The latest version of Mazda's enduring roadster the MX-5 has won Australia's most prestigious motoring prize for a third time.
The two-seater has been named Wheels magazine's car of the year for 2016 after earlier models of the car took out the award in 1989 and 2005.
Wheels editor Glenn Butler says the MX-5 is motoring at its purest.
"The car itself is a stunning achievement," he said.
"It's smaller on the outside yet more spacious on the inside.
"It's lighter than its predecessors yet is more durable. It is quite simply better than ever."
Mr Butler said the Mazda performed impressively against Wheels' judging criteria which included function, technology, efficiency, safety and value.
The judges described the MX-5 as "lithe, super-agile and exquisitely balanced".
It beat out 24 other finalists for the prize with its win coming after a troublesome year for the motoring industry, which was rocked by the global emissions scandal.
Four cars from companies involved, Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda, were among the Wheels' finalists - the Volkswagen Passat, Audi's Q7 and TT, and Skoda's Fabia.
Despite considerable debate the magazine ultimately decided to judge the cars on their merits, without immediate reference to the allegations over cheating of emissions standards.
The Wheels prize was announced as part of the 2016 Australian Motoring Awards on Wednesday when the Porsche 911 GT3 was named the performance car of the year and the Ford Everest the four-wheel-drive of the year.
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