Articles by Tim Nicholson

Another year of new-model launches is behind us, and 2024 has been another doozy.While this past year is notable for the number of models that were scheduled for launch but still haven’t arrived, there were some big names making big waves.Throughout the year I have driven some cars that truly surprised me, and others that were real let-downs. But for this article I am solely focusing on the good ones, because why would I want to end the year on a negative note?For clarity, our various CarsGuide ‘top cars’ articles are focused on vehicles that brought each individual journalist the most joy this year. That doesn’t necessarily mean the model launched in the past 12 months — we might have only had the chance to drive them in that period.Following last year’s list, my 2024 best of is a mix of some possibly obvious choices, and some that are perhaps a bit more left of field.Let’s not waste any more time. Here are the cars I loved most in 2024, in alphabetical order.In September, I drove the updated 2025 Audi e-tron GT on home turf in Germany, not far from Frankfurt and stopping off for the night in Heilbronn, where the vehicle is produced.I hadn’t driven the pre-facelift model but heard good things, notably from my colleague Tom White. I have driven a number of grades of the mechanically related Porsche Taycan, and while I have great affection for that car, I fell deeply in love with the Audi.Where the Porsche is a more focussed sports car, the Audi is more of a grand tourer. It still has breathtaking performance, but it offers a level of comfort that surprises.Beyond its phenomenal on-road performance, the e-tron GT is superbly designed and has a striking and inviting interior.I’ll leave you with the second-last line from my Audi e-tron GT review to summarise;“The e-tron GT is one of the most deeply impressive cars I have ever driven.”Including a new Mustang on a best-of list? I know, groundbreaking, right?But this car had to be on my list.The new-gen Ford Mustang is based on old underpinnings but honestly, I don’t care. I’m just thrilled that Ford can still build this car in the age of electrification.I spent a week with a Mustang GT Convertible, which is only offered in auto guise. I am still yet to drive a manual Mustang, but, again, I don’t care. The 10-speed auto is a brilliant match for the delicious 345kW/550Nm 5.0-litre V8.I am not really a V8 guy these days, and I am not a fan of obnoxiously loud engines, but man it was fun to scare the neighbours with an overzealous rev or two.The interior is much better than the previous Mustang and while it’s not perfect (what is with the pretend old-school handbrake?) I loved every second I had with this car.I drove the Jeep Avenger EV in Italy a few months back and, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much given some of Jeep’s current crop of models leave me cold.But it turns out there is something so charming about Jeep’s first electric vehicle that it was one of the first cars to make it onto my list this year.The exterior design is simple yet edgy, and while it has a distinct Jeep flavour it’s very modern. The thoughtful Jeepisms like the plastic bootlip to avoid scratching the paint when loading a bike in the back, or setback headlights to mitigate against damage in a collision just add to the charm of the little SUV.It’s no sports car but it is brisk, comfortable and — importantly — engaging to drive. I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel again.There’s a reason the Jeep Avenger won European Car of the Year. It’s an adorable, capable and functional city EV. Before you put a deposit down on one of the many affordable small EVs hitting the market, go check out the Avenger. It’s the coolest Jeep I’ve ever driven.The Polestar 4 is the EV brand’s first medium SUV and it follows the larger and pricier Polestar 3 SUV to market. But there are big differences between the two models.This is a Tesla Model Y rival, but it is much more premium than Tesla can manage. It’s also a lot more interesting.A striking exterior design lures you in before you realise something’s missing — a rear windscreen. Instead, it has a camera with vision displayed on a digital screen where the interior rear-view mirror goes.Despite this feature being tech for tech’s sake, the Polestar 4 is seriously impressive.It has excellent real-world driving range, a serious focus on sustainability, a spacious and gorgeously designed interior, and the exact same standard features list in both the Single Motor and Dual Motor grades. The only caveat there is that there are a lot of options and option packs that can push the price out.But if you’re tech savvy, value good design and a genuine focus on sustainability, the Polestar 4 is hard to beat.As someone who grew up obsessing over cars and has been in automotive media for more than 12 years, I did not see this coming.But I am here to tell you, dear reader, the new ninth-generation Toyota Camry is that good!It’s easy to dismiss the Camry as the Uber driver’s car of choice, or the sort of vehicle your grandpa drives, but after a week behind the wheel of the SL grade I am convinced it’s one of the best cars released this year.The hybrid powertrain (there’s no petrol-only grades anymore) is smoother than before, it’s still incredibly efficient and it has the best ride quality of any car I have driven this year. In even more surprising news, it’s actually pretty fun to drive on twisty roads as well.Of course the cabin is spacious and there’s plenty of room for cargo too.This is truly all the family car most people will need. Forget the dreary reputation of Camrys past. Because this big sedan has got its mojo back.Hyundai Santa Fe - Well isn’t this a bold new look? While it might be too bold for some, the new-gen Santa Fe improves on what was already an excellent family SUV and takes its place at the top of the segment.Lexus LBX - The latest Lexus model is also the smallest, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less premium. The LBX looks sharp, has hot hatch vibes and was one of my clear favourites this year. Bring on the spicy Morizo RR version!Mini Countryman - In its third generation, the Mini Countryman finally grows up into a family friendly small SUV. In a win for value for money, the entry-level petrol grades are just as compelling as the higher-end EV variants.Peugeot 408 - A cousin to the Citroen C5 X (RIP Citroen), the 408 is plug-in hybrid only and one of the most striking cars to launch this year. It ain’t cheap but it’s a joy to drive and it offers buyers a sleek European alternative to all of the generic small SUVs.Renault Megane E-Tech - I have only just driven this spunky French EV but I am already in love. Stunning exterior design, a surprisingly spacious interior and keener pricing combine with a joyful drive experience. Renault is on the march, finally!

