Nissan News

A new report from the Australia Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) has shed light over fresh concerns regarding long car repair and refund wait times in Australia.Dealers admitted customers face significant delays to get their cars fixed in Australia, especially EVs. It can take between six and eight weeks for an issue to just be diagnosed due to workshop backlogs.The association said some manufacturing faults can even take months or years to be correctly diagnosedDealers are now refusing to accept tow-ins or diagnostic work for vehicles they did not originally sell due their backlogs.They blamed long wait times on sourcing parts like electric car batteries that cannot be air-freighted and must be shipped instead.Dealers have also pointed the finger at car manufacturers that dispute or mull over approving warranty requests.The report said that only manufacturers can provide remedy for design faults, leaving dealers helpless to appease customer expectations of a swift resolution. The report stated concerns over manufacturers denying reimbursement claims and failing to meaningfully engage with dispute processes. Carmakers are required to make parts and repair available for a reasonable time after purchase, but this is a vague stipulation.The report sets out several Australian Consumer Law reform recommendations to rectify these issues. It said manufacturers should be required to respond to buyback requests within a fixed period.If the manufacturer fails to respond with written confirmation of indemnity, it is deemed to have accepted responsibility. Manufacturers should also be required to join legal tribunal proceedings for alleged manufacturing or systemic defects. The report called for further clarification of consumer guarantees regarding battery degradation and replacement thresholds. This would recognise the inevitable delays of sourcing EV components and developing software solutions.The Australian EV boom is in full swing, with sales surging in the wake of skyrocketing fuel prices and increasingly stringent environment regulations. More EVs will hit the roads in the coming months, with the industry likely to be placed under further strain.

Japan’s major carmakers are reportedly looking to band together and standardise componentry in order to stand up against the rise of Chinese players.As reported by Automotive News, this directive is coming from Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) Chairman Koji Sato who is also the Toyota Vice Chairman and Chief Industry Officer.As a start, Sato is looking to standardise wiring harnesses across the Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota brands, which could reportedly increase productivity more than tenfold.There could also be scope to widen the commonality to steel grades, plastics, among other common components to manufacture cars.“Right now, the most important theme facing the Japanese auto industry is improving ‘international competitiveness’,” said Sato to Automotive News.“We aim to strategically create ‘areas of cooperation’ to improve efficiency, thereby accelerating coexistence in the essential ‘areas of competition.“We have a strong sense of crisis that the Japanese auto industry is in a massive period of transition.“Now is exactly the time to further develop and evolve with the challenges and reform initiatives that the auto industry as a whole must face.“Unless things change, we will not survive.”“We are really talking about what we can do together, because we do see that other industries in other countries or other parts of the world are better organised than us,” said Nissan Motor Company CEO Ivan Espinosa to Automotive News.“We will see a lot more collaboration among Japanese OEMs.“We have a big opportunity to start sharing critical commodities, at least having a common spec on certain things.“We’d have something like a JAMA standard that complies with the requirements of all of us, where we certify some suppliers, and then use this freely.”Beyond this parts standardisation across the Japanese carmakers, JAMA is also reportedly looking to commonise logistics, simplify Japan’s automobile taxing system, redesign the country’s autonomous driving infrastructure, secure access to raw materials, commercialise a circular recycling economy, as well as improve talent recruitment.Even if Japan’s major OEMs can band together and standardise componentry, it still may not be enough to compete against the so-called 'China Speed.'As recently reported, BYD Executive Vice President He Zhiqi claimed that 650 new or updated cars have launched in China in the first half of 2026. This equals around 25 vehicles per week.Many Chinese brands are also having breakthrough success in many export markets, including Australia.China overtook Japan earlier this year to become the largest importer of new vehicles in Australia, ending a 28-year streak.In the first half of 2026 a total of 175,151 new vehicles sold in Australia were manufactured in China, according to VFACTS. This is up 70.2 per cent year-on-year.This number is higher when sales figures from the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) are factored in, however it doesn’t stipulate the vehicle’s country of origin in its reports. Polestar and Tesla report their sales figures through the EVC, rather than VFACTS.On the other hand, a total of 144,430 new vehicles sold in Australia in the first half of 2026 were imported from Japan. This is down 22.8 per cent year-on-year.It’s worth noting that many Japanese carmakers already have partnerships or joint ventures with Chinese carmakers to produce vehicles in China, mainly for China.However, some of these brands are exporting these Chinese-made models to other markets, including Australia.Examples include the Mazda 6e and soon the Mazda CX-6e, and Nissan is still assessing whether to bring some of its popular Chinese-made vehicles Down Under, like the Frontier Pro plug-in hybrid ute and NX8 hybrid and electric SUV.

