Car News

It’s official: Toyota Celica is back
By Tom White · 04 Nov 2026
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.
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Top ute gets $5000 price cut
By Dom Tripolone · 04 Nov 2026
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.
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Controversial car a massive hit
By Tom White · 04 Nov 2026
Ferrari’s ultra-controversial first electric car - the Luce - is a massive hit for the brand, according to its third quarter financial results. While the electric four-door GT is much maligned by combustion enthusiasts who see Ferrari’s lineage tarnished by a car with no enormously complex running gear, the brand literally can’t build enough Luces to meet demand. It is sold out for all of 2027 and the order book now extends into 2028, with the brand’s CEO saying current “geopolitical tensions” were not affecting Ferrari’s order book. Demand for the Luce is boosting revenues alongside Ferrari’s booming personalisation business. The company said over 21 per cent of its cars are now personalised, significantly boosting profit margins. As a result the brand has sailed past its previous forecasts now estimating its earnings (EBITDA) for the year to exceed three billion euros (A$4.8 billion). The company also pointed to its regular new model release cycle as a factor for its ongoing revenues, with 23 new models or editions added to the range since 2015, and two more new cars coming in 2027. On the flip side, the brand said its bottom line was hit by lower F1 revenues. The Luce also attracted commentary for its design, which strayed far from Ferrari’s usual offerings. The car was styled by LoveFrom - a creative agency founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive. This manifested in an avant-garde look, with integrated functional aero alongside rounded rear tail lights, which invoke past Ferrari models. Inside, the car featured an ‘industrial-inspired’ look, blending classic Ferrari motifs with modern, functionality-focused design and an array of high-quality materials to set it apart from the crowd. The car made an impact, but for what many consider to be the wrong reasons, with it featuring unconventional proportions as part of its two-part look with the colour-over-contrast finish and giant wheels. The whole design flies largely in the face of previous designs in being form following function rather than the other way around. Some saw the car as a reset for Ferrari in a stagnant supercar environment where the usual eye-popping performance numbers have been made redundant by the advent of fully electric passenger cars at mainstream pricing with supercar performance figures. Regardless, the Luce is an undeniable hit, with the initial allocation of units selling out instantly in the highly competitive Chinese market, which is a conquest arena for the Italian sports car marque. At the same time, it’s not as though Ferrari isn’t abandoning its core audience, with the sculpted Amalfi having its drop-top Spider version being phased in as a classic Italian tourer, and the 12 Cilindri receiving a limited-run Manuale edition which features a simulated six-speed gated manual gearbox to match with its raucous V12 engine. Locally, Ferrari is performing decently, ahead of Aston Martin and arch-rival Lamborghini so far in 2026, although it is slightly behind on its tally this time last year. It is worth noting that the Luce is yet to officially launch in Australia, with the first deliveries not due until late 2027. It is priced at $991,446 before on-roads.
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Real reason EV sales have skyrocketed
By Tim Gibson · 04 Nov 2026
Many Aussie have bought their first ever EV in 2026 and it’s changed the new car market forever. The Iran war's impact on fuel prices is often put forward as a key reason why more people than ever are making the electric car switch, but that's not the full story. Ed Harvey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Australasian home EV charger manufacturer Evnex, told CarsGuide it was fuel security that started to sway buyers. “It flipped the argument,” Harvey said. “The fuel prices have not just really strengthened the cost-saving argument, but also I think it's the first time that people really started talking about energy security or transport security.” Range anxiety has put many buyers off EVs.  