Toyota RAV4 News

Toyota Australia is currently dealing with a couple of problems that, while it’s not alone in facing, seem to be affecting it more than most.With Australia’s new emissions laws set to continue tightening, Toyota will have to start looking for more and more efficient vehicles to lower overall emissions from the vehicles it sells.At the same time, its line-up of EVs remains behind the curve while people are more readily looking to go electric.This coincides with a sales dip thanks to the changeover in generations of the Toyota RAV4, something the brand might face more challenges with due to its lack of ANCAP rating.The dramatic increase in interest in cars built in China is another factor, with new brands sapping market share from the local market veterans to the point that China was the third-biggest source of new cars in Australia in 2025 behind Thailand 2nd (thanks to dual-cab utes) and Japan (thanks in great part to Toyota and Mazda).China is on-par with Japan for first in Q1 2026, and was the biggest source of new cars in March.It seems like a big problem for Toyota, but it could also in part contain the solution.Toyota has two major joint-ventures in China, a requirement for foreign companies to operate in China, one with Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) and one with First Automotive Works (FAW). GAC will be familiar to some Australians, having launched here in 2025, with the Aion V electric mid-size SUV leading the charge.Interestingly, the GAC Aion V is built on a platform co-developed with Toyota that also underpins the Toyota bZ3X in China.Given Toyota is in need of electric cars, and it has access to a readily available EV in China that would surely be more affordable than the bZ4X mid-size SUV, we asked Toyota Australia’s Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, John Pappas, whether bringing in cars like the bZ3X from China is on the cards to increase sales in the EV space.While Pappas wouldn’t be drawn to comment on any specific models, or even whether Chinese cars were under consideration, he told CarsGuide there’s always scope for new models to come in from anywhere, regardless of the market of origin.“So the beautiful thing, the benefit of being such a global company like Toyota, and being in around 180 markets all around the world, and having so many manufacturing plants, that enables us to assess - whether it's sourcing of the vehicle, spec, power train.”“We are always considering from all parts of the world where we should source our next vehicles from. So that's an option for us, right? And that's the beautiful thing about being part of the Toyota global platform and family.”When asked if there were any learnings to be drawn from China’s rise to dominance in Australia or whether Toyota has gleaned insights from its joint-ventures, Pappas played down the focus on China, instead saying he believes Toyota’s history in Australia puts it in a strong position for its future here.“We want to make sure that whatever decisions we make, whether we're sourcing a car out of Europe, whether it's sourcing a car out of China, whatever it is, it's all about making sure we look after our customers through our extensive Toyota dealer network.”

Enough is enough – serious questions have to be raised about Australia’s independent crash testing authority.The Australasian New Car Assessment Program, better known as ANCAP, has been a beacon of safety for the past three decades.And while it has no doubt been a driving force in ensuring Australians and New Zealanders drive safer cars, in recent years I have noticed some troubling, confusing decisions that have raised concerns in my journalistic head.And the latest example is perhaps the most troubling of all – ANCAP’s decision to not independently crash test Australia’s most popular passenger car, despite the car maker acknowledging it is missing key safety technology required to get ANCAP’s maximum five-star safety rating.I’m talking about the new Toyota RAV4, which the Japanese giant admits is missing key safety elements required for a five-star rating under the new-for-2026 testing protocols.This is because the RAV4 was meant to launch in late 2025 and Toyota designed it only to meet the previous testing protocols.While you can certainly question Toyota’s ‘just in time’ approach, and the fact that if Toyota had met those requirements it would have received a five-star rating that it could use for the the majority of the new RAV4’s showroom life, even as other new SUVs launched from now onwards would require a higher standard of safety (but that is an ongoing problem for ANCAP and not unique to this situation).Importantly, Toyota has said updates are coming to ensure the RAV4 meets the new five-star standard, but hasn’t made it clear precisely when that will happen or what those changes are.What is most troubling is that ANCAP has not publicly stated when, or even if, the RAV4 will be crash-tested by ANCAP or its sister organisation, Euro NCAP.A statement provided by ANCAP and attributed to Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg on said: “As with any new model entering the Australian or New Zealand market, the Toyota RAV4 is a potential candidate for ANCAP assessment.