Fiat News

Diesel isn't dead after all: Why the owner of Peugeot and Jeep is making up for lackluster EV sales with diesels.

The revived Fiat Scudo van has just been priced in Australia.The short wheel base van starts from $48,490 (before on-road costs), while the long wheel base starts from $50,490.It is cheaper than the long-wheel base exclusive Toyota HiAce, which starts from $53,880 for the base automatic variant.It is a rival for the Hyundai Staria Load, with a starting price of $46,990, before on-road costs. The Scudo was last seen in Australia more than 10 years ago. It is a rebadged version of the Peugeot Expert, which is already available in Australia from $500 more than the Scudo.The Scudo has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 110kW and 370Nm, which is less powerful than the 2.8-litre engine found in the HiAce (130kW/450Nm).It is also under-gunned compared to the Staria Load, which has a 2.2-litre engine, with 130kW and 430Nm. The Scudo has a payload on 1347kg, which represents a noticeable step up on the van's previous generation, and rivals such as the HiAce.Inside, the Scudo has a 10.0-inch digital driver display and 10.0-inch central touchscreen, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality as standard. Keyless entry and start is available on the up-spec version of the Scudo, along with wireless phone charging. 2026 Fiat Scudo pricing Australia2026 Fiat Scudo engine and efficiency   2026 Fiat Scudo standard featuresHeated driver seatHeated steering wheel10.0-inch central touchscreen10.0-inch digital driver displayApple CarPlay and Android AutoHeated electric folding mirrorsRain-sensing wipersPrimo grade addsKeyless entry and startWireless phone chargerLED headlightsDual-zone climate control 2026 Fiat Scudo standard safety features The Fiat Scudo has not been crash tested.6 airbagsLane keep assistTraffic sign recognitionBlind spot assistDrive attention assistIntelligent speed assistFront fog lamps2026 Fiat Scudo dimensions and practicality  2026 Fiat Scudo warrantyThe Fiat Scudo comes with a five-year/200,000 kilometre warranty. 

