Hatchback News

Honda has just priced its first EV in Australia.The Honda Super-One is an ultra-compact electric car that will start from $36,900, drive-away.This places it as the second cheapest car in Honda’s lineup, costing $4000 more than the base HR-V small SUV. The top-spec grade starts from $37,400. It adds a two-tone purple exterior colour that mirrors the popular Super-N Kei car the Super-One is based on. Honda said it has had more than 6500 expressions of interest for the Super-One in Australia, which is more than the new-generation Honda Civic Type-R.Pre-orders are open now, with deliveries beginning on 1 October 2026.There will only be 130 units available in this first batch, but more examples will arrive in early 2027. The Honda Super-One is based on the brand’s N-One Kei car, which is designed to meet specific requirements for Japan’s smallest car segment. The Super-One is substantially longer, wider and taller than the N-One to ensure it meets Australia Design Rules. The Super-One will still be one of the smallest cars available.It shares similar dimensions to the Kia Picanto petrol-powered hatch (3595 mm long).It will be a more direct rival to the BYD Atto 1 electric hatch that starts from $23,990 (before on-road costs), and the more pricey Hyundai Inster (from $39,000, before on-road costs). The Super-One is powered by a single electric motor, making 47kW and 162Nm. The car has a special hot hatch setting if Boost Mode is selected that increases power to 70kW. Simulated gear shifts for a seven-speed transmission mimic the experience of a petrol engine. The car’s 30kWh lithium-ion battery offers a driving range of up to 253km, according to WLTP standards, and features regenerative braking. The car can charge from 15 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. On the inside, there is a 9.0-inch central touchscreen and 7.0-inch digital driver display, along with an eight-speaker Bose sound system. 

If you’ve been holding out for the arrival of Toyota’s newest toy, the GRMN version of the Corolla hot hatch, you’ll need to dig a little deeper than you expected.Pricing for the 2027 Toyota GRMN Corolla has been announced in the US, and it’s in prohibitively expensive territory.Toyota USA this week confirmed an MSRP of US$64,360, which directly converts to A$91,500. But that’s not how much you should expect to pay.While pricing between markets can be hard to predict before confirmation, looking at similarly priced cars in the US can provide some insight into the likely cost of the limited number of GRMN Corolla expected for Australia.In the US, the GRMN Corolla sits around the same price as the Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Audi S5 and BMW M2, as pointed out by US outlet Road and Track.In Australia, the Mustang Dark Horse costs $104,990, the standard Audi S5 $114,900 and the BMW M2 is $128,100.Previous Australian estimates had put the GRMN Corolla in the range of around $80,000 to $90,000.This isn’t a confirmation the rare hot hatch will crack six-figures when it lands in Australia, but it would be surprising to see its price start with a ‘9’.Confirmed in early June for a limited Australian run, the Toyota GRMN Corolla is a dialled-up GR Corolla, with the same 221kW but more 8Nm torque (total 408Nm) at the driver’s disposal thanks to the 1.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine (a.k.a the G16E-GTS). The high-output engine sends power to all four wheels via an adjustable rally-like all-wheel drive system which has also been retuned for the GRMN.Aero elements, suspension and chassis components, and the styling and interior have all been revamped and upgraded for the GRMN Corolla, to some extent justifying the exorbitant price.Developed both on the Nurburgring but also through Toyota’s participation in Japan’s Super Taikyu endurance racing series, the GRMN Corolla will be built in a run of only 730 units worldwide.It will be available in Australia in a currently unknown number of cars from 2027.‘Gazoo Racing tuned by the Meister of Nürburgring’ is a bit of a mouthful, but it is an elevated tier of Toyota’s performance car division that leans even more on Toyota’s motorsport experience.Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda has said that any car wearing the GRMN badge can’t just be a sportier version of its donor model, but that “if it bears the GRMN name, it must be able to run the Nürburgring properly”. Significant testing on the Nürburgring is part of the development process, and usually a limited production run is the result of said development.The GR Yaris had a 500-unit run of GRMN editions with increased outputs and upgraded aero and chassis components in 2022, while before the GR Yaris existed a ‘Yaris GRMN’ was built two limited runs (2013 and 2017) and used either a turbocharged or supercharged engine.

