Car News

Volkswagen has upgraded its pure-electric ID. Buzz people mover and light commercial van line-up for the 2027 model year.Arriving in the fourth quarter of this year, the range will feature a new Pro+ model, extra standard equipment, more options and an additional colour choice, all with no change to pricing for the entry grades.The entry-level, single-motor ID. Buzz Pro has picked up a heap of new equipment including an under-chassis stone guard, bi-directional charging, updated driver attention monitoring, a predictive speed limiter, ‘driving experience selection’ (allows switching between drive modes) and Dynamic Road Sign Display.There’s even a dual-tone horn and the new colour option is a white/red two-tone finish.Price for the five-seat short-wheelbase version stays at $75,990, before on-road costs, with the long-wheelbase seven seater at $80,990. There’s also a new Infotainment package option which includes built-in navigation.The new Pro+ variant pulls together the most popular options applied to the base Pro and packages them into a stand-alone model positioned at what VW positions as “a more attractive price.”It brings all the equipment added to the Pro, plus 20-inch alloy wheels (up from 19s), Park Assist (with memory) and built-in navigation. This grade’s Infotainment package option features high-end Harman Kardon audio and a head-up display with the price stepping up to $84,990, BOC, for the SWB five-seater and $89,990 for the seven-seat LWB version.At the top of the ID. Buzz pyramid, the dual-motor, all-wheel drive, seven-seat LWB-only GTX adds Park Assist (with memory) and built-in navigation to its included features list, only this time around the price increases by $2.0K to $106,990, BOC.And VW hasn’t forgotten the tradies with the ID. Buzz Cargo SWB three-seater picking up the Pro’s new standard inclusions as well as wireless phone charging, and built-in nav with no change to the $69,990 MSRP.

The third-generation Mercedes-Benz GLA has been unwrapped ahead of its early 2027 debut, when the small premium SUV will rock up with a class-leading 657km range and some of Benz's latest EV tech.The all-new Mercedes GLA is no longer a higher-riding A-Class, but is now more closely related to the latest CLA small sedan, sharing its latest MMA platform and advanced EV tech.As well as being available with all-electric power, the compact SUV has also been engineered for mild-hybrid combustion engines that are set to arrive in the second half of next year.Both electric and mild-hybrid versions of the GLA have been built to rival the Audi Q3/Q4 and the BMW X1 that also lands later next year.Mercedes has equipped the battery-powered GLA with powerful 800-volt electrics for super-quick top-ups, with as much as 270km of range added in little more than 10 minutes thanks to fast-charging up to 320kW.AC charging is up to 11kW, with faster 22kW top-ups an option.A 10 to 80 per cent recharge takes between 20 to 22 minutes, ensuring the GLA should be among the quickest-charging small SUVs out there.In Europe, just three powertrains will initially be offered. The GLA 200 comes with a single motor that pumps out 165kW and 335Nm and features a 58kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery that provides a range of up to 447km.The mid-spec GLA 250+ remains rear-drive, but is combined with the larger 85kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery for the maximum 657km range, but delivers 200kW, while mustering the same amount of torque.At the top of the EV tree is the GLA 350 4Matic that picks out 260kW and 515Nm of torque for a brisk 0-100km/h sprint of 5.4 seconds, gains dual motors and all-wheel drive, and can still cover up to 643km on the same WLTP test cycle.Later on, a mid-spec 71kWh NMC battery will also join the line-up.It has not yet been revealed what variants of the 1.5-litre four-cylinder 48-volt mild-hybrid will be offered on the GLA, but the small sedan comes with versions offering 100kW/200Nm, 120kW/250Nm and 140kW/300Nm, with both front- and all-wheel drive available.Picking up where the recently launched GLB compact seven-seater left off, designers have tweaked the old car's slightly ungainly proportions to create a lower SUV (-20mm) with a longer wheelbase (+61mm) and wider rear track (+31mm), while the more muscular arches give the impression of a sportier car than before.Fresh aerodynamic wheels that range from 18- to 20-inches hint at the advanced air bending at work that has reduced drag to around 0.27Cd, while the black plastic cladding on the arches and underbody suggests some off-road prowess.Up front, like the latest C-Class Electric, there's a large dominant chrome-framed grille that is illuminated with 608 dots of lights.In some high-grade models, the