Articles by Tim Gibson

This family favourite three-row SUV has been given some serious off-roading credentials in Australia.  The Hyundai Palisade will be available in a new XRT Pro grade from next month. It starts from $79,900 (before on-road costs), making it $3400 more expensive than the base variant, but $10,000-plus cheaper than the range-topping example. This off-road ready variant could provide the Palisade an edge for buyers over the popular Toyota Kluger three-row SUV. The Palisade XRT Pro still features a car-based chassis, but its upgrades bring it closer to the rugged ladder frame Ford Everest 4WD ($58,990).  The new variant is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 207kW and 422Nm, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This differs from other Palisade variants that are also equipped with a 2.5-litre engine but have a conventional plugless hybrid set-up and six-speed auto, making a combined 245kW and 460Nm. The Palisade XRT Pro comes with a factory-fitted towbar. When fitted with the towing accessory kit, it boasts a braked towing capacity of 2200kg, up from 2000kg as standard. It has XRT-specific 18-inch alloy wheels and a distinct metallic grille, along with blacked out and 'XRT Pro' detailing. Hyundai said the debuting XRT Pro grade adds genuine off-road capability, with focused hardware and other physical components geared for rugged activities. It features an electric limited-slip differential (e-LSD), dedicated off-road displays and a ground-view monitor. It also has improved approach and departure angles compared to the standard Palisade, with ground clearance up to 212mm from 187mm.  The car has been given a specialist 4WD-tuned suspension in addition to the Aussie-specific set-up on other variants. It has separate mud, sand and snow terrain modes designed to help tackle different challenges. The new variant is slated to arrive in dealerships from September.  

BYD's answer to the Kia Carnival is coming to Australia. The BYD M9 plug-in hybrid is due to arrive in the fourth quarter of this year as a new electrified people mover option for buyers. The M9 will directly tackle the conventional hybrid- and diesel-powered Kia Carnival ($54,560, before on-road costs), sporting very similar dimensions. The M9 is BYD’s second people mover put on sale in Australia, following the arrival of the Denza D9 from the brand’s luxury division earlier this year. The M9 name comes from BYD’s Chinese ride-sharing and taxi services sub-brand Linghui. It also shares its underpinnings with the luxury-focused Xia DM-i people mover.  It will be available in ‘Dynamic’ and ‘Premium’ grades, initially as a seven-seater that includes second-row captains chairs, before an eight-seater variant arrives afterwards.  The front wheels are driven by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and electric motor, but BYD has not revealed output figures yet.  In China the engine produces 115kW, while an electric motor adds a further 200kW.  It will be equipped with either a 20.4kWh or 36.6kWh battery, offering 145km of electric-only driving range and a total range figure of 850km, according to WLTP standards.  BYD confirmed the car will have DC charging capacity and vehicle-to-load capacity so devices can be powered directly from the car.  Inside the car is available with heated and ventilated front and second row seats, as well as ‘near’ zero gravity adjustability.  BYD has not confirmed a specific launch date, other than it will be in the fourth quarter of this year.  The brand will also reveal pricing in Q4 and it is expected to be competitive with the established pack.  It will certainly be cheaper than the Denza D9 starting from $95,990, while hybrid variants of the Kia Carnival kick off from $68,540. 

Tesla has recalled nearly three million cars in China in the country's biggest recall ever. This recall impacts flush door handles on more than four million cars from not just Tesla but Geely, Xiaomi and XPeng, too. Flush door handles became popular in part thanks to Tesla. Some only pop out when required, as opposed to conventional handles, which can always be used. The trend took off in China, and features on many cars built in the country now. They have now been found to be a serious safety concern following several incidents globally, with this recall the latest step to curb risk. This recall has been brought about by two fatal Xiaomi crashes in China, among many other incidents. The two Xiaomi incidents are suspected to have been caused by power failures preventing car doors from being able to be opened. Tesla accepted in a statement that interior door handles are “difficult to identify and operate because their colour is similar to the interior trim.” “In extreme situations such as a severe collision causing the vehicle's low-voltage system to fail, this could hinder occupants from quickly opening the doors to escape and impede rescue efforts by those outside the vehicle, posing a safety hazard,” the statement continued. Recalled vehicles will be fitted with a physical warning label on the interior door and receive a software update to automatically lower the windows in a crash. The Chinese government passed legislation to ban flush door handles earlier this year that will kick in from 1 January 2027.  Cars will only be allowed to be sold in China if they have a mechanical release inside and outside.  It’s not just China where flush door handles are of concern.  The BBC reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States have anecdotes of the door handles not working and leaving children trapped in cars.  The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) is Australia's vehicle safety watchdog. ANCAP’s Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg told CarsGuide earlier this year the body would stick with its current review cycle, but still monitor design developments across all markets.  ANCAP recently introduced its 2026 protocols with a bigger focus on preventing crashes rather than just impact testing. The banning of flush door handles will be felt around the world, including Australia, where many cars built in China are sold, both from Chinese and international brands. New cars imported from China to Australia will no longer feature flush door handles from 2027.