It combines a fear of running out of charge with having nowhere to charge it. Harvey said the fuel crisis brought about by the Iran war and the closing of the integral Strait of Hormuz in March 2026 started to change buyer perception. Buyers can now save as much as $3600 a year in just fuel costs by making the EV switch, according to Evnex's research, but Harvey said fuel security also started to cause anxiety with panic fuel buying leading to localised shortages. The federal government relaxed fuel standards and released reserves, while launching a $20 million “Every little bit helps” fuel conservation advertising campaign. Harvey said it was fuel availability not fuel prices that "flipped the script" for many buyers. Drivers worried about where they could fill up as opposed to where they could charge up, for the first time. “I think that really changed how people thought about energy security and our reliance on imported fossil fuels,” Harvey said. “I knew some people with petrol or diesel vehicles that were asking friends to borrow electric vehicles for the holiday period because they were nervous they might not be able to get where they needed to go.” BYD Australia’s Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins told CarsGuide higher fuel prices and fuel shortages contributed to exponential EV uptake earlier in 2026. Collins described the early stages of the fuel crisis period as a “pivotal point” and an “unprecedented time”. “That March, early April period - I think it was genuinely only a four-week period where we saw a big spike in orders,” Collins said. “I think there were a lot of people that were on the cusp of buying an EV and that tipped a lot of people into ‘I’ll just make the decision now’. “It was a pretty tumultuous time, so I think there’s some truth to that.” The Electric Vehicle Council’s (EVC) 2026 ‘State of EVs’ report found buyers purchased one EV every 100 seconds in the first half of 2026. Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales contributed to more than a quarter of all new car sales in the first half of the year, compared to roughly one in every 10 in the first half of 2025. Where there are competitive EV choices, buyers are making the switch, such as the mid-size SUV segment. The BYD Sealion 7, Geely EX5 and Tesla Model Y have consistently featured among the best-selling cars in Australia in 2026, and have experienced unprecedented growth. There hasn’t been the same growth in some other large segments of the market, and this is because competitive EV choices are still emerging, according to Electric Vehicle Council Chair and Origin Energy E-mobility GM Chau Le. “In each of these segments, EVs are becoming competitive, but we're not quite there yet in some of the segments,” Le told CarsGuide. “We're still a bit out, but with more EV models coming in and improvement in battery technology, it's only a matter of time until we're competitive across all segments.” There are no electrified utes that reach the balance of affordability, capability and driveability that their diesel counterparts have yet. Diesel-powered utes like the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux continue to be a significant component of the new car market. Once competitive electric ute choices emerge, the ute segment will likely follow a similar transformation to the rest of the new car market. New car buyers' priorities have shifted permanently, and there's nothing fuel prices or supplies can do to change it.
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Huge update for Tesla Model Y rival exposed
By Tim Gibson · 03 Nov 2026
Kia’s EV5 electric mid-size SUV is about to get a major update in Australia.  A facelifted EV5 has just appeared in Australian sales approval documents for the first time. The EV5 is Kia’s best-selling fully-electric model on sale in 2026, edging out the smaller EV3 for the title. It tackles the Toyota bZ4X ($55,990) as well as hugely popular rivals the BYD Sealion 7 ($54,990) and Tesla Model Y ($58,900), all before on-road costs. The new EV5 should arrive in showrooms in mid-2027. The EV5 will receive a minor power boost for its updated model. The two-wheel drive variant’s single electric motor now produces 175kW instead of 160kW, while the dual motors in the all-wheel drive make 249kW, up from 230kW. Kia will continue to equip the EV5 with either a 64kWh or 88kWh battery, but we don't know if they will provide greater driving range.  The current EV5 offers between 400km and 555km of driving range, depending on the variant, according to WLTP standards.  It’s rumoured the EV5 will feature an updated ride and handling tune for Aussie roads in line with other models in Kia’s line-up.  The 2027 EV5 has some subtle styling tweaks for its mid-life update, with some new body creases and a sharper design.  It also features what looks to be a front camera bar fixed to the grille area. The car is basically dimensionally identical to its soon-to-be predecessor, measuring 4613mm long, 1875mm wide, 1715mm tall, with a 2750mm wheelbase.  The EV5 is scheduled to launch in mid-2027, but it’s unclear exactly when it will hit showrooms.  Buyers can expect more official news on the updated EV5 before the end of 2026. Kia will reveal pricing closer to the new EV5’s arrival, with a firm price yet to be confirmed.   The EV5 range currently kicks off from $56,770, with prices rising up to $71,770 for the top-spec car (before on-road costs). 
