Articles by Tom White

Nissan has teased yet another Chinese-built SUV as part of its tie-up with Dongfeng, which could serve as a cut-price replacement for the Ariya.Dubbed the NX7, Nissan shared a single teaser image of the new model on its Chinese social media channels ahead of its reveal.In line with the naming practices used on cars in China, the NX7 will serve as a mid-size SUV, a segment below the five-meter long NX8 which has just hit the market overseas.While no details of the car are available yet, the shadowy teaser shows a car with similar design traits to the NX8, with split light clusters, a filled-in front panel and an illuminated Nissan badge. Its lower light fittings are distinct from the strip-style lights featured in the NX8’s design, while traditional wing mirrors and a Lidar cluster on the roof also feature.If it follows in the footsteps of the NX8, expect the NX7 to be offered with both a purely electric (EV) and range-extender (REEV) hybrid option.The NX7 will build on the success of Nissan’s Dongfeng joint venture, which has thus far produced the Frontier Pro PHEV ute as a BYD Shark 6 rival (expected to be called the Navara Pro in Australia), as well as the N6 and N7 sedans, which join the NX8 as important wins for Nissan as it experiences a shrinking footprint elsewhere in the world.While the company had a head start in the electrification space with the pioneering Leaf hatchback, it has struggled to remain competitive since the rise of Tesla and cut-price Chinese alternatives.To that end, under the leadership of relatively new CEO Ivan Espinosa, Nissan has stated it will lean more heavily into its successful Chinese joint venture to leverage ‘China Speed’ product development for the global market.The NX7 is the next in what the company said will be 10 new Chinese models to be revealed by 2027. To our count, the brand is up to five new models, or seven if you include the recently updated combustion models from the joint venture, the Teana sedan and Pathfinder large SUV.Locally, the NX7 could be more price competitive than the car which Nissan already offers in this mid-size space, the Ariya.Starting from $55,840, before on-roads, the Ariya goes head-to-head with the Tesla Model Y (from $58,900), BYD Sealion 7 (from $54,990) and Toyota bZ4X (from $55,990), although all of those rivals offer a longer driving range in their most basic forms.This leaves Nissan without a car to compete at the entry level of the mid-size SUV space, with the likes of the Geely EX5, GAC Aion V, and Leapmotor C10, all from the mid-$40k mark.It would also open the door to Nissan offering a REEV model to compete with the likes of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and BYD Sealion 6 at a competitive price.Nissan has been approached for comment on the new model’s chances for an Australian launch. While the company has alluded to exporting the Frontier Pro PHEV and NX8 to Australia in the past, it is yet to confirm timing for the models.

The extent of Mazda’s transforming business has been made evident in its latest quarterly financial report which details global sales up until March of 2026.Key takeaways from the report include Mazda pinning much of its future global growth on the launch of its Chinese-built electric duo of the Mazda 6e liftback and CX-6e SUV, with the incoming next-generation CX-3 also predicted to be a big driver for markets like South East Asia and Australia in 2027.The brand also noted strong demand for the plugless hybrid CX-50 in North America. While this model isn’t headed to Australia, it bodes well for the future CX-5 hybrid which is due in Australia in 2028.The company spent minimal time on the results for its large platform vehicles (CX-60, CX-70, CX-80, and CX-90) which were previously a big investment for Mazda in moving to a semi-premium price space, debuting a new rear-drive architecture and family of inline-six engines.The CX-70 and CX-90 were both down significantly in the North American market they were expressly designed for.The company said the CX-60, however, had been performing notably well in Australia, up 13 per cent year-on-year, against the backdrop of a 22 per cent decline year-on-year.Mazda’s global operation described Australia as a “tough environment” citing strong demand for “low-priced battery EVs and HEVs amid rising fuel prices,” alluding to cut-price Chinese rivals leaping up the sales charts.Again, the company called out the 6e and CX-6e as a particular vector for “expanding sales” in Australia as models which meet “market demand and environmental regulations.”Australia has long been one of Mazda’s strongest markets globally, although our market’s influence looks to be waning as the Japanese brand’s share shrinks in the face of said “tough” conditions.For the first quarter of 2026, which this global report details, Mazda’s sales in Australia amounted to 19,000 units, down 22 per cent, while the brand’s sales in China were headed in the opposite direction, up one per cent to 18,000 units