Articles by Dom Tripolone

This new electric vehicle patent could change everything. Chinese firm Huawei, which was famously banned from being part of Australia’s 5G infrastructure rollout over security fears, has just revealed what could be the biggest battery breakthrough yet.

Electric cars have managed to do something petrol and diesel vehicles couldn’t in Australia… bring back the motor show.

The Kia Tasman is gearing up for a fight.

One of the most hotly anticipated models of this year is just around the corner.Mazda is preparing to take the covers off the next-generation CX-5 family SUV.We still don’t know what it looks like yet, but the team from Japan's Best Car magazine has given us a glimpse of what it could look like in fresh digital renders.The new CX-5’s design is more of an evolution than a revolution, with it sticking to the formula that has made it — and the brand’s whole range of SUVs — a hit in Australia and the US.The front end has been tweaked with fresh headlights and grille. The overall shape is boxier than the current version, which brings it in line with the carmaker's premium range of  SUVs the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90.The new-generation CX-5 is rumoured to be revealed later this year, with the Tokyo motor show in October a likely covers-off location.This roughly lines up with comments made by Mazda's South African boss, Craig Roberts, earlier this year in an interview with business outlet Moneyweb.“That new CX-5 will debut in the third quarter of this year and will probably hit our shores in the first quarter of 2026," said Roberts.This generation will finally give the CX-5 an answer to the mighty Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Mazda has been developing its own in-house hybrid set-up, dubbed SkyActiv-Z. It won’t find its way into the new CX-5 until 2027, though.Best Car, which is known for its well-placed sources in the Japanese auto industry, claims the CX-5 will launch with mild-hybrid power instead.Despite the coming hybrid version, Mazda has already fallen behind market leader Toyota. Toyota recently announced the next-gen RAV4, which is due in Australia before July 2026, will come with plug-in hybrid power as well as standard hybrid options. Mazda has given no indication a plug-in hybrid is on the way.Mazda might be prepping an all electric version of the CX-5, though. In China it revealed the EZ-60 at the recent Shanghai auto show. The EZ-60 is rough the same size as the CX-5, and is built by Mazda’s Chinese partner Changan. This partnership has already spawned the electric Mazda6 replacement dubbed 6e in Europe.

China’s latest ‘ute’ cleared for sale in Australia. Newcomer Deepal is entering the great Aussie ute wars, but its entrant is unlike anything on the road.

One of Audi’s most popular models is getting a modern makeover.The big news is the Audi Q3 isn’t going all-electric, instead it will use petrol power with mild hybrid assistance and plug-in hybrid grunt.Audi isn’t giving up on diesel either with an oil-burner variant confirmed for Europe.The base mild-hybrid petrol, which is a likely starter for Australia, uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with mild-hybrid tech and produces 110kW.This is joined by purely petrol motors that make 150kW and 320Nm and a 2.0-litre unit that makes 195kW and 400Nm paired with all-wheel drive.A 110kW/360Nm diesel engine caps off the internal combustion engine variants.Sitting at the top of the range is the plug-in hybrid version, which pairs a petrol engine with an electric motor for a total of 100kW/400Nm.This is combined with a sizeable 25.7kWh battery, which can deliver an electric-only driving range of 120km as tested under the benchmark WLTP cycle.It can be charged at up to 50kW via a DC fast charger that can top up the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in under half an hour.Audi claims it has done substantial work on the suspension to improve the driving dynamics and a smoother commute.The Q3 sports a fresh face, with a big bold grille featuring lattice work design, big side intakes and sleek headlights with pixel LED styling. This is added to broader shoulders and a sleek side profile and curvy panel creases.The Q3 will be rammed with active driver aids and hi-tech features, including a 12.8-inch multimedia display and a 11.9-inch digital driver display. Included in the new safety tech is the controversial driver attention warning, which uses a camera to watch the driver for signs of drowsiness or a lack of concentration. In other brands this tech goes off for menial reasons such as looking at the rear-view mirror or squinting into the sunlight.The new Q3 will launch in Europe later this year, with an Australian arrival likely for the first half of 2026.

