Opinion

GWM’s top-spec ute, the Cannon XSR, is impressive.It’s packed with standard features for the price ($50,990 drive-away nationwide, at time of writing), is very capable off-road (it’s armed with a front and rear diff lock) and is not atrocious on-road.But, with new-age rivals like the BYD Shark 6 and the Ford Ranger PHEV variants setting the gold standard for refinement and performance in the ute market, does the Cannon represent the future of 4WDing – cheap(er) but not nasty – or is it spearheading a worrying trend of people falling for vehicles that initially seem pretty good but ultimately deliver a less-than-ideal driving experience?As hinted at above, there’s a lot to like about the Cannon, especially in XSR guise.For one, the line-up’s new 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – 135kW and 480Nm – is tractable and well suited to the demands of 4WDing. That’s not to say the previous-gen Cannon’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine – 120kW and 400Nm – was no good, it’s just that bigger and more powerful is better this time around.It’s nowhere near as refined as the Shark 6 or Ranger PHEV, but it’s not terrible either.And then there’s its off-road capability. It seemingly can’t go wrong armed with high and low-range 4WD, twin lockers, off-road drive modes, a snorkel, underbody protection and all-terrain tyres (Cooper Discoverer AT3 265/65 R18).Ground clearance of 228mm (reasonable), wading depth of 700mm, and off-road angles of 30 degrees (approach), and 26 degrees (departure; rampover is not listed) don’t hurt its capabilities either.Off-roading is the one area in which the Cannon eclipses something like the Shark 6 and matches, if not bests, the Ford Ranger PHEV.There’s no doubting this ute’s efficacy as a 4WD – it is very good – however, there are some trade-offs (more about that soon).This Cannon ute is also packed with features including 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome sports bar, automatic LED headlights, spray-in tubliner, keyless entry, leather-accented upholstery, 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system (with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), six-way power-adjustable driver seat, four-way power-adjustable front-passenger seat, ambient lighting, black sports bar, and matt black exterior trim.With a drive-away price of $50,990, the Cannon XSR is a new ute that represents solid value for money.But there are quirky aspects about the overall driving experience in the Cannon that leave questions lingering about the prospect of actually living with it over the long term.Concerns and criticisms have been raised over the years about driver-assist tech in Chinese-built vehicles. To the company’s credit, GWM seems to have addressed those issues, at least to some extent.The worst example of this: we were leaving a stretch of highway and driving down an off ramp when the auto emergency braking (AEB) fully engaged for no apparent reason. We went from 100km/h to a full stop in what felt like only a few metres but, of course, was about 40m or so. AEB was impressive in its application but there was no obstacle or hazard on or near the off ramp that required it. Nothing. We were supremely lucky no one had been tailgating us. The fact that this incident had even happened was far from ideal.Adaptive cruise control is haphazard in its application as it’s overly sensitive in gauging the distance between your vehicle and the one travelling in front, cutting speed when it doesn't have to.And changes in your vehicle’s speed – in response to vehicles in front, road signs (on or off the road on which you’re travelling), or other perceived threats (cyclists, parked cars, roadside shrubbery etc) – are abrupt and jarring (sometimes downright dangerous), rather than smooth and intuitive.Speaking of road signs, traffic sign recognition in the Cannon, as alluded to in the above paragraph, is regularly ‘off’ – suddenly cutting your speed in a school zone outside of school zone hours or reacting to a side street road sign, rather than the street on which you’re driving.While 4WDing, swapping between high and low-range, changing off-road modes, or switching diff locks on or off has been at times a clunky process, with the transition taking on a feeling not unlike shunting trains.Also, on one particularly hot day, the Cannon’s multimedia screen did not function at all for about five minutes after I started driving the ute. Mild inconvenience, sure, but more than annoying when a lot of the functions are operated via the screen.All of these driver-assist tech issues combine to deliver an off-kilter driving experience overall, one in which you’re never quite sure how the tech will be applied or react to real or perceived hazards.I’ve never had any such problems in the Shark 6 or Ranger PHEV.That’s not to say I don’t like the Cannon because I do. I think it’s a very capable off-roader, is a decent ute to live with day to day and, at face value at least, it seems like solid value for money (with plenty of standard features onboard), but the lingering tech issues threaten to ruin the whole Cannon experience for me.