year-on-year.Meanwhile in Europe, which also depends on electric sales of the Chinese-built electric models, sales were up significantly to 43,000 units, more than doubling the brand’s tally in Australia over the same time period.With Mazda’s China operation soon to overtake Australia, and its European operation in significant growth, the company may shift its priorities away from our market as it senses growth to be had elsewhere.The USA, which is Mazda’s largest market, is also up but largely due to the domestically built CX-50 hybrid which does heavy lifting in dodging a challenging tariff environment and coming with an in-demand plugless hybrid drivetrain.After the launch of the CX-6e in Australia imminently which is priced from a competitive $53,990, before on-road costs, Mazda will bridge the gap to the long-awaited CX-5 hybrid with the next-generation CX-3 small SUV.The company reiterated in its financial results that CX-3 production will begin in Thailand before the end of the year and will go on sale in markets like Australia in early 2027.As to Mazda’s larger models, the brand acknowledged the need to put them back on track if it wants to replicate the success of models like the CX-7 and CX-9 which they replaced at a more premium price-point.The company’s North American CFO said the large SUV situation is “not acceptable” in comments reported by industry source Automotive News, adding deeper upgrades would be on the way to make the CX-70 and CX-90 specifically more competitive.Details on what these upgrades may include or when they might arrive for the Japan-built pair are yet to be confirmed.Locally, the CX-60 is down 7.0 per cent year-on-year according to more recent local VFACTs numbers, with Mazda introducing price tweaks and a new base G25 four-cylinder variant to the range in order to increase its appeal.The CX-80, the smaller of the two three-row options in the range is also performing decently after a significant price cut earlier this year, while the CX-70 and CX-90 are also languishing in our sales charts despite also receiving price adjustments.

Nissan has finally shared when its highly anticipated seventh-generation (Y63) Patrol will hit Australian shores.The brand confirmed the new 4WD will arrive in the first quarter of 2027 with the order books opening before the end of August.It is the first new Patrol since the long-serving Y62 debuted globally in 2010, before arriving in Australia in 2013.Headlining the changes for the new-generation SUV is the move to a new 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, which replaces the renowned but thirsty 5.6-litre V8 in the outgoing Y62.Producing 317kW/700Nm though, the new powertrain makes the Y63 the most powerful Patrol yet (with an additional 19kW/140Nm compared to the V8) and is paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission.Nissan confirmed the new-generation Patrol will have air suspension on some variants for the first time, which will have benefits both in its raised clearance for off-road ability, and a lowered height for entry and egress. The brand also says the suspension can automatically lower the vehicle at highway speeds for better fuel economy.Inside there are new features including dual 14.3-inch screens for the multimedia and digital instrument cluster, as well as a head-up display for the first time.It will be backed by a new 12-speaker, 600W, Klipsch-branded audio systemThere's also a new ‘Biometric Cooling’ feature, which Nissan says automatically adjusts the climate system by detecting passenger temperatures, and so-called ‘Zero Gravity’ reclining massage seats for both the front and rear positions.The incoming Nissan Patrol is built on a new platform and is bigger in almost every dimension, measuring 35mm longer and 35mm wider, with the same height, bringing total dimensions to 5205mm long, 2030mm wide, and 1955mm tall.Updates on the Y63 Patrol come shortly after Nissan confirmed last call on the outgoing V8 model. Japanese production is set to end this month.Australia will be one of the first right-hand drive markets to score the new Y63 Patrol. It launched in left-hand drive markets in 2024.The impending launch of this right-hand drive Y63 Patrol has even resulted in pre-production versions being spotted by CarsGuide in Melbourne.The Y63 Patrol will not only have to do battle with its historic rivals like the Toyota LandCruiser (now available with a plugless hybrid system), and the hotly-anticipated next-generation Pajero, but it will also have to face newcomers like the GWM Tank 500 and Denza B8.On top of that, the emerging 4WD enthusiast trend in China has seen an explosion of new plug-in hybrid options headed for this space, including from GAC and Geely.There is no word yet on Nissan’s ongoing tie-up with Premcar, which has seen the new Navara get Australian-specific suspension, and the outgoing Y62 Patrol get a halo off-road focused Warrior variant.Expect to learn more about the 2027 Y63 Nissan Patrol closer to its launch date in early 2027.

