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We are on the cusp of a mini 4WD bonanza.Toyota’s mini LandCruiser FJ has been at the centre of rumours for the past few years, and it could be about to be revealed at the 2025 Tokyo motor show in October.New patent filings to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) by Toyota, which include an image of what appears to be a production version of this revived FJ Cruiser, have only poured fuel on the fire.Not to mention Toyota Australia has trademarked the FJ LandCruiser name in Australia.Reports from Japanese outlet, Best Car, have given us a good indication of what it’ll be like.It really will be compact, measuring about 4500mm long, 1830mm wide and 1850mm tall, which is about the same size as a Toyota Corolla Cross or Hyundai Kona.It will have 210mm of ground clearance and full-time four-wheel drive.Power will come from a choice of either a 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine or a 2.7-litre petrol motor, which are both found in entry-level HiLux utes.It will likely be based on the IMV-0 platform that is used for emerging market vehicles such as the HiLux Champ in South-East Asia.Toyota isn’t alone in developing a baby off-roader.Mercedes-Benz will build a mini version of its burly G-Wagen according to reports.Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Kallenius said previously the company was considering a baby G-Wagen this decade, but now the company appears to have confirmed it will be here sooner rather than later.It is expected to be based on the MB.EA platform that lies underneath the recently debuted electric Mercedes-Benz GLC.That model can charge at speeds up to 330kW via a DC pylon and 22kW via an AC charging point.The electric GLC has potent performance with 360kW and a driving range of more than 700km.Those figures could translate well in a compact off-roader.Land Rover is getting in on the act, too.Recent spy shots show a heavily camouflage shrunken Defender testing in Europe.It is believed it will be dubbed the Defender Sport, and is expected to be the little brother to the full-size Defender.Spy shots show the test car wears the same blocky, chunky styling of the full-size Defender.The Defender is available in multiple sizes, but will likely be a similar size to the Defender 90, which measures about 4320mm long.It is expected to be all electric, in a similar vein to the baby G-Wagen, and ride on the brand’s new EMA platform.This will enable 350kW charging via its 800-Volt architecture. Dual motors will give it pace and it will need to be more than capable off-road to wear the Land Rover Defender badge.Land Rover is expected to debut the model next year with production slated for 2027.Chinese brands such as BYD's Denza and Chery's Jetour, could also produce something similar eventually, too.For now the the Suzuki Jimny remains the only option for Australian buyers.

How this Korean brand plans to out-hybrid Chinese off-roaders

Toyota has revealed an update for the GR Corolla in its home nation, bringing a sharper-driving and better-sounding car, the brand said.On top of that, Toyota said it has addressed “the supply system for the Japanese-market model” so that the updated 2026 Toyota GR Corolla will be more readily available than previous model years.The “partially improved” GR Corolla has been bestowed with more structural adhesive, an increase of 13.9 metres of application compared to the 18.8 before, totalling 32.7 metres of adhesive in the hot hatch.Toyota said this will “enhance body rigidity while minimising weight increase” to account for more intense track driving. Toyota said it has found overseas circuits generate “more intense vertical and lateral G-forces than circuits in Japan”.To stabilise the G16E-GTS engine’s temperature and outputs, a “high-engine-speed-activated cool air duct” has been added as part of the secondary intake, which draws in air “directly from the front grille” from outside where the air is cooler than in the engine bay.The cooler air will help keep the turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder engine more regularly able to achieve its maximum 221kW and 400Nm.Finally, Toyota said it’s improved the JBL sound system to deliver what it calls an “emotional motorsports-evoking sound experience even during city driving”.A subwoofer now brings total speakers from eight up to nine, meaning GR Corollas with the JBL sound system come with Active Sound Control, which uses synthesised “sporty sounds” that match the car’s acceleration and engine speed. It also mimics the anti-lag exhaust ‘burble’.As of now, the update is only confirmed for Japan, though as with many changes to the brand’s GR models, it’s likely to hit other markets next time an update is due. Toyota Australia launched an update for the GR Corolla and GR Yaris earlier in 2025.Toyota is also expected to reveal a hotter version of the Corolla to sit above it, potentially as a more limited-edition version under its GRMN badge - a model which had been leaked earlier this week from a dealer event in North America.

