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2019 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards launched

We look forward to shining a spotlight on the best new cars available.

Australia's best new cars will soon be announced, with the 2019 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards set to shine a light on the most outstanding new models in Australia.

The 2019 CarsGuide Car of the Year will be named from a pool of more than 100 new cars, SUVs, utes and vans that have arrived over the past year. The overall honour will be joined by three specific awards based on our consumer-focused segments - FamilyGuide, AdventureGuide and TradieGuide.

As such, there will be four distinct 2019 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards:

  • CarsGuide Car of the Year
  • FamilyGuide Car of the Year
  • AdventureGuide Car of the Year
  • TradieGuide Car of the Year

The awards will recognise the best new or significantly updated vehicles launched between September 2018 and September 2019. Eligible models will be assessed against the same exhaustive consumer-focused criteria as CarsGuide’s published reviews, factoring in elements such as design, fuel consumption, practicality, safety and ownership costs.

CarsGuide editor Malcolm Flynn said the awards will give consumers the answers they need, with a distinct flavour that reflects customer requirements for the different parts of the Australian new car market.

“With almost five hundred different car models with varying specifications, many Aussies find it daunting to choose the best car for their specific needs," said Mr Flynn.

"Whether you consider a new car part of the family, a gateway to outdoor enjoyment or a great tool for commercial purposes, the CarsGuide awards can provide consumers the guidance they’re after to help them make informed decisions."

According to Mr Flynn, the awards' unique format draws on the CarsGuide team's industry-wide subject matter expertise.

"We’ve built a team of respected experts with decades of automotive industry experience and bring their own unique lifestyles to the table, so CarsGuide covers a wide spectrum of Australia’s automotive market," he said. "We live with the cars, then combine this personal, in-depth experience with analytical, journalistic insight and industry knowledge to give the right advice to consumers."

The overall CarsGuide Car of the Year award will be judged by our most senior journalists - Malcolm Flynn, James Cleary, Matt Campbell and Richard Berry

The other awards will be judged by our consumer segment experts: FamilyGuide Car of the Year will be judged by Nedahl Stelio; AdventureGuide Car of the Year by Marcus Craft; and TradieGuide Car of the Year by Mark Oastler.

A shortlist of contenders for each of the respective awards will be announced on Monday September 2, ahead of the announcement of the finalists and winners on Monday, September 23.

"We look forward to shining a spotlight on the best new cars available, and wish every brand the best of luck," said Mr Flynn.

CarsGuide reaches more Australians than any other editorial automotive site, according to Nielsen* digital content ratings (monthly) from October 2018 to June 2019, and achieves more than 12 million page views per month.

*Nielsen Digital Content Ratings (Monthly) Tagged, October 2018, November 2018, December 2018, January 2019, February 2019, March 2019, April 2019, May 2019 and June 2019, text, P18+, PC, Smartphones & Tablets

What models do you reckon will come out on top? Tell us what you think in the comments below.