Articles by James Cleary

To torture a well worn Mark Twain reference, if Australia’s 2025 new vehicle sales numbers are anything to go by, reports of the diesel engine’s death are greatly exaggerated.According to Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries VFacts registration data, for the full calendar year of 2025 diesel-powered vehicles across passenger, SUV and light commercial segments totalled 364,605 units, only 1.7 per cent lower than 2024’s overall number (370,818).In fact, sales of diesel-powered passenger cars were up 1.3 per cent year-on-year (10,372 vs 10,242) with diesel SUV sales rising no less than 6.0 per cent (122,603 vs 115,670).Diesel light-commercial sales were down 5.4 per cent (231,630 vs 244,906) while plug-in hybrid commercials went from zero in 2024 to 20,634 last year.A coincidence that 18,073 examples of BYD’s Shark 6 PHEV dual cab ute found homes last year? We think not.The Ford Ranger was the best selling vehicle in 2025, but it wasn't alone at the top.Traditional diesel-heavy sellers the Toyota HiLux, Isuzu D-Max, Ford Everest and Toyota Prado filled the third to sixth slots on the 2025 overall sales leader board with others such as the Mitsubishi Triton lifting year-on-year volume, too. Only the second placed Toyota RAV4 Hybrid managed to break up diesel's dominance atop the new car sales charts last year.Of course, nothing stays the same forever and given the rapidly shifting form of the Australian new vehicle market and the increasing impact of the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) regime there’s a chance the diesel engine’s status may have changed dramatically by the end of 2026.But for now, it appears diesel power isn’t headed for the automotive graveyard just yet.  Australian diesel vehicle registrations:

Audi’s all-new, third-generation Q3 is on schedule for arrival in Australia in the second quarter of this year with pricing and specification now confirmed for the premium compact SUV.New from-the-ground-up, the 2026 Q3 brings a broader model range with a higher standard specification in conventional SUV and swoopy Sportback versions.Aside from a fresh design inside and out, the new Q3 features multiple updated powertrain options, upgraded lighting tech, improved multimedia and additional advanced safety features.The improved specification comes with a roughly seven per cent increase in cost-of-entry with the addition of Launch Edition variants on selected models, according to Audi "in limited numbers, only available while stocks last".  2026 Audi Q3 price Australia:2026 Audi Q3 engine/powertrain and efficiency:The new Q3 is offered with three powertrain choices.The TFSI 110kW is powered by a newly-developed 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, mild-hybrid, turbo-petrol engine sending (as the name implies) 110kW/250Nm to the front wheels through a seven-speed, dual-clutch auto transmission.The TFSI quattro 150kW features a 2.0L turbo-petrol four producing 150kW/320Nm and the top-shelf TFSI quattro 195kW boasts a higher-output 195kW/400Nm version of the 2.0-litre engine, both sending drive to all four wheels a seven-speed, dual-clutch auto.Claimed combined cycle fuel use for the TFSI 110kW is 6.6-6.0L/100km rising to 8.4-7.8L/100km for the TFSI quattro 150kW with a 55-litre fuel tank in both models. The TFSI quattro 190kW’s official figure rises to 9.0-8.5L/100km, the top model featuring a 60-litre tank. All three require a minimum 95 RON ‘premium’ fuel.Maximum braked trailer towing capacity is 2000kg for the 110kW and 150kW models, rising to 2100kg for the 190kW version.2026 Audi Q3 standard features: Alloy wheels11.9-inch digital instrument display12.8-inch multimedia touchscreenAdaptive cruise control360-degree camera viewAdaptive LED headlightsLeather-appointed upholstery10-speaker audioAmbient interior lightingAdaptive dampers (150kW/190kW)Panoramic glass sunroof (190kW)Head-up display (190kW)Climate control air-conditioningLeather-trimmed steering wheelDigital radioKeyless entry and startReversing camera2026 Audi Q3 optional features: Launch Edition - TFSI 110kW (SUV +$5400 - Sportback +$4400)  / TFSI quattro 150kW (+$4400): S line exterior styling for the 110kW SUV, 19-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels, metallic paint and red brake callipers, black exterior styling package, sound actuator and adaptive dampers.2026 Audi Q3 colours: (TBC for Australia - Euro options listed)Standard:Arkona WhiteOptional:Mythos Black MetallicNavarra Blue MetallicGlacier White MetallicProgressive Red MetallicTambora Grey MetallicMalpelo Blue MetallicSage Green MetallicArrow Grey Pearl EffectDaytona Grey Pearl Effect2026 Audi Q3 safety:The Audi Q3 scored a maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating from assessment in 2025.  Adult occupant protection - 87 per centChild occupant protection - 86 per centVulnerable road user protection - 80 per centSafety assist - 78 per cent 2026 Audi Q3 warranty and servicing:The Q3 is covered by Audi Australia’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty (with roadside-assist included) and twelve-year cover against bodywork corrosion perforation. Five-year service plans are available for Q3 models as is the ‘Audi Advantage’ program that allows owners to purchase two-year packages to extend servicing, warranty, and roadside assistance. Pricing hasn't been detailed yet.2026 Audi Q3 dimensions:Overall length for the Audi Q3 (SUV and Sportback) is 4531mm, width is 1859mm and height is 1601mm (Sportback 1440mm) with a 2681mm wheelbase. Boot space with rear seat up is 488L (VDA) in both variants, expanding to 1386L with rear seat folded in the SUV and 1289L in the Sportback. 

