Celine Nolan

Thanks for joining us this Thursday March Sixth 2025. Win out in regards to the struggling within the fresh-automobile market, Ford’s petrol-electrical dual-cab saviour, a fresh hardcore WRX, Volvo’s graceful electrical sedan, an EV for the Volks and fresh ranger extender EV for Oz.

Browse this tell:

• Rate of residing disaster strikes the fresh automobile market with flagging gross sales
• Ford small print its saunter-in hybrid rival to the BYD Shark 6
• Hardcore Subaru WRX tS Spec B is an STI-lite
• Modern fresh sedan takes aim at BMW i5, Audi A6 e-tron
• Volkswagen’s electrical automobile for the people
• 2025 Ford Everest Tremor review

Rate of residing disaster strikes the fresh automobile market with flagging gross sales

• February gross sales are in and it isn’t having a come all over ethical. In contrast with final year, deliveries be pleased dropped almost 10 percent and it’s being led by electrical vehicles. Tesla had a shocker and helped pull EV gross sales down 37 percent.

• Toyota stayed on high both for trace and automobile, taking high honours with the RAV4 hybrid. Ford took 2d with Ranger, then came HiLux.

• We’ve at final seen if BYD’s in a arena to slouch the stroll, too, after the launch of Shark 6 saunter-in hybrid ute gross sales changed into as soon as delayed. In its first month the Shark 6 managed sixth general, pipping the Isuzu D-Max. Be conscious this dwelling.

Ford small print its saunter-in hybrid rival to the BYD Shark 6

• After years of data drip-feed, Ford has at final printed plump pricing and specifications for the saunter-in hybrid Ford Ranger. There’s clearly an creep for food for PHEV utes, but whether Ford can web in on the motion is one other quiz.

• There’s a huge range on provide from XLT neat by to fresh Stormtrak halo grade. Pricing begins at $71,990, before on-street costs, for the fabric upholstered and halogen headlight-geared up XLT. Wildtrak is $seventy nine,990 and Stormtrak $86,990.

• Some key variations between Ranger PHEV and the fresh Chinese language rivals consist of a 3.5-tonne braked towing capability and as much as 973kg payload (offering there’s no spare tyre fitted). EV driving range is 48km and outputs are 209kW and 690Nm.

Hardcore Subaru WRX tS Spec B is an STI-lite

• Kind you like carrying your hat backwards and going instant? Excuse the stereotype, however the Subaru WRX is serve in additional hardcore tS Spec B obtain that builds on the Club Spec puny model from 2024.

• Pricing is from $61,490, before on-street costs, and the WRX tS Spec B ratings linked upgrades to the Club Spec, equivalent to the worthy rear flit, Recaro bucket seats, 19-chase alloy wheels, Brembo brakes and stickier Bridgestone S007 tyres.

• Distinguishing this mannequin (and justifying the larger keep) are now not any-worth-option STI efficiency mufflers and — for the main time within the fresh WRX — adaptive dampers blended with a six-lumber manual transmission. No extra energy, though.

• Pre-orders for the WRX tS Spec B are start now.

Modern 700km driving range sedan takes aim at BMW i5, Audi A6 e-tron

• Volvo has unveiled its fresh top class huge electrical automobile, the ES90, with targets on the serve of the BMW i5, Audi A6 e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQE. Volvo doesn’t train it’s a sedan, liftback or SUV though it completely rides bigger than the worn S90 — it’s like an overgrown Polestar 2, in fact.

• It sounds as if ‘design driven’ with the flexibility to ‘evolve over time’, the ES90 is a truly diversified automobile for Volvo that’s in step with the linked SPA2 underpinnings of the EX90 and Polestar 3.

• Electrical stats are prominent: 700km of driving range from a 106kWh battery pack, whereas 800V structure skill instant charging can add as much as 300km range in 10 minutes.

• The ES90 is mountainous. Volvo hasn’t given exterior length yet — demand 5.0 metres or more — however the wheelbase is 3.1 metres for a range of minimal yet luxurious cabin dwelling. Assign apart a question to Volvo’s fresh electrical luxurious automobile to launch in gradual 2025.

