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Nissan axed its entry-level vehicle in Australia earlier in 2026 and a new one is under study as its replacement. The Nissan Kicks has historically been an affordable, small SUV for North and South America, among other markets, though the second-generation has been launching in more international markets. “This is one where it’s under study,” said Nissan Australia Managing Director Steve Milette to CarsGuide. “I think as a company we understand that something of that size, a product entry of that size would be important for a brand. “It is a fast-growing segment in Australia, so we are studying options in that category.” In addition to being produced in Brazil and Mexico, the second-generation Nissan Kicks is now being made in both Japan and the UK. This means that right-hand drive production of the Nissan Kicks is already available. In Japan the Kicks is offered with a new, third-generation e-Power hybrid set-up, like the Qashqai. It’s available in single-motor front-wheel drive or dual-motor all-wheel drive forms. All versions have a 1.4-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that acts purely as a generator to top up the battery pack. In Australia, the Japanese carmaker has axed the Juke and Pathfinder SUVs and indefinitely delayed the new Leaf electric crossover. As a result, the smallest Nissan model in Australia is the UK-made Qashqai small SUV. It’s now only offered with an e-Power hybrid powertrain and starts at $45,850, before on-road costs. Despite being larger, the most affordable Nissan model currently in Australia is the entry-level X-Trail mid-size SUV. It starts from $38,305, before on-road costs. If the Nissan Kicks does come to Australia, it will likely become the brand’s new cheapest model. In Australia sales of small SUVs have been on the rise, especially amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. A total of 163,323 small SUVs have been sold until the end of September this year, which is up 5.6 per cent year-on-year. The top-sellers in the segment are the Chery Tiggo 4 (19,865 sales), Hyundai Kona (18,533 sales), GWM Haval Jolion (17,051 sales) and MG ZS (13,627 sales). It’s a far cry from the amount of Nissan Qashqai examples sold over the same period (1027 sales) and more than Nissan’s best-selling model locally, the X-Trail (10,086 sales). A key point of difference between the Qashqai and the top-selling small SUVs is the entry asking price. If Nissan can offer a new, entry-level model, like the Kicks, at an affordable price, this may see it become the brand’s best-selling vehicle locally.

Zeekr insiders have spoken to Chinese media, saying the brand is plotting a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen rival to debut before 2030. According to Chinese outlet Sina, the insider said the company was currently sourcing suppliers for the project and the design had not yet been finalised. They also said the current timeline would have what will presumably be a boxy 4WD arriving in 2028 or 2029. It will apparently have a “semi-monocoque chassis” with independent electric motors. At this stage, whether the Zeekr 4x4 shares its underpinnings with its parent company Geely’s Battleship 700 remains to be seen. This development builds on comments Mars Chen, Vice President of Zeekr International, made to CarsGuide in May of 2026. “Hardcore off-road is definitely one direction - we’re doing the research but whether we create a G-Wagon style, you know, box SUV, for now that’s unclear. If we cannot create enough differentiation, of course we won’t do it,” he said. He ruled out the idea of any export-only offerings, as the successful BYD Shark 6 was for BYD for a period of time. “For Zeekr, I think we’re going to consolidate more. Every model needs to be global. It makes no sense to customise models just for one country. Even in China,” said Chen. Chen pointed out how the traditional luxury large SUVs were on the downswing globally, but the Defender and G-Wagon continue to perform on the sales charts. “What’s the most interesting option? Number one - G-Wagon, number two Defender.” “Audi is declining a lot, Cadillac almost moving out, even Range Rover is not doing that well.” “But Defender is really strong.” “So if we want to be in that segment, we have to be a global product.” On the topic of 4x4s and pick-ups, Chen said Zeekr wouldn’t bother unless they could “redefine" the segment. “We’ll definitely be checking how disruptive we can be if we enter,” he said. Despite promising signs, like quad motor capability, Zeekr will face tough barriers to entry. Not only will it have to compete with such storied traditional offerings, from the Defender and G-Wagen to the Toyota LandCruiser, it will also face its ambitious contemporaries who are already in the ‘boxy’ SUV space. The obvious example is the Denza B5 and B8, which share their hybrid running gear and ladder frame with the BYD Shark 6, but Zeekr will also have to compete with GWM and its new flagship range. Based on its latest ‘GWM One’ platform, the brand now offers an array of high-end off-roaders in China, including the Haval H10 and Wey Blue Mountain 4x4 flagships. Both are offered with plug-in hybrid power. Other box-style off-roaders are also on the way from GAC and potentially new luxury entrant HongQi. All these new offerings are part of a major push by Chinese automakers to offer more high-end products, as they seek better profit margins outside of their domestic market where sales have been shrinking and a brutal price war amongst brands have harmed the balance books. Things are particularly looking up for Zeekr though. Geely’s luxury arm has been well received in Australia (and other markets) and is looking at the real possibility of being our market's top luxury brand by the end of next year.  That is, if it can overcome potential production bottlenecks to fulfil its volume plans for the upcoming 8X and 9X large hybrid SUVs. Demand for which, the brand says, is exceeding its expectations.

