Ford Ranger 2026 News

The people have spoken, and Australians are going electric, according to the latest sales data. Three electric cars were in the top 10 sellers list for September, with the Tesla Model Y (4476 sales) third overall, the BYD Sealion 7 (2687) fifth and the Geely EX5 (2008) eighth. Australians now buy electric cars in the same number as petrol and diesel vehicles. Sales of  electric, diesel, petrol and hybrid were evenly split in September, with each accounting for about a quarter of sales. Sales of electric cars account for more than 18 per cent of total sales, a rise of more than 165 per cent, and sales of battery-powered vehicles are strengthening as the year goes along. Plug-in hybrids are booming, with sales up more than 120 per cent this year. Conventional hybrids - such as those sold by Toyota - are up more than 10 per cent for the year. Petrol sales are down more than 27 per cent this year and diesel sales have falled more than 16 per cent. Despite the fall, Australians are still gravitating towards familiar petrol and diesel vehicles. The Ford Ranger was the best seller, with 5062 sales in September. This was followed by the Toyota RAV4 (4624), the Model Y, Toyota HiLux (4455) and Chery Tiggo 4 (2059). The other constant in Australia’s new-car sales list are Chinese vehicles. Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and other long-term favourites had no individual vehicle in the top 10 sellers list. Relatively new names such as the Chery Tiggo 4, GWM Haval Jolion and Geely EX5 continue to climb up the charts. There are several names knocking on the door, with the MG ZS (1805), Jaecoo J5 (1754)  and Zeekr 7X (1628) selling strongly. Chinese-built vehicles are now by far the largest source of new cars to Australia, with more than 40,000 imports in September. The next best was Japan with roughly 23,000. This reversal of Australia’s buying habits is playing out with some of the smaller Japanese brands. Australia bought more BYD Sealion 7s or Chery Tiggo 4s than all Subarus or Nissans in September. Mitsubishi’s sales are plummeting, but it has the new Pajero and electric ASX VR-e arriving before the end of the year to help arrest the slide. Nissan is looking to China to help change its fortunes, with a range of vehicles sourced from its joint-venture with Dongfeng believed to be headed our way. This includes the plug-in hybrid Navara Pro ute and plug-in hybrid Terrano 4WD. 10 best-selling vehicles September, 2026 10 best-selling brands September, 2026

This month marks the 10 anniversary of the closure of Ford Australia’s local manufacturing facility. That final vehicle, a blue FGX Falcon XR6, rolled off the Broadmeadows factory in Melbourne’s outer north on October 7, 2016. It ended 91 years of continuous production that started in 1925 with the Model T – the car that put the world on wheels. Was Ford right to call time in Australia? Is it worse or better off now? What happens next? And will it suffer the same fate as Holden? Read on! At the time, Ford was considered the villain of the era, since it was the first of the remaining three local carmakers to announce the end of Australian vehicle manufacturing. That happened on May 23, 2013. Critics claimed it prompted a domino effect that quickly forced the hand of the other two – Holden (on December 11 that year) and Toyota (the following February) to follow suit. Australia was to no longer build vehicles, for the first time in over a century. Along with tens if not hundreds of thousands of jobs direct and indirect that vanished, we were about to lose a prized rare skill set: the ability to design, engineer and make a car from scratch. Only half a dozen or so other countries could do this. The announcements were the death knell. Toyota closed its Altona factory that made the Camry a year after Ford, on October 3, 2017, with Holden just a fortnight behind, shuttering its Elizabeth, South Australia, facility on October 20, 2017. That last red VF II Commodore SS sedan remains etched in peoples’ memories as a truly sad day. But was Ford really to blame? The reality of making vehicles locally was harsh. Right to the very end Australia’s car industry was heavily tax-payer subsidised, which is the case in many other nations with vehicle manufacturing. Yet, it struggled to compete on price, quality and reliability against many imports, and was incomprehensibly slow to react to evolving market conditions. Can you believe Ford’s Territory is the only SUV ever built in Australia? The big reason why vehicle manufacturing even existed as we knew it in the first place had to do with local industry protection. Tariffs on imported vehicles actually started as a total ban on fully-built cars in 1917, but were eventually scaled back from the 1980s. From dozens of car-making operations building vehicles in Australia, most stopped once tariff protections eased. Nissan shut up shop in 1992 and Mitsubishi in 2008. With all this in mind, by the turn of the millennium, it was largely government fleet mandates to buy Australian that supported the remaining models, including Commodore, Falcon, Territory, Camry and – crucially later on – the Holden