1980 Toyota Stout Reviews

Toyota has shown off a new concept sports car at the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon, but it’s the vehicle's powertrain that could signal a new era for the brand.

Australia clocked a record number of new-car sales in 2024, proving once again how diverse our new-car market really is.

The car industry is based on constant model renewal. Cycles have been getting shorter and shorter, with the main industry settling on between six and eight years as the norm. 

Australia finally has vehicle emissions regulations, but what does that mean for new car buyers?

In recent years the pointy end of the Australian new vehicle sales race has reflected our seemingly insatiable appetite for dual cab utes, with the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux locked in a fierce arm wrestle to determine the annual winner.

Christmas is a fading memory, the New Year’s hangovers have cleared and we’re still getting used to writing ‘2025’ so you know what that means?Hot takes time.Yes, it’s January and with a whole year of new cars ahead of us, I’m going to try and predict the future. But while these might meet the clickbait definition of a ‘hot take’ these aren’t just random thoughts, but rather these are five scenarios that I believe could play out in 2025 based on previous trends and the other available evidence.To be fair, I’m basing this at least in part to Toyota Australia boss Sean Hanley’s own prediction that he believes the RAV4 can leapfrog the Ford Ranger into first place. I agree with him that the Ranger will need to work hard to stay at the top of the charts, with its gap to the RAV4 less than 4000 sales in 2024.The Ranger will be entering its fourth year on sale, which means it no longer feels ‘new’ but is also too early for a mid-life upgrade, so it will need to rely on new additions like the Super Duty and plug-in hybrid to keep its interest high.The latter is really the key for Ford, with the Ranger PHEV having to face a direct rival in the form of the BYD Shark 6 - which wasn’t on the horizon when Ford announced its plug-in back in 2023.Meanwhile, the RAV4 remains beloved by SUV buyers, despite its many rivals, and Toyota is (reportedly) carrying over a healthy order bank that should maintain its steady sales pace.Whatever happens, it should be a close finish in the sales race.It’s safe to say Kia has copped some flak for the styling of its Tasman ute, which has raised concerns over its sales potential. But, personally, I think it will be a success story for Kia even if it doesn’t achieve the headline-grabbing sales figures the brand is hoping for.Kia’s goal to sell more than 20,000 Tasmans per year is an ambitious target, even if the styling had been universally praised, given the strength of the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux. But the truth is looks are subjective and the Tasman’s ultimate sales potential will come down to pricing and specifications. If Kia can give ute buyers a good value proposition, then undoubtedly many will jump aboard, regardless of what anyone says about the styling.Fleet operators who don’t care about subjective elements like style will likely be wooed by the expected five-star ANCAP rating and Kia’s reputation for reliability.Bottom line, even if Kia sells half of its expected numbers, adding 10,000 Tasmans to Kia’s tally is all incremental growth for a brand that has never previously offered a ute - and that will make it a big success.One of the key takeaways from the 2024 sales was the huge growth of hybrids (HEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) compared to the stalled sales of electric vehicles (EVs). Sales of pure electric models were only up 4.7 per cent after growing more than 160 per cent in 2023.That’s an enormous change of fortunes for EVs, which have always largely been underpinned by Tesla, which had a down year in 2024. Whether Tesla can rebound is one major question, with its sales down by more than 16,000 sales, but other brands will need to start selling more of their EVs if the market is to accelerate its growth again.It appears as though the market for EVs has largely been catered to, with a huge variety of makes and models across the spectrum of size and price, so there’s no longer any major barriers for EVs apart from consumer demand.Australians seem unconvinced by EVs in the broad sense, preferring dual-cab utes and mid-size SUVs with hybrid engines, and it seems unlikely to change in the short-term so I wouldn’t be betting on a big turnaround for electric sales in 2025.NVES, or the New Vehicle Efficiency Standards, grabbed plenty of headlines in 2024 as the car industry pushed back on long-overdue emissions regulations like kids not wanting to eat their vegetables. But despite the kicking and screaming from certain members of industry, NVES officially began on January 1 and the world hasn’t stopped turning.Inevitably there will be change thanks to NVES, with car brands needing to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles or face financial penalties, however the government has effectively given the industry three years to sort itself out. Any brand above the limit in 2025 has until the end of 2027 to generate (or buy from a rival brand) ‘credits’ to offset their less-efficient models.In other words, expect ‘situation normal’ in 2025 with all the usual models you find in dealerships, albeit with a ramp up of more hybrids and PHEVs like we’ve begun to see in the last 18 months.Normally you’d expect the arrival of two big name models, which nearly double the options for buyers, to result in a sales boom for a particular market. And yet, despite the introduction of the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra, sales of ‘$100k plus utes’ (otherwise known as the US-style pick-ups) were up just a marginal 2.4 per cent in 2024.The segment still sold more than 10,000 units in 2024, which is an impressive number when you consider these are expensive and niche vehicles, but the arrival of the Ford and Toyota should have been a boost. They certainly helped offset the sales decline of the Ram 1500, which dropped as the current V8-powered model entered run-out, but it speaks to the limitations of the market.With the arrival of the new six-cylinder Ram 1500 to go along with the F-150 and Tundra, it’s hard to see the total volume of $100k plus utes getting much higher than 10,000 per year.

