How to Find the Best Car to Buy and Best Vehicle Financing

To find the best car to buy, buyers can draw on resources including the car of the year awards, vehicle sales results, and special offers with price discounts. Australians have a huge choice of new cars to purchase with an extensive auto market including many brands, vehicle types and all fuel systems.

This wide selection can be exciting for some buyers, offering the opportunity to visit multiple dealerships for close-up inspections and test drives. For others, it can present a nightmare. Trying to decide which is the ideal choice for them from so many options. Trying to find the best car to buy, the vehicle that not only suits their driving and travel requirements, but is reliable and considered a good buy. 

Buyers face decisions around going low emission or staying with petrol or diesel. Opting for some of the more affordable models coming onto the market from brands that they are not familiar with. Is that a risk? Then there is the price consideration. Should they be guided by the prices advertised by dealers and manufacturers? What does ‘prices from’ mean for the price they will be charged?

Buying a new vehicle is not a process that many Australians undertake very often. Most car owners will probably upgrade their vehicles only every 4-5 years. So, when it is time for a new one, they may need some guidance to find their ideal option.

That guidance is available from several sources. Buyers may opt to follow the choice of motoring experts with Drive’s Car of the Year awards. Buyers can buy a car that has been voted the best in its category by experts that know their stuff.

They may choose to follow the crowd and purchase what many others have already determined is a good vehicle by referring to the data on what models are selling best. Buyers can dig deeper by seeking reviews of different models as published by respected organisations such as the NRMA.

If the best car to buy is the model with the best price tag reduction, then heading to the EOFY and run-out sales is an ideal approach.

To assist buyers that are in the market for a new vehicle right now, we provide summaries from these sources and provide guidance on motor vehicle financing. An aspect of the purchase that can be the deciding factor for many buyers.

Select Best Car to Buy from Awards Winners

Having experts help you select your vehicle can be a big bonus. That is available to you with Drive’s Car of the Year awards. Each year the experts judge multiple models across many categories to determine an overall winner and the best in each category. The categories cover a wide selection of buyers.

The judging is very comprehensive with the experts considering specific criteria with extensive testing undertaken. Vehicles only cover new models that arrived on the Australian market in the specific judging period.

Buyers can review all the winners for 2026 at Drive but here are a few to get you started. The overall winner for the year is Tesla’s Model Y. For a vehicle for urban driving with a price below $30k, check out the Dolphin Essential by BYD. SUVs continue their popularity with Australian drivers and across the different sizes and price ranges the winners emerged as Hyundai’s Kona, Zeekr 7X, Genesis GV70 and Ford Everest. If you’re looking at the luxury market, look at the BMW Series 5 as a winner.

Ford Ranger took out the gong for best dual cab. For those considering switching to an EV, the judges crowned The Tesla Model Y, Polestar 4 and BYD Atto 2 as winners in their respective categories.

Sales Guidance to Best Car to Buy

If you want to save time making your own assessments and let others make the decisions for you, then refer to the FCAI’s sales results which are released each month. You’ll find the best- selling brands and models for that month.

The most recent figures released in early May reveal Toyota, Mazda and Kia as the brands that sold the most units in April 2026. Best-selling models were headed by Toyota’s RAV4 the Ranger, HiLux, Chery’s Tiggo 4Pro, Kona, Prado Sealion 7 from BYD, Haval’s Jolion, Everest and Mitsubishi’s Outlander.

Best Buys at EOFY Car Sales

A reduced price tag can mean the best car to buy for many drivers. The time is coming up for a bonanza in that area with the annual end of financial year sales events and run-out clearances. You may find these offered by manufacturers such as the current offers from Mitsubishi, or direct from dealers.

Finance for Your Best Car to Buy

Everything may be perfect with a vehicle, but if the financing does not suit you, doesn’t work for you, or is priced at too high an interest rate, then it won’t be your best choice. Ensure your best buy is genuinely the best with our competitive car loan interest rates and personally sourced loans.

For an indication of loan payments on models you are considering, use our Car Finance Calculator with our latest best rates. Use the calculator to compare rates and models to assist with your vehicle selection.

To be fully prepared to capture special deals and limited stock models, apply for finance before heading to the dealership.

Ensure your choice is the best car to buy with the best finance from Jade Finance.

DISCLAIMER: NO LIABILITY IS ACCEPTED IF ERRORS OR MISREPRESENTATIONS ARE FOUND IN THIS ARTICLE. THE ARTICLE IS PREPARED AND PRESENTED FOR GENERAL INFORMATIVE PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE THE SOLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR MAKING FINANCIAL DECISIONS. THOSE REQUIRING GUIDANCE AND ADVICE SHOULD CONSULT A FINANCIAL ADVISOR.