Articles by Byron Mathioudakis

Premium medium-sized SUVs are a small but consistently popular segment of the new-car market, and it’s easy to understand why.While providing an aspirational mix of luxury, performance and technology, they’re still spacious, practical, versatile and – perhaps most importantly – relatively accessible SUVs.Basically, they’re the sporty family friendly reward purchase for people who’ve earned it –which means they have a lot to live up to.As part of our ongoing 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards, here are our top 10 mid-size SUV model ranges from the sub-$130K category in alphabetical order and why they made the cut. Our top three, including the category winner, will be announced on February 6.Nearly four years late to Australia, the Q4 e-tron is available in elegant SUV wagon and racier SUV coupe body-styles that are both pleasingly spacious and practical.And despite leveraging a shared dedicated-EV architecture with other Volkswagen Group vehicles, the interior quality, layout and presentation are on-brand, matching the slick and easy driving experience, with a lovely balance of speed, agility, control and comfort.But the lack of full single-pedal braking and spare wheel are disappointing, while the 55 twin-motor/AWD’s prices are too high.Still, the Q4 e-tron is smart, stylish and sophisticated. And the 45 is all the Audi SUV EV you need.The third generation of Audi’s popular Q5 steps up in several ways, including in price, size and tech, adopting new mild-hybrid assistance for the petrol and diesel choices as well as a PHEV option.Chunkier than before, the Mexican-made medium-sized SUV sits on an evolved architecture. With the same wheelbase as before, it isn’t as roomy as its increased length suggests, whilst the screen-heavy dash looks modern but lacks physical buttons for too many vehicle functions.On the other hand, the boot is big, all powertrains deliver on performance, refinement and efficiency, whilst the handling and ride qualities have improved noticeable from before.Not class-leading, then, but certainly now highly competitive.BMW’s renaissance continues, following on after the excellent X5 and X1, with the fourth-gen X3, sharpening its reputation as the driver’s choice among mid-sized SUVs.Larger yet lower than ever, with ample space, the futuristic, tech-heavy interior is artfully executed, while there’s more equipment as standard nowadays.It’s mild-hybrid xDrive AWD all-round for the punchy inline petrol and diesel engines, along with a PHEV AWD providing ample muscle as well as impressive economy.As you’d hope, the chassis dynamics are first class, with an immersive and flowing driving experience that’s second to none.Expensive options, divisive styling, a fiddly transmission selector and no spare don’t overshadow a brilliantly executed luxury/performance SUV.Another VW Group EV, Spanish brand Cupra’s take on the Audi Q4 e-tron effortlessly melds style and attitude, elevating the genre in the process.With point-and-squirt acceleration, sharp steering and immersive handling – and all without ruining ride comfort – Tavascan is the keen driver’s delight. You can thank the sober German engineering underneath.The interior is spacious for its compact proportions, the ergonomics are fine and the front seats are brilliant, but the scaly-looking dash texture seems cheap, the lack of a spare wheel jars and, being sourced from China, we expect more standard equipment in the base Endurance.Still, there’s personality aplenty in this unique EV SUV and we’re here for it.Challenger brand Genesis’ take on the BMW X3, the GV70’s styling has the visual swagger of a Bentley, while providing a comfortable and functional cabin experience.The Series II facelift brings sweeping improvements, especially to refinement and tech updates, with lots more equipment, upping the lush Korean luxury SUV’s value quotient.Neither petrol engine is a slouch, but the V6’s considerable performance better suits the commanding roadholding and aggressive aesthetics more, while the GV70 Electrified EV’s effortless, isolated pace make it a peaceful retreat. Too bad the former is thirsty and the latter lacks a spare.Whichever you choose, Genesis’ mid-sized SUV is highly enjoyable – and better than you might think.One of this decade’s greats, the Ioniq 5 has been a breathtaking symbol of Hyundai’s tremendous engineering ambition, creating an EV benchmark that’s still yet to be equalled for the money.Yes, prices are creeping up, but the 5’s ability to deliver elevated performance, efficiency, driving athleticism, refinement and pleasure shade rival efforts.And that’s not even taking in the timeless design, vast cabin, thoughtfully presented ergonomics and exceptional practicality.We wish it included a spare wheel and some of the interior plastics look more Aldi than Audi, but otherwise there’s so much that’s radiant about the Ioniq 5. It remains a modern motoring masterpiece. And that’s before even considering the supersonic 5 N that out-Porsches any Macan.The second-gen NX cracks the German mid-sized luxury SUV code that its underwhelming predecessor could not, without abandoning hard-won advantages like exquisite quality and reliability.Basing it on the enduring fifth-gen RAV4 ensures a robust and refined platform, along with affordable hybrid tech access.Yet the NX transcends those with its unique design, sumptuous interior, great seats and ample practicality. The base turbo