Just when you thought utes and SUVs were about to completely take over Australia’s automotive scene, small cars are making something of a comeback.And it’s not the usual suspects like the Toyota Corollas and Mazda3s of the world that are bumping up interest in small sedans and hatchbacks. It is also electric cars.According to official year-to-date sales data to the end of November this year, small-car sales are up by 12 per cent compared with the same period in 2023. While that doesn’t sound like a massive increase, it represents the biggest percentage increase out of any SUV or passenger car segment.So what is driving this interest in smaller models? A couple of factors it turns out.The biggest contributor to the rise in sales is the influx of electric cars to the segment. Previously, the only electric small car was the Nissan Leaf which, while it was a pioneering EV model, never sold in huge numbers.Now there are a trio of EVs boosting the segment. The biggest selling small EV in Australia, by some margin, is the MG4 hatch. With 6079 sales, an increase of 140.6 per cent to the end of November, the MG4 is also the fifth best-selling small car.Sharp retail deals on model year 2023 MG4s, including a limited $30,990 drive-away price on the entry-level 51 Excite, helped boost interest in the Chinese-built EV.Another couple of small Chinese electric hatchbacks that are selling well include the BYD Dolphin which has found 1885 homes so far this year, an increase of 174 per cent over 2023.The GWM Ora has also nabbed 1182 sales, up by 175.5 per cent year on year.Two small EVs have seen sales drops, like the Cupra Born which has dipped by 47 per cent to 439 units, as well as the Nissan Leaf, which is down by 30.5 per cent, but that model is in runout in Australia following the end of UK production earlier this year.While EVs are doing the heavy lifting in the resurgent small-car sector, traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) small models are doing their part too.After a serious sales blip due to stock issues, the Kia Cerato is having a bumper year, with sales up by 187.5 per cent to 14,807 units, making it the second best-selling small car behind the dominant Toyota Corolla.The Cerato result is interesting given this generation went on sale in mid-2018. It is also now in runout ahead of quarter one, 2025 launch of its replacement, now dubbed the K4.The Corolla is also having a good run this year with 22,526 sales (up by 24.5%), ensuring a likely top 10 placing in the overall make/model sales chart. The Mazda3 is also in positive territory, up 13 per cent to 9618.A couple of other famous nameplates have seen sales declines, like the Hyundai i30 (11,616, -40.7%) and Volkswagen Golf (2593, -22.6%).At one point in history small cars made up one of the largest sales categories, but now with a 7.7 per cent slice of the overall market, it trails medium SUVs, 4x4 pick-ups, small SUVs and large SUVs.From 2011 to 2015 small cars ruled the top spot of the sales charts in Australia, with the Mazda3, then the Toyota Corolla taking top spot, before the Toyota HiLux ute came along and changed the face of the new-car market in 2016.

Could an SUV top the sales charts in Australia for the first time ever this year?