Mazda’s SUV revolution is kicking up a gear. The Japanese brand is preparing to launch a new version of its hyper-popular CX-3 small SUV. 

BYD is on an absolute tear, revealing new models at break-neck speed. The latest vehicle is from its FangChengBao (FCB) range, which will be branded Denza in Australia.

Mazda is teasing us again with a sportier version of its 6e electric sedan.The Mazda 6e is on sale in China and is due to launch in Europe soon, including fellow right-and drive market the UK, but the brand’s local arm has remained eerily quiet.An Australian launch for the 6e is proving more likely after the brand’s local CEO Vinesh Bhindi indicated an electric successor to the Mazda 6, which was discontinued in January, is on the way."As we bid a fond farewell to the Mazda 6, its legacy will continue to live on as we move into the next phase of our future strategy,” said Bhindi at the time.But before it's even been officially confirmed for Australia, the company has debuted a flashier version in China.Dubbed the EZ-6 (as it’s known in China) Sports Edition, the special version brings tweaked styling that adds more road presence in a similar vein to BMW’s M Sport styling.This includes gloss black 19-inch alloy wheels, red brake calipers and plenty of black exterior highlights on the outside.Inside there is Alcantara upholstery with contrast red stitching, red backlighting for interior surfaces and in the centre console.Generally the Mazda 6e has the Japanese brand’s easy-on-the-eye styling with an illuminated bottom grille outline and a premium-looking cabin with some tech highlights such as a big 14-inch multimedia screen and digital driver display.It is bigger than other mid-size electric sedans such as the BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3, measuring 4921mm long, 1890mm wide and 1491mm tall.Mazda Europe said it comes with two battery options, an 80kWh unit and a 68.8kWh pack that deliver driving ranges of 552km and 479km, respectively.The Mazda6e is built by Mazda’s joint venture with Chinese brand Changan and shares its underpinnings with the Deepal SL03.Changan also owns the electric car brand Deepal, which has just launched in Australia with its S07 mid-size SUV.In China it is also available as a range-extender hybrid with its 1.5-litre petrol engine used purely as a power source to charge a battery, which in turn powers electric motors that drive the wheels.An SUV version is a chance for Australia, too. Dubbed the EZ-60 in China, but likely to be called the CX-6e in other markets, it shares the same underpinnings as the 6e.

The Jaecoo J8 Track is the entry point to the Chinese brand's new flagship five seat SUV range, and sits below the loaded J8 Ridge variant in the two-tier line-up.The J8 Track is 2WD and costs $49,990 drive-away, which is $5000 cheaper than the all-wheel-drive Ridge.The Track is absolutely rammed with luxury kit.It has 20-inch alloy wheels, heated and ventilated front seats wrapped in real leather and topped off with a massage function.There are dual 12.3-inch displays, one for the multimedia and the other for the driver. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav and a 12-speaker Sony stereo are other highlights.It also has a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, power adjustable steering wheel, a head-up display (that projects vital information such as your travelling speed on to the windscreen in front of the driver) and a wireless device charger.All J8 variants are powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which makes 183kW and 385Nm. This is matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels in the Track grade.Jaecoo claims the J8 Track drinks 8.3L/100km, and it needs pricier premium unleaded petrol.The Track variant misses out on the fancy adaptive suspension of the Ridge grade, which reads the road ahead and adjusts each wheel independently. The Ridge exerted excellent body control and soaked up bumps expertly, but the Track falls off in this department with the ride becoming more unsettled with harsher bumps felt through the cabin.The engine has enough grunt for a vehicle this size, it's not a performance car but has leisurely acceleration, and it had no problem overtaking at highway speeds.There were times when the transmission and engine work as slickly together as they should with some delay of power and then rush of grunt all at once.Jaecoo covers the J8 with an eight year/unlimited km warranty and a capped-priced servicing program of the same length that costs $2952 for the Track 2WD with visits every 15,000km or 12 months.