NLA's favourite vehicles: The cars our team can't stop talking about

Working in novated leasing means you live and breathe cars

Spend five minutes in our office or dipping into our team chat, and one thing becomes obvious: we are genuine car people.

When you spend your working life evaluating vehicle specifications, comparing real-world running costs, and helping Australians get into new cars, you naturally become an expert on what’s worth your hard-earned money. Between our team members, there are decades of combined automotive and finance experience, plenty of spirited debates, and more than a few self-confessed rev-heads.

We see every new model land on the market, and we hear the unfiltered feedback from drivers across the country. But among all the quotes and test drives, a handful of vehicles stand out as true staff favourites.

Whether you're planning an epic cross-country trek, upgrading the family daily driver, or looking for borderline supercar pace, here are the rides our team can’t stop talking about.

1. The unstoppable workhorse: Ford Ranger

The advocate: Nik Gorell, Sales Team Lead

The verdict: “Comfortable, powerful, versatile. It goes anywhere, it does anything.”

There is a good reason the Ford Ranger remains one of Australia's favourite vehicles. While plenty of people see dual-cab utes purely as work tools, Nik knows firsthand that the Ranger doubles as a serious, cross-country family tourer.

Why we rate it

Modern dual-cab utes often struggle to balance heavy payload and towing credentials with everyday passenger comfort, but the Ranger manages both effortlessly. Its unladen ride is remarkably refined, the cabin tech rivals premium family SUVs, and the towing platform inspires genuine confidence.

Novated lease tip

Because popular dual-cab utes like the Ranger have a payload capacity under one tonne, they are fully eligible for a novated lease. Packaging one lets you bundle diesel, scheduled servicing, comprehensive insurance, registration, and all-terrain tyres into a single tax-effective payroll deduction, saving you thousands in GST and income tax over the life of your lease.

2. The queen of the road: Toyota LandCruiser Prado Kakadu

The advocate: Kristy Lake, Chief Operations Officer

The verdict: “You feel like a queen on the road - the OG mum mobile!”

Few nameplates command as much respect in the Australian market as the LandCruiser family. For Kristy, the top-spec Prado Kakadu offers an unbeatable combination of everyday luxury, rock-solid reliability, and commanding visibility.

Why we rate it

The Kakadu grade turns a rugged, go-anywhere 4WD into a genuinely plush daily sanctuary. With supple leather, great sound insulation, and an all-terrain system that handles suburban school runs just as easily as remote tracks, it’s built for total peace of mind. On top of that, Toyota's strong resale values work directly in your favour when managing your end-of-lease residual balance.

Novated lease tip

High-spec 4WDs represent a substantial outlay, which makes the upfront GST exemption on the purchase price (saving up to $6,334) an instant advantage. Under a novated lease, using the Employee Contribution Method (ECM) eliminates employer Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) liability while letting you package servicing, tyres, and fuel using pre-tax income.

3. The family spaceship: Zeekr 7X Long Range

The advocate: Sean McCabe, Engineering Lead

The verdict: “Feels more like a spaceship than a family SUV - the tech is next-level.”

Leave it to our tech lead to fall head-over-heels for one of the most sophisticated electric SUVs to hit Australian shores. Sean points to the Zeekr 7X Long Range as the benchmark for how modern software, effortless power, and family practicality should intersect.

Why we rate it

The 7X proves that moving to a family-sized crossover doesn't mean sacrificing tech or driving fun. Built on an advanced 800V high-voltage architecture, it delivers ultra-fast DC charging speeds, whisper-quiet highway cruising, and standard equipment, including ventilated massage seats and a concert-grade sound system, that traditional European luxury brands often lock behind hefty options packages.

Novated lease tip

The Zeekr 7X sits comfortably below the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles ($91,661 in FY 2026/27). That means it qualifies for the Federal Government's 100% EV FBT exemption, allowing eligible drivers to cover the vehicle finance, electricity, servicing, and insurance entirely out of pre-tax earnings.

4. The supercar-slayer: Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

The advocate: Raymond Yiu, Sales Team Lead

The verdict: “Exhilarating, high-tech, razor-sharp. Redefines what an EV can be.”

By all sensible metrics, an electric crossover shouldn't have business being this unruly. For Raymond, the beauty of the Ioniq 5 N is that beneath its spacious five-seat cabin and everyday practicality lies a razor-sharp, tyre-shredding weapon designed by people who truly love driving.

Why we rate it

The Ioniq 5 N is an engineering masterclass. By pairing paddle-shifted virtual gear changes and emotive acoustics with serious thermal management, Hyundai created an EV that actively rewards enthusiast driving, all while maintaining the spacious five-seat practicality of a daily family crossover.

Novated lease tip

Vehicles with 478kW of power usually come with eye-watering running costs: premium 98 fuel, frequent brake and tyre wear, and expensive maintenance. While the Ioniq 5 N's high-performance price tag sits above the FBT exemption threshold, packaging it via a novated lease using the Employee Contribution Method (ECM) still eliminates dealer finance markups, wipes out GST on maintenance and replacement tyres, and lets you manage performance running costs through structured payroll deductions.

Ready to talk cars?

Whether your ideal garage features a rugged Ford Ranger for towing, an iconic LandCruiser Prado Kakadu, a tech-loaded Zeekr 7X, or an electric powerhouse like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, you don't need to fund it purely from your take-home pay.

Curious to see what your preferred car looks like on paper? Run the numbers through our transparent novated lease calculator to compare vehicle pricing, tax savings, and running costs side by side.