Further details on the Leapmotor A10 small EV SUV have been confirmed courtesy of application information lodged with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).We already know the city-sized five-door measures just 4.2m long, 1.8m wide and 1.6m tall, with a 2605mm wheelbase. But now we know the A10 (B03X for some export markets) is powered by a single 90kW electric motor and features a sophisticated oil-cooled drivetrain.Underpinned by the brand’s ‘global A’ EV-specific platform, the A10 boasts a claimed 500km (CLTC) range delivered by an “ultra-high-density” LFP battery. The MIIT filing also points to a rapid 16-minute 30-80 per cent charge time.According to Leapmotor, “The A10 is designed to break the industry’s three dilemmas: that premium must mean expensive, small cars must be low-tech and compact dimensions must sacrifice space.”The car’s global A architecture enables “flagship-level intelligence” including what the brand calls an ‘AI-powered cockpit’ as well as full over-the-air (OTA) updates throughout the vehicle’s life.At the same time, a prominent bump at the front of the A10’s roof, first seen in teaser images late last year, has now been identified as a Lidar sensor housing indicating availability of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features.The A10 follows Leapmotor’s ‘Technological Natural Aesthetics 2.0’ design language, already applied to its mid-size C10 and (soon-to-arrive in Australia) B10 small SUV stablemates. Details include semi-concealed door handles and dark side pillars for a ‘floating roof’ effect. The car will be offered in six colours in China with wheels ranging up to 18-inch alloys on high-spec grades shod with 215/50 tyres.Given domestic pricing is likely to sit around the ¥100,000 (low A$20,000) range, the A10 would be a natural competitor for the recently-arrived pure-electric BYD Atto 1 (from $23,990, before on-road costs), at the same time substantially undercutting the Hyundai Inster, recently reduced to $35,990, drive-away.When contacted for comment on the A10’s potential for the local market a Leapmotor Australia spokesperson said, “We haven’t confirmed yet but will let you know once we’re ready”.With Chinese order books open and domestic deliveries scheduled to begin in the first half of this year it sounds like the A10 will be hitting Aussie Leapmotor showrooms before the end of 2026.