Polestar is set to get a sales boost in 2025 from its two new models, but the company admits it hasn’t been easy to build momentum with just one model on sale.The Geely-owned marque recently launched the Polestar 3 large SUV, quickly followed by the Polestar 4 medium coupe-style SUV, adding to the popular Polestar 2 mid-size sedan.The 2 has been Polestar’s sole offering since it launched in late 2021 but with two models in the SUV segment now available, that’s expected to increase.Polestar Australia Managing Director Scott Maynard acknowledged that only having one model to sell for the past three years has been a challenge, but said the Polestar 2 had been a great car to launch the brand with.“Limiting ourselves to what looks a lot like the medium sedan market has made for a bit of a difficult sell for Polestar, but the products are good. So Polestar (2) has been great, like it's been a really, really good car, and it's done a great job for Polestar,” he told CarsGuide.“Also the things that have been done to enhance that car, it's been life cycled really, really well, like they haven't just given it a series of nips and tucks. They've also increased battery capacity, charge times have improved, performance has improved, so it's evolved really well, and so that's made it easier.“But yes, it's lovely to now have a bit of a range, a broader product portfolio, and critically, a line into the medium and large SUV markets, which is critical in Australia.”Polestar’s Australian sales are down by close to 22 per cent to the end of October compared to the same period in 2023.However, Maynard said the EV specialist will see “a bit of a boost, maybe not straight away”, and detailed some of the reasons for the downward sales.“It's pretty clear to us from the pre orders that we've got on book that there were a lot of customers waiting to see what Polestar 4 would be like, customers wanting to see Polestar 3, and then, importantly, customers wanting to see both and compare the two.“And so we had expected just a bit of a rollback in straight order intake while those cars were heavily publicised and not yet available. And so now we've got them available, we would expect to see that start to pick up again.”Maynard declined to detail Polestar’s sales targets for the new models, but said the plan was to err on the side of caution when it comes to ordering and numbers.“We've got internal numbers, but we've been quite deliberate in setting those internal planning numbers quite modestly. We don't want to push those vehicles into an overstock position, so we're carefully controlling just how available and exclusive they are, and so I'm pretty confident we can overrun the internal numbers we've got.”Maynard said that the Polestar 4 is expected to become the brand’s top seller given its value proposition, sizing and packaging, and the fact that both grades slide in under the Federal Government’s Luxury Car Tax threshold.Up until recently, Polestar models have only been produced at Geely Group’s Chengdu, China factory, but the company is also going to produce the Polestar 3 in South Carolina in the USA, while the Polestar 4 will be produced at a new facility in South Korea.Maynard said that while the two new plants open up possibilities for the brand, it’s unlikely production for the Australian market will shift from China.“Cars will still come from China for now, but we've got the option then, if, for whatever reason, we need to source out of the US, or say out of Korea, then, yes, we’ve got the option of being able to pull out of there. But for now, it actually works best for us. China gives us the shortest lead time. It gives us the quick order to build. So it works really well for us at the moment.”

While a number of car brands backtrack on electric cars and embrace hybrids, one EV manufacturer has no plans to offer petrol-electric powertrains.Polestar only sells battery electric vehicles including the Polestar 2, 3 and 4 — with another couple on the horizon — but other carmakers have tweaked their electrification strategies in response to slowing demand for EVs globally.Hyundai Group, which includes Hyundai, Kia and Genesis, has launched a number of EVs across all brands but recently announced plans to increase hybrid offerings in response to market demands.Mercedes-Benz backflipped on its decision to drop plug-in hybrids from its range and will add PHEV grades to some of its popular models like the C-Class.MG, GWM, Honda, Nissan and Suzuki are all in on hybrids as brands try to cash in on what Toyota has known for a long time — hybrids sell.In Australia, EV sales continue to climb steadily on 2023, with this year up 6.7 per cent to 76,640 units. Meanwhile, hybrid registrations have skyrocketed by 83 per cent to just over 144,000 units, and plug-in hybrid sales have increased by 104 per cent to 18,000 units.Still, those numbers have not spooked Polestar Australia Managing Director Scott Maynard, who questions the green credentials of hybrid vehicles.“I don’t have any concerns about it, because our sustainability story still seems to be ringing true with lots and lots of people that choose our brand and a hybrid doesn't have that story,” he told CarsGuide at the recent Polestar 4 launch.“It's the worst of both worlds. You've got all of the complexity of jamming an electrical drivetrain into an engine bay that's already got a petrol or a diesel engine in it. You're still burning fuel. You've still got to dispose of the whole thing. It's not a green solution.“Yes, it burns… lots less fuel during its time. But it's not a clean solution at all, but it's a marketable one. And yes, people are capitalising on that for now. But it'll have its day, and then there'll still be those that will seek out the truly green alternative and a car that does have a lesser impact. And that's where EVs will rise again.”While Maynard is keeping the faith in electric cars, he acknowledged that the wider car market in Australia is a way off adopting EVs on a massive scale.“It will continue to work its way up to its natural position,” he said when asked what Australia’s EV market will look like in a few years time.“I don't think we're at a point yet where we could see a spot on the horizon where you’d say ‘we will be 100 per cent electrified by that point’. I don't think that point is visible to us. It's been called out a few times along the way, but not well, and I don't think that point is visible just yet.”Maynard added that different elements will nudge EV uptake and sales along, including improvements to charging infrastructure, the variation in product and schemes like the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).“As government incentives are lined up nationally, instead of this disparate state-based system, that'll nudge it along. NVES… will assist, which is the government's intent. So there'll be lots of little bits that will see it nudge up.”He highlighted challenges around countering misinformation about EVs, but is confident that Australia will see the environmental benefits of electric vehicles in the long run.“And so working against it are things like the continued spread of misinformation, and the talk about, ‘how long does a battery last, and is it actually serviceable?’ And all of those little bits and pieces that perhaps push back against it, from time to time, and so you know that toing and froing will determine just what its rate of climb is, but it will continue to climb.“And I think everyone can see that, for reasons of environmental sustainability, we need to get there. The pace at which we do it will probably spit and spurt, but we'll get there.”

