Articles by Laura Berry

Which Mitsubishi do you wish would make a comeback? Pajero? Lancer?  Well, Mitsubishi is currently undertaking a massive overhaul of its Australian line-up with several new models to come to fill the gaps. So while they're at it we’ve put together our wishlist of cars they really should really revive or bring here. The changes to the Australian Design rules (ADRs) in March this year meant Mitsubishi had to axe three vehicles from its local lineup.  These were the ASX small SUV, the bigger Eclipse Cross SUV and the Pajero Sport off-roader. This leaves Mitsubishi with just two cars on sale in Australia — the Triton ute and Outlander mid-sized SUV. Meanwhile Toyota has 23 models on sale.Now we're not suggesting that Mitsubishi needs another 21 models, Ford is managing just fine on pretty much the Ranger, Everest and Mustang, but I definitely think there are some essentials the brand could use and a few dream cars while we're at it.Probably the most obvious model Mitsubishi needs right now is the Pajero. Yep once-upon-a-1990s the Toyota Prado and Mitsubishi Pajero wrestled for dominance all over Australia, from the outback to suburbia. The Pajero eventually lost the battle and was axed by Mitsubishi in 2020 … or so we thought! Imagine the comeback. Just when the new generation Prado had arrived and was still gloating, the Pajero could make its return. Sure the Pajero Sport is coming back in 2026, but that’s a Ford Everest rival. The beauty is Mitsubishi could easily plonk another, posher-looking SUV body on the ladder frame and call it the Pajero. And they’ve already got the badges made up. You just just take the “Sport” bit off. Think of the savings.Next on our wish list is not really a car that would sell in high numbers, but it'd be the halo car in many ways the brand needs so badly right now —  a reborn Lancer, and yes, with an Evolution grade as well. Or maybe just a standalone Lancer Evo XI. I think we’re up to XI, I can't remember but I tested the very final one in 2015.Back in the final glory days of Ford Falcon versus Holden Commodore there were two other tribes going to war: Subaru WRX v Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. These days the WRX lives on, but it looks so lonely without the Lancer EVO to play with.Finally, and given the number of grey imports we see of this car, Mitsubishi needs to add the Delica people mover to its Aussie line-up. What’s not to like about a high-riding all-wheel drive six-seater van?A sixth-generation of the people mover is expected in the next two years and whether it looks anything like the futuristic and silly Delica concept Mitsubishi revealed at the 2023 Tokyo Motorshow is yet to be seen.A wishlist for Mitsubishi could go one forever, who wouldn’t want to see the Colt come back, or the Cordia Turbo? Or the 3000GT?In reality the ASX will be back and so too will the Pajero Sport, and that might be all Mitsubishi needs as it faces bigger problems.  Challenges like how on Earth will it adapt to a rapidly changing market that’s been inundated with excellent electric vehicles from brands which hardly existed five years ago. Currently Mitsubishi doesn’t even sell one purely electric vehicle in Australia at all.

MG has officially unveiled the new-generation Chiense MG4 electric hatch, which is a different vehicle compared to the MG4 sold in global markets such as Australia, and it could have a "semi-solid-state" battery.Due to launch in China in September this year, the China-market MG4 is larger than the version sold here. It is 108 mm longer at 4395 mm in length, but shares the same Nebula EV platform that underpins our MG4.MG Australia has advised that no decision has been made yet on whether this car will come to Australia.The rounder, softer styling of this MG4 is in contrast to the aggressive and angular design of the previous model. There are short overhangs, redesigned headlights and taillights, 17-inch alloy wheels and traditional door handles. CarsGuide understands that there is a single motor driving the rear wheels and producing 120kW.A lithium iron phosphate LFP battery is expected as well, but capacity has not been revealed at this stage. What has been hinted at is the China-market MG4 could use a semi-solid-state battery, which is found in sister brand IM Motors.In December last year MG’s Brand Division Manager, Chen Cui, posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo that one of its new cars launching in 2025 would have a semi-solid-state battery as standard and that it wouldn't be pricey. Lithium-ion batteries use a liquid or gel electrolyte, which has charging speed and range limitations and is potentially flammable. Semi-solid state batteries, on the other hand, use a solid material suspended in a liquid electrolyte making them more stable. Fire-risk is reduced because leakage is less likely.They are also more energy dense than conventional batteries, delivering more driving range from similar sized cells.These aren't the much-hyped solid-state batteries, though.The MG4 could be the car to gain a semi-solid state battery, given that the model has been a runaway success in Australia and the UK. Parent company SAIC has said that it wants to use its technological knowledge to its advantage to beat its competitors.In Australia the MG4 has been an incredibly popular electric car with CarsGuide noting its very affordable entry price, good driving dynamics and practicality, and the larger China-market version could have similar success if it ever arrived here. In 2024 6,934 MG4s were sold in Australia making it the segment leader for small cars over $40,000.In the last seven months more and more affordable electric Chinese cars and brands have entered Australia and put the pressure on MG. Brands such as BYD, Geely and Zeekr are becoming more popular in Australia.