In the years since the likes of GWM and MG established a beachhead for Chinese automotive brands in the local new car market a slew of others have followed.Economics 101 says increased competition in a mature market will quickly stimulate activity, generating big winners and significant losers.And the reality of 2025’s vehicle registration data, compiled by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI VFacts) and the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), has graphically validated that economic theory.More than 30 of the 60 passenger car and light commercial brands monitored by VFacts and the EVC went backwards in terms of sales volume in 2025 compared to 2024.But the winners were BIG, the top two improvers experiencing spectacular growth; the overall champ almost sending the needle off the clock.Of course, some were coming off a relatively small sales base, with increasing supply and expanding model line-ups inflating percentage figures. So, for context, we’ll also note outright volume increases and only include brands that recorded full-year sales in 2024.Here are our top five countdowns for biggest new car sales winners and losers in 2025.5) Rolls-Royce: Okay, it’s 13 extra cars for 2025 over 2024, but when each one of them retails for a minimum of $700K that’s some handy incremental profit margin. Obviously, for a select few it’s a case of ‘cost-of-living crisis be damned’, with no less than eight extra Cullinan SUVs and the same number of sedans finding a home last year. 4) Mini: A big year for Mini, including a major JCW-focused refresh across the range as well as a burst of sales for the pure-electric Aceman line-up. There were substantial boosts for the Cabrio (+100 per cent), Cooper (+45.2 per cent) and Countryman (+19 per cent).   3) Polestar: It was a case of swings and roundabouts for the Swedish EV specialist with the Polestar 2 liftback dropping sales while the larger 3 and 4 SUVs expanded total numbers by close to 40 per cent. Stand by for the performance-focused Polestar 5 GT’s impact when it arrives here mid-year.2) BYD: Market appetite for BYD’s products grew in parallel with its model range, the Chinese giant’s Aussie line-up expanding from four to eight models. Newcomers like the Atto 1, Atto 2 and Sealion 7 grew its share of the pie dramatically, but the star of the show was the Shark 6 hybrid ute, racking up more than 18,000 sales for the year.1) Chery: The sharply-priced Tiggo 4 Pro small SUV has proved a smash hit for Chery with sales building steadily over 2025, to the point where it’s nipping at the heels of the category-leading Hyundai Kona and MG ZS. Adding the large Tiggo 9 large SUV also delivered handy incremental sales.5) Suzuki: Despite the addition of the Fronx small hybrid SUV mid-year (which captured a handy 1667 sales) the evergreen Japanese brand went backwards in 2025, with stocks of the discontinued Ignis dwindling, Swift sales decreasing and even the cult-favourite Jimny in decline.   4) Jaguar: Kind of a no-brainer given the brand very publicly pulled the pin on production of everything except the F-Pace SUV for 12 months in preparation for a new, more premium range ramping up through 2026 and 2027. The big surprise is sales of the E-Pace growing four per cent year-on-year despite the manufacturing halt. Must have been a few in stock.  3) Maserati: Sales volume dropping by close to a third is rarely a good thing but with the Maserati Levante SUV falling off the radar there weren’t enough Grecale SUV buyers ready to pick up the slack. The Granturismo and Grancabrio coupe and convertible GTs were also missing in action creating a low ebb for the iconic Italian. 2) Jeep: Speaking of iconic brands, Jeep has been fighting well-publicised head winds in its US home market thanks to a seemingly ill-advised move to a more premium positioning with prices to match. Despite a slight sales uptick for the Grand Cherokee as it leaves the local stage, serious falls for the Wrangler 4WD and Gladiator ute also took the wind out of Jeep’s sales here.1) Lotus: Who would have thought a brand famous for simplifying and adding lightness in producing race-ready sports cars would be punished for heading down the pure-electric path with a heavy SUV (Eletre) and big four-door GT (Emeya). Even the internal-combustion mid-engine Emira (despite a stay of production execution) dropped by more than 50 per cent.   

If you thought Jaguar was in a state of turmoil in late 2024, that period of reinvention and provocative communication has nothing on the latter part of 2025.

New car reviews are the backbone of CarsGuide’s offering to its readers and viewers. The aim is to provide in-market buyers with the independent information they need to make an informed purchase decision and interested browsers with enough detail to satisfy their curiosity.

There’s something about spotting a Honda S660, Subaru Sambar or Suzuki Hustler in local traffic. A pang of regret that we’re denied mainstream access to the Kei car smorgasbord on offer in Japan.

