Browse over 9,000 car reviews

Articles by James Cleary

James Cleary
Deputy Editor

As a small boy James often sat on a lounge with three shoes in front of him, a ruler between the cushions, and a circular drinks tray in his hands. He would then play ‘drivings’, happily heading to destinations unknown for hours on end. He’s since owned many cars, raced a few, and driven (literally) thousands of them at all points of the globe.

He’s steered around and across Australia multiple times, spent time as an advanced driving instructor, and had the opportunity to experience rare and valuable classics here and overseas.

His time in motoring journalism has included stints at national and international titles including Motor, Wheels and TopGear, and when asked to nominate a career highlight, James says interviewing industry legend Gordon Murray, in the paddock at the 1989 Australian Formula One Grand Prix was amazing, especially as Murray waived away a hovering Ayrton Senna to complete the conversation.

As Deputy Editor, James manages everything from sub-editing to back-end content while creating written and video product reviews.

Australia's new EV price leader? BYD Seagull in right-hand drive heading to the UK but will the sub-Dolphin city car come here to cut the GWM Ora, MG4 & Nissan Leaf off at the knees?
By James Cleary · 21 Mar 2025
Chinese automotive giant BYD has confirmed right-hand drive production of its city-sized Seagull EV for sale in the UK this year, opening up the possibility of the budget-focused five-door coming to Australia.
Read the article
The post-V8 era begins! Ram 1500 pricing and spec confirmed with 'Hurricane' in-line six models ready for battle with Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150 & Toyota Tundra
By James Cleary · 21 Mar 2025
It may be faster and more powerful than the ‘Hemi’ V8-powered model it replaces but the big question is whether the in-line six-cylinder MY25 Ram 1500 maintains its well-established ‘tough truck' aura with two fewer cylinders under the bonnet.
Read the article
Holden Commodore from another dimension receives its final facelift: New Buick Regal GS is the Ford Falcon XR6 competitor that could have been!  
By James Cleary · 18 Mar 2025
Imagine you’re living in another dimension where General Motors decided to keep the Holden brand alive in Australia and the Opel Insignia-based ZB Commodore is still in market.Now take a look at the pictures accompanying this story and that’s more than likely the car that would currently be gracing Holden showrooms across the country.That’s because, despite GM’s sale of Opel to PSA Group in 2017 and the German brand’s transition to Stellantis four years later (in the PSA - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles merger), the Insignia-based car lives on as the Buick Regal in China.And that inter-dimensional Commodore has just received what would surely have been the evergreen Holden’s final facelift.SAIC General Motors is enjoying ongoing success with the Buick brand in the Chinese domestic market with the Regal serving as “a mid-to-high-end car with super driving value”.A 2024 facelift introduced a new grille and bumper treatment to freshen up the car’s look, although its 2018 origins are still clear.But headline news is this month’s introduction of a GS ‘Gran Sport’ high-performance version of the four-door, five-seater.However, rather than the up to 7.5-litre (455ci) V8 engines powering Buick GS muscle cars of the 1960s and early ‘70s, the new Regal offers a 176kW/350Nm version of the ‘Ecotec’ 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine driving the front wheels through a nine-speed auto transmission.Externally the GS sports an ‘Obsidian Black’ grille with cells arranged “in a three-dimensional matrix” and a "fang blade” across its centre. There’s also a black “Tail Wing” spoiler across the boot lid and GS badging front and rear.Underneath the skin the Regal GS’s suspension has been given “European-style sports chassis tuning” and upgraded Brembo brakes are standard, but there are no changes to the interior.Interestingly, owners of 2024 and onwards model Regals will be able to retrofit their car with a GS upgrade kit.SAIC GM says it has sold more than 1.8 million Buick Regals in China over multiple generations and more than two decades on sale. But Holden devotees can only dream of the Holden Commodore GS that could have been.
Read the article
Ripe for a refresh: 2025 Chery Omoda 5 cosmetic and packaging update timely in battle with Hyundai Kona, MG ZS, GWM Haval Jolion and Mitsubishi ASX
By James Cleary · 18 Mar 2025
Believe it or not, exactly two years have passed since the Chery Omoda 5 reestablished the Chinese challenger brand’s presence in the Australian new car market.It was already two years old by the time it hit our shores, so a design and packaging refresh is almost overdue.No surprise, then, that an updated version of the five-seat Omoda 5 small SUV has begun to appear in selected export markets.Changes are mostly cosmetic, including a glow-up for the previous broad, honeycomb-style grille to an equally bold ‘Matrix Grille’ treatment. At the same time the combination headlight pods on either side have been extended downwards and recessed more distinctly to form a more pronounced angular section defining the grille.The Omoda name also sits proudly at the top of the nose, under the leading edge of the bonnet in similar fashion to the current Omoda E5 pure-electric variant, while the slimline LED DRLs are unchanged. Redesigned 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels feature a five-way twin-spoke design.But the updates aren’t all cosmetic with the brand’s packaging boffins tweaking the boot space to increase volume (with rear seats upright) close to 20 per cent from 372 litres (360L quoted in Australia) to 442 litres.The interior is untouched with the sleek dual 10.25-inch screens in place across the dash and broad centre console including a ‘flying buttress’ design to provide a handy lower storage and connectivity space.Similarly, the (108kW /210Nm) 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine driving the front wheels through a CVT auto is unchanged.    When contacted for an update on the revised Omoda 5’s arrival in the local market, Chery Australia told CarsGuide it "doesn't have any confirmed timing for this model as yet".
Read the article
Toyota is coming for the BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora and MG4, but is a Toyota Yaris electric car really in its future?: reports 