Volkswagen’s electrical automobile for the people

• The ID.3 did not be pleased the revolutionary create of the Beetle, but Volkswagen says the ID.1 will when it launches in 2027. Here is the final piece in VW’s EV strategy.

• Designate is a key attribute, a aim of €20,000 (A$34,000) with production in Europe for Europe. The tubby angular design is punchy and affords the ID.EVERY1 understanding more presence than its small 3880mm length on the total would. The boot isn’t execrable both, at 305L.

• Stats are modest, with a 70kW entrance-mounted electrical motor obliging ideal 130km/h high speeds. A 250km driving range seals the deal as a metropolis automobile. The MEB entrance-wheel-drive platform will underpin a total of four VW gadgets in some unspecified time in the future including the ID.2 hatch and small SUVs which could be more to Australia’s style.

This has the MU-X shaking in its boots: 2025 Ford Everest Tremor review

• Manufacturing Specialist Thomas Space takes a stride within the fresh Ford Everest Tremor — an off-street centered model of Ford’s favorite 4×4 wagon that takes aim on the Toyota Prado Altitude.

• Tom praised the relative worth over the Sport V6, improved off-street capability and — pointless to teach — tricky appears, thanks to a butch visible treatment.

• A loss in payload, some missing parts in contrast with Ranger Tremor and expensive option programs ate into its excellence. Within the kill, the Everest Tremor is a provocative proposition within the market and a ethical different to the same outdated Prado.

Study: Tom’s plump review right here

The following tell of Automotive Records This day shall be printed on Friday 07 February at 4.30pm Sydney time.

Current-automobile gross sales outcomes are in for February and the cracks are starting up to point out within the market.

Knowledge supplied by the federal chamber of automobile industries (FCAI) in its VFACTS document unearths most efficient 94,933 novel vehicles had been sold in February, down 9.6 percent on last Twelve months driven by horrified passenger and electrical automobile gross sales  — EVs are down 37 percent.

It’s no longer all doom and gloom, despite the real fact that, with creep-in hybrid vehicles exploding in recognition by 346 percent, essentially thanks to booming gross sales from Chinese impress BYD.

To now not dispute the announce quo has been fully disrupted. Toyota aloof ruled the roost in February with 18,832 gross sales followed by Mazda (8797) and Kia (6707).

Ford’s third space general is looking out precarious, its 6337 gross sales in February keep it within the lend a hand of Kia for the month; the incoming Tasman ute would possibly keep the hurt on Ford. Mitsubishi rounded out the tip 5 in Feb with 6119 gross sales.

Tesla would now not document its gross sales to the FCAI but EV Council gross sales outcomes point out a mountainous tumble in gross sales to 1592 from 5665 last Twelve months.

FCAI chief executive Tony Weber eminent unhurried electrical automobile gross sales sitting out of forms with the novel strict emissions targets. He also blamed charge-of-living pressures for the horrified novel-automobile market.

“We’re really two months into the Government’s Current Vehicle Efficiency Customary, and while the provide of battery electrical vehicles has risen dramatically, shopper inquire has fallen by 37 per cent this Twelve months compared with the first two months of 2024,” talked about Weber.

Australia’s most accepted novel vehicles in February

The Toyota RAV4 persisted its charge with 4405 gross sales and a solid first blueprint in February, surroundings the household SUV — which is thanks to discover modified next Twelve months — up for first announce honours in 2025.

Barely manner within the lend a hand of at 4040 gross sales became the Ford Ranger ute, followed by the Toyota HiLux. The Toyota Prado 4×4 became one among two very novel devices within the tip 10 with an spectacular 2723 gross sales in February, followed by the Mitsubishi Outlander mid-size SUV.

The monumental upset to the twin cab announce quo became the success of the BYD Shark 6 creep-in hybrid ute.