Toyota flexes its muscles as it dominates the top of the sales charts in October. Australians bought a little more than 100,000 new cars in the past month, but one in five of them wore a Toyota badge. The Toyota HiLux was the best selling vehicle with 5954 examples finding a new home and the RAV4 was the third best seller with 4718 registrations. These two bookended the Ford Ranger (4841). Tesla Model Y was the best of the rest with 3105, followed by the electric BYD Sealion 7 (2524), Toyota Prado (2397), Chery Tiggo 4 (2178), BYD Atto 2 (1943), BYD Shark 6 (1843) and Geely EX5 (1789). Toyota is still the dominant force in Australian new cars, but there is no other Japanese or Korean model in the top 10 sellers list. Outside of Tesla, the rest of the top 10 were Chinese brands, with BYD mimicking Toyota with three entrants in Australia’s favourite new car list. BYD sold more than 10,000 vehicles in the past month, which was a feat usually reserved for Mazda or Ford at their peak. The October sales also showed Australia’s love affair with utes and SUVs was stronger than ever, with those two body shapes making up the entirety of the top 10 list. China also maintained its top position as the biggest source of new cars in Australia. More than 35 per cent of all new cars sold were imported from China, followed by Japan (22.3 per cent), Thailand (17.9 per cent) and South Korea (9.2 per cent). Almost one in four new cars sold in October was electric, which is about three times higher than it was in the same month last year. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries boss Tony Weber said electric car sales were driven by high fuel prices and government subsidies such as the FBT tax exemption. “Consumers are making rational choices and are attracted to options that reduce their costs. Despite continuing pressure on household budgets and higher borrowing costs in 2026, the October result shows there is extraordinary resilience in new vehicle demand," said Weber. “This increase in new vehicle demand, especially BEVs, must be supported by reliable and accessible charging infrastructure that keeps pace with demand.”

GWM is about to launch a new alternative to the Toyota RAV4. The GWM Haval Jolion Max has just been approved for Australian sale as it gears up to tackle the ultra-competitive mid-size SUV segment. The larger Toyota RAV4-sized Jolion Max will join the smaller petrol- and hybrid-powered Jolion that has been a strong seller in Australia in 2026. Filings show the Jolion Max will be available with fully-electric or plug-in hybrid power, so it will rival the Geely EX5 ($41,990) and GAC Aion V ($42,990) EVs, as well as the all-wheel drive-only Toyota RAV4 PHEV ($58,840), all before on-road costs. The Jolion Max will launch in Australia in the first quarter of 2027. Fully-electric variants of the Haval Jolion Max will use a single electric motor that produces 150kW, which is a step up in power on both petrol (105kW) and hybrid (140kW) Jolion models. The PHEV set-up boosts power again, with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 240kW. Both Haval Jolion Max variants are front-wheel drive, with no AWD option listed in sales approval filings, differing from some of its key competitors. Details inside the cabin are scarce at this stage, but overseas examples boast a connected 12.3-inch central multimedia screen and 7.0-inch digital driver display. It has a six-speaker audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Top-spec grades receive a wireless phone charger, panoramic sunroof and electrically-operated tailgate. The local branch’s Chief Operating Officer John Kett told CarsGuide in September 2026 the Haval Jolion Max would launch in the fourth quarter of 2026, but GWM has now pushed it back to the first quarter of 2027. A spokesperson for GWM Australia did not provide more exact timing when contacted for comment. Kett said the Jolion Max will play an important role in pushing GWM towards the top of the SUV segments. "Between H7, H6 and then of course Jolion Max toward the end of the year Ora 5 Touring - we're not even playing in 20 per cent of the segment which is now EV,” Kett told CarsGuide. “So for us, those four vehicles will take us to top three to top five in the segment." “That's where we want to get to, so if we get that right and H6 continues to do what it's doing now with Jolion Max on one side and Ora 5 Touring on the other that puts us in the position to really make some inroads into that segment.” GWM will reveal pricing closer to the car’s 2027 launch, but it’s likely to be more expensive than the current Jolion hybrid priced from $32,990 to $38,990 (drive-away). The Jolion has been one of the best-selling cars in Australia in 2026, and is GWM’s biggest seller across its line-up, however it plays in a different size-segment, against rivals like the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Seltos, and Hyundai Kona.

