Articles by Jake Williams

Honda Australia has announced a new company goal to have 25 per cent of its local sales come from electrified vehicles by 2025.

Honda Australia has confirmed the next-generation Honda Jazz will be launched locally in late 2020 with standard Honda Sensing active safety tech.

Ford Australia has released local pricing and specifications for the updated 2019 Ford Transit Custom range, which now offers a full suite of active safety technology such as auto emergency braking (AEB) and adaptive cruise control as standard, as well as the addition of a new Sport version and new long-wheelbase crew van.The new Sport model is designed to appeal to dual-purpose buyers, with an uprated engine and more premium interior with second-row seating. The Sport is the premium version of the brand's crew model - labelled the Double Cab-in-Van (DCiV) by Ford - a variant that gives Ford a much needed competitor to crew-van rivals like the Hyundai iLoad, Renault Trafic, Volkswagen Transporter and Toyota HiAce, all of which have crew van models available. The updated Transit Custom range is from $42,190 plus on-road costs, and range-wide it now includes AEB with pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, driver attention alert, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert as standard across the range. The safety gear was previously available as an option for $1600.The 2019 Transit Custom range features a new 125kW/390Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, which is available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. In addition to the standard safety equipment, an 8.0-inch multimedia system with Ford’s Sync 3 software is standard, which also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sat nav will cost you an extra $600. Short wheelbase (SWB) Transit Custom models have earned an increased gross vehicle mass (GVM) rating, which is now 3400kg - hence the new 340S model name (previously 3000kg, and 300S). The increased GVM has enabled the Transit automatic to achieve a maximum 2150kg braked towing capacity (was 1800kg). The Sport model features an uprated 136kW/405Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. Confusingly, this version is a 320S, with a 3200kg GVM. The Sport also has 17-inch alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights body coloured mirrors, a gloss black grille and even a body styling kit for extra visual attitude. The Transit Custom Sport is also available in two unique colours - ‘Blue Metallic’ and ‘Orange Glow’, but Transit Custom buyers can choose from more than 100 colours by special order (adds $1400).The interior of the Transit Custom Sport also includes a 10-way adjustable driver’s seat, gloss black detailing, chrome vent surrounds, LED rear load area lighting, part-leather upholstery and a leather steering wheel. The 340L DCiV model pushes seating capacity from three in the standard van up to six, with a rear row of seats. Both the 340L DCiV and 320L Sport DCiV models have a standard rear bulkhead, dual sliding side doors and 4.4-cubic metres of cargo area. The Ford Transit Custom accounts for about 10 per cent of mid-sized van sales in Australia, with 1880 units sold in 2018. The job is soon to be even harder, with the all-new 2019 Toyota HiAce due to launch within the next few months.  Dual side load doors (windows): $1,700 

Toyota Australia has released a refreshed Prius for the 2019 model year, with new styling, added technology and pricing that's up by a small amount. Most noticeable is the updated Prius' new look, with revised front and rear styling that is both simpler and more aggressive than the previous model. The new model is also 35mm longer than the pre-updated model (now 4575mm) thanks to its new frontal styling. The previous rear's long tail-lights have been replaced with more horizontal units.The Prius’ interior has also been tweaked for greater comfort, according to Toyota. The centre console has been redesigned for superior ease of use, with repositioned heated seat buttons on the i-Tech, and newly positioned cupholders and wireless phone charging. Both Prius models are also equipped with a new multimedia system with inbuilt satellite navigation with live traffic routing, DAB+ digital radio, Siri eyes-free and Miracast. Like all other Australian Toyota products, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto - both featuring in North America - remains unavailable locally.The sole drivetrain for Australia remains unchanged - a 72kW/142Nm 1.8-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder petrol engine with a nickel metal-hydride (NiMH) battery pack and electric motor for a total power output of 90kW. Toyota claims a combined fuel consumption cycle of 3.4L/100km, and CO2 emissions of 80g/km.Standard equipment on the Prius includes 15-inch alloy wheels, a 10-speaker JBL sound system, wireless phone charging, automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry/start (driver’s door only), climate control and a heads-up display.  This version now starts from $36,590 plus on-road costs (+$150). The Prius i-Tech adds larger 17-inch wheels, leather upholstery, heated front seats and keyless entry/start on all doors. It costs $44,050 - also up $150. All Prius models are equipped with Toyota’s Safety Sense+ active safety equipment, which includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and automatic high beam. The Prius i-Tech then adds blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert.Of the 3268 fleet and private hybrid sales in Australia so far in 2019, the Toyota Prius has sold just 27 units - or less than one per cent. Prius sales are down 50 per cent so far in 2019. Toyota Prius pricing (plus on-road costs):Prius: $36,590 (+$150)Prius i-Tech: $44,055 (+$150)

