Urban News

The days of China playing catch-up with the rest of the automotive world are over. Some of the oldest brands in the car industry are now able to learn from Chinese brands, as they look to become more competitive on price and with the latest generation of electric vehicles.One of the companies at the centre of this new dynamic is Stellantis, the multinational group that combines Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen, Maserati, Jeep, Opel and more under the one umbrella. Since 2023, Stellantis has had a stake in Chinese brand Leapmotor and has begun selling its vehicles in global markets - including Australia.The initial offering, the C10 SUV, was met with less-than-glowing reviews and since then the two sides of the joint-venture have begun to work more closely together.Stellantis is teaching Leapmotor how to build cars more appealing to European and Australian customers, but Leapmotor is also able to teach its own lessons, too.That’s according to Francesco Giacalone, Leapmotor International Head of Product and Marketing, who said the information and learnings flow both ways between Europe and China.“ For what concern Leapmotor, what we are seeing is that there are, in this moment, more and more interactions in terms of vehicle customisation,” Giacalone said.“So there are Stellantis teams of chassis, dynamic performance that are constantly visiting Leapmotor to help to improve the Leapmotor products for the overseas markets."They are as a Stellantis team acquiring experience about how Leapmotor develop the products and in concrete terms, helping Leapmotor to be more efficient and fit to the customer in overseas markets."At the same time, they are learning component by component what can be picked from Leapmotor as let's say low-hanging fruits or a bit more complex to integrate in the Stellantis architecture.”The launch of the more European-focused B05 hatchback and the new B03X compact SUV are signs of the European and Chinese sides of the business working together to shape a more globally friendly offering. The B05 is due to arrive in Australian showrooms before the end of 2026. Pricing has already been announced, with the all-electric hatchback set to start from $35,990 drive-away for the base car, while the long-range variant will start at $39,990 drive-away.That means it won’t be the cheapest EV on sale in its segment, the GWM Ora 5 starts at just $33,990 drive-away, but it does feature a 160kW/240Nm electric motor, rear-wheel drive layout and the tuning was largely done in Europe with the help of Stellantis - combining the best of both sides of the partnership.While Giacalone didn’t reveal exactly what cars Leapmotor has planned for the Australian market, he did hint at offering cars tailored to our tastes, and even indicated a ute is under investigation.So expect more examples of affordable, European-tuned but Chinese-built cars, like the B05 and B03X to become increasingly common in the coming years.

Hyundai let CarsGuide in on why its Australian division gets special attention from its South Korean parent company.“We’re quite a small percentage of global volume but the level of support we get from Korea is always higher,” said Bill Thomas, Hyundai Australia’s GM of Corporate Communications.“Australia is a hugely competitive market and if you’re doing well here, you will, in theory, do well in a number of different markets which are less competitive.“Also, in terms of customer sentiment, there’s a mixture of European and American buying behaviour.”“So there’s interest from in the makeup of the market, both the competitor set and the customer demand for various types of vehicles.”Globally, Hyundai’s Australian arm outperforms compared to other markets where the South Korean giant plays.“If you look at our market share compared to some of the markets across the world, you’d find that we’re certainly up there amongst the better performing markets,” said Hyundai Australia's General Manager of Product Planning Jonathan Lam.Australia is not just important to the company as a vector for high sales either. Our market has seen the introduction of right-hand drive exclusives, like the first-generation Palisade large SUV, or the last-generation Veloster hatchback.There are new factors drawing Korea’s attention to Australia. Our market has become one of the most competitive in the world off the back of Chinese automakers using Australia as a stepping stone to Europe.It presents an opportunity both ways, as Hyundai has a chance to compete with these new brands often before they debut in larger markets.