Subaru's first foray into the electric small SUV segment does a lot right, but might make one critical mistake.

KGM, formerly SsangYong, has received a large investment from Chery as the Chinese giant looks to secure a long-term strategic presence in South Korea.Chery has pledged a US$75 million (over $107 million) investment in Korea’s third largest automaker, following on from a previously-announced deal to build a mid-size and large SUV using Chery platforms in South Korea.Both brands will also deepen collaborations on software, electrical architecture and autonomous driving features.The deal will grant KGM access to Chery platforms, which will give it a boost on the electrification front, and accelerate product development cycles. For Chery it will potentially open up a manufacturing base in South Korea, which can have several trade benefits, particularly to markets like Europe in the future.The previous strategic agreement between the brands will result in a co-developed vehicle (code-named SE-10) on the Chery T2X platform, which currently underpins the Tiggo 9 large SUV. The Tiggo 9 is currently Chery’s flagship offering in Australia.This platform will give KGM access to desirable plug-in hybrid tech, which is a notable omission from its current line-up.KGM said the SE-10 will be in the upper large segment and “continue the Rexton’s legacy”. It also said the joint-venture vehicle will launch in early 2027 globally and will be available both as a plug-in hybrid and 2.0-litre petrol turbo.It is unclear whether this model will live alongside the Musso-based Rexton, which KGM dubs “Korea’s only ladder frame SUV” or replace it entirely. The latter would mean no replacement Rexton based on the new-generation Q300 Musso.The Korea Times reports Chery said it was open to the idea of launching the Chery brand in South Korea, but for now was focused on its partnership only.Chery is not the only manufacturer eyeing South Korea as an important and globally strategic manufacturing base. Geely and Renault share resources and build cars at the former Renault/Samsung plant in Busan, including the new-generation Grand Koleos and Polestar 4.For KGM the investment is critical as it seeks to be more of a global player after years of financial turmoil under the SsangYong brand.The automaker languished under its previous owner Mahindra and for a long time struggled to find a buyer, which has had the knock-on effect of delaying new model roll-out plans. This is part of the reason the brand has long lived in the shadow of Korea’s most famous duo, Hyundai and Kia.Now owned by South Korean chemical and resource giant KG, the company has since paid its debts and launched a range of new models, including the mid-sized Torres and Actyon SUVs, and has spun-off its Musso ute range into a sub-brand, launching the Musso EV and next-generation Q300 diesel ute.Under the SsangYong brand, the Korean company had significant staying power in Australia despite a relatively small operation thanks to a cult following for its affordable and unassuming diesel Musso ute which continues to be its best-seller.While KGM has struggled with the rise of affordable Chinese rivals in the Australian market, it will no doubt be pinning its future sales success Down Under on the Q300 Musso which launches here later in 2026.Meanwhile Chery has surged up the charts locally, now ranking amongst Australia’s top-10 automakers thanks largely to the success of its ultra-affordable Tiggo 4 small SUV and Tiggo 7 mid-sizer.Chery also looks set to flood the market with its sub-brands building on the existing success of Omoda/Jaecoo (albeit largely via the Jaecoo J5 EV).Not only will it launch Lepas in Australia later this year, but the arrival of the off-road focused Jetour and blocky iCaur lifestyle brands are also expected.While many headlines are drawn to BYD, and SAIC (MG, LDV) has been established for longer in Australia, Chery is China’s largest vehicle exporter, sending 1,146,350 vehicles overseas, nearly doubling its tally from last year.Its deal with KGM is just one of a range of strategic investments, with others around the world including with Jaguar Land Rover (which has spawned a re-boot of Freelander as a new joint-venture brand) and also a memorandum of understanding with Indian giant, Tata Motors.It also plans to utilise part of Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the UK to build Chery models for the UK and Europe.