Ford has confirmed a new ute for international markets that will be cheaper than the Ranger. “Next year, we will be launching our affordable mid-size pick-up for international markets,” said Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley at the company’s third quarter earnings event. “We expect the base material cost for this truck to be 20 per cent lower than today's Ranger. “Just as Maverick has done in the US, this truck is designed to bring new customers into the Ford truck lineup internationally at a cost structure that allows us to compete, in this case, with the Chinese.” At this stage Ford hasn’t given any indication of what this “affordable mid-size pick-up” will be yet but given it will launch next year, a reveal is expected to be imminent. It appears it won’t be a new version of the Maverick and also likely won’t be an international version of the forthcoming Fathom electric ute. Given it’s a mid-size pick-up, this likely means it will be a similar size to the current Ranger. Farley’s comment on this forthcoming ute being priced to compete with Chinese-made utes, floats the potential of it also being made in China. Ford already has joint-venture partnerships with Geely, Changan and JMC. The latter partnership has already spawned the Ford Bronco Basecamp and Transit City, which are both launching in Australia. Given Farley specifically said this forthcoming ute is for international markets, it means an Australian launch may be on the cards. We’ve reached out to Ford Australia and will update this story once we hear back. Locally the Thai-made Ranger and Ranger Super Duty, as well as the US-made and locally converted F-150 utes are the only Ford utes offered. There hasn't been a ute smaller than the Ranger since the car-based Falcon ute was discontinued in 2016.

A new and improved Kia Tasman is coming soon, with a production date locked in. Leaked documents have detailed the company’s future product plan, including production of an improved Tasman ute and an expansion of Tasman derivative models. The documents originate from Kia’s Employment Stability Committee, which is a management body formed between Kia and the union representing Kia factory workers. This body is responsible for negotiating factory allocation, Korean factory investments and more. The documents state the Hwaseong factory, which is responsible for building the Tasman, is slated to review the new Tasman and its derivatives in 2028. This follows Kia Australia telling CarsGuide to not expect the upgraded Tasman until 2028 at the earliest. Australia’s importance to the Tasman success means we will likely be one of the first markets to receive it. Despite its poor sales to date, Kia won’t be speeding up the crucial mid-life update despite it already testing components here, according to Kia Australia. "That's part of the process. There's a normal Product Enhancement process applied to it like any other car. So that's happening now, if you like," says Kia Australia’s Chief Ride and Handling Engineer Graeme Gambold. "And that's not just facelifted exterior styling. That's also different shock absorber technology, probably powertrain options, and a whole lot of things. "We've got some bits here that we've got to test, or that has asked us to test. So if we like those parts, they'll come to market when we're facelifting. So there's a lot of ongoing things happening with . But that's the same for any car – it doesn't just stop once we launch it." The future production plans show Tasman model derivatives, which could be the rumoured new SUV-bodied 4WD to take on the Mitsubishi Pajero, Toyota Prado and Ford Everest. Kia has previously said an SUV-bodied version of the Tasman was a possibility, but it wasn’t a priority right now. It appears it might be more of a priority in a few years with an upgraded Tasman to base it on. Model expansion also could mean a hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options, which will help it meet tightening emissions laws around the globe but also meet buyer demand that is gobbling up Chinese rivals with petrol-electric power. This would also make it more palatable for an SUV-bodied version, which can compete with future plug-in hybrid versions of the Mitsubishi Pajero and Nissan Terrano 4WDs.

Hyundai has increased the pricing of many of its combustion-powered models in Australia as CO2 emissions regulations continue to crunch. Pricing for the pure combustion-powered Hyundai i30, Sonata, Venue, Kona, Tucson and Santa Fe vehicles increased by up to $500 as of October 1, 2026. “The price increases are due to global economic factors, manufacturing, logistics and local policy,” said a Hyundai Australia spokesperson. Many of the affected Hyundai models also feature electrified powertrains and with the price rise for the petrol versions, this narrows the price difference. Not every pure combustion-powered Hyundai model received a price rise. All versions of the Staria, Staria Load, as well as the new Palisade XRT Pro aren’t affected. Pricing for the affected Hyundai vehicles is now as follows: Going back to Hyundai Australia’s statement, there’s a clear link to what “local policy” is causing the price rise of the pure combustion-powered models. The Australian Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) has been in effect now for almost two years and the CO2 emissions targets are continuing to clamp down each year. In 2025 Hyundai Motor Company Australia (inclusive of Hyundai and Genesis) generated a fine amount of $4.2 million for going above its fleet CO2 emissions target. It was the fourth worst-performing brand, behind Mazda, Nissan and Subaru. With tougher CO2 emissions targets this year and even harder ones coming into effect in 2027, Hyundai may be at risk of accruing more fines, unless it can import more zero- to low-emissions vehicles (ZLEVs) or purchase credits from other carmakers.

