Celine Nolan

The facelifted 2026 Kia Stonic will be launched in Australia within the fourth quarter of the year.

Revealed foreign earlier this month, the Stonic facelift will accumulate beauty upgrades each and each inner and out, moreover to a modern relaxed-hybrid drivetrain which guarantees larger efficiency, fuel economic system, and fewer emissions.

Anticipated to market alongside the Stonic’s sole engine offering — a 1.0-litre turbocharged three cylinder — the modern forty eight-volt relaxed-hybrid drivetrain must elevate vitality by 15-percent, from 74 kW / 172 Nm to 85kW / 201Nm, whereas also lowering its 0-100km/hr time to 10.8sec.

Carbon dioxide emissions will drop from 125 – 131g/km (low-high) to 120 – 127, and fuel economic system improves by 0.3L/100km, now 6.4L/100km mixed (WLTP).

Every Stonic drivetrains will be mated to a seven-tempo dual clutch automated, that will maybe also exclusively vitality the entrance wheels. Regardless of availability in foreign markets, a manual transmission offering is no longer going to return to Australia. That option became discontinued mid final year.

Providing a hybrid drivetrain is notable if the Stonic is to compete with key section rival the Toyota Yaris Inferior, which turned exclusively hybrid in January 2024. The modern drivetrain can even give the Stonic a leg-up in opposition to common Mazda CX-3 and Hyundai Venue rivals.

The facelifted Stonic physique has been restyled to slot into Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ procedure language, that comprises sharper physique traces, a modern entrance and rear clip, modern-discover 16-hasten wheels (17-hasten for GT-Line devices), ‘Critical person Draw’ futuristic brightwork, and a modern grille.

Kia says it has also redesigned the Stonic bootlid. Boot quantity stays unchanged at 350L. Physique dimensions remain unchanged too, other than an additional 25mm physique dimension (now measuring 4165mm).

Internal, Kia has geared up its familiar panoramic dual 12.3-hasten infotainment and driver cluster show camouflage to the Stonic, alongside a series of present driver help programs. Standout additions encompass ‘excellent’ cruise administration, safe exit warning, lane observe benefit, and entrance collision avoidance benefit.

More Australian explicit facts on the facelifted Kia Stonic, including pricing and finite drivetrain facts, will change into available when the model debuts within the neighborhood later within the year.

The Mazda 6e electrical sedan has been spied trying out on Australian roads, offering the strongest build yet that the Japanese build will provide a neighborhood rival to the Tesla Model 3.

The return of the Mazda 6 nameplate – the combustion model went out of production in 2024 – comes from a co-pattern between Mazda and Chinese automobile making companion Changan.

Chasing Autos’ avenue-take a look at editor John Regulations noticed the camouflaged 6e, which is identified because the EZ-6 in some markets, in Sleek South Wales.

The liftback-sedan body is embellished with a body-width rear gentle and two unmistakably Mazda-fashion tail-lights – obvious clues that here’s a 6e despite the conceal.

The automobile’s styling, form, dimension and brightwork completely mirror those of the Mazda 6e, which develop into once first released in China in leisurely 2024.

Mazda Australia instructed Chasing Autos the take a look at automobile develop into once allotment of its overview job for bringing the electrical sedan to local showrooms.

“The [6e test] automobile is in the point out time being extinct for local overview functions and can merely provide treasured solutions that counts in direction of the wider enterprise case for bringing the Mazda 6e to Australia in future.”

The 6e could debut subsequent one year. It is already earmarked to transfer into assorted appropriate-hand-power markets such because the UK in 2026.

In in one more country markets, the Mazda 6e is accessible as both a dedicated electrical automobile or as a shuffle-in hybrid – both powertrains are exclusively rear-wheel power.

The EV 6e, the perhaps powertrain for Oz, offers a series of 56.1kWh or 68.8kWh lithium-ion phosphate (LFP) battery, 190kW rear electrical motor, and an approximate vary between 450-600km, reckoning on battery dimension.

The Mazda 6e is increased than the discontinued petrol 6, measuring 4921mm long, 1890mm wide, 1485 mm high, and drives on a 2895mm wheelbase.

In Australia, the electrical Mazda 6e would mainly rival assorted medium-dimension EV sedans such because the Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal, and Hyundai Ioniq 6.

The Model 3 costs from $54,900, the Seal begins from $46,990, and the Ioniq 6 is priced from $67,300.

Skoda’s striking Vision O thought automobile previews a future electric Octavia wagon years sooner than the model is anticipated in showrooms.

Described by Skoda as “the ability forward for estate autos” (that’s a region wagon for the Aussies in the room), the Vision O adorns an aerodynamic, minimalistic body with a two-tone roof, aero-wheels with an embossed triangle invent, and illuminated badging.

Extra exterior facets encompass T-fashioned tail lights, a wrap-spherical grille with swish integrated headlights (identified as ‘tech-loop’), two charging ports, illuminated entrance and rear Skoda badging, and a glasshouse build natural lighting fixtures invent separated by a thick B-pillar.

The Vision O facets dramatic ‘suicide’ rear doors that shouldn’t be expected for the production Octavia, moreover an electrochromatic (auto-dimming) sunroof.

