Mercedes-Benz R-Class Reviews

Fuel prices in Australia are about to rise again. The federal government has announced the Fuel Excise cut will continue at a lower rate until the start of August.The original 50 per cent discount equated to 32 cents per litre off fuel prices, but this was due to end on the 30th of June.The government will now extend a smaller discount of 16 cents per litre until the 2nd of August. This announcement means fuel prices will increase across the board in addition to any other fluctuations from external factors. A 16 cent increase will see diesel fuel prices increase back above the $2 per litre mark across the country, having been more than $3 per litre at times over the past few months. The diesel-powered Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux utes remain two of the best-selling cars in Australia.E10 petrol will also creep up towards the $2 point as a result of this decreased discount. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not ruled out further extensions to the Fuel Excise discount in the future if circumstances require it. "Of course we do live in a volatile world. Were there to be a massive global shock, my government will always respond,” Mr Albanese told Sky News. The news comes as rumours of an end to the Iran war heat up, with the conflict being the key driver of high fuel prices. There is still no freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz - the key gateway for many ships carrying oil globally.It has seen electric vehicle uptake in Australia soar, with budget Chinese options like the Jaecoo J5 EV and Geely EX5 growing by more than 200 per cent between May and June 2026. Tesla experienced a record-breaking month in May, shifting 6433 units - its highest sales number since the Electric Vehicle Council started collecting data. The government will also increase the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge to 16 cents per litre, with it being free since April. 

Mercedes-Benz Australia has locked in the launch of the new CLA Shooting Brake wagon to complement the current sedan body style.This marks the first time the CLA Shooting Brake has hit Australian shores since it was discontinued in 2019, when the second-generation model arrived.A Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson has confirmed the new CLA Shooting Brake will launch locally before the end of 2026.It will also be offered with mild-hybrid petrol and electric powertrains that already feature in the CLA sedan, which just launched locally.At this stage local pricing and specifications for the CLA Shooting Brake are yet to be locked in.It’s expected the electric CLA Shooting Brake will be the most affordable electric wagon in Australia by a considerable margin once it arrives.This title currently goes to the Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo at $204,100, before on-road costs, and is followed by the BMW i5 M60 Touring at $219,900, before on-road costs.The CLA sedan line-up currently starts at $66,500, before on-road costs, for the entry-level mild-hybrid petrol trim. The most affordable electric sedan trim is $84,300, before on-road costs.It’s expected the Shooting Brake wagon body style will be a little more expensive than the sedan.Mild-hybrid versions of the CLA are powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with differing levels of power, depending on the trim level, plus a 22kW electric motor that’s powered by the 48V battery pack.Power is sent to either the front or all wheels, depending on the grade, by an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.The electric versions of the CLA has a variant with a single, rear-mounted electric motor, plus another with a dual-motor, all-wheel drive set-up.Mercedes-Benz Australia said it can’t disclose a projected sales split between the mild-hybrid petrol and electric CLA trims, however there have been more inquiries for the latter than expected.

Mercedes-Benz is bringing two new V8-powered rides to Australia. The Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S and GLS 63 S SUVs have both been detailed overseas ahead of their local launch. There are no confirmed launch timings for the cars, but Mercedes-Benz Australia has been contacted for comment to get a better idea of when we can expect them. These large luxury SUVs will be rivals to the V8-powered BMW X6 and X7 as well as the Audi SQ7 and SQ8. Both of Mercedes’ updated models use a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, producing 450kW and 850Nm, which are the same figures as the current model. The GLE 63 S can sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds, while the GLS 63 S takes 4.2 seconds, with both going on to a top speed of 280km/h. The pair are equipped with Mercedes’ all-wheel drive system and have a 48-volt mild hybrid set-up, providing a small boost of power. There is a newly-developed performance exhaust system fitted to the cars, allowing for different settings of noise from the V8 engine. The car has been given a new exterior look that shows off larger air intakes and a rethought headlight design.Wheels are offered in sizes up to 22 inches on the GLE 63 S and 23 inches on the GLS 63 S. There is a range of Nappa leather seat colours, with carbon and aluminium elements elsewhere in the cabin. The car’s suspension can be raised by as much as 20mm, depending on road conditions and speeds.There is no official news on price yet, but the GLE 63 S currently starts in Australia from $266,900 (before on-road costs), so expect a slight price increase on that number. The GLS 63 S starts in Australia from $299,900, meaning this new model could break the $300,000 barrier. 