Toyota, the usually unstoppable Japanese giant that has dominated Australia’s new-car market for eons, has shown a rare vulnerability, with sales falling across January as its new and hyped products fail to fire.It feels weird to write that, given how dominant a force Toyota is here. But January was a rare hard month for the brand — especially given it followed the launch of one of its most important models, the new HiLux — with sales plummeting more than 20 per cent.Toyota insists the results are a blip, exacerbated by the runout of the current RAV4 ahead of the new version's arrival next month and the new HiLux's incomplete range. Toyota said it has strong orders for both models on the books.But the question really has to be asked if the fact the two “all-new” models, which really aren’t all that all new, especially in the case of the HiLux, are playing a part, given the hyper competitiveness of Australia’s new-car market.Toyota’s iron grip on the number one position on the ute sales chart has already been relinquished, with the Ford Ranger now locked into that spot. But the Japanese giant’s ace up its sleeve was the RAV4 Hybrid, which rocketed up the charts even as the HiLux was falling.But January saw the RAV4 tumble, finishing the month in lowly 10th position, behind familiar faces like the Mazda CX-5, and relative newcomers like the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Haval Jolion.The new Toyota HiLux, which shares its platform, engine, transmission, tray and much of its body with the vehicle it replaces, is unlikely to scale the sales mountain again, with ute sales generally struggling and more and more entrants entering the fray.The LandCruiser Prado was down in January. The much-hyped Tundra is doing almost nothing. Conversely, the bZ4X is booming, and Camry, Corolla Cross and Yaris Cross are up, too.Still, the pressure is on the shoulders of the new RAV4, due in Australia in March. That means the brand could be in for another lean month in February before we get a clear picture of where the brand is in March.It’s never wise to bet against Toyota in Australia. From the early introduction to hybrids to its sometimes criticised “multi-pathway strategy” — in which the brand insisted diesel, petrol, hybrid and PHEV would be every bit as important as BEVs in Australia — Toyota’s crystal ball is clearer than most. But it’s also rare to see Toyota tumble, so the next eight weeks will be curious indeed.

Have you ever felt like things are spiralling out of control lately? That horrible feeling that you know something is wrong and people are standing idly by and allowing it to happen regardless?I have increasingly felt that way about new car safety, so much so I feel the time has come to draw a line in the sand.Let me be clear from the beginning — safety should be everyone’s top priority in the car industry. Whether it’s engineers, designers, salespeople and even us motoring writers - we should all be doing our best to ensure that you (the new car buyer) get the safest car possible.However, in recent years I have started to feel that new car safety has not only stopped improving consistently, but has actually begun to regress. Why? The over-reliance on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and the seemingly inconsistent way it is applied to new vehicles and equally inconsistent ways cars with poor technology are applauded by third parties and hailed as superior.I am fortunate enough to drive dozens of new cars every year and increasingly the difference between good active safety systems and bad ones are becoming more and more apparent, frankly annoying and distracting.The systems I’m talking about are ones like ‘driver attention monitoring’, ‘speed limit recognition’, ‘active lane keeping assistance’ and similar. Good versions of these systems keep you alert, informed and safe. Bad versions of these systems are distracting to the point of dangerous.That’s because, unfortunately, for many brands adding these active safety systems became a box ticking exercise, simply having them was enough as they weren’t tested in the real world by safety authorities, even though brands were punished for not having them.As Peter Matkin, Chery’s Director of International Engineering for International Programs, told me last year, many of these systems are developed by third-party suppliers who are simply working to a theoretical range and aren’t practically applying it to real-world situations.“When we started with all of the ADAS work, we were effectively just meeting legislation,” Matkins conceded. “We told the suppliers, this is the legal requirement, we need to meet this. So from a supplier perspective, he doesn't care whether the car bounces between the lanes. He doesn't care. When I drive the car, I say, ‘this is shit, we're not selling this.’ So, you know, we now give a lot more targets now, to the supplier.”That’s a refreshingly honest answer from a car company engineer and it’s good to know that people like Matkin are working to ensure that systems actually work for customers on the road and not just on a piece of paper.Recently I drove a new vehicle that beeped incessantly, any time the speed limit changed or if I didn’t slow down fast enough, or even if I just looked away. Literally, on several occasions it beeped to warn me that I was ‘mildly distracted’ at which point I looked down to see what the beeping was about (in case it was something dangerous) only for the system to then beep again and tell me I was ‘moderately distracted’ — by the car’s own beeps! The end result of poorly calibrated ADAS is drivers will find a way to turn it off, which unfortunately tends to be required every time you start the car - which is a deliberate requirement from legislators that typically travel in the back seats, rather than the driver’s seat…What’s the difference between a car that doesn’t have active lane keeping and one that does, but has such a bad system the driver turns it off every time they start the car? Both cars operate the majority of the time without the system, so a sub-standard system is effectively useless. ANCAP, to its credit, has updated its testing protocols for 2026 to try and address some of these issues. Its testing will now try and provide a more detailed analysis of how the various active safety systems work and encourage more seamless operation.Because, make no mistake, properly calibrated ADAS can work and when it does it’s brilliant. Some brands are clearly spending more time on these systems than others, and the net result is a safer experience for the driver without any of the irritating distraction of endless beeps and warnings.Unfortunately, the recent rush to ensure all these systems were installed regardless of functionality means there will be a generation of dangerous distracting cars on our roads for the foreseeable future.

China’s MG is in dire need of reversing its slowing sales in Australia and although peak ute may have already passed, its savour deserves to be its new dual-cab ute.Thankfully the MG U9 already has a lot going for it. It’s the Chinese carmaker’s first dual-cab ute in Australia, although it does share its underpinnings with the LDV Terron 9, which is another brand from Chinese state-owned SAIC Motor.Compared to the Terron 9, the U9 is a much more premium-looking proposition but its price tag doesn’t reflect this.The entry-level Explore grade starts at $52,990 drive-away, and extends to $60,990 drive-away for the fully loaded Explore Pro. This will barely get you a mid-spec HiLux or Ranger.It features a humongous grille and has a menacing presence that’ll make a HiLux or Ranger look small in comparison.You’re almost guaranteed to get people craning their necks to get a look at what this ute is. It's certainly one way to get your brand back out on the forefront.The U9 is also filled to the gills with high-end tech and finishes that ooze flash, which sets it above your everyday dual-cab ute. Depending on the trim there is a panoramic glass sunroof, large digital screens, digital rear-view mirror, plush leather seats with front-seat heating and ventilation, and a suede-like headliner.This is before mentioning the wild electric-folding mid-gate which extends the tub into the cabin and allows you to carry items up to 2.4-metres long. It’s an extremely unique offering in the dual-cab ute market, though it does come at a hefty cost – $5490 extra, and it's only available on the top-spec U9 Explore Pro.As standard however is rear multi-link suspension set-up which is much more passenger comfort-oriented than the typical leaf sprung ute. As a result payload is slightly down over other dual-cab utes.Despite the fluff, it’s worth calling out the U9 still stacks up where it counts most. It has a four-wheel drive system with a low-range transfer case and, depending on the trim level, front and rear diff locks. It also has a segment-meeting 3500kg braked towing capacity.However, like virtually every car, the MG U9 isn’t perfect. Although it’s only marginally larger than regular dual-cab utes, it certainly feels much bigger from behind the wheel, especially when doing tight manoeuvres in carparks or U-turns.Additionally, the 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine has healthy outputs on paper of 160kW and 520Nm, but it feels lethargic in reality and needs to be pushed to keep up with traffic. It doesn’t help that the car defaults back to ‘Eco’ mode every time it’s switched on.Even with this, I still achieved a rather disappointing average fuel consumption of 11.0L/100km during my urban driving testing. That’s not great, especially when you can get much less in the similarly-priced BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute.Even with these flaws, the U9 is a more deserving and a much better flagship for the MG brand, especially from an Australian perspective given how popular utes are still, than the niche Cyberster electric convertible.We’ll have to wait and see whether the Australian public latches onto the idea of the U9 but for now it’s a great step in the right direction of localising and understanding what a specific market needs and wants.

