The best drives of 2024
The motoring world is transforming at a breathless pace. Two technologies that not so long ago seemed a curiosity – hybrids and electric vehicles – are now gaining real momentum on the sales charts.
Chinese brands, once shunned for their poor safety credentials, are flooding our market with an attractive recipe of good looks, value for money and five-star ANCAP safety ratings. Legacy car companies are scrambling to reinvent themselves (witness Jaguar’s controversial rebranding) or pulling out of the race altogether (Citroën announced in August it was withdrawing from the Australian market after more than a century selling cars here).
Trying to capture hearts, minds and wallets amid this automotive flurry is no easy feat, but when the Open Road team convened to vote and discuss what should be on this year’s best drives shortlist, several candidates really stood out. EVs, of course, feature heavily. Manufacturers have been investing huge sums of time and money into their development and it shows.
More surprising was the number of ‘traditional’ vehicles that made the cut this year – a performance car, a sports car and a sedan among them. So here they are, then, in no particular order – Open Road’s best drives of 2024.
Kia EV9
Imposing road presence and futuristic design form just a small part of this big EV’s enormous appeal.
Not many cars go from concept to production as seamlessly as Kia’s EV9 – apart from a few tweaks, it arrived on our shores looking remarkably close the futuristic renderings shown in 2021. The angular design almost seems chiselled from stone and the EV9 dwarfs its Sorento sibling. Inside are acres of space and a showcase of sustainable materials.
The faux leather on the seat facings in the GT-Line is surprisingly tactile and miles ahead of some other EVs, which appear to be trimmed from hessian bags. At this price point (circa $100K+) you would expect a lot of kit, and digital side mirrors and a fingerprint reader (on more expensive variants) that allows multiple drivers to store their preferred settings offer an insight into the future.
While the 160kW/350Nm single-motor RWD with 76.1kWh battery provides decent performance and 443km range, it’s the stonking dual motor 283kW/700Nm AWD with 99.8kWh battery and 500km-plus range in the Earth and GT-Line models that gets the juices flowing. With the 0-100km/h sprint taking just 5.3 seconds, it’s wise to forewarn all seven occupants before tromping the accelerator.
Wide section 21-inch tyres and some fine tuning of the suspension’s spring and damper settings by Kia’s Australian gurus provides decent body control for a vehicle tipping the scales at almost 2700kg, and ride quality that’s not overly firm, even with just a couple on board. Pretty much the entire Open Road team independently nominated the Kia EV9 for this year’s shortlist. High praise indeed, and well deserved. – Tim Pomroy
Ford Mustang Dark Horse
We’re calling it: this is the best Mustang yet. Just make sure you buy the manual…
The best Ford Mustang we’ve ever driven. That’s the simplest way to describe the Dark Horse and justify its place on this list. On the surface it’s easy to understand the appeal: a thunderous V8 up front, the choice of a slick-shifting automatic or a manly six-speed manual gearbox in the middle, and 350kW/550Nm that’s sent solely through the rear axle.
Then there’s how it looks. All Mustangs are dramatic but the Dark Horse, based on the new seventh-gen S650 ’Stang, is festooned with subtle styling additions that give it proper presence in the metal. No wonder the entire allocation of 1000 units sold out almost immediately, despite a near $100k price tag. But this is far more than just another special edition Mustang.
Compared with a regular Mustang GT, the Dark Horse gains unique steering, a wider wheel/tyre package, and overhauled suspension for a tauter, more track-focused set-up. And the difference in how it drives is transformational. The usual Mustang wooliness is gone, replaced instead by a muscle car that handles like a sports car. A Mustang that drives even better than it looks? We could get used to that. – Alex Inwood
Genesis GV80
The days of Hyundai’s prestige brand playing ‘luxury dress-ups’ are long gone, as its halo model proves.
With its Bentley-esque design looking right at home in the top end of town, Genesis’ flagship GV80 SUV is no stranger to turning heads on the road. A recent mid-life update saw some minor cosmetic changes and a slew of added tech, including a panoramic 27-inch driver display and touchscreen, 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio and fingerprint-enabled driver profiles.
The more notable change was a new coupé variant, with a sleeker profile and dual exhausts upping the attention-grabbing stakes. It features the same 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo engine as the wagon for effortless cruising but adds a Sport+ driving mode to further sharpen handling. Carbon fibre trim and aluminium pedals also give the interior a sportier flavour.
