Automotive news

• Updated 2025 Kia EV6 electric car teased, coming to Australia

  02-05-2024 04:00 via drive.com.au
  A facelift for the Kia EV6 electric car is around the corner, with design cues from newer models – and likely a larger battery pack.The 2025 Kia EV6 electric car has been teased ahead of its unveiling later this month, and an Australian arrival due in the second half of this year.Two just-released images show the updated EV6 will adopt new, angular headlights inspired by Kia’s latest electric-car concepts, split by a new notched trim panel akin to the K4, the replacement for the Cera
  
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• 2024 GWM Tank 300 long-term review

  14-06-2024 16:00 via drive.com.au
  We answer your questions about GWM’s adventure-ready off-roader, and check in on how it is standing up after months of daily driving, off-roading, and camping.What we love
  Genuinely capable off-roaderTerrific value for moneySoft, wallowing suspension yields good ride comfort
  What we don’t
  Low payload means it’s not suitable for more than a couple’s weekend awayIt lifts the rear wheels off the deck under hard, high-speed brakingBoot space isn’t as big as you get in a
  
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• 2024 Suzuki Swift price and specs: New mild-hybrid hatch is more expensive

  14-06-2024 13:00 via drive.com.au
  Suzuki’s new Swift city car has arrived in Australia with new bodywork, a more advanced interior, and an all-new three-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid assistance.2024 Suzuki Swift pricing and specificationsNew Swift fitted with mild-hybrid technologyThree model grades with more equipmentPriced from $24,490 drive-awayThe new 2024 Suzuki Swift has arrived in Australia with price rises – and cuts – after the most affordable model climbed by close to 50 per cent in the last five y
  
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• 2024 Suzuki Swift Hybrid review: Australian first drive

  14-06-2024 13:00 via drive.com.au
  The new Suzuki Swift has had a makeover, with a new design, interior, features and mild-hybrid engine. Should you upgrade?
  Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
  2024 Suzuki Swift HybridCity cars are an endangered species, and former favourites such as the Honda Jazz, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Renault Clio and Nissan Micra have bitten the dust in recent years.The Suzuki
  
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• 2024 Audi Q4 E-Tron price and specs – UPDATE

  14-06-2024 07:30 via drive.com.au
  The entry-level Audi Q4 E-Tron electric SUV will cost top-of-the-range Tesla Model Y money when it arrives in local showrooms mid next year.2025 Audi Q4 E-Tron pricing and specificationsTwo models and two body styles for mid-size electric SUVDue in mid-2024, up to 562km of claimed driving range in EuropePriced from $88,300 plus on-road costsThe 2025 Audi Q4 E-Tron mid-size electric SUV will be priced from $88,300 plus on-road costs – or an estimated $95,000 drive-away – when it arriv
  
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• Elon Musk’s $84 billion pay approved, now a judge needs to be convinced – UPDATE

  14-06-2024 06:10 via drive.com.au
  After a senior Tesla board member made an appeal to the company’s shareholders, CEO Elon Musk’s multi-billion-dollar pay deal has been voted in – but he still has one last person to convince.UPDATE, 14 June 2024: Tesla shareholders have approved a $US56 billion ($8AU4 billion) pay cheque for CEO Elon Musk during an investor meeting, as well as approving a company move to Texas.While the vote is a significant endorsement of the Tesla boss, it’s understood Mr Musk will stil
  
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• Where do I find my car’s colour code?