Executives at importer EV Utter had been talking a monumental sport but this proves — no longer lower than in the starting up — there’s monumental inquire for this automobile. It secured 2026 gross sales and sixth announce with most efficient one variant.

Then came the well-liked array of utes and household SUVs including theIsuzu D-Max (2022), Mazda CX-5 (1932) and Kia Sportage (1927).

Blurring the traces between diminutive and medium SUVs appears to be like to be paying off for the novel Hyundai Kona, which managed an spectacular 1889 gross sales.

Most popular manufacturers Twelve months-to-date in 2025

1. Toyota — 37,256
2. Mazda — 17,119
3. Ford — 13,167
4. Kia — 12,427
5. Mitsubishi — 11,800
6. Hyundai — 11,473
7. MG — 7479
8. GWM — 7186
9. Nissan — 6594
10. Subaru — 6435

Most popular vehicles in February 2025

1. Toyota RAV4 — 4405
2. Ford Ranger — 4040
3. Toyota HiLux — 3616
4. Toyota Prado — 2723
5. Mitsubishi outlander — 2385
6. BYD Shark 6 — 2026
7. Isuzu D-Max — 2022
8. Mazda CX-5 — 1932
9. Kia Sportage — 1927
10. Hyundai Kona — 1889

Thanks for joining us this Tuesday March 4th 2025. Jeep Cherokee eliminated from sale in Australia, GWM Tank 300 now available with turbo-diesel energy plant, and extra.

Browse this plot back:

• Jeep Grand Cherokee axed from the Australian market
• GWM Tank 300 now available with turbo-diesel energy
• Audi to sneak preview original S6 E-Tron Sportback at EV tournament in Sydney
• Xpeng G6 to ranking facelift for 2025

Jeep Grand Cherokee axed from sale in Australia

• The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been “paused” from local sale, in step with Stellantis Australia, shedding by the wayside of the local Jeep line-up after three decades of sale.

• The most contemporary fifth-period ‘WL’ has no longer loved wherever advance the gross sales success of its forebear, the ‘WK2’, which used to be once the greatest-selling orderly SUV in Australia a decade ago (around 16,600 models in 2014 – supplanting Toyota Prado from the crown.

• The autumn from grace for Grand Cherokee is no longer unique to Australia, with records that the production of the US-constructed model will discontinuance for all-loyal-hand-drive markets.

• There may maybe be not a indication that Jeep’s assorted models in Avenger, Compass, Wrangler and Gladiator are coping with the slice from local showrooms.

GWM Tank 300 now available with turbo-diesel energy plant

• GWM Australia has released a turbo-diesel risk for its Tank 300 4×4 wagon line-up, with oiler bolstering ranks alongside the present turbo-petrol and petrol hybrid variants.

• The diesel fitted is a 2.4-litre four-cylinder unit outputting 135kW and 480Nm. Paired with a 9-tempo computerized and four-wheel drive. Oiler energy united states of americaTank 300’s braked towing capability from 2500kg in all assorted powertrains to three tonnes in the diesel.

• The diesel choices open with the familiar Lux grade, priced from $47,990 driveaway, with a facets do mirroring the petrol-based mostly variants.

• It’s a identical fable for the high-spec Ultra that, at $51,990 driveaway, neatly splits its Ultra-grade petrol and hybrid stablemates on pricing. It’s available to pronounce now.

Audi debuting S6 E-Tron in Sydney this weekend

• Audi is giving Aussie traders a “sneak preview” of the original S6 E-Tron utterly electric efficiency model at the All the pieces Electrical display masks in Sydney this weekend.

• On demonstrate may maybe presumably presumably be the five-door Sportback version, though an Avant wagon is also offered in some world markets.

• In European spec, the S6 E-Tron gives a 405kW height and is derived with a 0-100km/h claim of 3.9sec for the Sportback. Vary is claimed to be as remarkable as 670kms in optimum European configuration.

• The S6 E-Tron joins novices to local showrooms in the slight Q4 and mid-measurement Q6 and SQ6 E-tron SUVs at the Sydney display masks, alongside 13 assorted electric model variants from sister producers Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra.

