This year was momentous in the world of motoring. Drive staff reflect on the highs and lows of 2016, as well as what's around the corner.
With 2017 around the corner it is time to look back on the year that was. While 2016 has claimed its share of celebrities and one celebrity claimed the American presidency, we're looking back on what caught your attention in the motoring world.
Here are the 10 most popular stories on Drive.com.au in 2016. It's a diverse list with everything from unpopular cars to supercars in Italy and four-wheel drives in the Australian outback. So without further ado, here are your favourite stories from the year.
Best cars no-one buys
Being a good car is no guarantee of sales success, as this story demonstrated. Back in May we looked at five of the most highly rated new models by the Drive team that were selling well short of what they deserved.
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While the Toyota Corolla, Mazda3 and Toyota HiLux are the most popular sellers, the likes of the Skoda Fabia (pictured), Ford Focus and Mazda BT-50 are better than it seems buyers give them credit for.
Ironically, the unpopular cars proved a popular story, comfortably becoming one of our highest rating stories of the year. If only that level of interest could be translated to sales the car companies would be happier.
2016 Drive Car of the Year Overall winner
The countdown to revealing our annual Drive Car of the Year champion proved a hit with readers. After a month of anticipation as we rolled out of each of our 15 category winners, the revelation came that the Volkswagen Tiguan 110TSI had taken our top honour.
It came after months of preparation and planning, not to mention thousands of kilometres of testing, that goes into running our comprehensive Car of the Year awards.
Seven-seat SUV comparison test
This one shouldn't really come as too much of a surprise. Combining the popularity of the seven-seat SUV market with the long-anticipated all-new Mazda CX-9 this first comparison test proved a hit with you.
The CX-9 took on its direct competitors - Toyota's Kluger, Hyundai's Santa Fe and Kia's Sorrento - and not only did it come out on top of this four-way contest the new Mazda went on to claim the Best Family SUV title at Drive Car of the Year and was then voted one of the four finalists for the overall award.
Four-wheel drive comparison test
In August we pitted our 2015 Drive Car of the Year champion, the ?Ford Everest, against three rivals - the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, Toyota Fortuner and the Australian Outback.
The trio of off-roaders were put to the test along the challenging Canning Stock Route in Western Australia. The popularity of the story suggests that there are still plenty of SUV buyers that want to tackle the big outback trip.
?Volkswagen Trakkadu campervan review
The idea of adventure seems a popular one amongst readers, with this Volkswagen T6 based campervan proving a smash hit. Our (former) man Sam took the camper away for a three-day weekend to really put it to the test.
The resulting review was one of our most-read this year and led to unprecedented interest in the Australian-made Trakkadu vehicles.
2018 Holden Commodore Prototype drive review
This was another unsurprisingly popular article. With so much written and said about the end of the local car industry, naturally there is an intense interest in what will replace the Australian-made Commodore.
Drive was one of a select few outlets invited to Holden's Lang Lang proving grounds in September to drive a prototype of the European designed and engineered Commodore that will arrive in local showrooms in late 2017.
Ferrari 488 Spider in Italy feature
What better way to test the new Ferrari 488 Spider than a road trip around Italy. But not just any trip, this one took our man from the Ferrari factory in Maranello through the glorious Tuscan countryside to the famous marble mines of Carrara on a journey to find the art in beauty, and what means to the Italians.
Ford Focus RS first drive review
One of the most hotly anticipated cars of 2016 was Ford's new Focus RS; the blue oval's latest and greatest turbocharged, all-wheel drive hot hatch. The car was surrounded in hype, from the involvement of Gymkhana star Ken Block to the pioneering 'Drift Mode' in the all-wheel drive system. This was one car everyone was eager to read about.
Our first taste came in January at the international launch in Spain. It was there that the car was put through its paces on road and track to show off what it could do. It impressed us then and kept impressing us all the way to Drive Car of the Year where it took out the title of Best Performance Car Under $60,000.
Toyota HiLux fails the moose test
It is one of Australia's most popular new vehicles, so the news that the Toyota HiLux failed Sweden's infamous 'Moose test' got you clicking. Swedish publication Teknikens V'rld carried out its traditional testing procedure - swerving sharply at 60km/h from one lane to another, to simulate avoiding a moose - and found itself with the HiLux on two-wheels, dangerously close to tipping over.
The footage of the test was suitably dramatic and helped make this one of the most read stories. However, it had no impact on HiLux sales in Australia...
Mercedes-Benz X-Class revealed
Mercedes could be onto a winner if this is any indication of how popular its new X-Class ute will be. The German luxury brand will expand its commercial vehicles range with a pick-up based on the Nissan Navara in 2018.
The unveiling of the initial concept was one of our most read stories and demonstrates that even though Benz has little history in this market people are intrigued to see what they come up with to compete against the likes of the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok.
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4 Comments
Story 1. They don't sell many of those vehicles for a good reason. They do not match what the Australin public want. Perhaps it is time for the journalists here to to better match their reporting with the expectations of the Australian public - ditto for the manufacturers of these vehicles. Story 2. You neglected to mention the predominantly negative reaction to your COTY choice. Story 4. It didn't dent the sales of Hiluxes in Australia because we don't have any mooses on our roads. Most of our wildlife has a low center of gravity meaning that you are probably better off hitting them rather than trying to avoid them in some cases. Moose stand taller than a horse and weigh more, all sitting on matchstick legs - generally throwing a tonne of meat straight at your windshield.
@the truth: The moose test is not about the effects or otherwise of impact with an overgrown arctic deer; - it's about avoiding one in an unexpected swerve. To that end the Hilux did what you'd expect of a high-riding, poor-handling heavily-sprung industrial workhorse .....it didn't swerve well at all. (hint: handling isn't a big priority for tradies, but those Aussie-blokes determined to see a truck as a viable family hauler should rethink their choice)
I am aware of what the moose test is. My comment still stands. You are better off in Australia hitting the animal head on - let the crumple zones do their work. Apart from side impact bars that are only 150mm away from your body in a vehicle roll, they offer no protection for your head from intrusion by objects during a roll. Side air bags will protect your head in an accident assuming you remain on all 4 wheels, once you start rolling, tree stumps and rocks can tear the airbag to shreds. The most dangerous animals on or near the road are eagles feeding off roadkill. They take a hell of a long time to get fully airborne after gorging themselves, typically flying about 4 feet above ground (in ground effect) until they have the flight speed to fly higher. If you don't believe me, as any long distance truckie...
Ditto regarding your absurd DCOTY choice. A VW? I had the privilege of driving a brand new Tiguan for a week as VW repaired yet more issues with my VW. Which is now sold. Aa a vehicle is is OK to drive, but nothing special. TO be very blunt, a Kia Sportage drives far better, as do both the Honda HRV and CRV. I know, as I test drove them back to back and purchased one of these models. The Biggest eye opener is your journalists have the unmitigated gall to forget about all the VW issues with sensors, flywheels, transmissions, loss of power 'features' when you plant the foot and NEED to move, etc. etc. etc. etc. Let alone the infamous VW game playing with warranty issues, and how one has to fight tooth and nail to get things done. I read it due to my incredulity. Good story guys. NOT!