Cars

If you can’t beat them, join them. That’s the strategy of Toyota, which has long shunned high-tech features that are at the heart of new Chinese rivals, but it is preparing to catch up at break-neck speed. News outlet Nikkei Asia reports Toyota is now planning to turn all 50 of its current cars into software-defined vehicles. Software-defined vehicles is a fairly new auto industry buzzword, but it is taking the new and old guard by storm. It effectively means the vehicle has switched from being primarily a mechanical instrument to a software-powered device. This means software forms the core of the vehicle and enhances nearly all features — from advanced safety tech, autonomous driving, over-the-air updates, connected to everything, detailed vehicle telematics and intuitive software-powered comfort items. These features are easier to integrate into electric cars as they ditch many of the mechanical elements of petrol and diesel cars. The electric motors, battery management and transmission are all programmed rather than hardwired. Toyota has developed its own proprietary Arene software, which is already in use in the new Toyota RAV4, for example. The main function will be to roll out over-the-air updates, which have been a mainstay of Teslas and Chinese vehicles from BYD, GAC, XPeng and Zeekr, among others for years now. These over-the-air software updates work just like they do with a smartphone and fix bugs, roll out new features and enhancements while the vehicle is not in use. Nikkei Asia also reports the software will be installed in robots, homes, powerpoles and other infrastructure, which means if linked the car could turn on your house lights, open garage doors and start air-conditioning as you approach. It has previously been reported Toyota is looking to massively increase profit through post-purchase options, including software updates, a focus on genuine spare parts and used car sales. Toyota wants to boost its profit from outside new car sales by 40 per cent, and this is how they plan to do it. That means Toyota is planning to slug customers more than $26 billion annually for the services rivals - such as Tesla - give for free.

The CX-6e is the second model to arrive in the Mazda's recent EV push, and it gives the brand a model to go head to head with top-selling EVs like the Tesla Model Y and the Zeekr 7X. And, like both those rivals, the CX-6e is produced in China, through Mazda's partnership with Changan. We put it to the test at is Australian launch to see how it measures up.

Nissan is set to confirm a new model for Australia on October 8 and it will be its first plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The Japanese carmaker has published a single teaser image showing the front end of the vehicle with an illuminated Nissan badge. Using the teaser image and available imagery, it looks very much like it is the Frontier Pro/Navara Pro PHEV. This Chinese-made dual-cab ute will be a key rival to the likes of the BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV and upcoming Chery Stockman. Nissan says this forthcoming new vehicle has “electrified performance and new levels of capability”. It's also claimed to be "tailored to the needs of Australian customers in a key segment". Additionally Nissan claims this new model has been “extensively tested and tuned for local conditions”. Prototype examples of the Frontier Pro/Navara Pro PHEV have been spied in Australia over the last few weeks. Nissan hasn’t been shy about leveraging its joint-venture partnership with Dongfeng in China and Australia has been identified as a key market. The Frontier Pro/Navara Pro PHEV comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and dual electric motors for total system outputs of 320kW and 800Nm. It also offers up to 135km of CLTC-claimed electric range. Both turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel engines are available in the Frontier Pro/Navara Pro globally. It’s unclear whether these are on the radar for a local launch. Beyond the Frontier Pro/Navara Pro, Nissan also offers a series of other Chinese-made models for export markets. These include the NX8 electric and range-extender (REEV) SUV and N7 electric sedan, among others.

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).

Chery has confirmed more details about its new Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute as pre-orders begin ahead of first deliveries in February 2027.

