Cars news

• Electric Toyota HiLux: Production confirmed

  17-05-2024 05:00 via drive.com.au
  Toyota has confirmed it will begin making an EV HiLux ute by the end of 2025, with exports looking likely.The 2026 Toyota HiLux will be available with an electric variant in selected markets, the company has confirmed.Less than two months after Toyota announced it was working on a production version of the battery-powered HiLux Revo BEV concept displayed in Australia last year, an executive has told news outlet Reuters it intends to begin manufacturing the electric ute by the end of 2025.While t
  
  Read more

• 2025 Alpine A290 electric hot hatch revealed by Renault performance division

  14-06-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  The Renault hot hatch is back with a classic name – and electric power. Meet the Alpine A290, a 162kW battery-powered city hatch with a ‘push-to-pass’ boost mode.Renault has unveiled its first all-new hot hatch in six years – through its high-performance Alpine division – with the 2025 Alpine A290, due in European showrooms later this year.It is the sporty version of the reborn electric Renault 5 city hatch – or an electrified spiritual successor to the Renaul
  
  Read more

• BYD under fire from customers following VIN mixups

  14-06-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  One of the newest brands on the market has been criticised by owners for making a small – but potentially very serious – administrative mistake at multiple Australian sites.BYD says it is taking action over a “couple of isolated incidents” in which the wrong vehicle identification number (VINs) was listed on customers’ sale documents and insurance paperwork.Drive has seen evidence of multiple reports across the country of BYD customers being given one VIN on their c
  
  Read more

• Rooftop tent causes carnage after departing car on highway

  13-06-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  Two vehicles had to be towed from the scene of the incident along a major road in Tasmania.Police are warning about the dangers of not properly securing a load, after a rooftop tent became separated from a vehicle in Tasmania, taking out two other cars.The incident happened on the Huon Highway – a major inland route between Kingston and Huonville, south of Hobart – in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with two vehicles sustaining major damage.A driver of one of the damaged cars tol
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• ‘No reason for these things to be legal’: The rules for lifted utes in Australia

  13-06-2024 22:53 via drive.com.au
  A viral TikTok video has exposed the risks of the lifted utes commonly spotted on US roads, but are they legal in Australia? We find out.A viral online video of a lifted Ford F-Series ute that crashed into the back of a Porsche sports car in the US has exposed a major road danger associated with high suspension lifts.
  In a video posted to the social media platform TikTok, user ‘molesrcool‘ discusses the blind-spot problems and general road risks of lifted vehicles.RELATED: Don’
  
  Read more

• 2024 Hyundai Kona and i30 Sedan recalled in Australia

  13-06-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  The fault could cause a loss of power while driving, according to the recall notice.Hyundai has recalled 946 examples of its 2024 Kona and i30 Sedan models, citing a potential manufacturing fault.The affected vehicles are stamped 2024 models, but may have been sold at a later date.The recall notice, lodged with the Department of Infrastructure, says: “The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve sensor may have been exposed to soldering flux contamination during manufactur
  
  Read more

• ‘Dude pulled up in the Batmobile’: What on earth was that viral Luka Doncic car?

  13-06-2024 08:40 via drive.com.au
  Rising basketball superstar Luka Doncic is known for his work on the court, but it’s his Mad Max-style truck that had social media talking.We’re used to seeing highly paid NBA players rolling around in all manner of luxury cars, but rising Slovenian basketball star Luka Doncic has managed to stand out from the crowd with his choice of car at the 2024 NBA finals.
  Ahead of game three, Doncic (formally spelt Dončić) got social media talking after he was captured on video arriv
  
  Read more

• 2025 BMW 2 Series updated with more powerful M2

  13-06-2024 07:06 via drive.com.au
  BMW’s popular 2 Series will be updated for 2025 with a more powerful flagship M2 joined by range-wide cabin and tech upgrades.The 2025 BMW 2 Series coupe has been updated with minor design tweaks, more tech and increased power for the M2 performance flagship with Australian arrivals planned before the end of 2024.The three-model line-up will continue, with the entry level 230i, mid-spec M240i xDrive given visual tweaks and more tech, with the flagship M2 also boasting engine upgrades.BMW A
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Shock announcement follows former Top Gear stars’ return to TV