Although it’s only just arrived in Australia, Nissan will axe the Ariya electric SUV in the US.As reported by Automotive News, the Japanese carmaker will pause US-bound production of its Tesla Model Y rival for the 2026 model year.“This decision enables the company to reallocate resources and optimize its EV portfolio as the automotive landscape continues to evolve,” said Nissan in a statement to Automotive News.An unnamed person with knowledge of the decision told Automotive News the Trump administration’s 15 per cent import tariff has hurt the profitability of this Japanese-made electric vehicle (EV) in the US.Federal $7500 EV tax credits are also set to expire in the US at the end of September, with EV demand anticipated to fall after this.It hasn’t helped that US sales of the Ariya have been slow ever since its introduction in 2022. There have been plenty of price discounts and incentives to get buyers over the line.Nissan Senior Director for EV strategy and transformation Trisha Jung told Automotive News the US market is currently undergoing a shift.“When you look at what’s going on between incentives and the value that the vehicle is bringing brandwise, and economically long term, the fact is has a different valuation today than it did before,” said Jung to Automotive News.“We have a major shift in the demand curve, so we’ve got to understand what that means in terms of customer demand, volume, price point.“We just need to make sure we have a setup that’s sustainable for the company, the dealers and the consumer.”At this stage it’s unclear whether the Ariya will ever return to the US market.However, Nissan could reportedly be pausing Ariya sales to redirect resources for the launch of the forthcoming, new-generation Leaf electric crossover. It’s due to launch in the US later this year.Battery shortages could limit supply of the new, Japanese-made Leaf for the US. An unnamed person told Automotive News that initial allocation for the US will be limited to 500 units per month.As noted above, the Nissan Ariya is only launching in Australia now despite being offered in other markets for three years. It was originally revealed in 2020.There are four variants on offer with pricing starting from $55,840 before on-roads and extending to $71,840 before on-roads.At this stage the new-generation Leaf is set to launch locally in the Japanese 2026 financial year (April 2026 to March 2027).

Skoda is stepping up by dropping the entry price of the recently-released Elroq SUV down to Kia EV3 money.Available from November and starting from $47,990, before on-road costs (or $49,990 drive-away), the newly-added 60 Select grade undercuts the existing 85 Select by $7000, making it the least-expensive European SUV electric vehicle (EV) in Australia.But the Volkswagen-owned Czech brand still falls short of matching the cheapest Chinese EV SUVs on the market, including the Chery E5 Urban from just $36,990, MG S5 Excite from $40,490 drive-away, BYD Atto 3 Essential from $39,990, Geely EX5 Complete from $40,990 and Leapmotor C10 Style from $45,888.Skoda said while the Elroq 60 Select has a smaller battery than the Elroq 85 Select at 63kWh instead of 82kWh, it remains larger than many of the aforementioned Chinese rivals.Compared to the 85, the 60’s range falls to 395km (from 529km), while using a less-powerful electric motor to drive the rear wheels (down from 210kW to 150kW) means acceleration times from zero to 100km/h slide from 6.6 seconds to 8.0s flat.However, equipment levels remain high, with keyless entry/start, walk-away central locking, LED headlights, digital instrumentation, a heated leather steering wheel, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a 13-inch central touchscreen, reversing camera, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless phone charger, four USB-C ports, digital radio, a door-sited umbrella, heated and power-folding mirrors, 19-inch alloys and a seven-year warranty.On the safety front, the 60 Select includes seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with follow-to-stop ability, lane assist, rear cross-traffic alert, an exit warning system, fatigue monitor, front and rear parking sensors and turn assist.Plus, the Elroq is larger than many of the smaller SUVs it is priced against or near. Essentially a shorter version of the larger Enyaq, with the same 'MEB' EV architecture, wheelbase and front half of the body, it is classed as a mid-sized SUV as a result.Buyers with slightly deeper pockets can also opt for the 60 Select with the $6000 'Signature Pack', that adds matrix LED headlights, a head-up display, surround-view camera, 12-speaker premium audio package, powered front seats with driver’s memory and massage, powered tailgate, 20-inch alloy wheels and more.According to Skoda Australia Product Manager for Elroq Aline Carrullo, the Australian arm of the brand has been striving to create a more-competitive pricing statement in the EV space for some time and has only recently gained approval from head office in Mladá Boleslav.“It just makes our range stronger,” she told the Australian media at the Enyaq facelift launch in the Hunter Valley last week.“Skoda understands that Australia is one of the most competitive markets in the world… so we want to ensure that (Elroq) stands out for all the right reasons,” she said.Skoda Elroq price Australia: 

