2018 Ford C-Max Reviews

Where does the Kia Tasman go from here? Is having a conventional diesel engine as the sole choice enough to run with the best-sellers? Should the Tasman follow the lead of the Ranger Raptor by going down the off-road performance path, to create a halo model for the rest of the range to bask beneath? Or is going hybrid the answer? The answer may shock you!

Diesel as a fuel source might not be dead yet, but the vultures are circling, waiting for their prey to finally stop moving. Don’t believe me? It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see into a future already so clearly laid out, and not just by newcomer brands, but by some of the biggest proponents of diesel engines in the history of the fuel.

Ford is reportedly delaying production of successors to electric versions of its F-150 and Transit as the Blue Oval looks to focus on smaller, more affordable electric cars.

It’s widely regarded as a great way to exfoliate, detoxify and hydrate the skin, while some believe it can provide relief from muscle and joint pain. But the type of mud bath Ford Australia has been applying to its up-coming Ford Ranger Super Duty is far from a therapeutic beauty routine.

Ford's "Model T" moment for EVs could be a mid-sized ute.

Kia Australia is currently recalling 9534 examples of its Cerato and Seltos due to a potential engine defect that increases the risk of vehicle fire.These BD-generation Kia Cerato and SP2-generation Seltos vehicles were produced between 2020 and 2022. They are also fitted with the non-turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.“The piston rings fitted to the engines of certain vehicles may not meet manufacturing specifications, and could cause engine failure and vehicle stalling,” said the company in its recall notice.“A damaged engine may result in the vehicle stalling and/or engine oil leaking, increasing the risk of an accident or vehicle fire causing injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users.”9534 vehicles affectedVIN list is attached hereOriginal recall notice is attached hereOwners of an affected Kia Cerato or Seltos are being urged to content their preferred Kia dealer “immediately” to schedule an appointment to have the engine inspected and replaced if damaged, free of charge.An engine control unit (ECU) software update will also be applied during the inspection as an “additional data monitoring tool to detect early signs of engine failure”.For more information, call Kia Customer Service on 131 542.Ford Australia is also recalling 2039 examples of its Mustang sports car due to a manufacturing defect that may cause the fuel supply to become impaired.This recall affects Ford Mustang examples produced between 2021 and 2022.2039 vehicles affectedVIN list is attached hereOriginal recall notice is attached here"Due to a manufacturing defect, the fuel pump impeller may not operate as intended," said the company in its recall notice."If this occurs, it could impair the fuel supply to the engine and result in a loss of motive power whilst driving."If you own an affected vehicle, Ford Australia will contact you in writing, requesting you to contact an authorised Ford dealer to have the fix rectified, free of charge.For more information, you can contact any authorised Ford dealer or the Ford Customer Relationship Centre on 133 673.

Australia’s peak motoring body has detailed its latest batch of data from real-world fuel use testing.

It’s been over five years now since COVID lockdowns started and in some way it feels like a lifetime ago. For a lot of people buying new cars during this period, however, there were long wait times. COVID lockdowns were a key reason for this, but another major reason for delays was the global shortage of semiconductors.

Despite a seemingly huge appetite for the ultra-cool Ford Bronco SUV and its mini-me Bronco Sport sibling, Aussie new car buyers have so far been denied access to the super-successful retro-futurist Ford models.Since its launch in 2021 the prospect of right-hand drive production has taken a back seat as the focus remains on satisfying strong US domestic demand.And that’s despite Ford’s global CEO Jim Farley telling CarsGuide way back in 2022 that, “(Ford) can do Bronco and Bronco Sport for the globe, for sure. But we have, like, a year or two order bank so we have a lot of work to do on our capacity before we can even consider something like that.”And so it is that close to three years later there are still Bronco and Bronco Sport-shaped holes on Ford’s local showroom floors. But news coming out of China overnight could fast-track new EV and range-extender hybrid versions of the Bronco for Australian consumption.Developed by the Ford/Jiangling Motor Chinese joint venture operation, the Bronco New Energy is a larger, re-powered version of the charismatic off-roader.To be produced at Ford/JMC’s Nanchang plant in South-East China, the new car’s arrival opens up the possibility of a fresh source for potential Australian market supply.CarsGuide contacted Ford Australia for comment on that possibility and a spokesperson said, "We have no news to share on any plans to offer the Ford Bronco in Australia”. But hey, that's not a no.The Ford/JMC JV already produces a version of the existing Bronco. To reduce cost it’s powered by a 205kW 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (supplied by a second Ford/Changan joint-venture business) rather than the 235kW 2.7-litre V6 petrol engine deployed in the USA.Documents published overnight by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and referenced by multiple Chinese sources, describe the new pure-electric and plug-in hybrid Bronco variants.Measuring 5025mm end-to-end the new models are just over 200mm longer than the existing four-door combustion Bronco, while retaining a similar width, height and identical wheelbase.The pure-electric version features a 105kWh battery delivering a CLTC-rated range of 650km and supports high-voltage fast charging. The plug-in hybrid version has a solid 44kWh battery with a 220km EV-only range, rising to around 1220km in concert with the 110kW 1.5-litre, four-cylinder range-extender petrol engine/generator.Motor and driveline specs are unknown at this point but the EV’s kerb weight is listed at a reasonably trim (for a BEV) 2630kg, while the hybrid weighs in at 2511kg.Like all Chinese versions of the car the new five-seat Bronco models wear an additional ‘Ford’ inscription on the grille, as Bronco isn’t a well-known model name in that market, and a Jiangling-Ford badge on the rear.In terms of exterior design, the leading edge of the bonnet has been made more prominent and the headlight treatment, while instantly recognisable, has also been tweaked.The Bronco New Energy sports a Lidar sensor at the front of the roof with over 30 additional “high-precision sensors/cameras” also onboard.

For so long seen as purely a tool-of-trade, in recent decades the ute has grown into a Swiss Army-style work/family/lifestyle multi-purpose machine. And in his second month with the Ford Ranger Platinum, Andrew Chesterton is appreciating the family side of its character more than ever.