The flagship of the Polestar 4 range is the Longe Range Dual Motor which kicks off at just under $90,000 - slipping in under the Luxury Car Tax threshold.Interestingly, both the Single Motor and Dual Motor share the same standard features list. The difference is with the powertrain, and with some options packs that include things like fancy Nappa leather - but it is sustainably sourced.The Long Range Dual Motor has a motor on each axle for all-wheel-drive grip, and the power and torque is bumped to 400kW and 686Nm respectively. You’ll get to 100km/h in just 3.8 seconds. Range in the Dual Motor drops to 590km and efficiency sits between 18.7 and 21.7kWh/100km.As with the Single Motor, the Dual Motor comes standard with Android Automotive operating system, Google Built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay, an eight-speaker audio system, a 15.4-inch multimedia display, solar system-inspired ambient lighting, eight-way power driver’s seat and six-way powered passenger seat, 20-inch aero wheels and the camera-based interior mirror that replaces the rear windscreen. It also gets a healthy list of standard safety gear. 

Polestar, and other EV brands, are benefiting from disgruntled Tesla customers who are turning away from the US EV brand because of CEO Elon Musk’s political affiliations.Tesla’s sales in Australia are down this year, with the January to October total of 32,214 units representing a nearly 20 per cent drop compared with the same period in 2023.In recent years, the Tesla CEO has shifted from his libertarian views and embraced a more right-wing ideology, which has culminated in his fervent support for Republican presidential candidate, and now president-elect, Donald Trump.This support has been rewarded with a position in Trump's proposed cabinet alongside failed Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to run the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which will be tasked with cutting back federal bureaucracy.Polestar Australia Managing Director Scott Maynard said the Geely-owned EV specialist has benefitted from some buyers’ shift away from Tesla, but added the two brands play in different segments.“I think lots of brands have scooped the pool out of Tesla. Yeah, we're one of them,” he told CarsGuide at the recent Polestar 4 launch.“We consider Tesla to be a little bit more of a volume player than we are. We operate in an area that's perhaps just a little bit more premium and a bit more exclusive, but customers currently driving a Tesla that are disgruntled with some of the directions they've taken, and want a more premium car will come to us for sure. Yeah, we've picked up a bit of business from Tesla.“But you've only got to look at their numbers to see that they've had a bit of an exodus. And so lots of brands have benefited from that, we are one of them.”The Chinese-owned Swedish marque now has three models in its local portfolio - the Polestar 2 sedan, 3 large SUV and 4 mid-size crossover - giving it more fire power than it has previously had with just one model available.With the premium positioning of the 3 and 4 specifically, Maynard said some buyers are cross shopping with other premium brands, while others are coming from traditional internal combustion engine-focussed carmakers.“We still get a lot of conquest business out of people that have been driving traditionally powered vehicles. Polestar has got that brand pull, you know, it's got that brand history. There’s some motor sport in there. Polestar’s the kind of brand that can attract the eye of someone who, up until now, has driven a petrol-powered car," he said.“So it will attract people who didn't necessarily want to go EV, but want a car that looks like a Polestar, and so will then go EV to get that. So we seem to be pulling from a fairly wide range of audiences.“The sustainability story really seems to resonate with a lot of buyers, and we see a lot of people that will come to us because, yes, they've gone to dabble in EV and realised that if you just ask a second level of questions, that there is a variety of colours of ‘green’. That and our story then starts to add up. So we seem to collect buyers from all over the place, but still seem to be closely associating ourselves with that luxury and premium set.”The Polestar 4 has just arrived in Australia priced from $78,500 before on-road costs for the Long Range Single Motor and topping out with the Long Range Dual Motor at $88,350. The Tesla Model Y is technically a rival but pricing for that starts at around $56,000 and tops out at about $83,000 for the Performance.The Polestar 3 kicks off from $118,420 for the Single Motor and tops out at $132,720 for the Dual Motor. The 3 competes with models like the Audi Q8 e-tron, Volvo’s incoming (and mechanically related) EX90, BMW’s iX and the Cadillac Lyriq.