Toyota sold less than 1000 examples of its electric bZ4X SUV in the past year, and the company said that shows its strategy was right all along.Electric car sales grew by only 4.6 per cent in Australia last year to 91,292, despite a wave of new models and heavy price discounting on current vehicles.Hybrid sales jumped 76 per cent and plug-in hybrid sales more than doubled. Toyota sold more than 118,000 hybrids or about two thirds of all hybrids sold in Australia.The Toyota RAV4 was the second best-selling vehicle in 2024 and sales of Corolla, Corolla Cross and Camry all boomed.Toyota Australia’s Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley, said it hasn’t fallen behind competitors that have rapidly expanding electric car ranges.“I certainly don’t think anyone has got the jump on Toyota, because that’s suggesting that Toyota got it wrong,” said Hanley.“Toyota didn’t get it wrong. Toyota got it exactly right. I mean, I’d hate to have 20,000 EVs sitting in my yard right now. I’d hate to have 10,000, right. The reality is we got it perfectly right. “Does that absolve us from having to decarbonise? No it does not. It’s just that we’ve read, I believe, the market right,” he said.Hanley said some of the concerns about electric cars from customers were driving range, access to charging stations, recharging times, prices and battery life.For now electric cars don’t meet the requirements for all Australians, he said.“The plain truth is that demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in markets around the world is not living up to the hype,” said Hanley.“Just because you build them or legislate them or even provide cash incentives for them, it doesn’t always mean the buyers will come to stimulate demand for BEVs.“We’ve noted that some companies have engaged in significant price cuts. For the most part, it hasn’t worked. All that’s done is harm existing customers by cutting resale values,” he said.Toyota dipped its toe in the electric car water this year, launching its bZ4X in March this year.It sold just shy of 1000 examples in its first 10 months on sale locally. The Tesla Model Y — Australia’s best-selling electric vehicle in 2024 — sold about 18,000 units in that time.Hanley said that the company’s soft approach on electric cars was right for now, but it will ramp it up in coming years.“The truth of the matter is we have one BEV.”“We didn’t set lofty targets on that BEV because we knew at the time when we were launching that car that the market was limited. We predicted that the market would be what it is in BEVs. “Having said that, then comes along New Vehicle Efficiency Standards (NVES) where it is advantageous actually to sell more BEVs in the future to offset carbon penalties and to get credits allowing you to sell more of other vehicles that Australians want.”Toyota will expand its range of electric cars to three by the end of 2026, which is when the NVES will really start to bite.

Toyota has pulled out all the stops at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, unveiling three striking examples of its GR Yaris hot hatch under the banner of ‘Car-making at Nürburgring’.These include a competition test and research prototype designed to extend the car’s potential on road and track.The GR Yaris M Concept features a mid-mounted, 2.0-litre, inline turbo four-cylinder engine and a full race set-up enabling it to compete in 24 hour endurance events which Toyota has consistently used as test bed for new designs and technology, with company Chairman Akio Toyoda (aka ‘Master Driver’ Morizo) a regular competitor in around the clock races at (the Toyota owned) Fuji Speedway.In recent years the key focus has been development of a competition version of the GR Corolla powered by a 1.3-litre, three-cylinder combustion engine using hydrogen as a liquid fuel.And now, the GR Yaris M Concept looks set to join it, with a full-house GRMN (Gazoo Racing Meister of the Nurburgring) version a possible production car development.Toyota says the car will be “repeatedly driven to failure and then repaired in the extreme conditions of racing, with feedback from Morizo and professional drivers incorporated”.Question is, why? The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is expected to be the brand's new performance halo that will invigorate its sports car line-up.The fact the engine is mounted mid-ship in the Yaris Mule suggests that, like MG did with a Metro van prior to the TF sports car's launch, Toyota might be testing its new MR2 layout in public. Interesting.Also on display is another “evolved”, although slightly more conventional, GR Yaris racing car. It features Gazoo Racing’s newly developed eight-speed ‘Direct Automatic Transmission’ (DAT).Toyota claims the DAT’s optimised software senses driver brake and accelerator inputs to anticipate optimal gear shift points before changes in vehicle behaviour occur.To be run by Toyota Gazoo Racing (in collaboration with Rookie Racing) in the Nürburgring Langstrecken Series (NLS) this competition Yaris will mark Toyota’s return to the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race after a six-year hiatus.The final member of the GR Yaris trio is an Aero Package prototype road car featuring six body elements including strakes in the nose, vented fender flairs and a variable rear wing (with “situation-responsive” adjustable angle).

