Articles by John Law

Companies selling cars in Europe are predicting massive fines for over-stepping stringent CO2 targets.  Volkswagen, Europe’s largest carmaker group, estimates it will have to pay €1.5 billion (A$) worth of fines come the end of 2025, according to head of the VW Group Treasury Rolf Woller speaking to analysts, says Bloomberg.

Lexus has announced a new off-road-focused grade for its flagship LX 4WD. The 2025 Lexus LX Overtrail borrows the variant name debuted on its smaller, Toyota LandCruiser Prado-based sibling, the GX.The LX is bigger inside and out and comes with punchier engines, including a 227kW/700Nm 3.3-litre turbo-diesel V6 and Lexus-exclusive 3.5-litre turbo-petrol outputting a stout 305kW and 650Nm. You can tell the Overtrail apart by black accents on the huge front grille, front and rear bumpers, mirrors, window trims, door handles, roof rails and wheelarches. Within those arches, the Overtrail scores unique 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 275/70 R18 Toyo Open Country all-terrain tyres. Adding to off-road prowess is the standard fitment of three (front, centre and rear) locking differentials along with high and low range, just like the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series GR Sport. Like all LXs, the Overtrail is equipped with off-road driver aids such as Multi-Terrain Select, terrain monitoring cameras and height-adjustable air suspension. Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control function as sort of off-road cruise controls for the LX. Lexus’ announcement of the LX overtrail coincides with the broader MY25 upgrades, including a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen, engine mounts, improved acoustics and other changes.Although diesel and petrol are locked in for a launch in the first half of this year, Lexus Australia says it is still evaluating the GX hybrid’s twin-turbo petrol V6 and electric motor combination before it goes on sale. While the diesel is five- or seven-seat, the hybrid is five-seat only. Exact features are yet to be confirmed for the LX range. Expect a similar range structure, with Sports Luxury, F Sport and Ultra Luxury trims available on various engines with the Overtrail sitting towards the top of the line-up. Pricing also remains a mystery for now. The currency LX runs from $155,976 (LX500d AWD) to $217,976 (LX600 Ultra Luxury), before on-road costs. We’d wager on increases with the 2025 Lexus LX. 

Honda is gearing up to add the first mainstream electric car into the New Zealand market.  The awkwardly-named e:Ny1 was the brand’s second electric car following the prototype-like 'e' city car that was not officially sold new in Australia (though there are grey import examples running around). 

New Australian Design Rules (ADRs) will begin to bite from March 1, 2025, requiring all new vehicles to be sold with auto emergency braking (AEB) systems. The rules mean major withdrawals from the Australian new-car market but they aren’t quite as widespread as you might imagine, with some manufacturers putting in the effort to keep their cars on the right side of the law. Falling in line with United Nations safety protocols, ADR 98/00 — Advanced Emergency Braking for Passenger Vehicles and Light Goods Vehicles requires the fitment of AEB, a life-saving technology that can automatically apply the brakes if a car senses an impending crash. These systems have various levels of effectiveness but the latest rule change is concerned with being able to detect other cars on the road. The systems must function at least between 10-60km/h and be able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop on a dry road from 40km/h. They must also switch on every time the car is started. This applied to new models of passenger car, light and medium commercial vehicles from March 1, 2023 and will cover all new vehicles imported into Australia from March 1.Mitsubishi is the hardest hit by the new rules, no longer able to sell the Pajero Sport off-road SUV or Eclipse Cross small SUV. The long-running ASX is also affected but Mitsubishi’s small SUV will be replaced by a new model this year.Next casualty is the cut-price Suzuki Ignis, which is not fitted with the technology. A new model, the Fronx, will replace it but probably not at its bargain price. Entry-level Vitaras will also be affected, though the brand did not respond to our query. The Porsche 718 would have been hit by the rule change, but production ceased in September with a new electric generation coming equipped with AEB. Another affordable brand slugged with the need for AEB is LDV, its cheap V80 large van is not equipped with the technology but, like the Porsche, production ended last year and all that’s left is existing stock. The entry trim T60 ute and all G10 van trims also lack AEB. CarsGuide was informed by a spokesperson that both “will meet the upcoming requirements for ADR 98/00”, with more news to share in the coming months. The Toyota Granvia people mover has also been given the chop. Onto the, perhaps unlikely, candidates that are equipped with AEB. Despite their age, these vehicles remain important sellers for carmakers, so it was clearly worth investing.There is none older than the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, over 40 years old its mid-life crisis (or glow-up) saw Toyota add crucial AEB including pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection. Toyota also, a little sneakily, bumped the GVM beyond 3500kg to 3510kg in 2023. The value of this is that the 70 Series becomes reclassified as a medium goods vehicle, allowing it to dodge the latest side impact regulations that would’ve seen an imminent sales stop. The Toyota Fortuner, current HiLux and GR86 manual are all equipped with AEB that permit sale in Australia up to, and beyond, 2026.Another ageing model due for replacement is the Nissan Patrol, though the new version is not due until 2026 the Y62’s many life-cycle updates saw ‘Intelligent Emergency Braking’, an AEB system that can detect cars and pedestrians, way back in 2019.Also worth noting is the British Ineos Grenadier off-roader, the first batch does not have AEB. Cheekily, orders opened in May 2022 (before the mandate for all-new models) but customers didn’t receive cars in bulk until the first quarter of 2023, and Australian media only sampled the cars in December of that year. CarsGuide understands that all Grenadiers and Quartermasters will be equipped with AEB from March onwards.The Australian Government has launched a review into ADRs going forwards now there is no longer local manufacturing to legislate (and protect). The next big active safety ADR change (revised as ADR 98/01) is due in August 2026, when all cars sold must have AEB systems that can intervene if a pedestrian is detected in the path of a vehicle. Some carmakers, including Nissan and Mitsubishi, have called for this to better align Australia’s laws with Europe, Japan and the USA promoting greater affordability and fast-tracking of more efficient models. 

