Ute News

Australia could welcome not one but two new electrified dual-cab ute options in 2028, with Hyundai's first proper ute seemingly firming to join a hybrid Kia Tasman 2.0 in Australia.  Both Korean brands have remained relatively tight-lipped on their ute ambitions, but Hyundai has confirmed that sharing its dual-cab with Kia is back on the table, after it was largely ruled out last year. Then, the brand looked likely to share development of an all-new dual-cab with Hyundai in America — a product that would also likely be built there to dodge tariffs. But the brand acknowledges business case challenges, and has already opted to not import products from Europe owing to large shipping costs and unfavourable exchange rates. Whatever the reason, the brand is now more open to sharing with Kia. "If we wanted to bring the speed to market, there's probably only one other option," said Hyundai Australia COO, Gavin Donaldson, before joking about shipping costs from "Tasmania". "We've kept two options open because we think both could technically work," he said. "While we can't confirm, we would probably say if they're looking at something in the States we'd still consider that one because that's definitely on the drawing board. And then the other ones." The timing is perfect, because this week a leaked document confirmed work would begin on a new Kia Tasman in 2028. The documents come from Kia’s Employment Stability Committee – the body is responsible for negotiating factory allocation, Korean factory investments and more. The documents claim the Hwaseong factory, which is responsible for building the Tasman, is slated to review the new Tasman and its derivatives in 2028. That update is tipped to review all aspects of the Tasman, from its design to its powertrain, and even potentially introduce hybrid-petrol power for the first time. In fact, parts of the new update are already being evaluated in Australia. "That's part of the process. There's a normal Product Enhancement process applied to it like any other car. So that's happening now, if you like," Kia Australia’s Chief Ride and Handling Engineer Graeme Gambold recently told CarsGuide.  "And that's not just facelifted exterior styling. That's also different shock absorber technology, probably powertrain options, and a whole lot of things." A hybrid powertrain would make a brand-share arrangement even more appealing to Hyundai, with executives repeatedly stating that electrification was a non-negotiable. That stance has softened slightly, with the brand now favouring speed to market, but a hybrid powertrain remains a key focus. "We'll never say never to a new powertrain at the end of the day because if something means it can come a lot quicker with a different powertrain, then we would say yes. But for us, we think a hybrid powertrain is what we're going to do," Mr Donaldson says. 

Kia’s big plans have just been exposed.  Korean Car Blog has just revealed key details about Kia’s upcoming product line-up, with some of these models expected to land Down Under before 2030.  The leaked roadmap shows an all-new Kia EV7 electric mid-size SUV as well as a next-generation Sorento large SUV and Carnival people mover, among other models.  These models are all anticipated to hit showrooms globally from 2028 to 2029.  The document is from the Kia Employment Stability Committee, which is a body that negotiates and approves production investments and factory volumes.  The document shows Kia will begin production of an electric mid-size SUV called the EV7.  Details are scarce, but logically, it would sit between the EV6 and EV9 SUVs.  This could put it into competition with the very popular BYD Sealion 7 ($54,990) and the luxury-pitched BMW iX3 ($89,900), both before on-road costs.  The EV7 is likely to have a similar footprint to the Kia Sorento, meaning it could even be a three-row SUV.  We don't know whether the EV7 is related to the Hyundai Ioniq 7 that is rumoured to arrive in the United Kingdom in 2027. Production on the EV7 could begin as early as 2028.  Kia is also planning to overhaul its Carnival people mover. Leaked documents confirmed a “completely redesigned” Carnival hybrid is on the way and will launch in 2028.  The Carnival is the runaway sales leader of the people mover segment in Australia, available in diesel- and conventional-hybrid-powered set-ups.  It comfortably outsells the Hyundai Staria as well as the BYD M9 and Denza D9.  The first hybrid Carnival launched in mid-2024 as an electrified alternative to the diesel-powered variant.  Kia isn’t just stopping at a new-generation Carnival, with the Korean brand also rumoured to be pursuing a hydrogen fuel cell variant by 2029.  This would be Kia’s first hydrogen-powered production model, and it’s likely to lean on fuel cell technology from sister brand Hyundai.  It’s unclear whether the local branch would consider bringing a hydrogen Carnival to Australia, given the lack of usable infrastructure.  Plans show Kia is working on a new hybrid Sorento that will begin production in 2028.  The Sorento remains an important model for Kia in Australia, sitting below the brand’s best seller the Sportage.  It currently has a very broad set of variants in Australia, featuring petrol, diesel, conventional hybrid and plug-in hybrid choices.  It’s possible Kia will go hybrid-only Down Under as it has done with the Seltos, and is expected to do with the larger Sportage when it arrives in 2027.  Kia is preparing to give the Tasman ute a major makeover. Production will begin in 2028 and will spawn derivatives, including a ladder-frame SUV to compete with the Toyota LandCruiser Prado.  There’s also potential for a plug-in hybrid or even fully electric variants of the Tasman to launch in the coming years. 

