Ute News

The demise of the Ford F-150 Lightning, the electric version of America’s favourite pick-up truck, is a painful lesson not just for the Blue Oval, but the entire automotive industry.When it was first announced the Lightning made a lot of sense. Ford knew it wasn’t going to convince F-150 buyers to swap into a compact electric SUV, so the company would just make their truck electric.Except, as Ford would find out the hard way, the American market wasn’t ready to shift to electric vehicles (EVs) in the majority, and certainly not the pick-up truck buyers.So the news that the Ford F-150 Lightning would be disappearing from both US and Australian roads was not really a surprise. But it’s the latest demonstration that multiple carmakers may have fallen into the same trap and could pay a similar price to Ford.What is that trap? That would be to build large electric vehicles.“The American consumer is speaking clearly and they want the benefits of electrification like instant torque and mobile power," explained Andrew Frick, President of Ford model e, the brand’s  electric division, about the decision to drop the Lightning.“But they also demand affordability… rather than spending billions more on large EVs that now have no path to profitability, we are allocating that money into higher-returning areas.”It seemed like the right idea only a few short years ago as EVs became more accepted as a concept, but sales were still relatively small due to a lack of choice.Go back five years and most of the EVs on sale were either small cars or SUVs, like the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, with the rest of the market segments largely ignored. It was a logical move, as a smaller car is more efficient (on average) than a larger one.The problem is that left so much of the new-car market without an EV choice. What would someone looking for an electric ute or electric family-sized SUV do? So, being driven by the need to fit consumer tastes, carmakers tried to cater to them.And thus we had the likes of the F-150 Lightning, Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, Audi e-tron, Kia EV9 and, more recently, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 all arrive to cater to the audience that wants a ‘big EV’.The problem is, and where this became a trap, is that building a larger EV means a larger asking price, and there simply aren't enough people willing to pay big bucks for an EV. At least not now, especially as the current fuel price drives more demand in EVs.The people have voted with their wallets and it's easy to see where the core EV buyers are spending their money. BYD has already sold 1481 Atto 2s in the first three months of 2026, with another 1082 Atto 1s. The mid-sized BYD Sealion 7 has managed 4468 sales, the Zeekr 7X a healthy 1725 and the Geely EX5 1437.Kia is perhaps the best demonstrator of this trend, the small EV3 has managed 861 sales so far this year, while the mid-sized EV5 has found 1148 buyers. But the bigger EV6 has notched just 77 sales and the huge EV9 has managed to move just 18 units in 2026.And that’s not because Australians don’t want big SUVs, the new plug-in hybrid Denza B8 has already out-sold the EV9 with 75 sales since arriving, while the aging Nissan Patrol is still going strong (1383 sales) and the Toyota LandCruiser shows no signs of slowing down (2857 sales).And this isn’t driven simply by the ongoing fuel crisis. Looking back at the 2025 data it shows the same pattern, Australian motorists looking for an EV are looking for smaller, more affordable models rather than the big ones. In 2025 Kia sold 4787 EV5s and 2597 EV3s but just 348 EV6s and only 269 EV9s.The solution, or so it seems at this point, is the plug-in hybrid (PHEV). Buyers looking for a bigger vehicle but still looking to cut their fuel bill are tending towards PHEVs and other hybrids, such as the BYD Shark 6, BYD Sealion 8 and Chery Tiggo 9.Obviously there will still be more large EVs coming our way, the most high-profile being the new electric Toyota HiLux, but all current signs indicate that this is a small percentage of the market and unlikely to change in the near future.

