Automotive news

• Bentley Bentayga X concept hints at tough luxury future

  05-02-2026 23:07 via drive.com.au
  Bentley has created an off-road-oriented version of its luxury SUV to assess customer demand.The Bentley X Concept was created by the British luxury brand to gather owner feedback on the potential market for an off-road-focused Bentayga.Launched at the FAT Ice Race in Zell am See, Austria, the X is based on the Bentayga Speed – the high-performance model in Bentley’s line-up.The concept retains the Speed’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, producing 478kW and 850Nm, with permanent
  
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• Car dealer convicted over death threats to partner

  05-02-2026 22:31 via autotalk.co.nz
  The former owner of a Christchurch car dealership has been convicted of threatening to kill his partner and possessing a restricted weapon, after his business collapsed with $300,000 of debt. Tyson Peter Griffin Adams, 34, admitted charges of threatening to kill, possessing a Taser, and contravening a protection order when he appeared in Christchurch District […]
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• Mazda CX-5 becomes Australia’s third-best selling car, months before new model arrives

  05-02-2026 22:25 via drive.com.au
  The CX-5’s best January sales in four years – and a slip in Toyota RAV4 deliveries – helped Mazda’s top seller place ahead of all other new cars bar the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.The Mazda CX-5 has capitalised on slow Toyota RAV4 sales to become Australia’s top-selling SUV in January 2026, behind only the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux as the third-best-selling new vehicle overall.It is despite six months to go until the launch of a new-generation CX-5, due mid-yea
  
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• A car of one’s own: Why sharing a car with my husband grinds my gears

  05-02-2026 21:30 via drive.com.au
  Even though my husband and I have shared a car for the best part of two decades, there are still certain things about our ‘what’s mine is yours’ car arrangement that drive me up the wall.
  Long-term, monogamous relationships are all about sharing. You likely share a home, maybe finances, perhaps some children and maybe even a surname. In most of those cases, you’re no doubt adept at sharing the use of the TV remote and even the space on the couch – but how many of yo
  
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• GWM Ora 5: BYD Atto 2, Kia EV3 rival could replace the current electric hatch in Australia

  05-02-2026 20:47 via drive.com.au
  The Australian future of the GWM Ora electric hatch is unclear, as it has been discontinued in Thailand, where it is built, to be replaced by the Ora 5 SUV.
  GWM Ora 5 (Chinese model)
  The GWM Ora has been discontinued in Thailand, where it has been built for Australia since mid-2025, raising questions about the future of the electric hatchback in local showrooms.Bangkok Post reports GWM Thailand vice president Wayne Zhou said the hatchback, sold there as the Ora Good Cat, will be discontinued to
  
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• 2026 Toyota Prado Altitude adds handy off-road feature

  05-02-2026 19:04 via drive.com.au
  Toyota’s most off-road-capable 250 Series LandCruiser Prado has gained technology from other model grades at no direct cost.
  Tyre pressure monitoring technology has been added to the most off-road-focused Toyota Prado variant, as part of a minor 2026 update.It is not accompanied by a price rise, though an unrelated $700 increase in the RRPs of all Prado variants – from the base GX to the now-$100,000-plus Kakadu – was applied on January 1, attributed to inflation.Altitude varia
  
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• How BYD trounced Tesla and Toyota in plug-in vehicle sales

  05-02-2026 14:01 via drive.com.au
  ‘New Energy Vehicles’ is the term BYD uses for anything you plug in to charge, whether EV or plug-in hybrid – and on that score, it’s now the number-one selling brand in Australia.In 2025, BYD sold more vehicles that accept charge from a plug than any other brand for sale in Australia.That’s quite a stat, given that the company has come from nothing to this point in just 38 months.“New Energy Vehicles are battery electric and plug-in PHEVs. The market [was] ar
  
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• Opinion: Aussie pedestrians need to stop doing this immediately

  05-02-2026 07:30 via drive.com.au
  We need to realise realise pedestrians and cyclists aren’t blameless in the scourge of road deaths in Australia in the past 12 months.Is it time to implement harsher road rules for pedestrians and cyclists?There is little question that Australian driving etiquette is on a downward spiral. Everyone is in a hurry, too many of us are distracted, and no one wants to give way, say thank you, merge or even indicate.However, if we truly want to pave the way for a future with zero road fatalities,
  
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• 2025 Ford Ranger Victoria Police divisional van fault discovered