Leapmotor hit the Aussie new-car market in early 2025. One of what feels like a never-ending wave of new challenger brands arriving from China in the last 18 months.And its C10 is yet another option in the crowded mid-size SUV segment, in this case offered in petrol-electric hybrid and pure-electric form.Its sharp pricing and generous spec were marked as big pluses in our first drive reviews. As was its space-efficiency and comfy drive characteristics.But another unifying theme was its relatively unrefined ADAS crash-avoidance systems. Which, to its credit, the brand has addressed head-on with an over-the-air software update.Timely then, to get behind the wheel and see if that high-tech tweak has made a discernible difference to an already solid package.At $49,888, before on-road costs, the top-spec C10 Design grade we’re testing here undercuts the Tesla Model Y RWD Single motor ($58,900, BOC) by the best part of $10K and puts the heat on other electric SUVs in its orbit like the Cupra Tavascan ($60,990), Kia EV5 Air 2wd Long Range ($61,170) and VW ID.4 Pro RWD ($59,990).  And that price includes a heap of standard features like 20-inch alloy wheels, a (fixed) panoramic glass roof (with power sunshade), dual-zone climate control air, electric front seats (heated and ventilated), 12-speaker audio, a power tailgate, synthetic leather seat trim and multi-colour (interior) ambient lighting.There’s also adaptive cruise, built-in sat nav, a 360-degree camera view, a heated steering wheel and heaps more. Impressive for a car sitting under the $50,000 threshold.Not too many straight edges on the C10 with curves and soft character lines the order of the day in terms of exterior design.While the flush-fit door handles deliver obvious aero benefits, the way they flip out and hinge from the front gets a black mark from me. They’re an ergonomic miss that force you to twist your wrist at an awkward angle to more or less push the door open. The entire handle pulling out parallel to the body is always a better solution.The cabin is minimalist to the max. Virtually no physical buttons and the 10.25-inch instrument cluster and 14.6-inch central screen are the only standouts in a sea of smooth, mid-grey surfaces. If you like Tesla’s cabin design ethos you’ll be onboard with the C10. But before you even get inside, access is weird. For a start, the ‘key’ is a sizeable plastic card which needs to be held against the driver’s side exterior mirror to lock or unlock the car, which obviously isn’t ideal if you want to open up the boot or passenger side doors.Owners have access to a smartphone app which includes a proximity unlocking function, but even that sounds overly complex just to get in the car. That said, the interior is super spacious for a car just over 4.7m long with a 2825mm wheelbase. Lots of breathing room up front and sitting behind the driver’s seat, set to my 183cm position, I have hectares of leg, head and shoulder room.There are cupholders all over the place, map pockets, big bins in the doors as well as a lidded cubby between the front seats and another storage area underneath the ‘flying buttress’ centre console.There are multiple USB-C and USB-A jacks, a wireless phone charger and 12-volt power for other devices, but, shock, horror… no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay functionality. That’ll be a deal-breaker for some.Boot space is handy at 581L with the 60/40 split-fold rear seat upright and 1410L with it lowered but another black mark goes against the lack of a physical spare tyre. A repair/inflator kit is your only option, which isn’t good enough.Outputs from the rear-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor, powered by a 69.9 LFP battery, are 160kW/320Nm and Leapmotor quotes a WLTP range of “up to 425km”.Maximum DC charge rate is a relatively modest 84kW for a claimed 30-80 per cent charge time of “approximately 30 minutes”. AC charge rate is 11.0kW and V2L (Vehicle to Load) functionality is a welcome addition.Official WLTP energy consumption is 18.5kWh/100km and during our week with the car we saw a dash-indicated figure of 13.4kWh/100km, which is excellent for a roughly 2.0-tonne SUV.Claimed 0-100km/h acceleration is 7.5 seconds and the C10 feels sharp with the ability to effortlessly negotiate city and suburban traffic.   Steering weight is adjustable through ‘Light’, ‘Standard’ and ‘Sport’ settings, although none of them add any meaningful road feel to the equation. Ride comfort, however, is terrific and all signs of the previous, overly assertive ADAS crash-avoidance systems are gone. Lane keeping, lane centering, even the over-speed warning, deliver subtle inputs and only when required.The C10 BEV is also quiet (even for an EV) with the 245/45 Dunlop e.Sport Maxx rubber remaining low-key with wind noise minimal, even at freeway speeds.The C10 is covered by a six-year/150,000km warranty, which is competitive and includes roadside assist for the duration, while the drive battery is covered for eight years/160,000km.Service is recommended every 12 months/20,000km which is more frequent than some pure-electric competitors (typically at two years/40,000km). And capped-price servicing is available for five years at $2000, or $400 per service, which is on the high side for an EV, even in this class.Crash-avoidance safety systems include auto emergency braking (AEB) front and rear, blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, driver fatigue monitoring and tyre pressure monitoring.There are seven airbags onboard, including a front centre bag, three child seat top tether points across the rear seat (as well as ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions) and multi-collision brake to minimise the chances of subsequent impacts after an initial crash. The C10 scored a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment from testing in 2024.

