Hatchback News

The reveal of the next Toyota Corolla approaches, with the world’s most popular car expected to enter a new generation next year.

Could this be the ultimate compact car rival to the BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora?

MG recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, but the oh-so-British brand never would have made there if it hadn’t been saved and re-invented by Chinese auto supergiant SAIC Motor.

Hyundai is about to turbocharge its warranty.

Toyota is going on a massive performance car offensive. The Japanese giant is rumoured to be bringing back the Celica and the MR2, but now it is believed the Starlet will be reborn as a rally-bred GR pocket-rocket.

Kia has revealed its new path to global EV domination.The South Korean brand debuted several new models and hinted at even more at its recent EV Day.It took the covers off its Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal rivalling EV4 sedan, which also has the added bonus of being offered as a hatchback.Kia debuted the PV5 van and people mover alongside its European-focused EV2 small SUV.These cars are all due shortly and will join the EV3 compact SUV, EV5 mid-size SUV, EV6 coupe SUV and the EV9 seven-seat SUV in its global line-up.Kia Australia has committed to the EV4, and would like the PV5 but has not confirmed its availability yet. The EV2 is off the cards as it is built in Slovakia and the business case for an affordable European-sourced EV doesn’t stack up.The company’s president Ho Sung Song, also let slip that a micro EV1 electric car is essential to mass adoption of its EVs.“If we want to move to the late majority customer target group, definitely we need a lower size of model – or a lower-price model – and we are internally studying what will be our entry EV models, apart from our EV2,” said Song.“Maybe next EV Day, we’ll show you what we are planning.”This could mean an electric version of the pint-sized Picanto hatchback, which would be a direct rival to budget EVs such as the BYD Seagull that is sold overseas but not Australia.Kia would be targeting the sub-$30,000 range if it wanted to be competitive at the lower end of the market.This line-up, with the addition of the EV1, puts Kia well ahead of Tesla — currently the world largest EV maker — and would put it on a collision course with the surging BYD.Kia has a distinct advantage, though.Tesla has ruled out smaller and more affordable cars and BYD is locked out of the US market and is hamstrung by tariffs in Europe.

Volkswagen’s Golf line-up will expand to seven variants for 2025, as the brand announces a pricing reshuffle.

Audi will finally launch the facelifted A3 Sportback range in Australia in the second quarter of this year, to take the fight to the rising tide of fast-improving Chinese hatchback alternatives.

BMW has padded out its most affordable model ranges in Australia.

This might be the most compelling small electric car to come out of China.