Tesla Model Y Sweeps Australia and New Zealand Awards — And Sets a New ANCAP Safety Record

The Tesla Model Y has had a remarkable run in Australia and New Zealand. In a single post, Tesla's official AU/NZ account summarised what amounts to a full sweep of the region's most credible automotive recognition: five awards, top safety scores, and best-selling EV status in both countries — simultaneously.

📊 Key Figures

The Full List: Every Award and Recognition

Tesla's AU/NZ account laid out the complete picture in a single post. Here is what the Model Y has collected:

• Drive Car of the Year 2026 (Australia) — The overall title, awarded to the vehicle that "moves the game forward the most for Australian new car buyers," as announced by Drive on February 23, 2026.
• Drive Best EV Under $60K 2026 (Australia) — Specifically the Model Y RWD variant, priced from $58,900 AUD plus on-roads, won this category outright.
• Autocar/Autotrader EV of the Year (New Zealand) — Recognition from New Zealand's automotive publishing landscape, reinforcing the Model Y's dominance across the Tasman.
• Best-Selling EV in Both Australia and New Zealand — Not an award handed out by a panel, but arguably the most meaningful signal: 22,239 units delivered in Australia alone in 2025, making it the top-selling EV for the third consecutive year. In New Zealand, it similarly led EV sales for 2025.
• ANCAP Safest Medium SUV & Highest Overall Weighted Score (2025) — The Australasian New Car Assessment Program rated the Model Y the safest medium SUV in the region and gave it the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025 — across all categories and all segments.

🔭 The BASENOR Take

What makes this sweep significant is not any single award — it is the breadth. Drive Car of the Year is judged by automotive journalists evaluating real-world usability, value, and driving experience. ANCAP safety scores are derived from controlled crash testing and active safety system assessments. Sales figures are raw market data. All three independent measurement frameworks arrived at the same answer.

The ANCAP result deserves particular attention. Scoring the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025 — not just the highest in its segment, but across all vehicles tested that year — is a claim that puts the Model Y in rare company. The breakdown tells the story: 95% for child occupant protection and 92% for safety assist systems are exceptional scores that reflect both the car's physical structure and its software-driven active safety suite.

For the Model Y RWD to win Best EV Under $60K at $58,900 AUD is also strategically meaningful. That price point sits right at the boundary that many family buyers consider the ceiling for a large family SUV purchase. Winning that category at that price signals strong value positioning in the market's most competitive EV segment.

📰 Deep Dive

The Model Y's third consecutive year as Australia's best-selling EV — with 22,239 units in 2025 — is not a coincidence. It reflects a vehicle that has maintained competitive pricing, continued receiving meaningful software improvements via over-the-air updates, and now carries the weight of independent validation from some of the region's most trusted automotive authorities. For existing owners, these results reinforce the resale story: award-winning vehicles with industry-leading safety ratings historically hold value better in the used car market.

The 2026 Model Y lineup in Australia and New Zealand also arrives with updated specifications that strengthen the value case further. The RWD delivers 466 km of WLTP range and a 5.9-second 0-100 km/h time — practical numbers for the family buyer the car is designed for. The Performance variant, sourced from Gigafactory Berlin, steps up to 580 km WLTP range and a 3.5-second 0-100 time in Australia (3.3 seconds in New Zealand), at $89,400 AUD. For those considering the Performance, the Gigafactory Berlin sourcing is worth noting — it is the same facility that produces vehicles for European markets, bringing consistent build standards to AU/NZ buyers.

In New Zealand, the Autocar/Autotrader EV of the Year win adds to a picture of consistent recognition across both sides of the Tasman. The NZ market has historically been sensitive to value-for-money positioning in EVs, and the Model Y's ability to win that market's specialist EV award while simultaneously leading sales suggests the vehicle is connecting with buyers on multiple levels — not just early adopters or Tesla loyalists.

Taken together, these awards and figures describe a vehicle that has moved well past the "promising EV" stage and into the kind of mainstream automotive credibility that takes years to build. For prospective AU/NZ buyers sitting on the fence, the combination of an independent car of the year title, a segment-topping safety score, and three years of consecutive sales leadership makes for a compelling purchase argument that does not rely on brand loyalty alone.

David Hartley

Contributing Writer — Industry & Markets

David covers the EV industry, regulatory developments, and accessory ecosystem. 15+ years writing about consumer tech. Based in London.

Sources verified at publish time. Spotted an inaccuracy? Email editorial@basenor.com.