“The competitiveness of this market means that, yes, we are getting a lot of focus from headquarters,” continued Lam.“So that does actually make our job a bit easier, but at the same time it’s not like we can just ask for something and get it.“We have to make a strong case for every product. Head office won’t accept just anything, we have to be very detailed and structured in terms of the business case.”Lam said that the explosive amount of competition in Australia wasn’t boxing Hyundai into particular price points or segments for its range.“It’s not necessarily just the number of competitors here or how cheap they are” he said.“You could have a segment with fifty competitors, but it’s more to do with which are the ones actually selling in volume.”“We feel our pricing is competitive. Obviously there are competitors which will be cheaper, and there will be some which are more expensive, but I think for us it’s never just pricing which is what is driving market share or sales. Actually if it was just about pricing that would make my job a bit easier.”Lam said "intangible benefits" of the Hyundai brand, whether it was buyer familiarity, dealer and service network, or vehicle design and quality, are helping the company keep close to the front of the pack despite the ambition of new brands in the top-10 rankings.Lam said there were even products in Hyundai’s portfolio which didn’t have to sell in the kinds of volumes which rivals, Chinese or otherwise, might be aiming for.He conceded the Palisade XRT Pro, as a monocoque adventure-focused large SUV was a “quite niche” offering intended to make up around 10 per cent of the model’s volume.Even the Hyundai Inster city-sized electric hatch, which is priced significantly higher than something like the BYD Atto 1, was something the brand was keen to keep around as an alternative for buyers.“Niche products have their place in our portfolio. It’s not a car which is going to appeal to all consumers, but it has a very specific buyer subset who still really likes that car.”

Nissan has revealed a new light EV called the Pixo, built on the same platform as the new Renault Twingo.With a single grade confirmed but no pricing so far, the 2027 Nissan Pixo is “engineered specifically for European customers” according to the brand, and will be built at Renault's Novo Mesto manufacturing plant in Slovenia.Set to start European customer deliveries in early 2027, it’s unlikely the Pixo will head down under due to its low power output and relatively limited range.With a 27.5kWh LFP battery providing power to a 60kW front-mounted electric motor, the Pixo is capable of a 259km claimed range and is limited to 50kW on DC fast charging.It should take around half an hour to charge from 15 per cent to 80 per cent, according to Nissan.In terms of specification the Pixo almost mirrors the related Renault Twingo, which also has a 60kW motor and a range only a few kilometres longer.The Pixo also features 23 ‘easter eggs’ in the design and details, seemingly including a smiling face in the tail-lights.Nissan Global Design Lead Exterior Designer Masato Koyama said the Pixo’s diminutive design plays into its intention as a city car.“Pixo proves that great things can come in small packages. “Its compact dimensions make it a natural fit for Europe’s cities, but we’ve worked hard to maximise the space within them, creating a cabin that feels open, practical and surprisingly roomy. “I can’t wait to see how our customers embrace this bold and fun new EV – that is perfectly suited to urban environments.” At just 3796mm long and 1790mm wide, the Pixo is properly small, though its surprisingly spacious boot offers up 356L of space with the rear seats up, and 1221L with the seats folded.Its relatively short wheelbase (2492mm) and minimal overhangs allow the Pixo to achieve a 9.9m turning circle, suitable for its intended purpose as a Euro-centric city car.Clíodhna Lyons, Vice President of Product, Brand and Marketing Strategy for Nissan AMIEO said the Pixo is about “giving customers practical alternatives that help reduce the cost of every journey”."We believe the future of electric mobility isn't about building bigger vehicles with more technology, it's about building smarter vehicles that fit naturally into people's lives.”