In 2009, way back in the dim, distant first decade of this century, ‘Kevin ‘07’ was a couple of years into his tumultuous prime ministership, England regained the Ashes and Toyota was boring.Despite leading the market with - you guessed it - a 20 per cent share, dealer showrooms were filled with what now looks like a classic bunch of whitegoods on wheels.A bland Corolla, timid Yaris and by-the-numbers Camry. The ageing Tarago was still on offer and the LandCruiser 200 Series wasn’t exactly pushing the envelope, while the 70 Series soldiered on in a retro-technical time warp. Not a Celica, Supra or MR2 in sight.The dangerously adventurous could opt for a RAV4, Prius or even an Aurion Sportivo… naughty! But the Avensis Verso brought the brand crashing back down to earth. Has there ever been a more vanilla car?However, 2009 was also the year Akio Toyoda, grandson of the man who founded what is now Toyota Motor Corporation, rose to lead the Japanese giant; then as now, the world’s largest carmaker.Having been in the company since the mid-’80s and on the board from 2000 the new CEO and President came to the top job with some big ideas in mind.While some see him as a poseur with ‘Master Driver’ on his business card and a motorsport pseudonym on his crash helmet, I think his ascension was a huge moment in time, not just for Toyota, but the global car business. Here’s why. First and foremost he’s an enthusiast, not just a number-crunching business proprietor. Like the giants of Detroit’s golden era - Lee Iacocca, John DeLorean and Bob Lutz - Toyoda-san is a ‘car guy’. One who’d been working the angles behind the scenes as TMC’s Executive Vice President since 2005. And he hit the ground running.A key supporter of the FJ Cruiser, which managed to wrap heritage and modernity into a super-fun package with (cost-saving) Prado underpinnings, he was also a fan of the Rukus.  Arriving in 2010, the squared-off wagon wasn’t a screaming success here (or elsewhere, for that matter) but it was an infinitely bolder, more interesting car designed to be customisable for goodness sake.  And soon enough it was followed by the pure and simple 86 (made viable via co-production with Subaru) and a new Supra (a JV with BMW).Exciting Toyotas were back, with the rest of the brand’s line-up basking in the new found excitement.Like all good strategic objectives, Akio’s ‘Making ever-better cars’ mantra is simple on the surface but brilliantly flexible in practice.On a purely operation level it’s led to the development of the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform that, since its arrival in 2015, has delivered not only cost savings and improved manufacturing efficiencies but dynamic, more engaging products.Have you driven a TNGA Camry lately? It’s really, really good.His long-term position on hybrid propulsion has proved to be another winner, with Akio expanding the concept out from the Prius program to underpin Toyota’s broader powertrain philosophy, standing his ground while other global carmakers made furious all-in bets on pure-electric tech.That continuing success with hybrid has laid down a marker for other brands, including the latest crop of Chinese challengers, to follow.Then there’s the off-beat Gazoo Racing, GR for short, with an occasional hardcore extension to GRMN (Gazoo Racing Masters of Nurburgring).BMW DNA aside, the GR Supra was a mark of ongoing intent with the rip-snorting GR Yaris and GR Corolla (the latter with a GRMN version reportedly in the offing) and of course the just-landed GR GT following. The MR2 and possibly Celica are set for a comeback any tick of the clock (and stand by for the uber-cool LandCruiser FJ).Even though he was no doubt part of the decision to select reverse on F1 (in 2009) Akio saw sports endurance racing as a better bet for hybrid development and promotion with five Le Mans victories and four World Manufacturers Championship titles in the last decade vindicating the move.Even though he stepped down as Toyota CEO in early 2023, his ongoing role as Chairman has allowed Akio to continue making a mark on the company’s brand direction and personality.Ongoing development of hydrogen, in fuel-cell and internal-combustion form, is part of Toyota’s ‘multi-pathway’ program also covering internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid and battery-electric vehicle development.In short, Akio Toyoda is an automotive superhero that’s had the courage to take a multi-faceted giant to new heights thanks largely to a focus on products that are not only reliable, well-made and cheap to service but daring, innovative and fun to drive. More power to him! 

Ford CEO Jim Farley has gone on the record with his support for development of a new rear-wheel drive Ford sedan.