This has been a bumper year for super-exciting models strutting the automotive world stage.With competition from China more intense than ever, legacy carmakers are leaning in big time on their unique experiences and strengths to keep consumers interested.But, for reasons both annoying and disappointing (mostly due to prohibitively expensive and anachronistic design rules), not all are destined for Australia.Here are the all-new 2026 all-stars we won’t be seeing in 2027 (or beyond). More’s the pity.The previous Telluride has been a runaway smash hit in its native USA since launching in 2019, and has comfortably outsold its Hyundai Palisade cousin.Kia has long wanted this large three-row SUV for Australia, but a lack of right-hand drive (RHD) and limited factory capacity have thwarted plans past and present.This includes those for the recent boxier redesign, featuring turbo-petrol and hybrid powertrains, extra space and heaps more tech.While VW hasn’t publicly ruled this out for Australia, the first all-electric version of the evergreen Polo may end up costing too much for it to be a worthwhile exercise.Which is sad, because the ID. Polo appears to be a real return to form for a brand that has been in the doldrums for most of a decade.Unrelated to the continuing, sixth-gen Polo that’s almost a decade old, highlights include pleasing aesthetics and a classy cabin offering plenty of surprise and delight features including near-Golf levels of interior space.Plus, the German supermini’s advanced EV architecture should re-establish VW as a technological tour-de-force.And that’s even before considering the coming GTI version.Initial reaction in Europe has exceeded expectations, meaning the ID. Polo is shaping up to be one of this year’s comeback kids.Renault is on a massive roll right now, riding high on electric vehicle (EV) success with the award-winning Megane crossover, Scenic SUV, 4 and 5 E-Tech models.But arguably the cutest, the Twingo city car, won’t make it as far as Australia, despite being offered in RHD for UK buyers, as there’s just no market for tiny city cars.No matter how much critics rave about its styling, efficiency, ride comfort and driving pleasure, this Renault is a Twin-no-go. Such a shame.Built in Morocco on a trick new modular electrified platform shared across several Stellantis nameplates including Opel and Citroen, the Kia Seltos-sized Grizzly is a small crossover/SUV charged with making the world fall in love with Fiat again.Offered in two handsome body styles and three powertrains (petrol, hybrid and EV) choices, it promises to be affordable first and foremost, as well as practical and fun.Sounds perfect for Australia, then, but with Fiat sales on hold for now, who knows if we’ll ever see this intriguing newcomer here.Designed expressly for European markets, the EV2 is the brand’s entry-level electric city car that puts the funk in functionality.But, being sourced from Slovakia means importing it to Australia would be expensive, so Kia remains undecided. Hyundai’s struggle selling the smaller yet premium-priced Inster EV here highlights the risks.That said, the EV2 is usefully larger, looks more sophisticated and offers larger battery choices with decent range. If it’s as polished, efficient and capable as the EV3 and EV4, then perhaps the cute little Kia might find a big audience locally.Revealed in the US back in February, the Highlander goes all-electric for its fifth-generation outing, with production expected to commence in Kentucky before 2027.Closely related to the similar Lexus TZ and Subaru Getaway, as well as the just-released eighth Lexus ES sedan series, it will be Toyota’s first tilt at a full-sized three-row EV SUV.But, in contrast to its comely predecessor that is still being produced and imported successfully to Australia as the Kluger hybrid, we’re unlikely to see the slicker Highlander EV here.This is due to RHD unavailability, though Toyota also probably fears insufficient demand, which is fair given how poorly the exceptional Kia EV9 sells.Great news if you’re missing the old Subaru Outback since the latest version abandoned the crossover wagon template it pioneered 30 years ago.Except if you’re living in Australia, that is, because Renault importers Ateco may not import the conceptually similar Striker that has only just had its global unveiling.A high-riding hybrid wagon with 4x4 availability that would make Volvo XC70 Cross Country owners green with envy, it comes courtesy of Renault’s Romanian sub-brand, Dacia.This guarantees chunky styling, a smart yet utilitarian interior with acres of space, and a tough, go-anywhere attitude that is designed to last for years.That’s the Subaru Outback formula, and there’s probably a market hungry for a non-SUV crossover. But Ateco seems unsure at this stage.