  14-06-2024 04:21 via drive.com.au
  If you’ve bought a used car and want to touch up the paint, you must first locate the colour code. Here’s where to find your car’s colour code.Small scrapes and scratches on your car will sometimes need a little touch-up. Perhaps you’ve purchased replacement paint and want to try painting it yourself, or perhaps you’re outsourcing it to the professionals. Either way, it can help to find your car’s paint colour code before taking the plunge.RELATED: How to prev
  
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• Get your business ready for EOFY with Drive’s ‘Working Class’ lift-out and Work Cars hub

  14-06-2024 04:20 via drive.com.au
  Following the recent launch of the Business Drive TV series come the ultimate business companions – an all-new online Work Cars guide and print lift-out ahead of the End of Financial Year.Nearly two in every five new cars sold in Australia is bought by an ABN holder and considering the end of the financial year typically the biggest retail period in the automotive calendar, Drive is helping small business owners and tradespeople get the most value out of their working wheels.Drive’s
  
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• Tesla teases three all-new electric models

  14-06-2024 04:10 via drive.com.au
  Two smaller electric vehicles and one van-style model have been shown under drapes, but there’s little – if anything – that we haven’t already been told about.Tesla has teased three future electric vehicles during a presentation to investors.While details of the new models have yet to be announced, two of the vehicles have already been teased by Tesla in the past – one being a larger box-style body, believed to be a people-mover/commercial van, while the second is a
  
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• Mercedes-AMG G63 Elements Edition packages announced

  14-06-2024 04:00 via drive.com.au
  Not one, but six special-edition G63 AMGs that dip extensively into the brand’s custom options pool go on sale this month, as the current model G-Class nears the end of its life.Australian orders for the Mercedes-AMG G63 Elements Edition package – with six different versions all offering exclusive colour combinations and equipment upgrades – will open on 19 June 2024.At $28,000 – including GST and Luxury Car Tax (LCT) – above the standard G63’s starting price
  
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• 2024 Volkswagen T-Cross price and specs: More features for higher price

  14-06-2024 04:00 via drive.com.au
  The updated VW T-Cross SUV is closing in on Australia with more standard features and refreshed styling – for a higher price.2024 Volkswagen T-Cross pricing and specificationsUpdated SUV adds revised styling, interiorLED headlights, more safety features standard on all modelsPriced from $33,990 before on-road costs
  T-Cross R-Line.
  The facelifted 2024 Volkswagen T-Cross city SUV is due in Australian showrooms mid-next month with a longer equipment list and new styling – but with price
  
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• 2024 BYD Atto 3 price slashed as updated model arrives in Australia

  14-06-2024 02:08 via drive.com.au
  The BYD Atto 3 has had a substantial price cut alongside an update that brings a bigger screen, new tyres and no more ‘Build Your Dreams’ badging.The 2024 BYD Atto 3 has had its price slashed by $3562 as part of an update that adds new technology and other features that answer key customer and media complaints.Aside from limited-time promotions, BYD had until now resisted following the likes of Tesla and MG in cutting the prices of electric vehicles in response to a slowing rate of s
  
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• Billionaire Elon Musk's record-breaking $US56 billion pay package approved by Tesla shareholders

  14-06-2024 01:11 via abc.net.au
  
  Shareholders also approved a proposal to re-elect his brother, Kimbal Musk, and son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch, as board members. 
  
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• 2025 Alpine A290 electric hot hatch revealed by Renault performance division

  14-06-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  The Renault hot hatch is back with a classic name – and electric power. Meet the Alpine A290, a 162kW battery-powered city hatch with a ‘push-to-pass’ boost mode.Renault has unveiled its first all-new hot hatch in six years – through its high-performance Alpine division – with the 2025 Alpine A290, due in European showrooms later this year.It is the sporty version of the reborn electric Renault 5 city hatch – or an electrified spiritual successor to the Renaul
  
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• Dealerships investigating following BYD VIN mixup

  14-06-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  One of the newest brands on the market says it is working with dealers to identify how the administrative mistake has been made at multiple Australian sites.BYD says it is taking action over a “couple of isolated incidents” in which the wrong vehicle identification number (VINs) was listed on customers’ sale documents and insurance paperwork.Drive has seen evidence of multiple reports across the country of BYD customers being given one VIN on their contract of sale and registra
  
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• BYD under fire from customers following VIN mixups