Sometimes car companies just get it wrong.Despite all the market research, focus groups, design studies and marketing programs, some cars just don’t sell. Sometimes it’s a case of being the right car at the wrong time, arriving ahead of the curve or after the boom. We looked at that recently with the Holden Volt, a plug-in hybrid that arrived too soon (and for too much money) to be successful, even if the concept was right.But then there are some cars that are just a complete miss, arriving as an undesirable product. They are, to be blunt, the wrong car at the wrong time.Here are some examples of what happens when carmakers get it wrong.The decision to end local manufacturing for Holden cannot have been an easy one for General Motors management, but it was probably an inevitable one. The decision they did not have to make was to destroy the brand equity, not to mention the national pride and love, in the Commodore badge.While most of the cars on this list are obviously bad choices with the benefit of hindsight, the ZB Commodore was an obviously bad choice at the time. It was meant to soften the blow of the departure of the brilliant and beloved VF Commodore, but it only served to rub salt into the wounds.To the nice folks at Opel, GM’s German division, who developed the car (which was known as the Insignia in Europe) this was like having your glass of beer taken away and replaced with water from a muddy puddle with ‘beer’ written on the glass.It wasn’t a ‘Commodore’ in any way, shape or form, despite what Holden PR tried to spin at the time. Holden and GM should have followed the example Ford set with the Falcon and retired the name with dignity rather than slapping it on a sub-par import.Sometimes in life you’re faced with a 50-50 decision to make and the difference it makes in the long run can be enormous, or even catastrophic. That’s the case with Ford Australia and the Territory Turbo.The Territory was an inspired decision, a great example of delivering the right car at the right time. Ford managed to get in on the SUV craze just as it started to rise in the early 2000s, offering buyers who were starting to look for something taller than a Falcon an in-house alternative.The problem was, in 2006 they decided to expand the line-up and made the wrong call on that 50-50 decision. Legend has it that Ford Australia only had the funds to develop a Territory Turbo OR a Territory diesel, but not both at the same time.In the words of the Knight at the end of that Indiana Jones movie: “They chose poorly.”Thankfully they didn’t shrivel up and die in an instant, like the Indiana Jones’ nemesis, but it was a decision that didn’t help the future of Ford’s local models.By the time the Territory diesel did arrive in 2011, along with a facelift, Ford had lost too much ground to imported rivals and by the end of 2016, the Territory was done. While Ford’s decision to add the turbocharged ‘Barra’ engine to the Territory seemed logical, given the high demand for that engine in the Falcon XR6 Turbo, it highlighted the difference between the Falcon and Territory buyer.In the same way a diesel Falcon would have been a terrible idea in 2006, so too did the Territory Turbo prove a costly mistake.The Evoque was a brilliant addition to Range Rovers’ line-up, another demonstration of reading the market to perfection and adding a smaller model when that’s what luxury SUV customers were looking for.Unfortunately, the Evoque Convertible was as bad an idea as the Evoque was a good one. And this was one of those ideas that you really could tell wasn’t brilliant at the time.Sure, the SUV market was rapidly changing at that point and there were some unlikely sales hits, namely Audi’s turbo-diesel SQ5. If a diesel SUV can be a popular performance car, surely a convertible would be appealing, right?Wrong. Very, very wrong.Introduced in mid-2016, the final Evoque drop-top rolled off the production line in 2018. A footnote in the history of Range Rover, and one they’d probably like to forget.As Mazda prepares to launch its second and third EVs, the sharply-priced 6e and CX-6e, it can be easy to forget its first attempt. And they might prefer you did.The MX-30 was a bolder-than-average design, with ‘suicide doors’ that were actually more like ‘choke the front seat occupants if you opened the rear doors’, but it fit nicely into the popular Mazda line-up.The problem was what was powering the MX-30. For starters, Mazda hedged its bets, offering its much-hyped EV with a mild-hybrid powertrain option, just to confuse the issue. Which was needed because the EV only had a small battery and a theoretical driving range of only 200km, but a big price tag of over $66k.While EV sales were starting to increase at this point, so seemingly the time was right, Mazda was behind the times in terms of both capability and cost. It was destined to fail and that’s what it did, quietly pulled from sale after only three years.The American brand’s attempt to crack the lucrative ute (or ‘truck’ if you’re American) market was over before it began. On the one hand you have to give credit to Tesla for not trying to take on Ford, Chevrolet and Ram head on. But, on the other hand, what the heck were they thinking?The Cybertruck was always going to be a niche offering, with Tesla frontman Elon Musk's 250,000 annual sales claim being wildly optimistic (to put it very delicately). As the flop of the F-150 Lightning demonstrated, there is simply not a market for electric utes, whether they look like a traditional ute or something created by the work experience kid after a lot of caffeine.Where Musk and the rest of Tesla management thought they’d find 250,000 people who wanted to look like they just drove out of a 1990s computer game remains a mystery to equal the lost city of Atlantis.Electric utes may seem like a good idea, but their time has simply not come year, but certainly the Cybertruck is not what people want.

