Cars news

• Mitsubishi says EV tech not yet suitable for utes: ‘It’s a show pony, not a workhorse’

  14-09-2024 21:00 via drive.com.au
  Workhorse utes and electric vehicle technology are currently at odds with one another, according to a senior Mitsubishi executive.
  2024 Mitsubishi Triton
  Mitsubishi Australia believes electric vehicle (EV) technology has not matured to the point of utilising it on a workhorse ute like its Triton, despite models like the BYD Shark and Ford Ranger soon to offer hybrid power.Speaking to Drive, Mitsubishi Australia boss Shaun Westcott said the shortcomings of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plu
  
  Read more

• 2025 Toyota Camry price and specs: New hybrid-only sedan costs more

  19-09-2024 01:01 via drive.com.au
  The new Toyota Camry – with heavily-updated bodywork and a fresh interior – is the most expensive in the nameplate’s history, and only available as a hybrid.
  2025 Toyota Camry pricing and specificationsHybrid-only new model brings price hikesMajor update of previous model rather than an all-new vehicle4.0L/100km claimed fuel economy from new 2.5-litre hybridPriced from $39,990 before on-road costs
  Camry SL pictured.
  The price of the cheapest 2025 Toyota Camry has hit new height
  
  Read more

• New 2025 Toyota Camry earns five-star ANCAP safety rating with one record score

  19-09-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  The new Toyota Camry has earned a five-star ANCAP safety rating under the latest criteria with a record score for adult occupant protection.The new 2025 Toyota Camry has received a maximum five-star safety rating from ANCAP ahead of its imminent launch in Australia.ANCAP conducted testing of the new Toyota Camry locally, with all variants – Ascent, Ascent Sport and SL – of the now-hybrid-only sedan earning the rating.While the new-generation Camry is a reworked version of the seven-y
  
  Read more

• 2024 Ford Mustang review: Australian first drive

  19-09-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  A long-awaited American icon returns to Australia, but does the 2024 Ford Mustang retain enough excitement and character? The short answer is yes.2024 Ford MustangYou’ve waited, I’ve waited – it’s finally here. Australian muscle car fans will be overjoyed to hear the 2024 Ford Mustang has touched down on local soil at long last, two whole years after it was revealed at the 2022 Detroit Auto Show.It’s been a long time since the Ford Mustang was launched in our market
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• 2025 Leapmotor C10 electric SUV to undercut chart-topping Tesla Model Y

  19-09-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  Leapmotor will competitively price its incoming C10 electric SUV, undercutting the best-selling electric SUV and other rivals in Australia.Chinese car maker Leapmotor is aiming to establish a competitive presence in Australia’s electric car market with the incoming 2025 C10 electric SUV positioned more affordably than the segment-leading Tesla Model Y and other rivals from big-name brands.
  While official prices are yet to be confirmed, a spokesperson for Stellantis – the global paren
  
  Read more

• BYD to take on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van on home turf

  18-09-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  After mounting challenges to the popular Toyota RAV4 and Ford Ranger, the large van market – dominated by the Mercedes Sprinter and LDV Deliver 9 – is next on the list for China’s BYD.BYD has used a motor show in Germany – the home of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Crafter – to reveal a new large electric van planned for sale in Europe.It is yet to be confirmed for Australia, but if it is offered locally, it would mark BYD’s return to vans after a s
  
  Read more

• New LDV electric ute for Australia revealed as Europe’s Maxus eTerron 9

  18-09-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  LDV’s biggest, boldest ute yet for Australia has Hummer-like styling, more power than a Ranger Raptor, air suspension, and diesel-like towing abilities – but it won’t be cheap.LDV has revealed its next-generation four-wheel-drive ute – due in Australia in 2025 with electric power – in Europe as the Maxus eTerron 9.The new LDV ute is planned to launch first as an electric vehicle, but a diesel version will be available in China, and may reach Australia at a later dat
  
