Adventure

Renault is preparing an affordable and electrified urban SUV with the promise of high appeal and a low price. Based on the Bridger concept unveiled back in March, the boxy yet compact crossover is set to enter production later next year for the 2028 model year, with India, Africa and the Middle East targeted as priority destinations. Sitting in the small SUV category, it should lure smaller families seeking an easy yet manoeuvrable five-seater runabout with plenty of rear-seat space and a big 400-litre-plus boot. Better still, the Renault’s angular lines, deep glass area, generous 200mm ground clearance and robust engineering necessary for its prime market in India should also make the newcomer an interesting, efficient, more-economical and cheaper alternative to the Suzuki Jimny. There’s even a spare wheel mounted on the side-swinging door, as per the Japanese 4x4 icon. According to Francois Provost, Renault Group CEO, the French brand is on the rise around the world and it has a road map in place to meet all competitors head-on, including those from China. “We are in also accelerating our third phase of international expansion,” he told the press at the Paris Motor Show this week. “In India, Bridger will be our flagship, designed and developed in India for India, with a distinctive design, electrified powertrains and global potential.” Whether that includes Australia is uncertain, with one Renault spokesperson at the Paris show declining to divulge any more details about the production version of the Bridger’s international ambitions, beyond saying that ‘it will be available in many markets around the world’. However, with a native right-hand drive production base and exports expected to the United Kingdom, the Bridger will have to be engineered from the onset to be compliant with current and future stringent safety and emissions standards. Based on the Renault Group’s R-GMP Group Modular Platform that is it will share with the Dacia Duster that is sold in Australia as the Renault Duster, there will be a choice of powertrains. Details remain scant, but overseas reports say that the Bridger will include a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, a strong hybrid version and electric vehicle grades offering 35kWh and 55kWh battery options. Underneath, the four-metre-long crossover should possess chassis components common to the Duster and other Renaults, including the MacPherson strut front end and torsion beam rear suspension set-up. Stay tuned for more information on the production version of the Bridger coming soon.

Honda is preparing a Toyota HiLux hunter.  The brand is gearing up to launch a new ute in 2028, according to a report from Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun.  It will take aim at the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in a ute market that remains one of the highest-volume segments globally. It will mirror the Nissan Navara in using the Mitsubishi Triton as the basis for its mechanical DNA.  It could be the first model in an expanded collaboration between Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi.  There are limited details on the new Honda ute at this stage, as it's still under development, but it will reportedly be built in Thailand.  It will sport the same ladder-frame chassis as the Triton, so buyers can expect Honda’s ute to provide some rugged off-roading and adventuring potential.  The current Mitsubishi Triton uses a 2.4-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel engine, making 150kW and 470Nm.  Mitsubishi has plans to offer hybrid power in its future ladder-frame models and Honda's ute could benefit from this.  This comes as Honda too shifts its focus from fully electric cars to invest heavily in hybrid power from 2027. Mitsubishi’s Chief Product Specialist Itagaki Kunitoshi said in September 2026 the carmaker is developing hybrid set-ups for its future Pajero 4WD and Triton ute models. “Mitsubishi Motors is actively conducting research and development in electrified ladder-frame vehicles, including hybrid vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicle technologies for products such as Pajero and Triton in the future,” Kunitoshi said. Hybrid power could help Honda steer clear of fines under Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). It’s too early to say whether the incoming Honda ute will go on sale in Australia, but it's becoming increasingly likely.  The ute will launch in South-East Asia in 2028, a region with many right-hand-drive markets. While a RHD build improves its chances of an Australian arrival, the local branch hasn't officially confirmed it will land in showrooms. A spokesperson for Honda Australia told CarsGuide in October 2026 there was nothing to confirm yet.  “While Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi Motors are discussing various potential collaboration opportunities under the framework of our strategic partnership, there is nothing specific to share at this time,” they said.    Honda already sells a Ridgeline ute, but it is exclusively sold in North America. This means it’s built in left-hand drive, while it also uses a thirsty V6 engine that would incur fines under Australian emissions rules, essentially ruling it out Down Under.

