Industry news

The Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts has issued a safety recall notice impacting 16,578 BMWs sold new in Australia from 2020 to 2023.It confirms that examples of the 2,3,4,5,7 Series (G12, G2x, G3x, G42) , X3 (G01) , X4 (G02), X5 (G05) and Z4 (G29) have been impacted and said, “Due to a manufacturing defect, the starter motor solenoid switch can experience increased wear that could cause an internal short circuit.“If this occurs, the driver may be unable to start the engine, and in the worst case, the overheating can lead to a fire during vehicle operation,” the notice said. The department added, “A vehicle fire or the driver being unable to restart the engine could increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants, and/or damage to property.”All grades of the nominated models are included, although for reference, close to 65,000 vehicles across those BMW model groups were sold in Australia during the recall period.The department says owners of affected vehicles will be contacted by BMW requesting they schedule an appointment with their preferred authorised BMW dealer for the free of charge starter motor replacement.Alternatively, BMW can be contacted on 1800 243 675 or via www.recall.bmw.com.au. 

Commercial van specialist LDV has recalled thousands of its vans for repairs after a defect relating to the airbags was discovered.

The Tesla Cybertruck suffered a monster sales slide in 2025, with US numbers totalling just over 20,200 units, a fall of no less than 48 per cent compared to the year prior.And that’s on the back of 38,965 sales in 2024, approximately 210,000 units short of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s bullish annual volume prediction prior to the electric pick-up’s domestic launch in late 2023.Mid-year 2025 estimates pointed to at least 10,000 unsold units (worth around US$800 million) sitting in the brand’s inventory.A revised annual target of 125,000 sales pulled production capacity away from the controversial ute towards more popular models like the Model Y SUV.But reduced supply is one thing, driving increased demand is obviously the critical factor.So, no surprise Tesla has attempted to generate extra Cybertruck interest with a new, more affordable variant.Announced on social media platform X, the new model is simply called the Dual-Motor All-Wheel Drive with an MSRP of US$59,990, compared to US$79,990 for the Premium All-Wheel Drive and US$99,990 for the flagship Cyberbeast.Available to order in the US, the Dual Motor AWD boasts an estimated range of 525km, and features a powered tonneau cover, multiple vehicle-to-load (V2L) bed outlets (2x 120V + 1x 240V) as well as adaptive damping, heated front seats, ‘Steer-by-wire’ four-wheel steering and a braked trailer towing capacity of up to 3.4 tonnes.The Cybertruck is currently sold in North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) as well as select Middle Eastern markets including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.Still displayed on Tesla’s Australian website, the Cybertruck is not on sale locally, although Tesla Country Director for Australia and New Zealand Thom Drew told CarsGuide mid-last year that the stainless-steel-bodied EV has "never been off the table", at the same time confirming he had received a briefing on what changes will be required for Australian Design Rule (ADR) approval here."Cybertruck is a conversation that we're having ongoing. I can't tell you a timeline, or if or when, but we're advocating for it as much as we can," he said.

What is the cheapest new small SUV in Australia? We know, but you should, too, if you’re looking for a little SUV that won’t cost you big dollars.By small, we mean a step up from the very tiny light SUVs such as a Hyundai Venue but not as big as a mid-sized SUV like a Toyota RAV 4.So without any more delay, these are the top 3 most affordable small SUVs in Australia right now.The Chery Tiggo 4 is the most affordable small SUV in Australia at the time of publishing at a driveaway price of $23,990 for the entry grade Urban. And just to stress, drive-away pricing means on-road costs like stamp duty, registration, dealer delivery and compulsory third part are all paid.The Tiggo 4 Urban has been tested by CarsGuide’s reviewers who found it surprisingly spacious, well equipped for the money and also fuel efficient.Drawbacks of the Urban include it not being as good value as other Chery models and it also being not very memorable to drive.Powering the Tiggo 4 Vibe is a 1.5-litre petrol engine in front-wheel drive.Standard features on the Urban include a 10.25-inch media screen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control and cloth seats.There are five seats and a 470 litre boot - measured to the roof.The Tiggo 4 scored the maximum five stars for its ANCAP safety test in 2023. MG has earned its place in Aussie driveways with vehicles that continually improve and the new ZS is a good example of that constant refinement while staying incredibly affordable. In this case the entry-grade ZS Vibe is $25,888 drive-away. CarsGuide reviewers said the ZS in the Vibe grade was spacious, good value, and had a refined and stylish look.A 1.5-litre petrol engine drives the front wheels, but reviewers felt the engine was underpowered.Standard features include a 10.25-inch media screen Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air-conditioning and fabric seats. There are five seats and a 443-litre boot.ANCAP gave the ZS the maximum five-star rating for safety in 2025.The third most affordable small SUV in Australia is the super popular GWM Haval Jolion in the Premium grade, which wears a list price (not drive-away like the others here) of $26,990.CarsGuide reviewers called out its roominess, good looks and low ownership costs.Despite the name, Premium is the entry grade and standard features include keyless entry, a 10.25-inch touch screen and air-conditioning. Reviewers also said the driving experience was let down by an underwhelming engine and annoying safety alerts.A 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine drives the front wheels.There are five seats on board and the boot is quite small at 337-litres.ANCAP awarded the Jolion the maximum five-star safety rating in 2022.

