Cars

A new safety report has rated some popular used cars.Monash University’s Accident Research Centre Used Car Safety Ratings for 2025 have been revealed, with 23 new vehicles added to the handbook that covers vehicles built between 1982 and 2023.Top picks of the newly added vehicles were the 2013-22 Ford Transit van, 2014-21 BMW 2 Series, 2019-23 Mazda CX-30, 2017-23 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and 2018-23 Subaru Forester.The report revealed the average risk of being killed or seriously injured across all road users involved in a crash is 34 per cent lower in a vehicle manufactured from 2022 onwards, compared to 20 years ago. The ratings report looked at crash data analysing more than 9.5 million vehicles and 2.6 million road users in Australia and New Zealand between 1987 and 2022. It rated 561 vehicle models that were built between 1982 and 2023 looking at factors such as crash location, driver age and the number of vehicles involved. It measured safety through an overall rating with three categories: driver safety, other road user safety and crash avoidance. All are ranked out of five.Certain vehicles received a ‘Safer Pick’, where they scored five stars for overall and driver protection, with at least four stars for other road user safety and crash avoidance. Almost all 'Safer Pick' vehicles are available second-hand for under $25,000 and more than half priced below $10,000, according to Monash University.The report made particular note of the high risk attached to ute crashes, with only one ute achieving a five-star overall rating, and 70 per cent one or two stars.Some of this real-world data does not line up with ANCAP safety ratings. The Ford Mustang, manufactured from 2015-2022, received a two-star rating, which was later upgraded to three-stars with ANCAP. Yet, it achieved a near all-excellent rating in real-world crashes, according to the data.The full data set is available here.

Mercedes-AMG’s controversial four-cylinder plug-in hybrid (PHEV) C63 and GLC63 could soon reportedly be getting the axe due to new European regulations.As reported by German publication Elektroauto-News, the German carmaker has made the decision to stop production of the current version of these high-performance AMG models, among other four-cylinder powered AMG models, by May 2026.According to a leaked internal memo from the Mercedes-Benz Germany product management department from October 2025, the reason for the discontinuation is due to impending European Union external noise regulations.This report comes after lacklustre reception of the four-cylinder PHEV powertrain in the current AMG C63 and GLC63.Unlike previous-generation models which had big-bore twin-turbo V8 engines, the current AMG C63 and GLC63 feature a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that’s augmented with an electric motor.Despite the fewer cylinders, these models were more powerful than ever. They have total system outputs of 500kW and 1020Nm.In addition to these controversial PHEV AMG models, the German carmaker is reportedly set to cease production of the AMG C43, GLC43, as well as the GLA35 in February 2026.All of these AMG models feature a version of the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine but without the electric motor.Interestingly the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 S reportedly isn’t affected and will continue to be produced without restriction. It also features the high-performance 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.“Please ensure that no further orders are accepted for the aforementioned discontinued models for the period after their discontinuation,” reads the leaked internal memo when translated from German to English.“We will inform you about possible successor products in due course.”At this stage it’s unclear what Mercedes-AMG will do. It could simply revise the four-cylinder engine in order to have it comply with these new external noise regulations.Another possibility is it could prioritise instead six- or eight-cylinder engines, especially for these high-performance AMG models.Many rivals like Audi and BMW are still sticking with six- and eight-cylinder engines given that’s what customers seek.At this stage it’s unclear what this will mean for local Mercedes-Benz customers. We’ve reached out to Mercedes-Benz Australia and will update this story once we hear back.

Nissan’s last great hope of reversing a long-term sales decline in Australia has finally been unveiled in the form of the D27-series of Navara.

Nissan and Australia’s Premcar are again collaborating on a Warrior version of the Navara – and this time everything steps up. Unveiled on the same night that the all-new D27 Navara series made its global debut in Adelaide as the Warrior Concept, the off-road flagship that is one of the few bright spots in the company’s floundering fortunes is now important enough to get equal top billing with Nissan’s crucial international mid-sized ute.

The MG S6 EV has gone on sale in the United Kingdom giving us a clear look at the SUV ahead of its arrival in Australia.