Stepping into another person’s shoes is never easy. But a motoring journo is doing that at least 90 per cent of the time. I, James Cleary, may not be in the target market for a compact electric city car, but when I’m behind the wheel of a BYD Atto 1 or Geely EX2 I do my best to inhabit the mindset of someone who is. Similarly, a Lamborghini Temerario may be well beyond my pay grade and appear hugely expensive relative to my bank balance. But to someone lining up to add that tasty wedge of Italian exotica to their collection, it almost certainly won’t be. And that ‘getting into the customer mindset’ thing occurred to me in a slightly different way over the course of a recent week with the Mazda CX-6e Azami. Careful management has helped Mazda build an enviable reputation in this country over six decades, focusing on a top-shelf, customer-focused retail network handling the sales and service of an ever-improving range of price-competitive, quality products. To the point where I’ve attended events in other parts of the world where senior execs from rival brands have sidled up and asked me why Mazda’s been so successful in Australia (while it hasn't always been elsewhere). Which brings us back to the CX-6e. The 6e sedan and CX-6e SUV mid-size pure-electric siblings are the product of Mazda’s 50:50 joint-venture with Chinese giant Changan. Imported from China, aside from anything else, they’re an expedient, Deepal-based way to get on the EV wave and help Mazda grapple with the impacts of the federal government’s NVES (New Vehicle Efficiency Standard) scheme. To a loyal Mazda customer, keen to go EV for the first time, either would appear to be the perfect choice. They're sleek, well equipped, sharply priced relative to alternate options like the Tesla Model 3 or Model Y and most importantly, they wear the Mazda logo on the nose. So, put yourself in the shoes of that Mazda loyalist. You trust the dealer because they’ve always been good to you. You’re happy after the routine test drive, you’re up to speed on the whole charging thing and you decide to treat yourself by opting for the top shelf CX-6e Azami at $59,990, drive-away. The new car smell is intoxicating, as always. But once that starts to fade, the realisation hits. Despite everything that drew you to this car in the first place, it’s not as enjoyable as you thought it would be. For a start, the ride is firm. Like, really firm. Every little imperfection in the road surface makes it through to your backside. Cresting a decent speed bump causes major upheaval. Much as you want to, you can’t un-notice it. The suspension appears to be tuned to manage the CX-6e's just over 2.1-tonne weight without enough attention paid to compliance. The family isn’t happy. Then other niggles start to emerge. The flush door handles that pull out at a roughly 35-degree angle are an ergonomic challenge; an issue compounded by surprisingly heavy doors. The camera-based mirrors, interior and external, that seemed so novel and high-tech at first have become more trouble than they’re worth. With no natural depth of field, the interior rearview always takes your eyes half a beat to pull focus on, while the screens in the front doors for the side views also lack depth and feel like tech for tech’s sake. The broad, offset-to-the-left multimedia screen looks impressive, but almost as soon as your eyes leave the road to focus on the in-screen ventilation controls or audio set-up you receive a curt rap over the knuckles from the car telling you to pay attention and keep your eyes on the road. That’s annoying, so you decide you want to turn that function off, as well as the incessant over-speed warning and overly attentive fatigue warning. And you can, after shuffling through screens, but the system defaults them back to on. After. Every. Drive. And speaking of the climate control system. On a hot, late spring day it takes its sweet time to cool the cabin or respond to auto temperature inputs. What on Earth is going on? The more you live with it, the less the CX-6e feels like a Mazda. The interior layout, even details like the typefaces used across the car and in the screens don’t align with the rest of the Mazda range or the examples you’ve previously owned. You’re confused and starting to fall out of love with the CX-6e. And despite the positive experiences you’ve had with Mazda over a long period, your affection for the brand is in jeopardy, too. And that’s the ‘customer mindset’ thought that struck me during a week-long stint in the CX-6e. How bad would it feel to sense you intensely dislike a car you thought you’d love? And are this model’s shortcomings enough to turn even loyal customers off buying another Mazda? Could what seemed like a clever short-cut to EV options in the local Mazda line-up be a damaging misstep in terms of brand reputation? That’s a tough one to answer at this stage. But put it this way, as a LARP Mazda CX-6e owner I’m in post-purchase regret mode after just one week.

