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Practical packaging, exceptional value and game-changing technology see the Tesla Model Y celebrated as the 2026 Drive Car of the Year.
The Tesla Model Y has been crowned the 21st winner of the highly respected Drive Car of the Year award.
The award, earned by the car that ‘moves the game forward the most for Australian new-car buyers’, is the first overall win for Tesla, the first Chinese-built winner, and the second time a fully-electric vehicle has been awarded the coveted trophy.
Winning the category trophy for Best Electric Vehicle Under $60K in the 2026 award lineup saw the Tesla compete against other first-time winners, the BMW 5 Series, BYD Atto 2 and Dolphin, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Tasman, Volvo XC90 and Zeekr 7X for the overall honours. Drive judges praised the Tesla’s futuristic technology implementation as the crucial differentiator from the rest of the field.
Priced from $58,900 before on-road costs, the 2026 Tesla Model Y Premium Rear-Wheel Drive is a fully-electric SUV with a 62.5kWh battery that delivers 255kW output and up to 466km (WLTP) driving range. The Tesla Supercharger charging network – now widely open to owners of non-Tesla vehicles – remains Australia’s largest and most reliable electric vehicle charging network.
There’s ample cargo space (up to 822 litres to the roof in the boot, and a further 117L in the front), great head room and space for taller passengers, and even an 8.0-inch central media screen to keep rear passengers entertained. The ‘Juniper’ update has seen the Model Y’s ride quality improve significantly, and the cool backlit LED tail-light gives it a far more classy look on the road.
The future of driving technology today - The Tesla Model Y brings science fiction to your driveway. An incredibly well-packaged and well-equipped, affordable family car that opens the door to the future of driving technology.
The technology, which offers the most advanced driver assistance capabilities on the market, gives drivers a hint of where the future of semi-autonomous (and potentially full-autonomous) driving is heading.
Tesla has recently extended the warranty period on all its vehicles to five years, and continues to offer an eight-year, 160,000km warranty on the battery and drive unit.
Thom Drew, Tesla Australia & New Zealand's Country Director says "Tesla is incredibly proud to have Model Y named as the overall winner of the 2026 Drive Car of the Year. Over the past 15 years that Tesla has been in Australia, the automotive landscape has evolved dramatically with new entrants reshaping the market. We acknowledge the judges' rigorous testing, which underscores why Model Y is not only Australia's best selling EV, but also the world's best selling car. Achieving the top score under ANCAP’s 5-star rating, Model Y sets a new benchmark for safe, family friendly vehicles. This award empowers Aussie buyers with the confidence to embrace EVs, knowing they're ready for a future of innovative, accessible, and reliable driving with low running costs. Thank you to Drive for this important recognition that benefits Tesla and Australian consumers alike.”
The Tesla Model Y was Australia’s top-selling electric vehicle in 2025, and the 2026 model changes simply make this benchmark EV even better.
This award marks the 21st year of the Drive Car of the Year awards, celebrating the best cars across all key market segments in Australia’s most comprehensive new car awards program.
Drive Car of the Year 2026
You can read all the information about the Drive Car of the Year 2026 awards at our DCOTY Hub.
If you are in the market for a new car, we've grouped winners into six key categories:
With over 20 years of experience in digital publishing, James Ward has worked within the automotive landscape since 2007 and brings experience from the publishing, manufacturer and lifestyle side of the industry together to spearhead Drive's multi-media content direction.