We know what it will cost, when it will arrive, even the colours it will come in. But now Ford Australia has detailed a staggering range of factory designed, tested and warranted accessories developed for its new Ranger Super Duty.From purpose-built trays, tool boxes and tanks to driving lights, scuff plates and rock sliders the list is immense, with pricing (including a recommended fitting allowance) detailed for almost all items.Approved suppliers including well known names like ARB, Warn and EVOm also get a look in with specialised pieces including bull bars, winches, roller shutters and more.Each official accessory comes with a five-year warranty when fitted to a new vehicle by an authorised Ford Dealer prior to delivery.The extensive range recognises the often unique uses to which a vehicle like the Ranger Super Duty will be put, as Ford Australia Customer Service Division Marketing and Sales Manager Brad Hogg said, "Our new line of Super Duty Ford Licensed Accessories offers a one-stop solution for customers, providing fully integrated, Ford-engineered products to prepare Ranger Super Duty for almost anything. “From the robust steel tray to advanced device integration, every accessory is built to meet the rigorous demands of Ranger Super Duty work and adventure," he said. A standard Ranger Super Duty is already equipped with fuss-free vinyl flooring and the seats are trimmed in what Ford describes as “hard-wearing cloth”. But an impressive number of included features means while tough it’s far from spartan. Factory prepared for customisation with an auxiliary switch bank for accessories and a 400W inverter the Super Duty also features a 12-inch ‘SYNC’ multimedia screen with built-in satellite navigation, wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, dual zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera view plus ‘Trail Control’, ‘Trail Turn Assist’ and more. An impressive safety suite is onboard as is a ‘Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Regeneration Control’ allowing customers to choose when their vehicle’s DPF regeneration takes place.A trio of accessory packs also bundle together useful extras for three distinct groups of potential owners or operators.The ‘Farm Pack’ consists of a tray (galvanised, body colour or matt black), water tank, tool box, an ARB Summit Bull Bar and All-Weather Floor Mats. The ‘Work Pack’ includes the same choice of tray as well as an ‘Integrated Device Mounting System’, all-weather floor mats, a top console mount, weather shields and wheel nut indicators. And the ‘Adventure Pack’ features the tray choice plus the all-weather floor mats, a Warn winch and rock sliders. There’s also a range of ‘Tray Packs’ with a toolbox and water tank thrown in until March 31, 2026. Ford Ranger Super Duty deliveries are scheduled to start in early 2026 with pricing (before on-road cost) set at $82,990 for the Single Cab-Chassis, $86,490 for the Super Cab-Chassis and $89,990 for the Double Cab-Chassis.   

Meet Geely's three-row plug-in hybrid SUV which is over five meters long!

Audi launched its China-only fully-electric E5 Sportpack this week and took more 10,000 orders within the first 30 minutes of it becoming available.

Tesla is redesigning its door handles after it was slammed for potential safety issues.

Tesla has officially launched its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) semi-autonomous driving function in Australia and New Zealand and it’s now available for public use.Australia and New Zealand are the first right-hand drive markets to receive FSD (Supervised). The EV carmaker had previously only offered it in left-hand drive markets, like the US.In order to use this technology you need to own a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y with the newest Hardware 4 (HW4) camera system.You also need to have purchased the $10,100 FSD (Supervised) package. A subscription option is also coming soon for $149 per month for eligible vehicles.If both of those boxes have been ticked, eligible customers will be able to enable FSD (Supervised) with an over-the-air (OTA) update when connected to WiFi.Using the on-board Tesla Vision surround-view camera system and a neural network, FSD (Supervised) “attempts” to drive to destinations by following road curves, stopping and negotiating intersections and roundabouts, making left and right turns.It’s also able to stop at traffic lights and stop signs, plus it reacts to other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists on the road.Like regular adaptive cruise control, it’s able to keep a set distance between a car in front. However, the system is able to conduct lane changes as well.Tesla stresses that FSD (Supervised) “does not make the vehicle autonomous” and it’s a “hands-on feature” that requires you to be fully attentive behind the wheel. You need to be ready to take immediate control of the vehicle.The car uses its cabin camera to read how much attention the driver is paying to the road ahead.Tesla claims it doesn’t require full visibility of the driver’s eyes in order to monitor attentiveness. This means the system stays fully active while wearing sunglasses, for example.If the cabin camera can’t see the driver’s hand and arm locations, the central touchscreen will prompt the driver to periodically apply slight force to the steering wheel.If a driver repeatedly looks away from the road, prompts will play saying to pay attention to the road. If these are ignored, they escalate in intensity, then display an alert message saying FSD (Supervised) is unavailable for the current drive.In the worst case scenario, the car will sound a continuous chime, turn on the hazard lights and bring the car to a complete stop.Tesla notes that drivers can be suspended from using FSD (Supervised) if improper use is detected. Five strikes are granted.At this stage Tesla hasn’t detailed how older vehicles will be able to receive FSD (Supervised) approval despite owners being able to buy the package for years. It’s likely a retrofit option will be offered eventually.Test drives of Tesla Model 3 and Model Y examples with FSD (Supervised) are now available at Tesla dealers around Australia.