It’s a brand new year and brand new car buying thoughts turn to vehicle build plates. Dealers are keen to shift their existing stock before prior year manufacturing dates become a millstone around their automotive necks.But what if the model in question has been publicly put to the sword and it’s not just a matter of a ‘2025 Plate Clearance Sale’?Some of these cars may have been around for quite a while. In rare instances, slow sellers celebrating a birthday (or two?) in retail captivity, waiting hopefully for a new owner to take them to their forever home.These are affectionately referred to as zombie cars. Still offered for sale but the production tap may be about to be turned off, or it’s even been twisted to the right some time ago.If you’re looking for a cut-price new car and you don’t mind if it’s been sitting on the shelf for a period of time, here’s a rundown of some four-wheeled zombies to give you a little extra leverage when twisting a salesperson’s arm.BMW Z4 - This sleek two-seat roadster was developed in a joint-venture with Toyota that also spawned the (similarly discontinued) fifth-generation Supra.Production is scheduled to end this March with a ‘Frozen Matt Black’ Final Edition model     including four- and six-cylinder variants, the order window for the car opening and closing this month.But don’t get too excited. Sadly, the Final Edition won’t be available in Australia. However, there are still Z4’s on showroom floors here and there around the country. After all, three found homes in December last year. Get in quick!Fiat 500 - The internal combustion version of this diminutive Italian (in Fiat and Abarth form) ceased production in June 2024 thanks largely to EU safety regulations sending it out of bounds.A 500 Ibrida Hybrid is due to begin production imminently, but it’s quite a different car designed to supplement 500e production (global demand for which has been underwhelming) and riding on the same platform.The ICE car is still offered up on the Fiat Australia website, in 1.2L four-cylinder Dolcevita form at around $30,775, drive-away.Hyundai i20 N - Hyundai has made no bones about the fact its i20N hot hatch is kaput, with production scheduled to finish this March.But Hyundai Australia has reached into the cash drawer and ordered up enough cars to satisfy predicted local demand through 2026.So, this brilliant little performance car will be a zombie in name only. But we wouldn’t leave it too late to get your hands on one. With 150kW/275Nm in a brilliantly responsive compact package it’s not to be missed.Jaguar E-Pace / F-Type - There isn’t a car company on the planet that’s been more transparent about ending production of a current model. In fact, (almost) every one of its models!Jaguar suspended manufacturing of its then existing internal combustion cars in mid-2024  in preparation for a brave new all-electric, ultra-premium future… except for the F-Pace SUV, soldiering on at JLR’s Solihull plant.Amazingly, local sales of the E-Pace SUV grew four per cent year-on-year in 2025 despite the manufacturing halt. And examples of the stunning F-Pace sports car continue to trickle out into the world.Jeep Grand Cherokee - The Aussie axe fell on Jeep’s Grand Cherokee early last year, the once hugely popular model discontinued locally in response to a less than stellar sales performance after launching here in 2023.Part of the problem was a solid price hike for the fifth-gen version and having ripped off the Band-Aid by announcing its local departure, parent company Stellantis promptly dropped the price of the Limited variant to $60,000, drive-away (previously $72,950, before on-road costs).Lo and behold, year-on-year Grand Cherokee sales ticked up 4.3 per cent for 2025, but registration numbers are dwindling now. It’s still up on the website, so it might be the perfect time to move in for a super-sharp deal.Suzuki Ignis / S-Cross - The pocket-sized Ignis SUV was confirmed for departure from the Australian market in early 2025 in response to new Australian Design Rule (ADR) requirements mandating more advanced AEB performance.Examples of the 1.2-litre four-seat city SUV were still rolling out Suzuki showroom doors in December last year so there are cars floating around the brand’s retail network.Same story for the compact S-Cross crossover, which struggled with that ADR compliance and reached the end of the road production-wise around the same time. Again, a number are still finding homes close to 12 months after its death notice was issued.Toyota Fortuner - A clear oversupply of large three-row SUVs was tidied up by Toyota Australia with an announcement to confirm the axing of its Fortuner model in November last year. Which still leaves the Kluger, LandCruiser Prado and LandCruiser 300 as available seven-seat Toyota options.Sharing the same body-on-frame platform as the HiLux ute, the off-road capable Fortuner will finish production around the middle of this year.  The Fortuner battled for clear air in the mix with its in-house competition, attracting just 3407 customers in 2025, while the Ford Ranger-based Everest sold 26,161 units. 

In what seems to be an obvious end-game as part of its team-up with Leapmotor, Stellantis could be set to lean on its Chinese partner for hybrid technology to bolster its other brands in Europe.Ultimately, according to a new report from Autocar, this will mean the range extender hybrid tech from Leapmotor’s C10 and B10 will be deployed in at least Peugeots and Fiats.Autocar quotes Leapmotor’s international CEO Tianshu Xin as saying the company is “exploring the possibilities” to use range extender hybrid tech in other Stellantis brands, as part of the group finding “synergies by using each other's technology.”The international boss also earmarked future platform sharing as the direction in which the partnership was moving.Stelllantis, which was born from a merger between the America-focused Fiat Chrysler and Euro-focused PSA Group, has had a disparate array of products built for an array of different markets on a range of platforms which didn’t start out with a lot of commonality between them.The brands under the group include Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram and Vauxhall.While this initially made it challenging for the group, it has gradually begun to rationalize its platforms into a handful to be used across its global range. For passenger cars this includes the 'STLA' small, medium, and large architecture, 4x4s and utes ride on the SLTA Frame platform.Leapmotor, which is 19.99 per cent owned by Stellantis, uses a separate 'LEAP' architecture for its vehicles, developed separately from Stellantis in China. Leapmotor is now also building cars in EuropeMr Xin’s comments on future platform sharing seems to indicate there could be future cars from European brands on the LEAP platform, or future Leapmotor cars underpinned by an STLA platform.Either way, Leapmotor’s range-extender hybrid technology solves a problem for Stellantis in rolling out a consistent range of hybrids in emissions-sensitive markets, or potentially even for the American market where EVs are floundering thanks to the removal of incentives.For Australia, it could lead to a range of appealing range-extender hybrids wearing a wider array of badges, whether they are Fiats, Peugeots or even Jeeps.Jeep in particular is embattled in Australia, down a whopping 33.3 per cent until the end of 2025, moving just 1585 units for the year. Its range of products has been cut down significantly, with the brand discontinuing the new-generation (and significantly more expensive) Grand Cherokee after a slow sales run.This strips its range down to just the Wrangler off-roader and its related Gladiator ute, as well as the Euro-sourced Avenger electric compact SUV and outgoing previous-generation Compass mid-sizer.Peugeot is also embattled in Australia, having taken a 28.8 per cent sales hit over the course of 2025. It moved just 1350 units for the year, as it faces stiff competition from rivals new and old.Even Leapmotor’s fledgling effort in the Australian market has struggled to find traction. The brand offered the mid-size C10 in both EV and range-extender hybrid forms, and yet managed to sell 644 new vehicles over the course of the year.In comparison, its most direct rival, Geely and its EX-5 and Starray EM-i hybrid spin-off, moved over 5000 units in the same period.Next for Leapmotor’s Australian efforts is its B10 small SUV, initially in electric and later hybrid form. Internationally, the brand has also debuted the C16 large SUV and A10 crossover in China, as well as the B05 Golf-sized hatchback in Europe.

