Articles by Samuel Irvine

KGM Ssangyong’s SUV line-up is set to grow again in Australia, with the brand’s local division confirming the upper mid-sized Actyon is headed our way.Returning 14 years after the original Actyon SUV was axed in Australia, the reinvigorated model will arrive as a competitor to the Mitsubishi Outlander and Honda CR-V, with an estimated starting price of circa $40,000, drive-away.It shares similar dimensions to both its Japanese rivals at 4740mm long, 1910mm wide, 1680mm tall and with a wheelbase of 2680mm. However, it remains to be seen whether it replicates both models with the option of seven seats.We do know the Actyon will ride on the same platform as the recently released Torres, sharing its 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine that sends 120kW/280Nm to either the front or all four wheels through a six-speed automatic.It replaces the Torres’ rugged looks for more premium two-tone styling, adopting a more rakish design that gives it a sportier impression.The Torres’ bulky grille is replaced by an LED lightbar, while thin LED light strips at the rear replace the Torres’ vertically-stacked clusters.It also loses the faux spare-tyre mount, adding a rear diffuser and ‘Actyon’ lettering instead that culminates in a rear third quarter reminiscent of a Range Rover Evoque.Inside, the Actyon adopts the same 12.3-inch dual-screen dashboard that includes multimedia and digital driver's display functions with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.There appears to be more premium-looking cabin materials with wood-look trims and quilted leather and suede upholstery adorning much of the cabin.Additional features like a 'Actyon' hologram projecting from the door panels, seat-back tray tables, a crystal gear shifter and 32-colour ambient lighting also up its luxury credentials.Safety features such as eight airbags, intelligent cruise control, automatic emergency braking, trailer-sway control, front and rear parking sensors and a suite of safety cameras will come standard.The Actyon will also be covered by KGM Ssangyong’s seven-year/unlimited km warranty once it arrives some time between April and June this year.A more detailed list of pricing and specifications is expected closer to then.

After months of teasers, spy shots and speculation, we now officially know what the updated Tesla Model Y ‘Juniper’ will look like.And could it have leaked anywhere else other than Elon Musk’s X?Spy shots published to the platform by ThinkerCar show the new Model Y testing in heavy snow with all of the new exterior features we expected.Following in the updated Model 3’s footsteps, there’s a squared-off, more aero-focused front end with redesigned LED headlight clusters. Unique to the updated Model Y are two LED light bars on each end of the vehicle.A sportier rear bumper is present as well, along with some freshly designed rims. Based on their apparent smaller size, they appear to be fitted to a standard variant – not the Performance grade.We expect even further changes to be made to the car’s underpinnings, interior and potentially its range, though nothing has been revealed in these spy shots, nor confirmed otherwise.If it follows the Model 3 in part – as we expect – it is likely to include more premium interior materials, better sound insulation, a new steering wheel, new ventilated seats and a rear passenger display, among other upgrades.US-based Forbes has previously speculated a new performance variant could crack the 0-60mp/h (0-98km/h) mark in under three seconds.If true, that would suggest a healthy bump in power from the current model’s 413kW to better rival the Porsche Macan Turbo Electric. Though once again, nothing has been confirmed.Despite remaining the best-selling electric car globally, including in Australia, Tesla sales have begun to taper due to increasing competition from budget Chinese rivals such as BYD, which has quickly emerged as the world’s second best-selling EV brand.In Australia, Model Y sales fell by 26.1 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year from 28,769 sales to 21,253. The brand’s total sales dipped by 16.8 per cent, or from 46,120 sales to 38,347.To counter the downward trend, Tesla is likely to release the Model Y Juniper across global markets, such as the US, China and Europe, imminently, with Australia likely to receive it by the middle of this year.