MG has released full details including pricing for its MG07 range ahead of its Chinese launch.A fully electric four-door coupe is designed as a spiritual successor to the 1965 MGB GT while also tapping into the success of Chinese contemporaries like the Xiaomi SU7 and incoming Geely TT.Measuring in at 4886mm long, 1900mm wide and 1485mm tall, the MG07 is a relatively large liftback and an electric alternative to the MG7 combustion car currently sold in Australia.It features two battery sizes, either 67kWh at 400 volt or 91kWh at 800V granting it more than 600km or 800km of range respectively. Both batteries are from CATL and use semi-solid-state chemistry.All variants are front-wheel drive, with the base version producing 176kW/300Nm for a 6.9-second 0-100km/h sprint, while the 800V high-grade versions produce 235kW/350Nm, good for a claimed 5.9 second 0-100km/h sprint.Outside it features a new design direction for MG with clamshell-style front lights, and a bar-style rear light. It also features wheel options with white inlays clearly inspired (alongside other parts of this car) by the Porsche Taycan, and features an automatically deploying rear spoiler on the tailgate.Inside, the MG07 borrows high-end switchgear, hardware, and trims from SAIC’s IM luxury brand, while dressing it down slightly for MG’s lower price point.It still features a 15.6-inch 2.5k central multimedia touchscreen complemented by an 8.9-inch digital instrument cluster, over-the-air connectivity, dual phone charging bays and 256-colour ambient lighting.It features a 697-litre boot with an underfloor area that can be equipped with a 30-litre fridge/freezer, as well as a 168-litre frunk.The MG07 is priced between the equivalent of A$27,000 and $35,250 in China, suggesting a $35,000-$45,000 price tag once the usual premiums are added for the Australian market, if it were to launch here.If so it would serve as a rival to the likes of the Tesla Model 3 (from $54,900) and BYD Seal (from $46,990).Deliveries of standard 67kWh versions of the four-door liftback will start by the end of August in China, with long range 91kWh versions starting delivery in October.The MG07 is the latest in a trend of sporty Chinese domestic models designed both to move domestic brands upmarket, but also compete more directly with foreign brands in China.MG Australia has been contacted for comment to see if the MG07 is in line for an Australian arrival.As it stands, MG offers the MG7 2.0-litre turbo combustion equivalent (from $44,990), as well as the IM5 luxury electric sedan (from $60,990) locally.It begs the question - which of these trendy sporty models will be the first to launch in Australia? Geely’s recently-unveiled TT shares a similar format, but isn’t in the local division’s short term plans.The Xiaomi SU7 has been so successful in China that the carmaker can’t build cars fast enough to keep up with domestic demand, with waiting lists measuring in the hundreds of thousands of units.As to what’s next for MG in Australia, the future is unclear. The brand is expected to offer the LS8 and/or LS9 luxury large SUVs from its IM division as range-extender hybrids in the futureThe brand also revealed a new city-sized hatchback and lifted wagon destined for the European market at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.MG has had a decent year in 2026, up 6.8 per cent (to 23,146 units) in the first half, but this leaves it only holding its ground against a surge of fellow Chinese rivals.It now sits behind the successful BYD (52,335 units), GWM (30,359 units) and Chery (24,964 units).