Buyers will get their first official look at the much-anticipated Pajero 4WD next week.  Mitsubishi has confirmed it will reveal the Pajero on the 2nd of September 2026.  It comes after Japanese magazine BestCar exposed the reveal date late last month via a dealer source. Mitsubishi is expected to release more details about the Pajero at the reveal, including potentially initial pricing for the car.   The returning Nissan Patrol and Toyota LandCruiser competitor is scheduled to arrive in Australia later this year.  Next week’s announcement will give buyers more information about what to expect.  The Pajero will be primarily based on Mitsubishi’s Triton ute, riding on a sturdy ladder frame chassis. It is thought to also employ a 2.4-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 150kW and 470Nm in the Triton. This could be matched with a six-speed automatic transmission and will be supported by a rugged 'S-AWC' four-wheel drive system.  The off-road ready S-AWC system also found on the Outlander PHEV includes four-wheel braking and torque vectoring. The Pajero will be offered in the same four trim levels as the Triton, which are the GLX, GLS, Exceed and GSR.  Mitsubishi has further revealed a digital revision of its iconic triple analogue instrument meters found on previous generations of the Pajero. CarsGuide spied the Pajero undergoing testing in December last year, with the prototype showing off a blocky exterior and horizontal front grille design.  Mitsubishi has not locked in an official launch date for the Pajero in Australia, but next week’s reveal will provide more clues.  The new Pajero was approved for sale in Australia earlier this year, and is expected to arrive Down Under by November.  Buyers can expect firm launch information in the next few weeks. 

Cadillac is considering abandoning its plans to relaunch in the United Kingdom, according to a report in Auto Car.  The General Motors sub-brand was initially planning to rejoin the UK market last year as a fully-electric car brand, but those ambitions now look to be in doubt.  The revamped Cadillac brand is designed to take on luxury electric SUVs from Germany’s elite brands, including the Mercedes-Benz EQB and the BMW i3.   It is unclear whether this development could spell trouble for other right-hand drive markets like Australia in the future.  Cadillac first announced it would relaunch in the UK in mid-2024, but since then, Auto Car reports there have been external changes impacting the brand’s plans. "As the UK market and EV landscape continues to evolve rapidly with new competitors emerging, we are actively reviewing our future Cadillac plans to ensure they remain aligned with market conditions and customer demand, and we will continue to assess future opportunities accordingly,” a spokesperson for the brand told Auto Car.  Cadillac is facing pressure from cheaper Chinese competitors BYD and Chery that are targeting luxury electric SUVs at a more affordable price point.  Established luxury giants Mercedes-Benz and BMW already have strong appeal, making it challenging for Cadillac to break in on their territory.  The brand wound up operations in the UK in 2010, suffering from disappointing sales and difficulties sourcing cars in right-hand drive. Cadillac’s Escalade high-end full-size V8- and electric-powered SUV has received a tepid sales response as the brand’s only model on sale in the UK, shifting just 20 units between July 2025 and March 2026. It's unclear whether a potential U-turn in a right-hand drive market could signal a similar fate in other markets, but the brand will power on Down Under for now.  Cadillac only just launched in late 2024, and is actively adding to its Australian line-up, suggesting it sees a long-term future in Australia.  It launched its Optiq mid-size and Vistiq three-row SUV earlier this year to complement the Lyriq two-row large SUV already on sale.  Cadillac does not report its sales figures. Its models are pitched towards luxury-focused buyers, with the Optiq starting from $80,000, and prices rising up to more than $120,000 on the Lyriq.  The brand slashed the pricing on its Lyriq electric SUV by $32,000 in May 2026 in a move to undercut the BMW iX and Audi Q8 e-tron.