How confidently can you drive on hardened snow, or in icy conditions? And what about electric vehicles (EVs)? Are they better or worse? The answers very much depend on the model of vehicle in question, as well as the level of advanced driver assistance technologies (ADAS) fitted. That’s because modern vehicles are immeasurably better at steering and braking control on very low grip surfaces, and are able to react far quicker than a human ever can. A high-grip or sticky road (usually dry and warm) has a high mu (denoted by the Greek letter m), while low mu represents a low-grip, low-friction surface like ice, snow or on a wet steel plate. Before the advent of safety aids like traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock brakes, ADAS and all-wheel drive (AWD), vehicles in low mu situations required exceptional driving skills just to keep it from veering off uncontrollably into the scenery. Basically, the driver would often become the passenger. Now, in concert with advances in tyres and chassis engineering tuning, an electronic driving mode can be chosen according to the prevailing environment and conditions, for far-safer travel. It’s all the difference between progress and ploughing into something. Just as importantly, there are degrees of electronic intervention to allow for a variety of different ways to travel over low-mu surfaces, according to the level of driver skill. Here’s where Skoda steps into the picture. To demonstrate just how far modern vehicles have come, the Volkswagen Group brand organised a demonstration for a small number of Australian motoring media on a special closed circuit on an ice field in New Zealand. To keep it interesting, both vehicle types were performance-orientated grades of popular family-sized AWD SUVs that people might reasonably be expected to drive up to snowy regions during a ski season. Or navigate an ice-storm in on a freezing night on the other side of the globe. You never know. In this case, they were the 2026 Skoda Kodiaq RS 4x4 from $70,590 (all prices are before on-road costs) and a 2026 Skoda Enyaq RS 4x4 from $76,590 – with the latter being the go-faster EV version that is also known as the vRS in other markets. They wore winter tyres, a common addition in Europe, North America and other cold-climate regions, but not so in Australia due to our temperate climate. Several revealing demonstrations were prepared, and all on ice that looked like soft snow due to flurries but, in reality, revealed a mu surface as slippery as you’ll ever likely to experience out in the real world. Here we were shown the most basic level of ice-driving car control: attempting a low-speed cornering manoeuvre, without spearing off into a snowbank, and with limited ESC intervention. This introduced us to the three basic rules we would always have to adhere to: easing in intricate steering inputs, precise throttle control and very gentle tapping of the brake pedal, to allow momentum and the laws of physics to take the vehicle through the turn. Super difficult to achieve at first, and barely at walking pace initially, the speed was increased slowly over repeated exercises, until the balance and behaviour of driver and vehicle were in unison with the road and environmental conditions being negotiated. During these, we learned to importance of understanding and controlling ice-driving understeer (where the vehicle’s front wheels lose grip and then ploughs ahead whilst cornering regardless of steering angle) and ice-driving oversteer (where the rear wheels lose grip and the vehicle’s tail slides out to eventually spin out of control). After that, there was more of the same, but this time with a series of road twists and sharp turns combined with long straight pathways, with the goal of inducing controllable oversteer where possible in order to achieve the smoothest and cleanest route through a particular driving course. Note that understeer in such conditions is never desirable as it impedes progress. Sounds fun, is cool, but not as easy as the professionals on hand make it look. Especially at higher speeds Here’s the exception to the general rule of gently-gently car control. Sat in the Enyaq RS with nothing but icy snow behind, we were instructed to straighten the wheel, select reverse and floor the throttle, before tugging the wheel left or right once reaching 60km/h, then tapping the brake as the vehicle spins around 180 degrees backwards and slows to a momentary halt, before selecting drive and powering forward. The aim here is for a seamless transition turning the car from reverse to forward in a rapid getaway situation, as per every action movie involving a heist of some sort ever made. This was the highlight of the day. After countless exercises learning to control a vehicle better on ice than we ever thought possible thanks to the advances in electronic technologies like ADAS, we were driven to another location with two Skodas with all electronic systems switched off and instructed to temporarily forget about everything we had learned that day about smart, safe yet speedy ice driving. No ESC. No traction. No ADAS. And no safety net. Instead, we were told to drive around a point in the centre of a large field, but in a constant oversteer motion where the rear was sliding out to help pivot the vehicle around. In other words, we were told to drift our hearts out! With a cool and collected professional our only safety net in the seat next to us, the only instruction was full throttle and eyes fixed on the centre point. Doing that, with foot planted firmly down on the accelerator, resulted in a long, continuous circular drifting, yet within a chosen path and without losing control. This was the culmination of very particular steering and throttle inputs, designed to create spectacular drifting manoeuvres. Since these instructions require to do the very opposite of the extremely precise steering and throttle inputs that are the core of safe modern-vehicle ice-driving techniques, we do not recommend you try this on public roads. But, in the off-chance you have a private circuit away from danger for you or any other road user, it might be the most fun you’ll ever have on ice. And the Skodas behaved exactly as instructed, without missing a beat.

