Articles by James Cleary

The flagship Scenic E-Tech Esprit Alpine is priced at $59,990, before on-road costs.

Volvo has taken a knife to prices of its small SUV line-up with $10,000 sliced off cost-of-entry for its small EX30 Single Motor Extended Plus - now $49,990, before on-road costs.Base pricing for the slightly larger EX40 has also been cut with the entry-level EX40 Single Motor Extended Ultra reduced by just over nine per cent to $69,990, before on-road costs (was $76,990, BOC).When contacted for background on the pricing changes a Volvo Car Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide, “In preparation for the introduction of the game-changing EX60 to local shores Volvo Car Australia has repositioned its 30 and 40 series all-electric vehicles.“To accommodate the arrival of the EX60 it is paramount that we alter our current game plan. “When the all-electric mid-size SUV arrives, it will change the game in the largest electric market segment in terms of range, charging speed, performance, and price,” they said.The repositioned EX30/EX40 pricing (before on-road costs) is below.Speaking at Volvo Cars’ most recent investor briefing in Stockholm, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer Erik Severinson confirmed the upcoming EX60 mid-size EV SUV will be priced at the same level as an equivalent plug-in hybrid (PHEV).So, these small SUV price reductions point to a starting price position for the EX60 at around the same $74,990, before on-road costs, level as the entry-grade XC60 Plus B5 Bright AWD.The flagship XC60 Ultra T8 Plug-in Hybrid Dark AWD sits at $101,990, BOC.The mid-size pure-electric EX60 SUV will initially be offered with a choice of two powertrains.The P6 Electric comes with a single rear motor that produces 275kW/480Nm which delivers a sharp 5.9-second 0-100km/h acceleration time.And the dual-motor P10 AWD Electric’s dual motors send 375kW/710Nm to all four wheels for a 4.6-seconds 0-100km/h sprint.Claimed WLTP range is 620km for the former and 660km for the latter, thanks to its larger 95kWh battery.Charging is near top of the class thanks to Volvo's all-new ‘SPA3’ platform's 800-volt electrics. The P6 can be topped up at up to 320kW, while the AWD P10 rampd that rate up to an impressive 370kW.

Toyota’s latest collaboration with state-owned Chinese carmaker GAC is off to an impressive start with the launch of the pure-electric bZ7 large, fast-back-style sedan.Vice President of Sales for the GAC Toyota’s joint-venture Peng Baolin has confirmed the company booked over 3100 formal orders for the car within one hour of its official on-sale.While other recent newcomers have claimed even stronger initial interest (hello, 15,000 domestic Xiaomi SU7 sales in 30min), it’s a positive response to a critically important model.With a strong hint of Camry around the car’s face and other elements echoing the smaller bZ4X we already know in Australia, the single-motor, rear-wheel drive bZ7 is a substantial machine at just over 5.1m in long, close to 2.0m wide and 1.5m tall with a generous 3020mm wheelbase.Offered with two LFP battery sizes (71.35kWh and 88.13kWh) across five model grades, the bZ7’s power comes from a 207kW Huawei-sourced motor with claimed ranges of 600km, 700km and 710km, in line with the more lenient CLTC test protocol.A 3C fast-charging rate is claimed to deliver 300km of range in 10 minutes.Priced at ¥147,800 (~A$31,300) for the entry-level 600 Pro up to ¥199,800 (~A$42,300) for the flagship 710 Ultra, specification options include 20-inch wheels, front and rear seats with ventilation, heating and massage functions, the Huawei ‘HarmonyOS 5.0’ smart cockpit and ‘dual-chamber air suspension’ working in concert with an intelligent road surface pre-scanning system.Upper-level Lidar-equipped models boast one Lidar, five millimetre-wave radars, eleven high-definition cameras and 10 ultrasonic radars.It’s worth noting GAC Toyota also produces the smaller bZ3X electric SUV uniquely for China and Toyota Australia’s recently retired Vice President of sales and marketing (now Senior Executive Advisor) Sean Hanley had previously told CarsGuide the company has discussed the possibility of importing Chinese-made Toyotas to Australia.“We’ve certainly spoken about it we’ve not done any formal study to support that cause for Australia at this point,” said Hanley. “Having said that, it’s not something we would rule out in the future.“If we’ve got manufacturing joint operations under the Toyota brand, under Toyota quality, we certainly would never rule it out and we’d be silly to.“But if you’re going to convert left- to right-, you got to have some compelling volume,” he said.

The mid-range Scenic E-Tech Techno Long Range is priced at $59,990, before on-road costs.

The Renault Scenic E-Tech starts from just under $55,990, before on-road costs, for the entry-grade Techno.