The numbers for October 2026 are in, and electric vehicles have officially outsold utes, marking a change in climate for the Australian new car market. A total of 24,845 electric vehicles were sold in October, eclipsing the total ute segment, which accounted for 19,431 units across 4x2, 4x4 and those costing in excess of $100,000. Of those 19,431 utes sold, 327 of them were also fully electric, up 330 per cent from the prior year. There were 6040 electric cars and 19,478 electric SUVs sold in the same period. Electric is now the leading fuel type for cars, and the second best selling fuel type for SUVs after petrol. Electric vehicles are the second best selling fuel type in October, even eclipsing petrol and hybrids for the month, landing within 1000 units of diesel. Year-to-date the Australian market has eclipsed 1 million units, with nearly 1/3rd of them still being petrol (293,298 units) and over a quarter being diesel (258,361 units). Electric vehicles so far account for 205,436 sales, but the fuel type has grown over 175 per cent for the year, where diesel has fallen 16.3 per cent and petrol has fallen 27.6 per cent. The biggest winners in October for electric cars are the Tesla Model Y (3105 units), BYD Sealion 7 (2524 units), Geely EX5 (1789 units) and Zeekr’s 7X (1441 units). Other popular options in the market include the Geely EX2 hatchback (1350 units), Jaecoo J5 EV (1117 units) and Tesla’s Model 3 (945 units). Meanwhile the ute segment is in the midst of a downturn after years of record popularity. Winners for October include the HiLux (5954 units), Ford Ranger (4841 units), BYD Shark 6 (1843 units), Isuzu D-Max (1599 units) and Mitsubishi Triton (1056 units). In total (including 4x4 and 4x2 models) the segment is down 11.42 per cent to 176,240 units from nearly 200,000 units this time last year. The numbers make sense. Diesel has been hit particularly hard by the impact of the war in Iran, which has caused a 94 cent price rise per litre from this time last year. The average price per litre for diesel in Australia is now $2.63, a 55.6 per cent increase on the year prior. This is due to inelastic demand for the fuel type, with private and small business utes competing with the wider commercial sector for the fuel. Meanwhile petrol is currently averaging $2.35 per litre, a more modest 72 cent increase from this time last year. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, this means Australians, on average, are paying $546 more per year for fuel than they were in 2025. Combine this with the government’s current FBT exemption program and New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) forcing an influx of pure electric options to the market, and it’s a potent cocktail for automakers with competitive electric car line-ups. This has benefitted Tesla and newer Chinese brands, which largely have managed to meet the market with hybrid and fully electric vehicles that are at or near price parity with their combustion counterparts from so-called ‘legacy’ brands. A prime example is BYD’s fully electric Atto 1 city car becoming Australia’s most affordable new car earlier this year. For the ute segment specifically, BYD’s PHEV-only Shark 6 and GWM’s Cannon and Cannon Alpha which offer PHEV variants have received significant buyer attention, up 1.6 and 9.2 per cent respectively in a market which has otherwise significantly shrunk.

