The 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year award for the best pickup under $85,000 has a winner, and the choice was not as close as the debate suggested. After a shortlist of ten vehicles was cut to three finalists, the editorial team landed on a clear favorite, though the runners-up put up a serious fight. The category covers one of the most competitive segments in the Australian new-car market.
The runners-up are listed in alphabetical order by model name, with no traditional podium or bronze and silver placements. Just three finalists and one winner.
Ford Ranger still a favorite across the board
Every single judge from the panel voted for the Ford Ranger in one way or another. It did not score enough first-place votes to win, but it appeared on every judge’s top-three list.
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The judging panel praised the Ranger’s capability and the breadth of its lineup, especially now that Super Duty and plug-in hybrid variants are available. Not everyone loved every version. Some judges suggested the plug-in Stormtrak variant felt a little “cynical” due to its underwhelming EV performance, while others liked it. But all agreed the Ranger remains among Australia’s best pickups.
“It might no longer be the outright benchmark, but it is superior to almost every other pickup in lots of ways,” said Managing Editor Tim Nicholson.
Kia Tasman arrives with a strong first impression
First year on sale and first appearance on the CarsGuide COTY podium is a solid result for Kia’s first-ever dual-cab offering, the Tasman. The judges acknowledged that the styling might be controversial, but there was nothing opinion-splitting about how the Tasman drives or the attention its designers paid to the cabin.
“It does the workhorse thing really well, and with a long warranty. It’s big inside. It has got a stunning interior. It has a big tub. Kia has come from nowhere and they have swung really hard at this,” stated contributing journalist Byron Mathioudakis.
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BYD Shark 6 changed the game without the usual specs
No single pickup had a bigger impact on Australia’s dual-cab market last year than the BYD Shark 6. It attracted more than 18,000 customers across 2025, and it did that without some of the key weapons in the traditional pickup arsenal. To succeed in Australia, pickups are expected to have a diesel engine, tow 3.5 tonnes, and carry a tonne in the tray. The Shark 6 cannot do any of that.
It was the fourth best-selling pickup in the country last year with just one body style and one trim level. In place of the diesel engine is a plug-in hybrid petrol powertrain that has seriously resonated with Australian consumers. Other manufacturers far more established in the pickup segment are now scrambling to follow that path.
“The big thing for me is the ambition of the product, and the way that it’s just turned the segment upside down,” commented Tom White, Deputy News Editor of the outlet. “You could argue the segment had become a bit stagnant and boring, and I think Shark 6 just overhauls it completely.”