Hyundai has lifted the lid on its product and manufacturing plans for the next five years at its annual general shareholders meeting held in Seoul overnight.Under the headline ‘36 by 30’ the Korean giant’s President and CEO José Muñoz detailed a strong commitment to manufacturing in North America, as well as the introduction of 36 “all-new or significantly enhanced models” (including passenger cars, SUVs, trucks and commercial vehicles) by 2030.Muñoz confirmed the new vehicle blitz would be “supported by a broad mix of ICE, HEV, EV, and extended‑range electric (EREV) powertrains to meet evolving customer demands”.Although new model specifics weren’t shared, Muñoz gave a broad brush description of what’s coming down the product pipeline, which will include “new vehicles in new segments”.Key arrivals are an affordable entry-level hybrid, a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol compact car and SUV (think i30/Kona), 2.0-litre mid-size car and SUV (think Sonata/Tucson) as well as a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol mid to large SUV (think Santa Fe/Palisade) and pick-up (the latter a likely replacement for the out-going Santa Cruz monocoque ute).For the first time, upcoming high-performance luxury models from Genesis will feature hybrid powertrains, including the upcoming GV80 Hybrid, scheduled to begin production later this year.  “The new vehicles will include core models and expanded trims, including XRT and N Performance derivatives,” said Muñoz.A potential sign of the brand’s new model intent is the unashamedly Ford Bronco-rivalling Hyundai Crater Concept shown at last year’s NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) convention in Las Vegas. Pitched as the automotive answer to the question, “What does freedom look like?”, it’s a tough, high-riding, dual-motor, off-road electric SUV.And 2025’s Ioniq 3 Concept is a clear preview of a new, more affordable compact EV, likely to land in 2027.Hyundai's North American focus is clearly driven in part by the current US administration’s import tariff regime, the company confirmed its US$26 billion (~A$38B) investment in the United States, including a new, “state-of-the-art” steel mill in Louisiana and an AI robotics hub, anchored by Boston Dynamics in Massachusetts and a new Robot Metaplant Application Centre (RMAC) in Georgia.Hyundai is targeting more than 80 per cent of the vehicles it sells in the USA to be assembled there by 2030, simultaneously increasing US supply‑chain content from approximately 60 per cent to 80 per cent.

After a 15-year absence from the local new car market Renault's Scenic has returned as a pure-electric, mid-size, five-seat, premium SUV priced and specified to take on established EV competitors from Europe and South Korea as well as recently arrived disruptors from China.

Subaru has confirmed it will unveil a first-ever hybrid version of one of its Wilderness models at this week’s New York International Auto Show and the brand’s current US line-up suggests it will be based on the Forester Wilderness.That spells big trouble for rivalling family favourites - the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson - which can't match the Forester Wilderness' ruggedness.Initially developed for North America, there are currently three Wildnerness varieties - the Outback Wilderness launched in early 2021, the Forester Wilderness that followed later the same year and the Crosstrek Wilderness, which arrived in 2023.Typical upgrades include increased ride height with extra ground clearance, greater roof load capacity, revised transmission gearing and all-terrain tyres to optimise low-speed traction, matt black wheels, retuned ‘X-Mode’ off-highway settings and a transmission oil cooler.All are produced at Subaru’s US manufacturing plant in Lafayette, Indiana. But the US-only factor was side-stepped when the Subaru Outback Wilderness hit Australian off-road tracks in February this year. And Subaru Australia General Manager Scott Lawrence  has previously told CarsGuide to “watch this space” on further Wilderness developments.Subaru currently offers Crosstrek and Forester Hybrid models in the USA, and a Wilderness Hybrid version of the latter is more likely as the Forester Hybrid is built in America while the Crosstrek Hybrid is produced in Japan. If the new Wilderness variant is indeed based on the Forester it’s likely to feature the current Forester Hybrid’s powertrain that combines a (121kW/212Nm) 2.5-litre petrol engine with two electric motors (90kW/276Nm) integrated into the car’s continuously variable transmission (CVT) for total system power of 145kW.You could also expect miserly 6.2L/100km fuel consumption on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle and a 1000km-plus range from every 63-litre tank of fuel.Over and above the upgrades detailed above, the Forester Wilderness features a specific nose treatment including a unique grille, skid plates, fog lights, anodized copper accents, and a glare-reducing matt black bonnet decal.Subaru has also confirmed it will unveil an “all-new, all-electric SUV” in New York, positioned under a theme of “Fast. Family. Fun.” and likely based on the recently released pure-electric Toyota Highlander (Kluger).

