Automotive news

• Car makers to be exposed for missing tough emissions rules

  28-12-2025 23:00 via drive.com.au
  A list of the car brands that fell short of strict CO2 emissions targets for new vehicles – and are in line for hefty penalties – will be released next year.The car brands that met the first phase of the Australian Government’s tough CO2 emissions rules for new vehicles – and those that didn’t – without outside help will be revealed by federal regulators.Manufacturers in the latter camp may be on the hook for fines in excess of $5000 per vehicle sold, if they
  
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• China bans Tesla-style retractable door handles over safety concerns

  28-12-2025 22:32 via autotalk.co.nz
  China will ban retractable door handles on electric vehicles (EVs) from January 2027, citing safety concerns about electronic-only mechanisms that can trap occupants during crashes or power failures. The country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has released draft regulations requiring all vehicles under 3.5 tonnes to have both interior and exterior handles with mechanical […]
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• HARMAN acquires ZF’s ADAS business for €1.5 billion

  28-12-2025 22:31 via autotalk.co.nz
  HARMAN International has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ZF Group’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) business for €1.5 billion, the Samsung Electronics subsidiary announced. The acquisition includes ZF’s automotive compute solutions, smart cameras, radars and ADAS software functions, positioning HARMAN to compete in the growing software-defined vehicle (SDV) market. Approximately 3,750 ZF employees […]
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• China implements world’s first mandatory EV energy limits

  28-12-2025 22:31 via autotalk.co.nz
  China will enforce the world’s first mandatory energy consumption limits for electric passenger vehicles from January 1, 2026, according to China Central Television as cited by IT Home. The new national standard, formally titled “Energy Consumption Limits for Electric Vehicles Part 1 Passenger Cars” (GB 36980.1—2025), replaces previous voluntary guidelines and establishes binding electricity consumption […]
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• Vehicle registration costs rise from January 1

  28-12-2025 22:02 via autotalk.co.nz
  Vehicle owners face higher registration costs from January 1, with the standard 12-month licence fee increasing 20% from $144.22 to $172.97. The increases, announced by the Government in March, form part of funding for a $20 billion transport plan that includes 15 four-lane highways, a $500 million pothole fund and $2 billion for rail and […]
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• Toyota’s 2026 could be a huge year due to upcoming models

  28-12-2025 22:00 via drive.com.au
  2025 has been a quiet year for new model launches from Toyota, but 2026 will see crucial new models arriving from Australia’s top-selling brand.Toyota’s sales tally for 2025 has held relatively steady, but the new year could see Australia’s top-selling brand pick up the pace with a number of new, key models.Over the course of 2025, Toyota made do with minor updates to cars like the GR Yaris, the introduction of the GR Corolla, and very little in the way of important new models.
  
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• Flood-damaged luxury cars face de-registration deadline

  28-12-2025 22:00 via autotalk.co.nz
  Owners of 66 luxury vehicles damaged in Auckland’s 2023 Anniversary Weekend flooding have been given three months to have their cars inspected and re-certified or face de-registration, following an administrative error that left the vehicles improperly registered. The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has contacted owners of the water-damaged vehicles, which include a Porsche and […]
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• 2025’s biggest automotive disappointments according to Drive

  28-12-2025 21:00 via drive.com.au
  Not everything was golden in the automotive world in 2025, here are Drive‘s biggest disappointments after another cycle around the sun.
  The automotive industry can be fickle, and while there have been many highs in 2025, at the close of another year, there are still a number of trends and models that have left us feeling empty.While some of these disappoints are an easy enough fix, others not so much.Always the optimists though, here at Drive, these are the issues we’d like to see ad
  
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• Unlocking the value of mechanical & electrical breakdown insurance

  28-12-2025 20:00 via autotalk.co.nz
  When it comes to building trust and long-term customer relationships, genuine care and transparency are key. But beyond great service, true value is created when you help your customers protect their investment — and that’s exactly where Mechanical & Electrical Breakdown Insurance comes in. While many customers have heard of mechanical and electrical breakdown insurance, […]
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• Thriving in Tough Times: Smart Marketing

  28-12-2025 20:00 via autotalk.co.nz
  Strategies for NZ Used Car Dealers Dealers who adapt to shifting buyer behaviour and digital trends are best positioned to thrive – even in tough times. The New Zealand used car market is enduring headwinds at the moment. Tightened lending criteria, cautious consumer spending and challenges importing vehicles, are making it harder to source and […]
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• Top 10 most-popular car advice stories on Drive in 2025

  28-12-2025 03:00 via drive.com.au
  In 2025, Drive readers brushed up on their knowledge of Australian road rules and learnt more about the meaning of those blue reflectors on the road.
  With 2025 drawing to a close, it’s time to take a look back at the year that was on Drive across our news, reviews, advice, social media and Marketplace content.In this edition, we’ve compiled a list of the most-popular car advice stories on Drive in 2025. Road rules remained a popular topic for readers in 2025, while there was als
  
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• My First Car: Henry Wagons’ 1992 Ford Laser Ghia

  28-12-2025 01:55 via drive.com.au
  Australian alt-country singer/songwriter Henry Wagons’ first car was a ruby red coloured 1992 Ford Laser Ghia; it’s the one he learned to drive in as an L-plater. Growing up in the outer Melbourne suburb of Glen Waverley, Henry Wagons drove the trusted Laser down the Burwood Highway often; but eventually moved to Carlton to be closer to study philosophy at Melbourne University in the late 90s. The car came with him. “I drove my Ford Laser Ghia until the sun turned it
  
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• Kia Tasman SUV plans on the sidelines until ute succeeds

  28-12-2025 00:00 via drive.com.au
  The uphill battle facing the Kia Tasman ute has pushed any intention to develop an SUV version onto the backburner.Illustration by Theottle.A five-door Kia Tasman SUV to rival the Toyota Prado and Ford Everest won’t come to showrooms until the ute hits its targets on the sales charts in Australia and overseas.Kia executives have previously expressed interest in a Tasman SUV, with a top engineer behind the ute’s development confirming such a vehicle is now under consideration.The firs
  
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