1st - VW Passat 2.0 TDi
The mighty 320Nm output from Passat’s frugal 2.0 turbo-diesel blows all comers away on economy, saving $500-ish annually compared with the in-class competitors — despite sky-high diesel price (26.6 cents per litre more expensive than the 91 RON unleaded required by Aurion and Falcon). Despite highest in-class purchase price, and an insurance premium significantly higher than Aurion’s, Passat’s better drive score snuck it into first place a slim 1.39 points in front of the Toyota but a full 4.48 points ahead of the new Falcon G6. If you’re not convinced by the Australian-built large cars, you could do much worse than visit a VW dealership.




2nd - Toyota Aurion Prodigy
Just pipped by the Passat, Aurion is a clear winner in the insurance premium stakes, undercutting the equal cost Falcon by $230 per annum, and the more expensive VW by nearly $300. Not enough, though, to negate the extra $500 fuel it drinks over the VW.




3rd - Ford FG Falcon G6
Ford’s latest and greatest is the dynamic pick of the bunch but trails the VW by five percent against GSC scoring criteria. It’s also more expensive to insure than second-place Aurion despite equal pricing, and drinks more per year to the tune of $140.