Game-changing cars of 2025 according to Drive

Every new car that arrives in Australian showrooms has the potential to change the game for an individual, but not all of them can affect the wider automotive landscape.

There are a few, however, that could be deemed as true game-changers – ones that will impact the landscape and have their ramifications felt for years to come.

This could be because of pricing, capability, or giving buyers a new option in a crowded market, but these are the cars Drive feels have changed the game the most in 2025.

As more and more brands pull away from entry-level segments, citing low margins and a lack of demand, BYD looks set to wipe the floor clean with the new Atto 1.

A compact city car with an enticing $23,990 starting price is already a decent proposition. Consider that this EV also undercuts petrol-powered competitors like the Mazda 2, Suzuki Swift, and Toyota Yaris and the BYD Atto 1 represents a big shake-up in Australia's new car class, where most mainstream brands are struggling to get EVs in under $40K, let alone under $30K.

Of course, it won't be for everyone with its compact size and limited range, but the impact it has on the entry-level car market should be enough to ripple through bigger and more expensive models too.

Private and small business buyers, such as farmers in rural Australia, are still likely to gravitate to the Toyota because of its rusted-on loyalty base, and for good reason, it has been a dependable choice for the last 40 years. 

However, the Ranger Super Duty is a game-changing ute for big-spending large businesses and government fleets. It is far more modern with greater safety features, and doesn't need aftermarket upgrades to achieve higher braked towing capacity, gross vehicle mass and gross combined mass figures. It's ready to hit the job site from day one.

I’m torn on this one. The Shark 6 has so rapidly become a fixture on Aussie roads that it’s hard to believe that customer deliveries only started near the beginning of 2025. It has, at a stroke, created a sub-niche for the plug-in hybrid light-duty leisure ute, and will no doubt spawn a rash of copycats. 

The Atto 1 microcar might well have an even bigger impact though, bringing pure EV motoring down to a reasonable price point. The fact that it’s also a hoot to drive is the icing on the cake, so after some consideration, the baby BYD just squeaks it.

I'd agree that the Kia Tasman's launch marked a real high point for 2025's new-car market. Here is an inexperienced (with utes, specifically) brand that hit it out of the park on its first attempt at a light-commercial vehicle. The interior is leaps and bounds better than the established ute crowd, its off-road ability is proven, and the pricing is bang-on. 

If only Kia's designers weren't so avantgarde with their styling.

Sure, 220km to 310km of range isn't a whole lot. But the Atto 1 is a car with character – funky styling, a surprisingly nice cabin, and a playful, punchy nature on the road (at least in its higher-spec form).

It has to be the BYD Atto 1. Bargain basement price (for an EV, in 2025), fully electric powertrain, and a car that is more practical and fun to drive than you might think. It will open up the possibility of a first or second car to be electric for a lot of Australian buyers, and really moves the game forward.

When you take aim at the best, you better not miss, and Kia has certainly hit the mark with its Ford Ranger-dethroning Tasman.

I get it, not everyone likes the looks, but as a first attempt at a dual-cab ute, the Kia Tasman is surprisingly refined, comfortable, capable, and well put together.

I'd say the interior is easily the best in class with its mix of high-end materials, cutting-edge tech, and usable space, and its specifically tuned 2.2-litre turbo-diesel and eight-speed automatic transmission are more than up to task.

The Kia Tasman changes the game because it finally gives local buyers a viable alternative to the dominant Ford Ranger - even if sales haven't quite caught on yet.

Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.

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