  13-06-2024 06:02 via drive.com.au
  A new TV series starring two former Top Gear hosts has been announced, but it’s Chris Harris’s unexpected departure from Collecting Cars which has the internet abuzz.Former Top Gear presenter Chris Harris has announced he is cutting ties with auction platform Collection Cars – a business he co-founded.Harris posted on Instagram to share the unexpected news, after fans began asking questions about the sudden pause on regular content from Collecting Cars, including its popular po
  
  Read more

• ‘See that little guy?’: TikToker spots hidden feature on Michelin tyres

  13-06-2024 04:31 via drive.com.au
  If you own a set of Michelin tyres, have you spotted this handy feature? It could be your shortcut to becoming a tyre tread expert.Photo: TikTok/_andwhyisthat_Very few of us pay close attention to the markings on our tyres. At most, we will check to make sure we have enough tread and they have enough air in them and that’s it.RELATED: How long do tyres actually last? And do they have a use-by date?
  RELATED: What do the numbers on the side of tyres mean?To be fair, tyres have a plethora of
  
  Read more

• Europe announces hefty tariffs for Chinese electric cars

  13-06-2024 03:18 via drive.com.au
  Electric cars built in China are set to face new tariffs of up to 38 per cent in Europe after an investigation found the Chinese Government has been unfairly subsidising the vehicles.The European Union (EU) has announced new tariffs of up to 38.1 per cent on electric vehicles (EVs) produced in China, which it alleges the Chinese Government has unfairly subsidised to make them cheaper to buy in Europe.The tariffs range from 17.4 to 38.1 per cent – depending on how cooperative a car maker ha
  
  Read more

• In this week’s episode of Business Drive: Scott Cam gives his tradie tips

  13-06-2024 02:36 via drive.com.au
  Tune in to Channel Nine this weekend for the second episode of Business Drive. Hosted by TV personality, Kris Smith, the four-part series shares insights from real-world business owners and tradespeople, along with Australia’s favourite tradie, Scott Cam.Tune in to the second episode of Business Drive, airing on Channel Nine at 12:30pm AEST this Saturday 15 June.In this episode, Kris Smith takes us on a real-world test of fit-for-purpose vehicles, from towing heavy loads to lifes
  
  Read more

• Not every new McLaren will be hybrid or electric, petrol power to co-exist

  13-06-2024 00:50 via drive.com.au
  Amid a tide of new supercars featuring electric-assisted engines, McLaren says it will continue with pure petrol-powered performance cars in the future.McLaren will continue making pure petrol-powered supercars in the future, alongside new plug-in hybrids like the Artura and a forthcoming electric supercar.While the latter of those three powertrain options remains off the table for the near future, McLaren will not turn its back on the internal combustion engine (ICE) any time soon.“For [M
  
  Read more

• Video: Toyota’s new car-killer test track based on the Nurburgring

  13-06-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  A new test facility has been created to help test Toyota and Lexus models to breaking point – which the company’s boss says will lead to better cars.Toyota has opened its brand-new $5 billion proving ground, which it says has been designed to break cars.According to Toyota, Shimoyama – which has been 30 years in the making – has been modelled on the iconic Nurburgring circuit in Germany, known for being not only the longest race track in the world, but also one of the tou
  
  Read more

• Ferrari phasing out key feature standard in Toyota, Ford, Hyundai, Kia cars

  12-06-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  Improvements in Apple and Android smartphone technology are spelling the end for a long-time technology in Ferrari supercars.A piece of technology is set to disappear from future Ferrari supercars that is standard in much cheaper cars and SUVs sold by brands from Toyota to Mercedes-Benz.It is not an item of safety technology, nor anything that improves performance – but rather embedded satellite navigation.Ferrari says Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are so easy to use – and mapping a
  