  14-06-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  One of the newest brands on the market has been criticised by owners for making a small – but potentially very serious – administrative mistake at multiple Australian sites.BYD says it is taking action over a “couple of isolated incidents” in which the wrong vehicle identification number (VINs) was listed on customers’ sale documents and insurance paperwork.Drive has seen evidence of multiple reports across the country of BYD customers being given one VIN on their c
  
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• Rooftop tent causes carnage after departing car on highway

  13-06-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  Two vehicles had to be towed from the scene of the incident along a major road in Tasmania.Police are warning about the dangers of not properly securing a load, after a rooftop tent became separated from a vehicle in Tasmania, taking out two other cars.The incident happened on the Huon Highway – a major inland route between Kingston and Huonville, south of Hobart – in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with two vehicles sustaining major damage.A driver of one of the damaged cars tol
  
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• ‘No reason for these things to be legal’: The rules for lifted utes in Australia

  13-06-2024 22:53 via drive.com.au
  A viral TikTok video has exposed the risks of the lifted utes commonly spotted on US roads, but are they legal in Australia? We find out.A viral online video of a lifted Ford F-Series ute that crashed into the back of a Porsche sports car in the US has exposed a major road danger associated with high suspension lifts.
  In a video posted to the social media platform TikTok, user ‘molesrcool‘ discusses the blind-spot problems and general road risks of lifted vehicles.RELATED: Don’
  
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• 2024 Hyundai Kona and i30 Sedan recalled in Australia

  13-06-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  The fault could cause a loss of power while driving, according to the recall notice.Hyundai has recalled 946 examples of its 2024 Kona and i30 Sedan models, citing a potential manufacturing fault.The affected vehicles are stamped 2024 models, but may have been sold at a later date.The recall notice, lodged with the Department of Infrastructure, says: “The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve sensor may have been exposed to soldering flux contamination during manufactur
  
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• ‘Dude pulled up in the Batmobile’: What on earth was that viral Luka Doncic car?

  13-06-2024 08:40 via drive.com.au
  Rising basketball superstar Luka Doncic is known for his work on the court, but it’s his Mad Max-style truck that had social media talking.We’re used to seeing highly paid NBA players rolling around in all manner of luxury cars, but rising Slovenian basketball star Luka Doncic has managed to stand out from the crowd with his choice of car at the 2024 NBA finals.
  Ahead of game three, Doncic (formally spelt Dončić) got social media talking after he was captured on video arriv
  
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• 2025 BMW 2 Series updated with more powerful M2

  13-06-2024 07:06 via drive.com.au
  BMW’s popular 2 Series will be updated for 2025 with a more powerful flagship M2 joined by range-wide cabin and tech upgrades.The 2025 BMW 2 Series coupe has been updated with minor design tweaks, more tech and increased power for the M2 performance flagship with Australian arrivals planned before the end of 2024.The three-model line-up will continue, with the entry level 230i, mid-spec M240i xDrive given visual tweaks and more tech, with the flagship M2 also boasting engine upgrades.BMW A
  
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• Shock announcement follows former Top Gear stars’ return to TV

  13-06-2024 06:02 via drive.com.au
  A new TV series starring two former Top Gear hosts has been announced, but it’s Chris Harris’s unexpected departure from Collecting Cars which has the internet abuzz.Former Top Gear presenter Chris Harris has announced he is cutting ties with auction platform Collection Cars – a business he co-founded.Harris posted on Instagram to share the unexpected news, after fans began asking questions about the sudden pause on regular content from Collecting Cars, including its popular po
  
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• ‘See that little guy?’: TikToker spots hidden feature on Michelin tyres

  13-06-2024 04:31 via drive.com.au
  If you own a set of Michelin tyres, have you spotted this handy feature? It could be your shortcut to becoming a tyre tread expert.Photo: TikTok/_andwhyisthat_Very few of us pay close attention to the markings on our tyres. At most, we will check to make sure we have enough tread and they have enough air in them and that’s it.RELATED: How long do tyres actually last? And do they have a use-by date?
  RELATED: What do the numbers on the side of tyres mean?To be fair, tyres have a plethora of
  