Fiat looks set to revive a nameplate that was last seen in Australia over a decade ago.A new-generation version of the Fiat Scudo mid-size commercial van has been approved for sale in Australia according to government filings.While Fiat Professional Australia hasn’t confirmed if or when it plans to launch this new Scudo yet, the current approval filing was issued in November 2025 which typically precedes a new car launch by a few months.We’ve reached out to Fiat Professional Australia and will update this story once we hear back.If it isn’t already obvious, this new Fiat Scudo is a rebadged version of the Peugeot Expert. In fact, this van’s Stellantis underpinnings also forms the base of the Citroen Jumpy, Toyota Proace, Opel Vivaro and Vauxhall Vivaro, among a number of others.According to the filing, two versions of the Scudo have been approved for sale in Australia, a standard- and long-wheelbase version, both with a three-seat bench and turbo-diesel power.Said engine is a familiar 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine which produces 110kW of power. It’s mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with drive sent to the front wheels only.No versions of the electric E-Scudo have notably been approved for local sale yet. For context, the related all-electric Peugeot E-Expert is already on sale in Australia.All versions of the Scudo have sliding doors on each side of the vehicle and barn doors at the rear.The standard-wheelbase style measures in at 4981mm long, 1924mm wide and 1955mm tall with a 3275mm wheelbase.The long-wheelbase style is 350mm longer overall at 5331mm long, however the 3275mm wheelbase technically remains unchanged.The tare mass for both vans is around 1700kg, gross vehicle mass (GVM) is 3100kg and the braked towing capacity is only 600kg.Other notable inclusions in the approval filing include standard 16-inch wheels with optional 17-inch units, a standard internal partition, front and rear fog lamps, as well as an optional vertical tailgate to replace the rear barn doors.Australians haven’t been able to buy a Fiat Scudo since 2015. This previous-generation model was also rebadged Peugeot Expert, for context.

As we prepare to close the curtain on 2025, the Australian new car market looks a very different place than it did at this time last year.

It’s been 10 months since former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares left the company and now he claims the multinational carmaker giant could face a potential breakup.