The way a car looks can make or break a model, and recently we’ve seen cars such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Tasman receive so much criticism because of their styling that the brands appear to be working on a quick redesign for them. So will the new-look Tasman and Santa Fe translate into better sales? We’ll find out soon, once we see the updated cars and then the sales figures, but in the meantime here are our top 5 car re-designs from the past five years. And by redesign we don’t mean the change in styling, which comes with a new-generation of a car, but the facelifts and makeovers that happened in between.  5. 2025 Nissan QashqaiMost brands update their models over the course of about seven years between all-new generations. Normally these involve tweaks to headlights or taillights and are often cosmetic changes that are easy to fit onto the existing design. So it’s always impressive when we see a striking new look come along such as with the Nissan Qashqai in 2025.The Qashqai received a complete ‘face transplant’ giving it an entirely new look. The smaller plunging grille it had worn for years had been replaced by a gloss black textured one-piece grille stretching the width of the car. 4. 2025 Isuzu MU-XIsuzu’s seven-seater MU-X SUV has spent most of its life living in the shadow of the D-Max ute it’s based on, but a revamp in 2025 saw it lose its goofy grille and gain a menacing new look.Isuzu said the mid-life update came after customer feedback and along with the redesigned face the MU-X also gained a host of new features and safety tech.Isuzu said the restyling incorporated “aeronautical design cues to inject strength and dynamism” while improving aerodynamics.3. 2026 Subaru SolterraSubaru’s Solterra EV was massively overhauled just two years after its launch in 2023 due to strong criticism of its range, power, price and styling. The Solterra returned new and improved in 2025 with a redesign that made the SUV unrecognisable from the front.For Australia the change came even more rapidly, with the Solterra launching here in early 2024 and the updated version having just arrived in early 2026.The new face was just the tip of the huge changes that had taken place, with a larger battery installed for increased driving range and more powerful motors added. Subaru also dropped the price by up to $7000.2. 2021 Lexus ISThe Lexus IS hasn’t been sold in Australia since 2021 but it was in that year that the mid-sized sporty sedan launched locally with a redesign so big that this looked like a new-generation and not just an update.  More aggressive, but more refined the new IS had a wider body, a bigger grille, new headlights and LED running lights and new taillights.1. 2023 Hyundai SonataThe 2023 Hyundai Sonata was hit with a stunning makeover. The facelift took a fairly dull-looking sedan and turned it into a desirable, sleek and modern four door.A new frontal design incorporating a thin LED strip skirting the bonnet edge, large lower grille and a beautifully treated tailgate with restyled taillights completed an exterior design which looked more new-gen than makeover.The updated Sonata’s cabin also received an overhaul with new tech and features.

