Articles by Byron Mathioudakis

Badge-engineered cars. It’s been happening almost as long as the industry itself. Some pull off the disguise so convincingly you’d never know their true identities, like John Travolta’s face-switcheroo with Nicolas Cage in 1997’s immensely silly/fun Face/Off. Others, meanwhile, are about as convincing as donning a Groucho Marx nose and glasses.

Mitsubishi says it wants to address the cost of living crisis in Australia by importing affordable city-sized Kei cars from Japan, Along with a circa-$30,000 EV version to make it our cheapest electric vehicle, there may also be a petrol-powered version acting as a belated replacement for the popular Mirage supermini that sold well for well under $20,000 before it was dropped in late 2021.

Less than five years ago, comparing a pair of mid-sized hybrid SUVs in Australia like the Honda ZR-V e:HEV and Nissan X-Trail e-Power would have seemed fanciful, as there weren't any to choose from. But the Toyota RAV4 hybrid's success has changed all that, so here we are. Both offer compelling arguments. The Nissan's bigger and roomier but the Honda's cheaper, sportier and better equipped.

Here are my personal and somewhat subjective Top 5 Cars of 2023... and in alphabetical order, because – like reading – objectivity is fundamental.

If you're quick and contact your nearest dealer now, there's a chance of an earlier-than-expected delivery of the Suzuki Jimny XL. Plus, as an added incentive for making a move now, we also understand that another price rise is slated for the diminutive 4x4 five-door wagon series from the second quarter of 2024, though by how much is not yet known.

Is Mitsubishi working on a replacement for the discontinued Pajero? Not to be confused with the coming next-generation Pajero Sport that is based on the equally new MV Triton one-tonne ute, we’re talking about a successor to the full-sized 4x4 wagon that was discontinued in 2022 after nearly 40 years and three distinct iterations.

Australians may have to wait up to another year before they can get their hands on the promising new Fronx, as supply and specification questions hang over its head.Additionally, far from rivalling the best-selling MG ZS at the bottom end of the small SUV segment as some reports have previously speculated, a source close to the company says that the high-riding compact crossover will now be “expensive”, suggesting that it might kick off closer to – or even breach – the $30,000 threshold when sales commence later in 2024.As an indirect replacement for the popular Baleno light car in the sub-$20,000 field, it had been anticipated that the Fronx would launch in Australia sometime in the first half of next year, as a more-affordable alternative to the Toyota Yaris Cross, GWM Haval Jolion and Mazda CX-3.Asked for a timing update for Fronx at the launch of the long-awaited Jimny XL in Sydney last week, Suzuki Australia General Manager, Michael Pachota, revealed to CarsGuide that access to Australian-bound models have been pushed back, due to strong international demand pushing the release date back.“We've confirmed it for Australia in terms of the green light for export to this country,” he said.“But at the moment it's doing so well from a global perspective in terms of the markets it's already been introduced in. So, there's a question as to exactly when production will start for us and I think we just have to wait a little bit longer to understand exactly what that time frame is.”Unveiled back in January this year and built in conjunction with subsidiary Maruti in India, the Fronx measures in at a tad under four metres long, 1.8m wide and 1.55m tall, and sits on the old Baleno’s 2520mm wheelbase.The latter highlights the “Heartect” architecture underneath that also underpins the Ignis light SUV/crossover as well as the current Swift supermini. Note, however, that the Fronx’s ground clearance jumps from the Baleno’s 120mm to a handier 190mm in its Indian home market.Unsurprisingly, the newcomer’s petrol engine choices should be familiar to drivers of all those Suzuki models and others, and includes the Japanese brand’s acclaimed 74kW/148Nm 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo unit dubbed Boosterjet, powering the front wheels via either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.A 66kW/113Nm 1.2-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated version is also available as an entry-level powertrain proposition, but for the time being is limited by a five-speed automated manual option known as AGS in Suzuki speak, which would not be suitable for Australian consumer tastes.Plus, South Africa scores a Fronx fitted with a 77kW/138Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine related to the one found in the Jimny. And just like the iconic off-roader, this one offers either a four-speed auto or five-speed manual opener.Finally, mild-hybrid versions are also produced for some markets, though whether they make it to Australia remains to be seen. And, speaking of advanced tech, so far there seems to be no autonomous emergency braking (AEB) in the mix, though this may change by the end of 2024.This, along with the lack of an appropriate 1.2-litre auto entry-level Fronx, may be behind the delays as well as higher-than-expected pricing that our source suggests.Pachota promised more information will be revealed in the near future.“We'll be announcing (details about Fronx) sometime early next year," he added.Finally, as a portmanteau of 'Frontier next', will Australians embrace the name Fronx?While we understand that some dealers have been pushing for a less controversial name, including Baleno X or Baleno Crossover to build upon the consumer recognition of a long-lived badge (the original Baleno was released in the mid-1990s), Pachota rebuffed such notions, believing instead that it sets the small SUV apart in a crowded class."Incorrect. We love it, we love it,” he reiterated. “Anything against the grain we're all for."Should Suzuki Australia stick with the global Fronx nomenclature or go with Baleno X? Let us know in the comments below.

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has confirmed that an announcement on the replacement of one of its most popular models – the venerable ASX – is likely now only weeks away. Furthermore, it might involve a two-pronged strategy, requiring the staggered launch of a pair of unrelated small SUVs.

General Motors (GM) has revealed that Australia played an important role during the planning stages of its latest BEV3 electric vehicle (EV) architecture.

Renault importer Ateco Automotive is finally set to launch the massively-popular Dacia Duster series in Australia later in 2025, with the order books scheduled to open sometime in the final quarter of next year.