• Updated 2024 Mercedes Sprinter, eSprinter, Vito and eVito van range detailed

    Mercedes-Benz’s van range – including the Sprinter, which accounts for 70 per cent of its sales – in Australia is about to receive an overhaul. Here’s what to expect.The Mercedes-Benz van line-up in Australia is about to undergo its most significant overhaul in some years to help recover a slowdown in sales since the X-Class ute was axed four years ago.Orders are due to open mid-year – ahead of first deliveries between October and December 2024 – for an update
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee price slashed by up to $28,000 as sales tank

    The Jeep Grand Cherokee has had its price slashed after steep increases during the pandemic – and the lowest Jeep brand sales since the Global Financial Crisis.Prices for the Jeep Grand Cherokee have been slashed by up to $28,000 – or up to 23 per cent – as the US car maker’s sales slump to their lowest levels in nearly 15 years.It follows a series of steep price rises across the Jeep line-up during the pandemic which saw a Wrangler Rubicon’s cost climb by $19,000 i
  • Federal Budget 2024: The car tax changes you need to know about

    What’s happening with the fuel excise? Can I still write-off the cost of a new work vehicle? We’ve got the answers here.This week’s Federal Budget included some key taxation implications for drivers.Whether you drive a petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric car, there will be something here that may affect your wallet.Here’s what you need to know…Fuel exciseThe fuel excise is a tax levied by the Federal Government on petrol and diesel bought at the bowser. Motorists cu
  • 2024 Kia Carnival price and specs: Missing features added, plus hybrid

    The Kia Carnival – Australia’s top-selling people-mover – has come in for an upgrade with a new look, flashier interior, longer list of technology, and price rises of up to $5590 drive-away.2024 Kia Carnival pricing and specificationsNew look and upgraded interiorHybrid available for the first timePriced from $54,540 drive-awayThe facelifted 2024 Kia Carnival people-mover has arrived in Australia with drive-away price rises of up to $5590.Prices excluding on-road costs were pub
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  • 2024 Hyundai i30 Sedan N review

    Hyundai’s upstart hot hatch (well, sedan) boasts bucketloads of attitude, but is it a one-trick pony, or is there a daily-driveable depth to the recently updated i30 Sedan N.
    Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
    2024 Hyundai i30 Sedan NThe Hyundai i30 was one of those ‘new ground’ cars for Hyundai when it first went on sale. It aimed to move the bran
  • The Lap: The EV adventure down under continues

    Join us this weekend as The Lap continues around Australia. This episode kicks off in Warrnambool, Victoria, and ends in the stunning Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, with plenty of thrilling stops in between.
    This episode kicks off in Warrnambool, Victoria, and and continues across into South Australia. Heading north, the boys pass through Mount Gambier, Hahndorf, and the stunning Eyre Peninsula.Dom and Trent visit the Tantanoola Tavern, a spot Dom has been particularly eager to explore due to
  • Electric Toyota HiLux: Production confirmed

    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
  • Do you have to pay GST on a used car?

    Any extra fees when buying a car can be a pain. Registration fees, stamp duty, and insurance can add hundreds to the purchase price. But do you have to pay GST on a used car?There are a plethora of fees involved with buying a car, even if it is used. There is the initial cost of the car, the stamp duty you pay when you transfer the registration into your name, insurance costs, and all of the running costs.RELATED: How to avoid the luxury car tax in AustraliaGST is one of the extra fees you must
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  • Is a new Mitsubishi ASX for Australia finally on the way?

