Automotive news

• Auckland City Toyota celebrates 25-year service milestone

  04-02-2026 23:32 via autotalk.co.nz
  Auckland City Toyota has recognised service administrator Stuart Illingworth for 25 years of dedicated service with the dealership. General manager Luke McCartie announced the milestone recognition on LinkedIn, highlighting Illingworth’s role as a consistent presence in the dealership’s Service Department. “Stuart is one of the quiet constants in our Service Department – a service administrator […]
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• 2026 Foton Tunland V9-S review

  04-02-2026 23:22 via drive.com.au
  The Foton Tunland V9-S offers a lot of dual-cab for your money, but Aussies want quality and quantity. Can the Chinese giant deliver?
  Skip ahead:IntroductionTechnologyValueExteriorFuel efficiencyCompetitorsCostVerdictInterior
  2026 Foton Tunland V9-SBuy it nice or buy it twice. Or, if you prefer, beware the temptation of false economies. If something looks too good to be true for the money, it’s right to be a little cautious. Take the Foton Tunland V9-S dual-cab as a case in point.The top-s
  
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• Hyundai renews Country Calendar partnership for 60th anniversary

  04-02-2026 23:09 via autotalk.co.nz
  Hyundai New Zealand has renewed its partnership with Country Calendar as the television programme celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2026. The automotive distributor will continue as naming sponsor for the iconic rural programme, extending a relationship that began in 2011. Country Calendar returns to TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ on Sunday 8 February 2026. First broadcast […]
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• Toyota RAV4 stock to dry up ahead of new model, as sales hit four-year low

  04-02-2026 23:06 via drive.com.au
  The current Toyota RAV4’s record sales run has come to an end in Australia at the hands of dwindling stock ahead of its successor’s April launch.The Toyota RAV4 has recorded its lowest sales result in four years, as supply of the current iteration of the family SUV dwindles in the lead-up to the new model’s April arrival.It is only set to get worse, as dealers have warned of a stock ‘blackout’ in many showrooms across February and March, which could slow RAV4 delive
  
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• Apple CarPlay Ultra availability finally set to expand beyond Aston Martin

  04-02-2026 22:41 via drive.com.au
  Apple’s in-car ecosystem promised to reach affordable mass market cars when it launched, and over 12 months later, Kia or Hyundai may be the first to adopt the system.
  Apple CarPlay Ultra Aston MartinApple released its next-generation of in-car infotainment in May 2025, with a system called CarPlay Ultra.Unlike earlier iterations of CarPlay, which mirrored key phone functions like music, maps, or podcasts on a vehicle’s infotainment system, CarPlay Ultra promised to extend to all of
  
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• Property market signals cautious optimism for automotive sector in 2026

  04-02-2026 22:20 via autotalk.co.nz
  Property values across New Zealand dipped by 0.1% in January, extending the sluggish performance that characterised 2025 and signalling continued headwinds for automotive market confidence in 2026. The latest Home Value Index from Cotality NZ shows the national median value reached $802,617 in January – down 1.0% year-on-year and still 17.5% below the early 2022 […]
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• Australian new vehicle sales steady in January

  04-02-2026 22:20 via autotalk.co.nz
  Australia’s new vehicle market opened 2026 on a steady footing, with total sales reaching 87,092 units in January, up 288 vehicles or 0.3% compared with the same month last year, according to figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. The result points to broadly stable consumer demand across key segments, despite continued softness […]
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• Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series was the lowest-selling LandCruiser family in 2025

  04-02-2026 20:28 via drive.com.au
  The Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series was outsold by the LandCruiser 70 Series in 2025, but the latter’s sales were driven mostly by utes than wagons.
  Toyota 70 Series (left), Toyota 300 Series (right).
  Australian buyers are gravitating more towards a Toyota model dating back to 1985 than one launched less than five years ago, sales data proves.With 11,561 sales reported, the LandCruiser 70 Series outsold the 300 Series by more than 500 units in 2025, with the latter recording 11,030 deliverie
  
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• Latest mobile phone and seatbelt detection camera locations for Melbourne and Victoria: February 2026 mapped