is rapid, the hybrids are efficient and the PHEV flagship powerful, while the steering, handling and ride qualities are also up to brand expectations.Inevitably, a spare wheel isn’t offered and the PHEV’s electric-only range pales against Chinese alternatives, but the NX provides luxury without the risk.A step forward in quality, ride comfort and refinement over the patchy previous model, the second-gen GLC from 2022 has remained Mercedes-Benz’s best-seller for sound reasons.Along with advanced technologies, a sturdy cabin, top-shelf safety and family-orientated practicality, the GLC provides the luxury of choice – from an attainable 200, through to indecently-quick AMG versions. The newly released PHEV is on the money for buyers seeking efficiency. And the GLC Coupe boasts a sleeker silhouette.The model’s sheer ubiquity may put some people off, options can be very expensive, servicing isn’t cheap, the stop/start tech can be annoying and most models are not exciting to drive, but there’s solid engineering behind the GLC.Devised before the global EV sales slowdown, the second-gen Macan was meant to be a bold, electric-only statement of intent, with Porsche’s formidable engineering expertise delivering a breakthrough experience.Though almost identical at first glance, everything changes, including the body structure and alluring double-screen interior presentation.But it is the 800-volt architecture (shared with the Audi Q6 e-tron) that moves the game on, providing tremendous steering, handling and ride-comfort attributes, along with a powertrain ranging from a brisk (and very on-brand) rear-mounted electric motor opener to the twin-motor AWD missiles.The Macan II’s driver-focused tactility, alacrity and control rewrite the rulebooks. Mission accomplished, then, but we wish it wasn’t so expensive.Launched in 2017, the second-gen XC60 proved to be a compelling premium contender, with lovely proportions, a gorgeous interior, stellar seats and state-of-the-art Volvo safety.An advanced platform provided a sophisticated base, adding to the luxury aspirations of the Swedish family SUV, and enhanced by progressive powertrains, including a rorty PHEV. The XC60 II was ahead of its time.Which explains why the 2025 facelift is so minor – a more-contemporary nose, updated multimedia and fresh trim are the main changes.But the driving experience feels as dated compared to the leading BMW X3 as the styling. Which is classic Volvo: evolve over time. The beloved 240 of the ‘70s lived nearly 20 years and XC60 II could be next!

The Nissan D27 Navara has been one of 2025’s most hotly-anticipated new-model unveilings.Out in the first quarter of this year, it was meant to signal a rebirth for a series that has been in the doldrums since the previous generation launched in Australia in 2014.Instead, and despite a two-year-plus gap between it and the Mitsubishi MV Triton donor ute – which was new from-the-ground-up barring its 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – the level of change outside, inside and under the bonnet has been criticised as not enough by some people who were expecting unique sheetmetal, interior and powertrains.Essentially a Mitsubishi with a new face, it transpired that only the headlights, bumper, grille and tail-light lenses differ, raising questions about why Nissan took so long to bring the D27 to market.According to Nissan AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania) Region Vice President Marketing & Mobility, Arnaud Charpentier, the company wanted to ensure that the Navara’s driving experience meets Australian consumer expectations as a priority, given the (undisclosed) budget constraints they had to work within.“We started a bit after (the Triton’s Australian release) …and all those tests took us 12 months,” he said. “We probably could have launched the car before, but we wanted this local tuning made here by the region, for the region.“We had to adapt the timing for, of course, not only the tuning of the suspension, but the design took us also a bit of time to reinject the Nissan DNA onto the car.”So, was the Mitsubishi chassis set-up so bad that it put the project back nearly two years?According to Nissan Oceania Managing Director, Andrew Humberstone, there was nothing fundamentally wrong with the Triton’s suspension tune – other than it was not aligned with what a Nissan’s one should be.“It wasn't so much what the suspension was on the donor car at all,” he explained – very carefully. “It was more around, what are the needs of the car, and how do we differentiate ourselves.“It was more around listening to customers… when I first joined the Oceania team (April, 2024), I did a road show and visited the dealer network… and it was really evident to me that Australianness was a really key component. That was really important to the Australian consumer.”According to Premcar boss, Bernie Quinn, whose Melbourne-based team is responsible for the Navara’s suspension tuning and behaviour, over half a decade’s experience working on the previous version starting with the original Warrior informed what the latest version should be like.“You're getting a Navara is what I’d say first,” he said. “(The D27) has a very unique character that's been evolved from, certainly from my point of view, since my company's involvement with the Navara started with the N-Trek Warrior back in 2019, it's really evolved from that basis.