Best-Rated New Cars

See Our Ratings Methodology.

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Most Satisfied Customers | Subaru

Aussies have rated Subaru as the top brand in Canstar Blue’s latest new car ratings, with the brand scoring five stars for reliability, driving experience, value for money, features, appearance, upgrades & extras and overall satisfaction.

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How we rate new cars

Our review compares new cars on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which new car they think is best!


Canstar Blue surveyed 1,571 Australians for their feedback on the new car(s) they’ve purchased in the last five years.

  • The outcomes reported in these ratings are measured via accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics.


Respondents rate their satisfaction with their new car brand(s) from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
  • Overall satisfaction: measures consumer satisfaction with a new car brand as an individual score NOT a combined total of all criteria.
  • Reliability: the new car operates consistently and as expected.
  • Driving experience: the new car responds well to actions, including acceleration and handling, and is comfortable to be behind the wheel of.
  • Value for money: the cost is reasonable for the quality and performance of the new car.
  • Customer service: the new car brand’s staff were readily available to contact, and help with questions or solve issues that arose.
  • Features: the new car brand includes a range of useful elements covering performance and comfort.
  • Appearance: the new car brand looks appealing externally and internally.
  • Upgrades & extras: the new car brand has a range of additional upgrades and extras available to purchase.

The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.

  • Overall satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
  • When we cannot determine a clear winner from the criteria for the Overall satisfaction rating, we will then look at the other criteria measured in the rating.
    • The brand with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and thus win the award. If a clear leader still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.

Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.

  • Subaru
  • Mazda
  • Mercedes
  • Nissan
  • Kia
  • Mitsubishi
  • Toyota
  • Volkswagen
  • Hyundai
  • BMW
  • Suzuki
  • MG
  • Ford
  • Honda
  • Audi

Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.


Top New Car Brand – Subaru

Subaru Impreza

Subaru is well-known for its Impreza models, with WRX posters adorning plenty of bedroom walls. If an SUV is more your speed, Subaru offers the Outback, Forester, Crosstrek and Solterra models, with the BRZ sports car available for those looking to put their foot down. The Subaru Impreza is currently available as a hatch or sedan model, with the top-of-the-line 2.0i-S AWD hatch including a 4-cylinder petrol engine, 115kW engine output, 18inch wheels, multiple driving modes, Lane Keep Assist, Pre-Collision Braking System, daytime running lights, sports pedals, 4.2inch instrument cluster and two USB ports.

Those after a SUV may be interested in the Crosstrek, one of Subaru’s latest offerings. Available as a petrol or hybrid model, the Crosstrek is available as a 2.0L, 2.0R, 2.0S or Hybrid L or S model, with the base 2.0L model featuring AWD, Vision Assist, 11.6inch infotainment unit, daytime running lights, roof rails and 4-cylinder 2.0L direct injection engine.

  • Subaru was rated five stars for reliability, driving experience, value for money, features, appearance, upgrades & extras and overall satisfaction, with four stars for customer service.

Shopping for tyres? Check out JAX Tyres & Auto

Compare more products featured in our Most Satisfied Customers Awards

How much are Aussies spending on new cars?

Coming in lower than last year, Aussies are spending, on average, over $37,000 on their new car purchase. 23% of survey respondents stated that their most recent car purchase was their dream car, with 6% said that the car they most recently purchased was their first car. So while it’s understandable that you might spend a bit more on your dream car or your first car, you’ll want to be sure that you’re getting a good deal, and aren’t being taken for a ride.

Check out our article on average car cost to see a further break down on what Aussie motorists are spending on.

According to our survey respondents, their previous car lasted about six years. Over half (55%) said they opted for a new set of wheels because they wanted an upgrade, while 19% of consumers needed more space. Alternatively, a handful of those we surveyed said they actually needed less seating or boot space (5%).

Another reason our survey respondents headed to the dealership was to snag a specific model (14%), such as for off-roading or for work. Just 12% of the people we surveyed bought a brand new car because their old car stopped running, while 8% headed to the dealership after their old car was written off.

If you want to join the 54% of people who believe they got a good deal on the price of their new car, here are some things they did before making the big purchase:

  • Test drove before purchasing: 61%
  • Researched their car online: 58%
  • Bought a new vehicle as part of an exchange deal, such as by selling an old vehicle at the same time: 48%
  • Tried to negotiate a lower price 39%
  • Timed the purchase of the new car to get the best price, such as by waiting for end of financial year (EOFY) sales: 17%

Compare Luxury Cars

About our consumer experts


Dean Heckscher: Site Editor

This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Site Editor, Dean Heckscher. He’s our resident expert on all things automotive, health & fitness, streaming and more. Dean is also one of Canstar Blue’s customer research report producers, helping to turn complicated subjects into easily-digestible information for our readers. He’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services.

 

Meet the Editorial Team

 

Samantha Howse: Consumer Research Specialist

Sam Howse Research Specialist

Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.

 

Meet the Research Team

Past Ratings

Here are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s new car ratings:

  • 2022: Kia
  • 2021: Isuzu
  • 2020: Audi & Mazda
  • 2019: Mitsubishi
  • 2018: Suzuki
  • 2017: BMW
  • 2016: BMW & Mazda
  • 2014: Ford
  • 2013: Mitsubishi

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