  04-02-2026 18:49 via drive.com.au
  This map shows the 335 locations Victoria Police can place their mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras in February 2026.While mobile phone and seatbelt detection camera positions can vary month to month in Victoria, police are obliged to publish the potential locations for public transparency.Mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras are mounted high up on portable trailers and photograph drivers from above as they pass.The cameras detect if the driver is using a mobile device illegally,
  
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• Smart #1, #3 electric car prices slashed by up to $13,500

  04-02-2026 07:40 via drive.com.au
  Discounted drive-away pricing and factory bonuses result in huge savings on Smart’s entry-level electric SUVs.
  Smart #3 Brabus and Smart #1 Premium
  Electric-car brand Smart has slashed pricing and added factory bonuses to the base-model versions of its #1 and #3 SUVs.The Smart #1 Pro+ has had its regular RRP of $54,900 plus on-road costs cut to $47,900 drive-away, with Smart offering an additional $3500 ‘plate bonus’ offer to further reduce pricing.The #3 Pro+ gets a similar de
  
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• MG 3 deal brings price of Australia’s cheapest new car closer to $20,000

  04-02-2026 06:43 via drive.com.au
  A special offer on the MG 3 hatch makes Australia’s most affordable new car even more affordable for a limited time.MG has reduced the price of its most affordable MG 3 hatch, making Australia’s cheapest new car $1000 cheaper for a limited time.The MG 3 Vibe, the entry-level variant in the MG 3 range, has had its price reduced to $20,990 drive-away before options.The hatch has previously been listed at $21,990 drive-away, with the current saving applying until 28 February 2026, unles
  
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• New Federal Government electric vehicle incentive limited to Hyundai and Kia models

  04-02-2026 06:08 via drive.com.au
  A Federal Government entity has spent $60 million to reduce the finance rate of Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles – but not other models.
  Kia EV5 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric vehicles
  The Federal Government has spent $60 million to reduce the finance rate on electric vehicle purchases – but the discount will only be available for eligible Hyundai and Kia models.Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CFEC), a Federal Gover
  
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• ‘Bear with me’: The cute novelty wheels you probably forgot about

  04-02-2026 04:13 via drive.com.au
  Gen Z car enthusiasts may have their Labubus, but if you’re a ’90s kid you probably remember wanting these Ronal teddy wheels.Image: Reddit/Cars Australia
  Is it just me or are most cars you see on the road these days starting to look the same? In between white or black SUVs and dual-cab utes, most drivers are showing their personalities through numerous car accessories such as cheeky stickers or funky air fresheners.However, one Reddit user recently spotted what could arguably be the
  
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• Australia’s Jack Doohan given F1 lifeline by Haas

  04-02-2026 03:49 via drive.com.au
  Australian youngster Jack Doohan will make a fresh start with Haas F1, after a turbulent demotion from race seat to reserve driver role by Alpine last year.Australian F1 driver Jack Doohan – dropped from his race seat with Alpine in 2025 after just seven Grands Prix – has been named as a reserve driver for the TGR Haas Formula One Team for the 2026 season.The 23-year-old joins Japan’s Ryo Hirakawa as one of two reserves who would be in a position to fill the place of Haas&lsquo
  
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• Australian new-car sales in January 2026: BYD surge, Toyota stumble keeps VFACTS up

  04-02-2026 01:15 via drive.com.au
  Strong demand for Chinese cars – including massive 641 per cent growth for BYD, after slow sales this time last year – outweighed a slump in Toyota deliveries to keep new-car sales in the black last month.Sales of new motor vehicles in Australia narrowly avoided a second consecutive January decline – up just 0.1 per cent – following a downturn in Toyota deliveries amid a shortage of RAV4 stock.The 4114 fewer Toyotas reported as sold in January 2026 compared to a year prio
  
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• 2026 Geely Starray EM-i Inspire review

  04-02-2026 00:35 via drive.com.au
  New models, especially from new brands, always have their work cut out for them. But should the Geely Starray EM-i be on your list if you’re shopping for a medium SUV with plug-in power? We find out.
  Skip ahead:IntroductionTechnologyValueExteriorFuel efficiencyCompetitorsCostVerdictInterior
  2026 Geely Starray EM-i InspireGeely is a new name in Australia. Many people would not have heard of it before, unless, perhaps, as the parent company of Volvo and Polestar.With many new brands entering
  
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