Articles by Dom Tripolone

Mercedes-Benz is flipping the electric car game on its head.

Is this the Frankenstein EV nobody asked for? The new Deepal E07 large SUV is the emerging Chinese car brand's second model in Australia and it's a segment-bender with its ute-inspired rear end. Depending on your perspective, it could be a little too much or just right.

New car launches don’t get much bigger than a new Toyota HiLux ute.The trusted workhorse has been at the top of the sales charts for the best part of a decade, and a new and improved version is due next year to fight off a wave of new challengers.Details of the new HiLux have started to leak consistently and spy shots have surfaced of a single cab version testing overseas.CarsGuide has joined the dots to get an idea of what this next-generation HiLux will be like.Here’s everything we know so far. Not much to get excited about here, unfortunately.It is believed the HiLux will launch with the same 2.8-litre turbo-diesel motor with 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance found in the current HiLux.It’s unlikely this will be the sole power source for long, with the company making no secret it is working on plug-in hybrid power.Toyota’s new RAV4 will be the brand’s first plug-in hybrid in Australia when it launches next year. That model’s 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol and electric motor combo deliver 227kW, and while torque is unknown expect it to be in the 500Nm range.That kind of performance eclipses what’s available in the current HiLux.Toyota has pounded the table on many occasions to say its vehicles must be fit for purpose and it won’t rush out a new technology until they are certain it will do what its customers expect.So don’t expect the PHEV version too soon, but it makes sense for it to lob in 2027. This is when the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) really starts to bite and fines will make diesel-powered ute prohibitively expensive.New spy pics published on Instagram by @Autonetmagz give us an idea of what it may look like.Japanese outlet Best Car has developed some digital renders (seen above) that bring those spy shots to life.The front end is where all the major changes have occurred with the HiLux bringing the brand's new styling language.Sharp, narrow headlights are paired with lower DRLs and a big black grille with hexagon-like design, which is similar to that seen on the new RAV4 and Corolla Cross.The side panels and rear look mostly untouched with big chunky cladding around the wheel arches and side steps.It is also believed to have a step integrated into the tray exterior for easier access.Think of it as an evolution not a revolution.Bigger changes are coming to the cabin, according to design sketches published by Thailand's Headlight Magazine.The design sketches show a focus on in-cabin screens, increased storage, a new dash and vents, and — in a nod to its 4WD siblings — the gear shifter from the Toyota LandCruiser Prado.Hard to say, but nothing new comes cheap.Buyers can probably expect a jump of a few thousand dollars on the current model. This means the cheapest dual-cab pick-up version with the mild hybrid assisted engine will cost close to $65,000 on the road.Toyota is unlikely to give up on the lower end of its range, so buyers can still expect budget focused two-wheel drive single carb models to land in and around the $50,000 range.We haven’t seen the new version yet, which means there is no chance it’ll land in showrooms this year.There is a strong chance it will be revealed at some point this year, which indicates an on sale date of the middle of next year.

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