Mazda has been on a rapid expansion in recent years, introducing so many new large SUVs it can be hard to keep up with them all.The CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90 form a comprehensive line-up of family-sized SUVs, and will be joined in 2026 by the new CX-5. But as we looked at what was missing from some of Australia’s favourite brands, it quickly became obvious what needs attention with Mazda.At the other end of the size spectrum, the pint-sized Mazda2 and CX-3 are still selling in reasonable volume (the CX-3 is actually the most popular model in its segment), but both suffered double-digit sales declines in 2025.Both are also getting old and there is no public plan to replace them anytime soon. While Mazda may very well be working on replacements, if they aren’t it would leave a huge gap in the brand’s line-up.While Mazda was one of the first brands to embrace the concept of ‘semi-premium’ and shift from a model of selling purely on volume and instead focus on profitability, even if it meant fewer sales, giving up this part of the market would be a risky move.There is no question the city car market is in terminal decline, with the Mazda2 only up against the MG3 and Suzuki Swift these days, but there is still enough volume in the compact SUV market to make a CX-3 replacement viable.More importantly, losing either or both of these models would immediately raise the cost of entry to the Mazda brand, which would lock out many first-time new-car buyers. Instead they will go and buy something else, perhaps an MG3, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro or BYD Atto 1 and get integrated into those brands’ systems — just like countless Mazda2 and CX-3 customers have no doubt done in recent years. The challenge for brands like Mazda in the current market situation is it is incredibly difficult to compete with the new wave of Chinese brands on price, especially at the lower end of the market. This means a generation of buyers will get familiar with these brands and could end up staying for years to come if they have a good experience.Mazda should be well aware of that, because that’s the exact tactic that the Japanese brands used in the 1980s and ‘90s, and it’s what the South Korean brands did in the 2000s. Looking at the sales chart it’s dominated by Japanese and Korean brands, but nothing is static in this market so if Mazda abandons the small car/SUV space, it may not hurt in the short-term, but could have big consequences in the long-term.

If there is one word to describe the Australian car industry in 2026, it’s diversity.

You can't fit 10kg of dirt into a 5kg bag. That feels like an appropriate metaphor for the Australian car industry, where seemingly every few weeks a new car brand arrives to stake its claim on a piece of the market.

The date December 31, 2025 marks the fifth anniversary of the end of new Holden vehicle sales.With the world reeling from Covid-19, the final Astra, Trax, Equinox, Acadia and Colorado models left GMH dealerships with a whimper not a bang.But what if General Motors HQ in Detroit didn’t pull the plug? What if the brand survived beyond 2020 and into the halcyon three years of over-demand and under-supply? We reckon it’d still be here today.Here are the international General Motors models that might have made the grade as Holdens.The 2018 Acadia represented a big gamble by Holden, going to huge expense of re-engineering and improving-upon the then-new second-gen GMC version of the Chevrolet Traverse for right-hand-drive.And why not, since, the big-selling Toyota Kluger continues to be also sourced from the US.Released in 2024, Acadia number three adopts fresh styling inside and out, GM’s VSS-S modular architecture (evolved from the previous platform), longer wheelbase for family-friendlier three-row seating and a gutsy 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol powertrain.Handsome and ultra-spacious, it looks and drives well enough to have resonated with Australian buyers.This one would have been a shoe-in for Australia.All three generations of Colorado ute sold in North America since 2004 have been unrelated to the Isuzu D-Max/Rodeo models Holden imported.Today’s US Chevy, unveiled in 2022, is big (and roomy) for a mid-sized ute, even compared to the Ford Ranger, betraying the fact that it is a scaled-down Chevrolet Silverado. And that’s no bad thing given how relatively sophisticated the latter full-sized pick-up is.And here’s a fun fact. Back in 2018, then-Holden managing director, Dave Buttner, revealed that what’s now today’s Colorado would probably have been the basis for a formidable Ranger rival, suggesting that – like the Acadia – it might already have been future-proofed for right-hand drive.Plus, as the current US engine choice is a 2.7-litre four-pot turbo petrol unit, Australia’s sizeable 4x4 dual-cab ute segment may have dictated a diesel application.Ah, what might have been…A product of GM Korea that grew from the ashes of GM Daewoo, the original Trax was derived from the Opel Corsa platform that also provided the basis of the final Holden Barina supermini. It was an early and successful example of a city-sized Light SUV.The second-gen Trax, again from Korea, is based on a small/medium scalable version of VSS-S, and is powered by either a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo or 1.5-litre four-pot turbo depending on sourcing, as it is also built in China with SAIC.Obviously larger and sleeker than the first version, Trax II is a smartly-styled and spacious alternative to the Chery Tiggo 4 and Haval Jolion, and would likely resonate with Aussie consumers.Barely a year old in its US home market, the fourth-gen Equinox is yet another variation of GM’s ubiquitous VSS-S platform, and remains a Toyota RAV4 challenger.To that end, the redesigned medium SUV offers a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) option in some markets to the standard 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol powertrain. There’s also an EV version.And, since GM does not seem to offer a world-class small car…Sadly, GM doesn’t seem to know or care about making great B- and C-segment hatchbacks.And since this is a fantasy scenario, we’re inclined to think that the alt-universe Holden might want to have continued its association with the Stellantis-owned Opel/Vauxhall and offer the known and respected Corsa and its larger Astra stablemate lines.Now, the Opel Corsa GSE Vision Gran Turismo may or may not preview the next-gen supermini due in about 2028, but clearly, away from GM stewardship, the decades-old Opel/Vauxhall smaller cars are flourishing.