“Details of models scheduled for testing and rating are not publicly released until assessments are complete.“We are aware of Toyota’s planned update to the RAV4 later this year. Until independent safety testing has been conducted, the updated model will remain unrated.“Given the RAV4’s popularity, ANCAP encourages fleets and consumers to consider the availability of an independent safety rating when making purchasing decisions.”That’s sound advice, people should definitely consider the safety of an unrated car.But it doesn’t answer the question of why ANCAP won’t simply crash test the RAV4 now.It was the biggest selling passenger vehicle in Australia in 2025, so it is an obvious choice for families.ANCAP is funded by governments, motoring clubs and other industry bodies, but it does not have infinite resources to crash test every new model that comes into the market – especially as each test requires between six and seven cars to be written-off as part of the process.Therefore, the majority of the testing is carried out on cars supplied by the car brands.It’s a mutually beneficial relationship – the car brand (hopefully) gets a five-star rating to advertise, while ANCAP gets another crash test to promote and consumers get an independent assessment of the safety of what cars they are buying. It’s a win-win-win situation.Except in this case, because Toyota is, understandably, not about to submit a car it knows won’t pass all the tests with flying colours. And ANCAP is seemingly happy to wait until that time.As time in crash labs is in-demand and usually booked months or even years in advance, CarsGuide understands Toyota has already arranged for the updated RAV4 to be crashed by Euro NCAP later in 2026.But why wait? Why is ANCAP happy to give Toyota this time to sell an unrated version of the RAV4? This is fundamentally a bad thing for you – the Australian consumer (and taxpayer).Without knowing specifically when the updated RAV4 will arrive in Australia, let's use an example of six months. In 2025 Toyota sold 24,034 examples of its mid-size SUV in that span.That means, if it takes six months for Toyota to update the car and get it into showrooms, potentially more than 20,000 Australians will be buying an unrated car.I completely understand ANCAP’s budgetary limitations, it simply cannot afford to go out and buy six or seven examples of every unrated vehicle.But surely, if it is going to spend its own money on crash testing specific models, surely you start at the top of the sales charts and work your way down?Some of the cars that ANCAP has self-funded crash tests for in the past include the Hyundai Palisade, Hyundai i30 Sedan and Suzuki Swift.Combined, those three models sold 12,303 examples in 2025, compared to 51,947 RAV4.Far be it for me to tell ANCAP how to run its business, but it would seem like, from a return-on-investment perspective, it should be looking to help the greatest number of people for its direct funding, and crash testing the best-selling models would seem like the best way to do that.To be clear, I’m not accusing ANCAP and Toyota of collusion or favouritism, but this is simply a very strange situation and a very hard ‘square to circle’, so to speak.As the organisation states on its own website: “ANCAP plays a vital role not only informing consumers of the differences in safety performance of new vehicles entering the Australian and New Zealand vehicle fleets.”Also stating: “ANCAP is Australia and New Zealand's independent voice on vehicle safety.“We crash test cars and conduct on-track and on-road performance assessments on safety features and technologies then publish a simple star rating or grading to indicate relative safety performance.“Over the last three decades we have published independent safety ratings for thousands of new vehicle makes, models and variants. These independent safety ratings and gradings are used to compare the relative safety between vehicles of similar size and have become a critical factor in vehicle selection for private consumers and fleet buyers.”Except in this case, where one of the best-selling vehicles in the country has been given extra time to prepare and leaves thousands of customers set to miss out on safety features that ANCAP itself has deemed important (hence the updated 2026 protocols).What is most troubling to me is, what message does this send to the industry and to consumers?Can a car maker launch a less-well-equipped model with an attention-grabbing initial price, sell it for a few months (or longer) and then add safety and submit it for ANCAP testing? That would be a dangerous precedent to set, in my opinion, but in the future car brands will be able to point to this situation and claim that it is simply following past form.Again, to be crystal clear, I’m not accusing Toyota of deliberately deploying this as a tactic, it seems like a genuine production-related issue.But ANCAP, as the independent safety body that it is, should step in and crash test the RAV4 that is on sale today to give consumers a clearer choice.