Internal, Skoda’s pattern of latest solid minimalism continues, with a mono-topic materials presentation of 100-percent recycled polyester. Entrance passengers acquire a vertical infotainment touchscreen, and a hundreds of ‘Škoda Horizon Disguise’ that spans two-thirds of the dashboard.

Diverse creature comforts encompass a dual utility charger, tactile buttons on the steering wheel and centre console, a multi-characteristic dial lifted from quite quite a bit of different Volkswagen Neighborhood devices, a transportable bluetooth speaker, and adjustable cabin lighting fixtures.

The Vision O is 4850mm long, stretching noticeably past the 4.7 metres of this day’s Octavia wagon and nearer to the 4.9 metres of the present Amazing big automobile.

The thought’s 650-litre boot offers 10 litres of additional storage over the unusual Octavia wagon, moreover storage bins above the wheel wells for charging cables and other awkward baggage.

No technical critical facets were published in affiliation with the thought that’s debut, despite the incontrovertible truth that Skoda has educated European media that all powertrain alternate choices are on the table for the subsequent-period Octavia, so it would possibly maybe presumably well continue to provide combustion engines moreover pure battery vitality.

The next Octavia is determined to take a seat down on the VW Neighborhood’s recent SSP platform, and is now not going to stir on sale sooner than 2030.

Skoda stated the O in the thought that’s name represents both the electrical wagon’s circularity moreover Octavia.

Five-and-a-half of years after it used to be foreshadowed by the Precept concept, the Polestar 5 huge-sedan used to be printed overnight on the sidelines of the 2025 IAA Munich motor show veil – and it’s on the attain to Australia next year.

The fifth Polestar model is its most costly automobile yet, sitting both above the $116K-$154K Polestar 3 gigantic SUV (our reigning Luxury Vehicle of the 365 days), and alone on its have bespoke aluminium platform.

The slick sedan used to be described by senior executives because the truest model yet to Polestar’s pillars of excessive performance, sustainability and dapper originate.

Nonetheless Australians that see the sunshine pays for the privilege with the more life like of the two specifications from commence—a twin-motor AWD variant with 550kW/812Nm—priced at $171,100 plus on-road charges. Customer orders could maybe additionally be placed from this day.

That’s quite a bit of coin for a brand recent EV, but it’s all relative given the ‘most cost-efficient’ Porsche Taycan sedan, which utilises a 300kW single-motor rear-wheel force powertrain, is $10,100 more pricey with the identical 4S grade costing Aussies $222K before on-roads.

Measuring 5087mm in length (on a lengthy 3054mm wheelbase), 1425mm in top and 2062mm huge (at the side of mirrors), the Polestar 5 is a lengthy, low saloon automobile. It’s additionally a in point of fact heavy one, weighing in at 2500kg.

Polestar chief executive officer Michael Lohscheller openly invited comparisons between the ‘5’ and the Taycan. A virtue shared by the two huge-sedans is that both are per bespoke platforms, with the Polestar’s ultra-inflexible bonded chassis incorporating recycled aluminum.

“The Polestar 5 is our ticket on wheels,” acknowledged Lohscheller. “We’d like to ascertain it competes with the likes of Porsche. It is a long way a terribly crucial automobile for us.”

Now dubbed the Polestar Efficiency Architecture (PPA), the 5’s platform used to be place to be utilised practically actual now by the Polestar 6 convertible, but that halo model has been deferred as Polestar diverts resources to a noteworthy more life like compact SUV place to commence in 2028.

A excellent more great model of the Polestar 5, dubbed the Efficiency, charges $22,000 more but critically greater outputs (650kW/1015Nm) that nick the 0-100km/h time to about a.2 seconds (from 3.8sec). Both variants have a 250 km/h top lumber.

The Efficiency retains the conventional variant’s double wishbone suspension but swaps its twin-tube dampers for a semi-lively MagneRide setup with electromagnetic regulate. Wheel size is upgraded from 20s (on Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres) to 21s for the Efficiency.

Polestar will rob into fable much less opulent variations of the ‘5’ at some point soon but for the foreseeable period after commence the single alternate recommendations would be the twin-motor variations, which use a SK Innovation 112kWh, 800-volt nickel manganese cobalt battery with 192 cells split across eight modules.

In either grade the powertrain is critically rear biased with the aft motor, a Polestar-developed PX2 eternal magnet synchronous unit, contributing up to 450kW/660Nm searching on specification. The much less great front motor is built by ZF.

Charging capacity is 350kW (DC) and 11kW (AC) whereas WLTP range is a solid 670km for the fashioned grade and 565km for the Efficiency, which has increased wheels. Brake discs measure 400mm on the front wheels.

Inner, the Polestar 5 utilises a 14.5-paddle centre show veil and nine-paddle digital instrument cluster with huge integration with the Google machine. Integrated connectivity takes care of over-the-air replace.

Boot home measures 365 litres supplemented by a 62-litre frunk.

Alternate recommendations embody huge-lush Bridge of Weir animal welfare leather in charcoal or zinc ($11,800-$13,000), Bowers & Wilkins with noise cancellation ($8000), matte paint ($10,000), and 21- to 22-paddle wheels ($3000-$7000).