These are Victoria’s most dangerous roads according to a new survey by the RACV and we're keen to hear which roads in your state are known to be notoriously unsafe, tooPotholes have been identified by Victorians as the No.1 safety concern in an RACV survey focusing on the state’s most dangerous regional roads and these are the highways on the public's “do-something-about-it” list.More than 6000 people took part in the RACV's 2026 My Country Road campaign with 71 percent of them saying the condition of Victoria’s roads was the greatest safety concern for them.Potholes and crumbling surfaces were named as urgent priorities that needed addressing and the roads which were the main culprits were named.While potholes were seen as the biggest safety issue plaguing Victoria's regional roads, the respondents identified other areas of concern.Narrow roads, poor shoulders and edges were identified by 12 per cent of respondents as being of greatest concern after pot holes; 10 per cent thought signage, line marking and visibility were the biggest safety issue; speed limits and driver behaviour also received 10 per cent of the vote; while limited overtaking opportunities also came in at 10 per cent.This year’s RACV campaign was regional Victoria's turn to nominate the worst roads.Alternating each year, in 2027 it will be city dwellers' chance to have their say in the My Melbourne Road campaign.This year’s My Country Road survey asked respondents to nominate the most dangerous road in regional Victoria from a shortlist of 52 which were identified as being safety concerns based on crash data.The RACV took the map of the state, broke it up into five different regions and identified the three most dangerous roads for each according to the participants.And here they are.Southwestern Victoria:Princes Highway West, Colac to CamperdownPrinces Highway West, Portland to Port FairyHenty Highway, Portland to Hamilton.Western Victoria:Midland Highway, Ballarat to DaylesfordWestern Highway, Ararat to StawellWestern Highway, Ballarat to Trawalla.Northwestern Victoria:Loddon Valley Highway, Bendigo to KerangNorthern Highway, Echuca to HeathcoteNorthern Highway and McIvor Highway, Wallan to Bendigo.Northeastern Victoria:Melba Highway, Yea to Dixons CreekGoulburn Valley Highway and Maroondah Highway, Yea to MansfieldMurray Valley Highway, Wodonga to Tallangatta.Eastern Victoria:Strzelecki Highway, Leongatha to Mirboo NorthPrinces Highway East, Bairnsdale to Lakes EntranceSouth Gippsland Highway, Loch to Leongatha.Of these five regions, the three most dangerous roads in country Victoria are the following:Princes Highway West, Colac to CamperdownPrinces Highway West, Portland to Port FairyLoddon Valley Highway, Bendigo to Kerang.The RACV says it will use the results to advocate for targeted investment.The RACV’s head of public policy James Williams says the results send a clear message.“Victorians have told us that the State’s crumbling road network is what worries them most,” Mr Williams said.“Seven in 10 of the concerns raised through this campaign came back to potholes and deteriorating surfaces, and almost three-quarters of the fixes people asked for were as simple as resurfacing the road.“These are maintenance and design problems and they are the same in every corner of the state, from the Princes Highway West in the southwest to the Strzelecki Highway in Gippsland.“RACV will take these results to government and press for targeted investment in the roads that the Government’s own safety ratings and regional Victorians have identified.”This RACV survey only covered Victoria, of course, but Australia is a big place and we think nothing of driving hundred kilometres in a single stint.So which roads do you travel often that need attention now?Let us know in the comments below.

BYD Australia has continued to knock down prices for its most popular models.The Chinese giant has slashed the price of the Dolphin Essential electric hatch from $29,990, before on-road costs, to $28,888 (lucky for some) drive-away.Given those on-road costs (dealer delivery, stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance and number plate fees) will range between $1500 and $2000 on a roughly $30K new car, this price repositioning represents a saving of between $2600 and $3100 in line with individual state or territory charges.The catch is the new price applies to orders placed between September 15 and December 15, with cars needing to be delivered by December 31, 2026 to qualify.This move follows BYD earlier this month making its Atto 1 electric city car cheaper than any other new vehicle currently on sale in Australia, with a shift to $19,990, drive-away pricing (from $23,990, before on road costs).The five-seat, five-door Dolphin hatch is offered in Australia in two variants - Essential and Premium - the base grade powered by a 70kW/150Nm electric motor driving the front wheels and delivering 0-100km/h acceleration in 12.3 seconds.    Its 44.9kWh LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery is good for a WLTP combined (urban/extra-urban) range of 340km with 60kW DC charging capacity onboard.5.0-inch digital instrument display12.8-inch (rotating) multimedia touchscreen Synthetic leather trimPower front seatsSix-speaker audio (with digital radio)Satellite navigationAndroid Auto/Apple CarPlayVoice AssistantLED exterior lightsClimate-control air-conditioning (single-zone)Keyless entry and startFull suite of active safety featuresThe top-spec Premium, still at $36,990, before on-road costs, boasts more power (180kW/310Nm), faster acceleration (0-100km/h in 7.0sec), a bigger battery (60.5kWh), greater range (427km WLTP) and faster charging (80kW).It also adds features like a panoramic glass roof, wireless charging, heated front seats, tinted glass and more.This pricing shift puts extra pressure on the Dolphin’s direct small hatch EV competitors, including the GAC Aion (from $31,990) and Leapmotor B05 (from $35,888), both before on-road costs. And stand-by for what will inevitably be more price discounts as new car challengers intent on capturing market share battle with legacy brands equally determined to defend their ground and grow sales.