grille frame features an LED light strip that is combined with a central star, which also glows.Those stars reappear within the headlamps, with the optional Multibeam LED lamps gaining star-shaped daytime running lights.Sportier AMG Line models ramp up the styling with a smoked chrome grille and a different front bumper that gets more aggressive air intakes and a lower splitter. There's the choice of gloss black AMG 19- and 20-inch alloy wheels.A further AMG Plus pack adds a spoiler and door sills, as well as different 20-inch alloy wheels that come finished in gloss black.Base spec models come with heated comfort seats wrapped in fabric and fake leather, while the AMG Line trim adds sports seats and steering wheel, plus shift paddles and brushed stainless-steel pedals.Thanks to a more generous 2790mm wheelbase (+61mm), the driver and front passenger have 7mm more legroom than before, with occupants in the second row getting an additional 38mm.Even though it's lower, the GLA gains 24mm extra headroom in the second row, while the boot is 70 litres bigger at 410 litres, with the EV versions boasting a generous 107 litre frunk up front.Mirroring bigger, more expensive Benz models, the panoramic roof can switch from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button and can even be specified with up to 172 illuminated stars.As well as more space, the overall impression of the GLA is just how much big car tech has been squeezed into the brand's entry SUV.Like the CLA sedan, the GLA comes with the optional MBUX Superscreen, which spans the entire width of the dash, blending a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 14-inch infotainment system and 14-inch passenger display all placed behind a single piece of glass.Running the car-maker's latest software, highlights include a virtual assistant that has been enhanced by ChatGPT, Bing and Gemini that combined are said to provide a natural, intuitive conversation that can even help you remember a song title or artist, even if you can't.Front passengers can also use their own screen to stream YouTube or watch movies, while a powerful 16-speaker Burmester 3D 850-watt premium sound system can focus the sound to individual passengers, creating a quiet zone for the driver.More fresh tech includes a new Terrain mode for the all-wheel drive 4Matic versions that boosts traction on dirt, sand and mud, plus an optional transparent bonnet that provides a camera view of any obstacles that lurk beneath or ahead of the driver.With the GLA equipped with up to eight cameras, five radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors, plus a powerful supercomputer, the GLA can auto-steer, lane-keep, brake, accelerate and even change lanes by itself on the move, following a simple tap on the indicator stalk.Auto-parking is a highlight, with tech that even helps prevent nasty kerb strikes while slowly manoeuvring.On sale in Europe from this November, with the mild-hybrids joining the line-up in early 2027, it's thought the Mercedes-Benz GLA will land in Australia from early next year, when the most affordable EV version is expected to be priced from around $70,000 plus on-roads.

The Aussie ute market may have expanded dramatically in terms of choice but has a proliferation of new options upset the established order when it comes to sales?In recent years the Ford Ranger has been the top-selling ute in the country with the Toyota HiLux snapping at its heels and the Isuzu D-Max there or there-abouts.In late 2024 the BYD Shark 6 arrived to mix things up with its petrol-electric hybrid powertrain challenging the traditional dominance of turbo-diesel propulsion.And a few months later, after a high-profile pre-launch teaser campaign, the Kia Tasman hit local showrooms with the aim of muscling past top order players like the Mitsubishi Triton, GWM Cannon, Mazda BT-50 and Nissan Navara.Since then, we’ve seen newcomers like the MG U9, the all-new Foton Tunland and LDV Terron 9. And soon enough they’ll be joined by the Chery Stockman, JAC Hunter and a likely dual-cab from Hyundai.But has the category’s expansion fundamentally changed anything?There are now a staggering 25 ute options in the local new car market, including two- and four-wheel drive models as well as large, US-style pick-ups.And at the half way mark in 2026 the usual suspects remain at the top of the leader board.No big surprise that the podium contenders have shed some volume but the Ford Ranger is still out-selling the BYD Shark 6 by a ratio of three to one. There have been explosive year-on-year gains recorded by selected newcomers, but that’s been from modest starting bases. However, several evergreen models lower down the list have taken a sizable backwards turn, including the Nissan Navara (-46.5 per cent), Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series (-65.5 per cent), JAC T9 (-51.8 per cent) and Jeep Gladiator (-56.3 per cent).In total, year-on-year sales to June 30 this year for 4x2 utes are flat, 4x4s are down just over 11 per cent and the big pick-ups haven’t budged a millimetre.Here’s our rundown of utes sales, using industry statistician VFacts data to combine all ute categories into a single readout comparing H1 2026 to the same period last year.Light commercial, pick-up & cab chassis sales ranking (June 2026 YTD)   