Aussie buyers could soon get their hands on a cheap new EV.The Chery QQ3 is a budget-focused electric hatchback that would rival the BYD Atto 1 for the title of the cheapest electric car on sale Down Under. It is substantially bigger than the Atto 1, and closer in size to the BYD Dolphin and incoming Geely EX2.The China-built hatch is about to hit Indonesian showrooms in right-hand drive as a potential final stepping-stone before landing in Australia.It is currently under review for Australia, but it seems to be only a matter of time before Chery confirms its arrival. Chery Australia’s Chief Operating officer told CarsGuide at the start of this year the brand was keen on introducing a car from the QQ series.“I think having a very small and then a small hatchback would be a game changer,” Harris said.“So if we could bring something like the QQ, I think it’d be a huge amount of opportunity.”Here is what we know so far about the QQ3 as it pushes towards an Australian launch. The QQ3 is available in China in rear-wheel drive, with a single electric motor producing either 58kW/90Nm or 90kW/115Nm.It is offered with 29kWh and 41kWh battery units, and a driving range of up to 420km, according to lenient CLTC standards.The Indonesian model has a driving range of 400km, according to the more reliable, but still outdated, NEDC cycle that is still not reflective of real-world figures. DC charging from 30 to 80 per cent takes less than 17 minutes. The QQ3 features similar elements to the petrol-powered first-generation QQ city car.It is substantially bigger than the first generation, measuring up at 4195mm long, 1811mm wide, 1568mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2700mm.It has a bubble-like overall design, with a rounded headlights and side mirrors.There is a crossed-over ‘X’ wheel design, with two vertical strips, contrasting a spoked alloy set-up. The interior has a 15.6-inch central touchscreen and 8.8-inch digital driver display, along with a six-speaker audio system. It also boasts plenty of storage space for a small car, including up to 1450L of boot space and a 70L front storage compartment.The QQ3 is pitched as a budget electric car, so it will have to be competitive with the BYD Atto 1 starting from $23,990, before on-road costs.It is priced in Indonesia from 200,000,000 rupiah, which is roughly $16,000. It costs 68,920 yuan ($14,500) in China, so it could potentially be offered from less than $25,000 in Australia.  The QQ3 has still not been officially confirmed for Australia, but its right-hand drive status accelerates its path here. The car also underwent hot-weather testing in Australia at the start of 2026.It is unlikely we will see the car Down Under this year, with 2027 a more likely prospect.

The biggest change in the Australian automotive landscape since the demise of Holden is about to play out in the coming years.In just the past few weeks we’ve seen both Peugeot and Fiat ‘pause’ Australian operations amid steeply declining sales. Peugeot has sold just 427 cars in the first half of 2026, a more than 40 per cent decline on its sales last year. Fiat was even worse off, managing just 144 sales.They could potentially join a growing list of brands that have officially left the Australian market in recent years, including not only Holden but Chrysler, Dodge, Infiniti, Opel and Citroen.The problem is simple, and one I have outlined before - you can’t fit 10kg of dirt in a 5kg bag. The cold, hard fact is the Australian car market isn’t very big, at least not in global terms, with between 1.1 and 1.2 million cars sold each on average.The pie is only so big, so to speak, so with each new brand that arrives, the slice of pie each brand gets grows smaller. When a brand like BYD arrives and quickly rises to claim an 8.6 per cent market share, as it has done in the first half of this year, those sales have to come from another brand’s share.There are now about 70 brands, and more coming seemingly every month, competing for those one million sales. With Toyota taking a 15.7 per cent share, BYD with its 8.6 per cent and a few other brands like Kia, Hyundai and Mazda with more than five per cent, it doesn’t leave much for the rest.Brands with less than one per cent market share include, Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet, Cupra, Deepal, Foton, Genesis, JAC, Jaguar, Jeep, KGM, Land Rover, Leapmotor, Renault, Skoda and XPeng.Market share is not a guarantee of success either. Holden may have lost some share in its final years, but it was still