Earlier this month, Audi unveiled a retro-inspired small electric vehicle that is a homage to a car that failed a quarter of a century ago. Spectacularly. Chances are the timely and handsome new A2 will succeed where the overpriced and oddly styled original from 2001 could not, but referencing a flop seems risky. It’s like Ford reviving the AU Falcon (though to be fair it is having a moment), or General Motors exhuming Holden with an ode to the ZB Commodore. Or Epica. Which has us thinking: this isn’t the first time that nostalgia, perhaps served with a side plate of delusion, has led to some confounding decisions. Whether they sold or were received poorly, we outline five resurrections that flopped. And if you disagree, let us know why in the comments below. How the millennial Monaro came about requires context. Holden enjoyed two golden eras: the early years, and for half a decade from 1997, after the then-new VT Commodore became a runaway smash hit. And the next year’s Australian International Motor Show in Sydney was pivotal. Codenamed Monica, the 1998 Holden Coupe Concept – essentially a VT with two doors, a slightly more-rakish windscreen and four (lower) seats – stole the show like no other car ever had before or since. At the time, Holden wasn’t even planning to build it. After all, coupe shelf lives are notoriously short. The original HK Monaro of 1968 proved popular initially, but its HQ-HX successors from 1971 struggled. The Coupe Concept utterly overshadowed Ford’s debuting AU Falcon at the Sydney show, made national news and created a buzz that helped bolster the brand. It was nothing short of sensational. Journalists immediately dubbed it Monaro, something Holden was understandably wary of. Despite what some articles today state, the resulting V2 Monaro failed to meet internal sales expectations when it arrived far later than scheduled, in November, 2001. Priced beyond most buyers’ reach from nearly $95,000 adjusted for inflation today, it went on to account for only a fraction of Commodore volume, at 4274 versus 88,478 units, putting it at 47 spot. From there, sales never improved, and the US-market Pontiac GTO export version of 2004 also failed to find a large-enough audience. By then, GM was floundering as the world moved away from sedans and coupes, in favour of SUVs, with the planned next-generation VE Monaro promptly canned, save for the 2008 Coupe 60 Concept to celebrate Holden’s 60 Anniversary. The Datsun 1600 is regarded as one of Japan’s earliest greats. Launched in 1967, it combined elegant styling with European-style chassis sophistication, to create a brilliant little sedan that dominated world rallying as effortlessly as it won over owners’ hearts. However, the larger and heavier 180B and 200B replacements of 1972 and 1976 respectively completely lacked the 1600’s sporty charm. Stung by widespread criticism, Datsun attempted to recreate the magic with the Stanza in 1978. But, built down to a price, it sorely lacked the fun and finesse that endeared so many owners to the old 1600. Critics were ruthless in their reviews. And though relatively popular and successful in motorsport, the Stanza couldn’t replicate the old 1600’s greatness and lasted only a single generation in Australia. By all objective means, any NSX is a masterpiece. Be it the exquisite 1990 NA1 original that became the first mid-engined supercar in history to love you back, or the NC1 tri-electric motor petrol/hybrid AWD successor of 2016 that was a breathtaking technological showcase, the name signifies engineering mastery. However, while neither generation achieved the sales volumes Honda required, the original has enjoyed a glorious afterlife as one of the all-time sports car greats. But the latter? Sadly, the second – or American – NSX remains misunderstood as being too advanced, and not “analogue” enough for drivers to truly connect with. That Honda cancelled it early (except in Japan) has not helped. Maybe the NC1 was just a decade before its time. Still an amazing achievement. One of Japan’s earliest Volkswagen Golf clones, the Pulsar became a beloved small-car staple in Australia over 25 years and six generations from 1980. That was until Nissan was forced to switch to a smaller replacement with awkward styling, ambitious pricing and a silly name. Inevitably, the 2006 Tiida tanked, even as Australians were clamouring towards smaller cars in the wake of soaring fuel prices. This was the era where the Mazda 3 and Toyota Corolla were king, but Nissan missed the party completely. The reason why the Pulsar ended was that it never properly challenged the Golf, so instead Nissan devised the Qashqai crossover, which immediately became a sales phenomenon. Somehow, Nissan Australia convinced a reluctant Japan to allow the redesigned Tiida hatch of 2012 to be rebadged Pulsar, along with the Thai market Sylphy sedan. Hopes were high of a sales revival but neither interloper possessed the required sophistication or appeal to lure local consumers back. Both Pulsar iterations never saw out their model cycle. The rear-engined air-cooled Beetle, which changed comparatively little between 1937 and 2003, remains the world’s best-selling vehicle of all time, at 21.5 million units. In contrast, the Toyota Corolla regenerated 12 times to date for it to find 50 million buyers. The re-imagined New Beetle, released globally in 1997 and 2000 in Australia, based on the versatile Golf IV architecture and built inexpensively in Mexico, sold strongly at first. But demand tapered off markedly as per most fashion statements, especially when BMW’s Mini reset the bar for retro remakes from 2001. However, after nearly 1.2 million units, VW’s third attempt, officially known as the “The Beetle”, struggled from the outset in 2012, despite featuring significantly more sophisticated drivetrains. Gone by 2019, barely 550,000 units were produced worldwide.