Australia is one of the most fiercely-contested sales arenas in the world today, with more than 60 brands and counting fighting for a modest 1.2-million-unit market annually.Tough doesn’t even start to explain the situation.Now, with the recent Climate Change Authority’s recommendation that electric vehicle (EV) sales jump from today’s 10 per cent market penetration to at least 50 per cent by 2035 to achieve emissions targets, it is vital that Australian buyers willingly take the leap into full electrification.To that end, here are five EVs not-yet available locally that could lure consumers in. Let’s go.Built at the old Fiesta supermini factory in Germany, the inexplicably-named Explorer EV (no relation at all to the larger, non-electric American Toyota Kluger-sized SUV with exactly the same badge – are there no other names, Ford?) is not what it seems.Under the boxy exterior is a Volkswagen ID.4 mid-sized EV SUV. This is a strong basis for any family-friendly electric car, offering a pleasing depth of quality engineering. Ford’s contribution has been in its unique styling inside and out, as well as on-brand dynamic tuning.Launched last year, initial sales in Europe tanked, but demand has really started to pick up lately, as consumers respond to the Explorer’s chunky styling, involving handling and sophisticated interior. With up to 600km of WLTP range available, efficiency is also impressive.This Euro Explorer is exactly the sort of EV Ford Australia needs: handsome, athletic, capable and clean.Especially as the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) will increasingly penalise carbon-heavy polluters like diesel-powered utes and SUVs – which is what Ranger and Everest are respectively, making up about 90 per cent of total local Ford sales.But there are no plans for Explorer EV to be imported. It seems like a no-brainer. What a shame.The retro-chic Renault 5 E-Tech city car is a sales and critical success, and deservedly so, offering an alluring blend of style, affordability and technology. Europeans are going gaga over this French supermini, and all indications suggest we soon will be, too. Fingers crossed.But its big brother, the Renault 4 E-Tech, might be an even-better fit for Australia, given it is a higher-riding SUV/crossover, with proper practicality lurking underneath that utilitarian design. With only hints of the original, ground-breaking R4 of 1961 – widely considered to be history’s first volume hatchback – the 2025 reimagining treads a fine line between post-modern-cool and ultra-contemporary-funk.Fun fact: unlike the original Renault 5 supermini of the 1970s, Australians could actually buy the first R4, from 1963 to 1967, and it was even manufactured in Melbourne.Chinese giant Geely has the resources and might to stamp its authority in the bottom end of the EV market in Australia with this – the Geome Xingyuan.And an anticipated sub-$30,000 entry price wouldn’t be the light urban crossover’s only strength.Aimed at the BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora and Hyundai Inster, the Geome has gone gangbusters back in China, with buyers liking and subscribing its cutesy organic styling, surprisingly spacious cabin and ease of operation – aided by plenty of pep, perky handling, decent range and a generous wad of safety tech. What’s not to like from an EV that, in China, kicks off from well-below $20K? At $25K the Geome would rule.With a name like that, this European EV supermini sounds like it should be Chinese, but the Grande Panda is very much an elegant – and thoughtful ­– slice of Italian design.Based on Stellantis’ Smart Car Platform that supports internal combustion engines as well as battery electric tech, accessibility was high on the Grande Panda’s engineering brief, meaning that, were it to join its glamorous 500e supermini sister in Australia, it should be priced very competitively. Like history’s best Fiats have always been.This is the sort of fun and fiery yet ultra-functional city car that the company is famous for – and the retro styling that harks back to the beloved, Giugiaro-penned 1980 Panda original makes no bones about that. Interesting detailing, great proportions and an inviting interior presentation are further drawcards, proving that Italy still knows how to make cracking small cars. And did we mention the Grande Panda was designed to be attractively priced?OK. This is little more than the high-flying Renault 5 E-Tech wearing a 2000s-era Mk3 Micra-esque face with adorable semi-circular LEDs to set it apart.But, in an era of capable if unexciting SUVs, ageing utes and even-older 4WDs, Nissan deserves to offer something fresh and youthful.And, anyway, until the late 2010s and Tesla Model 3, the brand’s Leaf small car was the most successful EV in history. Whether lightning strikes twice with the vital third iteration from next year remains to be seen, but in the meantime, the Micra EV proves that there is real heart as well as a sense of fun at Nissan. Even if it is so clearly little more than a badge-engineered R5. But there could be worse cars to be based upon.

Stellantis, parent company of Jeep, Ram, Peugeot and Leapmotor, has reportedly put its ‘AutoDrive’ self-driving software on hold over concerns there is no demand for it among buyers.

Kia is frantically working on a pair of small electric vehicles (EVs) that could reshape the bottom end of the new-car market by bringing near-price parity with internal combustion engine alternatives. The big news is that both the EV2 small crossover expected to debut sometime next year and its EV1 city-car sibling due a little later on are under serious consideration for Australia. This is despite being readied for production out of Slovakia, due to EV tax concessions as well as vast economies of scale that should help contain prices if or when they land here.