While the update entails a significant price hike over its predecessor, the new GV80 is still cheaper than rivals from BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. The Genesis rule of thumb has leaned towards sacrificing brand cachet for a more generous equipment list, making it hard to ignore in the prestige SUV market. – Adam Smith
Kia EV5
Following on from the EV6 and striking EV9, the EV5 mid-size SUV is Kia’s most important EV yet.
The term ‘Tesla Model Y rival’ gets thrown around a lot when hyping up new electric SUVs. While most fail to rattle the best-selling model’s cage, Kia may have a serious contender on its hands with the EV5.
Cramming in loads of tech not normally seen at its lean $56,770 drive-away price point, the model makes a strong case to steal some sales from Tesla. Buyers get the option of 64kWh or 88kWh batteries using high-tech lithium ferrophosphate (LFP) chemistry, providing a driving range of up to 555km in certain specifications. Additional vehicle-to-load capabilities feature across trims, meaning owners can power 240-volt appliances such as a coffee machine or fridge.
Locally tuned suspension, heated and massaging seats, three interior screens and a comprehensive suite of safety kit make the EV5 a seriously good value proposition. While we’d like to see a more serious performance variant in due time, the foundations are set for Kia to convert some buyers. Even if it doesn’t, models like this force the competition to do better. – Liam Murphy
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
A car that on paper shouldn’t work at all turns out to be one of the most thrilling drives of the year.
The idea that electric vehicles are incapable of winning over traditional motoring enthusiasts was shredded like rubber on a racetrack in 2024. As the first electric vehicle to receive Hyundai’s high-performance N treatment, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N delivers gobs of driver engagement and outright fun.
It achieves this with added chassis strengthening, an electronic limited slip differential, adaptive suspension, larger brakes, a battery preconditioning function, and monstrous amounts of power and torque – up to 478kW and 770Nm when N Grin Boost is engaged via a button on the steering wheel. Yet the real surprise is a selectable mode to mimic a combustion engine sports car.
Admittedly this sounds naff and gimmicky, but the illusion is successfully achieved with simulated gear changes altering momentum and raucous engine and exhaust notes via internal and external speakers. The trickery is topped off with an uncanny agility through corners, despite the vehicle weighing 2.2 tonnes, making the Ioniq 5 N both a hoot to drive and a seriously formidable EV for track days. It’s all wrapped in a stylish, practical and tech-laden crossover SUV package, which can just as easily serve as a quiet and comfortable daily commuter if that’s all you require. – Adam Smith
Volkswagen ID. Buzz
The iconic VW Kombi is back! Just brace yourself for one key change…
Most of us have a VW Kombi memory. Whether it’s owning one, riding in one, or simply watching one clatter past and daydreaming about the relaxed, careful lifestyle a Kombi surely provides, VW’s renowned people mover holds a special place in the pantheon of motoring icons. And now we have a new one.
Okay sure, the name is different – the badge reads ‘ID. Buzz’ this time around – but the same beach-loving, freedom-seeking DNA that made the original so alluring has carried over in spades. That’s about all they share, though, because the ID. Buzz doesn’t slavishly look to the past. It’s thoroughly modern. Inside you’ll find a high-tech, touch-screen-infused cabin that majors on space and storage.
And underneath the floor there’s a large electric battery (either 77kWh or 85kWh) which sends power either to a single electric motor on the rear axle or, in the flagship GTX model, to two e-motors that produce a combined 250kW. Range is impressive at 450km+ and the driving experience is quick, effortless and fuss free. Which aren’t traits you could contribute to an original Kombi. All of the appeal of the past with none of the usual drawbacks? Count us in. – Alex Inwood
Mazda MX-5
A subtle overhaul gives this iconic roadster a new lease on life.
It’s quintessential motoring: take a front-mounted, snappy, naturally aspirated engine, drive the rear wheels with it, and house the whole thing in a direct and communicative chassis to maximise driver enjoyment. The Mazda MX-5 has nailed the recipe more consistently than all others for 35 years, and its current generation – the ND – is no exception.