A very busy 12 months approaches for GWM, with 14 new car launches planned for 2027. One of those launches will see the company’s Wey brand launch, a premium offering to rival BYD’s Denza or Geely’s Zeekr. The Wey G9, a people mover positioned against the Denza D9 and Xpeng X9, will likely be first with SUVs to follow. With Wey joining Haval, Tank, Ora and Cannon in GWM’s line-up, the brand insists it won't follow rival Chery and saturate the market with sub-brands, according to GWM Australia Managing Director Andrew Gao. “We insist on ‘one GWM’,” he CarsGuide. “Our strategy is different… We will not have five or six or seven or 10 networks. No.” Head of Communications and Marketing Steve Maciver added some clarity around branding - everything will still fall under the GWM banner and in the GWM  “We’re trying to base everything around a structure which is GWM.  “We're trying to build an identity and a role to each of those sub brands which makes sense, gives us delineation, but also connects back to GWM. And there's still some work to be done on that.” After the Wey G9, it’s likely we’ll see the Wey V9X SUV land, though timing on that is unclear.  At 5.3m long and with a six-seat configuration, the V9X is focused on moving passengers in top-level comfort. In other large model news, GWM is also set to bolster its line-up with a new large, seven-seat SUV, likely the Haval H10 that was described as “very appealing” as a prospect for Australia by Maciver. The new Haval H7 is also available as a seven-seater, though its mid-size categorisation would limit GWM’s extra market share. The Ora brand is also set to expand with new models based on the Ora 5’s platform - a larger SUV (confirmed as the Ora 5 Plus) and likely a smaller hatch will join the small SUV. GWM has also confirmed a new mid-size SUV in the form of the Jolion Max, which is on the smaller end of the category and will be available in EV or PHEV guise. That will arrive in Q1 along with the Ora 5 Plus. GWM’s aims to become a top-five brand in terms of sales volume in Australia, and eventually top-three, aren’t based in dominating any single segment - despite GWM’s five mid-size SUVs in the line-up from 2027. “Regardless of who we're taking share from, if we want to become the top-five and then the top-three brand that we aspire to be, we're going to have to take share from those above us,” said Maciver. “We're not targeting domination in any one segment. We think we've got a chance to take much more share in many segments.  “If you think about medium SUV and you think about dual-cab ute, if we want to be, ultimately, a top-three brand… driving share in those two segments is absolutely crucial. “We think we've got the right weapons, the right value, and the right tech to deliver volume there. But that's on us.  “We haven't delivered and realised that volume yet, and that's one of the big tasks for us for next year.”

Toyota flexes its muscles as it dominates the top of the sales charts in October. Australians bought a little more than 100,000 new cars in the past month, but one in five of them wore a Toyota badge. The Toyota HiLux was the best selling vehicle with 5954 examples finding a new home and the RAV4 was the third best seller with 4718 registrations. These two bookended the Ford Ranger (4841). Tesla Model Y was the best of the rest with 3105, followed by the electric BYD Sealion 7 (2524), Toyota Prado (2397), Chery Tiggo 4 (2178), BYD Atto 2 (1943), BYD Shark 6 (1843) and Geely EX5 (1789). Toyota is still the dominant force in Australian new cars, but there is no other Japanese or Korean model in the top 10 sellers list. Outside of Tesla, the rest of the top 10 were Chinese brands, with BYD mimicking Toyota with three entrants in Australia’s favourite new car list. BYD sold more than 10,000 vehicles in the past month, which was a feat usually reserved for Mazda or Ford at their peak. The October sales also showed Australia’s love affair with utes and SUVs was stronger than ever, with those two body shapes making up the entirety of the top 10 list. China also maintained its top position as the biggest source of new cars in Australia. More than 35 per cent of all new cars sold were imported from China, followed by Japan (22.3 per cent), Thailand (17.9 per cent) and South Korea (9.2 per cent). Almost one in four new cars sold in October was electric, which is about three times higher than it was in the same month last year. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries boss Tony Weber said electric car sales were driven by high fuel prices and government subsidies such as the FBT tax exemption. “Consumers are making rational choices and are attracted to options that reduce their costs. Despite continuing pressure on household budgets and higher borrowing costs in 2026, the October result shows there is extraordinary resilience in new vehicle demand," said Weber. “This increase in new vehicle demand, especially BEVs, must be supported by reliable and accessible charging infrastructure that keeps pace with demand.”

