Articles by Byron Mathioudakis

A new player in the expanding electric vehicle (EV) market is coming to Australia. To be confirmed next year and expected to arrive locally starting from 2027, the EVs in question are from Mahindra – the 80-year old automotive brand from India better known for its global domination of tractors, rugged 4WDs and, more recently, value-priced urban SUVs like the XUV700 and recently-released XUV3XO. While not synonymous with electrification in its home market either, Mahindra has shocked sceptics by bounding into the top-three EV makers position in India this year to displace Hyundai, on the back of the Toyota RAV4-sized BE (Born Electric) 6e and its longer, BYD Sealion 7-esque coupe-SUV sibling badged the XEV (Crossover EV) 9e.

The next-generation Navara is shaping up as being the most important new-vehicle release for Nissan Australia this decade. Expected to be unveiled globally next year, ahead of an on-sale date by early 2027, the fourth-generation ute (which may be codenamed D24) and the tenth in a continuing series that started in 1955, will have the future of the brand as a major player riding on its broad shoulders. According to Nissan Oceania Vice President and Managing Director, Andrew Humberstone, the next Navara must hit the ground running in Australia in a way that the current D23 Navara has not been able to in the 11 years-plus that it has been on sale here, or otherwise the alternative would be unthinkable.

The head of Nissan in Australia has revealed he would buy the latest version of the ageing Y62 Patrol now rather than wait for its Y63 replacement to arrive late next year, because there will not be another one like it.Nissan Oceania Vice President and Managing Director, Andrew Humberstone, believes that, as the last of the affordable V8 SUVs on the market, putting one away for a rainy day may end up being a prudent investment.“Personally, selfishly, this is the car to buy, now,” he said.“That’s the one I would keep and not sell, because I think residual values are going to go through the roof, because I think that’s what people are going to want… if I was into any sort of boating, or any sort of camping or any sort of boating.”Humberstone may have a point, with Patrol sales down only 4.2 per cent year-to-date in Australia, compared to nearly 38 per cent for the much-newer (and V6 twin-turbo-only) Toyota LandCruiser 300, in an Upper Large SUV segment that has stumbled 27 per cent.While the international car-industry veteran is quick to point out the advances that the upcoming all-new Y63 Patrol with its twin-turbo V6 will have over its 15-year-old Y62 predecessor, he admits that the V8 will be missed.“The Y63 is an amazing vehicle,” he explained. “But I’m old-school still. I have to manage my conscious with one electric car and then one V8, and then I can say I’m neutral, I’m doing my bit for the environment in that way.”So, why is Nissan even releasing an updated old Patrol when a new one is already on sale in other parts of the world, including in the Middle East and in North America (as the Nissan Armada)?Humberstone revealed the facelift coming out at this time was always part of a larger plan, to maximise its appeal and give consumers both existing and new-to-the-series a reason to revisit the Y62 in 2025… especially now that Toyota does not offer a V8-powered LandCruiser as an alternative.“It was a little bit more strategic, because at the end of the day, we were aware of our Y63, we were aware of the kind of demand that would generate, and we wanted to optimise on the specification,” he said.Furthermore, Nissan timed the MY25 Patrol launch very carefully, so there is still up to 18 months before the Y63 Patrol – which has yet to be produced in right-hand-drive guise – arrives in Australia, making the purchase now and then again for another one from 2027 justifiable in the minds of consumers as well as commercially prudent for the carmaker.“On the run out of the V8, we were aware of what the competitors were doing,” Humberstone said. “We had a pretty good idea of what was happening with the V8 space in the V8 market.“So, we knew we'd have a window of opportunity, and we wanted to optimise on the (partly redesigned for MY25) dash, and the technology on the vehicle as best as we could.”Nissan’s big step up in ownership, that includes the availability of a conditional 10-year/300,000km warranty and lower-priced servicing, as well as having an in-house finance arm to facilitate the buying process, have also played a part in the MY25 Patrol strategy.“So, building up the spec, arguably giving the best product, or the best version of the Patrol V8 at the end of its life cycle is…strategic,” Humberstone added.

Today's HSV Grange? The Genesis G80 3.5T AWD Sports Luxury adheres to the old Australian big luxury-car formula defined by the Holden Caprice, by providing bang-for-your-buck space, luxury, performance and dynamics.Sized like a BMW 7 Series but priced like a base 5 Series sedan, the twin-turbo V6 AWD flagship boasts nearly every luxury, wrapped in a rapid, refined and safe grand touring package.

The hybrid small SUV segment is on fire, with Chinese brands changing the value landscape in a big way. Two of the most compelling are the MG ZS Hybrid+ and the GWM Haval Jolion Hybrid, and they're battling out here in flagship Essence and Ultra guises respectively. Amusingly similar in overall dimensions and specification, they diverge dramatically inside, on the road and at the petrol pump.

Since its mid-2022 launch, the Tesla Model Y has dominated EV sales, driven by affordable prices, easy charging and dynamic performance. But increased competition and image issues have seen rivals muscling in, like the Kia EV5. This is the EV normalised, with user-friendly operation, packaging and ownership benefits. With the much-improved Model Y facelift now here, what is the better family SUV?

Formerly SsangYong, the newly-branded KGM hopes to make a splash with its ambitious Actyon - a Toyota RAV4 rival offering standout styling, larger-than-average packaging, value pricing and - quite unexpectedly - impressive refinement, quality presentation and sporty dynamics. It has flaws, but, drawing on 70 years of experience, the South Korean medium SUV is also likely better than you think.

Mahindra has modified its crash-testing procedures as well as safety specifications of all future models coming to Australia, to factor in regional requirements, essentially “doubling up” on the processes and expense.

Mahindra has announced that the next-generation Pik-Up is being prepared for an all-out assault on the lucrative Australian ute market. Dubbed Project Z121 and based on the Global Pik Up concept revealed in 2023, the all-new dual-cab one-tonne utility is pencilled in for an Australian launch sometime later next year, following a production debut in its native India later on this year.

The BMW 5 Series has long set standards. But in a world of SUVs, an albeit beautiful sedan powered by a six-cylinder diesel engine seems wilfully defiant. Yet the latest 540d xDrive leans into its BMW-ness with intoxicating relish. As a stylish, low-slung grand tourer with an exquisite cabin, crisp handling, a comfy ride and effortless muscle, it is much cooler than any crossover.