    Plans in the US for a new small Mitsubishi SUV – with plug-in hybrid power – could pave the way for a long-overdue replacement for the 14-year-old ASX in Australia.A replacement to the 14-year-old Mitsubishi ASX for markets such as the US and Australia may finally be in development, following fresh reports a new small SUV is planned to join the brand’s US line-up next year.According to industry journal Automotive News, Mitsubishi dealers in the US have been briefed on a new &ld
  • 2024 Mazda CX-60 D50e Evolve review

    Mazda’s move upmarket starts with the CX-60 medium SUV. But does the entry-level variant have what it takes to rival German prestige brands?
    Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
    2024 Mazda CX-60 D50e EvolveWithout directly saying as such, Mazda is pushing itself upmarket in Australia and it’s doing so with cars such as the Mazda CX-60 medium SUV.Whereas so
  • Tasmanian driver narrowly avoids getting hit by train

    Tasmania Police said the ute was pushed 60m along the rail – however, no-one was injured during the incident and the investigation remains ongoing.Photo Credit: Tasmania Police/FacebookA Tasmanian driver has narrowly avoided death after jumping out of a Toyota HiLux right before a train collided with it – propelling the car 60m down the track.According to the Tasmania Police Facebook post – the incident occurred on 15 May 2024 along Stony Rise Road at Devonport – a city a
  • 2024 Mazda BT-50 price and specs: Line-up changes and new features

    The Mazda BT-50 range has been tweaked for 2024, gaining new features – but it misses out on most of the Thai model’s additions, and the biggest upgrades from its facelifted Isuzu D-Max twin.2024 Mazda BT-50 pricing and specificationsRough Terrain Mode adds on all 4×4 modelsDual-cab chassis added for GT variantPriced from $35,520 plus on-road costsThe 2024 Mazda BT-50 ute range has been updated with new features, a new GT model, and two variants dropped.However, the Australian
  • GM, LG reach $150 million settlement over Chevrolet Bolt EV battery fires, recall

    General Motors and LG Energy Solution have reached a $150 million settlement over Chevrolet Bolt EV battery fires. The deal would give owners of recalled Bolts $700 or $1,400, depending on whether they had their EV battery replaced.
  • Kia says electric EV5 will ‘enable us to continue to sell Tasmans’ under incoming emissions rules

    Kia says its new Tesla Model Y-rivalling EV5 EV SUV must be a “great value proposition” to drive sales, and allow the car maker to continue selling petrol and diesel-powered models under the upcoming NVES.Kia Australia executives have identified the 2024 Kia EV5 mid-size electric SUV as a “key product” that will ensure it can launch the Tasman – its first diesel ute – without paying fines under the Federal Government’s upcoming emissions standards for ne
  • Tesla's March registrations fall 12% as rivals gain EV share, U.S. data shows

    Overall, registrations for battery-electric vehicles rose 3.8% in March compared with the year-earlier month. Ford, Hyundai and Kia gained significant share in the EV segment, S&P Global Mobility said.
  • 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace price cut in Australia

    The VW Tiguan Allspace SUV has been given a price reduction to maintain interest in the seven-seater during the 18-month wait for its successor.Volkswagen Australia has cut the price of the 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace seven-seat SUV to match the smaller five-seat version ahead of a new model due to launch locally 18 months from now.The Tiguan Allspace is the cheapest it has been since the end of 2022, after $2000 was cut from 110TSI and 132TSI Life variants, and $2500 was taken off the price
  • 6 charged with stealing 400-plus cars from Michigan dealerships and factories

    Six individuals have been arrested for their alleged involvement ​​in a criminal organization responsible for the theft of more than 400 vehicles worth approximately $8 million in Southeast Michigan.The arrests, conducted by the Force Detroit Team and announced by Attorney General Dana Nessel, are a result of months of local police agencies and the Force Team.According to a news release, the alleged criminal ring targeted new vehicle storage lots at manufacturing facilities, car deal
  • Can you convert a car to a hybrid?