Audi has revealed the Q9 as its largest and most luxurious SUV yet.A brand new nameplate to sit above the previous Q7 and Q8 flagships, the Q9 is by far the biggest Audi ever built measuring in at over 5300mm long.Not only is it designed to take on (and even out-size) Audi’s traditional rivals, like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, but this new offering will help the brand fend off much-hyped large SUV offerings from China like the Zeekr 9X and IM LS9, both of which are due in Australia before long.The Q9 will enter new price territory for Audi’s combustion SUV range, with price tags starting at the equivalent of A$177,792 in Europe. For context the current Q8 TDI starts from $144,400 and the Q7 starts from $108,742.The Q9 will be offered with one powertrain at its European launch, a 3.0-litre diesel V6 with the brand’s MHEV Plus technology. This system uses 48-volt electrics to drive an electric motor mounted to the eight-speed automatic transmission which can provide up to 18kW of additional power. It will be available in two states of tune, either 220kW/630Nm or 180kW/500Nm.The engine also features an electrically-powered compressor which reduces turbo-lag. Audi says this combination will consume between 7.4L/100km to 8.0L/100km.The range-topping SQ9 will join the range at a later date, powered by an updated version of the brand’s 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine, producing 440kW/800Nm. The all-wheel drive system on both cars is a rear-biased system, with the SQ9 also being equipped with wider tyres at the rear for additional grip. It will also come with an electronically-controlled rear differential lock.A petrol turbo V6 will also complement the line-up, at least in the USA, although specs are yet to be revealed. All derivatives are expected to be able to tow 3500kg depending on local regulations. On the outside, the Q9’s design features an enormous grille, which can be optionally equipped with LED fittings. The headlights, DRLs and tail light fittings feature curved LED tech, while the expansive body panels are designed to enhance the car’s presence and to “emphasise a sense of calm and refinement” with a “clean aesthetic”.It can optionally be equipped with a much more aggressive-looking S Line trim package and up to 23-inch alloy wheels. The wheels are so big the brand has also included acoustic deadening inside them to reduce road noise.Inside, the Q9 is offered either with six or seven-seat layouts, with fully electric control of all seats, and an entry mode, which automatically folds the second row out of the way for third-row passengers. In addition, the Q9 is the first Audi to be offered with automatic doors which can detect obstacles.A panoramic sunroof and ambient interior lighting is standard, and there are noise-cancelling features in the sound system.Other standard features include the brand’s signature Matrix LED headlights and automated high-beam feature, dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital instrument cluster and passenger screen, a 14.5-inch central multimedia touchscreen, dual wireless phone chargers, and several seat trim options ranging from synthetic leather and suede through to Nappa leather with extensive customisation. An Audi Australia spokesperson confirmed to CarsGuide the local division is closely evaluating the flagship Q9.“Given Australia’s ongoing appetite for SUVs, we would consider any future model which is the right fit in terms of customer demand," said the spokesperson.Further updates on the Q9 for Australia have been promised at a later date.The brand is 11.2 per cent down in the first half of 2026. It is faring the worst out of the German ‘big three’ despite a surge of new model launches in the last 12 months with BMW down 8.0 per cent, and Mercedes holding steady with a small 1.7 per cent decline.The Q9 is an obvious tilt at the US market, with Cadillac Escalade-rivalling dimensions and will serve as a spiritual successor to the recently-discontinued A8 large sedan.The new enormous luxury SUV arrives as Audi’s parent company Volkswagen faces deep profitability troubles and a need to reduce its manufacturing footprint and model range to compete with the rise of Chinese rivals the world over.