Cruze. Prompted by falling sales and federal and state government subsidies, Ford, Holden and Toyota were encouraged to add smaller, four-cylinder models as well as more-efficient larger sedans to their locally made line-ups moving forward. The decision was made during the last big fuel crisis of 2005, that ultimately dealt the mortal blow against large cars. But it wasn’t as if the locals didn’t try. Ford developed the EcoLPi LPG system for the Falcon, along with a 2.0-litre turbo model nobody seems to remember today. Territory finally scored the diesel that buyers were crying out for at the time. Toyota started building hybrid Camrys here. And Holden put the VE Commodore on a massive diet for its transition into the VF, complete with a smaller V6, as well as aluminium and even magnesium panel technologies. With the promise of big government fleet sales, Holden and Ford also announced they would manufacture upcoming global small cars here to keep the local industry viable. The 2011 JH Cruze eventuated, but only proved a moderate success. Not long after its Australian small-car promise, Ford reneged on building what became the 2011 Focus… the one with the disastrous Powershift transmission. Instead, it pivoted to taking on the Toyota HiLux. After all, Ford Australia more-or-less invented the coupe ute back in the 1930s, and the writing was on the wall for the once-popular Falcon ute anyway. One-tonne utes were about to become king. And you know what happened next… Free from its prior global small-car commitment, Ford Australia won the contract to create the global T6 mid-sized light truck project that eventually became the 2011 Ranger (and 2015 Everest SUV). This stroke of luck cannot be overstated. Becoming a homeroom for a huge global volume model changed everything. Leveraging the Australian design and engineering team behind the Falcon/Territory projects to develop a global ute sold in over 190 markets was genius. And under different brands to boot (namely as the replacement for the Mazda B-series/BT-50 that ironically spawned the Ranger’s Courier predecessor), the T6 became a massive and enduring international success. And, reliability issues aside, probably the most acclaimed medium ute today. In time, the Ranger became Ford Australia’s best-seller, and eventually reeled in the HiLux to became number one vehicle here from 2023, ending the Toyota’s seven-year streak on top. To put that into historical context, the Falcon took 17 years to topple Holden as this country’s favourite car. Imagine if Holden was also granted a similar opportunity to design and engineer what became the 2012 Colorado, instead of GM of Brazil, to capitalise on the decades of success that the preceding Rodeo enjoyed? The brand may still have existed today. The final Commodore series made here, the VF, was perhaps the greatest Holden in history. Exported as a Chevrolet and Vauxhall, it was a crowning achievement for Australian family-car manufacturing to bow out on. Especially in HSV GTS R and W1 guises. But the VF’s demise only amplified the devastation surrounding manufacturing closure. Together, they became a one-two blow to the national psyche, as Holden was, and still is, most-closely identified as “Australia’s Own”. Inevitably, post-manufacturing, Holden never recovered. The public became downright hostile to the imported Opel Insignia-based ZB Commodore that replaced the VF in showrooms, despite having Aussie engineering input. And the once-strong Colorado, Astra and Barina suffered too. General Motors in Detroit pulled the plug in 2020. For some Australians, Holden ending entirely is a type of cultural identity grief, one that is still playing out today. Meanwhile, post shutdown, Toyota just keeps on being Toyota, business as usual, while Ford has flourished. Just as intended. Probably even more so. Like a favourite ex, Holden is time-locked in the past, with no future, while Ford is the Holden surrogate. Ford Australia has had its financial ups and downs since ceasing Australian manufacturing, but it cannot be denied that the Ranger has been a money-spinner for the brand. And, just as importantly, for Ford’s dealers. As every carmaker knows, happy dealers equal happy days. The Australian-developed Ranger (not to be confused with the previous American jalopy) is globally acknowledged as the most sophisticated ute of its type on the planet. That’s why Volkswagen chose to co-operate with Ford Australia for its second-generation Amarok. What a compliment. But hang on… how long can all the Ranger love last? Is the honeymoon over? We’ve banged on about this ad-nauseam. Ford is in danger of falling into the same trap that snared Holden in relying too much on one model line. Ranger and Everest combined make up more than 90 per cent of total volume in 2026. That’s a higher percentage than the Commodore managed in its heyday because the Barina, Astra and Colorado all enjoyed strong support, before buyers punished the brand for abandoning manufacturing. However, electrified Chinese vehicles like the BYD Shark 6 are changing the ute game. We’re in another fuel crisis and buyers are ditching diesels en-masse. Plus, the predominantly diesel