The days of the sub-$20,000 small car were thought to be long gone … but they’re back for a limited time only.MG has slashed the price of its MG3 small hatchback, with it now starting at $19,990 drive-away for the MG3 Vibe with a CVT automatic transmission.The MG3 joins the smaller and manual gearboxed Kia Picanto in the sub-$20,000 price range for now.It also is significantly cheaper than the entry point for the similar-sized Mazda 2 ($27,290 before on-road costs), Suzuki Swift ($24,490 drive-away) and Toyota Yaris Hybrid ($29,190 before on-road costs).This is a return to a popular price point at the turn of the decade, with Hyundai successfully pushing its i30 hatchback for that price years ago.Since then inflation, increased safety tech and the disappearance of the manual transmission makes the MG's price even more impressive.The limited time offer ends at the end of the month, but car brands often extend popular deals to boost sales during tough market conditions.The MG3 Vibe is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine that makes 81kW and 142Nm, which is paired to a CVT auto driving the front wheels.MG claims it drinks 6.0-litres per 100km, and it also runs on regular unleaded for further cost savings.It comes with a 10.25-inch multimedia screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is paired with a seven-inch driver’s screen.It wears 15-inch steel wheels, has halogen lights and cloth seats to help keep the cost down.It is fitted with plenty of safety tech as standard and it has a reversing camera.MG also backs its vehicles with a 10 year/250,000km conditional warranty, with owners required to only service their vehicles at an MG dealership or it reverts to a seven year/unlimited km guarantee.Chinese brands are rapidly filling the entry-level segment exited by the Korean and Japanese car brands several years ago.BYD’s little Atto 1 is the cheapest electric car in the nation, starting at $23,990 (before on-road costs).Chery has found success with its Tiggo 4 small SUV starting from $23,990 drive-away, and the slightly more plush — but mechanically related — Jaecoo J5.MG is getting aggressive with its discounts as it tries to reverse its sales slump for the past few years. Nearly every model in its line-up has some sort of offer applied to it.It appears to be working. Sales for the Chinese brand are up about seven per cent for the year with the MG S5 and MG4 Urban EVs leading the charge. Its core range, including the MG3 hatchback and MG ZS small SUV, continues to struggle. This points to more discounts in the near future.

Audi has revealed the Q9 as its largest and most luxurious SUV yet.A brand new nameplate to sit above the previous Q7 and Q8 flagships, the Q9 is by far the biggest Audi ever built measuring in at over 5300mm long.Not only is it designed to take on (and even out-size) Audi’s traditional rivals, like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, but this new offering will help the brand fend off much-hyped large SUV offerings from China like the Zeekr 9X and IM LS9, both of which are due in Australia before long.The Q9 will enter new price territory for Audi’s combustion SUV range, with price tags starting at the equivalent of A$177,792 in Europe. For context the current Q8 TDI starts from $144,400 and the Q7 starts from $108,742.The Q9 will be offered with one powertrain at its European launch, a 3.0-litre diesel V6 with the brand’s MHEV Plus technology. This system uses 48-volt electrics to drive an electric motor mounted to the eight-speed automatic transmission which can provide up to 18kW of additional power. It will be available in two states of tune, either 220kW/630Nm or 180kW/500Nm.The engine also features an electrically-powered compressor which reduces turbo-lag. Audi says this combination will consume between 7.4L/100km to 8.0L/100km.The range-topping SQ9 will join the range at a later date, powered by an updated version of the brand’s 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine, producing 440kW/800Nm. The all-wheel drive system on both cars is a rear-biased system, with the SQ9 also being equipped with wider tyres at the rear for additional grip. It will also come with an electronically-controlled