“I think we really hit the nail on the head of understanding what the Australian customer does with their pick-up truck.”Quinn was quick to add that the Triton fundamentals provided a very sound base on which to differentiate it from Navara.“There are two different types of springs - the three leaf-spring and four-leaf springs, and, along with the front springs, and they carry over (from Triton), but all four dampers have changed on all variants,” he revealed.“The dampers themselves are Australian-made… they’re a bigger damper with more capability, they've got the internal rebound spring, which is sort of a newish technology, which gives us more flexibility in the tuning base to maintain comfort, but also maintain control.”Given the budget and time parameters that Premcar were working within, Quinn is confident that more than enough has changed to make the Navara feel like a Nissan ute should.“Critical to achieving that DNA, that Navara DNA, as I like to look at, was changing the dampers.“(But) it was not necessary to change other things, like springs and bump stops and suspension geometry. The (Mitsubishi) architecture is actually really, really good – long travel front suspension, a really nice setup in the rear as well, in terms of roll centres, all those sorts of things; they were pretty much where we'd like them to be.“So, it didn't necessitate, thank God, large changes to the architecture, because it's quite good. But we saw a lot of benefit from changing the dampers and going to a much larger diameter damper, internal rebound spring on the front damper.“Really, it's brought that missing Navara DNA, maybe even a little bit of Warrior DNA, into the car.”

The date December 31, 2025 marks the fifth anniversary of the end of new Holden vehicle sales.With the world reeling from Covid-19, the final Astra, Trax, Equinox, Acadia and Colorado models left GMH dealerships with a whimper not a bang.But what if General Motors HQ in Detroit didn’t pull the plug? What if the brand survived beyond 2020 and into the halcyon three years of over-demand and under-supply? We reckon it’d still be here today.Here are the international General Motors models that might have made the grade as Holdens.The 2018 Acadia represented a big gamble by Holden, going to huge expense of re-engineering and improving-upon the then-new second-gen GMC version of the Chevrolet Traverse for right-hand-drive.And why not, since, the big-selling Toyota Kluger continues to be also sourced from the US.Released in 2024, Acadia number three adopts fresh styling inside and out, GM’s VSS-S modular architecture (evolved from the previous platform), longer wheelbase for family-friendlier three-row seating and a gutsy 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol powertrain.Handsome and ultra-spacious, it looks and drives well enough to have resonated with Australian buyers.This one would have been a shoe-in for Australia.All three generations of Colorado ute sold in North America since 2004 have been unrelated to the Isuzu D-Max/Rodeo models Holden imported.Today’s US Chevy, unveiled in 2022, is big (and roomy) for a mid-sized ute, even compared to the Ford Ranger, betraying the fact that it is a scaled-down Chevrolet Silverado. And that’s no bad thing given how relatively sophisticated the latter full-sized pick-up is.And here’s a fun fact. Back in 2018, then-Holden managing director, Dave Buttner, revealed that what’s now today’s Colorado would probably have been the basis for a formidable Ranger rival, suggesting that – like the Acadia – it might already have been future-proofed for right-hand drive.Plus, as the current US engine choice is a 2.7-litre four-pot turbo petrol unit, Australia’s sizeable 4x4 dual-cab ute segment may have dictated a diesel application.Ah, what might have been…A product of GM Korea that grew from the ashes of GM Daewoo, the original Trax was derived from the Opel Corsa platform that also provided the basis of the final Holden Barina supermini. It was an early and successful example of a city-sized Light SUV.The second-gen Trax, again from Korea, is based on a small/medium scalable version of VSS-S, and is powered by either a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo or 1.5-litre four-pot turbo depending on sourcing, as it is also built in China with SAIC.Obviously larger and sleeker than the first version, Trax II is a smartly-styled and spacious alternative to the Chery Tiggo 4 and Haval Jolion, and would likely resonate with Aussie consumers.Barely a year old in its US home market, the fourth-gen Equinox is yet another variation of GM’s ubiquitous VSS-S platform, and remains a Toyota RAV4 challenger.To that end, the redesigned medium SUV offers a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) option in some markets to the standard 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol powertrain. There’s also an EV version.And, since GM does not seem to offer a world-class small car…Sadly, GM doesn’t seem to know or care about making great B- and C-segment hatchbacks.And since this is a fantasy scenario, we’re inclined to think that the alt-universe Holden might want to have continued its association with the Stellantis-owned Opel/Vauxhall and offer the known and respected Corsa and its larger Astra stablemate lines.Now, the Opel Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo may or may not preview the next-gen supermini due in about 2028, but clearly, away from GM stewardship, the decades-old Opel/Vauxhall smaller cars are flourishing.