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Honda’s ute plans for Australia revealed
By Tom White · 03 Nov 2026
Honda Australia is aware of the ongoing demand for its Rigeline ute, which is currently only built in left-hand drive for markets like the USA. With a new-generation version confirmed to be the works, the CEO of Honda Australia, Jay Joseph, told CarsGuide how the local division was putting its hand up for right-hand drive development early in the process in order to increase its chances of an Australian debut. “There hasn’t been a dealer visit yet anywhere where that didn’t come up,” he said. “The best time to think about homologating a vehicle for right-hand drive is at the inception of design,” he explained. “It’s something we’re looking at and we’re in conversations about. Where that will lead, I can't say for now. It takes time, and we’ve got to do the math and it has to make sense.” Joseph, who spent much of his career working on Honda’s North American business and spent significant time in Japan understanding the company’s global footprint, was also upfront about the challenges facing the sought-after Ridgeline badge for our market. “There has to be sufficient volume, so it can’t be dependent on Australia alone. There would have to be enough right-hand drive markets raising their hands with similar development needs. “The key factor in that is when we look across all of the certification items, is there enough compatibility that we’re not doubling down on development? If we can keep that pretty simple, then it has a chance.” The Ridgeline, which has existed since 2005 and is currently in its second-generation, doesn’t ride on a ladder frame like rival dual-cabs. Instead, it sits on a large vehicle monocoque platform, which also underpins other US-developed left-hand drive vehicles, including the Pilot and Passport. “These vehicles have a much more capable rear differential some really cool features which we haven’t brought to market yet, using forward radar for some really interesting things when off-roading,” Joseph said. He said Honda had been holding these more rugged models from our market for some time. “Moving a steering wheel from one side to another in a unibody construction vehicle is a heavy undertaking, and as a company, we just don’t take shortcuts on things like that," he added. “The best time to plant a tree is 40 years ago; the second best time is today, and we didn’t plant that tree on those vehicles 40 years ago so we need to start thinking about it now.” The recently confirmed third-generation Ridgeline is promised to gain even more rugged design and capabilities, although the brand said earlier this year that it would continue to be built exclusively at the company’s Alabama factory. Joseph pointed to the Honda MDX large SUV, which was briefly sold in Australia between 2003 and 2006 as proof that the brand could source cars from the USA if needed. The elephant in the room for Honda’s ute aspirations is a hot-off-the-press memorandum of understanding with Mitsubishi on use of its Triton ladder frame as Honda looks to expand into South East Asian markets with a more robust commercial offering. The team-up between Japanese stalwarts is understood to produce a Honda-badged version of the Mitsubishi ute. Joseph said this was a “could-be” solution for Australia in the short term. “Exactly what form that takes, we’ll see. It’s too early for us to confirm anything, but there’s a possibility there,” he said of a re-badged Triton. “I suppose its more of a statement of intent that it’s the vehicle missing from the portfolio in this region particularly.” Interestingly, Joseph’s vision for a Honda-badged ute was a bit more holistic in matching up with the rest of Honda’s portfolio outside of a strictly automotive use-case, which he said could help set the brand apart from its rivals. “My perspective is that would be very appealing when you look beyond automotive. We’ve got power sports, power equipment. Say somebody buys a Honda portable generator for their caravan, if they could tow that caravan with a Honda, have the generator in the tray, I like the way that packages together. “Even somebody who buys a CRF250 or CRF450 for autocross or trail-riding, they should be able to put that in another Honda, so I’m very attracted to the idea of it. But, it still has to pencil up as a business and it’s too early to say if it does.” On the Triton team-up, Joseph said the Honda ownership experience, which he said “improves as time goes on” for current owners, would be a key point of differentiation from both the Triton and Nissan’s Navara, which also uses the same underpinnings. “If we did do something like that, one of the things that Honda does differently is a very different ownership experience. “We, you know, having the price promise and fixed-price servicing, it's very appealing to people because we have that brand trust, because we have that reputation for taking care of our customers and making sure we have parts available. “It's a completely different purchase experience and process, and I think different decision-making for the buyer. So, that would be one consideration we’d be looking at.”