rear differential lock.A petrol turbo V6 will also complement the line-up, at least in the USA, although specs are yet to be revealed. All derivatives are expected to be able to tow 3500kg depending on local regulations. On the outside, the Q9’s design features an enormous grille, which can be optionally equipped with LED fittings. The headlights, DRLs and tail light fittings feature curved LED tech, while the expansive body panels are designed to enhance the car’s presence and to “emphasise a sense of calm and refinement” with a “clean aesthetic”.It can optionally be equipped with a much more aggressive-looking S Line trim package and up to 23-inch alloy wheels. The wheels are so big the brand has also included acoustic deadening inside them to reduce road noise.Inside, the Q9 is offered either with six or seven-seat layouts, with fully electric control of all seats, and an entry mode, which automatically folds the second row out of the way for third-row passengers. In addition, the Q9 is the first Audi to be offered with automatic doors which can detect obstacles.A panoramic sunroof and ambient interior lighting is standard, and there are noise-cancelling features in the sound system.Other standard features include the brand’s signature Matrix LED headlights and automated high-beam feature, dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital instrument cluster and passenger screen, a 14.5-inch central multimedia touchscreen, dual wireless phone chargers, and several seat trim options ranging from synthetic leather and suede through to Nappa leather with extensive customisation. An Audi Australia spokesperson confirmed to CarsGuide the local division is closely evaluating the flagship Q9.“Given Australia’s ongoing appetite for SUVs, we would consider any future model which is the right fit in terms of customer demand," said the spokesperson.Further updates on the Q9 for Australia have been promised at a later date.The brand is 11.2 per cent down in the first half of 2026. It is faring the worst out of the German ‘big three’ despite a surge of new model launches in the last 12 months with BMW down 8.0 per cent, and Mercedes holding steady with a small 1.7 per cent decline.The Q9 is an obvious tilt at the US market, with Cadillac Escalade-rivalling dimensions and will serve as a spiritual successor to the recently-discontinued A8 large sedan.The new enormous luxury SUV arrives as Audi’s parent company Volkswagen faces deep profitability troubles and a need to reduce its manufacturing footprint and model range to compete with the rise of Chinese rivals the world over.

BYD is taking the fight right into the heart of its fiercest rivals' territory as it launches a cheap new EV in Japan.The BYD Racco launches in Japan as a city car with its sights set on the country's ultra-affordable kei car segment. It is available in two variants, both starting from less than 2.5 million yen, which is roughly the equivalent of $20,000. The BYD Racco targets Japan’s very popular kei car market, suitable for busy streets and strict emissions regulations. Kei cars miss out on hefty vehicle taxes in Japan if they meet stringent design rules, making them a very affordable and practical transport option.The Racco is substantially bigger than BYD’s Atto 1 compact SUV on sale in Australia, measuring up at 3395mm long and 1475mm wide.BYD is introducing the Racco to tackle the otherwise Japanese-dominated city car segment, with a view to gaining a foothold in another global market. The Racco is the first kei car in Japan to boast a driving range exceeding 300km, with its 36kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery offering a quoted 320km.The front-wheel drive only Racco’s single electric motor is limited to produce 47kW and 160Nm in line with Japanese rules. It has electric sliding doors on both sides to improve accessibility in narrow streets, and can also power external devices through vehicle-to-load capacity. The Racco’s platform enables DC charging at 100kW, meaning a 10-80 per cent charge should take around 20 minutes. Features inside the cabin include a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. There is expected to be an even cheaper variant of the Racco coming later, with a 20kWh battery and a 200km driving range. BYD executives have previously poured cold water on the prospect of the Racco joining its Australian lineup as it is solely built for the Japanese market. Kei cars like the Racco face challenges to comply with Australian Design Rules, including inadequate side impact crash protection. Honda recently put its Super-One electric city car on sale Down Under, which is based on its N-One Kei car.It underwent significant changes, including a bigger frame, to ensure it complied.