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.

A new ute from BYD has been spotted again, and it’s not some variation of the best-selling Shark 6.Instead, this new offering from BYD will be based on a monocoque chassis with more modest capabilities than its larger ladder frame Shark 6 sibling.The brand hasn’t been forthcoming on details of this new tray-backed offering, but judging by the spy images from China it will be a more lifestyle and urban-focused vehicle.In interesting additional details unearthed by CarNewsChina based on Ministry of Industry and Information Technology filings, BYD has earmarked new production capacity for a ‘plug-in hybrid pick-up’ at its Zhengzhou production facility, marking the first time BYD has been approved to produce such vehicles for domestic sale.This is because while the Shark 6 has been a smash hit in export-markets, it is yet to be sold locally in China.The car-based BYD ute has been spotted multiple times before, and is expected to launch both in China, but also South America in 2026. In both cases, the styling appears to share much of its design language with the brand’s “Dynasty” line-up of vehicles, specifically the car we know in Australia as the Sealion 5.Current spy images show an SUV-style body all up until the C-Pillar, which gives way to a relatively compact tray. It also shows significant rear suspension compression, suggesting it is undergoing load testing.Unlike previous images, it also shows a Sealion 5-style grille that was previously more heavily camouflaged. It also shows an integrated rear sports bar piece which syncs-up with the SUV-style roofline.The tailgate has upright-style headlights, while the rear axle appears further back than it does on the Sealion 5, suggesting an extended wheelbase over its presumably SUV platform-relations.It matches previous European patent filings, which show a unibody pick-up with near-identical styling to the Sealion 5 up front, Sealion 6-style alloy wheels, and a rear light profile which more resembles the Shark 6, with a family similarity suggesting it could be part of a broader Shark ute line-up.BYD global executives have previously poured cold water on the idea of a smaller sibling to sit underneath the Shark 6 in Australia, with the brand’s Asia Pacific General Manager Liu Xueliange telling CarsGuide BYD has “no plan” for the smaller model.However, with the overwhelming success of the Shark 6 in the intervening six months since those comments were made, it would be unsurprising if the brand isn’t looking hard at the possibility of expanding on the Shark’s success Down Under.If so it would be one of the first to dip back into the unibody ute market, which is currently only served by the KGM Musso EV.Overseas, there is a bigger scene for such non ladder-frame offerings, with the likes of the Hyundai Santa Cruz and top-selling Ford Maverick also potentially being good fits for the Australian market.Locally passenger car based utes once used to be strong sellers thanks to the locally-assembled Ford and Holden utes, but even smaller tray-backed models enjoy cult classic status, like the Subaru Brumby and Proton Jumbuck.It would be characteristic of BYD to ignite interest in an unlikely segment of the market, as it has done with affordable EVs, plug-in hybrid utes, and now small cars like the BYD Atto 1. Watch this space.