Maybe it’s the Ferrari SUV looks or the competitive pricing, but whatever it is Chinese car manufacturer Xiaomi's YU7 electric SUV is selling faster than it’s possible for the company to make, with 240,000 locked-in orders being placed in China within 18 hours after its launch.With a starting price of about A$54,000, the five-metre long five-seater YU7 is a rival to Tesla's Model Y, BYD Sealion 7, Zeekr’s 7X and BYD’s upcoming Tang L. And its popularity should have those carmaking behemoths shaking in their boots.The huge number of orders for the YU7 means Xiaomi's production capacity has been overwhelmed and it will take until early 2027 for it to be able to produce those 240,000 locked-in orders.Xiaomi currently only has one plant located in Beijing with an annual capacity of 150,000 units.  A second plant is under construction and is expected to be operational this month with an annual capacity of 150,000 units as well.In China the YU7 is offered in three grades. The range kicks off with the Standard grade, featuring a single motor powering the rear wheels and producing 235W and 528Nm. Stepping up to the Pro grade brings all-wheel drive and two motors with a combined output of 365kW and 690Nm. Both use a 96.3kWh LFP battery.  Top-of-the-range Max is also all-wheel drive and its motors produce a whopping 508kW and 866Nm. That's enough grunt to throw this SUV from 0 to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds. A bigger 101kWh NCM battery is in the Max.The YU7 is Xiaomi's second vehicle to come to market following the SU7 saloon’s arrival in May, 2024. A rival to Tesla's Model 3 the SU7 has also seen outstanding sales numbers with more than 258,000 sold since its launch. Xiaomi is better known as an electronics maker producing phones especially. While it hasn't been confirmed if the company will come to Australia, given the success of rival Chinese companies like BYD, Geely and MG it's likely the company will bring its products here at some point. 

The final installment of the Berry family's long-term test of the GWM Tank 500 Ultra is here. Does a recent discovery change the verdict?

Subaru, we love you but you're missing a few things.Where is your ute? Your retro-revived Brumby? And while we’re at it there are so many other models you should be making and selling in Australia. Here’s our shopping list of what Subaru needs to doOK, well it does look like the Brumby might happen, with CarsGuide reporting recently that Subaru and Toyota were teaming up to produce a small electric ute. And that’s exciting even if it’s only taken 31 years to bring the Brumby back. We’re not saying Subaru doesn't have any good cars in Australia - it absolutely does. The family favourite Forester is probably the best off-the beaten track capable mid sized SUV and the WRX is a superb rally car for the road, but there are more than a few missing models from Subaru’s line-up.The most obvious is a seven seater SUV, which would be able to compete with Mitsubishi's Outlander, Kia’s Sorento and Hyundai’s Santa Fe. Imagine a Forester XL — a three row, seven-seat SUV that’s about 200mm longer than the standard Forester at 4840mm length. It’d have Subaru’s symmetrical SUV and 215mm of ground clearance and be one of the most adept light-off roaders on sale. Price it from $50,990 to $73,000. It’d sell like cakes that are hot.You actually don't have to imagine a Forester XL, because it really exists in the United States and it's called the Ascent. It's  a three-row seven- or eight-seat SUV that's basically a big Forester.What about a Toyota LandCruiser or Nissan Patrol rival? Could Subaru build one of these? Not on its own, but it is very buddy-buddy with Toyota. In the same way Subaru’s BRZ sports car and Solterra electric SUV were both born out of joint ventures with Toyota, a LandCruiser Prado or 300 Series version could be entirely possible.Oh, and while we’re at it, a HiLux-based ute would also see Subaru go head-to-head with Ford’s Ranger, Nissan’s Navara and Isuzu D-Max.I’d like to think Subaru could come up with amazing names for these two new vehicles but history says coming up with a names isn’t really the brand’s strength. So the ute would likely be something like the Subaru Muster and the big hardcore off-road SUV would be the Subaru Longitude. Terrible names, great cars. And finally, a people-mover and you can thank the Kia Carnival for changing everybody’s mind about these vans being uncool and making them kind of desirable again. Subaru actually sold a seven-seater people-mover called the Exiga in 2012. It was based on the Liberty wagon, but it was discontinued in 2015 from Australia.Despite people mover sales only representing about one per cent of the total market share Kia still managed to sell 10,080 Carnivals in 2024 — that's a quarter of Subaru's total sales for the same year. Will any of these imaginary Subarus actually happen? Probably not. Well the Brumby small ute is likely. Subaru plans to make more joint venture EVs with Toyota, which also makes sense. Still a Forester XL would be nice.