Xpeng G6 gets facelifted months after Aussie debut

• The XPeng G6 midsize electric SUV has been facelifted in its China hometown loyal months after the starting up of the emblem and (pre-facelifted) model in Australia.

• A key player in the latest onslaught of Chinese-branded electric SUVs to raise stop on Tesla Model Y, the refreshed G6 gets subtly revised styling out of doors, original wheels and revamped tech interior – in conjunction with a increased 15.6-hurry media gadget – as key upgrades.

• Battery efficiency has improved, with the China market versions lifting entry battery output to 68.5kWh (from 66kWh) and the high-grade unit now 87.5kWh (up from 80.8kWh).

• With out a doubt certain for local showroom, it’s but unclear what assorted technical or specification upgrades the Aussie versions will salvage over the latest guise, which begins from $54,800 prior to on-roads.

The next plot back of Car Recordsdata At the moment will be printed on Wednesday Twenty fifth February at 4.30pm Sydney time.

Thanks for becoming a member of us on Monday March 3rd. Kia printed its electric van and decrease-notice EV2, unique Chinese language notice confirms quirky ute, Volkswagen delivers on notice promise and the BYD Shark swims through ANCAP security finding out with 5 stars.

Browse this enviornment:

• Kia’s electric automobile offensive continues
• New Chinese language notice’s quirky ‘ute’ confirmed
• Volkswagen’s Tesla Mannequin Y rival priced
• Stout security marks for BYD Shark 6 walk-in hybrid
• MU-X will get a makeover: 2025 Isuzu MU-X review

Kia’s electric automobile offensive continues

• Kia has proven off its decrease-notice EV2 hatchback and doubtlessly progressive PV5 electric van. The future production model of the EV2 is headed to Europe but an Australian initiating is no longer doubtless as a result of the notice sourcing production from Slovakia.

• The PV5 is on Kia’s desire-list but is no longer confirmed for our market. Varied configurations including cargo van, folks mover and more may perchance be on hand and Kia seems to be to revolutionise the configurability of commercial vehicles. Pricing seems to be engaging in the UK, the save it’s parity with a diesel Ford Transit.

New Chinese language notice’s quirky ‘ute’ confirmed

• Gain you ever well-known the cosy interior of a 5-seat SUV fused with the practicality of a ute? Smartly, Deepal can agree with proper what you desire. Meet the model-bending E07, with a tray-love boot and sliding glass roof.

• Stats are involving convincing, the E07 punching out up to 440kW and 645Nm in twin-motor EV guise. A 90kWh battery pack must peaceable permit for 520km driving range (WLTP blended).

• Also coming this year is S05, which is a more old-fashioned and smaller sibling of the S07 coupe-love SUV. Single and twin motor models are on hand in a international country. Ask an even more moderately priced notice for the 4.6-metre prolonged SUV. Sub $50K? It’s doubtless.

Volkswagen’s Tesla Mannequin Y rival priced

• A notice shock in a proper come, Volkswagen has delivered on its promise of bringing an electric family automobile in at notice parity with petrol. The 210kW rear-force ID.4 Decent starts at $59,990 before on-street costs, $600 decrease than a Tiguan 162TSI R-Line.

• Usual equipment is involving intensive, including adaptive Matrix LED headlights, 19-crawl alloy wheels, a 12.9-crawl multimedia touchscreen, glass roof and more.

• A flagship GTX variant with 250kW is on hand in the ID.5 coupe-love body model. Sales initiating in mid-2025 and more variants join in July.

Stout security marks for BYD Shark 6 walk-in hybrid

• The BYD Shark 6 walk-in hybrid ute has been awarded 5 stars in ANCAP security finding out.

• Both baby and adult occupant protection in the match of a shatter was most steadily praised by the impartial security finding out body, as were many of the protection abet facets. The Shark was knocked down a few facets as a result of unlucky compatibility with numerous vehicles.

