Author: Damion Smy

Subaru will end production of its original e-Boxer mild-hybrid powertrain, currently offered within the Australian-market Crosstrek small SUV, because it increasingly turns to Toyota hybrid technology.After greater than a decade of development, the Japanese automaker told Nikkei it’s going to discontinue the mild-hybrid e-Boxer system, which it began developing in 2013 and first introduced in Japan within the 2018 Forester SUV.”In light of the progress in electrification and the strengthening of environmental regulations, we’ve got reviewed our product portfolio and have decided to discontinue the mild hybrid vehicle program,” Subaru said in a press release, as reported by Nikkei.The e-Boxer mild-hybrid…

The Xpeng P7 electric vehicle (EV) has made its Australian public debut in Melbourne, however the automaker says it’s yet to come to a decision whether the striking liftback, a rival to the Tesla Model 3, Mazda 6e and BYD Seal, will join its local lineup.The second-generation ‘E29’ P7 was launched in China in 2025 and was among the many vehicles displayed on the brand’s Australian relaunch this week as a factory-backed operation.The P7 was the one production model displayed that the automaker hasn’t locked in for local showrooms (discounting the Aircraft Carrier), with five models including 4 SUVs and…

The outside of the electrical Denza Z9 S sedan has been revealed in China with the same styling and powertrains to the Z9 GT, which is due in Australian showrooms later this yr with ‘flash’ ultra-fast charging.In accordance with Automotive News China, the Z9 S follows the identical design language because the Z9 GT, courtesy of former Audi designer Wolfgang Egger who heads design for Denza and parent company BYD, but wraps it in a smaller body riding the identical e3 platform.Denza Australia told CarExpert it considers all models for local showrooms but stopped wanting confirming whether the Z9 S…

Xpeng Australia has said it is going to honour customer cashback offers for vehicles sold under its original independent distributor, TrueEV, following complaints from customers who were yet to receive payments of as much as $5000.A $3000 cashback offer was introduced in November 2025 for buyers of the Xpeng G6 mid-size electric SUV, a rival to the favored Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X.The offer was increased to $5000 for vehicles ordered before December 31, 2025, but many buyers are still yet to receive the payment.In search of your next automobile? We’ll assist you research and compare so you select with confidence.Xpeng Australia, operated directly by…

Hyundai Australia has announced the Palisade Calligraphy Black Ink will return to the local lineup with hybrid power, arriving in dealers this month priced from $92,400 before on-road costs.The Calligraphy Black Ink returns with the brand new, second-generation Palisade, which launched in Australia in late 2025 with an extended wheelbase, greater cargo capability and a neighborhood chassis tune for Hyundai’s flagship SUV.Its $92,400 before on-road costs price is considerably higher than the previous-generation model, which was offered with petrol and diesel power for $78,400 and $81,719 before on-road costs, respectively.On the lookout for your next automobile? We’ll enable you to research and compare so…

Electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla has announced a brand new guaranteed future value (GFV) program in Australia for eligible customers financing a brand new Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan through local finance company Driva.This system gives buyers a pre-determined future resale value for his or her latest Tesla based on customer-agreed parameters including loan term and annual mileage. It is not available to rideshare drivers.In an announcement, Tesla said this system allows customers to have their final loan payment covered by the vehicle’s trade-in value, meaning no out-of-pocket expense to finalise the loan provided the vehicle meets mileage…

Hyundai Australia will launch its first dual-cab ute to challenge the market-leading Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in 2028 on the earliest, and it says there are lessons to be learned from the slow-selling Kia Tasman.Speaking on the launch of the updated Hyundai Staria people mover and Staria Load business van, Hyundai Australia chief operating officer Gavin Donaldson said the South Korean automaker is taking a cautious approach.Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) brand Kia introduced its first dual-cab ute, the Tasman, in mid-2025 and since then it has failed to satisfy the corporate’s sales expectations.”[If] you are a football coach, you [don’t] need…

Ferrari has labelled as “false” reports it has been pressuring customers to order its first electric vehicle (EV), the Luce – due in Australia in mid-2027 – to have the ability to access the remainder of its range and retain preferential status.The comments follow a Bloomberg report suggesting the brand was resorting to such tactics to sell the roughly €550,000 ($A899,506) four-door, five-seat Luce following an icy reception at its global unveiling in Rome, Italy last month.The report claimed some Ferrari dealers had been offering customers priority access to other models in the event that they placed an order for the…

The Hyundai i20 N Shadow Edition has been announced as the ultimate version of the current-generation hot hatch, with a batch of 100 vehicles available to order now.With production of the i20 N having led to March 2026, Hyundai Australia previously promised the recent hatch – and the larger i30 Hatch N – could be given befitting send-offs before their time in local showrooms involves an end.The Shadow Edition is Hyundai’s way of sending the i20 N – a rival to the Volkswagen Polo GTI – “out with a bang”.It’s available in two colors, with Atlas White examples priced at…

So-called ‘new-energy vehicles’ accounted for a record 62.9 per cent of new-vehicle retail sales in China in May 2026, with electric vehicles (EVs) occupying the primary seven places on the sales charts.EVs accounted for a complete of eight of the highest 10 spots, with the opposite top 10 finishers being vehicles offered with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrains. The term ‘new-energy vehicle’ comprises EVs, PHEVs and EREVs, and due to this fact your entire top 10 consisted of NEVs.Based on Electrek, citing data from the China Passenger Automotive Association (CPCA), the Geely Xingyuan (aka EX2) electric hatch…