The Toyota HiLux Rugged X is the current flagship, and the off-road version of the ninth-gen range.Taking aim at the Ford Ranger Wildtrak, it starts from $71,990 (all prices are before on-road costs), and is a 4x4 automatic only.Based on the SR5 specification, Rugged X equipment levels are adequate if not generous.They include LED lighting, 12.3-inch instrumentation display, a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio, sat-nav, keyless entry and push-button start, heated seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, bolstered front seats, a surround-view monitor, voice command, smartphone charger, USB-C ports front and back, rear-seat armrests, privacy glass, and electric park brake and 18-inch alloy wheels.In line with its adventure-seeking attitude, the Rugged X also features a 300-watt inverter, side steps, a locking tailgate, tyre-pressure monitors, damped tailgate on pick-up, side-step entry into the tub, four-wheel disc brakes, standard towbar, multi-terrain monitor, an emergency driving stop system that safely stops the vehicle if the driver becomes incapacitated, connected services for emergency callouts, eight airbags where possible including a front-centre airbag, and Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) technologies like AEB, rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot warning.Only the Rugged X gets a unique front-end treatment, boasting a hoop-less bullbar with bash plate and LED light bar, as well as a bedliner, unique sports bar, special decals and a towing trailer wiring harness.  Toyota’s venerable (1GD-FTV) 2.8-litre common-rail twin-cam four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine lives over the front axle, giving 150kW of power and 500Nm. The transmission is a six-speed auto.Additionally, there’s 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, courtesy of an 8.5kW/65Nm electric motor generator and small lithium-ion battery combo, for smoother and faster stop/start performance, while also helping to cut fuel consumption.The 0-100km/h sprint-time is about 11 seconds while top speed is 176km/h.The 4x4 set-up is a part-time system with high- and low-ratio off-road gearing, a rear differential lock, downhill-assist control and multi-terrain mode. Note that all 4x4s bring 3500kg of braked trailer towing capacity.Finally, the official combined-average fuel consumption figure is 7.6L/100km for the auto (equalling 201g/km of CO2 emissions). Over 1000km between refills of the 80-litre fuel tank is possible.

Billed as the luxury version of the long-lived Japanese ute series out of Thailand, the Toyota HiLux Rogue 4x4 consequently is aimed at lifestyle-orientated buyers rather than those wanting a workhorse.

Available as a variant since the late 1970s, the Toyota HiLux SR5 4x4 is the mid-grade model in the ninth-gen ute line-up, and the least-expensive for consumers seeking a lifestyle-orientated ute rather than just a hard-working workhorse.With no 4x2s on the horizon, three SR5 Double cab 4x4 models have landed from launch, kicking off with the pick-up manual from $63,990 (all prices are before on-road costs), Cab-chassis 48V auto from $64,490 and Double Cab pick-up 48V auto from $65,990.Unlike the Workmate and SR, the SR5 forsakes the workhorse heavy-duty suspension for a HiLux series-first soft suspension tune specifically developed to address ongoing criticism of noise, vibration and harshness in older versions. That said, braked trailer towing capacity remains at 3500kg.The target market is likely to lap that up, along with the SR5’s fancier LED lighting, 12.3-inch instrumentation display, privacy glass, electric park brake, heated seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, four-wheel disc brakes, 18-inch alloys, standard towbar, multi-terrain monitor and emergency driving stop system that safely stops the vehicle if the driver becomes incapacitated. There’s also a 'Premium Pack' that adds powered seats, leather trim and premium audio.Of course, the SR5 also scores the usual items like keyless entry and push-button start, bolstered front seats, a surround-view monitor, voice command, smartphone charger, four USB-C ports, rear-seat armrests, a 300-watt inverter, side steps, a locking tailgate, tyre-pressure monitors, a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio, sat-nav, damped tailgate on pick-up, side-step entry into the tub, connected services for emergency callouts, up to eight airbags where possible including a front-centre airbag, and Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) technologies like AEB, rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot warning.Under the bonnet is Toyota’s (1GD-FTV) 2.8-litre common-rail twin-cam four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, delivering 150kW of power, and either 420Nm of torque in the six-speed manual version or 500Nm in the six-speed automatic.SR5 48V autos use Toyota’s 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance, courtesy of an 8.5kW/65Nm electric motor generator and small lithium-ion battery combo, for smoother and faster stop/start performance, while also helping to cut fuel consumption.The 0-100km/h sprint-time is about 11 seconds while top speed is 176km/h.The 4x4 set-up is a part-time system with high- and low-ratio off-road gearing, a rear differential lock, downhill-assist control and multi-terrain mode. Note that across the whole HiLux range, 4x2s have a 2900kg braked trailer towing capacity with 4x4s at 3500kg.Finally, the SR5’s official combined-average fuel consumption figures are 7.1 litres per 100km (for a carbon dioxide rating of 187g/km) for the manual and 7.4L/100km for the auto (equalling 196g/km of CO2 emissions). Over 1000km between refills of the 80-litre fuel tank is possible.