Ranger and Everest are falling foul of Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES), copping debilitating fines from the government that will only worsen in time. And ever-newer ute rivals are arriving on a seemingly monthly basis, mostly cheaper electrified options from China. It seemed unimaginable back in 2016, but from next year, Ford is hoping to beat China at its own game with the Chinese (courtesy of partner Jiangling, or JMC) Bronco Basecamp. This is a midsized plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to take on the Toyota RAV4, BYD Sealion 6 and a host of other electrified SUVs. Other still-secret JMC-developed models also in the pipeline from China are likely to end up wearing the Blue Oval badge here. Whether there is enough Ford DNA for these newcomers to feel and drive up to the brand’s lofty standards remains to be seen. Like Kia, Hyundai and now Mazda with their respective EV5, Elexio and 6e/CX-6e models, it is also an opportunity for a legacy carmaker like Ford to snare consumers wary of Chinese vehicles thanks to having a known brand with an Australia-wide dealer network. This brilliant move might be the lifesaver Ford Australia needs. With 2026 hindsight, the end of local car making was inevitable; the total decline of sedans; market fragmentation; China’s ascension; rise of electrification, soaring fuel prices – the old ways just weren’t sustainable and wouldn’t fly today anyway. Ford was extremely lucky to have backed the Ranger ute when Holden made the wrong choice with Cruze, and it might be lucky again thanks to Jiangling. But we still miss the Falcon, Territory and everything that making Ford cars in Australia brought to this country.

Ford’s two biggest names in Australia suffered huge sales declines in August 2026.  The Ford Ranger sold just 2440 examples across two-wheel and four-wheel drive variants, equating to a more than 50 per cent drop compared to August 2025.  This exacerbates an already challenging year for Australia's best-selling vehicle in 2025. It has sold 32,796 units so far in 2026 compared to 37,183 in 2025 - a near 12 per cent overall drop. Ford said it's a blip on the radar. The Blue Oval was forced to recall almost 14,000 Ranger examples built between November 2025 and July 2026 last month due to a potentially fault airbag. The brand held back deliveries of some of its vehicles to have the issue rectified, contributing to lower figures in August. A spokesperson for Ford Australia said its sales result in August heavily impacted by the temporary delivery and demonstration hold placed on some Ranger dual-cab variants as part of the airbag recall. "The hold prevented Ranger Double Cab vehicles in dealer stock from being delivered during August," they said. "As a result, Ford’s reported monthly volume was approximately 30% lower than anticipated for the month. "The August figure primarily reflects the delayed timing of Ranger deliveries rather than a material change in customer demand." Ford’s Everest large SUV also had a tough August 2026, and was down almost 25 per cent compared to July 2026.  Everest has had an even more steep decline on year-to-date data, with a more than 14 per cent drop up to August 2026. The Ranger has been a staple of the best-selling car charts over the past few years, consistently winning out in a tight wrestling match with the Toyota HiLux.  August 2026 marked one of few occasions where the HiLux outsold the Ranger - and it has done so by some margin.  The HiLux more than doubled the Ranger’s sales in August, registering 4833 units, having also toppled the Blue Oval’s ute in June, but by a smaller gap.  Diesel ute sales are expected to only slow from here, so the Ranger will face a serious challenge to reclaim its place at the top of the charts in Australia.   Increasingly stringent emissions regulations and the ongoing fuel price increases are having a material impact on the future of diesel utes in Australia, like the Ranger. The BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid was one of the only utes to experience a meaningful upturn in sales last month, with a near 10 per cent increase.  Electrified utes like the Shark 6 have been eating into the sales of established diesel competition like the Ranger since it went on sale in late 2024.  Ford sells a PHEV variant of its Ranger in Australia, and the local brand has been contacted to see how many units it sells compared to its diesel sibling.  As emissions regulations continue to squeeze big CO2-emitting vehicles like the diesel Ranger out of the market, more hybrid and electric utes have entered the fray.  New options include: KGM’s Musso is available as a fully-electric ute Toyota offers an electric variant of the HiLux, mainly to fleet buyers GWM's Cannon Alpha is offered with a PHEV set-up JAC recently introduced its Hunter PHEV ute that will rival the BYD Shark 6 The pair are soon to be joined by the Stockman diesel PHEV from Chery It's not just Ranger that is facing more tough competition in Australia. The Everest must contend with a raft of new Chinese competition, including the GWM Tank 500 available in conventional hybrid, PHEV and diesel forms.