The new-generation Toyota Fortuner SUV has been spotted in Thailand undergoing testing, WapCar reports.However, this new-generation version is not slated to make its way to Australia, with the brand discontinuing the name locally. Production on the current Fortuner model will cease some time in 2026, with the model being pulled from sale soon after that. "Of course, Fortuner has been a great product for us over the years and found a relatively small but enthusiastic customer base,” former Toyota Vice President of Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley previously told CarsGuide.“But with production ending next year and customer preferences shifting in Australia, we made the decision to discontinue the Fortuner.”The Fortuner looked to capitalise on the similar success of the Ford Everest, which is based on the Ranger ute, but it failed to make the same impression.It shares many of its parts, including a ladder-frame chassis with the strong-selling HiLux ute, and was also powered by the same turbodiesel engine. The Fortuner managed less than 3500 sales in 2025, compared to the more than 26,000 of the Everest for the same 12-month period.It starts from $53,775, before on-road costs in Australia, which is more affordable than the base model of the Everest.From the spy pictures, the Fortuner looks to have kept the same overall design, with some potential minor tweaks to the front and rear styling, but it is hard to tell because the car is camouflaged. Little is known about the new Fortuner’s set-up, but like its predecessor, it is expected to feature the same ladder frame and diesel engine. The rigid chassis and torque-heavy diesel engine in the Fortuner gives it greater off-roading potential than many of its monocoque-based rivals.Its HiLux-familiar specifications have led to speculation the Fortuner may also be offered with an all-electric set-up, following the first-ever electric edition of the ute being confirmed late last year. It shapes up as a rival for the soon-to-be returning Mitsubishi Pajero, which has also been spied several times as it nears launch in 2026.The new-generation Fortuner is expected to be unveiled in the middle of this year ahead of its global launch, expect more information closer to that time.

Hyundai says Australian consumers will see value in paying more for its Elexio than they would for a BYD Sealion 7, suggesting the marginal increase in a weekly novated lease cost is countered by its heritage and dealer network.That's the word from Hyundai COO, Gavin Donaldson, who told CarsGuide that Hyundai's footprint in Australia justified the price jump from a BYD Sealion 7 into an Elexio, with both electric SUVs being sourced from China.According to Hyundai's data, approximate weekly novated lease costs for the Elexio Elite are around $205 per week, compared to around $200 for the entry-level Sealion 7. The brand's data also has the Tesla Model Y at $216 per week, the Kia EV5 at $204 per week, and the Xpeng G6 at $199.That $5 per week, or $260 per year, is easy to "justify", says Mr Donaldson."I would hope that the infrastructure of the Hyundai dealer network across Australia would justify that. I would hope that, anywhere across the country, if you're driving a Hyundai EV, that you know you have the support of a network that has been in the country for 50 years."We are a legacy brand in Australia. We have been here for 40 years. As you said earlier, we've been involved in creating EVs for 35 years. I have to believe that the service and the background of your dealer network provides you with a benefit."Novated leasing does close the RRP gap between the Elexio and the Sealion 7. The Hyundai model launches with the top-spec elite, which lists at $61,990 but is being offered at $59,990 drive-away until around the end of March. It will be joined in Q2 by an entry-level model which will list at $58,990.The Sealion 7 lists at $54,990, and then steps up to the $63,990 for the Performance model.Both models are sourced from China, with the Elexio produced in a factory Hyundai describes as its most advanced in the world. In China, the Elexio's starting price converts to around $30,000, but the brand is quick to point out that cross-country prices never correlate to local pricing."Doing these cross-country price comparisons don't apply to any manufacturer in the market right now," says Hyundai's Product Planning Assistant Manager, Ronald Yuwono."We think that the price we've got here is quite compelling."