Recently, a realisation from behind the wheel of the current generation of a widely beloved rear-drive two-door coupe raised a question for me.Are sports cars doomed? The question came as I realised that because of the development of the car I was driving, the 2026 Nissan Z (specifically the Heritage Edition), underneath was essentially a Nissan 350Z that had been given enough surgery to be relevant in two decades later.But the last of the ancient platforms won’t be around for much longer, surely, and the cars built on them are, at least in two cases, some of the most-loved sports cars around.The other is the Ford Mustang, which rides on a platform closely related to one older than you might think.Back to the Z for a moment, because the platform it rides on comes from so far back that I was just getting into primary school when it debuted. The 2002 Nissan 350Z was released when I was in grade 2, about a decade and a half ago, when I was only allowed behind the wheel of one if it was on Need for Speed: Underground 2.Nissan recently celebrated 35 years of its Infiniti sub-brand, which kicked off with the G35 Coupe - a sibling car to the V35 Nissan Skyline - and gave the Front Midship (FM) Platform its flowers.The aim was to get a V6 nestled in just behind the front axle, which resulted in a 52:48 front/rear weight distribution. Slightly more weight over the front was a deliberate choice, according to the engineers.The FM platform would go on to carry the Z33 350Z to cultural relevance in the aforementioned Underground 2 and Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, before the Z34 370Z came along with a heavily updated version of the platform in 2009 and hung around for 12 years. The FM was just about old enough to vote in Australia when the 370Z was discontinued.The RZ34 is already coming up on four years old, and its platform is 20 years older than that.Even though its chassis feels heavy for something carrying a two-door coupe, it’s not alone in the world of heavy hybrid and electric ‘sports cars’, but it retains a level of engagement and trust in the driver that doesn’t rely on tricks and electronics.If Nissan built another platform for the Z, not only would it have possibly sent the company bankrupt, it might have lost some of its magic.Nissan’s FM platform is not alone in this. In fact, even though Ford probably could afford to create a new Mustang platform, you could argue the platform it rides on is even older than the Z’s. Depends who you ask. While Ford says the S550 Mustang is built on a ‘ground-up’ platform developed just for the Mustang in 2015, it’s to some extent based on the existing D2C platform that the Mustang rode on since 2004, itself an evolution of the DEW98 platform used from the late 1990s.While the Mustang’s platform is now different in a few key areas, including the addition of independent rear suspension for the S550 generation onwards, it’s still related to that of the early 2000s.And it’s still quite capable and really, really fun, just like the Nissan Z.I point all of this out because I’m a little worried about what happens to the other, even more affordable sports cars when it’s time for their next generations. Will the Mazda MX-5 or Toyota GR86 (and Subaru BRZ) hold onto their platforms until it’s no longer possible to release a car on them?We’re going to be waiting until after 2030 for a new Nissan Z according to Nissan Americas’ Senior Vice President Chief Product & Planning Officer Ponz Pandikuthira, though given he says the next GT-R will ride on a new platform the FM Platform might also be outta here.A new Ford Mustang won’t be around until a similar time, though Ford CEO Jim Farley has notably said the V8 would stick around “as long as God and the politicians let us”. The platform might need some more work by then if the brand intends to electrify the pony car, though it won’t go full-EV if Ford can avoid it.If you’re anything like me, you’d probably be okay with the next generations of each of these cars riding on a very similar platform to their predecessors.Of course evolution needs to take place, otherwise the Mustang would still have a solid rear axle and the likes of ANCAP would have thoughts about that.The current Mazda MX-5 and Toyota GR86 are two properly affordable sports cars, and if keeping them within reach of most people means a new generation on the same highly acclaimed platforms as before, I’d be all for it.