Ford has confirmed a new ute for international markets that will be cheaper than the Ranger. “Next year, we will be launching our affordable mid-size pick-up for international markets,” said Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley at the company’s third quarter earnings event. “We expect the base material cost for this truck to be 20 per cent lower than today's Ranger. “Just as Maverick has done in the US, this truck is designed to bring new customers into the Ford truck lineup internationally at a cost structure that allows us to compete, in this case, with the Chinese.” At this stage Ford hasn’t given any indication of what this “affordable mid-size pick-up” will be yet but given it will launch next year, a reveal is expected to be imminent. It appears it won’t be a new version of the Maverick and also likely won’t be an international version of the forthcoming Fathom electric ute. Given it’s a mid-size pick-up, this likely means it will be a similar size to the current Ranger. Farley’s comment on this forthcoming ute being priced to compete with Chinese-made utes, floats the potential of it also being made in China. Ford already has joint-venture partnerships with Geely, Changan and JMC. The latter partnership has already spawned the Ford Bronco Basecamp and Transit City, which are both launching in Australia. Given Farley specifically said this forthcoming ute is for international markets, it means an Australian launch may be on the cards. We’ve reached out to Ford Australia and will update this story once we hear back. Locally the Thai-made Ranger and Ranger Super Duty, as well as the US-made and locally converted F-150 utes are the only Ford utes offered. There hasn't been a ute smaller than the Ranger since the car-based Falcon ute was discontinued in 2016.

A new and improved Kia Tasman is coming soon, with a production date locked in. Leaked documents have detailed the company’s future product plan, including production of an improved Tasman ute and an expansion of Tasman derivative models. The documents originate from Kia’s Employment Stability Committee, which is a management body formed between Kia and the union representing Kia factory workers. This body is responsible for negotiating factory allocation, Korean factory investments and more. The documents state the Hwaseong factory, which is responsible for building the Tasman, is slated to review the new Tasman and its derivatives in 2028. This follows Kia Australia telling CarsGuide to not expect the upgraded Tasman until 2028 at the earliest. Australia’s importance to the Tasman success means we will likely be one of the first markets to receive it. Despite its poor sales to date, Kia won’t be speeding up the crucial mid-life update despite it already testing components here, according to Kia Australia. "That's part of the process. There's a normal Product Enhancement process applied to it like any other car. So that's happening now, if you like," says Kia Australia’s Chief Ride and Handling Engineer Graeme Gambold. "And that's not just facelifted exterior styling. That's also different shock absorber technology, probably powertrain options, and a whole lot of things. "We've got some bits here that we've got to test, or that has asked us to test. So if we like those parts, they'll come to market when we're facelifting. So there's a lot of ongoing things happening with . But that's the same for any car – it doesn't just stop once we launch it." The future production plans show Tasman model derivatives, which could be the rumoured new SUV-bodied 4WD to take on the Mitsubishi Pajero, Toyota Prado and Ford Everest. Kia has previously said an SUV-bodied version of the Tasman was a possibility, but it wasn’t a priority right now. It appears it might be more of a priority in a few years with an upgraded Tasman to base it on. Model expansion also could mean a hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options, which will help it meet tightening emissions laws around the globe but also meet buyer demand that is gobbling up Chinese rivals with petrol-electric power. This would also make it more palatable for an SUV-bodied version, which can compete with future plug-in hybrid versions of the Mitsubishi Pajero and Nissan Terrano 4WDs.