a leading car brand in Australia at the time General Motors pulled the plug. But obviously the more vehicles you sell the better your chances of survival.One of the obvious reasons for this dramatic change in the past five years has been in the flux of Chinese car brands. Many have arrived with appealing products at an attractive price, which is why BYD, GWM, Chery and MG have all made meaningful inroads into the market.Obviously these brands, and the rest of the Chinese newcomers, put pressure on the established order, but that is how a free market works. The competition between brands drives improvement in the cars we drive and the value brands offer us.Not to be harsh, but if Holden, Chrysler and the rest offered more appealing products to Australian new car buyers they’d still be here. That’s the cold reality of capitalism.Having said that, the new Chinese brands are not any safer than any of the established names, perhaps even more at risk. Case in point, Foton and XPeng are both already on their second attempt at the Australian market.On top of this increasing market competition car brands are also facing the challenges from the New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES). This requires them to sell more lower emission vehicles or face heavy financial penalties and many brands were simply not prepared for it.It means many brands need to deal with increased competition putting pressure on them to make their cars cheaper, while at the same time potentially needing to make their cars more expensive to compensate for government fines.As one industry expert put it to me several years ago, when NVES was being developed, not all brands will survive. It’s sad, it will mean job losses and less choice for you, the new car buyer, but that is simply the reality we all face.Holden may have been a high-profile departure but Peugeot and Fiat’s recent 'pause' is likely a portent of things to come. The Australian new car market is now a survival of the fittest and that will likely mean it looks very different in the not-too-distant future…

If you can’t beat them, join them. Volkswagen has long resisted the urge to add conventional, Toyota-style hybrid power to its cars, but not anymore.The German maker is rapidly expanding its petrol-electric range, diversifying from the petrol, plug-in hybrid and fully-electric options currently available.Now it has revealed European prices for the VW Golf hatchback and T-Roc SUV hybrids, which would rival the popular Toyota Corolla and Corolla Cross.Prices start at €41,400 ($67,000) for the Golf and €44,470 ($72,000) for the T-Roc. Both models are only available in the top-spec R-Line specification, and represent about a €4000 ($6500) premium over the petrol models.Petrol R-Line versions cost about $50,000 before on-road costs in Australia, so a hybrid version could cost about $60,000 on the road in Australia. That would put it about $20,000 more than the cheapest equivalent Toyota hybrids.Volkswagen Australia has previously been unable to confirm if the hybrid Golf and T-Roc will arrive in Australia, but the company said it is always evaluating opportunities for our market.The hybrid Golf and T-Roc combine a tried-and-tested 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, two electric motors and a 1.6kWh battery.VW claims this set-up produces 125kW/309Nm, a jump of 15kW/59kW over the petrol Golf’s 110kW/250Nm max outputs.It also uses about 4.6-litres per 100km of fuel, which is slightly more than Toyota's claim.Hybrid options are becoming increasingly important to brands in Australia as purely petrol powered vehicles are starting to fall foul of Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).The NVES levels fines against carmakers for every gram of CO2 a sold vehicle emits over a certain threshold. This threshold gets lower every year until 2030.The fines can be offset by sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids.Purely petrol cars will soon become prohibitively expensive, with hybrids also attracting moderate fines in the coming years.The NVES is also putting Australia at the front of the queue for international brands to get low emissions or electric vehicles.Volkswagen Australia for years struggled to get its electric cars sold in Europe and other parts of the world, as our market wasn’t considered an emissions critical one that needed these vehicles. This is no longer the case.All this works in favour of Volkswagen bringing its latest hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles here.