Aussie car buyers can’t get enough of the Tesla Model Y right now. Tesla’s mid-size SUV topped the sales charts for August 2026, fending off three Toyota models in the latest set of data.  Total car sales held relatively steady in August, with plenty of the usual players occupying the top spots.  Electric cars are also making an impact Down Under. Four electric-only models made featured in the top 10 last month. The Tesla Model Y surged to the top of the monthly standings once again, with 6414 sales as its new three-row Model Y L experienced sustained popularity. Combining sales of its Model 3 sedan, Tesla was the third best-selling brand in the country.  Toyota’s near 20,000 sales was the best out of any brand, and saw it occupy second, third and fourth on the standings.  Its new RAV4 continues to impress (5470), followed by the Hilux ute (4833) that now holds a healthy lead over its arch rival the Ford Ranger (2440).  Sales numbers start to drop off after the HiLux, with the Prado’s 2475 rounding out the top four.  The Ford Ranger ute experienced another decline in August 2026, falling to fifth position on the standings (2440). The Ranger has been the best-selling car in Australia for the last three consecutive years, but sales decreased in August 2026 by more than 50 per cent compared to August 2025.   The next five cars were from Chinese brands as they increased their grasp over the Australian market.  The BYD Sealion 7 mid-size SUV finished in sixth place (2213), followed by the Chery Tiggo 4 small SUV (2012), with the Geely EX5 registering 1947 examples last month.  BYD may only have had one car in the top 10, but it was the second best-selling brand in Australia in August 2026. Key Tiggo 4 rival, the GWM Haval Jolion, sold 1891 units, while the Zeekr’s 7X sold 1748 units last month.  The Isuzu D-Max took out ninth spot for the month (1708), with the Hyundai Kona finishing off the top 10 with 1688 sales. 

It ultimately helped end Holden, and the same can happen with an alarmingly high number of other prominent car brands. We’re talking about the over-reliance on one single model in Australia. It is the ‘eggs all in one basket’ that leaves sales and financials vulnerable when the inevitable happens – a popular model starts to run out of steam with consumers. Factors include newer competition, ageing models and external outside forces like spiking oil prices and evolving buyer tastes. Here, then, are some of Australia’s most vulnerable brands due to the over-dependence on one model line. Geely’s ‘Gen-Z geek’ sub-brand has struck a chord with Australians thanks to the strikingly styled 7X, and deservedly so. However, did you know there are two other, older Zeekr models sitting beside it on the showroom floor? A smaller SUV known as the X and a large people mover badged 009. Combined, they make up just 6.4 per cent of Zeekr’s year-to-date (YTD) sales, while the 7X takes the lion’s share at an incredible 93.4 per cent. Let’s hope the latter keeps the momentum up. Tesla’s Model 3 may have opened the floodgates for electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia since arriving in mid 2019, but it has now been subsumed by the larger SUV offshoot, the Model Y. The YTD sales data tells the story, with the 3’s sales tumbling 18.4 per cent to 3326 units, while the Y’s tally – supercharged by the new three-row L version – has now breached the 25,000 mark. That puts the hunchbacked SUV at 88.3 per cent of total Tesla sales, with the sedan taking the remaining 11.7 per cent. But with no S, X or ute to provide support, the Model Y is vulnerable against an unrelenting tide of mid-sized EV SUV alternatives, like the Zeekr 7X. From nowhere, the cheapest Jaecoo from Chery’s Land Rover-aping sub-brand, the J5, is responsible for more than two-thirds of all volume. This leaves three other models, the J7, J8 and Omoda 9, to fight over the crumbs. Isuzu hasn’t developed its own passenger car since the early 1990s, electing to concentrate on utes and trucks instead. The D-Max is responsible for 63 per cent of all Isuzu Ute sales YTD. It sits fourth after the Ranger, HiLux and Shark 6 on the charts. The other 37 per cent belongs to the M-UX SUV version of the ute, and that currently occupies third place amongst large SUVs behind the Ford Everest and Prado. This country sure loves a body-on-frame three-row wagon. But both Isuzus are diesel-only powered, meaning that, with no hybrid or EV in sight for Australia, Isuzu Ute faces steep fines due to the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) carbon tax. And that’s just going to increase annually in severity, which will really hurt Isuzu Ute, unless it pulls something out of the hat, and fast. Australia’s top-selling vehicle since 2023, the Ranger is responsible