Subaru has confirmed it will unveil an “all-new, all-electric SUV” at this year’s New York International Auto Show, which kicks off on (no joke) April 1st.Positioned under a theme of “Fast. Family. Fun.”, the Japanese maker has previewed the upcoming arrival via a dark teaser image with the only hard specifications noted being a power output of 313kW (420hp) and all-wheel drive, both of which point to dual-motor propulsion.Visual clues include narrow six-point headlights similar to the existing Solterra and Trailseeker EV line-up, roof rails and an illuminated star-cluster badge on the nose.The emphasis on ‘Family’ could also point to a three-row configuration, which opens up the possibility of the new model sharing its development with the recently released pure-electric Toyota Highlander (Kluger).A connection makes sense with Subaru and Toyota confirming expansion of their model-share partnership with three electric SUVs in 2026-’27, Subaru on the record noting the Toyota connection will accelerate development of its EV portfolio.The three-row Highlander, Toyota’s first battery-electric vehicle for the US market, rides on the brand’s ‘Toyota Next Generation Architecture-K’ (TNGA-K) platform and is slated for assembly in the southern US state of Kentucky with batteries sourced from Toyota's recently opened battery assembly plant in Liberty, North Carolina.For reference, the Highlander measures 4950mm long, 1989mm wide and 1709mm tall with a 3050mm wheelbase.If Subaru follows the high-standard spec strategy it applies to other Toyota-shared models, it’s likely the new SUV will adopt the top-grade Highlander Limited’s 95.8kWh battery, for a 515km range.Other premium Highlander features like ‘Vehicle-to-Load’ (V2L) are likely to feature and although the flagship Highlander’s overall output is quoted at just over 250kW, it’s not hard to imagine Subaru putting its own, more performance-focused spin on the powertrain.Expect the interior to include a 14-inch multimedia touchscreen, 12.3-inch driver's display, a large-format head-up display and customisable ambient lighting.

With the avalanche of fresh brands entering the Australian new car market showing no sign of slowing, clearly some recent newcomers and longer-term legacy brands will come under increasing pressure in the next 12 to 18 months.Fold in the additional complexity and potential cost of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) and the thumbscrews are already starting to tighten for certain players.In this context, one well-established Euro brand is focused on its ability to “survive” in what it describes as an exceptionally aggressive market.Speaking at the local launch of the new Scenic E-Tech SUV, Renault Australia General Manager Glen Sealey was asked about increasing competition and said, “Renault as a brand is really in a good position to survive in a market like it is now. And I say that because this is an aggressive market.” “You’ve got annual sales of around 1.2 million vehicles and the top 10 brands accounting for 70 per cent of them.“That leaves 60 brands competing for 360,000 cars a year. That’s the reality of life if you’re going to compete.“So, can you survive on 6000 cars a year? We can,” he said.Despite the French brand’s concerted push towards electric propulsion in Europe and elsewhere, Sealey made the point that EVs still account for less than 10 per cent of new car sales in Australia.While acknowledging the brand buzz funky Renault EV models like the R4, R5 and Twingo (even at a relatively steep price) would generate he said the Renault Kangoo E-Tech, Megane E-Tech and now the Scenic E-Tech EVs currently on offer here are “enough for a market our size”.“If the market goes to 50 per cent EV, guess what, we’ve got a cupboard full of cars. But if the market stays at 10 per cent EV we’ve got cars and drivetrains we can access.“Not everyone wants hybrid, not everyone wants electric and not everyone wants ICE and there’s a (Renault) drivetrain for everyone.”Year-on-year Renault sales were down 17.8 per cent in 2025 (to 4569 units). And so far this year numbers are down by exactly the same percentage.But Sealey confirmed Renault Australia would renew or refresh six models over the next 18 months, noting the age of the brand’s current line-up.“Koleos and Master make up 60-70 per cent of our volume and they are right at the end of their lifecycle.“So, to expect to be flying when you got that on your hands… it’s never going to happen.“And that’s obviously coinciding with some aggressive entrants into the marketplace.“But there’s Duster and Scenic and there’s more coming,” he said.  When asked about potential range inclusions like the Bridger small SUV (to be built in India), the Filante mid-size hybrid SUV (out of South Korea) and the Symbioz compact crossover (produced in Spain), he was expansive on available production sourcing opportunities from those centres as well as France, Morocco, Romania, Turkey and Brazil.“We've put our hand up, we'll look at the business cases and we’ll have some exciting things to say soon.”In pin-pointing the ‘sell’ that will help stand Renault apart from others in the market, Sealey said, “Fundamentally Renault represents a couple of things and it comes back to emotional design. Our cars look good. “It could be Master in its old age. The car’s nearly 10 years old but had an all time sales record in 2024. Koleos is holding up reasonably well for the age of that car, as well.“And we have user-friendly technology. Everything’s easy to use. It’s not intimidating, it’s not minimalistic and it’s not all on screens. There’s an appeal to that,” he said.