Despite roaming our roads for more than 10 years, the ND has avoided antiquity thanks its strong fundamentals and a recent mid-generation update. Refreshed tech and styling suite, as well as mechanical tweaks, have kept the MX-5 competitive among its contemporaries into and beyond 2024. Notable additions include the move to an 8.8-inch centre touchscreen now supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, revised steering components resulting in greater precision, a new differential and Sport traction control mode in some models, and new LED lamps front and rear.
Not bad for a model that kicks off from just $41,520. Our time with it was a pleasure, as it should be with an MX-5. It’s a car that moves with you through time and space, forming a sort of telepathic bond with drivers along the way. Less of a car and more of a trusty companion. It’s not herniating discs with acceleration or setting lap records, but it’s a testament to pure, no-fuss motoring, and every enthusiast should be glad it still exists. – Liam Murphy
Hyundai Santa Fe
Polarising looks are little more than a distraction when a family SUV is this spacious, luxurious and economical.
From inauspicious beginnings, the Hyundai Santa Fe SUV has evolved through successive generations, garnering fans and awards along its journey. This latest striking iteration is set to cement its future. Eschewing conventional wisdom, the new Santa Fe launched with a hybrid powertrain featuring a 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder/electric motor and 1.49kWh lithium-ion battery for total outputs of 172kW and 367Nm.
It’s punchy to drive thanks in part to maximum torque available from just above idle at 1500rpm, while the mechanically complex drivetrain is extremely refined and seamless in operation. Sipping premium unleaded at 6.3L/100km on a recent road test, it’s not far from the claimed figure of 5.6L/100km either. Hyundai designers opted for bold over bland and the chunky silhouette is nothing if not contentious.
The larger footprint provides additional space for up to seven occupants, with access into the third row now less awkward than in its predecessor. In six-seat guise the second-row captain’s chairs elevate the premium feel and it’s impossible to miss the dual 12.3-inch screens floating out from the low-set dash. In the AWD Calligraphy model, dual sunroofs convey a real sense of light and airiness inside, too. All that and the Hyundai Santa Fe starts at just $55,500. Good luck finding a better family SUV or people mover for that sort of money. – Tim Pomroy
Toyota Camry
Proof that large comfortable sedans still deserve a place on Aussie roads.
You know something special is afoot when a group of seasoned motoring writers are getting excited about a white Toyota Camry with a grey cloth interior. Normally a Camry like this is the very antithesis of what gets cars lovers excited – “it’s an appliance on wheels” is a common Camry criticism – and yet amazingly, thanks to a recent update, this new Camry is one of the standouts of the year.
Let’s start with the exterior. Admittedly white isn’t its best colour, but in bronze or blue this is a properly handsome, classically designed three-box sedan. The interior is appealing too, thanks to a modern tech offering, sublime seats that are so soft and cushioning they feel as though they belong in a French car, and a degree of interior space that verges on limousine-like. Rear room is especially generous, which you’ll appreciate when you inevitably climb into one for an Uber ride. The best thing, though, is how the new Camry drives.
This model is bigger, more powerful and more efficient than before and it’s a brilliant car for Aussie roads thanks to excellent ride comfort, good amounts of grunt from its 170kW/221Nm hybrid four-cylinder for easy overtakes, and enough dynamic nous to keep keen drivers interested. And all of this for a price starting below $40k, which makes it the cheapest car in our Top 10. – Alex Inwood
Polestar 4
It’s sleek and fast but it’s what the Polestar 4 is missing that might get your attention.
The Polestar 4 is the Volvo sub-brand’s third model in Australia, slotting between the Polestar 2 and 3 in size, but accelerating faster than both. Perfectly logical, no? Get beyond the naming convention and the 4 makes a lot more sense. Its DNA is in design and Polestar has controversially removed the rear window to ensure the 4 has both the interior space of an SUV and the sexy silhouette of a proper coupé.
The camera and screen setup that replaces the rear window will irk some, but it’s just one gimmick in what is otherwise a comprehensively impressive machine. The 100kWh battery in all variants can provide up to 400kW/686Nm in dual motor trims, making the 4 a proper accelerator. Despite the heft that comes with a big battery, the 4 is also an agile mover, with fast and sharp steering translating into eager rotation on-road. Whether its $78,500-$103,550 price tag (before on-roads) is justifiable is up to potential buyers, but it’s clear the 4 is a seriously persuasive package. – Liam Murphy