for some 62.3 per cent of Ford’s total volume YTD. Combined with its Everest SUV offshoot, that jumps to a staggering 88.7 per cent. Given there are seven other distinct models squabbling over the remaining 11.3 per cent, that's a worry. The next most popular Ford YTD is the Transit Custom van at just three per cent, followed by the Mustang at 2.8 per cent, F-150 at 2.45 per cent, Transit Cargo at 1.9 per cent, Tourneo people mover at 0.5 per cent and Mustang Mach-E at 0.33 per cent. But storm clouds are in the air for the Blue Oval’s popular ute-based duo, with both Ranger and Everest sales down this year, thanks to fierce competition from new rivals including the BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). While a Ranger PHEV does exist, it costs too much and delivers too little by comparison, meaning the vast majority of volume belongs to the diesel versions. That’s a lot of NVES fines Ford is facing, unless the incoming Bronco PHEV SUV and other future EVs grow the brand's share of the total market without cannibalising Ranger and Everest. With demand for the latest Vitara tanking, the Swift hybrid struggling and the Fronx floundering, it’s been the Jimny small 4WD that has kept Suzuki humming along, accounting for 56.6 per cent of all volume YTD. Likewise, the Defender attracts the most business for Land Rover in Australia, taking 54.1 per cent of all orders YTD. The Haval Jolion small SUV has performed the heavy lifting for GWM YTD, at 53.9 per cent of total sales, as has the X-Trail for Nissan, at 53 per cent. Australia’s continuous number one since 2003, Toyota boasts several high-volume models, including the RAV4, Prado, Corolla, HiAce, Camry and Yaris Cross. Yet even the brand’s most popular vehicle – the HiLux – only makes up 23.6 per cent of the company’s total sales YTD. Similarly, BYD’s top performer, the Sealion 7, is at 25 per cent, Kia’s biggest crowd-pleaser, the Sportage, is at 23.1 per cent and this country’s favourite Mazda, the CX-5, is at 26.4 per cent. The smaller the percentage, the higher the chances are your brand will weather any storm. Sadly, the writing was on the wall long before Australia's Own started to see its sales slide. Holden’s downfall is largely down to its over-reliance on one model. It was always the way, right back even before the Kingswood years. Here's the most telling stat. Australia’s best-seller for 15 years in a row from 1996 until 2011, sales of the Commodore crashed to just 50 position in 2019. That was following the disaster that was replacing the rear-drive VF series made in Australia with the smaller, front-wheel drive-based Opel Insignia out of Germany as the ZB series. This happened as a result of Holden’s manufacturing shutdown in 2017. The latter bombed so hard that it was cancelled in December of 2019, with Holden effectively over by the following February.

Australia’s best-selling car for the past three years has been recalled for a potentially faulty airbag. Ford has recalled almost 14,000 Ranger utes built between November 2025 and July 2026. Only about 8000 of the vehicles have been delivered to customers with the remaining circa-6000 still to be handed over to buyers and will be fixed before being delivered. The company announced the voluntary recall because in the event of a crash, “it may be possible that the side curtain airbags interact with the B-pillar trim during inflation and not deploy as intended”. “If there is interaction during deployment, the B-pillar ramp may detach, increasing the risk of injury to occupants,” a spokesperson said. Ford Australia said it wasn’t aware of any incidents in Australia and said it found out about the issue during routine testing. Ford said customers can continue to use their vehicles in the meantime, and all other airbags will deploy as intended. Affected customers will be contacted by Ford Australia with further instructions. Ford said a fix won’t be ready until mid-September when customers will be urged to organise a repair with their local dealership free of charge. Customers can check if their vehicle is affected by entering their VIN on the Ford Australia Recall and Service Action page at www.ford.com.au/support/recalls/.   Customers can also contact an authorised Ford Dealer or Ford Australia’s Customer Relationship Centre on 13 36 73. This is the 17th recall by Ford this year already and the sixth affecting the Ford Ranger. The Blue Oval has routinely been one of the most recalled brands in Australia, despite a smaller model line-up than most brands. Ford globally has been dealing with quality issues with the brand’s boss Jim Farley quite vocal on the issue. The company set a recall record in the US in 2025. In 2023 Ford reportedly spent US$4.8 billion ($6.8b) on fixing customer vehicles.