Alfa Romeo has updated the Giulietta hatchback for the 2019 model year, with new colours, wheel options and a reshuffled range in Europe. There are also six new option packages for the car in Europe, with a business pack, convenience pack, carbon look pack, red racing pack, yellow racing pack and tech pack all available for customers to choose from - though changes to the Australian model are yet to be announced. Alfa Romeo has also revised the available model structure in Europe, with six available model trims for buyers to choose from: the base Giulietta, Giulietta Super, Giulietta Sport, Giulietta Executive and the Giulietta Veloce. Each model features distinct styling and unique features to differentiate it from other models. The Veloce, which sits atop the Australian Giulietta range, has earned new 18-inch alloy wheels, as well as glossy black finishing of the mirror caps, door handles, foglight bezels and twin tailpipes. On the inside of the Giulietta Veloce there are new Alcantara and fabric sports seats with contrasting yellow stitching, as well as aluminium pedals, matte anthracite mouldings and a contoured sports steering wheel with yellow stitching.All available engines in the Giulietta range now comply with Euro 6d emissions standards, and in Europe, newly available engine options include a 92kW 1.4-litre turbo-petrol, a 92kW 1.6-litre turbo-diesel and a 125kW 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel.Alfa Romeo Australia is yet to comment on the updated Giulietta’s local arrival.

Jeep revealed two new plug-in hybrid models at the 2019 Geneva motor show, with the Renegade and Compass SUVs receiving a PHEV drivetrain. The Compass and Renegade PHEVs are the first plug-in hybrid models from the Jeep brand, and their introduction is set to underpin the production version of the Alfa Romeo Tonale.Both the Compass and Renegade PHEVs combine a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine at the front and an electric motor mounted on the rear axle. This means there’s no physical connection between the front and rear axles, like the Toyota RAV4 hybrid and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.Jeep says from 142kW to 179kW of power will be available, which will allow both models to accelerate from 0-100km/h in around 7.0 seconds.The Renegade and Compass PHEVs offer a claimed electric-only range of up to 50km, and both are capable of traveling up to 130km/h on electric power alone. Overall fuel consumption is claimed as low as 2.2L/100km, and CO2 emissions will be “lower than 50g/km”.Despite the green credentials, the Compass and Renegade PHEVs are yet to be confirmed for Australia with Jeep's director of corporate communications, Tracie Stoltenburg telling CarsGuide the brand does not comment on future product. “It's very exciting news, however we do not speculate on future product - concept or production vehicles and we're not providing specific details, that is which vehicles and regions, at this time.”The exterior and interior treatment is remarkably similar to regular Renegade and Compass models with an extra 'fuel' door for charging, a '4x4-e' badge on the rear, a drive mode selector on the centre console and model-specific graphics on the driver's dials. Aside from those details, the visual transformation to PHEV is subtle.

A hybrid variant of the Subaru Forester SUV is due for Australian sales before the end of 2019.Using a 110kW/188Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine paired with a 10kW/65Nm 13.5kWh lithium ion battery pack and the brand’s symmetrical all-wheel drive system and CVT auto transmission, the Subaru Forester e-Boxer hybrid is said to offer fuel economy benefits of about 25 per cent over the regular model.The Forester e-Boxer hybrid is rated at 5.3L/100km on the Japanese fuel consumption cycle, versus 6.7L/100km for the 2.5-litre petrol Forester. While a 1.5L/100km improvement may not seem all that much, in urban driving the difference is likely to be much larger with hybrid engines benefiting economy more in city driving.The Japanese fuel test cycle is traditionally more lenient than international testing, so expect higher figures when the car goes on sale in Australia, but we’re expecting a combined fuel consumption rating of around 6.0L/100km - an improvement of the regular model’s 7.4L/100km combined rating.Because the battery is located on the rear axle, according to Subaru, the Forester e-Boxer has better weight distribution and a lower centre of gravity, which should improve the ride and handling balance. It's not yet clear if there will be any impact on interior space or the fitment of a full size spare wheel.While some hybrid variants of cars are styled vastly differently to seperate them from the pack, the Forester hybrid features just a couple of e-Boxer badges to differentiate it from non-hybrid variants.Local pricing, specifications and exact timing are yet to be confirmed but we understand the Subaru Forester e-Boxer will be on sale locally in the last quarter of 2019.Once it's here, the Forester e-Boxer is likely to compete with the Toyota RAV4 hybrid and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. 