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Popular small SUV goes hybrid-only in Oz
By Tim Gibson · 03 Nov 2026
Aussie buyers have a new hybrid compact SUV from Europe to consider. Volkswagen has just confirmed its next-generation T-Roc will launch in Australia with a mild-hybrid set-up.  The T-Roc will rival the full-hybrid Hyundai Kona ($33,700, before on-road costs) and Kia Seltos ($39,990, drive-away). The brand says the new T-Roc will arrive in Aussie showrooms in early 2027. The next-generation T-Roc will feature a mild-hybrid set-up in Australia at this stage. Volkswagen said the new set-up will contribute to lower fuel consumption and provide a responsive performance.  VW has not confirmed yet whether the full-hybrid variants of the T-Roc will land Down Under.  "We’re continuing to evaluate opportunities for the T-Roc range in Australia and will share further details as they become available," a spokesperson for VW Australia told CarsGuide. "At this stage, we have no additional variants to announce." The fully-hybrid T-Roc uses a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and two electric motors to produce either 100kW/288Nm or 125kW/310Nm. Power has dropped slightly across both grades compared to the outgoing petrol line-up (previously 110kW/250Nm and 140kW/320Nm). However, the new entry-level hybrid gains a noticeable torque bump to 288Nm, while the up-spec grade delivers 310Nm. The full-hybrid T-Roc is equipped with a 1.6kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, which enables the car to drive on electric-only power at speeds less than 60km/h without heavy acceleration.   The T-Roc boasts a more rounded overall design, with sharp creases either side of the bonnet. It has a sleek headlight design and single daytime running strip with black cladding on the grille, air intakes and wheel arches, as well as on the roof rails. Volkswagen is promising more interior space and increased practicality as well as better technology, safety and convenience features. VW has moved the gear selector to a steering column stalk, freeing up more centre console space. Inside, there’s a rectangular digital driver display and central multimedia screen, along with plenty of physical buttons on the steering wheel. The German brand said the car will have its latest software system, which has new driver assistance technologies and comfort-focused features. Volkswagen will reveal pricing for the new T-Roc close to its early 2027 arrival date. The current generation T-Roc kicks off from $38,990, with prices rising up to $49,990, before on-road costs. Buyers can expect an increase on those prices for the T-Roc’s new generation, with it likely to kick off from over $40,000 when it arrives. This will place it in a similar bracket to other conventional hybrid rivals, including the Toyota Corolla Cross (from $37,440), Hyundai Kona (from $36,950) and incoming Kia Seltos (from $37,990).
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VW's iconic car on life support
By Dom Tripolone · 03 Nov 2026
Volkswagen is officially in trouble, as the German giant pauses work on its new electric ID.Golf. The Volkswagen Golf was once the brand’s bread and butter, but changing buyer tastes and rising prices has pushed the hatchback into the background. "We simply can't afford this work right now," said Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schaefer, according to Reuters. "I know what the Golf means for Volkswagen and for Wolfsburg. That's ​why this decision was really not an easy one for us,” said Schaefer. He said the ID.Golf isn’t cancelled, just postponed, but if the situation doesn’t improve it might be the end of the road for the famous Golf.  The German carmaker is undergoing one of the biggest restructures in its history, with it likely to cut up to 100,000 jobs, close four factories and slice vehicle variants by up to 75 per cent in an attempt to make it leaner and more agile. Volkswagen posted a €5.9 billion ($9.43B) loss in the past three months, its largest quarterly loss in more than a decade. The problem is new ultra-affordable brands from China hitting Europe with incredible force. The German giant’s business model is to sell volume at low margin in Europe. "This business model is ⁠under ​enormous pressure in Europe," said Volkswagen Group boss Oliver Blume. Industry analysts have crunched the numbers and said Chinese makers can produce an equivalent electric vehicle for $11,000 less than a European maker.  The ID.Golf was expected to be based on the company’s new Scalable Systems Platform (SSP). This is an 800-volt EV platform that puts software at the heart of the car. Audi, Porsche and then VW were to get vehicles made on this platform. Software has been the thorn in Volkswagen's side. The company’s Cariad software division has been bleeding money and has not been delivering on its investment. Volkswagen has been forced to invest in US start-up Rivian to gain access to its software. Volkswagen also has a joint-venture with Chinese brand XPeng, which has spawned several vehicles in China. It also gives the brand access to XPeng’s software knowledge.