Australia is officially a buyers market for new ute shoppers. Carmakers of all shapes and sizes are delivering outstanding deals on new vehicles, as an increasing number of brands fight over a pool of buyers that isn’t growing at the same rate. Kia is now the latest to offer sharp deals, with its Tasman dual-cab ute the pick of the litter. Kia has wiped $5000 off the price of the Tasman SX four-wheel drive variant, which is now available for $49,990 drive-away down from $54,490 (before on-road costs). Higher grade SX+ 4WD variants can be had for $54,990 drive-away, compared to $62,390 (before on-road costs), which is a whopping saving of more than $10,000. ABN holders can access the $5000 discount on single- and dual-cab-chassis S and SX versions with an alloy tray, too. It is only available on 2025 model year examples and it must be ordered and delivered in November. The controversially-styled Tasman has been a slow seller for Kia, with less than 400 sold through the first nine months of this year. Kia initially expected to move 20,000 Tasmans annually.  It has all the things a ute owner needs, though. Power comes from a 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine making 154kW and 440Nm, which is paired to an eight-speed auto driving all four wheels. It has high and low gears, can tow up to 3500kg and - depending on variant - has a one tonne payload. Ute deals used to be rare, and mostly locked in for the End of Financial Year. Not anymore, with even the mighty Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux resorting to deals to entice customers. Toyota is chucking in a $4000 deposit bonus on new mid-range HiLux SR5 variants. There are a few caveats, with it purchased with at least $10,000 financed through Toyota and it excludes the electric version. Ford is giving new customers of the Ranger XLT, Wildtrak and Tremor variants a $4000 fuel card. Mitsubishi is also giving customers a $3000 fuel card with Triton purchases and LDV has permanently wiped thousands off the price of a T60 workhorse.

Many Aussie have bought their first ever EV in 2026 and it’s changed the new car market forever. The Iran war's impact on fuel prices is often put forward as a key reason why more people than ever are making the electric car switch, but that's not the full story. Ed Harvey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Australasian home EV charger manufacturer Evnex, told CarsGuide it was fuel security that started to sway buyers. “It flipped the argument,” Harvey said. “The fuel prices have not just really strengthened the cost-saving argument, but also I think it's the first time that people really started talking about energy security or transport security.” Range anxiety has put many buyers off EVs.  It combines a fear of running out of charge with having nowhere to charge it. Harvey said the fuel crisis brought about by the Iran war and the closing of the integral Strait of Hormuz in March 2026 started to change buyer perception. Buyers can now save as much as $3600 a year in just fuel costs by making the EV switch, according to Evnex's research, but Harvey said fuel security also started to cause anxiety with panic fuel buying leading to localised shortages. The federal government relaxed fuel standards and released reserves, while launching a $20 million “Every little bit helps” fuel conservation advertising campaign. Harvey said it was fuel availability not fuel prices that "flipped the script" for many buyers. Drivers worried about where they could fill up as opposed to where they could charge up, for the first time. “I think that really changed how people thought about energy security and our reliance on imported fossil fuels,” Harvey said. “I knew some people with petrol or diesel vehicles that were asking friends to borrow electric vehicles for the holiday period because they were nervous they might not be able to get where they needed to go.” BYD Australia’s Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins told CarsGuide higher fuel prices and fuel shortages contributed to exponential EV uptake earlier in 2026. Collins described the early stages of the fuel crisis period as a “pivotal point” and an “unprecedented time”. “That March, early April period - I think it was genuinely only a four-week period where we saw a big spike in orders,” Collins said. “I think there were a lot of people that were on the cusp of buying an EV and that tipped a lot of people into ‘I’ll just make the decision now’. “It was a pretty tumultuous time, so I think there’s some truth to that.” The Electric Vehicle Council’s (EVC) 2026 ‘State of EVs’ report found buyers purchased one EV every 100 seconds in the first half of 2026. Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales contributed to more than a quarter of all new car sales in the first half of the year, compared to roughly one in every 10 in the first half of 2025. Where there are competitive EV choices, buyers are making the switch, such as the mid-size SUV segment. The BYD Sealion 7, Geely EX5 and Tesla Model Y have consistently featured among the best-selling cars in Australia in 2026, and have experienced unprecedented growth. There hasn’t been the same growth in some other large segments of the market, and this is because competitive EV choices are still emerging, according to Electric Vehicle Council Chair and Origin Energy E-mobility GM Chau Le. “In each of these segments, EVs are becoming competitive, but we're not quite there yet in some of the segments,” Le told CarsGuide. “We're still a bit out, but with more EV models coming in and improvement in battery technology, it's only a matter of time until we're competitive across all segments.” There are no electrified utes that reach the balance of affordability, capability and driveability that their diesel counterparts have yet. Diesel-powered utes like the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux continue to be a significant component of the new car market. Once competitive electric ute choices emerge, the ute segment will likely follow a similar transformation to the rest of the new car market. New car buyers' priorities have shifted permanently, and there's nothing fuel prices or supplies can do to change it.

