camira
223:Holden TX Gemini
186:Holden LC Torana
180:Holden HK Monaro
113:badge engineered
1197:
1196:
1192:
1191:
1190:
1188:
1187:
1186:
1172:
1171:
1170:
1169:
1160:
1158:
1146:
1142:
1137:on 15 May 2009.
1125:
1124:
1120:
1110:
1108:
1103:
1102:
1098:
1086:
1085:
1081:
1070:
1063:
1052:
1048:
1038:
1036:
1026:
1022:
1012:
1010:
1001:
1000:
996:
986:
984:
975:
974:
970:
960:
958:
950:
949:
945:
940:
928:
769:
744:Volkswagen Golf
713:
708:
703:
702:
693:
689:
680:
676:
671:
667:
658:
654:
645:
641:
636:
632:
623:
619:
610:
606:
597:
588:
583:
579:
574:
570:
561:
557:
548:
544:
539:
535:
525:
485:Mazda CX-9 (TC)
479:Mazda MX-5 (ND)
416:Mazda MX-5 (NC)
338:Ford AX Telstar
311:Mazda MX-5 (NA)
275:Ford AR Telstar
141:
40:
25:Car of the Year
20:Car of the Year
12:
11:
5:
1195:
1185:
1184:
1168:
1167:
1140:
1118:
1096:
1079:
1061:
1046:
1020:
994:
968:
942:
941:
939:
936:
935:
934:
927:
924:
916:
915:
912:
906:
905:
904:8 (1), 12 (1)
902:
896:
895:
892:
887:
883:
882:
879:
874:
870:
869:
866:
860:
859:
856:
851:
847:
846:
843:
838:
834:
833:
830:
825:
821:
820:
817:
812:
808:
807:
804:
799:
795:
794:
791:
786:
782:
781:
778:
775:
768:
765:
762:
761:
751:
747:
746:
742:, Mazda MX-5,
737:
733:
732:
727:
723:
722:
719:
712:
709:
707:
704:
701:
700:
687:
683:hybrid vehicle
674:
665:
652:
648:rotary engined
639:
630:
617:
604:
586:
577:
568:
555:
542:
532:
531:
530:
529:
524:
523:
517:
511:
505:
499:
493:
487:
481:
475:
472:
466:
460:
454:
448:
442:
436:
430:
424:
418:
412:
406:
400:
398:Ford BA Falcon
394:
388:
386:Subaru Impreza
382:
376:
374:Subaru Liberty
370:
364:
358:
352:
350:Subaru Liberty
346:
340:
334:Mazda 626 (GE)
330:
320:
313:
307:
301:
295:
293:award withheld
289:
283:
277:
271:Mazda 626 (GC)
267:
261:
255:
253:Mazda 323 (BD)
249:
247:award withheld
243:
237:
231:
225:
219:
213:
206:
204:award withheld
200:
194:
188:
182:
176:
170:
168:Ford XR Falcon
164:
162:Ford XP Falcon
158:
152:
145:
140:
137:
121:Ford Territory
102:Ford Australia
39:
36:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1194:
1183:
1180:
1179:
1177:
1157:
1156:
1151:
1144:
1136:
1132:
1128:
1122:
1106:
1100:
1092:
1091:
1083:
1075:
1068:
1066:
1057:
1050:
1035:
1031:
1024:
1008:
1004:
998:
982:
978:
972:
957:
953:
947:
943:
933:
930:
929:
923:
913:
911:
908:
907:
903:
901:
898:
897:
893:
891:
888:
884:
880:
878:
875:
872:
871:
867:
865:
864:Mercedes-Benz
862:
861:
857:
855:
852:
848:
844:
842:
839:
836:
835:
831:
829:
826:
823:
822:
818:
816:
813:
810:
809:
805:
803:
800:
797:
796:
792:
790:
787:
784:
783:
779:
777:Manufacturer
776:
773:
772:
759:
755:
752:
749:
748:
745:
741:
738:
735:
734:
731:
728:
725:
724:
720:
717:
716:
706:Multiple wins
697:
696:body-on-frame
691:
684:
678:
669:
662:
656:
649:
643:
634:
627:
621:
614:
608:
601:
595:
593:
591:
581:
572:
565:
559:
552:
546:
537:
533:
527:
526:
522:
518:
516:
512:
510:
506:
504:
500:
498:
494:
492:
488:
486:
482:
480:
476:
473:
471:
467:
465:
461:
459:
455:
453:
449:
447:
443:
441:
437:
435:
431:
429:
425:
423:
419:
417:
413:
411:
407:
405:
401:
399:
395:
393:
389:
387:
383:
381:
377:
375:
371:
369:
365:
363:
359:
357:
356:Honda Odyssey
353:
351:
347:
345:
341:
339:
335:
331:
329:
325:
321:
318:
314:
312:
308:
306:
302:
300:
299:Honda Prelude
296:
294:
290:
288:
284:
282:
278:
276:
272:
268:
266:
262:
260:
256:
254:
250:
248:
244:
242:
238:
236:
232:
230:
226:
224:
220:
218:
214:
211:
207:
205:
201:
199:
195:
193:
189:
187:
183:
181:
177:
175:
171:
169:
165:
163:
159:
157:
153:
151:
147:
146:
144:
136:
132:
130:
126:
122:
118:
114:
110:
105:
103:
99:
95:
90:
86:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
56:
51:
49:
45:
35:
33:
32:
27:
26:
21:
19:
1159:. Retrieved
1153:
1143:
1135:the original
1130:
1121:
1109:. Retrieved
1099:
1088:
1082:
1049:
1037:. Retrieved
1033:
1023:
1011:. Retrieved
1006:
997:
985:. Retrieved
980:
971:
959:. Retrieved
955:
946:
919:
894:Valiant (2)
690:
677:
668:
663:(SUV) winner
655:
642:
633:
620:
615:(MPV) winner
607:
580:
571:
558:
545:
536:
521:Ford Everest
317:Lexus LS 400
292:
246:
235:Honda Accord
203:
142:
139:COTY winners
133:
109:Honda Accord
106:
91:
87:
52:
43:
42:Since 1963,
41:
30:
23:
17:
16:
15:
1039:24 February
1013:24 February
987:24 February
961:24 February
740:Ford Falcon
626:convertible
566:range only)
509:Mazda CX-30
210:Leyland P76
156:Morris 1100
1161:2021-03-02
981:Car Advice
938:References
877:Mitsubishi
841:Volkswagen
564:V8 engined
497:Volvo XC40
491:Volvo XC60
452:Honda CR-Z
404:Mazda RX-8
192:Renault 12
125:Honda CR-Z
83:Volkswagen
1111:1 January
1076:. Wheels.
1058:. Wheels.
324:Honda NSX
150:Renault 8
48:Renault 8
1176:Category
1034:Shannons
926:See also
890:Chrysler
67:Chrysler
900:Renault
780:Models
721:Models
515:Kia EV6
291:1986 –
245:1979 –
202:1972 –
79:Renault
38:History
1155:Wheels
1131:Wheels
1090:Wheels
956:Wheels
854:Subaru
789:Holden
698:winner
694:First
685:winner
681:First
659:First
650:winner
646:First
628:winner
624:First
611:First
602:models
553:winner
549:First
470:BMW i3
319:(XF10)
129:hybrid
75:Toyota
71:Datsun
63:Holden
44:Wheels
31:Wheels
18:Wheels
910:Volvo
828:Honda
802:Mazda
551:coupé
528:Notes
519:2023
513:2022
507:2021
501:2020
495:2019
489:2018
483:2017
477:2016
468:2014
462:2013
456:2012
450:2011
444:2010
438:2009
432:2008
426:2007
420:2006
414:2005
408:2004
402:2003
396:2002
390:2001
384:2000
378:1999
372:1998
366:1997
360:1996
354:1995
348:1994
342:1993
332:1992
322:1991
315:1990
309:1989
303:1988
297:1987
285:1985
279:1984
269:1983
263:1982
257:1981
251:1980
239:1978
233:1977
227:1976
221:1975
215:1974
208:1973
196:1971
190:1970
184:1969
178:1968
172:1967
166:1966
160:1965
154:1964
148:1963
1113:2016
1041:2017
1015:2017
989:2017
963:2017
815:Ford
774:No.
718:No.
336:and
326:and
273:and
96:and
81:and
73:and
59:Ford
1007:AAP
1178::
1152:.
1129:.
1064:^
1032:.
1005:.
979:.
954:.
824:6
811:7
785:10
589:^
212:V8
98:XD
94:XA
69:,
65:,
61:,
1164:.
1115:.
1043:.
1017:.
991:.
965:.
886:2
873:3
850:4
837:5
798:9
750:2
736:3
726:5
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