Chery has revealed the interior of its KP31 concept ute showing off a plush, tough and super modern looking cabin ahead of the production model’s Australian launch.While Chery’s KP31 is still in concept form we’re told there won’t be too many changes in the design between now and when the ute goes into production so you can have a lot confidence in what see here being very much what you'll be able to buy soon. Luxurious quilted leather-like upholstery to the seats up front and the bench in the rear are complemented by wide screens, as well as chunky dials and buttons in this dual cab ute.This interior is similar to what we’ve seen in models from Chery’s high-end Jetour off-road brand with the G700 SUV’s cabin resembling the layout in KP31, although the ute’s insides are even more tough and practical looking. There are physical dials for volume and switches for climate control, plus beefy grab handles either side of the dashboard which features diagonal and hexagon shapes with rivets for a robust look.A wireless phone charging pad sits atop a floating centre console, that houses storage underneath, with a large and low gear shifter flanked by buttons for off-road controls and selectable EV and hybrid mode.   The BYD Shark 6 ute is firmly in Chery’s sights. Like the Shark 6, Chery’s ute will be a plug-in hybrid but instead of a petrol engine it will have a diesel, in a rare layout the brand says will be better for towing.A new 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel is to be combined with one electric motor or possibly two for monster torque. And that’s part of the very big appeal for Aussie’s looking to tow.Chery Australia Chief operating officer Lucas Harris told CarsGuide the upcoming ute needed to have the capability Aussies demanded and that includes a 3500kg braked capacity and one tonne payload - which the Shark 6 doesn't currently have.“I believe Chery has one chance to prove that we can build and deliver a highly capable ute,” said Harris.“And so to do that, it needs towing capability, payload capability, all-terrain capability. Particularly all-terrain capability, you know, you get people towing caravans on the beach. You really do need the torque and power delivery that a diesel gives you down low to be able to do those things.”Front, centre and rear diff locks will ensure this ladder on frame ute will have the expected off-road capability too.The "Super Hyrbid" powertrain will ensure good fuel economy - as long charging happens regularly.No date has been announced for the Chery’s ute to launch but it could before the end of the year and as for the name the company recently held a competition, which is now closed, for Aussies to come up with the name themselves. According to Chery’s website a short list of names will be coming soon.

Kia has confirmed critical details of the brand's upcoming ute, and seemingly inadvertently spilled on Hyundai's plans for a BYD Shark 6-fighting dual-cab.

What is the future of the Mazda BT-50? Could it become a Toyota-based one-tonne ute?With the existing, Isuzu D-Max-derived model now six years old and well into its mid-cycle facelift, speculation is rising as to what will come next once the reported 10-year supply contract with Isuzu ends.This means that the existing BT-50 that launched in 2020 following Mazda’s break-up with Ford (the previous BT-50 was based on the 2011-2022 Ford Ranger) still has about four years to go, so planning should be well-underway by now. 2030 isn’t that far away.One scenario could see a variation of the Toyota Tacoma, which has only been built in left-hand-drive in Mexico for North America since late 2023, despite sharing its right-hand-drive (RHD)-ready Toyota New Global Architecture-Frame (TNGA-F) platform with the Toyota LandCruiser 300 and Toyota Prado 250, among others.We say variation because, back in December last year, ex-Toyota Australia boss Sean Hanley revealed exclusively to CarsGuide at the HiLux launch that the Tacoma could become RHD for Australia when the right powertrain configuration is offered, to sit above the smaller, ageing HiLux in the range.“It's evolving and developing all the time, and I would never rule out the possibility of that car being part of our line-up at some stage,” he said at the time. “It all gets down to powertrain and configuration.”If that comes to pass, and Hanley did add that he was actively pursuing that outcome, it may give Mazda an in to the “evolving and developing” Tacoma thanks to the two Japanese brands’ growing association sharing passenger vehicles.This is especially prescient since the existing BT-50’s only major market in the RHD world is Australia, with Japan and the UK passing on this current generation, while South Africa ceased importing the ute after sluggish sales in 2024.Mazda Australia Managing Director Vinesh Bhindi refused to comment on any possible Tacoma/BT-50 tie-up in the future, saying instead that a decision has not yet been made as which direction the company will move next.“Isuzu is still a partner in the current generation, but the next-gen is yet to be locked in,” he told CarsGuide last month.“Mazda has worked with Isuzu for many, many years, so (we have a) very solid partnership and we hope to continue it in the future.”This is an important question for Mazda to figure out, since the BT-50 contributes vital volume for the brand in Australia, coming in at fourth place in the first three months of 2026, with 3113 units sold, behind the CX-30 small SUV (3246), ageing CX-3 light SUV (3489) and CX-5 mid-sized SUV (6247).The one-tonne ute has slipped from fifth to seventh spot so far this year in its increasingly-crowded segment, having been overtaken (though only just) by the GWM Cannon/Cannon Alpha duo (3131) and BYD Shark 6 PHEV (3480) out of China, while still trailing the Mitsubishi Triton (5604), D-Max (6057), Toyota HiLux (10,592) and Ford Ranger (12,180).The 4x4 version of the BT-50 is the harder hit of the series, seeing a 23.6 per cent decline in 2026, though the largely-diesel-driven dual-cab ute market’s exposure to soaring fuel prices due to the Iran War seems to have affected all 4x4 players in some way. The exceptions are a surging GWM Cannon (which introduced a PHEV option last year) and, unexpectedly, the resolutely diesel-powered Triton.A Mazda ute has been part of the brand’s heritage since its first vehicle rolled out of a factory in Hiroshima in 1931. Plus, there were five generations of the BT-50’s B-Series/Bravo/Proceed predecessor from 1961 to 2006 (pre-dating HiLux), with a Ford Courier also forming part of that equation for 34 years from 1972, before switching to the American Ranger badge thereafter.So, there’s been a half-century precedent with Mazda sharing its ute, be it with Ford or Isuzu.Will Toyota be next? Watch this space!