Nissan has issued an urgent recall notice affecting its most popular model.A total of 13,795 Nissan X-Trail e-Power mid-size SUVs could have a potentially dangerous software issue, according to the official notice from the Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.The affected X-Trails covered model years from 2022 to 2026, and used the Japanese brand’s e-Power hybrid technology.A software issue with the lithium-ion battery controller could cause the vehicle to enter a fail safe mode, which means the vehicles could lose power while driving and wouldn’t be able to charge the battery.Unlike other hybrids, Nissan’s e-Power technology only uses the petrol engine to charge the battery and the electric motors drive the wheels, rather than a combination of both. This means if the battery can not charge, the vehicle can not be driven.The recall notice said if this occurs it could “increase the risk of an accident, causing injury or death to the vehicle occupants and other road users”.Nissan will be contacting affected owners and urging them to attend their local dealership to have the software reprogrammed at no cost.Nissan also recalled 237 Qashqai e-Power compact SUVs for the same issue.The affected models cover the 2025 to 2026 model years and again will be reprogrammed free of charge.

This key Toyota Kluger rival has received a serious update.The overhauled Nissan Pathfinder three-row SUV has been shown off as it looks to tackle the Chinese market. There are no plans for this new Pathfinder to launch in Australia, with the X-Trail mid-size and Patrol large SUVs occupying the three-row space for Nissan.The Pathfinder was discontinued in Australia earlier this year, with factors like declining sales and impending emissions penalties contributing factors.This new version of the Pathfinder is built in China as part of Nissan’s partnership with Chinese carmaker Dongfeng. It is powered by Nissan’s innovative 2.0-litre variable compression turbo-petrol engine as opposed to the 3.5-litre naturally-aspirated V6 previous iterations used in other markets. This new VC Turbo engine produces 185kW and 376Nm, and is designed to maximise high levels of performance and strong fuel efficiency for comparatively small size.It represents only a subtle decrease in performance from the V6's 202kW/340Nm.The new Pathfinder drinks fuel at a rate of as little as 8.65L/100km, which is considerably lower than the 10.0L-plus rating of the V6.It has a nine-speed transmission and is available in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.  The car’s interior features a 12.3-inch central touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital display, with an optional 10.8-inch head-up display.The new Pathfinder will be available in both six- and seven-seat configurations, with some cabin innovations like reclining second-row seats specified to meet Chinese market preferences.Nissan is currently facing the prospect of fines under Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) which imposes a European-style emissions regime on cars sold here. Petrol models like the previous V6-powered Pathfinder would attract high penalties under the new laws.The Pathfinder is currently only offered with petrol power, unlike rivals such as the Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Palisade which are only offered as plugless hybrids in Australia.The Pathfinder is not slated for a return to Australia, with our market much more likely to receive the upcoming NX8 in its place. The NX8 is also a Chinese-built model, and is joint-developed by Nissan and its Dongfeng partner.While it has similar large SUV dimensions to the Pathfinder, for now it has only been revealed as a five-seater in either fully electric and range-extender hybrid forms.

Nissan’s luxury arm has reportedly delayed a high-performance large SUV that could have implications for its Nissan sibling.The Infiniti QX80 Red Sport, a performance version of the brand’s sibling to the 2027 Nissan Patrol, is heading back to square one with development restarting.Reports from the US said Infiniti has decided to aim higher than just building a high-output version of the QX80 large SUV, and will instead try to rival the likes of BMW M and AMG in creating a more complete performance package for the model.“As we have started to work on the project, we’re realising that power alone is not sufficient,” Infiniti Americas chief Eric Ledieu told Automotive News.“We know we have one chance at a first impression when it comes to this type of product. When you’re paying six figures for a performance-based SUV of this size and scale, it needs to deliver.”Originally due late this year, the QX80 Red Sport is now much further away.The existing QX80’s twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 will be tuned to produce more than the standard 336kW, though the likelihood of it being swapped for the 3.8-litre unit used in the GT-R as was seen in the Infiniti QX80 R-Spec concept built for the 2025 SEMA Show is unlikely.Infiniti has also built a 485kW QX80 Track Spec concept that could inform the WX80 Red Sport, though its production future remains uncertain.The Red Sport name has been dormant for some time, it being Infiniti’s high-performance variant badge, though its reception in Australia on the Q50 Red Sport and Q60 Red Sport was dampened by unfavourable reviews for its poor dynamics, parts-bin packaging and outdated tech.If Infiniti does revive Red Sport with proper investment as a rival to the German brands’ performance arms, it could have an effect on the fiesty Y63 Nissan Patrol Nismo.The Patrol Nismo sold in the Middle East uses the same 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, but thanks to “region-specific tuning” power has been bumped to 369kW (up from 317kW). Torque remains unchanged at 700Nm. The Nismo gains a range of mechanical upgrades.While it’s unlikely that a future performance model for the Patrol would land in similar areas to the QX80 Red Sport - expect an Aussie-developed Warrior version instead - the US development of the QX80’s performance variant could inform some of the work needed to give the Patrol an angrier outlook.