2026 has been a massive year of change for Australia’s new car market. The tide has turned against diesel, and global affairs have pushed more buyers than ever to hybrid and electric cars and into the arms of new brands with more competitive offerings.This has been disastrous for old favourites. In a market where the forever steadfast and market-leading Toyota has taken a nearly 25 per cent hit to its sales figures, something is definitely changing in the mindsets of buyers.Chery, BYD, Geely and Zeekr are up staggering amounts and are stealing sales from Subaru, Mitsubishi and Nissan, which are now looking at a future as former top-10 marques.There are still a handful of big name brands continuing to post gains. It’s a diverse group ranging from Mercedes-Benz to Hyundai.Let’s take a lookAfter years of nosediving down the Aussie new car sales charts, thanks to what the brand would probably describe as a tactical retreat to a more limited footprint and ‘agency’ sales model, Honda seems to have stabilised.The Japanese brand has posted a 5.1 per cent gain year-on-year accounting for a mere 52 units.It’s not a great story looking at the by-the-model numbers, with every car in the brands range posting declines apart from its best-selling CR-V posting a 4.4 per cent gain year-on-year, the ZR-V is up a very modest 0.8 per cent year-on-year and the brand-new Prelude sports car posted an additional 142 units.The Accord sedan has shrunk to a handful of units off of an already-low-base, while the Civic also posted a near 30 per cent decline.Hyundai has had a pretty decent year, even though its initial trailblazing range of EVs have had it tough in the face of new rivals.Up 5.1 per cent for the year, Hyundai’s gains come from its ageing Tucson mid-sizer and high-performing Kona small SUV, which is available with the choice of petrol, hybrid and pure electric power.It also posted solid gains from the addition of the Chinese-built Elexio to its range.The fully electric Hyundai Inster city car, which initially had a tepid reception, has surged back thanks to price-cuts and a renewed interest in electric cars off the back of the fuel crisis. The brand’s once-headline-grabbing Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, with their advanced E-GMP 800-volt platforms, continue to lose their shine.The loss of the i30 has also put a dent in the brands range, while the Venue also continues to tumble down the charts as it struggles to compete with keen new Chinese rivals such as the Chery Tiggo 4.Kia has proven to be a success story in 2026, with its well-received range of electric cars and Tasman ute forming a significant part of the brand’s additional volume.A gain of just 2.7 per cent isn't all good news. The Sportage has not quite enjoyed the same sales growth as its Hyundai Tucson relation, down over a thousand units year on year.The loss of the Cerato has been more than compensated for by the arrival of the K4, which has posted a massive gain of 1958 units year-on-year. The once-heavy-hitting Sorento has lost nearly half its volume.The EV3, EV4, and EV5 have all done well, but the EV6 and EV9, which are its most expensive EVs, have posted steep declines.The controversial Tasman ute is barely doing half the volume Kia had predicted pre-launch, it is still a significant volume-add for the brand, with more than 2000 units sold so far this year.The brand is up 3.4 per cent for the year, accounting for an additional 295 units. It is some of the older models from the brand’s line-up kicking goals.The A-Class and related GLA SUV posted solid gains alongside the electric EQA and EQB, while the GLC mid-size and GLE large SUVs have also done well.It’s not good news for the rest of the brand’s range. Its larger electric vehicles have failed to resonate with buyers. The EQE SUV was the hardest hit so far, down 383 units for the year, and the EQE, EQS and EQS SUV ranges all posted significant declines.Volvo’s story of steady-but-surely continues, posting a modest 2.4 per cent gain in 2026.The ever-popular XC40 continues to kick goals for the Swedish brand, with the model up 16.6 per cent year-on-year despite its age. The soon-to-be replaced XC60 also posted a small 1.8 per cent gain.The EX90, the brand’s new large fully electric SUV, is up 46.2 per cent off a very low base. The new SUV is still outsold at a ratio of three-to-one by its XC90 internal-combustion engined predecessor.The EX30 small SUV, which is a platform-share with the Zeekr X, posted modest gains, up 6.3 per cent.

The higher of two pure-electric Mercedes CLA models, and the flagship of the five-model line-up is the CLA350 4Matic electric, priced at $91,300, before on-road costs.

The first of two pure-electric Mercedes CLA models, the CLA200 electric kicks off at $72,200, before on-road costs.

The top-spec hybrid model in the new CLA line-up is the AWD 220 4Matic, sitting at $84,300, before on-road costs, which puts it in the same price ballpark as primo versions of its German ‘Big Three’ rivals, the Audi A3 sedan and BMW 2 Series.

The first rung up the Mercedes CLA ladder above the entry-level 180 is this CLA200 at $68,100, before on-road costs, which puts it in the same price ballpark as its German ‘Big Three’ rivals, the Audi A3 sedan and BMW 2 Series.

The Mercedes CLA line-up kicks off at $66,500 for the entry-level 180, which puts it in the same price ballpark as its German ‘Big Three’ rivals, the Audi A3 sedan and BMW 2 Series.

The CLA coupe-style compact sedan has been a minor player in the Mercedes-Benz passenger car portfolio... until now. An all-new version offering hybrid and pure-electric power is designed to step out of the shadows and take the fight up to its premium Euro rivals.