Articles by Byron Mathioudakis

Here are the changes that we would like to see on the 2026 Ford Ranger facelift.

The second-gen Mercedes-AMG GT coupe looks similar but changes substantially compared to before. The now larger body gains more seats and a larger boot, dramatically improving practicality. Performance is in the supercar league. 4WD and 4-wheel steering are standard, replacing the old rear transaxle layout, and a 50:50 weight balance aids handling. But is this enough to beat a Porsche 911?

Nissan is planning to introduce a hybrid version of its smallest SUV sold in Australia.But don’t rush out to your local dealer just yet, because we’re not likely to see a petrol-electric version of the Juke to go up against the Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid before next year at the earliest.There’s even a strong likelihood that Australia may have to wait until the third-generation version of Nissan’s small SUV from Europe surfaces sometime from 2027.According to Nissan Oceania Vice President and Managing Director, Andrew Humberstone, the move to a hybrid powertrain is inevitable given where the market seems to be headed.“Juke, for me, is an interesting one,” he told CarsGuide.“I think we need to look at where we can go with the new technology in the Juke. I think (hybrid) is where the space will be, where it starts to get more traction. What new technology can we bring in there, in terms of managing, you know, the gap between internal combustion engines (ICE) and electric, right?“(But the hybrid) will not come to Australia this year.”Why not, when total industry demand for hybrids in 2024 soared by 76 per cent over the year before, and that growth rate was topped only by a 100.2% leap in sales for plug-in hybrids?The very customer-focused boss of Nissan Australia and former head of Nissan Europe – who has instigated this month’s shock introduction of a dealer-service-activated 10-year/300,000km warranty with “flat” priced capped servicing, transferable and conditionally back-dated to 2021 models – insists that his team remains flexible enough to pivot with evolving buyer preferences.“I think we're seeing (that) in the next two to three years… we need to be very elastic in terms of what we're trying to do,” Humberstone said.“That’s because the market is so fluid. And so, it's really around getting the timing right and not trying to bring something in that’s not fit for purpose, just because we think it's about bringing the right product at the right time and managing customer expectations.“It's a common-sense solution. The question is, at what time (is right)?”In the meantime, Nissan is undertaking more research to fine-tune exactly what type of appetite for hybrid powertrains exist at this end of the SUV market in Australia.“For me, (hybrid) is where we need to look, and we need to understand from our dealer network and customers what kind of scale there is there,” Humberstone added.“To me, that's where the opportunity sits.”Based on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s CMF-B platform and sharing many components but no body panels (unlike next year’s Mitsubishi ASX) with the second-gen Renault Captur, today’s Juke has only offered an 84kW/180Nm 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine since its 2020 launch in Australia.But, elsewhere, the British-made light SUV has also offered a 105kW/205Nm 1.6-litre four-pot petrol-electric hybrid option courtesy of the Captur since 2022. Not only does it use less fuel compared to the regular turbo petrol version (4.7L/100km versus 6.0L/100km), it shaves 1.7 seconds off the leisurely 11.8s 0-100km/h sprint time. Win-win for buyers.The next-gen Juke, meanwhile, will reportedly use the same ‘AmpR Small’ EV-only architecture as the coming Nissan Micra EV supermini (itself based on the acclaimed new Renault R5 E-Tech), though it is highly likely that ICE and hybrid versions of the small SUV are also under development, as demand for EVs slow in some regions.Whether the latter morphs into a variation of the lower-cost Kicks small SUV program (related to the Juke and sold in more price-sensitive parts of the world since 2015) remains to be seen. A Kicks e-Power EV-first hybrid grade has been available for some time in some markets, including in right-hand-drive Thailand, suggesting that this may be the path Nissan takes for the next-gen Juke.Whatever transpires, it seems certain that the Juke hybrid, or something related to it, has a future in Australia.Aided by freer supply and an update that brought improvements across the range, Juke sales in this country leaped up by one-third over 2023’s results.That said, its 1674 registrations are a far cry from the 18,461 buyers (up 17%) that the bestselling – if ageing – Mazda CX-3 managed, or the 8200 units (up 26%) recorded by the now-hybrid-only Yaris Cross.

Nissan has revealed that the coming, seventh-generation Patrol could be fast-tracked for Australia due to external influences (and some internal favours). While still officially set to launch locally in “late 2026” as per earlier remarks from Nissan executives back at the new Y63 version’s unveiling last September, the long-awaited 4WD wagon could come as soon as by the middle of next year.

A racy all-new grade was launched alongside the facelifted version of the third-gen Qashqai in early 2025, in the shape of the N-Design.

Audi will finally launch the facelifted A3 Sportback range in Australia in the second quarter of this year, to take the fight to the rising tide of fast-improving Chinese hatchback alternatives.

Launched in early 2025, the facelifted version of the third-gen Qashqai saw the Ti-L luxury grade gain Nissan’s EV-first e-Power hybrid option.