Modern-day off-roaders are impressive, no doubt about that: they’re generally quite comfortable on-road and often quite capable off-road.But are they so good at doing 4WD things that they effectively rob any off-roading challenge of, well, the challenge part? Are they such a great blend of driver-assist tech and 4WD mechanicals that the driver is merely along for the ride?Read on.Off-roading in a contemporary off-roader (AWD or 4WD) can be such smooth sailing that you’d be forgiven for thinking “What’s all the fuss about?”Driver-assist tech with direct off-road applications – such as the 360-degree camera or vehicle-info read-out (displaying driveline/diff lock indicators, steering, pitch and roll angles etc) – is taking on ever more significant roles as it all improves.But invasive technology, finely-tuned off-road traction control and even overbearing drive modes can turn what might have been a technically difficult section of 4WDing into almost a point-and-enjoy-the-ride kind of driving experience because new off-roaders are simply that good.Don’t get me wrong, driver-assist tech is great, especially when it works as it should: being consistently effective when it really counts.Off-road traction control, hill-descent control, track cameras, transparent bonnet functions and more are welcome additions to any off-road vehicle.The Kia Tasman is a good example of a 4WD with an off-road traction control system that is so smoothly well calibrated the driver is nigh-on redundant.But if a vehicle’s off-road traction control system is patchy in its application, safe controlled momentum from a reliable base of traction is difficult to accomplish or sustain – and that can be annoying at best and dangerous at worst.The flip-side of that issue is that if the off-road traction control system is so finely tuned the only danger may be that the driver is rendered near-obsolete. The onboard tech does all the thinking for the driver, as well as adjusting engine output, transmission settings and traction control to best suit the terrain. So if you’re the driver you have an existential crisis on your hands in the form of “Why am I even here?”The same goes for hill-descent control; if you’re not in charge of modulating the vehicle’s speed and direction down a hill then shouldn’t you be in a passenger seat enjoying the view?Can you even call yourself a 4WDer if your vehicle does all the work for you?And what if your off-road vehicle has its own eyes watching the track ahead?A track camera (aka 360-degree view camera, or surround-view camera) has the potential to greatly enhance driver vision while you’re 4WDing on bush tracks, cresting steep hills, or traversing sand dunes on beach adventures.What started as more of a novelty for me, the track camera has taken on an increasingly important role. Sure, I still prefer to get out of the vehicle and check the track ahead myself or get a human spotter to do the work for me, but the view afforded by a track camera / 360-degree view camera will usually help the driver to maintain vision, especially if forward visibility is compromised, say for instance up and over the crest of a steep rocky hill, or if your vehicle is edging towards a steep rocky drop into a creek bed and you can’t discern your driving line.Helpful, but still robbing the 4WDer of another bit of responsibility, purpose and challenge.The same can be said for the transparent bonnet function. Can’t figure out what that is even though the tech’s function is literally in its name? (Literally.)Let me explain.This driver-assist tech is designed to help the driver see the correct driving line to take through challenging terrain or over an obstacle without being able to see with their naked eyes what’s under them.Being able to see the track in front of your vehicle is a definite advantage and visibility in some off-roaders is impacted due to the forward-view-restricting design of the cabin or the size of the vehicle’s bonnet, but the transparent chassis function is designed to address that issue.As with onboard cameras, I still prefer to stick my head out the window and have a look at the track, or actually stop the vehicle, get out and have a decent look at the track ahead before I proceed.If your off-road vehicle is working the gears for you, adjusting the speed for you and even looking for you, then how dare you have the audacity to sit in the