Isuzu says it will look to trade emissions credits with other manufacturers and attempt to share the extra cost between dealers, its local head office and its international HQ to keep selling the diesel D-Max and MU-X in Australia without jacking up prices. The brand is in a tough spot when it comes to the federal government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) in Australia, with two models sharing diesel engines, and no form of electrification either here or coming in the immediate future. But it also says the segments it competes in – namely the ute and off-road SUV spaces – aren’t embracing electrification, even if it had powertrains to offer. That leaves it with little option but to buy credits from other lower-emitting manufacturers. Part of the government’s NVES policy is that manufacturers who exceed their fleet emission target end in credit, while those who miss theirs end with a deficit, but brands can trade to balance their ledgers. “The strategy is that we’ll do everything we can to make the impact as low as possible on the end user,”  says  Rod Caldwell, Executive General Manager - MD Office and Internal Audit Office. “If that means we need to buy credits, we're not saying that we won't do that. "If that means that it protects the consumer from any excessive price increases or whatever, but it gives them the lowest impact, then that's what we'll do. Some brands say they won't, we're saying that's an option we will seriously consider.” Caldwell says the brand would attempt to share any cost increases across the vehicle suppliers, rather than pass them onto the customer, though he concedes that might not be entirely possible. “We're trying to trim expenses at the same time, and we've got a number of parties involved in our process,” he says. “We've got the manufacturer, we've got our owner, we've got us. So we’ve all got a job to do to make sure that the customer doesn't have to wear the brunt of it.  “We want to minimise the impact. We will have to absorb some, the factory will have to absorb some. At the end of the day, the factory is the one responsible for the penalty, not us, but we've got to come to an arrangement on how we share this burden. “It's not going to be long term. We are going to have new technology in the future, for sure.”

Mitsubishi’s Triton ute looks set to spread its mechanical DNA further than the underpinnings of its Nissan Navara sibling. Reports out of Japan point to a Honda-badged, Thai-built version of the ladder frame workhorse planned for sale in multiple Southeast Asian markets and beyond from 2028. Nikkei Asia has reported increasing competition from Chinese challenger brands in Asia has forced Honda to review its largely stand-alone product policy, tapping into Mitsubishi’s body-on-frame ute expertise as a pragmatic short-cut response. Honda already has the Alabama-built Ridgeline dual cab pickup in its North American portfolio, but that petrol V6-powered monocoque mid-sizer lacks the load carrying and hauling capacity of a traditional ute with a tough leaf-spring rear end. The report references collaboration talks between Honda, Mitsubishi and Nissan, which have been ongoing since August 2024 and notes the Triton’s reputation for durability and off-road performance; in-demand attributes for hard-working trucks in ASEAN countries. Honda entered into numerous model share arrangements with Isuzu through the 1990s (Passport, Horizon, Jazz), but has mainly operated solo since then, so a potential ute collaboration with the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance partners represents a telling shift in the Japanese maker’s new product development model. The report notes that until recently, Japanese brands collectively commanded around 90 per cent market share in Thailand and Indonesia, that figure shrinking to closer to 70 per cent currently as buyers embrace EV passenger and commercial options from the likes of BYD, Chery, Geely, XPeng, Zeekr and many others. More specifically, the report said Honda's combined year-on-year sales in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have fallen 20 per cent (to around 110,000 units) for the first eight months of 2026. And it’s worth noting the potential arrangement would improve Mitsubishi Motors factory efficiency in Thailand, where a reported collective capacity of approximately 386,000 units resulted in only 170,000 vehicles produced in 2025.  With multiple right-hand drive markets scattered throughout Southeast Asia, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, the possibility of a Honda ute in Australia is significant and CarsGuide contacted Honda Australia for comment on the prospect of a local introduction. A spokesperson told us, “This is not an official announcement made by Honda or Mitsubishi Motors." "While Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi Motors are discussing various potential collaboration opportunities under the framework of our strategic partnership, there is nothing specific to share at this time. "We will make an official announcement at an appropriate time,” they said.

