Presented by MTF Finance
We're on a mission to find the Car of the Decade and we want your help. Vote for the best cars of the last 10 years and you'll be in to win $2500 for fuel or EV charging.
We've selected finalists in nine categories: Ute, Game Changer, Family SUV, Hybrid/EV, Aussie Big Six, Sports/Performance, Urban, Luxury and... Dud of the Decade.
If you want to read more about the finalists in any of those categories, click on the relevant blue words above. If you want to go straight to the voting page and have your say, you can do that here.
But right now, let's take a look at the contenders for Hybrid/EV of the Decade.
Tesla Model Y (2022-26)
The Model 3 paved the way, but the Model Y SUV was where Tesla’s mainstream BEV efforts achieved critical mass. Kiwi buyers have embraced the Y in enthusiastic fashion; sales spikes come and go depending on when the ships come in, but they certainly do come in. In September 2022 and June this year it was even NZ’s top selling car overall.
The Y has become emblematic of Tesla’s growing maturity as a carmaker. It’s focused on practicality and good EV-range, but also represented a step towards truly polished driving dynamics that the company has fulfilled in the latest model.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (fourth-generation, 2022-)
The original Outlander was the car that introduced Kiwis to plug-in SUVs, well over a decade ago. For a long time, it had a market niche to itself. The latest model, introduced in 2022, has moved up in size and price, but also feels quite premium in many respects.
Despite the more upmarket positioning, it’s remained NZ’s top selling PHEV for most of the time it’s been around, only recently being edged out of the pointy end of the sale charts by the Toyota RAV4 PHEV and new-generation Chinese super hybrid models.
But the Outlander is still on pace tech-wise, with a good 86km EV range and excellent driving dynamics. It’s no longer in a class of one, but in terms of PHEV tech it’s still a class act.
BMW i3 (2015-22)
The i3 was a groundbreaking EV: an early take on the technology for premium brands, but also notable for its exotic carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) construction and brave styling. BMW went in other directions with the EVs that followed, but the standalone status of the i3 has helped secure it a place as a future collectible.
It was available in both range extender (which BMW called REX) and pure-electric (BEV) versions. The former had a plug-in battery, but also employed a tiny BMW scooter engine as a generator when needed.
It’s a fun and clever eco-car, made even more so by the uprated S version from 2017.