As the year counts down we’re looking back on the vehicles that stood out. On New Year’s Eve (Wednesday) we’ll reveal our Top 5 Cars of 2025, but for now we’re counting down with the best of the rest, starting with our favourite 4×4 and Adventure vehicles.
Kia Tasman
There was so much hype and expectation around the South Korean brand’s first ute that it was always going to be difficult for it to live up to it. The ongoing debate over its polarising styling, coupled with Kia Australia’s bullish sales hopes means it copped some flak.
But looking beyond the superficial, the Tasman has a lot of appeal. The exterior design might not be universally embraced, but the interior is arguably the most stylish ute on the market.
The driving experience is solid, if unspectacular, but it does the job ute buyers are asking for, with good towing potential, a respectable payload and a pleasant driving experience.
It will be interesting to see how the Tasman fares in 2026 – can it build on its slow start and accelerate? Only time will tell.
Ram 1500 Rebel
The American pickup brand had a big ‘25, with the arrival of its new ‘Hurricane’ six-cylinder engine to replace the beloved ‘Hemi’ V8. Originally launching with the sensible Laramie Sport and Limited variants, in September the brand let its hair down and launched the Rebel.
While it has the same 313kW/635Nm Hurricane engine, it gets a tougher look, Bilstein off-road suspension and 32-inch all-terrain tyres. It’s also unavailable with the brand’s signature ‘RamBox’ storage, in order to leave enough space to fit a dirt bike in the tray.
Importantly, despite the switch from V8 to six-pot, the Ram 1500 remained the most popular US ute in Australia in 2025.
Hyundai Palisade
Hyundai’s new flagship SUV had us questioning what makes a luxury car a luxury car. The fully-loaded Palisade Calligraphy made an impression with its spacious cabin equipped with a long list of creature comforts and clever tech.
The new hybrid powertrain and locally-tuned suspension and steering mean it not only felt like a luxury car inside but also had a very polished driving experience.
This was one of the best family-friendly SUVs we drove in 2025, perfect for not only daily duties running between work, school and shops, but also has everything you need to make it an ideal chariot for long-distance adventures around Australia.
GMC Yukon Denali
Few vehicles we drove in 2025 left an impression quite like the first GMC to arrive. The new Yukon Denali expands General Motors’ Australian footprint, both metaphorically and literally.
Ultimately this is too expensive ($175k) and too niche to make our cut for the ‘Best of 2025’ but we couldn’t look back on this year and not mention the Yukon Denali.
Measuring an imposing 5.3m long and 2m wide, the Yukon Denali is a genuinely upper-large, large SUV and positions itself as an on-road focused rival to the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and a cheaper alternative to the likes of Range Rover.
Powered by a 6.2-litre V8, it feels surprisingly sprightly for an SUV this size. While the space inside is exceptional and the finishes are a cut-above what you get from Chevrolet (while not being quite as premium as a Cadillac).
The Yukon Denali certainly is the type of SUV that will make a statement wherever it goes.
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