  Read more

• Canberra Festival of Speed announces 2025 dates

  12-06-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  The second running of the Canberra Festival of Speed has been announced, with hundreds of exotic road and race cars coming to the nation’s capital in late January 2025.Organisers of the 2025 Canberra Festival of Speed have locked in the Australia Day weekend for the two-day event.Held on Saturday 25 January and Sunday 26 January 2025, the Canberra Festival of Speed is expecting more than 300 of the world’s most desirable road and race cars in 2025 – with patrons given the rare
  
  Read more

• Honda S600: How many good ideas created one bad one | Drive Flashback

  12-06-2024 21:18 via drive.com.au
  The Honda S600 is today fondly remembered and revered by enthusiasts, but it was a very different story back when it was released in 1964Original story, by Tony Davis, first published in Drive on 22 June, 2001The first Honda car in Australia – the two-seater S600 micro-roadster – is a superb example of bringing many clever ideas together to create one bad one.First seen in Japan in 1963, the S600 was unveiled here in January, 1965. It was entirely in keeping with Japan’s long t
  
  Read more

• 2024 GWM Tank 500 Ultra vs Ford Everest Platinum off-road SUV comparison

  12-06-2024 16:00 via drive.com.au
  Aussies typically gravitate towards known brands for their off-road adventure vehicles. But are they missing a trick by not considering newcomers such as the 2024 GWM Tank 500?
  Talk to any off-road enthusiast in Australia and I guarantee the chat will be dominated by established players including – but not limited to – Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Isuzu and Mitsubishi.
  Love or hate any one of them, but these brands have earned their off-road stripes over the course of decades, and are now p
  
  Read more

• 2025 Isuzu MU-X facelift unveiled, expected in Australia next year

  12-06-2024 15:11 via drive.com.au
  The Isuzu MU-X has followed its D-Max ute sibling with a new look, updated interior – including a volume dial – and improved safety features.The facelifted 2025 Isuzu MU-X has been unveiled in Thailand – with a new look and technology from its Isuzu D-Max ute relative – ahead of an Australian arrival expected early next year.The Isuzu MU-X seven-seat 4WD has inherited the updates applied to its D-Max sibling in Thailand last year – and in Australia earlier this year
  
  Read more

• 2025 Isuzu MU-X facelift revealed, expected in Australia next year

  12-06-2024 15:11 via drive.com.au
  The Isuzu MU-X has followed its D-Max ute sibling with a new look, updated interior – including a volume dial – and improved safety features.The facelifted 2025 Isuzu MU-X has been unveiled in Thailand – with a new look and technology from its Isuzu D-Max ute relative – ahead of an Australian arrival expected early next year.The Isuzu MU-X seven-seat 4WD has inherited the updates applied to its D-Max sibling in Thailand last year – and in Australia earlier this year
  
  Read more

• MG confirms Toyota Camry rival for Australia next year

  12-06-2024 12:30 via drive.com.au
  MG Australia has changed course on the MG 7, a turbocharged rival for the top-selling Toyota Camry sedan, that has been locked in for local showrooms.Growing brand MG is due to introduce a rival for the top-selling Toyota Camry – the MG 7 sedan – in Australia sometime next year.Sales of mid-size sedans that aren’t the Toyota Camry – or popular Tesla Model 3 electric car – now account for a fraction of new-car sales in Australia, and many former favourites have alrea
  
  Read more

• 2024 MG 3 price and specs: New model brings $8000 price hike, hybrid option

  12-06-2024 12:30 via drive.com.au
  There are no more new cars available in Australia for less than $20,000 drive-away, after a circa-$8000 increase in the price of the cheapest MG 3 with the larger, better-equipped new model.2024 MG 3 pricing and specificationsNew city hatch bring significant price risePetrol or hybrid power for the first timePriced from $23,990 before on-road costsThe 2024 MG 3 city hatch has arrived in Australia with a price rise of about $8000 – and it is no longer the cheapest new car on sale.The signif
  