Australians are still buying cars in greater quantity than ever before, despite tough economic conditions. The new vehicle market recorded its strongest ever July result off the back of the same feat in June.  Toyota has had a resurgent month up against its Chinese challengers BYD and Chery, led by its new-generation RAV4 SUV.  Electric car sales are also showing no signs of slowing down in Australia, accounting for more than one-in-five cars sold.  Chinese brands are becoming a staple high up the sales charts in Australia, with many budget-focused models continuing to drive sales.  Toyota achieved 20,409 registrations for July, more than double what BYD managed. The Japanese juggernaut has taken out the top-two spots for July with its RAV4 family SUV and HiLux ute. The RAV4 has shot up the sale charts to take out pole position, with 5564 units, wrestling back against early supply issues plaguing the new version of the hugely popular family model.  Plug-in hybrid variants of the RAV4 have received some serious attention from buyers, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the SUV's total sales. Toyota's HiLux ute was not far behind, boasting 4721 units and overtaking the Ford Ranger (4042) in July.  The brand also experienced its best month in 2026 for its Land Cruiser Prado and 300 Series 4WDs. Fully-electric cars represented more than one-fifth of all sales in July, with rising fuel prices continuing to influence buyer choices. The Tesla Model Y registered another month as the best-selling EV in Australia, with 4644 units in July between its five- (2215) and six-seater (2429) variants according to EV Council data.  BYD’s Sealion 7 mid-size SUV was another strong performer, with 2548 examples sold last month, keeping its tag as the brand’s best-selling model for another month. The Geely EX5 (2034) made another appearance in the top 10 best sellers, followed by the Zeekr 7X (1892).  The Chery Tiggo 4 (2156) small SUV has continued its run as one of the best-selling small SUVs, holding off competition from the Hyundai Kona (2096) and Mazda CX-5 (1836). BYD held onto second position in the overall sales standings for July (7857), despite a noticeable drop-off from June.  In addition to the Sealion 7, its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute registered another confident registration figure, with 1216 units, along with the Atto 2 small SUV (1214). Chery, Geely, GWM and MG all made the top 10 best-selling brands for the month.

Sharply-priced deals can be the best way for buyers to get into a new car in Australia.  Car sales are surging, with June 2026 an all-time monthly Australian record.  Brands continue to put enticing deals on the table, even for their most popular models. From SUVs to utes and hybrid to electric, there are plenty of cars on offer at a cut price.  Here are some of the best ones we’ve found.  Ford is currently offering $3000 off and five free general services on select Ranger ute and Everest SUV models until the 30th of September.  The 2.0-litre diesel Ranger XLT 2WD top-spec dual-cab model is now available from $49,990, before on-road costs.  The V6-powered Wildtrak grade of the 4WD dual-cab pick-up is available from $72,090. The 4WD XLS and XLT cab-chassis grades start from $55,450 and $63,590, respectively, as part of the offer.  Two grades of the V6 Everest SUV are also eligible for the $3000 discount, with the Sport starting from $73,990, while the Tremor starts from $76,990.  These deals are only available on the Blue Oval’s MY26.5 stock. Peugeot is offering some serious discounts on its hybrid SUVs as it parts ways with its local distributor Inchcape.  The 2008 compact SUV is available on a drive-away offer of $39,990, with it previously on sale from $42,990, before on-road costs.  The mid-sized 3008 starts from $48,990, drive-away, down from $52,990 (before on-road costs).  Peugeot’s 5008 large SUV has a drive-away price of $48,990, contrasting its $52,990, before on-road costs, price tag.  Leapmotor has put a series of sharp deals on the table for its electrified SUV range until September 30.  The mid-sizer C10 range-extender hybrid has a $42,990 drive-away offer, with a $3000 cash-back offer reducing that price to $38,990. The car normally retails from $43,888, before on-road costs.  EV versions of the C10 are also available on a drive-away deal of $47,990, with an additional $3000 cash back decreasing the price to $44,990. This is a sizeable discount on the $45,888 before on-road costs starting price.  The smaller B10 EV is available from $38,990, drive-away, down from $43,888 (before on-road costs). BYD continues to add competitive deals across its line-up in Australia.  Shark 6 cab-chassis and Premium examples are available with a $2500 cash-back until July 31. This reduces before on-road costs pricing on the cab-chassis price to $52,500, and $60,500 on the Premium.  The cash-back offer extends to its Sealion 5, Sealion 6 and Sealion 7 SUV range, with the Atto 3 electric SUV eligible for a $2000 cash back.  Chery similarly has $2000 cash-back offers on most of its range including the Tiggo 4, Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9 SUVs.  This deal is only available until 31 August on cars built in 2025. Nissan has slashed the price of its Navara ute range until August 31.  There are heavy discounts on lower grade Navara units, with the base car available from $49,990 (drive-away), down from $53,348, before on-road costs.  The range-topping Navara Pro-4X ute is just $63,990, drive-away, compared to its original $68,418, before on-road costs pricing.  Existing Nissan customers are also eligible for a $2000 loyalty bonus. 