The boss of the largest auto parts business in Thailand is on the frontline of Chinese expansion, and he has explained why Chinese companies are beating Japan and Europe at an alarming rate.Speaking to Nikkei Asia, Yeah Swee Chuan, CEO of Aapico Hitech, predicted the rise of Chinese automakers will lead to a rapid re-ordering of the industry, with the market share of combustion-engined (ICE) vehicles falling by about a third in the coming years.“They will win the war for sure” he told Nikkei, “You know why? All the people in the world, whether it’s European or anybody, they think of ICE and ICE and ICE. They are all ICE brain.”“The Chinese started up from EV. Their brain is EV, EV, EV.”China is now the dominant country of origin for new vehicles in Australia thanks to a massive array of new brands offering affordable and desirable products, with BYD, GWM, MG and Chery storming the top-10 vehicle charts.A big part of this rise is not just cheap cars like the small SUV segment-dominating Chery Tiggo 4, but also the rise of electric vehicles. As of July, EVs are now at a 16.4 per cent market share overall, with July alone seeing electric vehicles accounting for 36 per cent of sales.A similar story is playing out across our South East Asian neighbours, with EV market share reaching 15 per cent in Indonesia, 23 per cent in Thailand. The advance of electric vehicles has been less of a slam-dunk in Malaysia where market share is at 6.8 per cent (H1 2026), and the dominant market player is still Toyota-aligned Perodua, which has a 38.7 per cent market share.Even there EV market share has more than doubled year-on-year with Geely-aligned Proton holding second place in the market, and Jaecoo also leaping up the charts.Yeap predicts legacy automakers will need to increase their collaboration with Chinese automakers in order to survive.Yeap told Nikkei he thinks this explosive growth is because the perception of Chinese cars is turning in many of the markets his company operates in.“Three years ago when the Chinese cars came to Thailand everybody said they were junk but today, it’s not junk anymore. Their cars, the electronics, their systems and all that. Very advanced and the kids and young people love it,” he said.Yeap was of the opinion that the only market able to resist the surge of electrified vehicles from China would be the US as it increasingly uses trade barriers to isolate itself from the global auto market.Chinese automakers are storming the charts both here and overseas, it’s not necessarily good news for everyone, with the boss of Bartons Motor Group in Queensland, Mark Beitz, telling CarsGuide recently all is not well in the Australian market behind the glossy sales figures.He warned EV market share figures in July, which boosted market share to historic highs was largely due to artificial inflation thanks to deliveries being fulfilled that month from orders placed when fuel prices temporarily skyrocketed during the opening weeks of the Iran war.He also said profitability in the industry was hitting unprecedented lows due to huge amounts of inventory being dumped into the market by automakers and intense competition by “way too many brands”.While he alluded to the idea that some might not work in the long term, he was more positive about the chances of so-called legacy automakers like Nissan, who he predicted would adjust with new Chinese-built products, or Mitsubishi which would play to its strengths with the incoming and highly-anticipated Pajero 4WD and tactical adjustments to the Triton ute range. Both models are built in Thailand.Beitz agreed that the surge of Chinese automakers was changing buyer preferences, and ultimately once-giants from Japan would shrink in dealer footprint alongside their market share.Globally, Japanese giants are aware of the existential crisis facing them. Nissan has chosen to re-structure its business and orient its manufacturing footprint more towards its successful Chinese joint-ventures. Even bosses from Toyota are shaken, with Japan Automobile Association Chairman and Toyota Chief Industry Officer Koji Saito telling Automotive News “unless things change, we will not survive”.2026 is a year of a car industry in flux in Australia, with a major re-shuffling of the top-10 underway. It will be unsurprising to see four or five Chinese automakers supplant once-favourites from the list before the end of the year.