driver’s seat.The problem with all of this tech – beyond its annoying over-effectiveness – lay in the fact that it’s all more difficult to address failures or damage in the great outdoors than it is to bush-repair an older traditional 4WD.Modern 4WDs are a mass of electronics, sensors, wiring, motherboards etc and those components may be vulnerable to damage, especially in harsh Australian conditions.And the efficacy of driver-assist tech may be impacted by the ingress of bulldust, mud or water. If onboard sensors are compromised or damaged in some way, then you’re at the mercy of nature.Imagine this: You and your family are on a weekend trip away in the bush and you’re currently 80km from the nearest town. You drive through an innocuous-looking creek crossing – the water seems to be about shin-deep. However, some of that muddy water splashes onto one of the vehicle’s onboard sensors and your 4WD automatically goes into the equivalent of ‘limp home’ mode.Bloody uh-oh.Old-school 4WDs can be more easily fixed in remote areas as opposed to trying to get a new vehicle running again which may require someone in your touring group to have a computer engineering degree or have a team of specialists choppered in from Germany.And that’s why old-school 4WDs – or even new old-school 4WDs (like the Suzuki Jimny or Jeep Wrangler) – continue to enjoy such enduring popularity and still fetch sky-high prices on the second-hand market.A real purpose-built 4WD with a full ladder-frame chassis, rigid (live) axles front and rear, and diff locks has always been admired by those in the know; basic and solidly reliable powertrain and mechanical components are the way to go.Any serious 4WDer has a soft spot for something like a Toyota LandCruisers (70, 80,100 Series, anyone?), Nissan Patrol, Land Rover Defender (the old ladder frame kind), Mitsubishi Pajero, even Jeep Gladiator. The old way of doing things is even sought after by some newer examples on the market like the Ineos Grenadier, Jimny and Wrangler.Resolving issues on those old-school 4WDs can be completed with a little bit of common sense, some ingenuity and a bit of hard work. A stack of spares, duct tape, cable ties and some welding skills will help you get a whole lot further than nothing at all and you’ll likely be able to patch up your 4WD, continue your trip and reach civilisation or at least the nearest town.The good news is no matter how clever your off-roader’s software, cameras and sensors are, it’ll still need you to press the ‘Start’ button.Or will it?

Nissan has officially revealed a new small SUV that’s aimed at the Indian, Middle Eastern and African markets, but don’t expect it to be coming to Australia.The Nissan Tekton is essentially a rebadged Dacia or Renault Duster. It has been developed in India and will be manufactured in partnership with Renault in India.There are two powertrains on offer, a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine and a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. The latter produces 100kW and 280Nm.Depending on the powertrain there are either manual or dual-clutch automatic transmissions on offer.A wide array of trim levels are available in India but available equipment includes a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 10.1-inch touchscreen multimedia system with Google built-in, LED headlights, panoramic glass sunroof, dual-zone climate control and ventilated front seats.Although the top-spec models get 18-inch alloy wheels, a number of the more affordable models get 17-inch steel wheels.On the safety front there are six airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, as well as a surround-view camera.Although the Tekton is built in right-hand drive and is set to be offered in 50 global markets across the Middle East and Africa, a Nissan Australia spokesperson confirmed it is “not currently under consideration for Australia”.Renault launched the related Duster in Australia during 2025. It's built in Romania alongside the Dacia Duster and comes in two- and all-wheel drive guises.As it stands, Nissan's smallest vehicle in Australia is now the UK-built Qashqai. The new-generation Juke EV isn’t coming to Australia.Nissan recently launched the Kicks small SUV in right-hand drive for Japan but it’s not confirmed for an Australian launch either.It’s offered in Japan exclusively with e-Power hybrid powertrains.

