Articles by Dom Tripolone

BYD has fired a shot across the bow of some of the biggest car bands in Australia in March.The Chinese automaker sold 7217 vehicles in the past month as Australians scrambled to get their hands on plug-in hybrids and electric cars as fuel prices soared.That is a mammoth one month total which beat Ford (7149), Mazda (7156) and Hyundai (6979). Only Toyota (16,574) and Kia (7320) did better than BYD.BYD sales increased by 50 per cent compared to March last year, just as leading brands sales declined. If the Chinese challenger keeps up this growth it's on track to tackle Toyota off the top spot.It was also a banner month for electric vehicles, with about 15,500 finding a new home, which is about double the amount sold in March, 2025.Tesla’s Model Y led the pack with 2818 sales, followed by the BYD Sealion 7 (1970), Zeekr 7X (679), Tesla Model 3 (667) and Geely EX5 (606).Sales of hybrids and plug-in hybrids were also up, but not at the same rate as electric vehicles.Australians bought 17,953 hybrids in March, and 8215 plug-in hybrids (PHEV).Most of the conventional hybrids were Toyotas with BYD gobbling up the lion’s share of PHEVs.A total of 108,703 were sold in the past month, which is slightly down on the previous March. The latest sales data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) shows there is still plenty of demand for diesel and petrol cars.The Ford Ranger ute was against the best selling vehicle in the nation with 4452 examples finding a new home.This was followed by the Toyota HiLux (4167), Tesla Model Y (2818), Nissan X-Trail (2438) and Mitsubishi Outlander (2318).The Hyundai Kona (2316), Chery Tiggo 4 (2258), Isuzu D-Max (2167), Hyundai Tucson (2042) and Haval Jolion (2013) rounded out the top 10.China was again the top importer to Australia in March — off the back of the success of BYD, GWM, MG and Chery — beating Japan to the post by less than 400 cars. Japan is still the biggest importer of new cars through the first three months but the gap is shrinking fast.Thailand — where the majority of dual-cab utes are built — sunk to a distant third.Toyota’s bad run continued with sales down nearly 20 per cent compared to the same month last year, and down 23 per cent for the year to date.The Japanese giant will get a boost in sales thanks to the new RAV4 family SUV arriving in dealerships this month.Top 10 selling  vehicles March, 2026Top selling car brands March, 2026

Any 4WD worth its salt used to need a V8.Think the Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series and the soon to be replaced Y62 Nissan Patrol.The LandCruiser’s big beefy 4.5-litre V8 twin-turbo diesel made a hefty 200kW and 650Nm, while the Patrol’s naturally aspirated 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine dished out a meaty 298kW and 560Nm.That’s some hard earned grunt for some big 4WDing, except the new breed of modern 4WDs makes those large capacity engines look breathless and weak.Fast forward to today and the new LandCruiser 300 Series and Y63 Nissan Patrol, with the latter due at the end of the year, both swapping out V8 power plants for more highly strung twin-turbo V6 units.The result? More power, and plenty of it.A Y63 Patrol now delivers 317kW and 700Nm thanks to its potent 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6.Those outputs trump the LandCruiser’s 3.3-litre diesel twin-turbo motor that pumps out 227kW and 700Nm.That's just the start, as it’s the new breed of plug-in hybrid off-roaders out of China that are really flexing their 4WD muscle, though.BYD’s Denza sub-brand just launched its B8 off-roader.It uses a plug-in hybrid set-up that combines a turbo-petrol 2.0-litre engine with twin electric motors for a total 425kW and 760Nm.Put that in your tailpipe and smoke it Toyota and Nissan.Denza claims that is good enough to propel it from a standstill to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds.The B8 also delivers an all electric driving range of about 100km, not bad considering current fuel prices.It is also a proper off-roader with 3500kg braked towing capacity, 890mm wading depth and front and rear diff locks on the top-shelf variant.If petrol power is your thing, the Land Rover Defender Octa Black is the pièce de résistance of 4WDs.It combines a potent 467kW/750Nm 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 and mild-hybrid assistance with muscular off-road performance and primo luxury kit.The air suspension allows for a 323mm ground clearance and approach and departure angles of more than 40 degrees, along with a ramp angle of 29 degrees and a wading depth of 1000mm.Its manic V8 can propel it to 100km/h from a standstill in 4.0 seconds on the way to a top speed of 250km/h.That’ll leave the B8 eating your dust.Now a new type of 4WD is emerging, but its off-road capabilities may not be up to scratch.Geely’s new Battleship 700 is a big blocky off-road monster with 1000kW on tap thanks to its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and three electric motors.It can complete the benchmark sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in a red hot 3.1 seconds.Details are scarce, but a report from UK publication AutoExpress said it has a wading depth of 800mm, has big ground clearance and the brand is considering expanding its off-road modes, which won't have the big boys shaking in their all-terrains.Chery will launch a diesel hybrid ute this year in Australia and it could spawn a SUV bodied version in the future.It will pair a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine with electric motors to make mega torque numbers. It’ll also have three diff locks and be properly fit for purpose. It could rattle a few cages.