BYD is taking aim at the luxury electric sedan market with its latest model. The brand has opened presales for its Da Han, or ‘Great Han’ full-size sedan that has the Mercedes-Benz EQS, BMW i7 and Porsche Taycan in its sights.  It measures in at 5256mm long, 1999mm wide, 1510mm high, with a 3130mm wheelbase, so it shapes up similarly to the petrol- and diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz S-Class. With more than 1000km of driving range, it could be a game-changer for buyers in the market for a long-distance cruiser. The car is available in two variants. A rear-wheel drive single motor making 370kW, or an all-wheel drive dual motor set-up boosting power to 570kW.  The Da Han’s main attraction is a huge 1008km driving range from a large 102kWh battery, potentially blowing its key competition out of the water. This figure has been calculated using the more lenient CLTC regime, so it's likely to be 20 to 30 per cent lower in the real world, in closer proximity to other electric sedans. The AWD Da Han has a reduced driving range of 880km (CLTC), due its more power hungry dual electric motors and extra traction. DC fast charging from 10 to 97 per cent takes just nine minutes courtesy of the brand's new 1000-volt electrical architecture.  BYD’s new sedan will also be available with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid set-up, making up to 400kW.  Its 55kWh battery offers as much as 470km of EV-only driving range. There is no official word on the Da Han’s potential Australian future, but it is unlikely to be any time soon as BYD’s global ambitions for the model remain unclear.  BYD routinely engineers models for right-hand drive, and if this happens for the Da Han, its chances of an Australian launch increase significantly. BYD's local branch is taking sedans seriously, and has already introduced the Seal and Seal 6, with a larger Seal 7 also approved for sale in Australia.   The Da Han will start in China from 250,000 yuan, which is roughly $52,000, but it would be more expensive in Australia, likely above the $60,000 mark. 

Geely’s new hybrid family SUV is getting closer to Aussie buyers.  Geely Monjaro is a plug-in hybrid mid-size family SUV that has just been confirmed for the United Kingdom. This means the car is now available in right-hand drive, smoothing its path for an Australian launch. The Monjaro is on the large end of the mid-size SUV scale at 4770mm long, making it a size up on the Toyota RAV4.  It will still be a rival to the RAV4 when it gets here, as well as everything from the MG HS to the Kia Sportage .  It is considered Geely’s flagship SUV, indicating it will sit at the top of the brand’s SUV line-up globally.  The Monjaro is available with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and conventional hybrid power, but it is unclear what Geely will offer Down Under.  The PHEV set-up is the same as the Starray EM-i that combines a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor to produce 160kW and 262Nm.  Hybrid power also comes from a four-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor, making 111kW and 225Nm.  The Monjaro is available with standard 2.0-litre petrol engines in some markets, but don’t expect them in Australia as they would incur fines under our emissions regulations.  It is more likely Australian examples will boast the PHEV set-up as it provides greater performance. The Monjaro hasn't been officially confirmed for a launch in Australia, but it is widely expected to arrive in 2027.  It will likely hit Aussie shores after its UK launch that is scheduled for some time next year.  Pricing details remain a while away, but Geely has confirmed it will sit above the Starray EM-i PHEV that starts from $37,490 (before on-road costs). Expect more details from Geely Australia on the Monjaro’s future in the coming weeks.  

Aussie buyers will soon have a new electric people mover to choose from. The Kia PV5 Passenger has been approved for sale, according to a filing published by the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.  This is one of the car’s final steps before it hits Aussie showrooms in the fourth quarter of this year, joining the PV5 Cargo variant already on sale. It provides Kia with an electric option to complement the bigger, segment-dominating diesel- and hybrid-powered eight-seater Carnival. Electric people movers are on the rise in Australia, with luxurious Chinese rivals the Denza D9 and the Zeekr 009 giving Kia something to think about.  The PV5 is much smaller than these competitors, but it should compensate with a much cheaper price point.  The PV5 people mover will be exclusively sold as a seven-seater, meaning buyers won’t be able to purchase five-seater variants sold overseas.  It will be offered in a single ‘Long Range’ variant powered by one electric motor, producing 120kW and 250Nm - matching the PV5 Cargo.  It is also equipped with the same 71.2kWh battery, and should offer 416km of WLTP driving range like the PV5 Cargo.  The PV5 Passenger sizes up identically to the Cargo with dimensions 4695mm long, 1895mm wide, 1899mm tall, with a 2995mm wheelbase.  The PV5 people mover has a braked towing capacity of 750kg.  Kia will reveal official pricing closer to its fourth quarter launch, but the Cargo’s $55,990 (before on-road costs) provides a rough indication of where it could land.  People mover variants usually incur a decent price hike over their cargo siblings, so expect the PV5 Passenger to sit between $60,000 and $70,000.  Kia’s PV5 should provide a cheaper option to bigger luxury-pitched alternatives the Denza D9 and Zeekr 009.