  Read more

• Ford disappointed at V8 Supercars team Toyota switch

  18-09-2024 21:00 via drive.com.au
  Leading Ford V8 Supercars team Walkinshaw Andretti United has announced it will switch to Toyota in 2026 – after moving from Holden to Ford at the start of last year.Ford says it’s disappointed in the Walkinshaw Andretti United Supercars team’s move to Japanese brand Toyota after less than two years with the US car maker.Toyota announced it will enter the Supercars Championship in 2026 with Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU) – who will replace its Ford Mustang race cars wit
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• MG HS plug-in hybrid price slashed in Australia ahead of new model

  18-09-2024 08:13 via drive.com.au
  The MG HS PHEV – marketed as the ‘HS Plus EV’ – is now available from $34,990 drive-away in Australia, a drop of around $12,000 in some states and territories.MG Australia has slashed prices for the HS plug-in hybrid, with national drive-away prices re-introduced for the model.The model – marketed in Australia as the MG HS Plus EV – is now available for $34,990 drive-away nationwide for the entry-level Excite, as it enters run-out ahead of the plug-in hybrid v
  
  Read more

• Nissan’s coolest new creation isn’t a car – it’s this thing

  18-09-2024 08:00 via drive.com.au
  The Nissan Iruyo is an “intelligent puppet” that could be a game changer for parents of young children.The greatest innovations in automotive aren’t always the cars themselves, but rather the adjacent technology that makes drivers’ lives easier, safer or more enjoyable.Think Apple CarPlay, the three-point seatbelt, heated seats or satellite navigation. Now add to that list, Nissan’s Iruyo.
  RELATED: Is the Nissan Qashqai hybrid family-friendly? I decided to find outI
  
  Read more

• Kia Picanto EV equivalent in the works: Australia’s cheapest new car to go electric – report

  18-09-2024 03:17 via drive.com.au
  Kia boss confirms the car maker is working on an electric version of Australia’s most affordable new car – the city-sized Kia Picanto – and is studying an electric successor to its flagship Stinger sports car, too.
  2024 Kia Picanto.
  Australia’s cheapest new car is set to go electric, after Kia’s president confirmed the car maker is working on a city-sized electric car as part of a full-line of electric vehicles, also including a flagship sports car – a success
  
  Read more

• Electric Mini Cooper recalled in Australia due to fire risk

  18-09-2024 02:32 via drive.com.au
  According to the recall notice, the fault could cause the battery management software to fail in the event of a short circuit, leading to a potential fire.Mini has recalled 1408 examples of its 2020-2023 Mini Cooper SE electric hatch, citing a potential fault with the high-voltage battery management software.The affected vehicles are stamped 2020 to 2023 (F56 Generation) models, but may have been sold at a later date.The recall notice, lodged with the Department of
  
  Read more

• Ford Ranger Bushtrak name trademarked: Off-road spec could join Raptor and Tremor

  18-09-2024 02:00 via drive.com.au
  A new choice of the best-selling Ford Ranger – and Ford Everest SUV – could be on the way after the car maker registers another trim level name.The Ford Ranger Bushtrak could be on the way to showrooms after the car maker added the name to its swag of trim levels in South Africa.Following Ford’s confirmation of the limited-edition Ranger Stormtrak for Australia aboard the upcoming Ranger PHEV, the ‘Bushtrak’ and ‘Ranger Bushtrak’ names have been filed fo
  
  Read more

• Tesla to open 100th Supercharger after decade of building EV charging network

  18-09-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  The 100th Supercharger location in the Australia and New Zealand region will open to the public later this week in South Australia.Tesla will open its 100th Supercharger site in Australia and New Zealand later this week, a decade after cutting the ribbon on its first electric car fast-charging station in the region.The 100th location will be in Glenelg, South Australia – with further sites planned in the state at Bordertown, Norwood, and Port Augusta – which joins
  
  Read more

• New Volvo electric cars won’t look like blobs, says designer

  18-09-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  As other car makers go all-in on slippery shapes to maximise driving range, Volvo says its future electric vehicles will retain a familiar, if sometimes boxy appearance.New Volvo electric vehicles will not chase aerodynamics at the expense of a ‘family’ appearance that clearly identifies them as Volvos, according to the designer leading the exterior styling of future models.Electric cars are leading a renewed focus on reducing aerodynamic drag as a ‘free’ way of increasin
  