Toyota Australia’s reputation for reliability has, in the last few years, had to work hard against its reputation for long wait times.Especially after supply chains were ravaged in the lockdowns of the early 2020s, Toyota’s most popular models became the subject of months-long waits.So, with the arrival of a new generation Toyota RAV4, we asked Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas if customers can expect times to diminish.“So on average, across our range for RAV4, on average, the lead times will be within three to six months,” Pappas told CarsGuide.“And we obviously, together with our dealers, communicate that when we're taking any of the orders for our customers.”When asked whether a six-month waiting period was still acceptable to the brand, he said it was usually only customers who had more specific preferences that would wait longer.“I think for us a lead time is always going to differ a little bit whether it's going to be a one month versus a three month depending on, you know, the grade, the colour, the spec. “And let's not forget that the RAV actually has, when you look at the RAV breadth, when it comes to spec, two-wheel drive, all-wheel drive… It's quite broad.”Pappas added, now that the line-up for the RAV4 is more diverse thanks to a new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain on the way and a series of trims with either two- or all-wheel drive, he expects those looking for more ‘standard’ versions of the RAV4 won’t have to wait as long.He says it also means anyone looking for a bit more out of the RAV4 will have an option thanks to the introduction of the more powerful GR Sport model that will sit atop the range.“And the reason why we've done that is because, on the strength of RAV now becoming an icon in Australia since 1994, six generations, and it's so popular that we've taken all that sort of customer feedback, and that's why now… when you look at the range, we've got the plug-in coming now with a new halo vehicle, GR Sport, because we want something more sporty, more aggressive at that top end, with more power. “And then you can look at where the Edge sits now versus where it used to sit. So we’ve strategically done that based on meeting customer requirements.”

The car Toyota is calling the “safest car” in its line-up has launched this month without an official safety rating from the nation’s independent vehicle safety authority.The 2026 Toyota RAV4, the new generation of not only the brand’s most popular car globally but the most popular passenger car in Australia, has launched without a rating from ANCAP (the Australasian New Car Assessment Program) after the brand was caught out by changing safety standards.Originally set for a late 2025 launch and designed to score full marks in ANCAP’s 2025 testing procedures, the RAV4 was delayed until 2026, which means a new set of testing criteria has been introduced.It means the car that’s got the best chance of turning Toyota’s rare sales dip is missing a key selling-point for not only private customers, but more crucially for commercial buyers including fleets that have requirements for five-star ANCAP ratings.The RAV4 will be updated later this year ahead of its eventual testing, with some changes to the car apparently needing to be physical to score top marks against new criteria. Toyota Product Planning Specialist Peter Phan wouldn’t reveal what the changes would be specifically, but said they would apply to “passive and active safety systems, but structurally the vehicle will not change”. The changes to the RAV4 later this year won’t be able to be retrofitted to cars already purchased.It means cars bought before the update will remain unrated, and customers will have no way to know if their RAV4 would actually achieve five stars under ANCAP’s testing.It’s an unusual move for ANCAP to agree to delay testing a new model, especially for one so popular, as it means thousands of new RAV4s will be untested.While Toyota’s new Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas said the brand expects sales of the new-gen RAV4 to stay healthy despite the lagging safety rating. He said the brand will sell about 40,000 RAV4s in 2026.“Before we wholesaled the car, we had about 10,000 orders already taken,” Pappas told CarsGuide at the new generation RAV4’s launch.“So that gives us a good indication on the demand at that early point before actually launching it.”He said the lack of ANCAP rating isn’t as important as making sure customers are aware of the RAV4’s safety credentials.“The most important thing for us, first and foremost, is safety,” said Pappas.“This RAV vehicle, from a safety point of view, now becomes the safest car… in our line-up.“It's not only the safest RAV, but it's actually the safest car we've actually got in it from what it's got in it, from a package point of view. First car with the new multimedia, first car with the new Arene software, first car with Toyota Safety Sense 4.0.“For us, that's what's most important, because we know with these features and benefits in the vehicle, we know that customer safety is at that level.”Pappas added the brand is working closely with eventual customers of the RAV4 in the commercial sector, keeping them up to date with the progress and scheduling orders based on requirements for safety ratings.“With those fleets that have a five star ANCAP policy, we're working with those fleets very closely in terms of their orders, when they're placing their orders based on five-star. So we're very transparent. And that's what we do at Toyota, we're very transparent. “Number one is all about what safety is in the car. Number two, make sure we're transparent, and, you know, satisfy our customer.”Toyota seems extremely confident in the RAV4’s chances of achieving five stars under the new testing criteria, but with the update and testing yet to happen, we asked whether a four-star result would be unacceptable for Toyota.“It's not about four-star. It's about making sure that we satisfy what's important to our customer. That's what's important to us,” Pappas said.“And let's not forget, every single year, whether it's RAV, whether it's HiLux, whether it's another car, we have tech changes, we have minor changes, we have big changes.”While Pappas wouldn’t be drawn on how the brand would react to a result less than five stars, he implied Toyota’s regular updates to its models would address it as soon as possible.“And within those milestones, we always look at upgrading features and benefits on the car, whether it's safety, whether it's over-the-air updates, whether it's going to be aesthetic changes, whatever. “We continuously do that on every one of our cars. That's not new. So, yeah, later this year, there will be a tech change on RAV, but that's not new for us, yeah, and I just want to stress about the safety in the car.”

