Contenders for annual award

Ten marques are in with a shot of winning a gong for the best car of 2024 after competition organisers announced the 11 finalists vying for this year’s honour.

Five of the models on the shortlist for the 2024 New Zealand Car of the Year, which is organised by the Motoring Writers’ Guild, are only available as battery electric vehicles.

Another four of the finalists are plug-in hybrid cars and two come in hybrid or petrol variants.

The contenders are the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia EV9, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, MG3, Polestar 4, Suzuki Swift, Subaru Solterra, Toyota C-HR, Toyota bZ4X, pictured, and Volvo EX30.

To be eligible for the award, cars must have been launched in New Zealand as all-new models in the past 12 months. 

Guild members will evaluate the finalists over the coming months, with the winner due to be announced in February 2025.

Last year’s winner was the MG4, which was also named the AA Driven Car Guide New Zealand Car of the Year for 2023.