A new budget SUV has hit the Aussie new car market. The GAC (Guangzhou Automobile Group) Emzoom steps into the competitive compact SUV battleground as a five-seater, starting from $25,590, before on-road costs.It's powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine sending 125kW and 270Nm to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.It has a combined cycle fuel efficiency figure of 5.4L/100km, along with 47-litre fuel tank capacity. The car gets some neat features as standard including a panoramic sunroof and powered liftgate.Other interior features include a 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen and 7.0-inch digital driver’s display, while also offering 50-watt wireless device charging. There is plenty of other useful tech on board, with a 360-degree camera view, automatic parking functionality and lane keep assist. It will have to take on several big hitters in pursuit of sales but comes in significantly cheaper than the likes of the Toyota Corolla Cross, which starts from $37,440, before on-road costs. It is also cheaper than the strong-selling Hyundai Kona and is similarly priced to the MG ZS. That pair combined for nearly 30 per cent of local small SUV sales in October. The Emzoom is one of three GAC models in the brand's Aussie launch. The Aion V joins as an all-electric mid-size SUV, starting from $42,590, before on-road costs. Its single electric motor pumps out 150kW and 210Nm to the front wheels, while its 75.26kWh battery delivers a WLTP range of 510km. DC fast charging from 10-80 per cent takes 24 minutes, while AC charging time from 0-100 per cent takes over eight hours. The Aion V will need to hunt down Geely’s EX5 that's had a bumper first year in Australia, achieving more than 3000 sales so far in 2025. GAC’s third offering is the premium M8 plug-in hybrid people mover, which is a seven-seater starting from $76,590, before on-road costs. GAC claims the combined range of this people mover, in a space traditionally dominated by internal combustion engines, is more than 1000km.This impressive range is in part due to its 25.57kWh battery that can charge from 0-80 per cent in half an hour. Its set-up includes a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and dual electric motors, which produce 274kW/630Nm.The M8 will have to take on the imposing force of the Kia Carnival in the people mover segment, that accounted for nearly 86 per cent of sales in October 2025. 

The second-generation Porsche Macan might be the German sports car specialist’s most controversial model yet due to its fully electric line-up. But does the so-called Macan Electric deserve to be more popular?

Nissan North America may call it a “bold design with premium touches” but even casual observers of the global car business will pick the new Nissan Rogue Plug-in Hybrid as essentially a rebadged version of Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV.Set for a formal debut at this month’s LA Auto Show (November 21-30) and a possible preview of Nissan's approach to its upcoming Mitsubishi Triton-based Navara ute, the ‘new’ mid-sizer is little changed from its corporate cousin save for small tweaks to the upper grille, some minor massaging of the tailgate and a black-out treatment for exterior elements including the lower grille, rear diffuser panel and wheel-arch fenders.Positioned as “an important step in Nissan's electrification roadmap” the Rogue PHEV is powered by the same twin electric motors, 20kWh lithium-ion battery pack and 2.4-litre petrol engine as the Outlander.According to the USA EPA standard the Rogue offers a 61km EV-only driving (against a claim of 84km for the Outlander in Australia) with claimed overall range at 676km.But combined power outputs are identical to the Aussie-spec Outlander at 185kW/450Nm, the powertrain seamlessly switching between pure-electric power, internal combustion drive and a combination of the two.The 2026 Nissan Rogue is offered in SL and Platinum grades with standard features including 20-inch dark-painted wheels, all-LED exterior lighting, soft-touch materials throughout the cabin and acoustically (laminated) front door glass with (available) leather-appointed seats, door illumination and aluminium interior highlight trims on the top-grade model. That said, early reports out of the US have noted the Rogue’s interior is as per the 2025 model year Outlander PHEV with a 9.0-inch media touchscreen and nine-speaker Bose sound, rather than the MY26 version which incorporates a 12.3-inch multimedia screen and updated 12-speaker Yamaha audio.CarsGuide contacted Nissan Australia to determine if the new Rogue (due to hit US showrooms in early 2026) is a candidate for inclusion in the brand’s local line-up and a spokesperson told us Nissan does not comment on future product plans.

This new budget-friendly Chinese SUV could spell big trouble for Tesla.

A family SUV has picked up a big boost soon after its Aussie release. The Geely Starray EM-i has received a serious upgrade in China less than three months after the older version launched in Australia, according to CarNews China. The updates in China has seen its EV-only range boosted to 200km in the top-of-the-range variant, according to the very generous CLTC testing system.The current Starray can travel up to 83km thanks to its 18.4kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery.It keeps the 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine from the current version and pairs it with an upgraded electric motor that makes a combined 175kW, up from 160kW.This increased power could result in a slight improvement on the 8.0 seconds for the current car’s 0-100km/h sprint. Fuel efficiency for the current model sits at a combined total of 2.4L/100km (WLTP), and this is unlikely to change with the new variant. The Starray gets a bigger 15.4-inch multimedia screen and a 10.2-inch digital driver display, with a six-speaker audio system. The announcement comes after the car’s release in Australia in September of this year.Aussie versions of the car starts from $37,490, before on-road costs, which is a little cheaper than the all-electric EX5, starting at $40,990. It is priced competitively with its rivals, such as the Chery Tiggo 7 Urban and BYD Sealion 6 Essential.More than 500 examples of the Starray have been sold in Australia in just a few months, which represents a solid start when compared to other brands.Another of its rivals, Leapmotor’s C10, comes in hybrid and all-electric guise and has only mustered 509 sales since its March 2025 launch. Starray and EX5 combined sales are approaching 4000 in roughly the same period. Geely when contacted for comment were not willing to confirm whether the updated Starray variant will makes its way to Australia.