Articles by Tim Gibson

Kia has just launched a cheaper hybrid version of its popular Sportage family SUV.A Sportage hybrid can now be bought in the entry-level S grade, with the front-wheel drive variant starting from $44,450 (before on-road costs), while the all-wheel drive starts from $47,450. The brand has been rolling out hybrid variants across its Sportage range since mid-2025, with this latest S grade hybrid completing the set.Hybrids have become an increasingly popular choice for buyers in Australia, as many manufacturers move add them to product lineups. The Sportage S hybrid gives Kia a more affordable rival to the other big-hitters of the hybrid segment. The most affordable hybrid before the new S grade was the SX, which is $2000 more expensiveThe hybrid Sportage is now cheaper than a comparative Toyota RAV4, which is one of the best-selling cars in Australia, starting from $45,990, before on-roads. A Sportage hybrid is still more expensive than its sister car, the Hyundai Tucson, with its hybrid variant starting from $42,850 (before on-roads). The Sportage trails the outgoing RAV4 and the Tucson in the sales charts.  The Sportage hybrid employs a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and electric motor, producing 169kW and 350Nm. The hybrid variants of the Sportage offer a big step up on fuel economy, with the FWD offering 4.9L/100km, while the AWD sits at 5.3L/100km.The Sportage was recently updated in Australia, resulting in a noticeable price increase across the range. Other purely internal-combustion options available on the Sportage are a 2.0-litre petrol, 1.6-litre turbo-petrol and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engines. This latest Sportage update, has been part of a broader push from Kia to introduce hybrid offerings across its product lineup. Late last year, Kia unveiled several new hybrid models for its Sorento SUV. The incoming Seltos will feature a hybrid set-up for the first time when it launches in late 2026. 2026 Kia Sportage hybrid pricing Australia (before on-road costs)

The LDV Deliver 7 van will be available with dual sliding doors, a 360-degree camera and 16-inch alloy wheels at no additional cost until 31 March. The option pack including these features normally costs $1500, but LDV are throwing in the extra gear for free.With the options, the Deliver 7 now starts at $46,305 for the short-wheel base, and $48,411 for the long-wheel base.The deal only applies to the diesel Deliver 7, not the all-electric eDeliver 7. A comparative automatic long-wheel base Toyota HiAce starts from more than $59,000 (drive-away), with an additional left sliding door also available at no extra cost. The Deliver 7 also comes in cheaper than the Ford Transit Custom, which has a starting price of more than $63,000 (drive-away) and dual rear sliding doors cost an extra $1000. LDV's offering has a superior payload to many of its rivals as well at 1290kg, including the HiAce and the Transit Custom.Another part of the package is a 360-degree camera in addition to the standard reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors. The van also gets 16-inch alloy wheels as part of the upgrades, as opposed to the steel wheels which it normally comes with. The Deliver 7 launched in Australia in November 2024, joining the eDeliver 7 which launched earlier in the year.It has a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, producing 124kW and 390Nm. It is matched to a nine-speed automatic transmission, driving the front wheels. LDV has been offering discounts on several of its vehicles in the past month, including the D90 SUV and the Terron 9 ute.

The revived Fiat Scudo van has just been priced in Australia.The short wheel base van starts from $48,490 (before on-road costs), while the long wheel base starts from $50,490.It is cheaper than the long-wheel base exclusive Toyota HiAce, which starts from $53,880 for the base automatic variant.It is a rival for the Hyundai Staria Load, with a starting price of $46,990, before on-road costs. The Scudo was last seen in Australia more than 10 years ago. It is a rebadged version of the Peugeot Expert, which is already available in Australia from $500 more than the Scudo.The Scudo has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 110kW and 370Nm, which is less powerful than the 2.8-litre engine found in the HiAce (130kW/450Nm).It is also under-gunned compared to the Staria Load, which has a 2.2-litre engine, with 130kW and 430Nm. The Scudo has a payload on 1347kg, which represents a noticeable step up on the van's previous generation, and rivals such as the HiAce.Inside, the Scudo has a 10.0-inch digital driver display and 10.0-inch central touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality as standard. Keyless entry and start is available on the up-spec version of the Scudo, along with wireless phone charging. 2026 Fiat Scudo pricing Australia2026 Fiat Scudo engine and efficiency   2026 Fiat Scudo standard featuresHeated driver seatHeated steering wheel10.0-inch central touchscreen10.0-inch digital driver displayApple CarPlay and Android AutoHeated electric folding mirrorsRain-sensing wipersPrimo grade addsKeyless entry and startWireless phone chargerLED headlightsDual-zone climate control 2026 Fiat Scudo standard safety features The Fiat Scudo has not been crash tested.6 airbagsLane keep assistTraffic sign recognitionBlind spot assistDrive attention assistIntelligent speed assistFront fog lamps2026 Fiat Scudo dimensions and practicality  2026 Fiat Scudo warrantyThe Fiat Scudo comes with a five-year/200,000 kilometre warranty. 