  Read more

• 2025 Mini Cooper JCW E electric hot hatch to outpunch Cupra Born

  17-09-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  Leaked information suggests Mini’s new electric flagship hot hatch will score a sizeable 190kW output as the official unveiling of Cooper JCW E nears.According to overseas certification documents, the 2025 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works (JCW) E, the brand’s first all-electric performance hero, will output a meaty 190kW to outclass the Cupra Born.Documents cited by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and reported by InsideEVs indicate the pint-sized fla
  
  Read more

• Toyota to enter V8 Supercars in 2026 with GR Supra

  17-09-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  Toyota will wade into the iconic Ford-General Motors battle at Bathurst with a V8-powered version of the GR Supra, developed with the former Holden Racing Team turned Ford Mustang outfit, Walkinshaw Andretti United.Toyota will compete in the Supercars Championship – the top category of Australian touring-car racing dominated by Ford and General Motors-Holden – from 2026, the company announced today.The Japanese car giant will partner with Walkinshaw Andretti United – formerly t
  
  Read more

• The best cheap used SUVs you can buy without breaking the bank

  17-09-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  Apart from utes, Australia’s top choice for a new car is an SUV. But what if you don’t want to break the bank? Here are some of the best affordable SUVs on the used market.
  In 2023, the list of Australia’s top 10 best-selling new cars featured exclusively utes and SUVs.RELATED: The cheapest used cars you can buy with a factory warrantyAccording to comparison site Canstar Blue, in 2023 the average spend on a brand-new SUV was $39,857, but with the cost of living rising, many hav
  
  Read more

• LDV eT60 electric ute now half-price after being outsold by $1 million Rolls-Royce

  17-09-2024 21:00 via drive.com.au
  Slow sales have prompted massive discounts on Australia’s first electric ute, which is usually twice the price of the diesel version with a third of the driving range.The LDV eT60 electric ute has been subjected to massive discounts – more than 50 per cent, or $50,000 off its regular price – as it is outsold by nearly every other new vehicle on sale, including a circa-million-dollar electric Rolls-Royce.Only 95 examples of the LDV eT60 have been sold in Australia since it arriv
  
  Read more

• 2024 Volvo XC90 Ultimate B6 Bright review

  17-09-2024 16:00 via drive.com.au
  Sometimes, an old dog doesn’t need to learn any new tricks. Despite having a decade on Australian roads, the XC90 still impresses in many ways.
  Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
  2024 Volvo XC90 Ultimate B6 BrightThe age of a car’s design and inception is often like kryptonite for its relative appeal. No matter how good it might have been when box-fresh
  
  Read more

• Who needs Holden? Australian auto manufacturing thriving as Lovells opens local R&D facility

  17-09-2024 13:02 via drive.com.au
  Local manufacturing is far from finished as Lovells cuts the ribbon for its new state-of-the art research and development facility in South Australia.Automotive manufacturer Lovells – Australia’s largest suspension component producer – has officially opened a new research and development facility in Edwardstown, South Australia.The new $1 million 920-square metre facility will create around 20 engineering jobs and support Lovells’ ‘dynamic’ testing at The Bend
  
  Read more

• The best SUV for towing, according to caravan experts

  17-09-2024 07:06 via drive.com.au
  Which models do seasoned caravanners most commonly use to tow their beloved homes on wheels? We asked those in the know.
  Australians who want to safely tow a caravan typically forego a medium SUV in favour of a large SUV or ute, according to one of the country’s leading caravan retailers.
  RELATED: ‘I tried sleeping in a campervan and learned a valuable lesson’Victoria-based Crusader Caravans – the country’s second-largest Australia-owned caravan manufacturer (based
  
  Read more

• 2025 Australian Formula One Grand Prix ticket sale date announced

  17-09-2024 06:43 via drive.com.au
  Mark this date in your calendar, as the opening round of the 2025 F1 season is sure to sell out fast.Motorsport fans, keen to get their backsides trackside at the 2025 Australian Formula One Grand Prix, will need to be ready on the keyboard when tickets go on sale next month.Both general admission and grandstand tickets will go on sale from 12:00 pm (midday) on Tuesday 8 October, but fans are also invited to enter a pre-sale ballot that will enable them to purchase tickets from Monday 7 October.
  