We are living in an unprecedented era of automotive innovation and change that is constantly reshaping what and how we drive. For that we should be grateful, since the ongoing electrification of everyday cars, SUVs and utes means we have cleaner air, quieter streets, safer vehicles that are cheaper to run and less reliance on petrol stations. But in Australia, we’ve also lost as well as gained due to this relentless march of progress. For proof, look at any new-car guide from 10 years ago. What’s gone is shocking. Here are seven reasons why motoring in 2016 was better than it is today. In 2016, Australians could buy a handful of new small cars costing under $20,000 when converted to today’s money. Sure, we’d steer clear of the Mitsubishi Mirage from $11,990 and Holden Barina Spark from $12,890, but the Suzuki Celerio from $12,990, Nissan Micra from $13,490 and Honda Jazz VTi, Hyundai Accent Active, Mazda 2 Neo and Toyota Yaris Ascent from $14,990 apiece back then all offered comfortable, capable and reliable transport for not much money. But the only new car under $20,000 in 2026 is the Kia Picanto Sport manual from $19,190 (all prices are before on-road costs unless otherwise stated), though the MG 3 Vibe from $21,990 drive-away is actually marginally cheaper in some states after taxes. Plus, all the old entry-level small cars have vanished from Australia except for the Mazda2 (which is essentially exactly the same car) and Yaris (one generation newer), coming in at a rude $27,290 and $29,190 respectively today. It’s worth noting that a number of light SUVs do cost less than the cheapest back in 2016 (Mazda CX-3 Neo manual from $19,990, or nearly $28K today), including the Chery Tiggo 4, MG ZS, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV 3XO, GAC Emzoom, Jaecoo J5 and Haval Jolion, but still cost more than the aforementioned small cars did a decade ago. At the start of 2016, there were 36 small cars of Toyota Corolla size available in Australia; that number has halved today. And they’re hanging around a lot longer than before. Toyota recently announced that it was extending the lifespan of most models from seven to nine years. We’d already noticed. The current Corolla launched in 2018 and is still going. The previous one was done in six years, while four years was common before that. Meanwhile, the Mazda 2, CX-3 and Mazda 3 arrived in 2014, 2015 and 2019 respectively and are still on-going. The Hyundai i30 hatch surfaced in 2017. As did the existing Volkswagen Polo. And even today’s VW Golf 8.5 is a reskin of the 2012 Mk7. What’s happened? Buyers have abandoned passenger cars for SUVs, so carmakers have been forced to keep their models in production longer for a better return on investment. Or, as in Ford’s case with the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo, they drop them altogether, relying on utes and SUVs instead. In 2016, buyers could purchase a new large, rear-wheel-drive family car designed, developed and built in Australia, like the Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore from under $50,000 in today’s money, or the slightly-smaller, front-drive Toyota Camry-based Aurion as a locally-made alternative. Along with the Skoda Superb that is the only one left standing in 2026, all were defined by their size, space and power. Too large for you? There were another 16 mid-sized sedans that offered almost as much, for a little less. Camry, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata are the only names that are hanging on today. Chrysler, meanwhile, imported the 300 series, while in the upper-large segment, the Holden Caprice faced the Hyundai Genesis and, from the following year, the woefully underrated Kia Stinger. Such sedans are now history. Likewise, consumers can no-longer buy a monocoque-bodied workhorse/weekend-plaything ute as defined by the Holden and Ford Falcon utes, though the KGM Musso EV is the start of something new. And there’s more. Where have all the coupes gone since 2016? There were nearly 30 under $100,000. Why are there only four convertibles left under $100K? And from a dozen people movers under $60,000, that number has also plummeted to four, losing icons like Tarago, Odyssey and Stavic along the way. All have been replaced by dozens of EVs in hatchback, liftback/sedan or SUVs of differing sizes, with sleek, homogenised silhouettes, screen-heavy dashboards featuring minimised buttons, silent electric powertrains and every shade of white through black, or silvery blues, greens and browns. Just remember: 20 years ago, your Commodore could be had as a sedan, wagon, Monaro coupe, Adventra crossover wagon, ute, cab-chassis, Crewman dual-cab ute and long-wheelbase Statesman or Caprice, in regular or HSV performance upgrade guises, some with all-wheel drive and all with V8 options to the standard V6, with the latter also offering a liquid petroleum gas alternative. Today Holden is history. Besides the locally-designed and developed Falcon and Commodore, we also had the Falcon-derived Ford Territory to call Australia’s Own (and only-ever) SUV. These vehicles, along with the T6 ute-based Ford Ranger, Ford Everest and Mazda BT-50 