By James Cleary · 14 Mar 2025
Toyota has been reaping the benefits of a relatively reserved global electric vehicle strategy, but other makers have been diving into the deep end of the EV pool with offerings in virtually all market categories.Sticking with the petrol-electric hybrid technology it pioneered in the 1990s, the Japanese giant appears to have struck the optimal mix of powertrains to generate consumer demand while dealing with ever-tightening carbon emissions and vehicle sales regulations.But that doesn’t mean Toyota has consigned EVs to the back burner. The bZ4X compact EV SUV has been launched in multiple export markets, including Australia, its larger bZ3X cousin (jointly-developed with GAC) is offered as a budget-focused option in China and the C-HR+ has just launched in Europe.And other EVs are reportedly either under consideration or in the early stages of development as the appetite for electric cars continues to grow, but at a far slower rate than many manufacturers initially believed it would.One long-standing Toyota city-car favourite, seemingly ripe for electrification, is the Yaris and Toyota Motor Europe’s Director of Marketing and Product Development Andrea Carlucci has confirmed an electric successor for the sub-compact five-door is in the company’s plans.Speaking at this week’s launch of the pure-electric C-HR+, Mr Carlucci told Autocar a Toyota electric supermini is likely to arrive in the latter part of the decade but made the point that new EVs in higher volume segments will take priority.When asked about a Yaris EV he said, “This is the idea, but now it is not something we talk about”."We have deliberately decided to start in the fastest-growing segments. The right moment will arrive, but this is not quite now. There will come a time and a place.“For us, it is all about the right car, the right place at the right time. It really is. And at the moment, the expansion you're seeing are the right segments for Europe for us right now,” he said.Interestingly, like the C-HR+, the newcomer is expected to retain the Yaris name, as Carlucci told Autocar that future Toyota EVs would take "familiar" names from “current cars”.And Toyota is not alone in reevaluating its decision to designate its electric models with specific (in this case 'bZ') sub-branding, as Audi has massaged its ‘e-tron’ naming conventions and Mercedes-Benz has integrated its ‘EQ’ models into the brand’s broader model line-up.
Read the article
Porsche boss confirms Macan expansion plan: Pure-EV strategy set to evolve with new ICE SUV model to take the fight to Audi Q5, BMW X3, Lexus NX and Mercedes GLC
By James Cleary · 13 Mar 2025
Porsche CEO Oliver Blume has addressed the EV-only Macan shaped elephant in the room with news of a complimentary SUV model line, including internal-combustion variants, set to arrive before the end of the decade.
Read the article
Deepal G318 2025 review - International preview drive
By James Cleary · 12 Mar 2025
The onslaught of new challenger brands and models coming to the Aussie new-car market is not slowing down. And this five-seat range-extender EV 4WD, the Deepal G318, is on the cards for local launch. CarsGuide had the opportunity to take a preview drive.
Read the article
Audi V8 supercar comeback! New-generation R8 coming for Mercedes-AMG GT and Porsche 911: report
By James Cleary · 11 Mar 2025
You may have thought the retirement of Audi’s R8 in late 2021 marked the end of the German brand’s latest supercar era. But if reports out of the UK overnight are accurate, the mid-engine machine is set to make a spectacular comeback, with a twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain replacing the previous version’s howling atmo V10.
Read the article
Will newbie upset the EV status quo? Volkswagen ID. Every1 electric car concept previews upcoming attack on Fiat 500e, BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora, Merc EQA, Mini Aceman, Polestar 2, Smart #1, Tesla Model 3 and Volvo EX30
By James Cleary · 06 Mar 2025
Volkswagen continues to expand its ID. battery-electric vehicle portfolio with an overnight reveal of the precursor to its upcoming small electric car weapon, the ID. 1.Dubbed ID. Every1, the small, five-door, four-seat concept hatch is pitched as a vision of “an electric 20,000-euro Volkswagen from Europe for Europe”.On current exchange rates a direct conversion of €20,000 equates to $34,000, which even with an import/distribution price bump, would put the newcomer in the same ball park as the mid-range BYD Dolphin Dynamic ($36,890) and GWM Ora (from $35,990), while dramatically undercutting the likes of the Fiat 500e, Merc EQA, Mini Aceman, Polestar 2, Smart #1, Tesla Model 3 and Volvo EX30, all of which live in the $55–$65K starting price band.The eventual ID. 1 production car is scheduled for a 2027 introduction and Volkswagen said it will be one of nine new models to arrive by then, including four electric cars based on its flexible ‘MEB’ electric platform. A production version of the brand’s ID. 2all concept from early 2023 is already on track for launch as the ID. 2 “in the 25,000-euro class” in 2026. And VW said it and the ID. 1 are part of its new ‘Electric Urban Car Family’ of MEB-based front-wheel drive offerings.Designed with the aim of capturing the essence of its VW up! city car predecessor, the ID. Every1 measures just under 3.9m long which puts it between the up! (3.6m) and the current Polo (4.1m) in terms of overall size.A new motor in its nose (with outputs yet to be confirmed) is powered by a small, low-cost lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and target driving range is 250km. A simple torsion beam rear suspension design also frees up space for a useful 305-litre boot capacity.The sparse interior design looks close to production-ready with digital displays neatly integrated into a striking wrap-around dash treatment.Despite the production car's ‘from Europe for Europe’ ambition there’s little doubt the ID. 1 will be on Volkswagen Australia’s wish list.And when asked if the car is a likely prospect for local sale a Volkswagen Group Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide, “Volkswagen is committed to electrification starting with the Touareg R PHEV, and the fully electric ID. 4, ID. 5 and ID. Buzz. "We will actively seek further product opportunities given Volkswagen’s significant investment in next generation electrified vehicles,” they said.
Read the article