In the past three months I’ve spent more than 40 hours behind the wheel of the Nissan Ariya e-4orce covering more than 1300km in the process and something has become pretty obvious.The Ariya is an all-rounder. It gets a lot of pass marks, a few please explains, but one feature is hard to ignore.Its greatest selling point is its amazing ownership credentials.Nissan backs its cars with a conditional 10 year/300,000km warranty, which is the best in the game.Buyer beware, though, you need to service your vehicle at a Nissan dealership for every scheduled visit or it reverts to a five-year/unlimited km guarantee.This also applies to Nissan’s roadside assistance program that can be extended for the same 10-year period.Nissan further sweetens the deal with a capped price servicing deal for the first five workshop visits, that will set you back $299 a pop. There isn’t really another area where the Ariya paces the field.Our dual-motor Ariya has an 87kWh battery, which continually falls short of its claimed 487km driving range. We’d bank on about 400km from a full charge.Even if we compare the claimed range with some key competitors — the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV5 and Zeekr 7X — the sub-500km limit isn’t good enough.It also doesn’t have any cost advantages, especially against newer rivals.Our range-topping Evolve e-4orce grade costs $71,840, before on-road costs, which is more than the Model Y Premium ($68,900), and about the same as the Kia EV5 GT-Line ($71,770) and Zeekr 7X Performance ($72,990).The Model Y and 7X have a significantly longer range, more hi-tech features and are faster, while the EV5 is arguably more luxuriously equipped on paper.Electric cars are meant to feel hi-tech, but the Ariya doesn’t feel much different from a petrol, diesel or hybrid SUV.When charging there are next to no readouts to show the progress or applications to whittle away the time as you wait to fill up.DC charging speed is okay at 130kW maximum, but well below the rate rivals can accept.One area the Ariya does show up some of its rivals is build quality.The Ariya we lived with no doubt had a hard life with a year’s worth of weekly media loans with often mechanically unsympathetic motoring journalists behind the wheel.But our test car had no noticeable rattles, no heavily worn surfaces or electrical quirks.The cabin is well put together with top-shelf material used throughout. A particular highlight is the synthetic suede material that covers the dash and door trims. It is soft to touch and breaks up the hard faux wood veneer and plastic surfaces, leaving a premium feel throughout the cabin.It is also good to see the quality extend to the back row, which is where carmakers usually try to cut costs.The cabin is also extremely spacious, with a completely flat floor and giant panoramic sunroof giving it a light and airy feel.I managed to fit two child seats — one front and one rear facing — with ease and the back row has its own aircon vents and charging ports for older passengers.There is a lack of storage options up front. The two narrow glove boxes in the dash are handy, but the top deck of the centre console only has two cupholders and a wireless phone charger with no easily accessible spots for nick-nacks.The boot is on the smaller side. A full size pram will take up most of the space and you’ll likely have to take out the parcel shelf to fit it.For a weekend adventure up the coast I made do with a plane-compatible pram, a range of overnight bags and some totes. Some smaller items needed to be fitted on the front passenger seat floor.As with most electric cars there is no spare tyre, with owners forced to make do with a fiddly repair kit. It simply isn’t good enough for a family car.On the road the Ariya is a solid performer. It exerts great body control through the corners thanks to all the weight of the battery under