Chinese car makers should take note: Toyota is the big boss in the Australian car industry game and its just-launched new-generation RAV4 mid-sized SUV will lead the Japanese fight back.The latest industry sales data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and EV Council suggests Chinese-sourced cars are poised to overtake their Japanese rivals in Australia for the country-of-origin title for 2026.Year-to-date sales (until the end of March) of new cars in Australia show that 77,695 cars sold were made in China (some imported by , while 71,596 were produced in Japan.That’s a 51.4 per cent increase compared to the same quarter last year for China, and a 25.4 per cent decrease for Japan.So, is this it for the Japanese giants? Is this the beginning of a fall from being the world’s largest automotive powerhouse and the country that makes the cars Aussies have bought the most for decades?Not yet, and nobody should underestimate Toyota’s strength. Because while it is clear other Japanese brands such as Honda and Suzuki have seen better days in Australia, Toyota is not about to roll over.If anything, the company has a few aces up its sleeve and one of them is the RAV4.The new-generation RAV4 just launched here in Australia in April and it’s Toyota’s not-so-secret weapon to win back Australians. In 2025 the RAV4 was the second best-selling vehicle in Australia, behind the Ford Ranger ute.That is not bad for a car which had been on sale since 2018 and was competing against much more modern, newer SUVs.The new-generation RAV4 is likely to become the number-one best-selling car in Australia in 2026.Speaking at the launch of the new RAV4, Toyota Australia CEO John Pappas announced his expectations for the SUV’s sales and said that the orders even early on were high.“Before we wholesaled the car, we had about 10,000 orders already taken,” Pappas said.“So that gives us a good indication on the demand at that early point before actually launching it.“We expect to do around 40,000 this year and then next year, we expect to do over 50,000 RAVs.”It’s a realistic number that Toyota will almost certainly hit and possibly sail past.In 2025 51,947 RAV4s were sold when it came home second in the annual sales race.The closest mid-size SUV rivals to the RAV4 in 2025 were the Mazda CX-5 (22,742 units sold), Mitsubishi Outlander (22,459), Tesla Model Y (22,239) and Hyundai Tucson (20,145).Chinese rivals such as the BYD Sealion 7 (13,410 units sold in 2025) and GWM Haval H6 (13,217) are far behind RAV4 and may not ever reach sales as high as the 50,000 Toyota expects from its mid-size SUV.The combination of Toyota’s RAV4 and its new HiLux ute, plus other popular Toyota favourites such as the Corolla, Corolla Cross, Yaris Cross Camry, Prado and LandCruiser 300 Series should comfortably see Toyota as the best-selling brand again for this year.Last year Toyota sold 239,863 vehicles in Australia, making it the best-selling car brand for 2025. And compared to its Japanese cousins such as Honda, Nissan Mitsubishi, Subaru, Suzuki, Isuzu and Mazda, Toyota is doing the heavy lifting — with those seven others accounting for a combined 300,695 sales. That’s a total of 540,558 Japanese made cars sold in Australia last year.Could the Chinese competitors outdo this with their own combined tally? The monthly sales figures for 2026 say they will and this year could be that tipping point year. But RAV4 and Hilux could stop them.Ask the same question this time next year and it’s almost certain that if the Chinese brands continue their seemingly unstoppable march, the Japanese will be beaten. The battle is not just about high volumes, but in the case of Chinese car makers it’s the vast number of different brands (22 at last count) and the proliferation of models – especially affordable electric ones. Yes, 2026 could be the last year that the Japanese brands rule Australia and a lot hinges on the RAV4’s success this year, otherwise the Chinese win might just come earlier.

