Feature article
BYD ute wins top NZ Car of the Year award
BYD Shark 6 won the 2024 New Zealand Autocar Car of the Year award! Its innovative tech & practicality impressed judges.
The BYD Shark 6 has won the overall 2024 New Zealand Autocar Car of the Year award.
The new plug-in hybrid double cab was judged as a class winner – picking up the Ute of the Year prize – while also winning the overall Car of the Year award, edging out the other class finalists.
NZ Autocar Editor, Kyle Cassidy, said:“The Shark 6 is something completely different for the ute market in New Zealand, something we had to recognise with a class win here. Its plug-in hybrid powertrain will impress all those who are courageous enough to try it out.
“With a combined 321 kW and 650 Nm of torque, it’s quicker than all the diesel-powered utes on the market, yet the power rolls on smoothly and quietly, with greatly reduced emissions.”
BYD New Zealand welcomed the win, the second for the brand following the Atto 3 taking the award in 2022.
“We are thrilled to accept this prestigious award for the BYD Shark 6. This recognition is a testament to BYD’s unwavering commitment to innovation, safety, and quality. The BYD Shark 6 meets the needs of Kiwi drivers, offering practicality, efficiency, and cutting-edge technology that truly makes sense for our lifestyles,” says Sarah Williams, BYD NZ’s Head of Marketing.
During the final assessment, the panel of five judges was impressed by the quality of the interior, the amount of gear on board, and just how practical it was, given the cabin space and the big tray out back.
“The interior is SUV quality, and Shark is loaded to the gunwales with tech.”
Judges couldn’t ignore the value on offer. Not only is the spec list long, but it is also a lot of metal for the money, backed up by a strong warranty. It’s a ute that will do the job without burning through so much fuel, thanks to a good battery range and a fairly economical hybrid mode.
In addition to the Shark 6’s crowning achievement, the judging panel recognised a diverse range of models across multiple classes, showcasing the breadth of innovation in today’s market.
Porsche’s fully electric Macan took the Premium award, MG’s HS was commended for its value proposition, while Hyundai collected two accolades: the Ioniq 5 N for Performance and the Santa Fe for Family. Kia’s EV5 impressed in the EV category, and Triumph’s Speed 400 was celebrated as Bike of the Year for redefining what a learner-friendly motorcycle can be.
New Zealand Autocar has been the country’s leading automotive magazine for the last three decades, and its website – www.autocar.co.nz – is the most visited independent source of vehicle news and reviews in the country.
Its lauded Car of the Year is the only one to bring all finalists and the judges together for a day of testing and analysis.
To read the full story and view the video of the judging day, head to autocar.co.nz.
The full video is available here, and is available for reuse by request: https://youtu.be/kFj42F791mI
Full coverage of the Car of the Year is featured in the March issue of NZ Autocar, which is on sale 3 March.
NZ Autocar Car of the Year Class Winners
Premium – Porsche Macan
The Macan is now fully electric, and such a powertrain suits a premium vehicle: immensely powerful, yet utterly refined and quiet. And being a Porsche, ample performance is a given, as is the interior build and execution. Importantly, this remains right at the pointy end of vehicle dynamics for an SUV.
Highly Recommended – Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Lexus LBX
Value – MG HS
For value, it was hard to go past the new MG HS, with this well-styled family SUV starting at $36,990. It has an impressive spec list. We noted MG’s effort to ramp up the interior quality, it has a five-star safety rating, and the HS is practical. And there’s the 10-year/250,000 km warranty.
Highly Recommended – Jaecoo J7, Suzuki Swift
Performance – Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Hyundai has set out to convince doubters that an electric car can deliver an immersive, emotional, and connected drive with its Ioniq 5 N, and it has succeeded. The performance credentials of this 478 kW monster are enough to haunt $250k European sports cars. It’s an engaging drive, yet also immensely refined, and emits no tailpipe emissions.
Highly Recommended – Volkswagen Golf GTi, Nissan Z Nismo
Family – Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai’s bold-looking Santa Fe is a class act in the large, family SUV segment. The hybrid-powered Santa Fe is quiet on the go, economical for a seven-seater, and hard to unsettle, with its progress being composed and calm. In the back, there’s room for everyone and the extras, with its well-conceived second and third rows of seating.
Highly Recommended – BYD Sealion 6, Volkswagen Tiguan
EV – Kia EV5
We liked the new EV5’s inspired styling, while the electric SUV doesn’t skimp on safety and driver-assistance features. The EV5 is a carefully considered package that prioritises practicality and technology without going overboard, while few can match its considerable range.
Highly Recommended – Leapmotor C10, Audi Q6
Ute – BYD Shark 6
The Shark 6 stands out in the ute segment with its plug-in hybrid powertrain delivering a combined 321 kW and 650 Nm of torque. It’s quicker off the mark than conventional diesel-powered utes, yet operates more quietly and cleanly. Judges praised its refined, SUV-like interior, extensive features, and highly practical load-carrying capability. With a smooth, efficient drivetrain and reduced emissions, the BYD Shark 6 sets a new standard for Kiwi ute buyers.
Highly Recommended – GWM Cannon Alpha, Mitsubishi Triton
Bike of the Year – Triumph Speed 400
This effectively rewrites the rules on how good a learner bike can be. They really thought of everything here: it’s light, has great brakes, good rubber, compliant suspension, stellar fuel economy, clear dials, and extended service intervals. It’s cheap to buy and cheap to run. And it handles just so beautifully. A beaut bike for the times.
A note about the NZ Autocar COTY Awards
Cars eligible are those new models introduced in the past 12 months. The class winners were gathered together for a final back-to-back test and assessed by a panel of five judges to declare a winner. Points for consideration include a vehicle’s overall value, specification, and level of after-sales service. Dynamics are important, as is performance, but this must be balanced with the impact on local air quality. Safety is vital, as is practicality — it has to be user-friendly.
Author
Kyle has been reviewing cars since starting at NZ Autocar magazine in 2003 and has been editor since 2009. In that time he’s become an expert on what makes for a good vehicle while also gaining insights into the local automotive industry.
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