made in Thailand and elsewhere, were created and engineered across this country, and were thus better-suited to our environment than their imported alternatives. And many supported Australian suppliers as a result. Most of all that has now since also gone. This one’s heartbreaking for car enthusiasts – or those who want to feel more connected with their vehicle. In 2016, we counted over 170 different makes and models available with a manual gearbox. Today that number is down to around 30 and falling. Both tallies include everything from Morgans to Mahindra Pik-Ups. Earlier we said the least expensive Toyota today – the Yaris – started from nearly twice as much as the 2016 Ascent manual’s $14,990. At least it’s a much better model than back then. And hybrid to boot. But that’s nothing compared to how much the least-expensive new Ford costs today. The 2016 Fiesta Ambiente kicked off from $15,825 (about $21,300 in 2026), while its cheapest passenger vehicle equivalent today is the Everest Active 4WD SUV from $58,990. And if it’s a non-commercial vehicle-based Blue Oval product you desire, that would be the Mustang Mach-E Select from $65,990. The proliferation of touchscreens, with their distracting sub-menus and absorption of buttons that would previously have controlled the climate system, drive modes, side mirrors or even the glove box, has been so widespread – and we have Tesla to thank for starting this craze – that independent safety organisations like EuroNCAP now penalise new vehicles it tests that do not offer clear and unimpeded access to important functions. You wouldn’t read a book whilst driving along a highway. Staring at a screen instead of the road is much the same thing. The 2026 Toyota RAV4, meanwhile, scores highly for its user interface but then drops the ball with an infuriating trigger-happy and never-ending driver-distraction warning. No thanks. Countless other new vehicles suffer from advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) interference technologies. Designed to help, they also serve to harass and annoy the driver, leading to greater fatigue and further risk of distraction. Stupid electronic door handles that just do not work intuitively are another sore point, as is the deletion of a spare wheel because the electrification technology takes precedence over personal security when stranded with a blowout far away from home. Thoughtless excuses to help carmakers save money, this is not progress but the devolution of the car we never saw coming back in 2016.

China could be about to take down the diesel ute for good.  CATL has unveiled its new 8C battery specifically designed to charge light commercial EVs, including utes. The battery can charge from 20 to 80 per cent in less than seven minutes, with a full charge taking less than 10 minutes. High diesel fuel prices and increasingly stringent emissions standards are accelerating the diesel ute’s demise, particularly in Australia.  The ute segment has declined more than 11 per cent so far in 2026, with almost all diesel models impacted. Electrified alternatives such as the BYD Shark 6 have provided a sneak peak into the future, but roadblocks to a full-scale uptake remain.  The Shark 6’s plug-in hybrid set-up has been a revelation in Australia, but it only has an electric-only driving range of less than 100km - insufficient to be routinely used on just EV power. Its 30kWh battery takes around half-an-hour to fill from 30 to 80 per cent.  Other brands have begun introducing fully-electric utes in Australia, including the KGM Musso EV, with the MG U9 EV coming soon.  Toyota recently launched an electric version of its hugely popular HiLux ute. Its 59kWh battery has a total driving range of 315km, according to the more generous NEDC standards. A WLTP figure is more likely to sit in the mid-to-high 200km range.  Charging from 10 to 80 per cent via DC takes 30 minutes - a figure not among the top scores in the EV space.  EV driving range and charging remains a challenging combo to perfect. Diesel power has proven to be effective for utes, ensuring they can get through the heavy and constant work required. Weight and the necessary high amounts of power and torque pose a challenge to electric utes. CATL’s new battery could provide a big step towards the usability of them. Chinese brands BYD, Chery and Geely have developed fast charging batteries, but CATL's example is especially designed for commercial vehicles. It would mean these electric utes could be charged significantly faster, so even if range figures are not as high, the battery can be replenished quickly. CATL also said the battery can excel in extreme conditions, and it only takes an extra two-and-a-half minutes to charge at -20°C. Toyota has a global partnership with CATL and uses its batteries in key models, but not in the HiLux BEV currently. CATL's new battery could be a huge opportunity for Toyota to take its electric ute to the next level. The battery maker has been stepping up its EV fast charging game in recent months. It announced its third generation Shenxing battery earlier this year, capable of charging from 10 to 80 per cent in less than four minutes.