Toyota is currently experiencing a rare sales dip in Australia, but is it a longer-term issue or just a temporary blip?As the world’s biggest carmaker - and Australia’s number one brand for the past 23 years - you can bet the Japanese giant isn’t just sitting back and waiting for new and old rivals to pounce.Toyota sales were down by 19.3 per cent in March, compared with the same month last year. It still sold 16,574 vehicles, more than double that of second-placed Kia (7320).Brand T finished quarter one with 44,490 units sold, which is a hefty 23 per cent down on the same quarter in 2025.But before you start writing Toyota’s obituary, there are some clear reasons for the drop. The changeover of its two biggest sellers is the main reason. The new RAV4 is now officially on sale but Toyota sold so many of them at the end of last year they didn’t have enough old stock to cover the gap to the new model.That’s why RAV4 sales are down a whopping 72.2 per cent in the first three months of the year.Similarly, Toyota was waiting on some variants of its heavily revised new HiLux ute to come on stream and that’s only just happening now. Sales of the ute took a while to ramp up following its introduction late last year, but it’s now steady, with 4x4 versions only down by 3.3 per cent year to date.Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, John Pappas, said that official VFACTS sales figures don’t tell the whole story, and painted a better picture for the rest of the year.“Looking ahead to the remainder of 2026, as HiLux and RAV4 volumes increase, our monthly results will begin to increase as the year progresses. And whilst VFACTS tells you what has been delivered, it doesn't tell you the full story. What VFACTS doesn't show is customer demand, which remains very strong across the range, particularly with vehicles like LandCruiser 300, HiLux, LandCruiser Prado and, of course, the RAV4.”April will be the new-generation RAV4’s first full month on sale so we will wait and see what the sales figures are come the end of this month.Other popular models with big sales declines include the Kluger (-33.3% YTD), Prado (-46.5%) and Yaris Cross (-18.5%), but other models are enjoying renewed interest.The LandCruiser is up a massive 216 per cent year on year, while the Corolla Cross SUV and HiAce van are in positive territory too. But the biggest surprise is the bZ4X.Toyota's first fully electric car benefited from an update that rolled out a couple of months ago and it has helped turn its sales fortunes around. Following the original version’s launch in early 2024, the EV has been a middling seller, playing second fiddle to a bunch of cheaper, largely Chinese EVs of a similar size.But in March, Toyota sold 447 units, a 598.4 per cent increase. It’s up 300 per cent year to date.Pappas said the updated car had been very well received and added that Toyota expected to sell 5000 examples in 2026. That’s a massive increase from the 1041 it sold for the entirety of last year.The bZ4X will get a further boost from the ‘Touring’ wagon version that is expected to land later this year. Other new low-emission vehicles include the HiLux BEV in quarter two and the RAV4 plug-in hybrid later in 2026.Other new models like the electric C-HR won’t arrive until mid-2027, while Toyota is still yet to confirm if it will launch the all-electric Highlander in Australia. The seven-seat SUV could be a rival for the Kia EV9, if it gets the green light.Other models that Toyota has not confirmed but could be on the radar include the Grand Highlander, which could replace the ageing Kluger, as well as the US-sourced Tacoma pick-up to fill the gap between the HiLux and upper-large Tundra.Toyota also builds a number of EVs in China with joint venture partners GAC, FAW and even BYD. Models like the bZ3 sedan, bZ7 and bX3X crossover are comparatively more affordable than Japan-sourced electric models.Pappas did not rule out importing Chinese-made Toyota models for Australia,“The beautiful thing about being such a global organisation, where you’re represented in 190 countries, and you've got so many manufacturing sources around the world, it really does open us up to having those options available if they become available to us,” he said.“So we're always looking at those types of things. And… I go back to making sure they suit the requirements of the customer. And if they do that, then we're open to looking at those types of avenues.”Japanese rival Mazda has just launched two EVs built in China with its joint-venture partner Changan, while Mitsubishi will offer the Foxconn EV in Australia soon. Nissan is also believed to be considering a number of models for Australia from its partnership with Dongfeng.