BMW has revealed the first plug-in hybrid X3 SUV at the Geneva motor show overnight, with the new xDrive30e a solid chance to appear in Australian showrooms.Featuring the same 185kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and lithium-ion battery plug-in hybrid drivetrain as the 330e and 530e sedans, the X3 xDrive30e is claimed to be capable of a fully-electric range of 50km and combined fuel consumption of 2.4L/100km. Despite weighing more than the regular X3 - though BMW is yet to specify just how much extra - the X3 xDrive30e is capable of a 6.5 second sprint to 100km/h. An extra 30kW of battery power availability during hard acceleration.Aside from the driver’s dials and exterior badging, the X3 xDrive30e is stylistically identical to the regular X3, though thanks to the battery pack being located under the rear seat and other battery components at the rear. The boot space has dropped by 100 litres to 450, however.BMW Australia PR boss Adam Davis told CarsGuide that the X3 xDrive30e was not yet confirmed for Australia, though the company is keen to offer it locally. “We are a little far out to be discussing localised details on the X3, at this point. We are currently working through feasibility and will announce in due course” he said. “Having said that, you can see that we have taken 330e, 530e, 740e, X5 xDrive40e in the past and we are committed to continuing this PHEV/future mobility pathway in this country.”“We will be taking the new six-cylinder 745e when the updated 7 Series arrives later this year, and have also indicated strong interest in 330e and the new X5 45e when they become available around the middle of this year.”If confirmed for Australia, we expect BMW to import the X3 xDrive30e towards the end of this year, with local pricing and specifications to be announced before then. If the X3 follows the 530e, it could be priced at the same $72,900 plus on-road costs as the X3 xDrive30i. 

The Hyundai Sonata 2020 model has been uncovered ahead of its debut at the 2019 New York auto show next month. Due for Australian release in the second half of 2019, the new eighth-generation Sonata shapes up differently to its predecessor - it's 45mm longer (4900mm) with a 35mm longer wheelbase (now 2840mm), 25mm wider (1890mm) and 30mm lower (1445mm). According to the brand, the new Sonata is taking Hyundai down the 'coupe'-style sedan path - a route it has not travelled before with a global product such as the Sonata.Influenced by the HDC-2 concept from the 2018 Busan motor show, the company says the new Sonata was designed using 'light architecture design'. This can be seen in several exterior elements - for instance, the chrome window surrounds connect with the headlights via LED strip lighting. A new feature for the Sonata is what Hyundai calls ‘Hidden Lighting Lamps’, which incorporate new lighting technology to appear as a chrome metal when switched off, yet become “dramatically lit” when turned on.The car’s wide, layered bonnet and low stance contribute to the coupe-like styling, the company claims. The sweeping roofline and almost-ducktail like rear end add a standout style, and the tail-lights joined by a single LED strip accentuates the rear width. The interior of the new Hyundai Sonata is a big step forward for the nameplate and the brand, too. There's a sweeping dashboard layout and fully-digital dials, as well as a Bose sound system. The shift-by-wire transmission selector has been taken from the Ioniq Electric and is said to free up storage space in the cabin. New interior switchgear has also been introduced - even the indicator and wiper stalks have been redesigned with a higher-quality finish, as well as the multimedia system buttons and climate control switchgear. Hyundai is yet to discuss details of the new Sonata’s drivetrains, though it is expected that the current model’s 2.4-litre petrol and 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engines will continue. In North America, a plug-in hybrid Sonata may continue to be offered into the next generation of the car, and in some markets a diesel engine may be available.Local specifications and pricing for the new Hyundai Sonata are to be announced before the car's release later this year.

Volkswagen has unveiled the ID Buggy concept car at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show - a move that revives the beach buggy concept popular in California.Based on the brand’s upcoming MEB electric vehicle platform, the ID Buggy concept is purely electric and is powered by a 150kW electric motor in the rear of the car - a bit like the original dune buggy models, not to mention the Country Buggy that was produced here in the 1960s.According to Volkswagen, an additional electric motor in the front axle is also conceivable to make the ID Buggy all-wheel drive. The brand claims the ID Buggy is capable of a claimed 7.2-second sprint from 0-100km/h, and while the concept is a two-seater, it can be converted to a 2+2 layout. Its 62kWh lithium-ion battery pack gives the car a stated range of around 250km.The ID Buggy’s body is made from a mixture of aluminium, steel and plastic, and it is self-supporting. Because of its MEB platform, the ID Buggy’s body can be detached from the chassis, which opens up a world of modifications and personalisation, according to Volkswagen.The concept car features a skateboard on the rear parcel shelf with the same wheels as the concept as well, which could preview a range of accessories the company could offer with the production version of the ID Buggy. While it is just a concept car at this stage the brand claims it is 70 per cent ready for production and could be in your local VW showroom within four years - though automotive safety and design legislation are almost guaranteed to change the ID Buggy’s shape in one way or another.