Articles by Tim Gibson

Hyundai’s new budget electric hatchback has been fully unveiled in Europe, as it gears up to tackle its Chinese rivals Down Under next year. The Ioniq 3 will be Korea’s answer to many of the budget favourites of the EV segment in Australia like the BYD Dolphin (from $29,990, before on-road costs) and MG4 (from $39,990 drive-away).It sizes up between the BYD Atto 1 compact SUV and the Dolphin hatch, measuring at 4155mm long, 1800mm wide, 1505mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2680mm. Expect the Ioniq 3 to be priced above its Chinese competition when it lands here in the first half of 2027. It will be built in Hyundai’s Turkiye factory, so it is likely to inherit hefty export costs and will potentially be pitched as a more premium choice in the EV hatchback space. It will provide the brand with another EV in Australia as it looks to overturn potential emissions fines under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).It will arguably serve as a replacement to the petrol-powered i30 hatch that was axed in Australia last year despite being one of the most successful vehicles in the segment.This is because it wasn’t financially viable to continue importing the hatch from Europe. The wider i30 range continues on in sedan form, sourced from South Korea.The Ioniq 3 will be powered by a single electric motor in two states of tune, producing either 99kW or 108kW both with 250Nm of torque.It is expected to be available with a 42kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, providing 335km of range or a 61kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) unit with up to 500km, both according to estimated WLTP figures. A DC fast charger takes roughly half an hour to charge the car from 10 to 80 per cent, with vehicle-to-load capacity also standard on all models. The car’s interior features either a 12.9-inch or 14.6-inch central touchscreen, along with a narrow pop-out digital driver display. It will be available with either 16-, 17- or 18-inch wheels. We can expect more information on the Ioniq 3 later this year as it nears its launch in Europe. The brand had only previously revealed the sportier ‘N-Line’ variant of the Ioniq 3, with this more mainstream version now showing what the more price competitive version of the car will look like.Hyundai also recently revealed what could be this car's hybrid stablemate in the form of the next-generation Avante, known as the i30 sedan locally. It is expected to be hybrid-only by the time it arrives in Australia.

Two of Japan’s biggest car manufacturers are edging closer to a game-changing team-up, and it could have huge implications for Australia. Honda Chief Executive Officer Toshihiro Mibe has told shareholders the brand is in final talks with Nissan to collaborate on key software information. The deal was described as a “win-win relationship” by Mibe.It will see the pair share electronic control units (ECU) responsible for in-vehicle systems and autonomous driving, among other things.The standardisation of ECUs will form the basis of the brands’ next-generation vehicles, many of which could be on their way to Australia in the coming years. These ECUs would also be used in future Mitsubishi vehicles as Nissan maintains a sizeable stake in the carmaker. Next-generation electrified cars are increasingly important in markets like Australia where there are now fines for high emitting engines, but neither Honda or Nissan offer substantial EV lineups Down Under and have been slower to roll-out affordable hybrids across their range compared to some rivals. Honda recently backtracked on its global EV plans and will instead focus on a hybrid strategy.The Super-One city car, due later this year, is the only confirmed electric offering from the brand.Nissan has more comprehensive EV model lineup, but it has just one EV on sale in Australia, which is its Ariya mid-size SUV.A collaboration between Honda and Nissan could provide the impetus required to produce more future electrified cars for markets like Australia.There are still issues for the brands to iron out, including development funds, but it looks like an agreement is not too far away, according to Nikkei Asia. It could be reached within the next few weeks, meaning the technology could be in cars before the end of the decade.This is all contingent on Nissan convincing Renault, as the French brand holds a 15 per cent voting stake in its alliance partner. Renault has previously presented a roadblock to Nissan, halting talks over a merger in the past.News of a partnership between Honda and Nissan comes as they struggle to stave off the increasing power of Chinese carmakers in global markets.Nissan President Ivan Espinosa recently said carmakers needed to learn from China."China is as of now setting the industry standards of the future in terms of technology, in terms of cost competitiveness and in terms of development time," Espinosa told Nikkei Asia.Chinese brands have formed relationships with mainstream carmakers to collaborate on products and technology. This collaboration has seen many of China’s carmakers surge up the sales charts across the world.Nissan has developed a strong relationship with Chinese brand Dongfeng over the years, mainly focussing on China-based models.It recently spawned the Nissan Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute, which is expected to be known as the Navara Pro when it arrives in Australia, likely next year. Honda hopes some type of collaboration in its deal with Nissan will get it back on track as it looks to overturn heavy financial losses. "We will internalise the means to beat emerging forces within three years," Mibe said. "If we don't, our four-wheel business will be in trouble. We will face this challenge with unwavering determination."Honda has its own relationship with Chinese carmaker GAC, but this venture has been embattled in recent years, thanks to a bruising price war in the Chinese domestic market, which has seen it sell cars at a loss.It has raised doubts that the GAC/Honda joint venture will continue after its renewal date comes due in 2028. The two brands have been partners for nearly 30 years.

