E-Transit Custom delivers plug-in and fully electric options

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It’s hard enough trying to sell EVs to Australians, let alone electric vans to hard-nosed business operators. But that’s the road Ford Australia is headed down with its range of E-Transit electric and plug-in hybrid commercial delivery vans. Due to arrive here in the third quarter of the year, the Custom and Transit Custom PHEV are designed to offer small business and fleet operators choices to suit their needs without compromise. Four variants will be available, with the choice of plug-in hybrid or battery electric powertrains in either Long Wheelbase… Read more

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CHERY TIGGO 7 PRO SE+

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We’re all familiar with the old adage that “if something seems too good to be true then it probably is”. Well, that’s not the case with the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro SUV that we’ve just tested where its price has dropped by $10,000 with only a minimal reduction in equipment levels. Just over a year ago we reviewed the original Tiggo 7 Pro. Three variants were offered, Urban, Elite and Ultimate priced from $39,990 to $45,990 driveaway respectively. The first two were two-wheel drive and the third all-wheel drive These… Read more

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KIA K4 SPORT+ SEDAN

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The futuristic-looking K4 is a replacement for the Kia Cerato. But, for the time being at least, both are offered for sale by the South Korean car manufacturer. At this stage we get the sedan but not the hatch which will probably turn up later in the year. Kia says the change of name brings the K4 into line with the rest of the world, where it has already adopted the same naming strategy: K3 (Kia Rio), K5 (Optima) and K8 (Cadenza) and K9 (K900). Only the tiny Picanto remains…. Read more

Platinum finish for top-spec Tundra

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Toyota’s full-size pick-up range is set to shine with the addition of the flagship Tundra Platinum. Priced from a gobsmacking $172,990 plus on-road costs, Platinum joins the Limited grade, the latter priced from $155,990 plus on-roads. Platinum builds on the Limited, with unique styling elements designed to enhance the big pick-up’s impressive on-road presence. It features a chrome-plated, mesh front grille and side door trim, black tailgate handles and window surrounds, plus black 20-inch alloy wheels. Both the Limited and Platinum are now offered with a powered tailgate, providing additional… Read more

Palisade XRT PRO targets off-road crowd

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Hyundai has an off-road version of the Palisade on the way. Due to arrive in the first half of 2026, it’s the first Hyundai to wear the XRT PRO nameplate. It signifies that it has been significantly upgraded to offer off-road capabilities beyond prior XRT models. Unveiled at the New York motor show, XRT PRO even looks the part, thanks to a uniquely muscular front end that incorporates a bold lower grille design bookended by prominent canyon red recovery hooks and a beefier lower fascia. It’s powered by a newly… Read more

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TOYOTA COROLLA – STILL KEEPING AHEAD OF THE GAME

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It’s amazing how the Toyota Corolla has evolved over the years. Back in the day it was basic, vanilla transport and that’s the way it stayed for years. Then someone, somewhere flipped a switch and things began to change dramatically, starting with the 11th gen Corolla in 2012. But it was just a warm up for the current model which arrived in early 2018, with its complex, unrepentant, multi-faceted design. Sitting lower than before with a steeply raked windscreen, it presents a predatory nose, with a design that is as… Read more

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MAZDA CX-70: A MATTER OF GIVE AND TAKE

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As the Merlin of Mazda would say: Pick a number between 60 and 90, say 70. Now add CX and GT or Azami, then take away two seats and cap it off with a $10k-plus price advantage over its seven-seat twin. You now have the CX-70, the fourth SUV from the Japanese auto maker’s new rear/all-wheel drive ‘Large Product Group’ platform. It’s the same size as the ‘wide-body’ seven-seat CX-90 flagship, with the third row removed, Then there are the CX-60 and CX-80 twins, the latter riding on a wheelbase… Read more

Inster ready to rock

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Hyundai’s first fully-electric model, Inster, is available to purchase now. All-new Inster delivers stylish, futuristic design inside and out, ample driving range, and an array of leading-edge technologies in a smart, compact package. Inside, the ultra-flexible interior includes bench-style front seating, and 50:50 split-fold rear seats which also slide and recline, maximising space and versatility. Inster is packed with features, including a 10.25-inch full digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen, Bluelink Connected Car Services, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, and an extensive Hyundai SmartSense suite as standard…. Read more

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BIG BROTHER GIVES PRADO A LIFT

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The pride of the Toyota SUV parade, the Prado, is showing off a new stiff upper lip thanks to TNGA-F architecture shared with its bigger LandCruiser 300 Series sibling. Also on board is the latest in the company’s on and off-road driver assistance technology, including a new 48-volt V-active powertrain mated to a new eight speed automatic shifter. The pedigree has its origins in the iconic LandCruiser with all its on- and off-road capability and functionality. The latest generation consists of five members – GX, GXL, VX, Altitude and Kakadu… Read more

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JEEP AVENGER EV ‘TOUGHS IT OUT’ IN THE CITY

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Buyer beware: while so-called ‘range anxiety’ can strike fear in the heart of the electric vehicle driver, there is another phrase that is doing just as much to dim EV appeal and that is ‘out of service’. More than once, I have been rebuffed by a public fast DC charging station with this uncontrollable (by me) message showing up on the information screen. For example, driving the new Jeep Avenger Summit, down to 40 per cent battery charge, had me facing disappointment and scrambling to find the closest compatible ‘fuel… Read more