It was a day long expected, but it still hit with a bang.A Chinese car maker has out-sold almost every other car brand in Australia.BYD sold the third most vehicles in March, behind only the mighty Toyota and a surging Kia. That means a Chinese brand out-sold big names including Ford, Mazda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi.But BYD wasn’t the only Chinese brand in the top 10 either. In the first three months of 2026, BYD, GWM, Chery and MG are all firmly locked into the best-selling brands. Whatever your feelings on the influx of Chinese brands in recent years, it is clear Australian customers are buying them and they have cemented a place not only in the market, but at its upper echelons.The real question though, is can BYD sustain this success? Was March just a flash in the pan or was it the start of a genuine shake-up of the established order at the top of the sales charts?The initial sentiment around the Chinese industry was that it was flooding the market with cheap, small cars, and there was certainly a lot of truth to that. The MG3 and MG ZS were both big-sellers with small price tags, so it wasn’t surprising to see MG make an impact so early. But if you look at how BYD has found sales volume in Australia, especially since taking direct control of the local operation from original importers EV Direct, it is a very different story.BYD’s two biggest sellers in March were the Sealion 7 (1970 sales) and the Shark 6 (1314), neither could be accurately described as ‘cheap and cheerful’ small cars. Are they price competitive? Definitely, but neither is dramatically cheaper than their direct rivals, certainly not in the case of the Sealion 7.The Sealion 7 is hardly a budget-busting small car, it’s a mid-size, all-electric SUV that is priced from $54,990 (plus on-road costs). That’s competitive against its competitors, but not significantly enough to justify its sales volume alone. In other words, the Sealion 7 is one of the most popular mid-size SUVs in the country (electric or otherwise) because buyers are attracted to it for more than simply the price.The same goes for the Shark 6, which has managed to succeed seemingly in spite of its seemingly unorthodox take on a modern dual-cab. BYD made a brave choice to enter Australia’s ute market with a petrol-powered plug-in hybrid offering, but it may have been precisely the right ute at the right time.Buyers are seemingly happy to try something different and between the tax breaks and the rising cost of diesel, it’s not unsurprising that the Shark 6 has been a sales hit. So much so that it is firmly ensconced as the fourth most-popular 4x4 ute on a regular basis, behind only the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max.But does this mean BYD’s March success is sustainable? Well, certainly there are no indications that the Sealion 7 or Shark 6 will suffer a sales collapse (but stranger things have happened). While there is likely to be some ebb and flow in the sales charts this year and BYD may slip up and down the order, there are a number of indicators that the brand could sustain a top five, or even a top three, sales position long-term.And it could be thanks to the initial expectations of the Chinese market - cheap, small cars. BYD has only launched the new Atto 1 and Atto 2 hatchbacks in the final months of 2025, so they are still finding a market in Australia.But with the high cost of petrol leading to a spike in electric vehicle interest, the thought of a city-friendly small car that never requires a visit to the service station could become a popular choice for Australian drivers.Add to that the addition of the Sealion 5 and Sealion 8, which naturally sandwich the Sealions 6 and 7, as well as the talk of an expanding Shark 6 line-up and there is every chance BYD will have management at the likes of Ford, Mazda, Kia and even Toyota starting to feel concerned about the long-term outlook.