The Cupra Tavascan SUV is now $5000 than it was, with the brand giving its electric mid-size SUV range a shake-up.Pricing for the Tavascan now starts from $55,490 (before on-road costs) for the new ‘V’ grade.This represents a $5500 decrease on the base variant from the outgoing range.The Tavascan is now also only a little more than $2000 extra compared to Cupra's petrol-powered Terramar mid-sizer.The updated Tavascan will arrive in Australia from late August of this year.It will continue to rival the Kia EV5 (from $56,770, before on-road costs) and Zeekr 7X ($57,900, before on-road costs), in an increasingly competitive segment. The V grade might be cheaper, but it does have less power than the previous cheapest Tavascan model, with its single electric motor only producing 140kW. Its 58kWh battery has a maximum driving range of 414km, according to WLTP standards.It gets some neat features despite its cheaper status, including heated and memory front seats, as well as a 360-degree camera and 20-inch alloy wheels. It has been given DC charging capacity at 105kW, meaning it can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in roughly 26 minutes. The Tavascan Endurance no longer sits at the bottom of the range and is $1000 more expensive than before. It stills produces 210kW and 545Nm, but driving range from its 77kWh battery has been reduced by 11km to 520km.The range-topping VZ grade, producing 250kW and 545Nm, has also jumped $1000 price, now starting from $75,490.The Tavascan has undergone an overhaul inside the cabin.There is a new 10.25-inch digital driver display (up from 5.3 inches) to compliment the 15.0-inch central touchscreen. The car also receives more physical buttons on the steering wheel in response to customer demand, along with a redesigned wireless phone charger. The Tavascan’s safety suite has been updated to include speed sign recognition. The Tavascan has not seen the same boost to sales as its competitors have during the fuel crisis, with only 257 units sold in 2026. 

A new special edition ute has been revealed in Australia, with the MG U9 getting a blacked-out look to tackle the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.Pricing for the special edition dual-cab ute starts from $57,990 (drive-away), making it $5000 more than the base variant of the U9. The ‘Black Edition’ adds several blacked-out elements to the exterior design. This includes the grille, badges, wheel caps and side trim. The blacked-out feel continues inside the cabin, with a black headliner and pillars. The cabin also features heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, mirroring higher grades of the U9. It also features a towing cruise control system to aid pulling heavy loads with the ute. The brand said customer demand has driven this update.MG said the U9 Black Edition will be a limited-unit model and will conclude the lineup for the diesel ute in Australia.It will continue to be powered by a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine, producing 160kW and 520Nm. The U9 has had a tepid sales response in Australia, with less than 800 sales in 2026 as it grapples with other Chinese ute competitors like the JAC T9 and LDV Terron 9. The BYD Shark 6 remains the most successful of the Chinese utes, with others struggling to make an imprint in a segment dominated by the Ranger and Hilux. There is a fully-electric version of the U9 approved for sale Down Under that is due to launch in the second half of this year. It will be one of few fully-electric ute offerings in Australia. The KGM Musso EV is the main competitor currently, but Toyota will launch its HiLux BEV later this year as well.  