    EV conversions have become popular in the past decade, but what if you don’t want to completely eliminate your petrol-powered engine? Can you convert a car to a hybrid?Electric vehicle (EV) conversions have been a popular option for those looking to convert their car to something greener, more reliable or even just for more performance. RELATED: Hybrids outsell electric cars, as regular new petrol and diesel vehicle sales declineHowever, there are still a few people who love the
  • Indy 500 at a crossroads: Iconic racing league is on cusp of starting its hybrid era

    IndyCar is finally set to introduce its hybrid system this summer. That makes the 2024 Indy 500 the last time the open-wheel cars will run at the Brickyard without hybrid power.
  • Nearly 80% of consumers would consider buying an EV in four years, Cox says

    EV skeptics would consider an EV if it costs the same as a gasoline-powered alternative and if more public charging becomes available.
  • CallRevu buys TotalCX, aims to dominate dealership calling tech

    Private equity firm Serent Capital wants to grow CallRevu into a major player for retail automotive industry call monitoring analytics software.
  • U.S. Supreme Court backs consumer finance watchdog agency's funding mechanism

    Many conservatives and their Republican allies have portrayed the CFPB as part of an overbearing "administrative state," the network of agencies responsible for the array of federal regulations affecting businesses and individuals.
  • Ford issues 'call to action' for EV suppliers

    Ford's memo offers a look into how heavily the automaker is leaning on suppliers for help with EVs. It comes even as many of those suppliers grapple with dramatically lower volumes and production delays.
  • Hybrids replace EVs on industry's center stage

    Consumer preferences shift to hybrids and plug-in hybrids as interest in fully electric vehicles cools.
  • Honda doubles EV investment to $64B, fleshes out 7 new models in 0 Series

    Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe outlines the business case for achieving fat electric vehicle margins by the end of the decade as he doubles investment in next-generation EVs.
  • Stinger-powered Kia Tasman twin-turbo petrol V6 ute unlikely as Ranger Raptor rival

    Strapping Kia Stinger V6 power to the upcoming Tasman ute – as a Ford Ranger Raptor rival – could come at a significant cost to Kia, under upcoming Australian emissions rules.
    Illustration by Theottle.
    A high-performance version of the upcoming 2025 Kia Tasman ute is looking increasingly unlikely, as CO2 emissions standards for new vehicles loom in Australia.The Hyundai group has an arsenal of high-power twin-turbocharged petrol V6 engines in its global stable – including the d
  • The new Kia Carnival fills one of the old model’s big gaps

    The ‘Covid-compromised’ Kia Carnival has finally been updated with SUV styling, more safety, improved ride comfort and, soon, a new hybrid powertrain.
    Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
    2024 Kia Carnival
    The Kia Carnival is single-handedly making it socially acceptable to drive a people mover.On a good day, the eight-seater Carnival owns almost 90 per ce
  • 2024 Kia Carnival Hybrid price announced, due in showrooms next month

    Australia’s top-selling people mover has added a hybrid option – but Kia has warned of limited stock at launch.
    US model shown.
    The facelifted 2024 Kia Carnival people-mover will add a hybrid model, due in Australian showrooms one month after the petrol and diesel variants arriving imminently.The Carnival Hybrid will initially be offered in a single specification grade – the flagship GT-Line – priced from $76,210 plus on-road costs, $5530 dearer than the petrol V6 and $33
  • Hyundai Santa Fe vs a Mazda CX-8: How do these family SUVs compare?

    As Australia’s love affair with large SUVs continues to grow, we compare the new Hyundai Santa Fe to the outgoing Mazda CX-8 to see which model is better for your growing family.
    Hyundai has just released its newest generation Santa Fe, with a boxier design and updated tech, among other major changes.Meanwhile, the current generation Mazda CX-8 has been available in Australia since 2018. The seven-seater underwent a mild facelift in 2023 before Mazda Australia announced it would discontinu
  • ‘Red carpets’ spotted on Queensland roads – but what do they mean?

    A photo of a ‘red carpet’ on a regional Queensland road has intrigued drivers unaware the road marking even existed.
    Photo Credit: Transport and Main Roads Queensland/FacebookA photo of a stretch of road in Queensland covered in red paint has raised awareness about a little-known road rule only found in the state.
    Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) posted the photo to its Facebook page, asking its followers “What does this red mark mean?”.RELA

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