The Polestar 4 is offered initially in two ‘Long Range’ grades, kicking off with the Single Motor that is rear-wheel drive.

Since launching in late 2021, Polestar has only had one model to offer Australians, but now it has three, including the freshly launched Polestar 4. This will likely be the Swedish-Chinese EV brand's biggest seller as it enters the competitive medium SUV segment. The cheaper Tesla Model Y is in its crosshairs but can Polestar break into the mainstream with this tech-laden coupe-style SUV.

The influx of new automotive brands coming to Australia, largely from China, is going to cause serious upheaval in the new-vehicle market, according to the boss of one of Australia’s key EV brands.A number of new entrants have either launched in recent months, or plan to launch in the New Year, muscling in on what is already a crowded new-car market.Fresh brands set to hit our shores soon include Leapmotor, Zeekr, Deepal, Skywell, Geely, JAC, Jaecoo, XPeng, and GAC/Aion.The incoming marques are all vying for a slice of Australia’s market that usually sits at over one million sales annually.Polestar Australia Managing Director Scott Maynard said the new brands will shake up the market, but it will be interesting to watch.“Grab some popcorn, it'll be super exciting,” he said at the Polestar 4 launch recently.“So it'll be fascinating to see who can muscle in and displace some of the existing players. It'll be interesting to see who burns bright, burns out and disappears backwards. It'll be fascinating to see how it plays.”He said there could be some clear benefits from the influx of largely EV focussed brands to Australia.“If it electrifies the Australian national vehicle fleet, then that's good in a way. Not all electric cars are necessarily green, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. And if it then forces an uptick in public charging infrastructure and all of those other little bits and pieces, yep, good as well.”Maynard said Polestar holds a unique place in the Australian market, adding the vast majority of the new entrants are chasing a different EV buyer to that of the Chinese-Swedish brand.“Most of those entrants seem to be playing in the volume market. They all seem to be on a quest for world domination. They're all trying to beat each other to outright share and volume, and that's not where we're trying to play.“So we were operating in a completely different space, and I'm proud of the fact that that's where we sit. But in that sub-70k bracket, it's going to get amazing.”Some of the new marques launching soon share space with Polestar and Volvo under the massive Geely Holdings umbrella, including Zeekr and Geely, while Smart - a collaboration between Geely and Mercedes-Benz - also launched recently.Maynard said there was healthy competition between the Geely brands, but added Polestar was unique in the group.“Each of the brands have their own unique persona, their own identity, and so I wouldn't say that we compete, and certainly not ferociously. We eye each other off, I suppose. But we're proud of our position, and we consider our position quite unique to that of any of the other members of the group. And so you wouldn't compare ourselves in terms of volume, share, or any of those measures.”Clarifying his earlier comment that “not all electric cars are necessarily green”, Maynard said he was highlighting how in the electrified vehicle space, “there's different shades of green”, specifically when it comes to servicing batteries.“You put an eight-year warranty on the battery, and people assume that it lasts eight-and-a-half years. But of course, studies show that it lasts significantly longer than that.”Maynard added that Polestar batteries are easily serviced, some other brands are less so.“Our battery is still able to have repairs performed on it, lid off fashion. So the lid comes off the battery, you can replace an individual cell, whereas more and more of the EV brands running now have a battery that has a series of blades that are all glued together. That glue is vicious stuff, because it forms an integral part of the car, it stops the car from falling in half.“And those batteries are infinitely harder to recycle and are not repairable. They are replaced as a single unit, whereas ours can be serviced so that means that cost of repair is pitched against cost of replacement. You can extend the life if you can replace individual components inside it, and also, at the end of life, you can take individual pieces out of it, keep the shell, do all of those sorts of things. That's if you don't choose to turn it into an electricity storage component or something.”While Maynard didn’t mention any other brands by name, it could be seen as a swipe at Chinese giant BYD, which refers to its battery system as ‘Blade’.