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• Europe announces hefty tariffs for Chinese electric cars

  13-06-2024 03:18 via drive.com.au
  Electric cars built in China are set to face new tariffs of up to 38 per cent in Europe after an investigation found the Chinese Government has been unfairly subsidising the vehicles.The European Union (EU) has announced new tariffs of up to 38.1 per cent on electric vehicles (EVs) produced in China, which it alleges the Chinese Government has unfairly subsidised to make them cheaper to buy in Europe.The tariffs range from 17.4 to 38.1 per cent – depending on how cooperative a car maker ha
  
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• In this week’s episode of Business Drive: Scott Cam gives his tradie tips

  13-06-2024 02:36 via drive.com.au
  Tune in to Channel Nine this weekend for the second episode of Business Drive. Hosted by TV personality, Kris Smith, the four-part series shares insights from real-world business owners and tradespeople, along with Australia’s favourite tradie, Scott Cam.Tune in to the second episode of Business Drive, airing on Channel Nine at 12:30pm AEST this Saturday 15 June.In this episode, Kris Smith takes us on a real-world test of fit-for-purpose vehicles, from towing heavy loads to lifes
  
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• Not every new McLaren will be hybrid or electric, petrol power to co-exist

  13-06-2024 00:50 via drive.com.au
  Amid a tide of new supercars featuring electric-assisted engines, McLaren says it will continue with pure petrol-powered performance cars in the future.McLaren will continue making pure petrol-powered supercars in the future, alongside new plug-in hybrids like the Artura and a forthcoming electric supercar.While the latter of those three powertrain options remains off the table for the near future, McLaren will not turn its back on the internal combustion engine (ICE) any time soon.“For [M
  
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• Video: Toyota’s new car-killer test track based on the Nurburgring

  13-06-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  A new test facility has been created to help test Toyota and Lexus models to breaking point – which the company’s boss says will lead to better cars.Toyota has opened its brand-new $5 billion proving ground, which it says has been designed to break cars.According to Toyota, Shimoyama – which has been 30 years in the making – has been modelled on the iconic Nurburgring circuit in Germany, known for being not only the longest race track in the world, but also one of the tou
  
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• Ferrari phasing out key feature standard in Toyota, Ford, Hyundai, Kia cars

  12-06-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  Improvements in Apple and Android smartphone technology are spelling the end for a long-time technology in Ferrari supercars.A piece of technology is set to disappear from future Ferrari supercars that is standard in much cheaper cars and SUVs sold by brands from Toyota to Mercedes-Benz.It is not an item of safety technology, nor anything that improves performance – but rather embedded satellite navigation.Ferrari says Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are so easy to use – and mapping a
  
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• Canberra Festival of Speed announces 2025 dates

  12-06-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  The second running of the Canberra Festival of Speed has been announced, with hundreds of exotic road and race cars coming to the nation’s capital in late January 2025.Organisers of the 2025 Canberra Festival of Speed have locked in the Australia Day weekend for the two-day event.Held on Saturday 25 January and Sunday 26 January 2025, the Canberra Festival of Speed is expecting more than 300 of the world’s most desirable road and race cars in 2025 – with patrons given the rare
  
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• Honda S600: How many good ideas created one bad one | Drive Flashback

  12-06-2024 21:18 via drive.com.au
  The Honda S600 is today fondly remembered and revered by enthusiasts, but it was a very different story back when it was released in 1964Original story, by Tony Davis, first published in Drive on 22 June, 2001The first Honda car in Australia – the two-seater S600 micro-roadster – is a superb example of bringing many clever ideas together to create one bad one.First seen in Japan in 1963, the S600 was unveiled here in January, 1965. It was entirely in keeping with Japan’s long t
  
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