Another carmaker has stepped back to pause and consider what its future in Australia looks like.Fiat has announced it has stopped importing passenger vehicles into Australia, as it assess what its future line-up may look like.It wasn’t an extensive model range, with the Italian marque only selling the electric Fiat 500e and its sporty twin, the Abarth 500e.The company will continue to import and sell its range of commercial vehicles.It is understood this isn't the end for Fiat cars in Australia, but a break to work out the models in its line-up that would best suit.“As part of Stellantis Australia's ongoing portfolio and product planning process, the availability of specific models can vary over time as we assess market demand and future product opportunities. We remain focused on ensuring the vehicles we bring to Australia meet customers’ expectations,” said a company spokesperson. “Following Stellantis' recent confirmation of Fiat as one of its core global brands, we are excited by the opportunities the brand presents for the future. “Fiat 500e and Abarth 500e stock in Australia has now largely been sold through and, at this stage, we are not planning additional orders while we evaluate future product opportunities for the local market. “We continue to support our Fiat and Abarth customers and dealer network and look forward to sharing more information about Fiat's and Abarth’s future plans in Australia at the appropriate time.”Fiat has only sold 144 vehicles through the first six months of this year in Australia, which is down 30 per cent compared to the same period last year.Its range of commercial vehicles is faring better, and sold 139 in June alone.Fiat has an expanding range of SUVs overseas, including the Grande Panda and Grizzly. These models are both electrified and better suited to Australian tastes.Peugeot, which is also owned by Stellantis, also closed up shop in Australia earlier this month.The French brand’s local distributor, Inchcape, handed back the keys to its selling rights and there is no immediate taker to pick up where they left off.The writing was on the wall for Peugeot after a string of tough years that culminated in 373 sales through the first five months of this year, which was down 35 per cent compared to the same period last year.This follows a circa-29 per cent drop in 2025, and losing a quarter of sales in 2024.

Volkswagen has confirmed a battery size for its smallest EV will bring a new entry price with order books already open overseas.The 2027 VW ID.Polo brings a new 37kWh battery as an option, available in its base model Trend for as little as 24,995 euros (A$40,900). From 29,195 euros (A$47,760), it can also be had in higher specifications like Life and Style.The move by the German manufacturer is almost certainly an addition to retain sales in the lower-budget end of the market, where Chinese manufacturers have been increasingly popular despite EU tariffs on new Chinese cars.VW claims the new battery size provides enough driving range, 334km under WLTP testing, for daily use, and can be charged from 10-80 per cent in 23 minutes. Charging speed tops out at 90kW with a powerful enough DC charger.It’s also available in versions of the ID.Polo with either 85kW or 99kW, and is set to launch just weeks after the larger battery version with a 52kW unit.The ID.Polo is yet to be confirmed for Australia, but Volkswagen’s local arm has been considering similar models like the ID.Cross small electric SUV for some time now.The ID.4, ID.5, ID.Buzz and e-Transporter are the only EVs the brand currently offers locally.While there’s no guarantee the ID.Polo will land in Australia any time soon, its larger 52kWh battery would likely be more popular, with trim levels probably similar to the Trend, Life and Style versions available in Germany.The announcement comes as rumours of a significant model-cull circle the Wolfsburg brand alongside its continued mass-reduction in employee numbers around the world.

The hatchback is making a comeback courtesy of China, with one newcomer brand reporting pre-orders of its warmed-over electric hatch far outstripping those of the SUVs in its lineup.That brand is Leapmotor, which is poised to launch the B05 in Australia before the end of the year, with the warm electric hatch likely (though not yet confirmed) to be followed by a more bonkers Ultra version that will take all-electric aim at models like the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Hyundai i30 N.Leapmotor sells two other SUVs in Australia, the C10 and B10, both offered with full electric and REEV petrol-electric powertrains. But demand for the electric-only B05 is so far outstripping both."The B05 has delivered our strongest customer response to date across the brand – reinforcing the growing appeal of the Leapmotor," a company spokesperson told CarsGuide.The company won't be drawn on exact order numbers, but the B10 SUV is the brand's strongest performing vehicle so far this year, delivering 511 units, so it would be safe to assume that, if demand keeps up following the B05's actual launch, the hatchback will achieve bigger numbers.The B05 starts from $35,990 drive-away, and is fairly unique in terms of Chinese launches in Australia, in that Aus-delivered cars have had their chassis and suspension tuned by Alfa Romeo in Italy – Stellantis co-owns Leapmotor – which promises a more cohesive, sportier ride."We have, after some assessments done in November, lowered the hook point of the suspension arms on the rear, and lowered the centre of gravity, and the car has totally changed behaviour. So if you drive a BO5 in Europe versus BO5 for China, it’s totally different," the brand has previously told CarsGuide.It will be joined by other newcomer hatchbacks in Australia, like the Geely EX2, BYD Dolphin, Aion UT and the GWM Ora, as Chinese brands flood into a market segment abandoned by some mainstream players.