Affordable cars from China have overrun the Australian market, forcing once favourites from Japan out of the top-10, and putting pressure on the rest hailing from South Korea to Europe.Yet amongst this, one Indian manufacturer is hoping to ride the affordable Chinese wave as an alternative.Mahindra has had a resurgence in Australia, releasing an array of surprisingly competitive new products as part of a renewed global push toward a wider audience.The car we’ve nabbed for this long-term test, the oddly-named XUV 3X0 is the brand’s latest.It’s a crossover SUV which represents the entry-point to the Mahindra line-up, starting from a very keen $23,990, drive-away.As rival Chinese brand Chery might know, though, just being affordable isn’t enough. The cars have to be good, too.Does the XUV 3X0 have what it takes or will you be wishing you spent a little more? Read on to see what I found in my first month.Okay, let’s set the scene before we get into impressions. You can have one of these from the aforementioned starting price, but the one we have is top of the two-variant range, the AX7L, which is priced at $26,990, drive-away.For exactly the same money, you could get into the best selling Chery Tiggo 4, also in top-spec Ultimate form, with the larger MG ZS Turbo (basic Vibe form, $25,990, drive-away), and Haval Jolion (basic Premium form, $26,990, drive-away) also options.If you’re looking for something from a longer established brand, your options include the ageing Hyundai Venue (auto - $25,750, before on-roads) or the Suzuki Fronx ($28,990, before on-roads), both of which are more size-appropriate in this city crossover space.So your choices are a larger, better equipped car from China, an older car from Korea, or a more expensive car from Japan.Some food for thought is the equipment list, which stays just on the right side of good, with a few omissions.The 3X0 ticks all the key boxes - 17-inch alloys, LED headlights, synthetic leather interior trim, dual 10.25-inch screens for the digital dash and the multimedia touchscreen, wireless phone connectivity and charging, as well as a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree parking camera, and Harman Kardon premium audio on this top-spec one.It might not have a few luxuries such as heated and power adjusting seats like a high-spec Tiggo 4 for example, but for a small basic car it feels the part.Looking at the 3X0 from the outside, I’m pretty impressed with its sharp design. From a brand once known for its particularly hideous takes on the standard SUV archetypes, the 3X0 is maybe its best looking car yet, featuring sharp contemporary headlight designs, a cohesive design front to rear (the larger Scorpio is yet to feel so tidy), angular design motifs with some nice highlight detailing and trendy touches like the two-tone roof and diamond-cut alloys.You could hardly tell from the outside that the 3X0 is an older Korean car underneath. Yep, that’s right, the 3X0 can trace its underpinnings back to the SsangYong Tivoli thanks to the South Korean automaker’s time being owned by Mahindra.It’s much more obvious inside, where some switchgear is identical to the SsangYong, while other bits, like the lower portion of the centre console also share a familiarity.The digital dash and multimedia touchscreen, however, feel much more modern, giving the cabin an up-to-date touch courtesy of Mahindra’s latest software, which is easy to use.Aesthetically, the screens are pretty much the only thing keeping the 3X0’s interior in this decade, with old-school plastics and too much of the much-maligned piano black cladding the dash, but there’s something refreshing about the simplicity of it all.Those paying attention would have noticed the glorious abundance of buttons and dials making everything in this car easy to control and proving you can still build an affordable car without hiding all the climate functions in touchscreen sub-menus.My initial impression continues behind the wheel where the 3X0 feels like a car from 10 years ago but somehow in a good way.Let me explain. Too many compact SUVs in this class are dynamically a mess and dull to steer thanks to their continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), or are otherwise unintuitive in daily traffic thanks to fuel-saving dual-clutch automatics.Generally, you have to splash for something more expensive or to a hybrid to make many options in this class nice to drive.Not so in the 3X0. Don’t get me wrong, this car isn’t particularly special in what it offers, but it’s the refreshingly straightforward combination of a gruff little 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine (82kW/200Nm) and a real old-school six-speed automatic transmission which makes it a surprising pleasure to steer.Its relative light weight and firm suspension keep it tidy in the corners, while little boosts of turbo surge are enough to put a smile on your face without getting out of sorts.Even the steering is a straightforward power assisted set-up without an annoying amount of artificial software weighting as in some of its Chinese rivals.I even found myself not needing to scroll through a bunch of sub-menus to turn off the usual array of poorly-calibrated safety systems. The 3X0 either doesn’t have them, or they’re not annoying enough to warrant turning off.In a way, this is a brand new car for someone who wants an old car. Tired of the annoyances of many modern vehicles, the 3X0 is a fun, basic little car to hop into as a palette cleanser.Our little crossover