The Nissan Kicks, a sub-compact crossover-style SUV is potentially one step closer to Australian sale with news the latest second-generation version will be produced in the Japanese giant’s long-serving Sunderland plant in the UK, for sale in that market and throughout Europe.Already manufactured in Japan, Mexico and Brazil for sale globally, the addition of the UK to that production roster puts the Kicks e-Power even more strongly in the frame for local right-hand drive consumption.The move represents a £170M (~A$320M) investment in upgrading the Sunderland facility, now in its 40th year of operation.And it comes on the back of a £450m (~A$850M) spend in 2025 focused on a modular assembly system to accommodate Leaf EV production.At close to 4.4m long, 1.8m wide and around 1.6m tall with a 2657mm wheelbase (AWD 2664mm) the Kicks is roughly the same size as the Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos and Toyota Corolla Cross, which sit in a segment that already includes the similarly-sized Nissan Qashqai e-Power.It’s worth noting Australian market Qashqai e-Powers are already produced in Sunderland, using a (140kW/311Nm) 1.5-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder engine to charge the car’s traction battery and it returns an official fuel economy number of 4.1L/100km.But the global export Kicks uses a third-generation e-Power system underpinned by a (100kW/280Nm) 1.4-litre turbo triple for an even more miserly fuel consumption figure of 3.9L/100km.Nissan said over its first 10 years the Kicks has surpassed 1.8 million units sold in more than 70 countries but confirmed the Sunderland move marks the model’s European debut.Making the announcement Nissan AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania) Region Chairperson Massimiliano Messina said, “This is fantastic news for our European region and demonstrates the agility and speed with which we can bring new models to new markets.”Consideration of the first-generation Kicks for Australian sale was sidelined a decade ago when compliance with Australian Design Rules (ADRs) relating to child restraints as well as front and side impact protection made the prospect uneconomic.With the move to European sale (and safety compliance) as well as UK production CarsGuide contacted Nissan Australia for comment on the possibility of the second-gen Kicks making an appearance Down Under.A company spokesperson said, “We are examining the business case for the new-generation Nissan Kicks in the Australian market, but at this stage we don’t have anything further to share regarding its potential introduction.”  That’s not a no, so stay tuned.

BYD has made its electric car cheaper than any other vehicle on sale right now.The Chinese brand has slashed the price of its Atto 1 electric small hatchback to $19,990, drive-away. There is no end date to the offer at this point.BYD Australia’s Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins said this would give more Australians a chance to access an electric car during an ongoing period of sky high fuel prices and a cost of living crisis."At a time when Australian families are carefully considering every household expense, we're committed to making vehicle ownership more attainable," said Collins."The BYD ATTO 1 at $19,990 drive-away demonstrates our commitment to delivering outstanding value without compromising on technology, safety or quality.”The deal only applies to the BYD Atto 1 Essential grade, which was previously priced at $23,990 before on-road costs.This means buyers are saving about $7000 off the full drive-away price.The Atto 1 is an urban-focused electric car, with a small 30kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery that delivers a modest driving range of up to 220km.It uses a single electric motor to make 65kW and 175Nm to drive the front wheels.It is a small unit, measuring 3990mm long, 1720mm wide, 1590mm high and it has a wheelbase of 2500mm.That puts it in the same ballpark as the Toyota Yaris and Mazda2 hatchbacks.The current cheapest cars are the petrol-powered Kia Picanto starting from $19,190, before on-road costs, and the the MG3 hatchback is also priced from $19,990, drive-away, for a limited time.