Hyundai spent 2025 making a series of behind-the-scenes changes to turn around its sales slide of recent years.So in 2026, the brand needs to deliver.While the most notable changes have been the arrival of the new Palisade, Inster and Ioniq 9, the most important changes have been the fresh negotiations between recently-installed new CEO Don Romano and the Hyundai dealers.And that should be the bit that actually impacts you — the potential Hyundai customer.If Romano and his team have been successful, you'll find Hyundai dealers are more motivated to sell you a new car, now that red tape and other hurdles that previous management put in place have been removed.“ Well, we’re bringing out new products, right?,” Romano told CarsGuide in June, 2025. “There’s gonna be a few more… But the real goal that I have is to regain the confidence of our dealers and make sure that Hyundai becomes top of mind. This was a strategy we put together in Canada, when Canada had the same exact scenario where our sales had declined we had lost the confidence of the dealer body. And I think that’s first and foremost, that dealers right now have 70 different brands out there that they’re juggling. And where does Hyundai stand in that line-up, making that one of their top priorities? That’s exactly like my goal has always been to look at who’s number one and see how they interact with their dealer body as one team, and that’s absolutely my goal is to work closer with the dealers than before.”The timing couldn't be better, as Hyundai has been headed in the wrong direction on the sales charts for the past few years. Hyundai was the third biggest brand in Australia in 2021, but has been going in reverse since then, dropping to sixth in 2024. While there was some progress in 2025, climbing back to fifth place, the reality is Hyundai’s overall sales numbers have been relatively flat for the past several years and that suggests change is needed.The brand has definitely focused on pushing more upmarket in recent years, launching the Palisade in a single, high-grade Calligraphy trim as well as the six-figure Ioniq 9, but while that can be profitable the brand still needs volume to grow.That’s why there are some crucial new models coming this year, starting with the Elexio, its first Chinese-built electric vehicle. While Hyundai has been one of the most proactive ‘legacy’ brands when it comes to EVs — offering the Inster, Kona, Ioniq 5, Ioinq 6 and Ioniq 9 — they make up less than three per cent of the brand’s total sales.And Romano wasn’t afraid to admit it, when he spoke to us last August, saying: “ We do a terrible job with our EVs. On the record. We are not doing the job we should be.”He added: “Our market share of electric vehicles is extremely low relative to our market share of total vehicles, and the only explanation for that is that we haven’t put enough focus on it because I can see other companies that are selling electric cars that are doing a much better job with their EVs than they do with their ICE (internal combustion vehicles). We’re the opposite.”The Elexio won’t be the brand’s cheapest EV, but it has the potential to be the best-value, as the Kia EV5 twin-under-the-skin should be able to take advantage of the same elements that have allowed brands like MG, BYD and Geely to offer cheaper, more popular EV models.Of course, while EVs attract plenty of attention, the core volume models for Hyundai have traditionally been its small and mid-size SUVs as well as its hatchbacks. The i30 hatch is on its last legs, though.So there will be a need to transition buyers into other options, such as the Venue and Kona, which both enjoyed growth in ‘25.The Tucson remains a solid performer and the Santa Fe is picking up steam, but Hyundai will likely need more than just the addition of the Palisade XRT Pro to get its biggest SUV selling in bigger numbers again.Whether these elements are enough to get Hyundai to grow its sales and improve its position on the charts by the end of 2026 remains to be seen, but the pressure will be on after so much change in 2025.