Drive Car of the Year 2024 – Best Urban Car Under $30K FINALISTS

Over the next few weeks, we'll be explaining all the categories and contenders for Drive Car of the Year 2024. Testing is currently underway, with the final winners to be announced early next year.

*Updated 12 pm, December 11, 2023 

FINALISTS CONFIRMED 

Initial judging has taken place, opinions heard, votes tallied, and we now have our battleground – and fighters – for the Best Urban Car Under $30K. As an all-new category for Drive Car of the Year 2024, it was a clean slate for all kinds of vehicles to weigh in and contend for the prized title.

The 11 judges have singled out the Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Yaris Cross, and the Hyundai i30 as the worthiest finalists according to the criteria. To rise to be the cream of the crop, one of these three cars needs to prove it has the best combination of equipment, safety, and efficiency at a sharp price point – all in a compact and practical body. This is no small feat, especially for small cars.

The Hyundai i30 sedan is separated from its hatch alternative this year because only the sedan variant got a significant facelift towards of the end of 2023. And it’s already impressed our editorial team for its sheer value for money.

For just under $30K you get a well-equipped – and frugal – entry-level variant that boasts a full suite of safety equipment, suave new LED light bar at the front, and wireless charging (and smartphone mirroring) housed in an 8.0-inch touchscreen. Its non-turbo engine might only produce 110kW and 180Nm, but an impressive 6.1L/100km combined fuel claim is arguably the most important factor at this price point.

Read more about the Hyundai i30 here.

Between the Yaris hatch, GR Yaris, and Yaris Cross, Toyota has a compact car for every kind of buyer, yet it is the last one that is arguably the most practical solution for savvy car shoppers.

Only one variant, the Yaris Cross GX Hybrid, scrapes under this award’s $30K price ceiling, but it is not short of features, equipment, space and safety. Power is derived from a non-turbo 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine which drives the front wheels, and considering its a fuel-sipping hybrid, fuel efficiency is an impressively low 3.8L/100km.

Read more about the Toyota Yaris Cross here.

For just under $30,000 Volkswagen offers the entry-level Polo 85TSI Life. Buyers flock to the Polo for a European sense of quality and a refined powertrain serving up 85kW/200Nm outputs through the front wheels. It’s mated to a slick and responsive seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, while the soft-riding suspension eats-up all manner of road imperfections around town.

Naturally, Volkswagens come with quality interiors and a solid technology experience too.  

Read more about the Volkswagen Polo range here.

The below was first published on November 13, 2023

To be crowned the Best Urban Car Under $30K, a vehicle must provide the best combination of equipment, safety and efficiency at a sharp price in a compact yet practical body. In essence, urban new car buyers want fuss-free compact motoring with a balance of features for the price. 

This category is new for 2024, combining the best of the Micro, Light and Small passenger cars classes with Light SUVs. The target buyer is extremely budget-conscious, motivated by a sharp recommended retail price under $30,000, cheap running costs and a city-friendly compact footprint for getting into and out of tight spaces. 

Because this is a new category that has never been contested before, every car currently on sale that fits the above criteria is eligible. So, we’ve got everything from the fun and funky – and freshly updated – Fiat 500 to the sales runaways like the MG 3, Kia Cerato and Hyundai i30. 

Toyota and Mazda are popular brands in many market segments, particularly at the cheaper end of the market thanks to strong performers in the Toyota Yaris Cross mini-SUV and the Mazda 2 hatchback and CX-3 crossover. Kia has no less than four models that fit the bill in the Cerato, Picanto, Rio and Stonic, while Suzuki slips its Ignis and Swift hatchbacks in under our price ceiling. 

The only Europeans at the pointiest end of the market are the aforementioned Fiat 500 and the very impressive Volkswagen Polo, both of which prove that you can get continental traits at a low price. 

Drive’s rules require that, for a car to be eligible, it must:

Sadly, Hyundai was not able to get us the updated i30 hatch (it doesn't land until 2024), but the updated four-door sedan did launch in time and is one of the early favourites to take out this category. 

The Hyundai i30 sedan will have its work cut out for it against the Kia Cerato, which is something of a stablemate to the Hyundai i30 (Hyundai and Kia share many components) and comes with a longer warranty and sharper servicing costs. 

Equally, it’s hard to go past the myriad charms of the Toyota Yaris Cross crossover hatchback, particularly in the economical hybrid GX grade. Toyota’s ability to give consumers exactly what they need is near-legendary, and the promise of fuss-free motoring inherent in the brand is one reason it is Australia’s favourite car maker. 

Here is the list of eligible cars, drawn from the FCAI’s Passenger Micro, Passenger Light, Passenger Small and SUV Light car classes, with a retail price under $30,000. Please note that in some cases, the vehicle’s price range extends beyond the category ceiling. In these cases, only the models priced below the cap are eligible. 

The winner of the 2024 Drive Car of the Year Best Urban Car Under $30K will be announced in February 2024.

Before then, we will announce the finalists, all of which deliver on the buyer’s expectations for cost-effective urban motoring. One thing is certain: this category promises to be one of the toughest confronting our 11 experienced judges.

Read more: 

Drive Car of the Year 2024 is a go!
Drive Car of the Year Overview
Drive Car of the Year 2023 winners