  Read more

• 2024 MG 3 price and specs: New model brings $7000 price hike, hybrid option

  12-06-2024 12:30 via drive.com.au
  There are no more new cars available in Australia for less than $20,000 drive-away, after a circa-$7000 increase in the price of the cheapest MG 3 with the larger, better-equipped new model.2024 MG 3 pricing and specificationsNew city hatch bring significant price risePetrol or hybrid power for the first timePriced from $23,990 before on-road costsThe 2024 MG 3 city hatch has arrived in Australia with a price rise of about $7000 – and it is no longer the cheapest new car on sale.The signif
  
  Read more

• 2024 MG 3 Hybrid+ review: Australian first drive

  12-06-2024 12:30 via drive.com.au
  MG has released its first closed-loop hybrid in Australia. The MG 3 hatch will gain new safety and technology but carry a hefty premium over the previous budget-oriented model. Let’s find out if it’s still value for money.
  Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
  2024 MG 3
  After almost eight years of being on sale locally, the MG 3 is finally getting a much-ne
  
  Read more

• Can you drive a two-wheel-drive car in the snow?

  12-06-2024 08:44 via drive.com.au
  Heading to the snow this winter? If you’re wondering whether you need an all-wheel-drive vehicle, here’s what you need to know.
  It’s well and truly ski season in Australia, and if you’re tempted to hit the slopes but aren’t sure whether your car is up to the task, it certainly pays to prepare.RELATED: Our top tips for snow drivingLast year, Victoria Police turned away or fined thousands of drivers at Mount Hotham alone “for failing to carry the mandatory snow
  
  Read more

• Victorian number plates ’20’ sell for record-breaking $2.54 million – UPDATE

  12-06-2024 06:04 via drive.com.au
  A low two-digit Victorian number plate combination has broken a new record for the most amount paid in Australia.UPDATE, 12 June 2024: A new record for a two-digit number plate combination has been set in Australia, with Victoria ’20’ selling for $2.54 million.The heritage vitreous enamel number plates surpassed the previous record by $270,000, set by Victoria ’14’ when it sold for $2.27 million in May 2022.The latest auction for ’20’, held by Trading Garage,
  
  Read more

• 2024 Ford Tourneo review: International first drive

  12-06-2024 06:00 via drive.com.au
  Ford is back in the people mover market after a 34-year absence with the van-based Tourneo. Is it a Kia Carnival beater?
  Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
  2024 Ford TourneoIf you’re in the market for a people mover in Australia, the answer is more than likely to be a Kia Carnival.Three in four people movers sold last year were Carnivals, and it has single-han
  
  Read more

• Video: Next-gen Apple CarPlay detailed – multi-screen, highly customisable and better integrated

  12-06-2024 05:16 via drive.com.au
  Apple reveals more of its new highly customisable software, but some car brands are already going their own way.Apple has shown more info on the next generation of its CarPlay multimedia interface set to make its debut later in 2024, with Aston Martin and Porsche to be the first brands to offer it in showrooms.Apple CarPlay was first introduced in 2014 and has become commonplace – along with rival Android Auto – in almost every new car on sale in Australia.The Californian company ann
  
  Read more

• New LDV D90 seven-seater SUV edges closer to Australia

  12-06-2024 04:18 via drive.com.au
  The heavily-updated D90 SUV, LDV’s answer to the Fortuner and Everest, could be on local roads by the end of the year.The new-look 2025 LDV D90 is one step closer to Australian showrooms, with the model expected to launch in right-hand-drive markets later this year.LDV Australia has been coy about the new D90, despite lodging certification documents more than six months ago with the Federal Government – typically a sign that a vehicle is just weeks or months away from being unveiled.
  
  Read more

• Ferrari to keep V12 engines alive until they’re banned

  12-06-2024 03:00 via drive.com.au
  V12 power will remain in Ferrari showrooms for as long as it’s legally allowed – and without turbochargers or hybrid technology.Ferrari has committed to the V12 engine for as long as it is legal to sell it, despite rolling out smaller turbocharged V6s and V8s with hybrid technology across its showrooms.It recently unveiled the 12Cilindri, an all-new Ferrari supercar with a screaming 6.5-litre V12 capable of revving to 9500rpm, despite the pressures of stringent modern emissions rules
  
  Read more

Follow @Cars_News_AU on Twitter!