A sports version of the Mazda EZ-6 electric liftback – the effective replacement for the Mazda 6 sedan and wagon dropped from the Australian lineup earlier this year – has been revealed. The Mazda EZ-6 Sports Edition comes with sharper looks than the regular version, led by an illuminated Mazda logo as well as red…
Tag: news
2025 Chery C5: Renamed Chinese SUV starts from $29,990 drive-away
The Chery Omoda 5 was the first vehicle to wear the ‘Omoda’ name, but it has now lost that title even as Chery plans to launch the standalone Omoda brand this year. In Australia, the small SUV will henceforth be known as the Chery C5, and it’s now priced from $29,990 drive-away (previously $27,990 drive-away).…
Lexus axes its most affordable EV in Australia
The Lexus UX300e has reached the end of the road in Australia, where the small electric SUV has been discontinued less than two years after it received a substantial update. “The UX300e will no longer be available in Australia due to production restrictions on selected parts,” a company spokesperson confirmed to CarExpert following the disappearance…
Nissan considering closing factories in Japan, Mexico, South Africa and Argentina – report
Last week Nissan announced a staggering ¥670.9 billion (A$7.1bn) loss, and to help turn things around the company announced it would close seven factories, leading to fevered speculation as to which plants would get the chop. According to the Re:Nissan turnaround plan announced last week, seven unnamed factories will be closed by March 2028. Sources…
Volkswagen to ditch ID naming scheme for ‘proper names’ for new EVs
The current Volkswagen ID naming scheme for its electric vehicles (EV) will be junked in favour of something more in keeping with the brand’s history. Martin Sander, the Volkswagen brand’s chief of marketing and sales, told Auto und Wirtschaft Volkswagen’s new EV models “will get proper names again”. The change starts with the production versions…
Every dual-cab ute coming to Australia in 2025
A dual-cab ute has sat at the top of the Australian sales charts for almost a decade, the Toyota HiLux taking the number one spot in 2016 and holding onto it until the Ford Ranger nabbed it in 2023 and 2024. Three of the best sellers last year were dual cabs, with the Isuzu D-Max…
Which luxury electric SUV should you buy in 2025?
These cars may be especially niche in the Australian market, but we’ve had luxury electric SUVs on the mind as of late. CarExpert last week picked up the keys to its specially built Porsche Macan EV long-term loan car (more on that soon), and we’ve had several relevant reviews go live, including those for the…
Range-extender EV powertrains are making a comeback – here’s why
After it almost became extinct, extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) technology is undergoing a resurgence, and not just in the form of new models from automakers including Ford, Mazda, Ram, Genesis, BYD, Deepal and Leapmotor. At least two powertrain suppliers recently revealed new EREV systems that can be retrofitted to existing battery-electric vehicles (EVs), effectively turning…
Which plug-in hybrids offer the longest EV range in Australia?
Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) are now more popular in Australia than they’ve ever been, with a strong uptick in sales during the first few months of 2025 in particular, thanks in part to the end of generous fringe benefits tax (FBT) breaks for novated lease customers in April. A total of 13,698 PHEVs were delivered…
Ram confirms another delay to electric, range-extender utes
The all-electric Ram 1500 REV ute, and the closely related range-extender Ram 1500 Ramcharger, are delayed, again. Responding to a report by Crain’s Detroit Business, a spokesperson for the French-Italian-American automaker confirmed the company is “extending the quality validation period” to iron out some quality issues on the EREV (extended-range electric vehicle) 1500 Ramcharger. Although…