isn’t doing so great on the fuel consumption front. According to my calculations (which I had to do because the computer only shows the consumption in km/L rather than L/100km), the 3X0 is drinking around 7.4L/100km which is too high for such a compact unit.Perhaps it's the fact I drive it a little more aggressively than I would otherwise, as I try to push the turbo surge and resulting fun out of the meagre 82kW on offer, but it’s still a number I’d expect to see out of an older non-turbo model.One cost of having a six-speed auto, it seems, is driving style will weigh more heavily on how much fuel you use.It’s also a bit of bill shock having to refuel this car sooner than expected and during a fuel crisis. The roughly 450km travelled on my first tank of fuel cost me a whopping $61.33 at the pump, three times what it might cost me to travel the same distance in a larger EV.Next month we’ll talk about practicality, some quirks I’ve found and see if we can drill down on that fuel consumption a little more.Acquired: June 2026Distance travelled this month: 446kmOdometer: 6880kmAverage fuel consumption this month: 7.4L/100km

The boss of a major dealer group has told CarsGuide how competing forces and the state of the economy is taking its toll on the new car industry despite record sales in 2026.Mark Beitz, the managing director of Bartons Motor Group said the record registration numbers released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries in its monthly VFACTs data wasn’t a true reflection of car sales in June as “excess inventory”, which was building up at an alarming pace on dealer lots gets cleared out.“There were a lot of cars which were already sold months prior being delivered in June, so that accounted for a massive spike, particularly in EV and plug-in hybrids,” he said.“There is an adoption trend for EV, we can see that - so for the first quarter you were seeing that natural sustainable growth in EVs.”But, referencing the wave of attention for electric cars in the last three months that stemmed from high fuel prices due to the war in Iran and Strait of Hormuz crisis, he said while dealer groups had "never seen anything like it" it wasn't a sustainable pace for EV sales in the long run.“People were only buying EVs for a month or so” he said.“There was a lot of aged EV stock in the country, this big surge, the panic buying, really cleared that up - but we sold those cars back in April and what we're seeing in VFACTs is deliveries.”“What we’ve seen since then - in May it started to wane and now new order intake is nothing like what we saw in April.”But with many global stockpiles of fuel, which were released onto the market to ease prices, reportedly set to run thin in the coming months, does Beitz think there could be a renewed rush on EVs and plug-ins?“My feeling is no” he said.“I think as a country what we’ve experienced is what’s going to happen - I don’t feel we’ll run out of fuel, there wasn’t Armageddon like people thought there was going to be, so I don’t see another huge surge. I don’t think we’ll see anything like that second quarter for the rest of the year.”“I think it will instead be an average of the first half of the year for the second half.”He said conditions going forward looked more bleak for the industry, as a combination of factors would make numbers seen in the first six months of 2026 more difficult to replicate going forward.“The industry is seeing some real challenges. The profitability is the lowest it’s ever been - overall the industry has had the lowest return in decades for the first half of the year - that’s unheard of."“There’s a number of factors. The economy is taking its toll - there’s excess inventory everywhere. You’ve only got to drive to the ports, there’s cars everywhere. So there’s an excess inventory issue that’s affecting our ability to retain revenue. Margins have fallen through the floor.”“The other thing which is a massive issue is that there are way too many brands, and only the same amount of buyers. Year-to-date there’s a small growth but it’s bugger all, and 65 per cent of the market is still ICE vehicles, and even there it’s declined.”But despite the intense competition and ultra-low price points coming to the market from new Chinese brands, Beitz was reasonably positive about the survival chances of so-called ‘legacy brands’.“They’ll find a way forward,” he said.“Nissan is a good example, they’ll have a portfolio, which resembles their traditional products like Navara and Patrol, but next year they’ll be bringing across a range of Chinese manufactured options.”He agreed that levels of interest for incoming Chinese-built cars from brands like Nissan seen across automotive media was being replicated by buyer interest at a dealer level.“I think they’re responding but they struggle to move as fast as the Chinese brands are arriving. But legacy brands are coming back, I think they might hold on to where they sit currently."However, he also added their footprint has likely permanently shrunk when it comes to retail space: “It will result in a re-allocation of already limited space for dealers like me.”Despite promising signs for EVs going forward - with many more younger buyers being attracted by lower price points from new brands, Beitz pointed out that non-EV market share is still 75 per cent of the total market, and 78 per cent for his network specifically.He believes combustion vehicles (including plugless hybrids) will continue to make up the majority of the market for years to come.