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INTRODUCTION TO MAZDA RULING CLASS

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As in life, the automobile world lives by its own class system. So-called social stratification rules cover rungs strictly on a wealth basis. With vehicles measured on price, pedigree and performance the story is replete with strictly observed grades with little or no upward mobility. Most automobile manufacturers over time have stuck to the model playbook of ‘horses for courses’. Now, one of their ilk, Mazda, has broken ranks with a bid to take its larger SUVs upmarket, starting with the CX-60. Mazda has form in this, in the 1990s,… Read more

Toyota reveals enhanced bZ4X EV

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With a larger battery, the latest version of Toyota’s BZ4X EV promises improvements to battery, performance and driving range. The lithium-ion battery pack fitted to the SUV is slightly larger at 74.7kWh, compared to 71.4 kWh previously. The front-wheel drive version of the BZ4X now produces 165kW of power instead of 150kW, while the dual-motor, all-wheel drive has been boosted by 92kW and now has a combined output of 252kW. The increase in output has also boosted performance, slashing the AWD’s 0-100km/h time by 1.8 seconds to 5.1 seconds. No… Read more

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SUZUKI SWIFT HYBRID GLX

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Wow. Considering that Toyota launched its first hybrid in 2001. It beggars belief that it took Suzuki until 2024 — 23 years later — to release its first hybrid offering. Talk about dragging the chain. Not only that, but it has been added to a small fuel efficient hatchback that arguably doesn’t really need it — the Swift. The Hamamatsu-based company has however taken a slightly different approach, because the hybrid does not directly power the wheels. So let’s take a closer look at this latecomer to a party that… Read more

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MG ZS ESSENCE PETROL

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The Chinese-owned MG company continues to make an impact on the Australian market with an expanding range and a prominent marketing campaign having it locked into the top ten of new car sales. As with most new brands, pricing has been the most driver of MG’s success with its MG3 hatchback and ZS small SUV both consistently at the top of their respective sales categories. The MG ZS arrived here in late 2017 with what is effectively an all-new model coming here early in 2025. It comes with a larger… Read more

JAC’s futuristic DE-FINE concept set to make debut

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JAC’s futuristic concept DE-FINE will make its debut at the Melbourne Motor Show on April 5 and 6. The DE-FINE concept showcases JAC Motors’ Guiding Intelligence with Intelligence framework for the future. It is JAC Motors’ vision for continuous innovation, sustainability, and advanced automotive design, and was recognised for this when it won the prestigious 2024 Red Dot Award for Outstanding Design Concept. DE-FINE’s streamlined styling is inspired by interstellar exploration, its architecture sets new benchmarks in performance and efficiency, and its driver-focused interior pushes boundaries for comfort and immersion. JAC… Read more

VW rolls out its ID electric SUVs

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Volkswagen australia is launching the ID. 4 and ID. 5 with a simple premise – these are simply better electric SUVs Backed by ultra-competitive pricing, ID. 4 Pro is priced from $59,990 while the larger ID. 5 GTX is priced from $72,990 — both prices before on-roads costs. The Volkswagen ID. 4 and ID. 5 offer trademark German quality and engineering, plus pricing and features highly competitive with unknown brands and top 10 brand BEVs. Standard equipment includes IQ.LIGHT Matrix LED headlamps with adaptive high beam, 3D LED rear lights with dynamic indicators,… Read more

Four-seat Chery Journeo door to the future

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Chery Automobile has unveiled its vision of future mobility with the New Journeo Concept. The futuristic-looking concept combines pioneering technologies, sustainable materials and a revolutionary design. It was designed under the leadership of the 30-strong team at the Chery Advanced Design Centre Europe in Raunheim, Germany. Journeo is powered by Chery’s seventh-generation Kunpeng Super Performance Electric Hybrid C-DM system, which consists of a 2.0-litre turbo petrol- engine and an electric motor coupled with a 3DHT and offers a range of up to 2500km. “With the New Journeo Concept, we are… Read more

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NISSAN X-TRAIL E-POWER E-4ORCE

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Petrol/electric powered vehicles have been around for nearly a quarter of a century when Honda and Toyota launched their Insight and Prius models respectively. Over the years more hybrids have arrived to the stage where now almost every brand has a variety of them. Indeed, most Toyota passenger vehicles are only available as hybrids. Along the way batteries and electric motors have evolved while the price surcharges have made them much more affordable than the early models. Although Nissan was an early adopter of fully-electric cars, mainly the Leaf hatchback,… Read more

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SUZUKI S-CROSS ALLGRIP PRESTIGE

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Originally known as the SX4, the current model dates back to 2021 and shares its chassis with the Vitara. S-Cross brought a major makeover in styling, with a new front and rear-end design. Inside, the dashboard was updated, with an instrument cluster and 4.2-inch LCD multi-info display from Vitara, A floating 7.0-inch touchscreen became the focus of the infotainment system. Driver assistance was also upgraded with a 360 degree camera, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Interior space remains exactly the same as the previous generation. The SX4 S-Cross… Read more

Tank 300 now available with diesel

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GWM is expanding the Tank 300 lineup with the introduction of a new turbo-diesel variant. Designed to deliver improved efficiency and even better off-road performance, the diesel-powered Tank 300 will be available in two well-appointed grades – Lux and Ultra. At its core, the new Tank 300 diesel is powered by GWM’s robust 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, delivering 135kW of power at 3600 rpm and a hefty 480Nm of torque from 1500 to 2500 rpm. Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, this powertrain promises claimed fuel consumption of 7.8L/100km, delivering… Read more