GWM will launch the Haval H7 in Australia later this year, an off-road capable mid-sized SUV poised to compete with the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Kia Sportage.CarsGuide understands that GWM is likely to launch the all-new model in Australia by the second-half of this year, with examples currently testing on local roads.Previous homologation filings submitted in September last year have already revealed it is set to be offered in petrol and hybrid variations.That includes a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine in front- and all-wheel drive, or an all-wheel drive 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol hybrid configuration.The former is capable of producing 170kW, while the latter can produce up to 179kW.Transmissions have been listed as a nine-speed dual-clutch on petrol front- and all-wheel drive variants, while the hybrid will get its own three-speed dedicated hybrid transmission.In China, there is also a dual-motor plug-in hybrid option that produces a whopping 240kW and 530Nm, along with 105km of pure-electric driving range, although homologation filings appear to have ruled this out for now.Given GWM's preference for plug-in hybrids, though, we can assume it is a strong chance for Australia down the track.According to CarNewsChina, the H7's Dimensions are 4705mm long, 1908mm wide, 1780mm tall and with a wheelbase of 2810mm.That puts it in the ballpark of rivals such as the RAV4 and Sportage, although given it is close to 100mm longer than both of those models, it occupies a unique space as a more rugged alternative.The H7 is tough looking with thick plastic wheel arches, a Ford Bronco-inspired front end with circular LED headlights and prominent Haval branding.There are also multi-spoke alloys and roof rails as standard.Interior details are light on, but on the PHEV variant in China, there is a huge 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display.The Haval H7 will have its global launch in South Africa on January 15, with more details expected to follow.

The Australian new car market is more competitive than ever before and the 2024 sales charts proved exactly that.It doesn't matter whether you're a legacy brand or a new kid on the block, the electric transition has created ample opportunities for carmakers to thrive – and a considerable number did so this year.So, without further ado, here they are...GWM’s rise to a top-ten brand in 2024 caught many by surprise, though people are quick to forget that this has been a long time coming.As the first Chinese car brand to reach Australian shores in 2009, GWM has evolved considerably from its early ute foundations, with its SUV range now comprising the vast majority of its sales.Specifically, the Haval Jolion, which GWM sold 14,238 of last year – a record for the brand for what is Australia’s second-cheapest hybrid car and 10th most popular in December. We knew BYD was coming, but who expected this?The Chinese Tesla-challenger came big in 2024 with a sales uptick of 64.5 per cent, primarily off the back of the fully-electric Seal and plug-in hybrid Sealion 6 models – which sold 6393 and 6198 units, respectively, in their first year.With the Shark 6 ute and Sealion 7 on its way, who knows, by this time next year we could be calling it a top-ten brand.It was another strong year for Ford which maintained the title of Australia's best-selling vehicle with the Ranger ute. It clocked 62,593 sales in total.Second to it, albeit much further behind, was the Ranger-based Everest SUV, which clocked 26,494 sales for the year – a 75.8 per cent increase on last year.Together they accounted for nearly 90 per cent of Ford's sales, which puts them in a precarious position in 2025 with New Vehicle Efficiency Standards and stiff competition from BYD and GWM on the plug-in hybrid ute front.Australia’s love of Mitsubishi clearly isn’t waning despite the brand lacking an EV.Sales of the Outlander SUV, which is offered in plug-in hybrid guise, skyrocketed in 2024, with 27,613 sales making it the second-best selling medium SUV in the country behind the Toyota RAV4.It is also worth noting that the new-gen Triton had a strong year, with sales up a further 7.6 per cent to 14,737 for the year.There are few things Australians love more than a Toyota.  The Japanese powerhouse grew its sales by 26,056 on last year, with the final tally of 241,296 sales exceeding the volume of both second (Ford) and third (Mazda) places combined. A big chunk of that was off the back of the RAV4, which nearly doubled its sales from 29,627 last year to 58,718. Toyota expects that to grow even further in 2025.HiLux sales retracted by 14.2 per cent in 2024 and are likely to do so again in 2025, but it still performed strongly with 53,499 total sales. Expect some of the slack to be picked up by the brand new Prado this year.The South Korean powerhouse continues its march as one of Australia’s best-selling car brands, increasing its slice of the pie by a further 7.4 per cent in 2024 to 81,787 total sales.Leading its sales was the Kia Sportage with 22,210 sales, a 41.0 per cent increase on the previous year.The Cerato and Carnival models weren’t too far behind at 15,502 and 10,080 sales, respectively.Regardless of challenging times for the brand globally, Nissan had a strong year in Australia, clocking up nearly 6000 more sales this year compared to last.Those were greatly helped by the X-Trail, which had a huge 36 per cent increase in sales year-on-year.Though it's far from the most compelling ute in Australia, the Navara continued to sell relatively well, clocking up 10,063 sales for 2024, a 15.5 per cent increase.So apparently selling super-affordable cars during a cost-of-living crisis was a winning ticket, who would’ve thought?Chery shook things up in 2024 with its very affordable range, which doubled in size. The Omoda 5 reigned supreme, growing its sales from 5370 to 6162.It wasn’t without help from the Tiggo 7 Pro (2734) and the brand new Tiggo 4 Pro (1918) and Tiggo 8 Pro (1789) models, though.Suzuki is proving that you don’t necessarily need a brand new line-up to achieve sales success.As the brand’s most popular model, the Jimny (9697 sales), enters its seventh year, it shows no signs of slowing down, with sales up 93.9 per cent from 2023.The same can be said for the Vitara (2456 sales), which enters its 10th year this year with a 45.6 per cent sales increase on last year.Porsche’s strong year was largely off the back of its petrol Macan model, which is now out of production as the brand transitions to an electric-only Macan range.Expect sales to dip strongly next year.The second- and third-most popular models were the Cayenne and 911, which remain strong market favourites with respective sales increases of 15.5 and 40.3 per cent.While recording a modest sales increase, BMW retained its title as Australia’s best-selling premium brand for the second year running.With 26,341 total sales, BMW saw strong results across its very dynamic line-up, which consists of EVs, plug-in hybrids, mild-hybrids, petrol and diesel.Notable models were the electric i4 sedan, which saw a staggering 484.1 per cent increase on last year, along with the new X2, which saw a 565 per cent increase.It sounds big on paper, but the 16.1 per cent increase only equates to 600 sales from 3703 in 2023 to 4303 in 2024.Not to downplay it, though, it's a strong result for Chevrolet which sells its cheapest car in Australia – the Silverado LTZ 1500 premium – for $130,500, before on-road costs.

