Articles by Andrew Chesterton

Small SUVs are bigger than ever - both in terms of sales and sheer size. We pit two of Australia's biggest-selling small hybrid SUVs against each other to determine which one comes out on top. Is it the Toyota Corolla Cross or the Hyundai Kona?

Nissan has added a return of the Xterra to the top of its future-product wish list, with one of the brand's most senior executives pushing for a "functional and affordable" ute-based SUV that would take on the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Everest and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.In music to the ears of those who want a return to stripped-back motoring, the chairman of Nissan Americas, Christian Meunier, said he recognised buyers want "a return to authenticity and simplicity, not having all the gizmos and gadgets" in a ute-based SUV.Asked what white space Nissan has in its American lineup, the executive told Automotive News that "if I could bring a car tomorrow, it would be the Xterra", referencing the Navara-based SUV that was discontinued in 2015 before being reborn in the Middle East in 2021."This is a white space because many competitors target the higher end of the adventure market. People desire a sense of freedom," he said."There‘s a return to authenticity and simplicity, not having all the gizmos and gadgets. People want a comfortable, functional and affordable vehicle."The new Nissan Navara launches in Australia this year, and while the brand locally hasn't confirmed an SUV version of its dual-cab ute, the timing sometime within this generation would fit.We do know that Nissan is promising the new Navara will be a "very exciting truck", and that the brand is even considering introducing a hardcore NISMO variant to take the fight to the Ford Ranger Raptor.While the plug-in hybrid Frontier Pro, recently revealed in Shanghai, makes a sharp looking SUV, as seen this story's lead image, it's actually the Navara due this year that would most lend itself to that promise of "simplicity".That's because Nissan has pledged to stick with diesel, rather than electrification, for the earliest parts of that model's lifespan."We need to make sure that if we electrify, how we electrify. I think it will be a two-step approach, first with a PHEV solution, then later on with EV. That will be the two-step approach. That's what we're looking at, but first it will be with a diesel approach," Nissan's Chairperson of the AMEIO Region, Guillaume Cartier, has told CarsGuide.Interestingly, Nissan USA re-trademarked the Xterra name in December last year, paving the way for the model's return in that market. Sadly, no such trademark as appeared in Australia yet.

Chinese brand Chery says it has solved the brand's active safety system woes, suggesting new hardware and the expansion of its local ADAS tuning program has delivered a system better suited to Australian drivers and conditions.

Tesla Australia has conceded that brand's new status as as one of the world's most controversial car companies is impacting its results in Australia, telling CarsGuide that "things outside our control...are influencing some of the sales figures."

Has Kia just revealed its hybrid hero that will take on the Ford Ranger Raptor? The brand has just revealed the thumping WKNDR concept at the Seoul Motor Show, which would also happen to be the perfect vehicle to house the heavily rumoured 2.5-litre turbo-hybrid powertrain expected to make its debut in the Tasman.

Nissan has detailed its bold fightback plan that it hopes will take it from its current precarious global position to a giant of auto space, with hybrids, plug-in hybrids and even the possibility of a range-extender ute all forming part of the new-model wishlist.

Americans, it would seem, do want an electric pick-up truck, they just don't want the stainless steel-shelled Tesla Cybertruck.

The popularity of one the most controversial vehicles types in Australia has plummeted so far in 2025, with sales of American-style jumbo trucks like the Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra and Ram 1500 driving off a cliff.Loved by those who buy them, but ridiculed by plenty who don't, the big trucks have been accused of being "big, dumb utes" that exploit tax loopholes by The Australia Institute, been threatened with higher parking charges, and been flagged by some MPs as candidates for higher registration fees.And now sales are hurting. Some 640 examples of the Toyota Tundra, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Silverado HD, Ford F150, Ram 1500, Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 were sold across Australia in April, bringing the group's year-to-date tally to 3010.That's down 26.2 per cent on the single month result in April 2024 (867 sales), while the year to date total has fallen 13.8 per cent, from 3490 over the first four months of 2024.But because, at this time last year, Toyota was delivering very few Tundras as part of a customer testing program, their results (up 171.4 per cent month-on-month and 99.3 per cent year to date) are actually propping up the segment's percentages. Remove the Tundra sales, and the segment for the remaining brands has actually fallen 32.7 per cent month on month, and 18.8 per cent year to date.Interestingly, the numbers in 2025 are even smaller than in 2023 (787 month and 3043 year to date), despite there only being four models in market then, compared to the seven being sold today.It spells hard news for all brands, with significant remanufacturing investment required to convert the models from left- to right-hand drive, but perhaps none more so than Toyota, who – after a six-year program to develop the vehicle for Australia – only put the Tundra on sale in November last year.At the time, media was told production was being ramped up to five vehicles per day, or up to 110 per month and 1300 vehicles annually. Last month, just 76 found homes, pushing the year-to-date tally to 299 vehicles - an average of 74 per month, or 888 annually, should the trend continue all year.We asked Toyota about the Tundra's slow start in February, and the brand told us "It’s very early days, but we are pleased with the response to Tundra since its official launch in the middle of November. Our forward orders are in line with our forecasts and we look forward to expanding the line up with the introduction of a new premium grade in Q2 2025."Clearly it's not just Toyota struggling to move the big trucks at the moment. The most popular Ram, the 1500, was down 18.1 per cent for the month and 24.9 per cent year to date, the Chevrolet Silverado was done 18.3 per cent for the month (but is up six per cent for the year), the Ford F-150 is down 69.9 per cent for the month and 35.9 per cent for the year.

Tesla says it will turnaround a sales slump, overcome a stagnating of the electric vehicle space in Australia, and take down one of the country's best-selling vehicles in the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, in a series of bold predictions following the launch of the updated Tesla Model Y Juniper.

The Polestar 3 is the vehicle the brand has been waiting for, with the large electric SUV finally giving this Swedish marque a fighter to send into the ring against BMW, Mercedes-Benz and even Porsche. The big question, though, was it worth waiting for? We put the cheapest version, the Long Range Single Motor, to the test to find out.