the floor.Over consistent bumps on the road that weight can get very unsettled, with suspension struggling to keep the car’s circa 2200kg mass in check. A brief drive of the single motor version previously showed a more settled and comfortable ride, thanks to its lighter weight.That weight also dulls its performance. Despite its 320kW and 600Nm the Ariya Evolve e-4orce completes the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint time in 5.6 seconds.I’m okay with that, as this is a family SUV not a potent performance car. So, I would say its performance is right where it needs to be.There are several drive modes, including 'Eco', 'Normal' and 'Sport' that can adjust how the power is delivered and the bite of the regenerative braking.The single pedal drive mode — called 'e-pedal' in Nissan speak — is a winner. It allows you to drive with just the accelerator pedal, where you push down to go and lift off to stop. It is easy to get used to and the increased regenerative braking will help add more juice to the battery while you come to a stop.2026 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD Acquired: December 2025Distance travelled this month: 300kmOdometer: 7042kmAverage energy consumption this month: 21.5kWh/100km

Big, burly dual-cab utes are the flavour of the month, but this new generation of rugged workhorses could spawn a 4WD battle royale.The Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X have largeky had the ute-based SUV market to themselves since Toyota axed the Fortuner late in 2025, but that could soon change.BYD's Denza has just launched its Shark 6-based B5 off-roader Down Under, which is ready to shake-up the Japanese establishment.It likely won't be the only Chinese brand to enter the fray.Chinese maker Chery is one of the latest makers to confirm a dual-cab ute, with its currently unnamed workhorse due to arrive later this year.For now codenamed — KP31 — the ute uses a revolutionary diesel plug-in hybrid set-up, which consists of  a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine paired with an electric motor or two and a sizeable battery.There is a chance it could spawn an SUV version down the line, according to Chery Australia Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris.“It would be amazing if we could get an SUV on that platform,” said Harris.“It’s not something that’s been spoken about or in the plans now, but at the rate things change and develop, you never say never.”For now Chery’s focus is on making sure the ute is a success before they forge ahead with any spin-offs.“I believe Chery has one chance to prove that we can build and deliver a highly capable ute,” said Harris.“And so to do that, it needs towing capability, payload capability, all-terrain capability. Particularly all-terrain capability, you know, you get people towing caravans on the beach. You really do need the torque and power delivery that a diesel gives you down low to be able to do those things.”“I think we need to prove, and I am very confident that Chery can prove with KP31, that we’ve got some credibility in that space and can deliver a competent and capable vehicle,” Harris said.Chery's Korean rival Kia is also believed to be working on an SUV version of its Tasman ute.It is unlikely the SUV will appear before the vehicle’s facelift, which is believed to be 2028-2029.Kia Australia’s GM of Product Planning Roland Rivero previously told CarsGuide the focus for now was on the ute."Globally, we've got to make Tasman a success first and foremost," Rivero says."Once it is, and we're confident it will be, then we can look at growing variants and look at the ability to turn around an SUV."As you might have heard at the launch from our engineers, it's not difficult because the platform is already there. We're not starting from the ground up but we've got to get it right for the ute first and foremost."