MU-X will get a makeover: 2025 Isuzu MU-X review

• Contributor Iain Curry takes a peep on the unique Isuzu MU-X range which has been facelifted, revised and given a brand unique X-Terrain flagship off-roader.

• Iain praised the X-Terrain’s more challenging seems to be, while the relaxation of the range has improved on-street manners and driver-abet facets. Off-street functionality stays very worthy intact.

• Much less spectacular is the engine, lacking instruments in the tip trims and a notice hike. Better than Prado and Everest? A comparison may perchance be well-known to discover.

The next enviornment of Automobile Records On the present time may perchance be published on Tuesday 4th February at 4.30pm Sydney time.

Thanks for becoming a member of us on February Twenty seventh. Chinese language imprint BYD has outlined why its creep-in hybrid ute shall be a success, Australia has a novel cheapest EV (for now…), novel Golf pricing and BYD mulls Kluger killer.

Browse this issue:

• Why GWM’s creep-in ute will beat the BYD Shark 6
• Volkswagen’s updated little car icon priced for Australia
• Hyundai Santa Fe rival on BYD’s radar because it plans to double gross sales
• Australia’s novel cheapest electric SUV… for now
• GWM Cannon 2025 reviewed

Why GWM’s creep-in ute will beat the BYD Shark 6

• Top brass at BYD claims its Hi4T all-wheel-pressure system fitted to the Cannon Alpha creep-in hybrid is superior to the BYD Shark for off-avenue functionality and towing, thanks to physically locking differentials.

• With impressive outputs of 300kW and 750Nm alongside with 110km EV-totally using vary, the Cannon Alpha creep-in hybrid will lunge on sale in Australia in April from $63,990 pressure-away. Comparison coming? You bet.

Volkswagen’s updated little car icon priced for Australia

• The Mk8.5 Volkswagen Golf vary has been priced for Australia with a three-solid core vary from $38,690 for the novel entry-degree Lifestyles. The subsequent neat up is the Vogue at $43,690 and the R-Line stays the non-efficiency flagship for $47,990, all earlier than on-avenue costs.

• Next up its the like a flash ones, with the revised and punchier 195kW GTI hot hatch priced from $58,990, whereas the flagship AWD R moreover gets a vitality enhance to 245kW for $70,990.

• All Golfs secure pleasure from revised suspension tuning, extra energizing skills internal and a streamlined set up of alternatives packs.

Hyundai Santa Fe rival on BYD’s radar because it plans to double gross sales

• BYD is pondering like a flash growth, with plans to souble gross sales again in 2025. How will it pause this? Extra and additional relevant product.

• “No topic is straight available in China now we personal to carry to Australia – now we personal to bear out [BYD’s] product portfolio because we don’t personal ample product… Now we personal to be sure now we personal a paunchy product portfolio,” talked about EVDirect CEO David Smitherman.

• Following the lower-value Atto 2 and sumptuous growth with novel Denza imprint, a three-row family SUV is next on Smitherman’s radar as a rival to the Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Santa Fe.

Australia’s novel cheapest electric SUV… for now

• For cheeky bragging rights, MG has slashed $14,000 from the associated fee of the latest ZS EV, making it $36,888 pressure-away — a mere $102 of bucks below the Chery Omoda E5.

• MG has lower the retail value to particular original stock of the ZS EV sooner than its S5 substitute that’s related to the MG4 hatchback.

GWM Cannon 2025 reviewed

• Production specialist Tom Space published his overview of the facelifted GWM Cannon, reflecting on currently updates that has sought to make stronger the total enchantment of this funds ute.

• Tom praised the Cannon’s solid fee proposition, shift to a gruntier 2.4L turbo-diesel engine and the bolstered towing skill that now caps the restrict at 3.5-tonnes

• On the opposite hand he raised considerations with the final dash and refinement and some maintain quality considerations with the ute.

• Ultimatley Tom chanced on that the Cannon used to be quiet real fee for the fee and ute owners would pause well to check pressure the Chinese language ute earlier than taking a explore at extra costly alternatives.