Buyers still love 4WDs in Australia. It remains a big-selling segment, but some of its biggest hitters are suffering losses.China is starting to get a foothold in the market with budget offerings posing a serious threat to established regulars.Emissions-heavy vehicles such as 4WDs are also coming under fire from increasingly stringent rules in Australia.Here is the rundown of the best-selling 4WDs up to June 2026. The Ford Everest large SUV is up front with more than 11,000 sales in 2026 so far, despite a near 10 per cent year-on-year drop. It is based on the Ford Ranger, which is the best-selling ute in Australia.The Toyota Prado takes second place with more than 9000 sales so far this year, but it has experienced an even sharper drop of nearly 42 per cent year-on-year.The Prado is a scaled down version of the LandCruiser 300 Series, using a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, as opposed to the more powerful V6. Isuzu’s MU-X is third, making 7564 sales up to June, but it too experienced a more minor slump of 3.2 per cent. The LandCruiser 300 Series is currently fourth on the standings, and is the only car in the top five to have experienced a substantial growth in sales. Its 6451 sales constitutes a 26.3 per cent rise compared to first six months of 2025.Toyota also released a performance petrol hybrid V6 variant earlier this year.The Suzuki Jimny rounds out the top five as a much smaller and cheaper competitor to those above it. Priced from $31,990, before on-road costs, the Jimny is down 11.1 per cent compared to this time last year, while still amassing 3882 sales. The Nissan Patrol is down nearly 25 per cent compared to its sales result up to June 2025, with 2843 sales so far in 2026. The current Y62 petrol V8 Patrol will cease production next month, and order books for a new twin-turbo V6 will open later. GWM’s Tank 300 mid-size SUV off-roader has continued to surge up the sales charts in 2026, with 2759 sales so far.The Tank 300 is available in petrol, diesel, plug-less hybrid and plug-in hybrid set-ups - more varied than any of its competitors. BYD’s Denza sub-brand is another Chinese rival experiencing a solid sales return in Australia.Its B5 plug-in hybrid SUV has already accumulated 1445 sales this year, having only gone on sale in December 2025.Its bigger sibling the B8 is also approaching the 1000-unit mark midway through this year. The ultra-luxury GMC Yukon Denali from the United States is starting to pick up momentum in Australia. The V8-powered eight-seater Yukon Denali went on sale in the middle of last year, but 2026 has seen sales explode by nearly 190 per cent. It remains a low-volume model with only 202 sales, as it carries a $174,990 price tag. The 4WD segment is about undergo some serious changes in the next few months, including an influx of new models.The Mitsubishi Pajero will return to Australia, along with several new Chinese competitors likely to join it over the next 18 months.The anticipated Geely Galaxy Cruiser is slated for a UK launch, meaning Australia could its next step, while the GAC Yue 7 also seems to be on the way. 

This Sunday the federal government’s Fuel Excise discount will end and petrol and diesel prices will jump. So by how much will they increase and will we see a return to panic buying and the prospect of fuel rationing we witnessed earlier this year?We’ve known it's been coming for months, but I think for many of us we’d put the impending removal of the Fuel Excise discount at the back of our heads.However, on August 2, the Fuel Excise discount will be discontinued four months after it was implemented on April 1 this year.Let’s do a calculation, which is of course an estimation in this case.The federal government Fuel Excise is 52.5 cents on every litre and the discount given to consumers in April was half of this or 26.3 cents. This was combined with an extra 5.7 cents per litre funded by the states and territories for total of 32 cents off a litre.The discount was already halved on June 30.So you can expect petrol prices to increase by 16 cents. Currently the average price of 95 RON premium petrol in New South Wales as of July 29 is 211c/litre, while diesel is 235c/litre.So you’re looking at an average of 227c/litre