Honda Australia is aware of the ongoing demand for its Rigeline ute, which is currently only built in left-hand drive for markets like the USA. With a new-generation version confirmed to be the works, the CEO of Honda Australia, Jay Joseph, told CarsGuide how the local division was putting its hand up for right-hand drive development early in the process in order to increase its chances of an Australian debut. “There hasn’t been a dealer visit yet anywhere where that didn’t come up,” he said. “The best time to think about homologating a vehicle for right-hand drive is at the inception of design,” he explained. “It’s something we’re looking at and we’re in conversations about. Where that will lead, I can't say for now. It takes time, and we’ve got to do the math and it has to make sense.” Joseph, who spent much of his career working on Honda’s North American business and spent significant time in Japan understanding the company’s global footprint, was also upfront about the challenges facing the sought-after Ridgeline badge for our market. “There has to be sufficient volume, so it can’t be dependent on Australia alone. There would have to be enough right-hand drive markets raising their hands with similar development needs. “The key factor in that is when we look across all of the certification items, is there enough compatibility that we’re not doubling down on development? If we can keep that pretty simple, then it has a chance.” The Ridgeline, which has existed since 2005 and is currently in its second-generation, doesn’t ride on a ladder frame like rival dual-cabs. Instead, it sits on a large vehicle monocoque platform, which also underpins other US-developed left-hand drive vehicles, including the Pilot and Passport. “These vehicles have a much more capable rear differential some really cool features which we haven’t brought to market yet, using forward radar for some really interesting things when off-roading,” Joseph said. He said Honda had been holding these more rugged models from our market for some time. “Moving a steering wheel from one side to another in a unibody construction vehicle is a heavy undertaking, and as a company, we just don’t take shortcuts on things like that," he added. “The best time to plant a tree is 40 years ago; the second best time is today, and we didn’t plant that tree on those vehicles 40 years ago so we need to start thinking about it now.” The recently confirmed third-generation Ridgeline is promised to gain even more rugged design and capabilities, although the brand said earlier this year that it would continue to be built exclusively at the company’s Alabama factory. Joseph pointed to the Honda MDX large SUV, which was briefly sold in Australia between 2003 and 2006 as proof that the brand could source cars from the USA if needed. The elephant in the room for Honda’s ute aspirations is a hot-off-the-press memorandum of understanding with Mitsubishi on use of its Triton ladder frame as Honda looks to expand into South East Asian markets with a more robust commercial offering. The team-up between Japanese stalwarts is understood to produce a Honda-badged version of the Mitsubishi ute. Joseph said this was a “could-be” solution for Australia in the short term. “Exactly what form that takes, we’ll see. It’s too early for us to confirm anything, but there’s a possibility there,” he said of a re-badged Triton. “I suppose its more of a statement of intent that it’s the vehicle missing from the portfolio in this region particularly.” Interestingly, Joseph’s vision for a Honda-badged ute was a bit more holistic in matching up with the rest of Honda’s portfolio outside of a strictly automotive use-case, which he said could help set the brand apart from its rivals. “My perspective is that would be very appealing when you look beyond automotive. We’ve got power sports, power equipment. Say somebody buys a Honda portable generator for their caravan, if they could tow that caravan with a Honda, have the generator in the tray, I like the way that packages together. “Even somebody who buys a CRF250 or CRF450 for autocross or trail-riding, they should be able to put that in another Honda, so I’m very attracted to the idea of it. But, it still has to pencil up as a business and it’s too early to say if it does.” On the Triton team-up, Joseph said the Honda ownership experience, which he said “improves as time goes on” for current owners, would be a key point of differentiation from both the Triton and Nissan’s Navara, which also uses the same underpinnings. “If we did do something like that, one of the things that Honda does differently is a very different ownership experience. “We, you know, having the price promise and fixed-price servicing, it's very appealing to people because we have that brand trust, because we have that reputation for taking care of our customers and making sure we have parts available. “It's a completely different purchase experience and process, and I think different decision-making for the buyer. So, that would be one consideration we’d be looking at.”