Toyota’s European bosses are blaming the styling of the Corolla Cross for the small SUV’s struggling sales, despite the vehicle selling well in Australia and other markets.

BYD’s luxury division Denza has revealed specifications for its new, large Ti7 plug-in hybrid SUV which will likely come to Australia when the brand launches here later this year.

Subaru has increased the price of its Crosstrek small SUV which has also gained a new crash safety rating.The Crosstrek, and its Impreza hatchback cousin, have been awarded a five-star ANCAP crash safety rating, on the back of a 2025 model year update that has introduced new tech and a cleaner powertrain for hybrid variants.The Crosstrek's price increase is relatively small at $500 per grade. The line-up now kicks off with the entry grade 2.0L at a list price of $35,990 before on-road costs. Subaru Australia confirmed with CarsGuide the reasons for the cost increase.“Continued increase in costs associated with production and logistics has resulted in a price adjustment for the MY25 Crosstrek range,“ the spokesperson said. “However, we are confident that the Crosstrek range continues to be exceptional value for Australian customers.”The price increase follows the addition of new safety tech, such as traffic sign recognition, and this has resulted in a five-star ANCAP rating for vehicles built from April 2025 and on sale from June 2025. The traffic sign recognition system can now identify No Entry, Give Way and Stop signs.“We are proud to confirm that the model-year 2025 Crosstrek has achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP rating,” Subaru's spokesperson told us. “The latest results highlight the strength of Subaru’s outstanding safety engineering, with the vehicle achieving high scores across key assessment categories. For Subaru, safety is not just part of the package, it’s the foundation. We are proud to see that commitment recognised by ANCAP, reaffirming our focus on offering smarter, safer vehicles for Australians.”Other changes to the Crosstrek’s range includes a petrol-particulate filter for hybrid models due to European emissions standards.“To meet the latest Euro 6e emissions standard, a Gasoline Particulate Filter (GPF) has been introduced to Crosstrek Hybrid models,” the spokesperson said. “The GPF is the latest technology in reducing tailpipe emissions by capturing fine particulate matter from the exhaust. As a result of this update, there has been a minor adjustment to the hybrid variant’s power and torque outputs to ensure optimal performance and compliance.”The hybrid Crosstrek's outputs are now 100kW/182Nm down from 110kW/196Nm.The rest of the standard features list of Subaru Crosstrek remains unchanged with the entry-grade 2.0L coming with 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, LED headlights and daytime running lights, dual-zone climate control, a six-speaker stereo, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and an 11.6-inch media screen.The Crosstrek is the second-biggest seller in Subaru's model range, with  4452 sold so far this year. Rivals to the Crosstrek include Hyundai's Kona, Honda's HR-V and the Toyota Corolla Cross.

Ford recalls versions of nearly every model it has sold since 2022.

The Berry family has now spent two months living with the GWM Tank 500 that didn't make the best first impression. So has a second month in this a hybrid off-road vehicle changed or made up their minds?