MG is temporarily giving $2000 cash back on its MG4 Urban electric hatchback so it now starts under $30,000.Until September 30, the MG4 Urban line-up is priced as follows:MG4 Urban Essence 43: $29,990MG4 Urban Essence 54: $32,990All prices are drive-awayThis promotional drive-away pricing for the MG4 Urban Essence 43 makes it more affordable than the GAC Aion UT Premium and puts it on par with the entry-level BYD Dolphin Essential.However, it’s worth noting the Geely EX2 and BYD Atto 1 are both available for cheaper, but they offer less range.MG Motor Australia has also announced it will have a stall at the Everything Electric show in Sydney from September 18-20.If you place an order for an MG4 Urban you’ll also get a $500 charging card in addition to the cash back offer.Beyond this, if you put down a $1000 deposit at the show for an MG IM5 sedan or IM6 SUV, you’ll get access to a $5000 cashback. This adds the existing $3000 cash back offer with an additional $2000 Everything Electric cash back offer.This will price the MG IM models as follows:MG IM5 Premium: $55,990MG IM5 Platinum: $62,990MG IM5 Performance: $72,990MG IM6 Premium: $55,990MG IM6 Platinum: $62,990MG IM6 Performance: 72,990All prices are drive-awayThe MG4 Urban is the Chinese carmaker’s newest entry-level electric vehicle (EV) and it sits below the standard MG4.It launched locally earlier in 2026 as a more city- and budget-focused offering to compete against the likes of the BYD Dolphin, GAC Aion UT and Geely EX2, among others.All versions of the MG4 Urban are front-wheel drive, unlike the rear-wheel drive MG4, and there are two different battery packs available, a 43kW and a 54kWh unit. They offer up to 316km and 405km of WLTP-claimed electric range, respectively.Until the end of August a total of 2604 MG4 Urban examples were sold. Over this same time a total of 3838 BYD Atto 1 examples, 3068 BYD Dolphin examples, 1753 Geely EX2 examples and 572 GAC Aion UT examples were sold.

Australia has recently scrapped a few road laws, but there are still plenty of others I reckon need ditching, too. That’s right, as one financial year ends and another begins it’s not just accountants who get excited but road users can, too, because this is the time that old traffic laws are scrapped and new ones are introduced.This year one of the most popular changes will certainly be the scrapping of the road work speed limit during non-road work times in New South Wales. Previously road work speed limits have been enforced 24 hours a day and regardless of whether road work was taking place. The lower speed limits are designed to slow traffic down to 40km/h or even 20km/h and are crucial in protecting roadside workers. The only problem with this was the low speed zone still applied even outside road work times. On a busy motorway this led to some drivers sticking to 40km/h while others raced past at 110km/h. I’m glad this one has changed, but there are so many more that could do with scraping and replacing, too.Here’s a few that could do with changing, surely I’m not the only one who feels this way - feel free to jump with what you think needs changing on our roads, too.I’m completely against excessive speeding. I feel that if you’re in need of speed then you need to take it to a race track where you’ll be humbled very quickly. That said, I think speed cameras, especially the kind that are unmarked, are more about making money than saving lives. Scrap the speed cameras, but keep the red light cameras and bring in more police patrols with radars. That’ll save more lives and change driver behaviour.Running red lights is beyond stupid and dangerous and I personally think that red light cameras should be at every set of traffic lights, so what I’m about to may say sound ridiculous.I think drivers should be able to turn left on a red light upon stopping and checking to ensure the coast is clear. This works perfectly well in the US (all states allow a right turn on a red light) and it would work here too, improving traffic flow and actually increasing driver situational awareness.   