LDV has reintroduced turbo-diesel power to its large, seven-seat D90 SUV range with fresh availability of 2.5-litre four-wheel drive diesel models alongside existing 2.0-litre turbo-petrol variants. Diesel was deleted from the local line-up with the arrival of substantial D90 facelift in late 2024, but the new diesel SUV borrows its powerplant from the LDV Terron 9 ute, sending 163kW/520Nm to all four wheels, compared to the 160kW/480Nm of its prior-generation predecessor. All D90s are eight-speed automatic only. The D90 range now consists of three grades across five models (three petrol and two diesel), priced from $43,674 to $58,937, both before on-road costs, for private buyers. ABN holders save a minimum $2184 at the entry-level and close to $3000 on the diesel flagship while a launch offer slashes an additional $4500 off the recommended drive-away prices for private and business buyers until October 31, 2026 (while stock lasts). In 2025, the turbo-petrol D90 was boosted with Miller Cycle combustion tech (to improve efficiency and reduce fuel consumption), variable valve lift, high-pressure direct injection and a balance shaft module to reduce engine vibration. Outputs of 184kW/410Nm lifted braked trailer towing capacity to 3000kg in two- and four-wheel drive form while the new 4WD-only D90 diesel models pushes that number to 3500kg. LED headlights & tail-lights Twin 12.3-inch displays (multimedia and instruments) Synthetic leather seats Apple CarPlay / Android Auto / digital radio / Bluetooth connectivity Eight-speaker audio Multi-zone climate control Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for manual gear selection 18-inch alloy wheels Steel spare wheel Sensor key and push-button start Electrically folding and heated power side mirrors Roof rails Side steps Fender flares Six airbags Adaptive cruise control Rain-sensing wipers Lane-keep assist Lane-change assist Lane departure warning Rear cross-traffic alert Blind spot warning Traffic sign recognition Fatigue reminder and attention assist Tyre pressure monitoring Hill descent control (off-road use) Hill hold assist Rear view camera Front and rear parking sensors The higher Executive grade feature additions like a sunroof, power tailgate, ambient lighting, a heated steering wheel, rear privacy glass, a power-adjustable driver’s seat and more. And as its name implies, the new Luxe flagship diesel adds extra standard equipment including: Panoramic sunroof 360-degree camera view JBL premium audio Heated, ventilated & massaging front seats 20-inch alloy wheels (shod with Continental tyres) Front and rear differential locks Power tailgate (with kick sensor) All four-wheel drive models feature off-highway systems including Crawl Control, a rear differential lock and selectable terrain modes. Confirming the diesel D90’s reintroduction LDV Australia General Manager Dinesh Chinnappa said, “Customers have been asking for the return of diesel power to the LDV D90 ever since it was paused from our line-up two years ago.” “Customers have also been asking for a top-tier model, which is why we have introduced the LDV D90 Luxe diesel. “With the revised LDV D90 range we are offering a wider range of price points and giving customers the choice of petrol or diesel power,” he said.