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz electric remake of the iconic Kombi will continue to be available with cheaper drive-away pricing until 30 April 2026. The cargo variant starts from $72,990, while the van starts from $79,990. These drive-away deals do not apply to the range-topping GTX. The discounted pricing was originally announced in mid-October and was only supposed to last until 31 December 2025.The ID. Buzz remains a cheaper alternative to the Mercedes-Benz EQV and eVito Tourer, as well as the Zeekr 009.  Most ID.Buzz models continue to be powered by a single electric motor producing 210kW and 560Nm. GTX units get a dual-motor set-up, which produces 250kW and 560Nm and comes with all-wheel drive, as opposed to rear-wheel drive.Driving range on the ID. Buzz varies between models, but all have more than 400km (WLTP).The extension of this drive-away pricing deal for the ID. Buzz aligns with recent comments from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Director Nathan Johnson, with the brand eager to see sales take off. “I think we’re really starting to see the growth now , which is probably a little bit later than I would have hoped for as a brand director and from a dealership network point of view,” Johnson told CarsGuide.2026 Volkswagen ID. Buzz pricing Australia2026 Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric motor and efficiency 2026 Volkswagen ID. Buzz standard features19-inch alloy wheelsHeated and power-folding door mirrorsHeated front seatsLeatherette steering wheelsHeated steering wheel10.0-inch central touchscreen displayNine speaker audio systemWireless phone chargingDigital driver display10-colour ambient lightingAuto-dimming rearview mirrorKeyless entry and startGTX grade getsPanoramic roof21-inch alloy wheelsBlack rooflinerPower-adjustable and memory front seatsHead-up display13-speaker premium Harman Kardon sound system30-colour ambient lighting 2026 Volkswagen ID. Buzz safety The Volkswagen ID. Buzz received a five-star Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety rating in 2022. This rating only applies to the short-wheel base variant of the car. Standard safety featuresAdaptive cruise controlAuto emergency braking6 airbagsLane keep assistReversing cameraFront and rear parking sensors2026 Volkswagen ID. Buzz dimensions 2026 Volkswagen ID. Buzz warranty and servicingThe Volkswagen ID. Buzz comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Buyers can opt in for six-year capped price servicing, with services occurring every 30,000km/24 months. 

KGM's Actyon hybrid mid-size SUV has just been priced in Australia. It will start from $48,000, drive-away, seeing it priced competitively to many of its rivals.According to a KGM Australia spokesperson, this offer will last until at least March 2026, with the starting price scheduled to increase to $50,000 (drive-away) afterwards.The strong-selling Toyota RAV4, starts at $45,990, while a comparative Kia Sportage hybrid variant starts from $46,450, although these prices are before on-road costs.KGM already sells a petrol version of the Actyon in Australia, which currently starts from $47,000, drive-away, so hybrid pricing comes in $3000 more than a petrol alternative. The hybrid variant gets a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and dual electric motors, producing a combined system output of 150kW. The new transmission-mounted dual-motor set-up on the Actyon is the first of its kind for the brand.KGM says it can drive up 94 per cent of the time on pure electric power in urban environments.On the inside, there is an integrated 12.3-inch digital driver display and 12.3-inch central touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available. It comes as standard with leather seats, with the front seats and ventilated and the rear outside seats are also heated. Next from KGM is expected to be the dual-cabThe Actyon Hybrid is in dealerships now.2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid pricing2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid engine and efficiency 2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid standard features20-inch alloy wheelsLeather seatsHeated and ventilated front seatsHeated outer rear seats12.3-inch digital driver display12.3 central touchscreen displayApply CarPlay and Android AutoHeated leather steering wheelHeated and power-folding mirrorsRain-sensing wipersPower tailgateK60 grade getsPanoramic electric sunroofRear sun blindsWireless phone charging 2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid standard safety featuresEight airbagsAdaptive cruise controlAuto emergency brakingLane keep assistLane departure warningBlind spot assistForward collision warningRear cross traffic warningMulti-collision brakingFront and rear parking sensors  K60 grade gets360-degree camera2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid dimensions 2026 KGM Actyon Hybrid warrantyThe KGM Actyon comes with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. The high-voltage battery has a seven-year/150,000 kilometre warranty.