The federal government has halved the fuel excise for three months.The headline-grabbing cut will reduce fuel prices by 26.3 cents a litre when it comes into effect next Wednesday.That will push the average national price of diesel below the $3 mark to about $2.86, according to today's price.Unleaded petrol will drop to about $2.27, but prices are likely to continue rising until the excise cut comes into effect.This temporary fuel relief will save families roughly $20 per trip to the bowser, according to Treasurer Jim Chalmers.“What we’re announcing today will reduce the cost of a 65-litre tank by about $19. So it is a substantial cost-of-living relief. It is timely, it is temporary, and it is responsible,’’ said Dr Chalmers.The average tradie driving a dual-cab Toyota HiLux or Ford Ranger could expect to save about $21 when filling the tank to the brim.“The cost of what we are announcing today is $2.55 billion, depending, of course, on the amount of demand in the system over that three-month period.“But the initial costing is $2.55 billion, and the revenue foregone by delaying the increase in the heavy vehicle road user charge is about another $53 million.”The government made it clear this would be a temporary cost saving measure and warned a prolonged war with Iran would have dire economic impacts.It revealed its four point plan to tackle the fuel crisis if it gets worse.Currently Australia is at level 2 of the four point plan, which is a long way off fuel rationing.Level 4 is where the government moves to protect critical services including emergency services, utilities and key industries. The plan states fuel will be allocated fairly across states and territories.

Australia is getting short changed on some of the world’s cheapest electric cars.High fuel prices are pushing people who never would have looked twice at an EV to consider the zero-emissions tech, but Australia is missing out on some of the most affordable electric cars.China is rife with circa-$10,000 electric cars that provide decent driving range and fast charging in a small and cheap package.The latest model to launch in China is Wuling’s next-generation Hongguang Mini EV, which is priced the equivalent of about $9000.It is a mini four-seater that has a claimed driving range of more than 300km — calculated on the more generous Chinese test cycle — thanks to a super low energy consumption of 8.9kWh per 100km.DC fast charging allows you to top the battery up to 80 per cent in about half an hour.It is very little, measuring 3268mm long, 1520mm wide, 1575mm tall and has a wheelbase — the distance between the front and rear wheels — of 2190mm.That put its in Japanese 'Kei Car' (city car) territory, and its single electric motor makes only 30kW.The Hongguang Mini EV isn’t alone, there is a booming market in China for this type of vehicle.The QQ Domi from Chery was revealed last year.It is a pint-sized electric hatchback measuring just 3.7m long and 1.7m wide, which is just bigger than a Kia Picanto but smaller than a Suzuki Swift.Its nearest EV competitor would be the larger BYD Atto 1, which is called Seagull in other markets.In China it launched at the equivalent of about $13,000. Chinese cars are usually 20 per cent more expensive here than the home market, which would mean it could lob in at about $16,000.Chery’s QQ3 is another budget friendly EV, which is priced to the equivalent of $14,000.It has a circa 300km driving range, and is much bigger than the Wuling. There is a choice of either a 58kW and 90kW electric motor.Chery has been testing one of its QQ models Down Under as part of its global development.The Chinese brand’s Australian Chief Operating Officer Lucas Harris is very interested in something from that range.“I think having a very small and then a small hatchback would be a game changer,” said Harris.“I think there’s a huge amount of potential in those segments, and at the moment I think those segments are a little bit stale and not that interesting.“So if we could bring something like the QQ, I think it’d be a huge amount of opportunity,” he said.There is one thing standing in the way of these tiny cheap electric cars… Australian Design Rules (ADRs).Mitsubishi recently considered its little eK X EV Kei Car for Australia but it wouldn’t meet safety regulations and it would be too expensive to bring it up to scratch with ADRs."The reality is that the car meets Japanese safety regulations. The reality is that it does not meet ANCAP five star, and will not meet ANCAP five star. We'd probably get three stars," said former Mitsubishi's Australian CEO Shaun Westcott back in 2024.The Hongguang Mini EV only has two airbags and electronic stability control in its safety arsenal, which doesn’t cut the mustard here.It also lacks side impact protection, which means it won’t meet ADRs. This same rule forced Lexus to axe the IS sedan and Nissan to discontinue the GT-R.

The Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series is preparing for an all in brawl.The big, bad and brawny SUV is king off the road, but it is about to have a lot of new competitors that’ll bring luxe interiors, potent performance wearing new and iconic names.One new entrant has already landed in showrooms while two more big names are expected in the next two years.Here are the biggest challengers lining up to take on Australia’s default big 4WD.The LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol have been in a Rocky and Apollo Creed-style slugfest for decades.Now a new version of the Patrol, dubbed Y63, has been revealed and is due in Australia towards the end of next year.The bruising off-roader switches out its V8 engine for a potent 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6, which makes 317kW and 700Nm.Those outputs trump the LandCruiser’s 3.3-litre diesel twin-turbo motor that pumps out 227kW and 700Nm.Nissan has also assured us it will be 24 per cent more efficient than the outgoing V8, which puts its usage about 11L/100km that will ease some of the pain at the bowser.It'll be swimming in new tech and have proper off-road ability.The return of the Pajero completes the big three of Japanese 4WDs, which dominated Australian regions for so long.The new Pajero hasn’t been confirmed yet by Mitsubishi but big blocky 4WD test vehicles have been spotted around the world, including in western Victoria by CarsGuide.The new vehicle will replace the now defunct Pajero Sport off-roader, and it is believed it'll drop the Sport name and be simply called Pajero.There are still a lot of unknowns, but it is believed to be based on the current Triton ute, which means a rugged ladder frame and diesel grunt.Expect it to use a version of 2.4-litre bi-turbo-diesel engine, but it could make more than the 150kW and 470Nm in the Australian-specification Triton.The door has been left open for the new Pajero to use an SUV-like monocoque platform like the Pajero’s of old, but it is more likely to be based on the Triton.It is expected to be revealed this year with Australian sales to follow not long after.This one delivers the biggest curveball to the big three Japanese 4WDs.Denza, which is a sub-brand of BYD, has just launched the B8 and slightly smaller B5 off-roaders in Australia.Denza Australia’s COO Mark Harland told CarsGuide people are trading in a range of vehicles including LandCruisers and Prados as they switch to the new Chinese entrant.The B8 has a lot going for it.It uses a plug-in hybrid set-up that combines a turbo-petrol 2.0-litre engine with twin electric motors for a total 425kW and 760Nm.Denza claims that is good enough to propel it from a standstill to 100km in 4.8 seconds. It is fitted with a circa-37kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery, which delivers a claimed EV-only driving range of 100km.It is also cheaper than the LandCruiser, starting at $91,000, before on-road costs.The B8 has a braked trailer towing capacity of 3500kg and a wading depth of 890mm. The base seven-seat version only gets a rear diff lock, while the more expensive six-seater variant features a front and rear diff lock set-up. Wading depth is 890mm.

MG is offering you more car for less.The Chinese brand has locked in prices for its new MG4 Urban, which is not to be confused with the MG4 hatchback.The MG4 Urban is notably bigger than the MG4 hatchback at 4395mm long, 1842mm wide and 1551mm tall with a 2750mm wheelbase.That puts it up against popular rivals such as the BYD Atto 3, Kia EV3 and Chery E5.Despite this, it comes in cheaper than the MG4 hatchback, at $31,990, drive-away, or about $4000 cheaper than the base MG4 hatchback. It is also significantly less than the BYD Atto 3's $39,990, before on-road costs, starting price.The reason according to former MG Australia boss Peter Ciao is the MG4 Urban is more of an all rounder and balances the drive experience with standard equipment, compared to the standard MG4 that has a greater focus on driving dynamics and engineering.So, expect plenty of glitz and glamour inside, but a dulled down drive experience. A big part of that is the switch from the MG4’s rear-wheel drive set-up to a more city-focused front-wheel drive layout.This switch to front-wheel drive allows for numerous cost saving methods such as the use of a less sophisticated torsion beam rear suspension and simpler packaging with less components and a lower weight.It will be available in two variants, with the standard range versions priced at $31,990 and the long range at $34,990 (both drive-away).At the heart of the Standard version is a 43kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery that delivers a driving range of 323km (WLTP), while the 54kWh battery bumps the range up to 415km.MG claims both versions can accept up to 150kW via a DC charger, which can replenish the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes.MG covers its vehicles with a conditional 10 year/250,000 warranty, which requires owners to service their vehicle with MG or it reverts to a seven-year/unlimited km guarantee.The MG4 Urban will land in dealerships next month.