BYD tried to buy a share of Renault in a dramatic shot at a foothold in Europe, according to a new report in French media outlet Les Echos.According to the publication, BYD sought not just a joint production or factory deal, as Chery has secured in some locations with Renault’s partner Nissan, but actual ownership in the French giant as a shareholder.The deal didn’t work out under former CEO Luca de Meo, who was famous for guiding a re-structure of the previously dysfunctional Renault Nissan Alliance.According to several outlets, this was because Renault had already entered into an agreement with Geely to save its ailing Korean factory (formerly the Renault Samsung Motors factory), which now produces both Renaults and Polestars for Asian markets.Geely and Renault also co-own Horse Powertrain with Saudi Aramco, a spin-off of both company’s combustion engine divisions, which builds both engines and hybrid transmissions for future models both inside those two companies and for sale to other manufacturers outside of them.When BYD had a second crack at a Renault deal, it was turned down with involvement from French president Emmanuel Macron, with the government controlling 30 per cent of Renault voting shares and fiercely protective over its manufacturing footprint on the continent.The key benefit for BYD in this deal was obviously a way to avoid a tough tariff structure for Chinese built cars in Europe, while Renault would have access to its signature affordable Blade batteries, which it already sells to other manufacturers Tesla, KGM and Hyundai Group.Renault’s rejection of a BYD ownership stake won’t be a fatal blow for the Chinese giant in Europe. BYD already has a factory in Hungary and is seeking to establish a second base, with many analysts believing it will be in Spain and possible locations also including France and Germany.BYD needs such a foothold as it seeks new global opportunities off the back of a shrinking new car market in China over the course of 2026, and major profitability issues for even some of the biggest groups after a bruising domestic price war.

When is a car no longer a car?That’s a good question, as you’d initially think that a car needs four wheels, some seats and a steering wheel.Dig deeper and a car may only require three wheels, one seat and perhaps no steering wheel whatsoever. There’s a lot of flux to the definition of a car.The steering wheel point is particularly controversial as if there is no steering wheel, you’re technically not driving anymore and are a passenger. Therefore I’d argue this isn’t necessarily a car anymore and merely a shuttle for transportation.This feeling arose when I experienced Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software for the first time late last year.This was in a Model 3 electric sedan which can be fundamentally defined as a car. It has four wheels, five seats and a steering wheel.You’re also able to drive the Model 3 like a regular car, but with the push of a button it drives itself. Sure, you need to supervise it and take back control if it starts heading in the wrong direction, but for the most part you aren’t touching the steering wheel or pedals.It’s a bizarre sensation handing over all the driving inputs, especially when it can tackle complex scenarios like roundabouts, traffic lights and the infamous hook turns in Melbourne.The technology will likely reach a point where a steering wheel is no longer needed. Tesla is already planning for this with its Cybercab autonomous vehicle.Although production versions of the Cybercab have already started to be produced, they are in small numbers for testing purposes. It’s unclear when they’ll be publicly available for purchase.Tesla is far from the only company developing autonomous driving technology. I was recently a passenger in an autonomously driven Nissan Ariya in Japan. The technology to allow this has been developed in partnership with Wayve, which also has a partnership with Stellantis.Nissan is currently aiming to begin a robotaxi service with these autonomous vehicles in Japan by the end of 2026. It’s also eventually aiming to roll the technology out to customer vehicles as an optional extra.Additionally, Waymo is already operating an autonomous robotaxi service in select cities in the US. There are also plans to introduce it in the UK and Japan.Ultimately the goal with this kind of autonomous or self-driving technology is to have a lounge room on wheels. In some respects we are already there.In the era of software-defined vehicles, many cars now revolve around the central touchscreen multimedia system and the experience they provide. Arguably for some carmakers there is more emphasis on this and the actual driving experience is secondary.In some respects this is warranted as in electric vehicles (EVs) you may be spending your time in the car while it’s charging at a public charger but at the end of the day it’s a car, not a lounge room.Going back to Tesla, the main interface in its current vehicle line-up is the central touchscreen. It dominates the dashboard and you’re required to use it to adjust virtually function.There are also so many novelty and convenience features that span beyond the driving experience. Think of the games you can play while you’re parked, the light show and the comical fart noises you can get the car to play.The list goes on and for many carmakers, especially newer Chinese ones, it seems like a heavier focus is being put on features like this, or services relating to the touchscreen, than the overall driving experience.As a result, it feels like some cars are more glorified iPads with flashy lights on wheels.I know that many people can’t function without technology now and in many respects it’s critical to many areas of cars, particularly safety, however at the end of the day a car is meant to be driven.It would be lovely to see a renewed interest in how a car actually is to drive compared to how flashy and cool its technology is. I’d argue this is wishful thinking though, especially given autonomous vehicles appear closer on the horizon every day.