Drive Car of the Year 2026 – Best Off-Road SUV Under $90k finalists announced

The judges have finished their first round of voting for Drive Car of the Year, and we have a list of finalists for the category of Best Off-Road SUV Under $90,000.

It's unsurprising to see the reigning champion Ford Everest return in 2026, looking to defend its title against some new and updates competitors.

The Ford Everest hasn't been resting on its laurels either however, with some minor updates being introduced along with the new Tremor trim level.

Priced at $78,440 plus on-road costs, the Everest Tremor sits between Sport and Platinum, but goes hard on off-road equipment with 17-inch alloy wheels, light-truck all-terrain tyres, Bilstein suspension and some additional protection.

There's a 30mm lift in ride height here for extra clearance, while the Tremor's wheels give a 30mm increase in track width for more off-road stability.

The Everest Tremor can be optioned up with extra gear (like we have on our test car), for those who want a more complete package straight off the showroom floor. Buyers can also opt for a premium interior, with heated and ventilated faux leather seats, with additional electric adjustment.

Under the bonnet of the Everest Tremor is Ford's 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6, which makes 184kW and 600Nm, running through a ten-speed automatic transmission. There's a locking rear differential and low range transfer case, and the Tremor also gets the 'Rock Crawl' off-road driving mode from the Ranger Raptor.

Now in it's second generation for the Australian market, the Isuzu MU-X truly feels like a part of the furniture for those who want an off-road capable family SUV.

It's recently been updated as well, with a range of new technology and a fresh look for 2026.

Prices have been steadily creeping upwards however, and the Isuzu MU-X is now costing $77,100 plus on-road costs for the top-spec X-Terrain like we have here. This model has 20-inch wheels and a leather-accented interior, along with heated front seats with electric adjustment.

Under the bonnet is an under-stressed 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine, in that classic four-cylinder configuration that Isuzu has been churning out for decades now. There's 140kW and 450Nm here, running through a six-speed automatic transmission and part-time four-wheel-drive system.

There is a low-range transfer case and locking differential here, along with the 'Rough Terrain Mode' off-road traction control setting.

There's room for seven inside the cabin of the MU-X with a third row that is more spacious and comfortable than you might expect. There's also a 9.0-inch infotainment display, surround-view monitor, and digital instrument cluster.

It's not that long ago that the GWM Tank 500 first arrived in Australia, going against the grain of majority diesel power and instead opting for a turbocharged petrol hybrid powertrain.

GWM is doubling down on petrol, now with the Tank 500 plug-in hybrid joining the ranks.

Using a powertrain similar to what you find in the Cannon Alpha PHEV, we have the combination of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine (180kW/380Nm) and single electric motor (120kW/400Nm) integrated into the nine-speed automatic transmission.

Combined outputs are impressive at 300kW and 750Nm, and the 37.1kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery gives a claimed 120km electric-only driving range (according to lenient NEDC testing). In the real world, expect to cover less than 100km.

Like the Cannon Alpha, this plug-in hybrid powertrain is combined with a proper four-wheel drive system, which includes a low-range transfer case, locking differentials front and rear, and part-time four-wheel-drive system.

The GWM Tank 500 PHEV loses the third row in order to fit in the battery however, but GWM did manage to squeeze an underslung full-sized spare wheel in this case.

In terms of pricing, the Tank 500 PHEV costs $79,990 drive-away, which is impressive considering the plug-in hybrid powertrain. It's $6000 more than the regular Tank 500 hybrid, but is priced at less than high-spec Ford Everest, only a fraction more than the Isuzu MU-X, and at around the same price as a base Toyota LandCruiser Prado.

Standard equipment here is generous: a 14.6-inch infotainment display, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Nappa leather upholstery, front seats with heating, venting, massaging and electric adjustment, power-retracting side steps, and even heating and ventilation for the rear outboard seats.

The Drive Car of the Year Best Off-Road SUV Under $90K winner will be announced in February 2026.

Off-road capability and suitability for bush driving is central to this category, as the name suggests. This evolves around off-road hardware: suspension, ground clearance, locking differentials and weight (less is more, on that last point).

A lot of off-road capability comes from electronic driving aids, as well. Driving modes, traction control systems, cameras and sensors can all add up to make something better and easier to drive off-road.

But at the same time, these off-road vehicles are not only just that. These large SUVs will also be employed as family haulers and long-distance road trippers. Taking the family down the road, across the country or anywhere in between.

That means the interior needs to be practical, comfortable and designed with family usage in mind. The Ford Everest has been the carry-over champion in this part of the world for a few years now, combining the two sides or family usage, off-road ability and general quality inside and out the best.

But can it hold onto its crown in 2026?

Drive’s rules require that, for a car to be eligible, it must:

1. Be all-new (or significantly updated), or a winner of its category in the preceding awards year.
2. Be on sale with customer deliveries commenced by 1 December 2025.
3. Retail examples be made available for Drive to road test before that cut-off date.
4. Pricing cut-offs exclude discounts and limited-time offers.

Eligible to compete are models with an RRP of less than $90,000 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.

Some of the contenders in this category offer model variants that are priced above $90,000 before on-road costs. Only trim grades that fall below the price cap will be eligible.

The winner of the Drive Car of the Year 2026 – Best Off-Road SUV Under $90K will be announced in February 2026.

An overall Drive Car of the Year award will be awarded in February 2026.

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Sam Purcell has been writing about cars, four-wheel driving and camping since 2013, and obsessed with anything that goes brum-brum longer than he can remember. Sam joined the team at CarAdvice/Drive as the off-road Editor in 2018, after cutting his teeth at Unsealed 4X4 and Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures. Off-road writer of the Year, Winner - Sam Purcell

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