New data has revealed the true impact of the fuel crisis on Aussie drivers as they stop filling up their cars as frequently.Data from novated lease company Maxxia looked at more than 200,000 salary-packaging fuel transactions between February and May of 2026.Gaps between fill-ups for drivers stretched from every 8.6 days in February to every 13.5 days by May. This indicates drivers were travelling less distance and were delaying trips to the bowser, squeezing every last drop of petrol out of the tank before refuelling. This gap has continued to widen even though fuel prices have been lower in the past few weeks.Lower fuel prices have encouraged drivers to fill up their tanks with more fuel, even if those trips still remain somewhat infrequent compared to before the Iran war.Small top-ups gained popularity between February and May, more than doubling in that period.It comes after the federal government tried to alter driver habits during the fuel crisis, running a $20 million advertising campaign.The campaign focused on reduced car use and avoiding lead-footed driving.Maxxia’s data also showed people did cut down on driving between February and May. Very high-use drivers (traveling more than 120km per day) cut their distance driven by 45 per cent between February and April.The data shows commuter drivers (60km-120km), remained steady despite reduced long-distance travel.This highlighed Aussies' dependence on driving to get around, according to Maxxia Chief Executive Officer Antonia Albanese.“For many of our customers, the car isn’t a luxury – it’s how they get to work, visit clients, or support their family,” Albanese said.“For people who can't simply stop driving, that tells you just how hard they're working to absorb these costs.”Fuel prices are expected to rise again in the coming days with the federal government halving the Fuel Excise discount in Australia.Fuel price increases have also coincided with an acceleration in the number of electric cars bought in Australia. There were more than 21,000 EVs sold last month, with budget favourites like the Jaecoo J5 EV and Geely EX5 shooting to the top of the charts. 

Chery is prepping something it hopes will shift the Australian ute market forever.The ute segment has long been dominated by diesel powerhouses that sit on top of the sales standings in Australia, with the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux among the top-selling vehicles for many years.Now the BYD Shark 6 has broken this mould by introducing a petrol plug-in hybrid set-up on a rigid ladder frame chassis ute. This set-up has been well-received in the Australian market, with BYD’s ute one of the only models in the segment that is currently experiencing growth.While the Shark 6 put the rest of the competition on notice, it originally lacked the towing and carrying power of its diesel-only counterparts.The Performance grade of Shark 6 has sought to rectify this issue, now boasting a 3500kg towing capacity, but that has come at an extra cost.Chery’s new ute aims to address those initial concern, with its diesel PHEV promising a 3500kg towing capacity and a 1000kg payload. It has also been given some serious off-roading capabilities, with front, rear and centre differential locks, unlike on the Shark 6. We recently learned this ute will be called the Stockman, but here’s what else we know so far about Chery’s special Oz-bound pick-up. Chery has confirmed the Stockman will be fitted with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and electric motor set-up. Official power and torque figures have not been established yet, but it is expected to provide some serious output to make it a strong alternative to diesel-only competitors.Chery currently does not offer a 2.5-litre engine in Australia, nor a diesel, so there are no clear pointers as to what performance will look like. There will also be a petrol PHEV coming in 2027.The Stockman was first shown off as the ‘KP31’ concept earlier this year, and its design has stayed true to that original look. It has an overall boxy and imposing stance. The front grille features a large ‘Chery’ logo. The headlights either side illuminate a circular shape with horizontal strips inside. The ute has appeared with two exterior paint colours, which are a pale green and metallic silver colour.The interior features a large central touchscreen and a digital driver display, along with a flat-bottom steering wheel.Pricing for the Stockman has not been revealed yet, and it's hard to get a gauge on where it could land. Chery is known for its budget offerings across its range so there is no reason why the Stockman won’t be any different. The Stockman’s main rival will be the BYD Shark 6 that starts from $55,900 (before on-road costs), so there potential for it to be available in a similar $50,000-$60,000 price bracket.The Stockman is still on target for a fourth quarter arrival this year, but Chery is yet to pin down a more specific timeframe in that period. It has been making steady progress towards an official launch, following an extensive campaign that saw the car named the Stockman recently. More details on the car are expected to be revealed in the third quarter of 2026, before it goes on sale towards the end of the year. The petrol plug-in hybrid version of the Stockman arriving in showrooms in 2027.Chery's ute could also be rebranded for other sub-brands under the group's name.Omoda Jaecoo Chief Commercial Officer Roy Munoz told CarsGuide earlier this year, he would be keen for the ute if it became available.Any move like this would only be likely to happen after 2027.