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LandCruiser leaves Patrol in its dust
By Jack Quick · 03 Nov 2026
Toyota launched the Performance Hybrid version of its LandCruiser 300 Series in Australia earlier this year and it’s claimed to only be making up a small portion of overall sales. So far diesel versions of the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series are claimed to be outselling the petrol-electric Performance Hybrid trims almost seven-to-one. Toyota says the amount of LandCruiser 300 Series Performance Hybrid sales is what it expected. “Yeah, it’s going well,” said Toyota Australia Vice President national sales, marketing and franchise operations John Pappas to CarsGuide. “The Performance Hybrid is sitting where we thought it would be, which is roughly at around 15 per cent of our sales of the overall LandCruiser .” Toyota sold a total of 9787 LandCruiser wagons through the first nine months of this year, which is up 10.1 per cent year-on-year. A small portion of these sales include the LandCruiser 70 Series wagon and troop carrier. Toyota doesn’t split out sales and instead only reports it as LandCruiser wagon and LandCruiser pick-up/cab-chassis. Part of the LandCruiser wagon’s recent sales success is due to the runout of the Y62-generation Nissan Patrol. The new Y63 Patrol is due to launch in early 2027. This improvement in LandCruiser wagon sales defies Toyota’s overall sales so far in 2026. It sold a total of 152,944 vehicles until the end of September, which is down 15.9 per cent year-on-year. Toyota is still on track to be the best-selling carmaker in Australia in 2026. This will make it the 31st consecutive year. As it stands, both the diesel and Performance Hybrid versions of the LandCruiser 300 Series are above the threshold for ‘Type 2’ vehicles under the Australian Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). The threshold for ‘Type 2’ vehicles in 2026 is 180g/km and the LC300 diesel and Performance Hybrid are claimed to emit 235g/km and 220g/km, respectively. This theoretically means each LC300 imported into Australia attracts an NVES fine of $2750 and $2000, respectively this year. Toyota may not need to pay this fine if it can import other vehicles under the CO2 thresholds, or purchase credits from other carmakers. Toyota has previously warned that price rises may occur, especially on models that are high-emitting. “Due to the challenging NVES targets for commercial vehicles from 2027 onwards, we cannot rule out price increases,” said Pappas. The LandCruiser 300 Series Performance Hybrid is dubbed the most powerful LandCruiser sold to date in Australia. It has a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine with an electric motor for total system outputs of 341kW and 790Nm. This is 114kW and 90Nm more than the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel. Only two versions of the LC300 Performance Hybrid are offered in Australia - Sahara ZX and GR Sport. They’re priced from $156,740 and $156,990, before on-road costs, respectively. This is roughly $9000 more than the equivalent diesel-powered version. While the LC300 Performance Hybrid can still tow 3500kg, it only offers five seats and is claimed to consume more fuel than the diesel.
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Hyundai's double ute and 4WD plan revealed
By Byron Mathioudakis · 02 Nov 2026
Fresh updates have emerged about Hyundai’s long-awaited ute for Australia. Last week, the brand revealed the as-yet unnamed answer to the Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6, Toyota HiLux and Chery Stockman has been whittled down to a choice of two upcoming global models. Both options may end up coming to Australia, serving two different ends of the segment, with the more-premium entrant also including a 4WD wagon to take on the new Mitsubishi Pajero, Toyota Prado and Ford Everest. According to Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) Chief Operating Officer Gavin Donaldson the ute (and likely any SUV offshoot) could be either the American proposal as loosely previewed by the Boulder SUV concept… or something based upon something else. "There is a lot of discussion," he told CarsGuide. "We've kept two options open, because we think both could technically work. We won't shut the door on one and then maybe (want the other). We've maintained two options that we have kept it open for." Asked if the Boulder Concept is the front runner, Donaldson said it is in with a strong chance. “Whilst we can't confirm, we will probably say if (Hyundai internationally) is looking at something from the (United) States, we could still consider that one, because that's definitely on the drawing board," he revealed. "And then there’s other one. I would just say the only other option is if we wanted to bring speed to market quicker… there's probably only one other option.” While Donaldson declined to elaborate on that, it is believed that he is referring to an updated version based on the Kia Tasman. He also hinted that Australia is having input into development. “There's a lot of discussions, a lot of recommendations,” he said. “We're putting through all the different style of pickup we would want. We've made it very clear what we want. “We make it very clear what powertrain want, and now we're just working through the process of what's achievable and what’s not.” This could mean that the Tasman would come first to speed things up, as the Boulder concept-derived ute and SUV will not likely arrive until near the end of the decade at the earliest. Fuelling this speculation is Donaldson’s comments about having to settle for something other than the preferred petrol-electric hybrid powertrain – which immediately puts to mind the Hyundai Motor Group’s long-lived 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine as found in the Tasman. “Ultimately, we're saying we think we probably need a hybrid engine of some sort,” he said. “But we'll never say never to any powertrain at the end of the day, because if something means it can come along quicker with a different powertrain, then we would say yes. “But for us, we think it's a hybrid powertrain is what we need.” Whichever ute comes first to Australia, it is clear that HMCA is considering a two-pronged attack on the market. “(With the Boulder Concept-based ute), we're trying to simplify a very complex internal business discussion,” according to HMCA product planning manager, Tim Rodgers. “It’s got multiple layers and paths and options…” Watch this space.
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