A tsunami of electric cars is headed our way.General Manager BYD Asia Pacific Mr Liu Xueliang said 30,000 BYD and Denza vehicles are on the way to our shores in May and June to feed rampaging sales.That’s more than half the vehicles BYD sold in 2025 and almost double what they have sold in the first three months of this year.The Chinese brand is looking to capitalise on the ongoing fuel crisis caused by the Iran war, which is driving Aussies in increasing numbers to buy an EV or plug-in hybrid — two vehicles types BYD has in big numbers.Liu said it was important that the company meets the growing demand and is able to get customers as soon as they place an order.If BYD manages to move those vehicles in the next few months it would have beat its sales for 2025, and it would be the second biggest selling brand in Australia and nipping at the heels of the previously-thought-untouchable Toyota.Mr Liu also said the company is aware fuel rationing might be happening in the future. It would be prioritising getting vehicles to essential workers such as doctors, firefighters and others in the coming months.BYD now has the model range to host those kind of sales figures with the brand launching seven new models in the past six months.These include the BYD Atto 1 and Atto 2 small electric cars alongside the plug-in hybrid Sealion 5 compact SUV, Sealion 8 seven-seat SUV, Seal 6 mid-size sedan and wagon and Denza B5 and B8 4WDs.Early signs of Aussies clambering for BYD and Denzas in 2026 was evident in the March sales figures.The Chinese automaker sold 7217 vehicles in the past month as Australians scrambled to get their hands on plug-in hybrids and electric cars as fuel prices soared.That is a mammoth one month total which beat Ford (7149), Mazda (7156) and Hyundai (6979). Only Toyota (16,574) and Kia (7320) did better than BYD.BYD sales increased by 50 per cent compared to March last year and are up 100 per cent for the year.For the full year, BYD's sales were already up 156 per cent by the end of 2025.

Mitsubishi has just revealed a new, flagship version of its Triton dual-cab ute that has been tested and developed in Australia.The Japanese carmaker partnered with Australian engineering and manufacturing firm, Premcar, to develop the Triton Raider.The Triton Raider is a version of this dual-cab ute that’s claimed to bring confidence to every drive, whether that be on- or off-road. First examples are due to arrive at dealers by the end of May.Think of it as a rival to the Ford Ranger Tremor, Isuzu D-Max Blade and Volkswagen Amarok W600, among others, as it picks up tougher looks and suspension tweaks, but no extra power.Using the model year 2026 (MY26) version of the Triton GSR as a base, which gains Yamaha horizontally mounted dampers to further reduce noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Premcar completes the second-stage manufacturing process at a facility in Epping, Victoria.There’s a unique front and rear suspension damper package with the front damper gaining an internal rebound spring to create more wheel control on a variety of surfaces.The related Nissan Navara also received a range of very similar suspension tweaks by Premcar, this Triton Raider program is unrelated.Other tweaks the Triton Raider picks up include 18-inch ROH ‘Assault’ alloy wheels finished in a unique brushed bronze finish that are wrapped in Bridgestone AT002 all-terrain tyres.As a result of the suspension and tyre package, there is a 25mm ride height increase at the front, 10mm ride height increase at the rear and 20mm wider track width.Matching the brushed bronze alloy wheels, there are a range of exterior highlights and decals finished in the same car. Additionally there are upgraded side protection bars, underbody protection and a sports bar with unique red highlights.Inside the Triton Raider receives black leather upholstery with orange stitching and Raider branding embroidered into the front headrests. There’s also a Raider badge fitted on the centre console.At this stage Mitsubishi hasn’t detailed pricing for the Triton Raider, though it is likely to be more than the current flagship GSR trim, which is priced at $65,590 before on-road costs.This means the Triton Raider could be closer to $70,000 before on-road costs and potentially the most expensive Triton ever offered locally.This crown currently goes to the Walkinshaw co-developed Triton Xtreme which was sold during 2023 and based on the previous-generation ute.As noted above, neither Mitsubishi nor Premcar made any tweaks to the Triton’s 2.4-litre bi-turbo diesel engine with the Raider. It still produces 150kW and 470Nm and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.