Previous reports on the next-generation Toyota Corolla suggested a shrink in body style choices, but the latest news from Japan is just the oppositeCompletely unconfirmed but with some background from inside Japanese carmaking giant Toyota, Japanese outlet BestCar believes there will be an astounding number of versions of the 2026 Toyota Corolla and it might be Toyota that saves the interesting wagon after all. Not only the hatch and sedan, a wagon version is expected and the latest news points to the revival of a lifted Subaru Outback-like wagon — the ‘Carib’ — and a Caldina GT-Four revival. Because neither of those badges have ever come to Australia, a bit of explaining is in order. In the late 1990s and early ’00s, Toyota offered a Carib version of the Corolla that, like Subaru’s Impreza Gravel Cross that morphed into today’s Crosstrek. A new version imagined by BestCar can be seen in yellow. The Caldina was based on a Corolla but was a performance-focused MPV, quite a strange vehicle, but it used the running gear from the Toyota Celica GT-Four sports car, including its turbo-petrol four-cylinder and clever all-wheel drive system. It is the white BestCar render.Why does BestCar suspect these revived names? Apparently, a cryptic email from a Toyota insider came back: “Carib = Caldina = Corolla”, that was all. For driving enthusiasts, the rebirthed Caldina GT-Four is most exciting. BestCar speculates the new model could use the GR Corolla’s 221kW 1.6-litre three-cylinder and torque splitting AWD system. The engine is getting plenty of runs on the board already, also featuring in the GR Yaris and new Lexus LBX Morizo RR. It is also expected to feature in the next GR86 sports car. The Caldina GT-Four is likely to take a closer shape to the Corolla wagon this time around, rather than the original that was a peculiar people mover. A rival to the Skoda Octavia RS, the only other true performance wagon for under $100K. As for the Carib, the much-loved Subaru Outback is soon to take on a more SUV-like form factor. That could leave the door open for Toyota to swoop in with a lifted wagon, but that’s a big stretch in Australia. Like the regular 2026 Corolla range, the new Carib is expected to use Toyota’s new down-sized Euro 7-compliant petrol-electric hybrid engines. In the Corolla’s case, a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre that will cut fuel use by 12 per cent is mooted.  A plug-in hybrid version with over 1000km driving range thanks to a BYD-supplied Blade battery is on the cards, too. Inside, expect a larger touchscreen, revisions to the cabin layout, higher quality digital instrument display and improved connected services. The new Corolla is expected to launch in 2026, around a similar time to Toyota’s new RAV4 and after the HiLux, with the small car battling the Mazda3, recently-updated Volkswagen Golf Mk8.5 and Kia's new Cerato-replacing K4. Whether additional variants like the wagon, Carib and Caldina GT-Four will come to Australia, it seems unlikely. They are not confirmed for production in general. That said, Toyota is on a roll reviving names from its back catalogue right now, including a new LFA, Celica sports car, Starlet minicar, MR2 sports car and mini Landcruiser FJ. There are also plans for new-generation GR86 and Supra sports cars in the works, so it is possible.Let us know in the comments below if you would be interested in one of Toyota’s new takes on the Corolla wagon. 