  05-02-2026 06:46 via drive.com.au
  Power could be cut in 2025 Ford Rangers that have been converted to divisional vans if temperatures in the load area get too high.Victoria Police has flagged an issue with Ford Ranger models on active duty that could see them lose power.According to Victoria Police, the Ford Rangers outfitted to be divisional vans can lose “engine power when the air conditioner in the pod was off”, which could hamper the vehicle’s mobility.It is understood this is due to a faulty temperature se
  
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• 2026 Australian F1 Grand Prix: Limited tickets remaining

  05-02-2026 03:30 via drive.com.au
  The Australian F1 Grand Prix is just one month away, and some limited ticket options remain for those who have left things to the last minute. 
  Photo: Getty Images
  The Australian F1 Grand Prix is one month away, and limited ticket options across park passes, grandstands, and lounge experiences remain availble for fans. Park passes are still available for Thursday or Friday, and this option will set you back $45 and $90 respectively.The Park Pass allows general entry and does not includ
  
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• 2026 Cupra Terramar VZ review

  05-02-2026 03:00 via drive.com.au
  Cupra’s mid-size SUV is wilfully unusual-looking and unapologetically sporty. Is this a super SUV worth paying attention to?
  Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
  2026 Cupra Terramar VZCupra’s three-year stint in the Australian market has been an eye-opener. From a standing start, a brand few people in Australia knew about has dropped 10,000 cars on drivewa
  
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• Micro car extinction watch: Countdown to zero

  05-02-2026 02:30 via drive.com.au
  Micro car sales have been on a downward trajectory since the category was introduced in 2014. But is now the time to start bidding farewell, or do the pint-sized heroes have some horsepower left in them yet?
  Nowadays, it’s a rare sight to see a small hatch – or even a sedan – driving among the sea of SUVs and dual-cab utes on most Aussie roads.Since the micro car category was introduced in 2014, it has recorded a more than 50 per cent decline in the number sold, according to VF
  
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• MTF chief commercial officer joins Pernod Ricard Group

  05-02-2026 01:46 via autotalk.co.nz
  Motor Trade Finance chief commercial officer Natasha Callister has been appointed Commercial Director New Zealand for Pernod Ricard Group, ending a successful tenure helping to drive growth in the automotive finance company’s dealer channel. Callister joined MTF after leading NZME’s automotive efforts under the Driven brand, bringing industry experience that proved valuable during a period […]
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• 2026 Nissan Navara price and specs: More expensive than related Mitsubishi Triton

  05-02-2026 01:00 via drive.com.au
  Prices are up for Nissan’s new-generation Navara ute, which borrows heavily from the Mitsubishi Triton, but there are a number of key differences.Nissan Australia’s crucial new Navara ute will arrive in local showrooms from March this year with a significantly slimmed down line-up, and prices have crept up compared to the outgoing car and the related Mitsubishi Triton.Only four versions of the new-generation Navara will be available at launch – all automatic dual-cab 4×4
  
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• EVs will ‘probably’ cost less than petrol cars within five years, Volvo CEO predicts

  05-02-2026 00:11 via autotalk.co.nz
  Volvo chief executive Håkan Samuelsson says electric vehicles will “most probably” cost less than petrol cars within five years, as the Swedish automaker claims its current electric vehicle (EV) lineup is already turning a profit. Speaking to reporters during a briefing in Stockholm, Samuelsson said “I think if you look five years ahead I would […]
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• Vehicle arrivals total 14,282 units in January

  05-02-2026 00:09 via autotalk.co.nz
  The number of new and used vehicles arriving at New Zealand ports in January 2026 totalled 14,282 units, down 23% compared with December, New Zealand Customs statistics show. Total car arrivals fell 26.5% month-on-month, down 4,174 units to 11,570. Used-car imports slipped 23.7% to 5,139, while new car imports fell 28.6% to 6,431. Truck and […]
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• Kia EV3 all-wheel drive firms for Australia, but not the GT

  05-02-2026 00:09 via drive.com.au
  A flagship all-wheel-drive option is being considered for Kia’s smallest electric car in Australia, but it may be a step down from the hero GT sold overseas.
  Kia EV3 GT-Line front-wheel drive.
  An all-wheel-drive version of the Kia EV3 electric car is under consideration for Australian showrooms to expand the line-up of the increasingly popular small SUV.However, the high-performance GT does not appear to be the front-runner for local showrooms, but rather a less powerful version that could
  
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