The trail of the new Toyota RAV4 is heating up.

Kia’s commercial vehicle attack is taking shape as its PV5 modular electric van gears up to launch in the UK this year.

The Skoda Octavia liftback and wagon range will grow with the introduction of the new-look RS flagship. Powered by a 195kW/370Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, the tuned-up Octavia gains 15kW over its predecessor, along with styling and technology updates. Skoda has now made 'Premium Pack' — previously $6600 and optioned to 80 per cent of cars — standard. The list price is also a little lower, now $58,490 for the liftback and $59,990 for the wagon, down $1270 and $1470, respectively. The pack includes heated front and rear seats, a 12-speaker Canton sound system, a head-up display, tri-zone climate control, power-adjust front seats with massage and memory and passenger side mirror tilt (in reverse). Skoda is yet to announce its national drive-away pricing program, with the pre-facelift Octavia offered at $56,990 (liftback) or $58,490 (wagon). Expect those figures in around eight weeks when customer cars start arriving in the country. The latest Octavia benefits from some other general upgrades, including a wireless charging pad, intelligent park assist, a 360-degree camera view, heated steering wheel and windscreen along with a larger 13.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with upgraded software. With a unique form factor in the market, the sporty Skoda Octavia RS is a more practical alternative to rivals such as the Hyundai i30 N, Toyota GR Corolla and Volkswagen Golf GTI. “Skoda continues to be a ‘unique service provider’ of attainable and intelligent medium sized passenger cars with the Octavia, and the RS likewise delivers a fast sedan or wagon like no other model in the market," said Skoda Australia Product Manager Glenn Reid. In RS guise, extra grunt means the Octavia is two tenths of a seconds faster from 0-100km/h, now at 6.4 seconds for the liftback and 6.5 for the sedan. It features an electronically actuated mechanically locking front differential and seven-speed ‘DSG’ dual-clutch automatic transmission.Visual changes to the Octavia RS are minor, with new LED headlights, a fresh lower valance and more intricate tail-lights. The Octavia RS is available in seven colours, with 'Candy White', 'Mamba Green', 'Moon White', 'Brilliant Silver', 'Black Magic pearl' and 'Race Blue' all included in the price. 'Velvet Red' (pictured) is the only extra-cost colour at $770.The RS joins the entry-level Octavia 110TSI Select with a Sportline grade to be introduced imminently. Prices listed are before on-road costs unless otherwise noted

Ram is gearing up for a new model in one of the world’s largest vehicle segments.

The Volkswagen Group’s first electric car to arrive in Australia is now being heavily discounted. Following its launch in May 2023, the spicy Cupra Born’s drive-away price has been slashed up to $19,400 until April 1 to make way for the more potent VZ version. That said, the $47,090 drive-away price is not representative of any examples listed in stock, all of which have the interior, performance, or both packs equipped. That means you’ll be paying $49,690 (performance), $49,990 (interior) or $52,690 (both packs) drive-away. The discounts mean Cupra Born buyers in the ACT will save $14,900; Queensland $16,490; NSW, SA and Tasmania $17,400; Victoria $17,900 and $19,400 in WA. Run-out pricing makes the sporty Cupra Born more enticing alongside similar price electric cars, such as the MG4 77kWh, Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2. As part of Cupra’s sales activity, there are deals on the whole range including Leon hot hatch, Ateca small SUV and Formentor SUV. There is only one Cupra Born trim sold in Australia, carrying a 77kWh (usable) battery pack for a WLTP-verified 511km combined driving range. The Born employs a single 170kW/310Nm electric motor sending drive to the rear wheels via a single-speed reduction gear for a 0-100km/h sprint in 7.0 seconds. Standard equipment includes LED lighting, bucket seats, 19-inch alloy wheels, 12.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Optionally, a $2900 interior package brings 12-way power adjustable seats, different upholstery and a Beats sound system. The 'Performance Pack' upsizes the wheels to 20 inches wrapped in stickier Michelin Pilot Sport tyres. Since introduction, Cupra has sold 1352 Borns in Australia. In the first half of this year, though, the package will become more compelling with a mid-life tech boost and much punchier VZ grade in the first half of this year. The Cupra Born VZ gets a serious boost, with power up 70kW to 240kW and torque rising to 545Nm reducing the 0-100km/h sprint by 1.3 seconds. New adaptive dampers and suspension, more efficient motors and larger 79kWh battery, the latter of which increase range to an impressive 570km (WLTP combined). Prices listed are national drive-away until 1 April

We now have a better idea than ever what the new Mazda CX-5’s hybrid engine will look like thanks to new patent filings.  Japanese publication BestCar unearthed patents from Mazda in December last year and has broken them down, giving us an idea of what to expect ahead of the new CX-5 replacement’s debut, which is expected for the third quarter of 2025.