for 95 RON and 251c/litre for diesel. That’s in theory.My prediction, and you can hold me to this, is prices will be higher and there are three reasons for this.First, historically the prices spiked way above this a few months ago before the Fuel Excise discount - in March 2026 the average price for 95 RON was 270c/litre.Second, not only is the war in the Middle East still ongoing with the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut, but the conflict is widening with Yemen’s Houthi disrupting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.And finally humans are doomed to repeat their silly behaviour of panic buying. Do you remember that? Blokes with their car and trailer loaded with jerry cans? This behaviour not only drives up prices and depletes reserves faster, but it's a dangerous practice, which could lead to a fire if the petrol isn’t stored safely.If this happens fuel rationing will likely be used to curb any panic buying and ensure vital logistics have the petrol and diesel needed to keep the country running.But of course it’ll happen again and we’re already seeing petrol prices increase dramatically. Just over the course of one week (Thursday July 23-Thursday July 30) the price of 95 RON has risen from an average of 200.5c/litre to 211.6c/litre.There is a glimmer of hope. On July 28 the Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King told ABC Radio National that the situation in the Middle East may cause the government to reconsider the removal of the fuel excise discount.“Well those future decisions will be made at the time, and I know that time is coming, you know, right at us,” Minister King said.“But as we all are aware, this conflict in the Middle East, and it appears to be sadly spreading, just continues to cause instability in that global energy market and those oil prices, and I think your package there before said how they'll continue to fluctuate.“But the Government is very much aware of the pressure the increase in fuel prices does put on Australian families and we have taken action in the past and will continue to monitor how these prices do affect people and seek to deliver that kind of relief as best we can.”When asked directly if the government would extend the fuel excise discount Minister King hinted that it was possible.“We won't rule anything out, and we've done so much around fuel security to make sure there is fuel available for consumers with the fuel and fertiliser security facility, as well as developing the fuel security reserve as well.”Treasurer Jim Chalmers poured cold water on this and on Wednesday it was "never the government's intention" to make the scheme permanent."The fuel excise relief will end at midnight on Sunday," he said."It has played a really important role helping to take some of the sting out of the cost-of-living pressures."It was never the government's intention for that to be permanent."Australia’s current fuel reserves as of July 21 stand at 42 days for petrol, 38 days for diesel and 32 days for jet fuel, according to the federal government.In March this year at the start of the fuel crisis Australia had 37 days of petrol, 32 days of diesel  and 30 days of jet fuel.So we’re in a better place, but not by much and the situation is arguably worse.So what do we do? Don’t panic, for starters.We may find ourselves driving less if we own a petrol car and expediting our plans to buy an electric one - that's what we're thinking of doing in my family.We have two petrol cars that we own. One is our daily driver - a Skoda wagon - and the other is a classic 1950s Ford. We're not going to part with the Ford but we'll probably sell the Skoda soon and buy an electric SUV.The prices of EVs have come down enormously and are almost level with petrol cars with good options like the Geely EX5, MG S5 and BYD Atto 3.Plug-in hybrids are another alternative. The "super hybrids" like the Chery Tiggo 8 and BYD Sealion 6 offer huge driving ranges without using much petrol as long as you plug-in regularly to charge.Or we'll just do what most people will do and just put off buying our next car until we really have to but - depending on what happens after the fuel excise discount is lifted - that might come sooner than we expect.