Who knows how much trouble this one is going to get me into, but the law against going slightly over the speed limit while overtaking needs to be scrapped. This would only apply to single carriage ways and at no more than 10km/h over the speed limit. There’s a couple of good reasons for this.First I’ve experienced drivers speed up while I’m overtaking; second I’ve had vehicles from the other direction approach quicker than expected, and it’s not a good idea to have two cars travelling at speed barely 50cm apart together for any longer than a couple of seconds. Sometimes a little hustling is needed to get back to safety. Surely the less amount of time spent on the wrong side of the road the better. This is simple: if the left-hand lane ends and drivers have to form one lane then those in the continuing lane need to give way. The current law states that those in the lane that ends need to give way, but that’s ridiculous. They’re literally going to run out of a lane in a matter of seconds, let them in for goodness sake.South Australia, NSW and the Northern Territory only allow P platers to travel at a maximum speed of 90km/h or 100km/h, while the rest of the country allow them to travel at the maximum 110km/h speed limit. Really the P-Plater maximum speed should be in line with the rest of the traffic and an extra 10km/h to bring them to 110km/h would go some way to preventing other road users taking risks to get past them.Yes, the Northern Territory has some highways that are 130km/h, and no I don’t think a P-Plater is ready for that speed on a rough bit of tarmac like the Stuart. Anyway, that’s my list for now, and I’m sure I’ve missed many more but feel free to jump in and tell me the road rules you’d like to see scrapped and why.

Two affordable EVs have learned their safety fate in Australia. The Geely EX2 and Leapmotor B05 electric hatchbacks have provided buyers with some new options in the budget-focused electric car space. They have now both been tested under the Australasian New Car Assessment Program’s (ANCAP) new 2026 protocols.  They are among the first to be tested using the revamped criteria that places a great focus on preventing accidents and safe driving. The B05 is Leapmotor’s newest and most affordable model put on sale in Australia, starting from $35,990 (drive-away). It achieved a five-star overall rating from ANCAP. ANCAP emphasised the hatchback’s strong crash avoidance performance, heaping praise on its lane departure warning and auto emergency braking systems.The watchdog said Leapmotor needed to improve in scenarios involving pedal misapplication and driveway runover risks. The B05 impressed with its crash protection, achieving a 92 per cent rating, with ANCAP highlighting a well-designed vehicle structure and restraints.ANCAP said the B05 demonstrated capability in the safe driving category, which evaluates driver assist features and hazard awareness, but it said there was room for improvement. The Geely EX2 has already proven to be one of the most popular EVs so far, with the compact hatch amassing nearly 500 registrations in August, having only gone on sale in late July. It is priced as one of the cheapest electric cars on sale, starting from just $26,490 (before on-road costs), putting it into competition with the BYD Atto 1 (from $23,990) and larger GAC Aion UT (from $31,990). The EX2 was awarded a five-star rating from ANCAP, with the watchdog praising its monitoring system that detects occupants wearing their seatbelts incorrectly. ANCAP also said its active safety software, including auto emergency braking and lane keep assist performed well, while it wasn’t so successful in some low-speed situations. The EX2 provided good protection in front and side impact collisions despite an elevated risk of driver leg injury in frontal offset testing. Pedestrian and other road user safety was impressive on the EX2, according to ANCAP, praising its small size and increased front crush space in the absence of an engine. ANCAP’s Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg said these results demonstrate cheaper EVs shouldn’t mean they are less safe. “These results show that choosing a more affordable electric vehicle doesn’t have to mean compromising on safety, Ms Hoorweg said.”“The Leapmotor B05 and Geely EX2 have got the fundamentals right, delivering good crash protection, effective crash avoidance technology and important safety features as standard.“With more brands and models entering the Australian and New Zealand markets, safety is another area where manufacturers need to compete.”