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MG has teased its new all-electric sedan, as per a report in Car News China.The car could be MG’s latest efforts to break into the electric sedan segment in China and export markets. The image shows a blurred shot of the car in purple paintwork, with four doors and a coupe-like sloping roofline.Its overall design is sleek and sporty, but eerily similar to many of its potential rivals.It looks very similar to the Xiaomi SU7 electric sedan, meaning it is likely to be a rival for that car, which is rumoured to be heading to Australia within the next couple of years. The design also resembles the MG7 sedan, which recently launched in Australia with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, producing 170kW and 380Nm. This lends weight to the possibility that this new sedan is an electric MG7 variant, as does eagle-eyed reporting that spotted a small badge on the side of the car, reading '07'.   There is no confirmed information about the car’s potential specifications or price, nor whether we might see it in Australia. If it does come to Australia, its closest rival will be the BYD Seal pure-electric sedan, with a starting price of $49,888, before on-road costs. It could also take on the China-built Tesla Model 3, which remains one of the best-selling EVs in Australia. MG currently has the electric IM5 on sale in Australia, starting from around $57,000, before on-road costs.So far, 164 examples of the IM5 have been sold Down Under, since it went on sale in June and it was one of the best-selling premium electric sedans in December. The IM5 competes with European electric sedan rivals like the BMW i5 and Porsche Taycan. MG is expected to bring across several new models in 2026, including the MG4 Urban, shaping as a more budget-oriented EV hatchback. 

Xpeng’s updated X9 electric people mover has just been shown off, sharpening up as a rival in the competitive segment.

Ineos Automotive has unveiled its new Grenadier four-wheel drive with some Australian-tuned upgrades.The Black edition Grenadier will sit at the top of range, with a starting price of $122,000, before on-road costs. The special edition upgrades are available on both the wagon and ute versions of the car. The rugged off-road capabilities and minimalist interior see the Grenadier line up as a rival to the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series.However, the French-built, British branded and German-engineered Grenadier is more expensive than the 70 Series, which starts from $79,200, before on-roads for the cheapest automatic variant. With a starting price of $105,000 for the double cab chassis, it is priced more similarly to the new-generation Land Rover Defender, which differs from the Grenadier’s ladder frame by resting on a monocoque frame.Ineos has said the new Black Edition has received some additional gear to give it some Australia-specific improvements. There are new specialist all terrain tyres from BFGoodrich, which are said to be more durable and offer consistent performance on a range of off-road surfaces. Plus, the Grenadier has undergone some other tuning, with a new variable-ratio steering system to aid sharp manoeuvring, especially on uneven terrain.The variable ratio steering box allows for a lower ratio around the central steering position, delivering "increased precision and responsiveness" according to the brand. It has some other comfort upgrades to improve long-distance cruising the car, in addition, the turning circle has also been reduced by around five per cent. The Black edition receives several blacked out elements on the body work of the car, such as the grille and skid plates.There are 18-inch black alloy wheels, privacy glass and lockable spare wheel storage. On the inside, the car gets a dark interior headlining and carpet flooring. The niche brand has said while there is no limit on volume, the car will have a limited production timeframe. The Black Edition Grenadier will be available with the same petrol and diesel choices as on the rest of the range. The BMW-sourced 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine produces 210kW and 450Nm, while the diesel has 183kW and 550Nm. Both engine choices are mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission with a proper 4x4 transfer case.2026 Ineos Grenadier price