BYD could soon have some serious company in Australia.Chinese brand Nio has just launched its BYD Atto 1 and Geely EX2 rivalling pint-sized electric car in Thailand, with a starting price of the equivalent to $35,000 in Australia.This adds fuel to the fire of a potential Australian expansion, as Thailand is a fellow right-hand drive market.The Nio Firefly was approved for sale in Australia by the federal regulator back in August last year, which is often the final hurdle before a vehicle goes on sale.The filings to federal government were updated in November when right-hand drive production was confirmed.There have also been pre-production cars spied on Australian roads.It has been radio silence on an Australian launch since then, but now that right-hand drive production and sales have commenced it could lob onto our roads soon.CarsGuide has contacted Nio's global operations for more Australian details and will update the story with its response.Homologation details published by the federal government last year show two variants will be offered in Australia.Power comes from a single electric motor that makes 105kW and 200Nm, which is fed by a circa-42kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery that provides a driving range of up to 330km via the benchmark WLTP test cycle.It uses 14.5kWh/100km and offers 100kW DC charging for a 10-80 per cent charge in 29 minutes as well as either 7.0kW or 11kW AC charging with a vehicle-to-load (V2L) feature.The Firefly also has the benefit of Nio’s battery swap technology. This allows owners to simply swap the battery when it has run low instead of recharging it. Nio claims this can take about five minutes, which is similar to refilling a petrol or diesel vehicle but not as expensive.The Nio Firefly is a small hatchback measuring about four metres long, 1780mm wide and 1560mm high.Homologation details published by the federal government hint that the Nio operation will be factory-backed with approval holders and contact details attributed to the head office in Shanghai, China.No signs of a dealer network have been sighted in Australia, yet.

China is starting to flex its off-road muscles.Geely is the latest Chinese brand to launch a rough and tumble four-wheel drive in the form of the Battleship 700.It follows the classic 4WD design formula, with a big blocky shape, square shoulders, prominent retro roundish headlights, monster wheels and a spare tyre on the tailgate.There are hallmarks of the Defender, 70 Series and some GWM Tank models in its looks.Geely, like all Chinese 4WD brands, is betting big on plug-in hybrid power to usurp diesel’s dominance in the heavy off-roader segment.Geely’s set-up uses three electric motors, but it hasn’t provided full details.We can look at some of its siblings from Geely's other brands, such as the coming Zeekr 9X.It uses a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and three electric motors to make a whopping 1000kW sent to all four wheels, which enables it to sprint from zero to 100km/h in 3.1 seconds.That’s double the Land Rover Defender Octa Black, which is a beefy off-road monster that pumps out 457kW and 750Nm from its 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 and mild-hybrid assistance.It also dwarfs the Toyota LandCruiser’s 227kW/700Nm 3.3-litre twin-turbo diesel six-cylinder engine and the coming Nissan Patrol’s 317kW/700Nm 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6.With that much electric grunt, you need a big battery.The 9X can be had with either a 55kWh and a 70kWh unit, with electric only driving range of up to 380km via the more lenient China Light-duty Test Cycle (CLTC).The 9X — like the Battleship 700 — is built on Geely’s 'SEA-S' platform, which uses 900V architecture.This means it will be incredibly fast to charge, with the 9X claiming a 20-80 per cent refill in 8.5 minutes. UK outlet Autoexpress has also confirmed the battleship 700 is planned to land there in 2028.This puts it clearly on Australia’s radar as it is another right-hand drive market, is closer to China and has a large 4WD buying pool.The report said it has a wading depth of 800mm, has big ground clearance and the brand is considering expanding its off-road modes.