Toyota will be breaking new ground with the upcoming HiLux battery electric vehicle (BEV in Toyota-speak).Due on sale by about March, with pricing and specification details to be revealed sooner, it will be the first-ever proper body-on-frame EV ute with all-wheel drive in Australian motoring history, with twin electric motors providing all-wheel drive.This is a shock move for a company that has been criticised for dragging its heels on the EV front in other areas of the market, waiting until the start of 2024 to release its first such vehicle in the bZ4X. For the record, the discontinued LDV eT60 released here in 2022 was rear-wheel-drive-only, while the new KGM Musso EV is of SUV-based monocoque construction.Additionally, while essentially an extensive top-and-tail facelift of the previous-generation HiLux, the BEV joins its diesel stablemates in having its front and rear ends designed in Melbourne for the rest of the world.A project led by Toyota in Thailand, where the HiLux range has been manufactured for more than 20 years, there has also been plenty of Australian input to ensure that the electric ute can perform to expectations within the parameters of its EV powertrain.This includes extensive hot-weather testing and dust-sealing effectiveness, as well as air-conditioning performance.However, the HiLux BEV will only have a (provisional) 2000kg braked towing capacity for Australia (in Europe it’s 1600kg), against its diesel 4x4 sibling’s 3500kg, whilst payload is also down, to just 715kg.As such, Toyota admits its first electric ute will be a niche vehicle, starting off with very modest sales and aimed at specific organisations and individuals who do not need a vehicle capable of long-distance driving.“We are not going in with any massive volume expectations,” admitted Toyota Motor Company Australia (TMCA) Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley.“Its existence is not contingent of selling thousands. It's a different approach. Does that mean that it won't exist in a year or two? No, not at all.”Australian-market technical details are yet to be confirmed, but in Europe and elsewhere, the HiLux BEV is fitted with a 59.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and relying on a 144kW electric motor on each axle (making 205Nm and 268Nm of torque respectively), for AWD.Range is just 240km (WLTP) as a result of its modest battery pack, though the company claims that fast charging is the priority, as its buyer base seeks “to minimise vehicle down-time” – 10-80 per cent in about half an hour using a 150kW DC charger and 10-100 per cent in 6.5 hours with an AC charger.Toyota Australia is only quoting the more-lenient NEDC range figure at this stage, which is 315km.Unlike the HiLux diesel, the BEV switches from a part-time 4WD system to a full-time AWD set-up, with a multi-terrain system offering Rock, Sand, Mud, Dirt and Moguls modes. Toyota claims it matches the others with a 700mm wading depth, 29-degree approach and 25-degree departure angles and 218mm of ground clearance.The BEV can achieve the same strength and capability of its diesel counterpart, but it also has limitations due to it being electrified, according to Toyota Australia Senior Manager for Vehicle Evaluation and Regulations Ray Munday.“The program has been quite a challenge for all the design and engineering side,” he revealed. “As part of the multi-pathway, not every car can do every job, which is why we’re going down that road. Not every car can drive a very long way, for example.”As a result, Toyota expects a very specific group will gravitate to HiLux BEV initially, who have already weighed up the pros and cons of going full EV.“There is a very strong element within HiLux sales in places like mine sites, construction sites, airports,” Munday added.“Where there is not long-distance driving, but they’re still driving areas where they have to be super-reliable… durability in extreme heat and in extreme dust.“It’s still a capable product, but where a park ranger may drive for hours and hours – this isn’t what this is about.”Toyota is also looking at the bigger picture, anticipating a growing demand for EV utes over time – and it wants to be ready and waiting for them to emerge.“I don't expect (HiLux BEV) is going to return big volume or dollars,” Hanley said.“But, in 10 years, when battery technology's evolved, solid states up and running and plus whatever else there is… someone's going to sit back and go, ‘my goodness, I'm glad (Toyota) launched that BEV in 2026, to outer Australia, because here we are. Look how many thousands we're selling now’.“The reality is, those who get the timing right and take customer on the journey will get will be the winner.You see, in the end, I'm always a great believer that customers will drive the pace of change, not car companies, and not governments. Governments will influence and car companies will influence, but the practical change point will be determined by the end user.“And that's a very, very important aspect of this that gets left in the ether out there.”

