Automotive news

• 2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC revealed with Australian tech, supercharged V8 power

  15-01-2026 23:49 via drive.com.au
  An Australian ingredient has helped create Ford’s latest high-performance, supercharged V8 Mustang – but, for now at least, Australians will be denied the chance to buy one.Ford has called upon Australian engineering to create its newest supercharged V8-powered Ford Mustang track special, the Dark Horse SC, revealed in the US overnight.Yet, like the Mustang GTD and Shelby GT500 before it, Australian customers are to be skipped – for now, at least – in the rollout of the l
  
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• The funniest number plates spotted in Australia in 2025

  15-01-2026 23:30 via drive.com.au
  Custom number plates are a rite of passage for many Aussies, but these take the cake for the funniest spotted around the country.
  Picture: Facebook/Stupid Number Plates AustraliaThere’s nothing quite like making your car an extension of your personality. While some drivers opt for funky stickers or unique air fresheners, many Aussies consider customised number plates as a rite of passage.And while most drivers generally have some semblance of decorum when choosing personal plates, these mo
  
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• CarExpert New Zealand hires local editors ahead of launch

  15-01-2026 23:04 via autotalk.co.nz
  CarExpert New Zealand has appointed two local motoring journalists ahead of its February launch, as the Australian automotive platform expands into the New Zealand market through a joint venture with Trade Me. Matthew Hansen will serve as Editor while Dave Kavermann joins as Motoring Journalist for the platform, which will focus on independent new-car coverage […]
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• Old Toyota HiAce lives on in Japan, and it’s had another facelift

  15-01-2026 23:01 via drive.com.au
  Seven years on from its discontinuation in Australia, Toyota has updated the old ‘flat-nose’ HiAce van – which dates back to 2004 – with a revised look in Japan.The flat-nose Toyota HiAce van has been given a new lease on life in Japan, where it is still sold 22 years after its debut – and seven years after it was dropped from Australian showrooms.Toyota does not sell Australia’s newer, H300-series ‘semi-bonneted’ HiAce in its home market, instead
  
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• Ford in talks with BYD over hybrid batteries as EV demand softens

  15-01-2026 22:59 via autotalk.co.nz
  Ford is in discussions with Chinese automaker BYD about purchasing batteries for its hybrid vehicles, as the US carmaker adjusts its strategy amid weakening demand for fully electric vehicles. The Ford–BYD talks were first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said the companies are still considering how any arrangement would work. According to the […]
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• BYD Sealion 8 pre-orders open in Australia

  15-01-2026 22:37 via drive.com.au
  Prices are yet to be announced, but you can now pre-order BYD’s first seven-seat SUV in Australia. The Sealion 8 – BYD’s first seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV – is now available to pre-order, with deliveries to customers due in the coming months. Prices are yet to be announced, but BYD has hinted the vehicle will be more expensive than the entry-level Sealion 7 electric SUV, which is priced from $54,990 before on-road costs. The Sealion 8 will be on sale in t
  
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• 2026 Audi SQ6 Sportback e-tron review

  15-01-2026 22:00 via drive.com.au
  Electric, performance, SUV. Does the Audi SQ6 e-tron blend these elements together in a convincing way?2026 Audi SQ6 Sportback e-tronThe idea of a performance-focussed electric vehicle, I think you’ll agree, is still in its infancy. While some brands have embraced this wholeheartedly – I’m looking at you, Hyundai – a question mark remains over the notion that an electric powertrain can mix with dynamic performance.Audi has a long and storied history with perform
  
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• Used car stock ageing as buyers chase fresh listings

  15-01-2026 21:40 via autotalk.co.nz
  New Zealand’s used car market is showing signs of strain as the gap widens between vehicles that sell quickly and those left languishing on yards, according to the latest Automotive Insights Report from Trade Me and AutoGrab. The December AIR reveals a telling divergence: while the average time to sell dropped to 55.5 days as […]
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• Pricey pigments: The most expensive car colours to insure

  15-01-2026 21:30 via drive.com.au
  For many, one of the most exciting parts about buying a new car is choosing the colour. But does your favourite hue come with a hidden cost?How much your car insurance costs depends on a number of factors, including your age, driving history, the type of car you want to insure and where you park it. But did you know one seemingly harmless car feature can add up to more than $75 a year to your premium?A new study by insurance comparison site iSelect found the colour of your car can also colour th
  
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• Mazda sales slipped in 2025, but all signs point to recovery in 2026

  15-01-2026 20:39 via drive.com.au
  Mazda saw sales numbers head south in 2025, but with crucial new models set to drop in 2026, the story could be about to change.Mazda sales results for 2025 saw the brand suffer a small decline, with overall Mazda sales dropping by 4.2 per cent.That’s not a big enough decline to have Mazda’s management team hitting the panic button just yet, and ties in with a trend that saw Australia’s top-three selling brands (Toyota, Ford, and Mazda) all face a slight drop for the year.Mazda
  
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• Latest mobile speed camera locations for Melbourne and Victoria: January 2026 mapped

  15-01-2026 19:05 via drive.com.au
  Mobile speed cameras can be deployed in Victoria across more than 2200 locations this month. Here’s where they could be.There are 2262 approved locations where mobile speed cameras can be deployed in Victoria in January 2026.The Victorian Government publishes a list of approved locations online on the first day of each month. The approved mobile speed camera locations for January 2026 have changed slightly from those of December 2025 with the addition of six new locations and the removal o
  
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• JMC Vigus ute from China returning to Australia