The Nissan X-Trail has been well-liked since its inception 25 years ago and the current generation has done reasonably well in an increasingly crowded mid-size SUV market. While not the front-runner in terms of sales - the Toyota RAV4 holds that title, of course - the Nissan X-Trail is one of a few mid-size SUVs to break the 1000-sales mark this year so far, a feat increasingly achieved by newcomer Chinese models. To strengthen its place in the market, Nissan has broadened the X-Trail offering to include more affordable (and more efficient) two-wheel drive versions of its e-Power hybrid grades, as well as a style-focused soft-roader version called the Rock Creek. Starting with the most visually obvious addition, the X-Trail Rock Creek is a $48,315 ask, before-on roads, for its single seven-seat grade. The Rock Creek uses the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the rest of the combustion-powered range, with 135kW and 244Nm driving all four of its wheels. It’s built on the same spec as the ST-L, but adds plenty of unique styling and black trim, with orange accents and stitching inside, plus a unique set of 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, ballistic nylon-trimmed seats are joined by a step-up from the donor ST-L in the form of a 12.3-inch driver display and 10.8-inch head-up display. The front seats are comfortable, spacious and ergonomically sensible, and the second row has a decent amount of room and some adjustability to account for the third row. That back row is, however, pretty useless for adults due to the cramped space. Nissan says the Rock Creek has the same 465 litres of boot space as other seven-seat grades, measured from floor to roof with the third folded flat. The 2WD e-Power on the other hand starts from $45,990 in ST-L grade, $50,915 for the mid-spec Ti and up to $54,715 for the Ti-L. They’re all five-seaters with equipment matching that of their 4WD counterparts. That means the ST-L gets some basics like leather-accented trim and a surround-view camera, while the Ti gets a sunroof and head-up display, and the Ti-L gets all the fruit like a Bose 10-speaker sound system and heated seats even in the second row. The five-seat e-Power has 575L of boot space with all the seats up, 10 litres less than the five-seat petrol. The e-Power 2WD has very similar outputs to the e-Power 4X4, with 150kW and 330Nm from its front-mounted electric motor. The same 106kW/250Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine powers the very small 2.1kWh battery, but not the wheels. Regardless of grade, the X-Trail uses a 55L fuel tank and can run on 91RON unleaded fuel, though Nissan recommends 95RON for the e-Power. The 4X4 petrol Rock Creek sips 7.8L/100km on the combined cycle according to the claim, though with some off-roading and unsealed road driving the trip computer shower 9.7L. The 2WD e-Power should use 5.4L according to the specs, but 6.2L was the displayed rate on the drive. You shouldn’t need to try hard to get better figures than those we saw on the launch, as test-driving involved a combination of fast driving on twisty NZ roads and gentle off-roading around Lake Wakatipu and the Rees River. The current X-Trail has always been easy to work with from behind the wheel and the front-drive versions don’t lose much of the smoothness and urge the all-wheel drive version of the hybrid X-Trails boast. While it doesn’t feel like the lightest SUV, the steering is accurate enough to take any guesswork out of cornering and the electric motors get the mid-sizer moving quickly. Traction doesn’t suffer much without the rear wheels in play, though given the limited drive time in each grade on the launch it’s possible very wet conditions or rough roads could show up flaws. The Rock Creek on the other hand should be safe as houses when it comes to light off-roading, given its 4x4 system, though its on-road prowess is somewhat dulled by its petrol engine. Compared to the e-Power, the Rock Creek handles and rides similarly on the road, but its acceleration feels lacklustre and its efficiency takes a big hit. The X-Trail has a maximum five-star safety score from ANCAP, though this was tested in 2021 under more lenient criteria. Its 'Pro-Pilot' driver assistance systems remain, as mentioned, subtle and exist to prevent genuine mistakes rather than remind you constantly how to drive. Seven airbags join a series of features like front and rear AEB, pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and a driver monitor that’s based on inputs rather than a visual sensor. Pretty much everything from a safety perspective is the same across the variants, though the Rock Creek gets a spare wheel rather than a repair kit as in the e-Power. Nissan offers a 10-year/300,000km warranty as long as you service with authorised Nissan dealers. Otherwise it’s five years and unlimited kilometres. You also get a flat price of $399 for any X-Trail grade at the first