Often the best used versions of popular models such as the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-3, Volkswagen Golf GTI and Honda Jazz also happen to be the cheapest.And while there is a catch, it’s also precisely what makes them a catch: their manual gearboxes.Yep. Going stick is the trick. Like listening to analogue music, shopping in person instead of online and meeting in person rather than via an app, shifting gears yourself can often be so much more rewarding.Manuals are generally cheaper (sometimes by upwards of 20 per cent), usually use less fuel, are always more fun, avoid costly transmission repairs and feel cooler than their auto counterparts, so what’s not to love?Here are our favourite budget manual bargains.2002-2007 Mazda DY 2Mazda’s fourth-generation supermini shared much with the Ford Fiesta of the day, but boasted a unique, dorky/cool tall-boy body offering mini-wagon practicality, complete with a deep tailgate and a sliding/tumbling rear bench. A perky 1.5-litre engine/five-speed manual combo provides lively performance, as well as long-lasting durability. Knockabout fun for peanuts.2005-2011 Ford LS-LV FocusThe second-gen Focus shared a sophisticated platform and robust 2.0L engine with the Mazda 3. But the Ford’s connected steering and athletic handling are joyous. The pre-Powershift four-speed auto is fine, but the five-speed manual ties everything together with precision and flair. Ford should be proud of this German masterpiece.2008-2014 Honda GE JazzExperts the world over shortlist the second-gen Jazz (or Fit), for its over-engineered body, bulletproof powertrain (including the class-rarity five-speed auto), brilliant packaging, high driving enjoyment and low running cost. Properly maintained, these should last longer than most. Pretty much the perfect cheap car, then, the five-speed manual, with its slick, short-throw shift, is the better option, as it’s easy and fun. And about 30 per cent less than the auto.2008-2013 Mazda BL 3Like its Focus cousin, Mazda 3’s advanced multi-link rear suspension provides safe, reassuring control, but prioritises refinement and ease, mixing Japanese build quality, practicality and reliability. At this price point, you’ll find a lower-mileage manual, complete with a sweet six-speed gearbox, than the default five-speed auto, providing plenty of interactivity. A terrific all-rounder.2014-2019 Mazda BM 3For the third-gen 3s, Mazda was free of Ford so developed its vaunted “SkyActiv” powertrains and chassis with dramatically updated tech, including weight-saving efficiency. That they have proven so dependable is a testimony to their quality engineering, while the engines with their six-speed transmissions offer BMW-levels of sophistication without the cost pain.2017-2023 Suzuki AZ SwiftAdopting in all-new platform, the sixth-gen Suzuki supermini continues its predecessors’ spunky styling and agile handling, in a larger, roomier and more-refined package. But while the switch to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) takes the fizz out of the auto, the manual elevates the sportiness the series has renowned for.2015-2022 Mazda DK CX-3Still a current model, the CX-3 manual is that rare thing – a racy, lightweight SUV that becomes more impressive the harder you drive it. Stuffing a 2.0L engine into a city-sized crossover makes it a punchy performer, as well as a frugal and effortless to punt around.2014-2021 Nissan J11 QashqaiThe CVTs in Nissans are notoriously unreliable, but the six-speed manual turns this British-built compact SUV into a durable, comfortable and relaxed family car that’s also a pleasure to drive. Simple yet more capable than the badge may have you believe.2017-2022 Mazda CX-5It needs a few revs under its belt, but once the tacho is swinging, the CX-5 manual turns into a rorty, racy SUV that corners and handles like its wearing Alfa Romeo badges. Slick and sophisticated, Mazda’s evergreen mid-sizer shines when it’s really driven to be enjoyed. A dying breed, sadly.2019-2022 Toyota RAV4 The cheapest way into a newer-shape RAV4 is buying a rare manual version. Though front-drive and base-model only, the GX 2WD combines the looks, packaging, quality and practicality of Australia’s favourite new SUV, with a surprisingly engaging and enjoyable powertrain. It’s a shame Toyota dropped the manual.2013-2020 Volkswagen Mk7 Golf GTIDeveloped during the peak-VW era, the seventh-gen Golf GTI has different sides, from a luxury grand tourer with a slick dual-clutch transmission, to a lower-line manual with cloth trim aimed at purists. The latter allows keen drivers to take advantage of its immersive drivetrain and lighter, nimbler dynamics.2016-2020 Peugeot T9 308 GTi 270Perhaps the greatest modern hot hatch this side of the current Honda Civic Type R, the manual-only 308 GTi 270 captures the essence of the breed better than most, thanks to a lightweight, playful chassis, torquey turbo engine and ultra-tactile steering and superbly supple ride. A true 205 GTi for grown-ups, at a fun-sized price.