Australia’s electric car price wars are heating up once again, with BYD becoming the first-ever brand to advertise an electric car for under $30,000. Starting at $29,990, before on-road costs, the new Essential variant will lead the two-grade Dolphin range, sitting $6900 below the outgoing Dynamic ($36,890) and top-spec Premium ($42,890).

The BYD Sealion 7 is officially on the way with a keen price tag and a mid-February launch date.

Just days after reports emerged that Geely-owned brand Zeekr plans on introducing two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models in 2025, its sister brand Smart appears to be following its lead.

Honda has debuted two brand new EV prototypes at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with high-level autonomous driving technology.Dubbed the 0 Saloon and 0 SUV, Honda is planning on full-scale production for the global market by 2026, with production taking place from its EV hub in Ohio, USA.The 0 Saloon was previously unveiled as a concept at CES 2024 alongside the Space-Hub people-mover, although Honda appears to have dropped the latter design for a more practical SUV.This time they’re much closer to road-going guise, with Honda replacing the futuristic headlights and illuminated front grille on the Saloon for black panelling and a regular set of LEDs.Honda is still sticking by the unique “wedge-shaped” styling, which it hopes will set it apart in the EV market.The 0 SUV is more conventional, adopting a classic SUV silhouette, with a boxy design, thick D-pillars and pixelated headlights.Both maintain the huge oval-shaped rear tail lights, two-tone colour scheme and Honda’s new illuminated front logo, which debuted on the original concept versions.Inside, the cabin is screen-heavy with virtually no physical controls. There are screens for the driver's display and central multimedia screen, along with one for the passenger and two on each side for the side-view cameras.Underpinning both models is Honda’s new in-house ASIMO OS operating system, which utilises AI technology to inform its automated driving and advanced driver assist systems, as well as in-vehicle infotainment.Honda said it hopes to be the first automaker to expand the application of its level three “eyes-off” automated driving function – which is already employed in freeway-driving situations in Japan – to all driving applications.That means a driver will be able to perform a secondary task while en-route to their destination, such as watching a movie or remotely attending a meeting. Honda hopes widespread use of this technology will lead to “zero traffic collision fatalities in the future”.Software will be continually updated over-the-air, even after the vehicle’s purchase, a capability first pioneered by Tesla in 2012.Honda hasn’t detailed what powertrains it will offer in its 0 Series vehicles, although it aims to deliver 30,000 charging stations in North America by 2030 through a joint venture with eight other automakers, including Toyota, BMW, Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis.Honda’s local division has previously confirmed that Australia will see an EV around 2028, which theoretically gives its plant in the US more than enough time to produce right-hand drive versions.

The UK-built Nissan Leaf is now Australia’s second-cheapest electric car as Nissan slashes more than $20,000 off its retail price.

As the automotive industry's peak body warns of challenging times ahead for the new-car market in Australia due to rising costs and high interest rates, there is one corner of the market that is thriving.