Articles by Tom White

Honda will take its brand in a completely new electric direction in 2026 starting with a wedge-shaped four-door retro futuristic sports machine.

Volkswagen has confirmed pricing and spec for 2024 versions of its new-generation Amarok, locking in drive-away pricing for the remaining 2023 stock it has on hand.Until the end of March, Volkswagen has locked drive-away pricing for its Amarok range from $54,990 for the base Core, $58,990 for the mid-grade Life, and $68,990 for the high-spec Style. Meanwhile, Style models equipped with the more powerful ‘TDI600’ 3.0-litre diesel V6 powertrain have their drive-away prices locked at $72,990.Volkswagen says this equates to an approximate $5000 reduction to the usual drive-away pricing depending on the state in which the ute is sold, and in addition a $1800 service pack covering the first five years is included on all MY23 utes.The top-spec PanAmericana and Aventura grades are exempted from this pricing as the brand wrestles with low supply and high demand for these variants. It also says the Style V6 is currently the most popular variant, with over half of all customers opting for the powerful high-grade version.“More than half of all Amarok customers want the Style TDI600 for its blend of toughness, technology and premium value,” Volkswagen’s Commercial Vehicle director, Ryan Davies said, adding: “While we continue to work on meeting demand for the flagship PanAmericana and Aventura, the ability to deliver an even greater number of Styles with the V6 diesel engine is significant as we start the new year.”2024 versions of the Amarok will feature a brake controller as standard to go with the existing standard tow bar with a 3500kg braked towing capacity, alongside blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert being added to the base Core TDI405’s safety suite.Pricing for the MY24 models has increased by $2500 for the Core and Life models, with an increase of $2750 for the Style, and $3000 for the PanAmericana and Adventura grades (see pricing table below).The Amarok continues to be offered with four powertrain options, a base 2.0-litre turbo diesel (TDI405) producing 125kW/405Nm, a mid-spec uprated 2.0-litre turbo diesel (TDI500) producing 154kW/500Nm, a 3.0-litre turbo diesel V6 (TDI600) producing 184kW/600Nm, and a 2.3-litre turbo petrol engine (TSI452) exclusive to the top-spec Adventura grade producing 222kW/452Nm.Off the back of this new second-generation version, the Amarok’s market share rose to the end of 2023 to 6625 units or 3.2 per cent of the 4x4 ute market, an increase of 64.8 per cent over its 2022 numbers. It is closing in on the declining market share of the ageing Nissan Navara, which accounted for 7510 units last year, or 3.6 per cent of the market, having declined 15 per cent year-on-year.However, it faces increasingly tough competition in the ute space, particularly from the related and segment-leading Ford Ranger, as well as the next-generation Mitsubishi Triton which is set to arrive in Australia imminently.2024 Volkswagen Amarok price 

Hyundai makes the surprise move of making its fully electric Hyundai Kona even cheaper with a longer driving range for its second generation.

Why Chery's cars in 2030 could be coming all the way from the UK.

Lexus upgrades its popular hybrid small SUV for 2024 - but will the tweaks arrive in time to better its chances against the Volvo XC40, BMW X1 and Audi Q3 in 2024?

The Ford Ranger has launched in China and it's much cheaper than the Thai-built one which arrives in Australia - but is there a catch?

You want a hybrid small SUV but you don't want to wait for a Toyota? We've put two of the most promising alternatives head-to-head to find out which saves you more money at the pump.

I didn't expect my entire list to be fully electric cars, but these five are all stand-outs in their own right.

Tesla has made some significant changes to the new Model 3, despite it looking very similar from the outside. Do they hit the mark?

Nissan's Euro-tinged Juke small SUV has tumbled down the sales charts, but are buyers missing out on an underappreciated gem?