The boss of the largest auto parts business in Thailand is on the frontline of Chinese expansion, and he has explained why Chinese companies are beating Japan and Europe at an alarming rate.Speaking to Nikkei Asia, Yeah Swee Chuan, CEO of Aapico Hitech, predicted the rise of Chinese automakers will lead to a rapid re-ordering of the industry, with the market share of combustion-engined (ICE) vehicles falling by about a third in the coming years.“They will win the war for sure” he told Nikkei, “You know why? All the people in the world, whether it’s European or anybody, they think of ICE and ICE and ICE. They are all ICE brain.”“The Chinese started up from EV. Their brain is EV, EV, EV.”China is now the dominant country of origin for new vehicles in Australia thanks to a massive array of new brands offering affordable and desirable products, with BYD, GWM, MG and Chery storming the top-10 vehicle charts.A big part of this rise is not just cheap cars like the small SUV segment-dominating Chery Tiggo 4, but also the rise of electric vehicles. As of July, EVs are now at a 16.4 per cent market share overall, with July alone seeing electric vehicles accounting for 36 per cent of sales.A similar story is playing out across our South East Asian neighbours, with EV market share reaching 15 per cent in Indonesia, 23 per cent in Thailand. The advance of electric vehicles has been less of a slam-dunk in Malaysia where market share is at 6.8 per cent (H1 2026), and the dominant market player is still Toyota-aligned Perodua, which has a 38.7 per cent market share.Even there EV market share has more than doubled year-on-year with Geely-aligned Proton holding second place in the market, and Jaecoo also leaping up the charts.Yeap predicts legacy automakers will need to increase their collaboration with Chinese automakers in order to survive.Yeap told Nikkei he thinks this explosive growth is because the perception of Chinese cars is turning in many of the markets his company operates in.“Three years ago when the Chinese cars came to Thailand everybody said they were junk but today, it’s not junk anymore. Their cars, the electronics, their systems and all that. Very advanced and the kids and young people love it,” he said.Yeap was of the opinion that the only market able to resist the surge of electrified vehicles from China would be the US as it increasingly uses trade barriers to isolate itself from the global auto market.Chinese automakers are storming the charts both here and overseas, it’s not necessarily good news for everyone, with the boss of Bartons Motor Group in Queensland, Mark Beitz, telling CarsGuide recently all is not well in the Australian market behind the glossy sales figures.He warned EV market share figures in July, which boosted market share to historic highs was largely due to artificial inflation thanks to deliveries being fulfilled that month from orders placed when fuel prices temporarily skyrocketed during the opening weeks of the Iran war.He also said profitability in the industry was hitting unprecedented lows due to huge amounts of inventory being dumped into the market by automakers and intense competition by “way too many brands”.While he alluded to the idea that some might not work in the long term, he was more positive about the chances of so-called legacy automakers like Nissan, who he predicted would adjust with new Chinese-built products, or Mitsubishi which would play to its strengths with the incoming and highly-anticipated Pajero 4WD and tactical adjustments to the Triton ute range. Both models are built in Thailand.Beitz agreed that the surge of Chinese automakers was changing buyer preferences, and ultimately once-giants from Japan would shrink in dealer footprint alongside their market share.Globally, Japanese giants are aware of the existential crisis facing them. Nissan has chosen to re-structure its business and orient its manufacturing footprint more towards its successful Chinese joint-ventures. Even bosses from Toyota are shaken, with Japan Automobile Association Chairman and Toyota Chief Industry Officer Koji Saito telling Automotive News “unless things change, we will not survive”.2026 is a year of a car industry in flux in Australia, with a major re-shuffling of the top-10 underway. It will be unsurprising to see four or five Chinese automakers supplant once-favourites from the list before the end of the year.

A new luxury-pitched ute is about to hit Aussie showrooms. The Volkswagen Amarok W600 is a dual-cab ute that will arrive in showrooms next month, with deliveries beginning in September.The Amarok W600 will start from $91,990, before on-road costs, which is more than $9000 extra compared to the previous range-topping variant and nearly $20,000 more than the base car. It is also $1300 more than the off-road-focused Ford Ranger Raptor performance ute.The W600 is Volkswagen’s new flagship ute developed in collaboration with prominent Australian performance company Walkinshaw, which was known for tuning fast Holdens.It gets versatile Kona suspension that adjusts the dampers based on road vibrations as well as a newly-developed 22mm rear anti-roll bar. It rides on 20-inch alloy wheels fitted with specialist Michelin sports tyres to compliment enhanced steering response and cornering stability. There is a different front grille and light bar design, along with electrically deployable side steps and dual side exhausts. The Amarok shares many of its underpinnings with the Ranger, including the T6 ladder-frame chassis, 3.0-litre turbo-diesel 184kW/600Nm V6 engine, and 10-speed automatic transmission. It can tow up to 3500kg and carry up to 954kg.The car's interior features heated and electrically adjustable front seats, with all seats covered in Savona leather, along with a premium Harmon Kardon audio system.  It offers plenty of safety technology such as adaptive cruise control, trailer assist and a 360-degree camera.  Volkswagen recently dropped its four-cylinder diesel engines for the Amarok to focus on V6 units instead.The Amarok battles in the high-competitive ute segment, where it seeks to make up ground on four-cylinder rivals the Kia Tasman and Nissan Navara.