There is a new key detail of the soon-launching Toyota RAV4 hybrid, with fuel efficiency figures of the SUV now public.The car offers a combined fuel efficiency of 4.5L/100km for the front-wheel drive variant (4.6L/100km on all-wheel drive), which is better than the outgoing front-wheel drive model at 4.7L/100km and 4.8L/100km for the all-wheel drive.This increases the RAV4’s fuel efficiency lead over hybrid models of the Hyundai Tucson (4.8L/100km) and Kia Sportage (5.3L/100km).Urban fuel consumption sits at 4.2L/100km, while extra urban fuel consumption is at 4.7L/100km. The all-wheel drive’s figures are 0.2L/100km higher than the front-wheel drive. The new generation of the Toyota RAV4 is still being eagerly awaited in Australia, with the brand already running out of stock on the previous model. This has caused a substantial downturn in sales for the Australian branch to the tune of 25 per cent year-on-year up to March 2026.  The new RAV4 will roll out into Australian showrooms this year with hybrid variants too far away and plug-in variants coming in the third quarter. All variants will feature a 2.5-litre petrol engine, and come in front-wheel and all-wheel drive choices. The hybrid produces 143kW, while the plug-in hybrid boosts power to 227kW. It will start from $45,990 (before on-road costs) when it lands in Australia within the next few weeks. This means it will be more expensive than the cheapest Tucson and Sportage hybrid models. The RAV4 is a key contributor to Toyota’s sales as their biggest seller, which is more than the HiLux ute and roughly twice as many as the Prado large SUV. Toyota will continue to add more electrified models to its lineup this year, including an electric version HiLux ute. 

It’s been a minute since the only cars we would regularly see wearing a strip of blue and white Sillitoe tartan down the side were the Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon and sometimes Toyota Camry.The world of police cars and vehicles has broadened — Ford Rangers, Hyundai Santa Fes, Volkswagen Passats, the list goes on. All must be practical, of course, and for different purposes.But there are new things to consider now, like hybrids and EVs, new ute options and of course which cars will be the PR show cars, the ones that don’t really have to work too hard. Here are five suggestions from across the spectrum.BYD Shark 6Something about a ute in white with police decals and a bullbar on the front just works. Our digital artist Thanos Pappas has rendered the Shark 6 as a police car both in the red dirt of rural Australia, and in the Sydney CBD.Australia and its vastly different environments could be the perfect place to see if the innovative BYD Shark 6 has what it takes to ‘keep the streets safe’ as it were.While its electric ability would make it ideal for city and suburban patrols, its petrol power means range anxiety on longer routes isn’t a concern.The big question surrounds its ability to off-road - CarsGuide’s off-road guru Marcus Craft deemed it suitable for “light to moderate off-roading” only, though we’re not sure how many police chases end up requiring rock-crawls and hill-climbs.Still, it looks good in the livery, and isn’t that the most important thing about policing? Right? Isn’t it?Kia TasmanPerhaps a little closer to reality is the idea of a Kia Tasman police car. Not only is there already a strong relationship between Kia (and Hyundai) and many police services around the country but there’s even a mock-up Tasman cop car already.During 2025 there was even a period that around Australia “multiple jurisdictions considering and are interested” in using the Tasman for policing.Whether that comes to fruition is yet to be seen - a lot of testing has to be done before a car is deemed suitable for police work, perhaps one reason a couple of other cars on this list may fall short in certain areas.Ford MustangThe Mustang is one such car that might have a couple of downsides - the inability to to detain someone safely being one - but police have often had high-powered highway patrol cars or community engagement vehicles that aren’t really built for your everyday patrols.It wouldn’t be the first time this has come up - about ten