The Australian new car market is more competitive than ever before and the 2024 sales charts proved exactly that.It doesn't matter whether you're a legacy brand or a new kid on the block, the electric transition has created ample opportunities for carmakers to thrive – and a considerable number did so this year.So, without further ado, here they are...GWM’s rise to a top-ten brand in 2024 caught many by surprise, though people are quick to forget that this has been a long time coming.As the first Chinese car brand to reach Australian shores in 2009, GWM has evolved considerably from its early ute foundations, with its SUV range now comprising the vast majority of its sales.Specifically, the Haval Jolion, which GWM sold 14,238 of last year – a record for the brand for what is Australia’s second-cheapest hybrid car and 10th most popular in December. We knew BYD was coming, but who expected this?The Chinese Tesla-challenger came big in 2024 with a sales uptick of 64.5 per cent, primarily off the back of the fully-electric Seal and plug-in hybrid Sealion 6 models – which sold 6393 and 6198 units, respectively, in their first year.With the Shark 6 ute and Sealion 7 on its way, who knows, by this time next year we could be calling it a top-ten brand.It was another strong year for Ford which maintained the title of Australia's best-selling vehicle with the Ranger ute. It clocked 62,593 sales in total.Second to it, albeit much further behind, was the Ranger-based Everest SUV, which clocked 26,494 sales for the year – a 75.8 per cent increase on last year.Together they accounted for nearly 90 per cent of Ford's sales, which puts them in a precarious position in 2025 with New Vehicle Efficiency Standards and stiff competition from BYD and GWM on the plug-in hybrid ute front.Australia’s love of Mitsubishi clearly isn’t waning despite the brand lacking an EV.Sales of the Outlander SUV, which is offered in plug-in hybrid guise, skyrocketed in 2024, with 27,613 sales making it the second-best selling medium SUV in the country behind the Toyota RAV4.It is also worth noting that the new-gen Triton had a strong year, with sales up a further 7.6 per cent to 14,737 for the year.There are few things Australians love more than a Toyota.  The Japanese powerhouse grew its sales by 26,056 on last year, with the final tally of 241,296 sales exceeding the volume of both second (Ford) and third (Mazda) places combined. A big chunk of that was off the back of the RAV4, which nearly doubled its sales from 29,627 last year to 58,718. Toyota expects that to grow even further in 2025.HiLux sales retracted by 14.2 per cent in 2024 and are likely to do so again in 2025, but it still performed strongly with 53,499 total sales. Expect some of the slack to be picked up by the brand new Prado this year.The South Korean powerhouse continues its march as one of Australia’s best-selling car brands, increasing its slice of the pie by a further 7.4 per cent in 2024 to 81,787 total sales.Leading its sales was the Kia Sportage with 22,210 sales, a 41.0 per cent increase on the previous year.The Cerato and Carnival models weren’t too far behind at 15,502 and 10,080 sales, respectively.Regardless of challenging times for the brand globally, Nissan had a strong year in Australia, clocking up nearly 6000 more sales this year compared to last.Those were greatly helped by the X-Trail, which had a huge 36 per cent increase in sales year-on-year.Though it's far from the most compelling ute in Australia, the Navara continued to sell relatively well, clocking up 10,063 sales for 2024, a 15.5 per cent increase.So apparently selling super-affordable cars during a cost-of-living crisis was a winning ticket, who would’ve thought?Chery shook things up in 2024 with its very affordable range, which doubled in size. The Omoda 5 reigned supreme, growing its sales from 5370 to 6162.It wasn’t without help from the Tiggo 7 Pro (2734) and the brand new Tiggo 4 Pro (1918) and Tiggo 8 Pro (1789) models, though.Suzuki is proving that you don’t necessarily need a brand new line-up to achieve sales success.As the brand’s most popular model, the Jimny (9697 sales), enters its seventh year, it shows no signs of slowing down, with sales up 93.9 per cent from 2023.The same can be said for the Vitara (2456 sales), which enters its 10th year this year with a 45.6 per cent sales increase on last year.Porsche’s strong year was largely off the back of its petrol Macan model, which is now out of production as the brand transitions to an electric-only Macan range.Expect sales to dip strongly next year.The second- and third-most popular models were the Cayenne and 911, which remain strong market favourites with respective sales increases of 15.5 and 40.3 per cent.While recording a modest sales increase, BMW retained its title as Australia’s best-selling premium brand for the second year running.With 26,341 total sales, BMW saw strong results across its very dynamic line-up, which consists of EVs, plug-in hybrids, mild-hybrids, petrol and diesel.Notable models were the electric i4 sedan, which saw a staggering 484.1 per cent increase on last year, along with the new X2, which saw a 565 per cent increase.It sounds big on paper, but the 16.1 per cent increase only equates to 600 sales from 3703 in 2023 to 4303 in 2024.Not to downplay it, though, it's a strong result for Chevrolet which sells its cheapest car in Australia – the Silverado LTZ 1500 premium – for $130,500, before on-road costs.