Nissan has clarified its two-pronged ute strategy for Australia from 2027, while potentially introducing a third contender in the process.Nissan Oceania Managing Director Andrew Humberstone suggested the traditional diesel approach with the Mitsubishi Triton-based N27 would not be enough if market growth goals are to be achieved.This comes as all brands scramble to make the right product decisions now that electrified competition as well as carbon legislation are demanding different solutions than before.“In terms of going forward, this segment is very much a key pillar in our brand portfolio, as is Patrol (full-sized 4WD SUV),” Humberstone said.“It's then, ‘how do we manage these two core products?’, which are very strong in terms of brand awareness in the market and strength of our brand, and manage the NVES (New Vehicle Efficiency Standard) and CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy US federal regulations) on the other side of the spectrum?’“How do we create that balance? So of course, we have to look at other options, which is why we're looking at product portfolio going forward.”This builds on what the global car industry veteran told CarsGuide a few weeks earlier, where he mentioned the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) that debuted at last April’s Shanghai auto show, as a strong proposition.“New Navara and Frontier Pro together? Oh, yeah, absolutely,” Humberstone revealed. “And it wouldn't be one or the other. I would absolutely see an opportunity for both of them (in Australia).”Since then, Nissan confirmed the Frontier Pro for Australia at a gala event in Adelaide by flying one out especially for the evening, just one day after pulling the covers off the D27 Navara in the same city.Additionally, and quite unexpectedly, turbo-charged petrol and diesel variations of the Frontier Pro were announced.This suggests that premium and possibly high-performance versions of the ute, which is based on partner Dongfeng’s Z9 dual-cab pick-up, may also join the local line-up to wrestle head-on with the Ford Ranger Wildtrak.Such an ambitious ute strategy is in line with the steps Nissan is taking on its road to rebuilding in Australia.“We've had a lot of work to do, one on building brand, one on building customer retention,” Humberstone admitted.“And, in between, the key component here is around sourcing a product… but (with reduced supply and profitability) we're looking at is a new product portfolio.”Finally, while the new (D27) Navara will arrive as dual-cab 4x4 diesel auto-only proposition initially, other styles and variations are at the ready should Nissan require them.This could include a version of the hybrid powertrain that supplier Mitsubishi is developing for its Triton fraternal twin.“Where we stand today, (that specification) represent 90 per cent of the portfolio,” Humberstone said.“(But) given shifts in regulation, given shifts in customer demand, given shifts in opportunities and profitabilities, we have the flexibility to look at that over the lifecycle of the product.“But the starting point, almost top-down strategy in essence, is ‘let’s go with 90 per cent of the volume is in the market’. It doesn’t mean we don’t re-evaluate over time, but that’s certainly the starting point.”And, this, of course, is not including the Navara Warrior flagship, more of which will be announced sometime during 2026.If nothing else, Nissan will be very busy in the ute segment over the next couple of years. Watch this space.

Is the latest Toyota HiLux a strategic error or a masterstroke in product development?

That the Toyota Prius is set for a return to Australia inside the next 18 months, and possibly sooner, is no surprise. As CarsGuide has recently reported, market forces and consumer preferences are shifting and the sleek five-door liftback is suddenly looking very promising for this market. But the big news is that it’s likely to be a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) only proposition, to once again blaze a trail of affordability and accessibility, just like its four previous hybrid-pioneering predecessors did for 21 years from 2001.