Subaru has launched a completely redesigned Outback in Australia this month, and it is already copping flak over an unexpected shortfall – rising fuel consumption.With the company refusing to confirm the arrival of a hybrid or plug-in hybrid option to help remedy that, buyers prioritising top fuel economy are left out in the cold.According to Subaru Australia General Manager, Scott Lawrence, it's all down to a matter of priorities.“Our priority was Forester with a strong hybrid, which we obviously announced and launched last year,” he told CarsGuide at the BU-series Outback launch in Bathurst last week.“And the Wilderness was the priority in launching Outback. It is not a ‘no’ for hybrid in Outback. (But) it's not in our short-term term plans.”Lawrence believes Subaru now provides a good balance of powertrain options for consumers across all its SUVs, meaning buyers seeking electrification are catered for.“We're confident in the broader model line-up of Forester, Forester Hybrid, Outback, Outback (Wilderness) turbo, and (recently-confirmed Solterra electric vehicle-based) Trailseeker coming in with different powertrains,” he added.“At a portfolio level, we have an option for consumers. But Outback hybrid is not off the table (although) Wilderness was absolutely the priority.”So, how much thirstier is the 2026 Outback’s fuel consumption compared to its predecessor?Using ADR 81/02 figures, the standard 2.5-litre naturally aspirated (NA) boxer engine models average 8.1 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, while the heavier and more off-road biased Wilderness with its 2.4-litre turbo boxer unit ups that to 9.7L/100km.These represent hikes of 11 per cent and 7.7 per cent, respectively.Both engines are said to be updated versions of those offered in the previous Outback, yet their corresponding combined average consumption figures are 7.3L/100km and 9.0L/100km.But, out in the real world, during the launch driving with two-to-three people in the car out from Sydney to Bathurst and back (taking the scenic routes) over two days, the trip computer in both grades displayed around 10L/100km and 11.5L/100km for NA and turbo respectively.These types of fuel-consumption numbers tend to be optimistic in most cases.Given that the new NA model only weigh about 50kg more than its substantially smaller BT-series Outback predecessor, inferior aerodynamics is the likely cause (no drag co-efficiency figures are available at this time), particularly when factoring in the boxier shape, wider body, higher body and larger front area compared to before.What’s doubly disappointing is that the company’s two other popular SUVs, the mid-sized Forester and smaller Crosstrek crossover that share the same basic Subaru Global Platform components, already offer a hybrid option.Overseas reports suggest that a variation of the latest Forester’s 2.5-litre ‘e-Boxer’ four-cylinder naturally aspirated hybrid engine is the likely candidate for the Outback hybrid.In the smaller SUV’s current application, it combines a 121kW/212Nm petrol engine with a 90kW/276Nm electric motor and 1.1kWh battery, for a power total of 145kW.While that’s 9kW ahead of the 136kW/247Nm Forester 2.5-litre NA (and up on torque too, though Subaru does not disclose combined torque figures for hybrids – perhaps because they use a Toyota system and Toyota doesn’t either?) the fuel figure saving is 21.5 per cent, or 6.2L/100km (down from 7.9L/100km).If you apply that percentage figure to the Outback 2.5 NA model’s 8.1L/100km, in theory, an Outback hybrid using the same ‘Strong Hybrid’ (ex-Toyota) system could see that combined-average figure tumble to under 6.4L/100km.When that is likely to occur is anybody’s guess, with some speculation suggesting that Subaru may roll out the hybrid option as early as the end of this year, while others speculate that it could come as late as mid-life refresh/facelift time, which could be 2028 or later for Australia.It’s not all bad news for Outback buyers, however.The seventh generation progresses in a number of key areas, including interior packaging, dashboard operation, safety tech, ride comfort, seat support and steering control.Our first driving impressions suggest this is the best Outback since the series debuted in Australia in 1996 as part of the second-generation (but now defunct) Liberty wagon range.

Chery could soon be offering not one but two new utes in Australia, with a moncoque concept being on the local division's radar after the highly-anticipated diesel hybrid arrives.

Skoda's Kodiaq mild hybrid large SUV has just been priced ahead of its launch in Australia next month. It will start from $49,990 (drive-away) for the five-seater variant and $51,990 (drive-away) for the seven-seater. The mild-hybrid version is also now the cheapest Kodiaq on sale, coming in less than the petrol variant, making it the new entry-level to the range. It comes in cheaper than many of its key rivals, including the popular Toyota Kluger, which is hybrid-only, but unlike the Kodiaq hybrid comes as standard with all-wheel drive. The Kodiaq hybrid is the only variant of the range to not feature an all-wheel drive system, opting for a front-wheel drive set-up instead. It is also cheaper than a comparative hybrid Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento, demonstrating its competitiveness as a semi-premium option in the segment.According to Skoda, the five-seat variant of the Kodiaq hybrid has up to 828 litres of luggage space.The mild-hybrid gets a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and 48-volt electric set-up, which produces 110kW and 250Nm. The 2.0-litre turbo-charged engine found in the non-hybrid version further up the range produces 150kW and 320Nm.Skoda’s Kodiaq upper mid-size SUV range has gone through a serious revamp recently, with the brand also adding a plug-in hybrid late last year. The range-topping go-fast Kodiaq RS also recently had its price bumped up to take it beyond the $70K mark, now starting from $70,590, before on-road costs.  2026 Skoda Kodiaq hybrid pricing  2026 Skoda Kodiaq hybrid engine and efficiency 2026 Skoda Kodiaq hybrid standard featuresOther features include:Heated front seatsPower adjustable driver’s seat with memory functionalityElectric tailgate45W fast wired phone chargingRoll-up sunshades for rear side windowsRain-sensing wipersSatellite navigationKeyless entry and startLeather steering wheel 2026 Skoda Kodiaq hybrid safetyThe Skoda Kodiaq was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating. Standard safety features: 9 airbagsFront and rear parking sensorsLane keep assistAdaptive cruise controlRear-view cameraRear traffic alertForward collision warningTraffic sign recognition 2026 Skoda Kodiaq hybrid dimensions 2026 Skoda Kodiaq hybrid warranty The Skoda Kodiaq hybrid comes with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. 

Hyundai has confirmed a new and cheaper variant of its Elexio electric mid-sized SUV will soon arrive in Australia to better combat the wave of cut-price Chinese electric vehicles in market.