You may or may not know Australia was the first export market for the world’s best ever selling car.The vehicle in question is the Toyota Corolla and this was the first country to receive exports when 15 examples of the first-gen E10 model were shipped here in November 1966, just a month after it was revealed in Japan.During the 1966 Tokyo Motor Show (October 26 to November 8) Toyota had pulled the covers off the diminutive two-door, 1.1-litre city car which over the next six decades and 12 generations would go on to comprehensively out-sell automotive icons like the Ford Model T, VW Beetle and original Mini.So, yep, the Corolla turns the big six-oh this year and Australia was a VIP guest at its first party.Less than a year after the original E10 series debuted, a four-door sedan and wagon type van joined the initial line-up and the Corolla die was cast, the newcomer quickly building its reputation as an affordable, versatile and economical small car, initially going into bat against the similarly-sized, not to mention similar-looking, Datsun (Datto) 1000 and Subaru 1000.Another Aussie milestone for Corolla was assembly of the E10 in Port Melbourne, the first manufacturing site for the model outside Japan. Toyota Australia went on to build more than 666,000 Corollas across its Port Melbourne, Dandenong and Altona plants.    Only four years later, in 1970, the chubbier E20 Corolla was introduced, retaining the original’s front-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration but with more capacity, power and weight.The alpha-numeric model code convention continued in 1975 with the E30 / E50 ‘rolla, still rear-drive with later versions powered by a 1.3-litre four and the choice of manual shift or ‘ToyoGlide’ three-speed auto. The third-gen E40 / E60 Sprinter variants were JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) and (other) selected export markets only. A more mature E70 Corolla arrived in 1981 with a new coil-spring, five-link rear suspension, but still rear-wheel drive, with a relatively conservative appearance. A clear ‘white goods’ Toyota period.The E80 kicked off the front-wheel drive Corolla era in 1985 and the ground-breaking E90 became a hugely popular small car option in Australia from 1989, bringing more contemporary looks and the availability of 16-valve, twin-cam engines (anyone remember ‘The O2 Advantage’ slogan?), especially the high-performance ‘4A-GE’.The E100 from 1994 looked more like a substantial E90 upgrade than a new-generation model but the E110 in 1998 was a clear design departure with a distinctive quad headlight face morphing into a wide-eyed, dual-headlight expression following a facelift.In 2001, the now imported E120 ushered in a sturdier, high-waisted look for the ninth-generation, with sedans, wagons and hatchbacks available. The E140/E150 continued that design theme from 2006 to the E170 sedan and E180 hatch launched here in 2014.The Corolla reached a million Australian sales, in September 2007. And for completists, the E160 (Corolla Axio sedan and Fielder wagon) was never officially sold in Australia. Which brings us to the current 12-generation E210. Launched in 2018 it’s the longest-running Corolla model and has proved a huge success.It’s brought back hot hatch performance with GR and soon-to-arrive GRMN variants and looks set to soldier on until the 13th-generation Corolla arrives later this year, with (surprise, surprise) late October a short odds favourite for launch timing. Speaking of hot hatches, in terms of motorsport the Corolla has done everything from Bathurst (its first success was a Class A victory in 1968) to the World Rally Championship as well as multiple Australian Rally Championships (at the hands of Neal Bates and Coral Taylor) and a multitude of other competition appearances around the globe.It’s recently spawned the Corolla Cross SUV as well as a host of other variants throughout its life (AE86 anyone?). And the Corolla shows no sign of slowing down with efficient hybrid powertrains keeping it relevant with sales numbers continuing to tick over locally.Last year, 18,968 new Corollas found homes in Australia, and with another 6277 sold to the end of May this year it remains the country’s best-selling small car by a comfortable margin.   Toyota has all but confirmed the next-gen Corolla will be available with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, pure electric and possibly hydrogen fuel cell powertrain options.Speaking at the showing of a Corolla Concept at last year’s Japan Mobility Show, Toyota President & CEO Koji Sato said despite the new powertrain options, the Corolla must remain a car for “everyone”. “Whether it's a battery EV, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, or internal combustion engine vehicle - whatever the power source - let's make good-looking cars that everyone will want to drive,” Sato-san said. Hear, hear to that. But facing more challenges than ever before in its 60 years, the 13th-generation Toyota Corolla will possibly be the most important for the world’s biggest carmaker. Bring on the birthday party.