five services. These will come up every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Suzuki has resurrected a special-edition version of its most popular model in Australia. The Japanese small car specialist has reintroduced the Heritage version of its Jimny off-roader which was last seen in dealerships in 2023. But the 2026 version is a little different. The previous Heritage versions came in three- and five-door guises with a manual transmission, however the latest version is the three-door and it comes exclusively with an automatic transmission. Much like the earlier version, Suzuki is limiting the 2026 Jimny Heritage edition to just 300 examples, numbered from 301 to 600. Pricing kicks off at $42,490, before on-road costs, which is $1500 more than the Jimny GLX auto three-door on which the Heritage is based. So what do you get for that extra $1500? Suzuki has added the following: Red front mud flaps Red rear mud flaps Jimny Heritage cargo tray Heritage decals Limited-build badge Exclusive Jimny Heritage pack In terms of colours, the Jimny Heritage is offered in just three - Superior White, Medium Grey and Jungle Green. The previous Jimny Heritage edition sold out in just five hours, but Suzuki Australia General Manager Michael Pachota said keen buyers shouldn’t wait to get into one of the new ones. “But this is it. These 300 individually numbered vehicles, from 301 to 600, will be the final Jimny 3-Door Heritage limited-edition models sold in Australia,” he said. “Pre-orders are available now through Suzuki Australia dealers, and with only 300 available, we expect them to move quickly.” The Suzuki Jimny GLX, like all Jimny grades, is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine delivering a humble 75kW of power and 130Nm of torque. It has part-time four-wheel drive, 15-inch alloy wheels and the auto transmission has just four speeds. Fuel consumption is 6.9L/100 km. Standard gear on the GLX includes: LED headlights Reversing camera Front and rear parking sensors 9.0-inch multimedia screen Digital radio Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Voice command Fabric seats Digital climate control Adaptive cruise control The current-generation Jimny went on sale in early 2019 and was an instant hit for the brand in Australia. More than seven years later, the Jimny is still Suzuki’s top-selling model Down Under. In fact, with 4971 units sold to the end of August, the Jimny has sold more than double the next model in Suzuki’s stable - the Swift light hatch (2015).

Falling diesel sales and a contracting, and increasingly competitive, ute market won't deter Mazda from launching an all-new BT-50 in Australia, with the brand confirming a new ute is coming. That puts Mazda on a collision course with its traditional rivals, the Nissan Navara, Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max, as well as newcomers the BYD Shark 6 and Chery Stockman. Asked if Mazda still needed a BT-50, given the increased competition now fighting for smaller total sales, the brand's local MD, Vinesh Bhindi, replied: "yes". Asked if that meant a new one was coming, likely around 2028, he again replied: "yes". CarsGuide spoke to the chief designer of the new CX-6e, Eiji Kimoto, who also designed the current BT-50 and is working on its replacement. Asked if the new model would be a significant design departure from the current model, Mr Kimoto was guarded in his response. "I am not allowed to speak much about the future product, but I can tell you, please look forward to it," he said. Mazda essentially has two options for the next BT-50. The first is the continuation of its partnership with Isuzu, with the current BT-50 a twin under the skin of the D-Max. That would almost certainly lock in diesel as the powertrain, with Isuzu confirming work is still under way on future electrified powertrains through the company's Earth Lab, but no final direction has been decided and is in its infancy. The second option would be an expansion of Mazda's relationship with China's Changan, which it sources the all-electric 6e and CX-6e. That could give it access to the Changan Hunter K50 - a petrol-plug in hybrid ute fitted with a 43.47kWh lithium-ion battery pack, promising an NEDC-rated range of 192km (estimated 150km WLTP), and a total range of over 1000km. It is a REEV, rather than a traditional plug-in hybrid, meaning its 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine is used only to recharge the battery or provide power to the electric motor, rather than drive the wheels themselves.

Isuzu’s 3.0-litre D-Max has a strong following but versions with the newer 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine are marketed as better on fuel. However, there’s a substantial trade-off in terms of power and torque against the 3.0-litre (120kW and 400Nm versus 140kW and 450Nm). So, how does the mid-spec 2.2-litre X-Rider perform as a daily driver and, more importantly, off-roader?