The least-expensive Audi in Australia will gain a series of upgrades in the coming weeks, to make it a more appealing value-for-money proposition in the face of stiffer competition and shrinking market share.Likely to be called the A1 Sportback ‘Life Cycle Edition’, the changes are set to add an S-Line-style body kit, similar to the Black Edition sold in the UK, delivering a more athletic look.The move might also bring sports seats, blacked-out exterior and interior trim, extra equipment, unique wheels and even a firmer suspension tune for improved dynamic responses.Better still, pricing is expected to remain around the same as today’s (solely petrol-powered four-cylinder) versions, which kick off from less than $40,000 before on-road costs for the 35 TFSI with a 1.5-litre turbo and about $51,000 for the 40 TFSI with a 2.0-litre turbo.Costs and timing have yet to be announced, but Audi Australia Product Manager, Matt Dale, said the MY25 updates prove there is still life in the ageing premium supermini.“We do have a Life Cycle Edition there, which the (Audi product development) team has done a fantastic job on, and which is to come out shortly,” he told CarsGuide.“That is a new and exciting product for us, because visually, we're changing the look and feel of that car to a sportier appearance.”Now in its seventh year of availability, the second-generation A1 since 2010 is nearing the end of its production run, with no direct successor for it nor the closely-related Q2 light SUV in sight.Instead, it has been widely speculated Audi will eventually replace both from about next year or in 2027 with an electrified compact crossover that will sit beneath the Q3 in the Ingolstadt brand’s vast model range. It might even revive the hallowed A2 badge if some reports are to be believed.Back to the MY25 Life Cycle Edition, Audi’s aim is to revive flagging sales against newer rivals, from the redesigned Mini Cooper range that also includes the new Aceman EV series, to the updated and closely-related Volkswagen Polo.Last year, volume nosedived 62 per cent compared to 2023 figures, resulting in just 176 registrations, against 1559 for the Mini Cooper and 2154 for the Polo.Audi said it will stand behind the A1 for as long as the premium B-segment supermini is made available in Australia.“It is a popular stepping stone to the Audi brand… it is an important car for us,” Dale said.But there is a more prudent reason for the A1 to hang around, thanks to highly economical and efficient powertrain options that help keep the corporate average carbon-dioxide emissions average down in line with the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) that came into effect on January 1 this year.“The A1 helps us with NVES, because the A1 as it stands at today with the latest engine technology, that's well below the first two years of the NVES strategy,” Dale admitted.“That car actually pulls credits for us.”For how long supply for Australia can maintain remains to be seen, but with improved styling and specification, the MY25 Life Cycle Edition might end up being a vibrant last hurrah for the (relatively affordable) Audi.

The Q4 e-tron 55 is the more-expensive version, and – like the base 45 rear-wheel drive – the 55 is offered in two body styles: a boxy and more-family orientated SUV wagon and racier Sportback.Taking aim at higher-end versions of the BMW iX1, Mercedes-Benz EQA, Polestar 4, Volvo EX40 and Tesla Model Y, the Q4 e-tron 55 has two electric motors – one on each axle. This provides it with all-wheel drive that Audi famously markets as quattro.Being a flagship, the 55s are well equipped, with heated and electric front sports seats with driver’s side memory settings, a 360-degree camera, Matrix LED headlights, dynamic indicators, three-zone climate control, an electronic instrument display, an 11.6-inch touchscreen, full wireless multimedia connectivity, eight-speaker premium audio, satellite navigation, folding/heated/kerb-side-view exterior mirrors, automatic parking, a gesture-controlled powered tailgate, roof rails and 20-inch alloy wheels.AEB, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and front, side and curtain airbags are also fitted as part of an extensive safety package. The Audi has earned a five-star ANCAP crash-test rating.However, no spare wheel is available. Owners must make do with a fiddly tyre-repair kit.Over the rear axle of the 55 is a permanently excited synchronous motor. Paired with another electric motor over the front axle, it delivers a combined 250kW of power and 545Nm of torque to all four wheels via a single-speed transmission, for a 0-100km/h sprint of 5.4s, on the way to a top speed of 180km/h.Every Q4 e-tron for Australia leverages an 82kWh Lithium-ion battery pack, nestled within a 400-volt EV-only architecture dubbed MEB, offering 77kWh of useable capacity.The Sportback 55 brings the most range to the table, with 503km, versus the 55 SUV’s 488km. Similarly, the combined average consumption figures are 17.5kWh/100km (Sportback 55) and 18.1kWh/100km (55 SUV).Note that Audi offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with six years of roadside assistance and eight years/160,000km coverage for the battery. Service intervals are every 24 months or 30,000km.

Launched in early 2025, the facelifted version of the third-generation Qashqai brought a fresh nose, clear tail-lights, revised wheels and a more up-spec interior.