The truth of EV home charging costs has just been revealed.Charging is one of the biggest talking points around electric cars, but it promises to be much cheaper than filling up with petrol or diesel.Charging an electric car adopts a different approach to filling up one powered by fuel. The optimal way to charge an EV up is to top up the battery every night during off-peak hours. This is cheaper, helps maintain battery life — as constant fast-charging can degrade the battery over time — and reduces the time shock when needed to totally recharge.This contrasts brimming the fuel tank.Home charging is becoming an important pillar of EV infrastructure in Australia because of the challenges of public charging.Privately topping up the battery of your EV in off peak time can be a much more affordable and practical way of charging.Most people won’t use the majority of their car’s charge each day, so EV owners can charge their cars up by 20-30 per cent overnight and be ready to go the next day.Compare the Market has collated the costs of home charging for EVs at 20kWh (about 25-35 per cent of the average EV battery) per day using different electricity providers (see table below).  Private charging at 20kWh is substantially cheaper than charging via a public charger during peak times. EV charging plans have also increased in popularity to provide more structure and potentially lower costs. The cheapest EV plan can cost owners as little as 90 cents a day to top up if used correctly. That equals $328 a year. Even the most expensive only cost $6.56 a day, or $1707 a year.That equals the cost of three litres of premium unleaded or less a day.There are many different factors contributing to how much an EV costs to charge up.The time and place you choose to charge, as well as how much you want to recharge, all have a dramatic effect on how much you pay. There is not a single bowser for charging, rather many different charging types available that let electricity flow at differing rates. Public chargers often boast the fastest rates of charging, but are also the most expensive. The same 20kWh refill on a public charger would cost upwards of $9 a day, or $3200-plus a year.These chargers can charge at rates from 50kW up to 350kW, but it is also dependent on the car’s platform as to how fast it can charge. The number of cars taking power from a specific charger also impacts the usefulness of public charging.If there are two cars using a 150kW charge point, then the power will be split 75kW each, slowing down charging times. The availability of public chargers is also an issue with increasing numbers of EVs being spread across a scarce number of charges. Charging infrastructure remains a key challenge to the successful uptake of EVs in Australia.These factors also make it challenging to accurately determine the costs of charging in comparison with a fuel-powered vehicle.  *Source: Compare the Market

BYD’s latest model is on the cusp of landing in Australia, and it could be one of the brand’s cheapest models sold to date. A plug-in hybrid variant BYD Atto 2 small SUV has been approved for Australian sale, joining the fully-electric model already available. There is no official news on price, but we can expect it to sit under the $31,990 (before on-road costs) starting price of the cheapest electric version. This would make it the cheapest plug-in hybrid in Australia, beating the BYD Sealion 5 and Chery Tiggo 7 SHS.The fully-electric Atto 2 continues to be one of the best-selling EVs in Australia since it launched late last year.This latest move will see the Atto 2 move into competition with some of the big players of the small SUV segment. Segment leaders, the Chery Tiggo 4 and Hyundai Kona adopt petrol and plug-less hybrid set-ups, giving this new Atto 2 a point of difference.It is similarly sized to those rivals, but has potential to be offered at a cheaper price point. The Atto 2 PHEV was spotted undergoing in Sydney in late May as it edges closer to showrooms. The car will be available with a choice of two 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor set-ups, producing 122kW or 156kW.This means the base Atto 2 EV boasts more power than its PHEV sibling (130kW), with the top-grade PHEV becoming the most powerful Atto 2 in the range.BYD Australia is yet to officially confirm the Atto 2 PHEV’s arrival Down Under, but it is rare for a car to be approved for sale, then fail to make it into showrooms. There are scarce other details on the car at this stage, with more information likely to be revealed closer to the car’s impending launch. In the United Kingdom, the Atto 2 PHEV has a total driving range of nearly 1000km, with an electric-only range of 89km from its 18kWh battery. Its interior features a 12.8-inch central touchscreen and 8.8-inch digital driver display.We can expect more official details on the Australian Atto 2 PHEV towards the end of this year. 