Lamborghini is in the business of selling dreams, and those dreams don't include an electric car, according to Chief Executive Officer Stephan Winkelmann The Italian brand won’t follow in the footsteps of Ferrari and release a fully-electric model any time soon, having walked back its plans for a fully-electric car earlier this year. Winkelmann told CarsGuide Lamborghini wanted to have an all-electric model by the end of this decade. This was likely to be inspired by the Lanzador concept revealed in 2023, but lacklustre demand has pushed back any EV plans. “We saw that our customers, they are not stepping into this idea , so they are saying we need a car with a combustion engine,” Winkelmann told CarsGuide.  “It is also important to underline when you buy a Lamborghini, you don’t buy a Lamborghini because you’re moving from A to B on a daily basis. “We are not selling mobility, but we’re selling dreams.” Lamborghini has chosen to introduce another plug-in hybrid model instead, the Revuelto SV.  It will be Lamborghini’s third PHEV model following the launch of the standard Revuelto and the Urus SUV.   Lamborghini hasn’t ruled out producing a fully-electric car in the future, but it has recalibrated its immediate focus to stay on petrol engines. Winkelman said the brand will pivot towards EVs when there is clear demand for them. “We were also ready to do so, but we constantly check the response of our actual and future customers and comparing them with the assumptions we had at the beginning of this decade,” Winkelman told CarsGuide.  “We will be ready to do so, but the market is not, and we have to face the reality.”  Ferrari and Lamborghini face the same EV conundrum. Both are synonymous with raw internal combustion power and iconic engine noise, but must now contend with an increasingly electrified car industry. Winkelmann said Lamborghini is taking its own approach to the future. “We have a different history, but we have a lot of the same customers, and everybody has to find his own way to succeed in the future,” Winkelmann told CarsGuide.  “We look into the future and I think we have a consistent approach.”

Buyers are about to get an exciting new ute from Ford.  The Blue Oval is developing a ute model to add to its hugely popular Ford Bronco line-up, according to a report in AutoNews. The Bronco pick-up is due to launch in North America before 2030, and will join the likely Australian-bound Bronco hybrid coming next year. The Bronco has been a significant sales success in North America as a cheap off-roading rival to the Jeep Wrangler. This latest move from Ford will see the lifestyle off-roader take on the hotly-contested ute segment.  Ford is looking to expand on the success of the Bronco name in North America by exporting it to global markets and introducing new variants. The Blue Oval has pivoted its focus away from EVs following substantial losses in the past year, and is now seeking different avenues.  It suffered from extensive devaluation of its EV business due to low demand and high development costs, among other things. There is a monocoque, likely plug-in hybrid compact SUV Bronco being built in Spain for European buyers.  A different Chinese-built electric and range-extender large SUV Bronco is earmarked for an Australian release in 2027. These variants differ from the Bronco and Bronco Sport off-roaders only available in North America. There is no official news on the Bronco ute’s future in Australia as details light-on at this stage.  The ute will initially be built in the United States, meaning it will only come in left-hand drive for now, and future export plans have not been confirmed. Australia doesn't get the current North American Bronco because it's built in left-hand drive and its emissions-heavy turbo-petrol engines would incur fines under our regulations. Australia will instead receive the Bronco ‘New Energy’ range-extender hybrid and electric mid-size SUV in 2027, highlighting Ford’s interest in the name here.  Any Bronco ute’s Australian launch likely hinges on whether its set-up will have hybrid power and will be built in right-hand drive. A spokesperson for Ford Australia said the brand would not comment on future production speculation.