years ago the NSW Police Force was considering a Mustang GT for highway patrol, but the previous generation car was struggling with some overheating issues under hard testing.The Ford Mustang seems like a good choice given it’s an easy design to admire, it’s actually a very capable sports car, and it’s got a link to the former FPV patrol cars in the form of its Coyote 5.0-litre engine, on which FPV’s Miami V8 was based.Toyota RAV4This might seem like a boring, obvious answer, but the incoming Toyota RAV4 would make a really sensible car for Australian police.The hybrid of it all, not to mention Toyota’s long history of supplying police cars and its reputation for reliability.That and if the current RAV4 is anything to go by, the new one should be a fairly capable and easy-to-use thing.Genesis G70Victoria Police announced in 2017 it would add dozens of BMW 5 Series highway patrol cars to its fleet, so why not a similar rear-drive sports sedan from the sibling brand to Hyundai, models from which police have been using for some time now.A 3.3-litre twin-turbo engine with 274kW and 510Nm, plus some decent handling and dynamics alongside a design I reckon would suit the blue and white (and yellow in highway patrol form).

Fuel prices in Australia are soaring, meaning fuel efficiency in vehicles is a more important consideration than ever. Hybrid cars offer the potential for superior fuel efficiency compared to internal combustion power without the big price premium if fully electric or plug-in hybrid options. This makes them an increasingly attractive option for buyers given the current global climate. Hybrid sales are already booming in Australia, but will increases in fuel prices accelerate the shift away from pure internal combustion cars? NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said that while hybrid sales are increasing, an even swifter transition is less than clear. “If you’re driving a standard vehicle with a 55-litre tank, compared to what we were paying before the war began to now, it’s a $45 increase on one tank of petrol. That applies regardless of whether it’s hybrid or petrol,” Khoury said. “Historically speaking, looking at what happens after an oil shock, it certainly opens up their consideration. “No doubt that if this crisis continues and these prices hang around for weeks or months, Australians will look at those alternatives more seriously.” Below is a comparison between popular petrol and hybrid choices in each segment to see how they stack up in a changing fuel context. Fuel cost has been calculated using current data from the New South Wales’ government’s average fuel price for unleaded 95 petrol and diesel. Toyota’s Corolla hybrid hatch offers superior fuel efficiency and driving range compared to the Kia K4 petrol model. The Corolla is also cheaper to fill up with fuel thanks to its smaller tank and offers a substantially bigger driving range. The Kia Seltos is a petrol-only variant, but despite its bigger fuel tank, it has less driving range than the Toyota Corolla Cross, courtesy of the hybrid powertrain. The bigger fuel tank means the Seltos is also more expensive to fill up. The mid-size CX-5 has a non-turbo charged petrol engine, which sees it offer an impressive estimated driving range of more than 800km, but once again the Toyota competitor’s fuel efficiency wins out in the RAV4 hybrid. The Toyota Kluger continues the Japanese juggernaut’s fuel efficient theme, with a hybrid set-up offering a driving range of more than 1122km, which is significantly more than the MQ QS, despite both cars costing a similar amount to fill up at the bowser. Utes are some of the worst affected by the fuel price increase as many of them are powered using diesel engines, with diesel fuel rising more than petrol. It has now risen to well beyond the $2.60 mark per litre. The BYD Shark’s plug-in hybrid set-up uses petrol, which makes it an affordable option, given the price of diesel. It should be noted that the Shark 6’s fuel efficiency is significantly reduced when the battery is not charged. It’s a similar story for the GWM Cannon Alpha, which should be noted is no longer on sale, but remains one of limited plug-less hybrid utes in Australia.