The Zeekr 7X's smashing start to Australian life has been well-documented, but its smaller X sibling has not had the same attention.A tepid sales response following the small electric SUV’s initial launch in 2024 prompted the branch to slash thousands off the price for its updated model in 2026. It appears this price cut has done the trick for Zeekr, with the brand announcing it has received more than 1200 orders in the car’s first six weeks of being on offer. This contrasts the just 665 units of the previous model being sold across the whole of 2025. The brand ditched the $49,990 (before on-road costs ) price for the rear-wheel drive and $62,990 for the all-wheel drive.The RWD model is now offered from $48,900, drive-away, while AWD pricing starts at $57,900, also drive-away. Cheaper pricing means the X comes in under rivals like the BMW iX1 and Volvo EX30.The X also received a suite of upgrades for its new model. Updates to the RWD battery means it can now DC charge at 230kW, juicing up from 10 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes.Power increased by 50kW on both models.The single motor in RWD now produces 250kW and 343Nm, while the dual motors in the AWD produce 365kW and 573Nm. There was also a standard equipment buff for the RWD, including heated front and rear seats, as well as a premium Yamaha surround sound system. The X’s recent success adds to the high-flying 7X that has seen sales skyrocket, making it one of the best-selling EVs in the country. The brand will be eager to avoid the order backlog that occurred when the 7X first landed in Australia.It said orders are expected to be fulfilled swiftly this time around. “For customers considering making the switch, delivery timelines are already proving encouraging, with some orders expected to be fulfilled in as little as two months,” Zeekr Australia Managing Director Frank Li said. The Geely sub-brand will continue its methodical approach to model launches Down Under.The 7GT wagon, as well as the 8X and 9X large SUVs are all expected to launch within the next 18 months. 

The striking next-generation of an Australian favourite has just been revealed in its South Korean home market, and it might not be too far away from landing here.Hyundai’s Avante sedan, known as the i30 sedan in Australia, will soon enter its eighth generation with a sharp new design.For now, there is no official news on the new-generation i30’s future Down Under, with the local branch tight-lipped for the time being.Given the Avante is expected to launch in South Korea in the coming months, it is fairly certain it will arrive in Australia as the new i30 in the first half of next year given the current version of the car sold in Australia is also built in South Korea. The current generation is available in Australia with petrol and hybrid options, but it may follow in the footsteps of other recent Hyundai launches in going predominantly hybrid or hybrid-only.Hyundai is facing emissions fines on its internal combustion offerings under the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). This coupled with the brand’s growing trend to introduce hybrid options across its line-up could mean it will only offer the hybrid version of the new i30 when it gets here.It would also follow the strategy of its Kia sister brand, which offers the next-generation Kia Seltos small SUV only with a hybrid set-up, despite a petrol model being available elsewhere. The Avante will be available globally with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 111kW and a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor set-up, producing 117kW.The future of the 1.6-litre turbo dual-clutch N-Line model and the full performance 2.0-litre turbo i30 N is yet to be determined.The new-generation sedan will feature a bold and futuristic exterior with a boxy design, along with sharp creases on the body. There is a bar-style front light design, with separate horizontal and vertical strips, giving the car sleek poise. On the inside, there is a larger central touchscreen display and a raised digital driver display.The i30 lineup has undergone a serious overhaul over the past few years Down Under.South Korean production of the hatchback ended in 2023, requiring Hyundai to source it from Europe, but that proved too costly, seeing the model, apart from the high-performance 'N' grade pulled from sale last year. This was despite the hatch proving more popular than the sedan when the pair were on sale together, and one of the most popular hatchbacks on sale in Australia generally.The i30 remains one of Hyundai's better selling models in Australia despite a more than 30 per cent decline in 2026 so far.