Holden at 30: Drive pairs Commodore with Tesla Model Y at Melbourne Motor Show
holden is back in the spotlight as Drive prepares to mark its 30th anniversary at the Melbourne Motor Show with a display built around a Holden Commodore and a Tesla Model Y. The comparison is meant to show how Australia’s car market has changed since 1996, when locally made large sedans still dominated sales. Drive says the display will also point to shifts in technology, safety, and the way Australians research and buy cars.
A 30-year snapshot of a changing market
The stand places Australia’s best-selling vehicle from 1996 beside the 2026 Drive Car of the Year, turning the exhibit into a simple visual of three decades of change. The Holden Commodore once sat at the center of the family car market, while the Tesla Model Y reflects the rise of battery electric vehicles and the growing weight of SUVs in buyer demand.
The contrast is not just about two vehicles. It also captures a wider shift in the market structure, where domestic production has disappeared and Chinese brands have expanded rapidly. Buyers now face a far broader mix of drivetrains, body styles, and price points than they did 30 years ago. The company says the number of brands operating in Australia has grown from about 50 to more than 70, adding choice but also making comparisons more complex.
What visitors will see at the show
Drive says its editorial staff will be on hand at the Melbourne Motor Show to answer visitor questions and offer practical guidance on the current market. The company will also distribute its 2026 New Car Roadmap, described as a guide to brands and models currently on sale. The display is being framed less as a product launch and more as a way to explain how the Australian market has evolved around consumers.
Simon Halfhide, Chief Executive Officer at Drive, said the rise in options has made advice more valuable in the buying process. “For 30 years we have watched new badges come and go, but the questions from Australian buyers stay the same. Is this brand any good? Will this model suit my family? Drive has supported generations of car buyers answering these questions, so they do not have to learn those lessons the hard way, ” he said.
Why the comparison matters now
The company’s message lands at a time when new entrants, especially from China, have been reshaping competition on price and features across combustion-engine and electric vehicle segments. James Ward, Director of Content at Drive, said the market has become more competitive for consumers. “New brands, especially from China, have changed the shape of the market, bringing real competition on price and features. Drive is providing buyers a clear, independent view so they can weigh up a sharp deal against long term quality, safety and support, ” he said.
Drive says it reaches more than 4 million Australians each month across digital, print, broadcast, social, and radio platforms, and its annual Drive Car of the Year awards will enter their 21st year in 2026. The Melbourne Motor Show display underlines that role by drawing a straight line from the Holden Commodore era to a market now defined by choice, technology, and far more complicated buying decisions. As the anniversary display opens, holden becomes a reminder of how much has changed, and how quickly the next chapter of the market may unfold.