My 2014 Mitsubishi ASX is revving up to 1000rpm in Park and it will not reverse at all.

How can I check the level of auto transmission and refill it in my 2011 Hyundai ix35 Highlander?

A Chinese carmaking giant is plotting to launch a new plug-in hybrid family SUV in Australia. GAC has debuted the new S7 at the Everything Electric Show in Sydney, with the brand hinting it could be on the menu for Aussie car buyers soon. GAC said right-hand drive production starts in the second half of 2027, which points to a potential Aussie arrival before the end of next year.  The brand stopped short of 100 per cent confirming the S7, and instead said it was proactively looking to add the SUV to its local line-up. CEO of GAC Australia Aries Zhao said: “The GAC S7 presents another exciting opportunity in GAC’s journey in Australia.  "The S7 allows GAC to compete in the highly competitive large SUV segment and complements our existing range of offerings.  “To do so with our innovative PHEV technology also supports the significant demand for flexibility in how we power our vehicles, whether that be full-electric for short to medium trips around town, and the capability to take on bigger interstate road trips with ease,” said Zhao. The S7 pairs a 1.5-litre petrol engine with two electric motors for all-wheel-drive grip. GAC Australia hasn’t confirmed total outputs, but said the electric motors make 170kW/220Nm (front) and 80kW/250Nm (rear). Overseas the set-up is claimed to make 374kW, and it can sprint to 200km/h in 5.8 seconds. This is paired to a circa-36kWh battery that GAC said can provide up to 150km of electric driving range, according to the outdated NEDC test cycle.  It is claimed to drive up to 1020km if the battery and fuel tank are full, but this is calculated via the very lenient CLTC testing regime. Overseas the S7 is 4900mm long, 1950mm wide, 1780mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2880mm. It has luxe features such as a soft touch and premium materials used throughout the cabin, 15.6-inch central touchscreen, 20-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting front and back, 12-speaker stereo and a panoramic sunroof. It has chunky and boxy styling, with a more moulded soft front end that shows it is an SUV not an off-roader.

GWM will soon have one of the most powerful large SUVs in Australia, with the brand at last confirming its newly developed V8 engine will launch in our market next year. The brand stopped short of confirming which model the engine would be fitted to, but it is almost certain to be the Tank 700, which has already been earmarked for V8 power globally. In fact, the brand has two versions of the V8 engine in development. The first is a high-performance version that will live in GWM's first supercar. The other is being described as a "normal V8", which will find a home in the Tank 700. "This is completely opposite to the current environment or trend in China; it does not fit the Chinese market. We developed this V8 to meet the needs of more global users, in markets such as Australia and New Zealand," said company chairman Jack Wei earlier this year. And now we know the V8 engine has been locked in for a 2027 launch in Australia. Asked 'is it coming', John Kett, Chief Operating Officer GWM Australia & New Zealand, replied "Yes. Next year". "(We) will tell you after Christmas which car it is, because we can't announce them all now," he continued. Both models that will feature the V8 appear on the cards for Australia, with the brand's GM of marketing and communications, Steve Maciver, saying the company had its hand up for halo products. "We're very lucky, we've got a chairman who's a massive motoring enthusiast, who loves rallying, who loves motorsport. There's an ambition for GWM to be a truly global company, and that's been this ambition from the get-go," he says. "What we're seeing, and what is paying dividends for Australia now, is that ultimately we're not just petrol, we're not diesel, we're not hybrid, we're not just EV. So why not a V8? Why not a V8 supercar? "Now, are we going to sell V8s in volume in this country? No. Would we love to have it as a halo car? Absolutely. There's a high- and a low-performance potentially coming, so yes, the V8 could go into a Tank, but it could also potentially go into a hypercar as well." The brand is yet to confirm power outputs, but the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 in development is a popular size and configuration elsewhere, with models from Mercedes-AMG, Audi, Aston Martin and more all using a similar setup. It's not clear if the twin-turbocharging would make its way to the lower-output version.