  15-01-2026 07:00 via drive.com.au
  One of the first budget-priced Chinese utes sold in Australia is coming back in a new form to challenge GWM, LDV, and more.Chinese ute maker JMC is set to return to Australian showrooms after an absence of close to a decade, with a new diesel dual-cab aimed at its compatriot rivals.JMC – short for Jiangling Motors Corporation – first launched the $23,990 Vigus ute in Australia in 2015, before quietly exiting in 2018 after failing to make a dent in the market.Now it is poised to retur
  
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• GAC launches in New Zealand with competitive pricing

  15-01-2026 05:03 via autotalk.co.nz
  Chinese automaker GAC has officially launched in New Zealand with a three-model lineup spanning petrol, electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains, positioning itself competitively against established rivals across multiple segments. The Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor Co., China’s fifth-largest vehicle manufacturer, confirmed pricing at an Auckland launch event today, with models starting from $31,990 before on-road costs. […]
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• Yellow, mate: Subaru BRZ tS Kiiro edition arrives in Australia

  15-01-2026 05:02 via drive.com.au
  Following its appearance in New Zealand, the special edition BRZ tS Kiiro gets a run in Australia priced from $53,590 BOCs.
  Image credit: Subaru Berwick
  The limited-edition Subaru BRZ tS Kiiro has been officially confirmed for Australia after images of the bright-yellow model surfaced over throughout the week.In a Facebook post, published by a Sydney dealer, the specifics of the BRZ tS Kiiro edition have been revealed, and Subaru Australia has now confirmed details in a new release.The new speci
  
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• 2026 BYD Seal 6 approved for Australia as plug-in hybrid sedan and wagon

  15-01-2026 03:09 via drive.com.au
  The BYD Seal electric sedan appears set to be joined in Australia by a plug-in hybrid alternative – related in name only – later this year.BYD is preparing to target the Toyota Camry Hybrid in Australia as soon as later this year, with a new plug-in hybrid sedan and wagon offering up to 105km of claimed electric driving range.If UK prices are a guide, it may start between $40,000 to $45,000 before on-road costs, and top out under $50,000, with leather-look seats, a 15.6-inch touchscr
  
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• Mazda’s first in-house electric car delayed – report

  15-01-2026 02:09 via drive.com.au
  Mazda’s first electric vehicle developed from the ground up, likely called CX-5e, has reportedly been delayed by at least 12 months.The first Mazda electric vehicle developed from the ground up, rather than derived from a petrol car or a Chinese partner, has reportedly been delayed.Auto Express reports the first vehicle on Mazda’s scalable electric-vehicle architecture, likely a Tesla Model Y-sized medium SUV potentially called CX-5e, won’t launch until 2028, “at the earl
  
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• ANCAP names safest new vehicles for 2025, with Tesla Model Y leading overall

  15-01-2026 02:00 via autotalk.co.nz
  ANCAP has revealed its top safety performers for 2025, highlighting the safest new vehicles across key market segments in Australia and New Zealand. The results identify the strongest-performing models assessed during the year, based on a weighted score across four assessment pillars: adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection and safety assist. […]
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• Jeep and Chrysler bow out of the plug-in hybrid race in the US

  15-01-2026 01:05 via drive.com.au
  Plug-in hybrid models will be axed across the US Stellantis range with plans to focus further on conventional hybrids and range-extended vehicles. 
  Jeep Wrangler 4xe
  Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep, Chrysler and other brands, has announced that it is exiting the plug-in hybrid market in the US, discontinuing models such as Grand Cherokee and Wrangler 4xe. In a written statement, Stellantis told The Drive: “With customer demand shifting, Stellantis will phase out plug‑
  
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• Flash gas: What’s the difference between 91, 95 and 98 petrol?

  15-01-2026 01:00 via drive.com.au
  Aside from the price, have you ever driven into the petrol station and wondered what the 91, 95 and 98 (often called Premium Unleaded) numbers mean? We break it down.These numbers are the octane rating of the fuel, as measured by the Research Octane Number (RON) and you’ll find the octane rating for your vehicle on a label inside the fuel door flap, or in the owner’s manual.The octane rating is the ability of the fuel to avoid uncontrolled engine combustion or ‘knocking&rs
  
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• 2026 Renault Filante flagship SUV could come to Australia

  15-01-2026 00:47 via drive.com.au
  A local launch of Renault’s new global flagship model, the Filante hybrid SUV, has not been ruled out.Renault has unveiled its next Korean-built hybrid SUV with Chinese origins, and it is a chance for Australia.The 2026 Renault Filante five-seat SUV is the brand’s largest model globally, measuring nearly five metres in length, but it will not be sold in Europe, where the Renault Rafale remains the flagship.Built on the Common Modular Architecture (CMA) from Geely, the Chinese parent
  
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• 2 Cheap Cars lifts FY26 profit outlook on improved trading momentum

  15-01-2026 00:33 via autotalk.co.nz
  2 Cheap Cars Group says trading performance has improved through the latter part of the third quarter and into the early fourth quarter of the 2026 financial year, prompting an upgrade to its profit outlook. The NZX-listed used vehicle retailer says the stronger performance has been driven by improved vehicle margins and robust finance and […]
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• 2021-2025 Ford E-Transit recalled in Australia over driveshaft fault

  15-01-2026 00:00 via drive.com.au
  The fault could lead to a loss of power whilst driving and/or unintended vehicle movement while the vehicle is in park, according to the recall notice.Ford has recalled 279 examples of its 2021-2025 E-Transit vehicles, citing a potential fault with the left-hand rear drive shaft.The affected vehicles are stamped 2021 to 2025 models, but may have been sold at a later date.The recall notice, lodged with the Department of Infrastructure, says: “Due to a manu
  
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