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Here is every new or updated model eligible for the Drive Car of the Year 2025 – Best Urban Car Under $30K category.
Drive Car of the Year 2025
Now in its 20th year, the annual Drive Car of the Year awards program continues to be the Australian new car buyer’s most-trusted advisor.
At Drive, we test drive more than 200 new cars every year, evaluating each against its innate promise to sort the best from the rest. We divide the 400-plus new passenger cars, SUVs, 4WDs and utes into 19 price-banded categories focused on the end-user. Then we analyse the strengths and weaknesses of every car to find the cream of the automotive crop.
Drive Car of the Year 2025 is a go!
Drive Car of the Year 2025: Best Urban Car Under $30K
More so than ever, value for money is on the minds of new-car buyers on a budget in 2024 and 2025.
That is the focus of the Best Urban Car Under $30K category, the most affordable in the Drive Car of the Year 2025 ranks – intended to find the best car under the price cap that delivers fuss-free, easy-to-drive compact motoring with a balance of features for the price.
The category was new for the 2024 awards, and saw the Volkswagen Polo take the win ahead of the likes of the Toyota Yaris Cross, Hyundai i30 Sedan, Kia Cerato and MG 5.
Drive Car of the Year (DCOTY) rules state that last year's winner is invited back to defend its crown.
But, in a sign of how the affordable end of the new-car market has changed in recent years, it will go up against one of the shortest list of contenders of any DCOTY category for 2025.
Many of Australia's top-selling car makers have departed the 'light car' market in recent years, so the arrival of two new-generation models – the MG 3 and Suzuki Swift – in one year is worth celebrating.
They will contest the award, alongside the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, a small SUV that becomes one of Australia's most affordable new cars, starting from $23,990 drive-away.
An updated Kia Picanto – with a refreshed look and longer list of safety features – is also in contention.
Which cars are eligible for this category?
Drive’s rules require that, for a car to be eligible, it must:
This year, we're broadening the scope of this award to include models in the 'small SUV' category, as classified by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries – in addition to 'light SUVs', home to the likes of the Hyundai Venue and Toyota Yaris Cross.
Eligible to compete are models with an RRP of less than $30,000 before on-road costs – even if the drive-away price pushes above this mark – and as with any existing DCOTY category, cars must be all-new or significantly updated since they last contested for the award win.
It means the likes of the Kia Cerato and Mazda 2 are not eligible as they have not been updated sufficiently since their last entry, while only minor changes made to the GWM Haval Jolion and Kia Stonic were not enough to bring them back into the ring.
Some of the contenders in this category offer model variants that are priced above $30,000 before on-road costs. Only trim grades that fall below the price cap will be eligible.
| Contenders | Not here in time |
| – Cars that are all-new or significantly updated since they last contested Drive Car of the Year. – New categories are open to all cars that fit category requirements. – Last year’s winner is an automatic inclusion. | – These cars meet category requirements, but are not due to arrive in time for Drive Car of the Year 2025 judging. |
| Chery Tiggo 4 Pro Kia Picanto MG 3 Suzuki Swift Volkswagen Polo (defending) | None |
The winner of the Drive Car of the Year 2025 – Best Urban Car Under $30K will be announced in February 2025.
Before then, we will announce the finalists, which deliver on the buyer's requirements for an easy-to-drive, value-packed compact car at an affordable price.
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Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