The new Toyota Celica has been confirmed by Toyota’s racing division ahead of an anticipated production car debut for the re-booted nameplate. Toyota Racing announced it would enter two teams and two cars in next year’s FIA World Rally Championship, including the GR Celica Rally1. Confirmation of the existence of the Celica comes after months of speculation and several production mules spotted testing in the wild. No details were confirmed for the new car, other than the version entered into the WRC would comply with the latest regulations. Toyota Racing simply said “drivers will be entrusted with the new GR Celica Rally1 car, returning one of the most iconic names in Toyota rally history to the WRC.” The brand also refrained from sharing images of its new Rally1 machine, leaving us to rely on existing images of the test mule that have been spotted in the wild. This has taken the form of a mysterious camouflaged sports coupe spotted testing in Portugal last year, adopting what appears to be a Yaris front-end with a coupe-style rear. Other prototypes recently seen in Japan also show a long-suspected mid-engine test mule on a test track. It follows on from the official GR Yaris M concept car, which Toyota showed at the Super Taikyu race series. While this car took the form of a race-ready GR Yaris from the outside, it featured a mid-mounted 2.0-litre engine producing up to 450kW in race form. At the time Toyota said the Yaris M concept was designed to remove the weaknesses of front-engined cars in “concentrating the load on the front tires during all driving operations. “In circuit environments this significantly affects tire wear and leads to a tendency to understeer.” Whether these are all Toyota developing the same car in a different form, or a Celica and long-rumored re-booted MR2 as separate vehicles is yet to be determined. Toyota is remaining tight-lipped. Regardless, while the latest WRC rules allow Toyota to move beyond the usual hatchback body style, it still requires the engine to be in the front. Toyota’s Gazoo Racing President Tomoya Takahashi has alluded to the production version of the sports car not materialising until closer to the end of the decade. All efforts are part of Toyota moving away from its ‘boring’ image and promising to continue to invest in “motorsport-bred” sports cars. This has meant continued investment in the 86, proper GR Yaris and GR Corolla hot hatchbacks, and the GR GT flagship. Toyota is also on the cusp of something fresh in its sports car department, as the Supra, which shared its platform with the BMW Z4 has been discontinued. The GR 86 will also evolve or morph for its next-generation, with the brand saying it will not continue the partnership with Subaru which lends the current car its flat four engine. Will Toyota really have room in its line-up for an 86, Celica, and an MR2? The company has the resources, but whether that makes commercial sense remains to be seen.

Australia is officially a buyers market for new ute shoppers. Carmakers of all shapes and sizes are delivering outstanding deals on new vehicles, as an increasing number of brands fight over a pool of buyers that isn’t growing at the same rate. Kia is now the latest to offer sharp deals, with its Tasman dual-cab ute the pick of the litter. Kia has wiped $5000 off the price of the Tasman SX four-wheel drive variant, which is now available for $49,990 drive-away down from $54,490 (before on-road costs). Higher grade SX+ 4WD variants can be had for $54,990 drive-away, compared to $62,390 (before on-road costs), which is a whopping saving of more than $10,000. ABN holders can access the $5000 discount on single- and dual-cab-chassis S and SX versions with an alloy tray, too. It is only available on 2025 model year examples and it must be ordered and delivered in November. The controversially-styled Tasman has been a slow seller for Kia, with less than 400 sold through the first nine months of this year. Kia initially expected to move 20,000 Tasmans annually.  It has all the things a ute owner needs, though. Power comes from a 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine making 154kW and 440Nm, which is paired to an eight-speed auto driving all four wheels. It has high and low gears, can tow up to 3500kg and - depending on variant - has a one tonne payload. Ute deals used to be rare, and mostly locked in for the End of Financial Year. Not anymore, with even the mighty Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux resorting to deals to entice customers. Toyota is chucking in a $4000 deposit bonus on new mid-range HiLux SR5 variants. There are a few caveats, with it purchased with at least $10,000 financed through Toyota and it excludes the electric version. Ford is giving new customers of the Ranger XLT, Wildtrak and Tremor variants a $4000 fuel card. Mitsubishi is also giving customers a $3000 fuel card with Triton purchases and LDV has permanently wiped thousands off the price of a T60 workhorse.