Articles by Jack Quick

Radical electric BYD Shark 6 alternative goes on sale right next door to Australia.

China’s LDV has just launched the new Terron 9 turbo-diesel dual-cab ute in Australia, but the electric eTerron 9 counterpart is still nowhere to be seen.

Nissan has revealed the mid-life facelifted version of its fourth-generation X-Trail in Japan roughly two years after the update for the US-built Rogue twin debuted.

China’s BYD has confirmed the pricing and specifications of its Atto 2 small electric SUV for the UK market ahead of its Australian introduction before the end of 2025.

It seems Tesla is listening to customer feedback after all and is willing to right its wrongs.

China’s Leapmotor is reportedly set to reveal a new model at this year’s IAA Mobility show in Munich which runs from September 9-14, 2025.As reported by Autocar, this new Leapmotor model will be a Volkswagen Golf-sized electric hatchback called the B05.This will give the Chinese carmaker a rival to the likes of the Cupra Born and MG4.The Leapmotor B05 is reportedly based on the same 'Leap 3.5' platform as the B10 small SUV and the B01 small sedan.This means the B05 will likely be rear-wheel drive with electric powertrains and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs that operate on an 800V electrical architecture.It also wouldn’t be surprising if a range-extender (REEV) powertrain option becomes available for the B05 down the track as it was recently confirmed for the B10.The exterior design of the Leapmotor B05 will reportedly be inspired by the B10. It’ll have an aerodynamic silhouette, as well as full-width light bars front and rear.Inside, a 14.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system is expected, like the B10.At this stage pricing for the Leapmotor B10 hasn’t been confirmed, but Autocar indicates it could be under £30,000 (A$62,700) in the UK.For context, the most affordable Leapmotor in Australia currently is the C10 Style REEV at $43,888, before on-road costs.The smaller B10, which is due to launch locally later this year, will likely undercut this price.This forthcoming B05 electric hatch will reportedly spawn a lower-riding sibling called the A05, which would likely be a closer rival to the likes of the BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora.The B10 small SUV will also form as a base for the forthcoming entry-level crossover, dubbed the A10.No further details about the Leapmotor A05 and A10 have been confirmed yet.Leapmotor was founded in 2015 and it currently has seven vehicles in its line-up globally, ranging from tiny city cars to large seven-seat SUVs.Stellantis owns a 21 per cent share in Leapmotor and a 51 per cent slice in Leapmotor International that conducts all activity for the brand outside China.Distribution in Australia is currently through Stellantis’ Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Jeep dealer network.

Tesla has officially revealed the long-wheelbase version of its top-selling Model Y electric SUV in China.Dubbed the Tesla Model Y L, this long-wheelbase electric SUV offers six seats as standard in a 2+2+2 seating configuration.It’s worth noting this isn’t the first time Tesla has fitted a third row of seating into the Model Y. In pre-update form, a seven-seat option with the standard wheelbase was offered in certain markets, including the U.S. It wasn’t offered in Australia.The Model Y L measures in at 4976mm long, 1982mm wide and 1668mm tall, which is 179mm longer and 45mm taller than the standard Model Y, with a 150mm longer wheelbase.Compared to the standard Model Y, the Model Y L has longer rear doors, a lengthened three-quarter panel, as well as a higher roof line. These all contribute to being able to package the third row of seating.There are also unique 19-inch ‘Rotating Mecha’ alloy wheels and ‘Model YYY’ badging on the tailgate.At this stage the Tesla Model Y L is only being offered with a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain. Tesla hasn’t confirmed the total system output, though previous reports say it produces 340kW, which is 9kW more than the standard-wheelbase Long Range AWD.Tesla claims the Model Y L can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.5 seconds, which is 0.2 seconds slower than the regular Model Y Long Range AWD. Top speed is 201km/h.While the company hasn’t detailed what battery specifications the Model Y L has, it’s claimed to have up to 751km of range, according to lenient CLTC testing.Inside, there are second-row captain’s chairs that have electrically folding armrests. Both the front- and second-row seats offer heating and ventilation. The third-row seats also offer heating.The Model Y L also picks up air vents mounted on the pillars for the second- and third-row, as well as an 18-speaker sound system (up from 14 speakers in the Model Y Long Range AWD).Long-wheelbase versions of cars are very popular in China, with a number of vehicles gaining stretched body styles exclusively for that market.While all versions of the Tesla Model Y that are sold in Australia are produced in China, it’s still unclear whether the Model Y L will be offered locally."Model Y L is a China specific product for now, we will continue to assess new products for our market as they become available," said a Tesla spokesperson.

Honda Australia has dropped a new allocation of its supply-limited Civic Type R hot hatch.The Japanese carmaker has claimed there’s “strong customer demand” for this hot hatch and customers that have signed up will be prioritised.Now with a starting price of $79,000, drive-away, the Honda Civic Type R is $4900 more expensive than it was when it was last on sale. It’s now also over $23,000 more expensive than the top-specification regular Civic variant, the e:HEV LX.A highlight change with this 2025 production run is a new 'Racing Blue' exterior paint colour option. It replaces 'Rally Red' in the colour options. 'Championship White', 'Crystal Black' and 'Sonic Grey' continue to be offered and are all no-cost options.There’s also a new optional carbon-fibre spoiler available for an additional $5300.Power still comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 235kW of power and 420Nm of torque.This is mated exclusively to a six-speed manual gearbox with drive sent to the front wheels only.It’s still covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years' 'premium roadside assistance'.Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first, and the first five services are capped at $199 each.“Civic Type R has captured the imagination of Australians for generations and continues to represent the pinnacle of performance in small cars,” said Honda Australia Director of Automotive Robert Thorp.“We’re pleased to welcome the new Racing Blue colour providing a genuine performance model halo presence.”Looking beyond the Civic Type R, Honda is soon set to announce model year updates for the CR-V and ZR-V SUVs which will include more hybrid trims and Google Built-In software for the multimedia system.Additionally, the new-generation Prelude is set to launch in mid-2026 and later in 2026 Honda will launch its first electric vehicle (EV) in Australia.

Volkswagen has published its first official teaser image of the forthcoming next-generation T-Roc small SUV ahead of its expected reveal at this year’s Munich motor show in September.

The Techno is the flagship trim in the Australian Renault Duster line-up.