  Read more

• Sydney drivers paying upwards of $10,000 a year on tolls

  17-09-2024 04:45 via drive.com.au
  Some individuals are even paying more than $30,000 for using NSW toll roads, with the majority of big spenders being from Sydney’s west.Almost 1000 drivers in New South Wales are paying more than $10,000 a year on tolls, new data has shown.According to figures released by the state’s E-Toll provider, 901 motorists paid between $10,000 and $20,000 in the last financial year to end of June, with around a dozen spending upwards of $30,000.And that doesn’t even include businesses w
  
  Read more

• Honda fined by watchdog for alleged breach of service and repair scheme, car makers on notice

  17-09-2024 04:39 via drive.com.au
  The ACCC has handed Honda Australia a penalty for an alleged breach of the MVIS scheme, with possible fines of as much as $10 million if it ends up in court.Honda Australia has paid a penalty of $18,780 after theAustralian Competition and Consumer Commission( ACCC) issued it with an infringement notice for allegedly breaching the Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme (MVIS scheme).The MVIS scheme was introduced in July 2022 to give independent repair workshops fai
  
  Read more

• 2025 Honda HR-V price and specs: Facelifted model cheaper than before – UPDATE

  17-09-2024 04:26 via drive.com.au
  Honda has lowered the price of its small SUV as part of a model update that adds new styling and features.2025 Honda HR-V pricing and specificationsSmall SUV gains cheaper hybrid variantUpdated safety technology, revised stylingPriced from $34,900 drive-awayUPDATE, 17 September 2024: Honda Australia has confirmed specifications for the 2025 Honda HR-V, following the announcement of prices last week.The new HR-V e:HEV X variant splits the base petrol Vi X and flagship hybrid e:HEV L on equipment,
  
  Read more

• 2025 Kia EV5 release date in Australia finally set after extended delays

  17-09-2024 04:00 via drive.com.au
  The Kia EV5 is finally closing in on Australian showrooms after three months in limbo, as the South Korean car giant worked through last-minute problems.The 2025 Kia EV5 electric SUV is due in Australian showrooms as soon as next month, as the launch of the Tesla Model Y competitor is pencilled in after months of delays.As first reported by Drive, the scheduled June launch of the EV5 was delayed for “unexpected wheel and software updates” days before the first examples were due in Ki
  
  Read more

• Businesses in China ban electric cars in underground car parks – report

  17-09-2024 03:14 via drive.com.au
  Despite being the world leader in electric vehicle production, some businesses in China have started to ban EVs in underground car parks citing a potential fire risk.
  Some businesses in China have reportedly banned electric vehicles (EVs) from parking in underground locations due to potential fire and safety risks.
  In a social media post by X (formerly Twitter) user whyoutouzhele– uploaded on 9 September 2024 –said various hotels and offices across multiple Chinese provinces have pla
  
  Read more

• 2024 Lada Niva scores futuristic 2004 technology – now with LED running lights

  17-09-2024 02:30 via drive.com.au
  The plucky Russian off-roader has taken a step into the light by offering an option of LED running lamps.What’s a few decades of automotive technology between friends, especially when the vehicle in question is knocking on the door of its 50th birthday?The Lada Niva is now available with optional LED running lamps, that increase the brightness of the existing lamps by 50 per cent and the parking lights (that still use a 4W filament bulb) by 350 per cent.First released in 1977, the Russian
  
  Read more

• Should I buy a 2024 Mitsubishi Triton GSR or an Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain?

  17-09-2024 02:22 via drive.com.au
  Mitsubishi has made sweeping changes to the new Triton, and it needed to in order to keep pace with a rapidly improving segment. Can the new Triton take on, and beat, one of the segment favourites, the Isuzu D-Max? We put the two head-to-head in this top-of-the-range shootout. Dual-cabs – and their importance in the Australian new car market – need no deep explanation here. The growth of the segment shows no signs of slowing down, and perhaps most importantly, the segment has sh
  
  Read more

Follow @Cars_News_AU on Twitter!