Subaru Australia has confirmed running changes for the model year 2026 Subaru Crosstrek range, which is on sale now from $36,490 before on-road costs. Prices are up by between $500 and $1500 depending on variant, with all models adding a new Emergency Driving Stop System as standard equipment, while 2.0R. 2.0S and Hybrid S models add a driver’s seat memory function as standard. Further, new Sand Dune Pearl and Citron Yellow Pearl exterior paints are available as options, while Offshore Blue, Sun Blaze Pearl, Oasis Blue and Horizon Blue have been discontinued. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new…

Romanian automaker Dacia is said to be working on a new compact car, to be unveiled in the coming weeks. The brand – which produces the Duster, sold in Australia as a Renault – has revealed the small car will be offered with both petrol and hybrid powertrains, while European markets will also gain a dual-fuel option with LPG. “As we have seen with [the Dacia Bigster SUV], there is a clear demand in that segment to have affordable cars,” Dacia CEO Katrin Adt told media at the Brussels motor show earlier this month, Automotive New Europe reports. “We want…

While Australia’s best-selling model last year was a ute that can cost more than $90,000 before on-roads, in Europe a much more affordable vehicle took the top spot in 2025. For the second year in a row, the Dacia Sandero topped the charts in Europe – at least according to the Renault-owned brand, with data from JATO not yet publicly available. Dacia claims it’s actually had the best-selling car in Europe since 2017 if only private sales are counted, but that the Sandero took over in 2024 if sales are counted across all channels. It says one in 55 cars…

A safety probe has been launched in the US after the small-block ‘L87’ V8 that powers the Chevrolet Silverado pickup and other General Motors models allegedly suffered failures even following a fix applied as part of a 2025 recall of 721,000 vehicles. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the probe on January 16, 2026, after 36 owners had complained to the auto safety body alleging engine failure after having their vehicles ‘fixed’ during the previous recall. “The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 36 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging engine failure in vehicles subject to Recall…

Korean premium auto brand Genesis has mocked up a ute, and it’s left the door open for a production version. Images of the Hyundai luxury brand’s proposed electric ute have been published in the latest Auto&Design magazine, and reshared by Anh Ðinh Hoàng on Instagram, alongside a rakish people mover and a hydrogen fuel-cell SUV. “An electric pickup truck? Why not?” Hyundai Motor Group’s chief creative officer and chief design officer, Luc Donckerwolke, told the magazine about the concept’s creation. “Then we discarded it because we had to focus on different projects. Maybe in the future, who knows.” CarExpert can…

New South Wales will soon require those from selected countries to complete driving examinations before a licence from the state is issued. From February 1, 2026, drivers with licences issued by 16 countries will need to pass knowledge and driving tests before a NSW driving licence can be obtained – regardless of their age. Prior to the new rules coming into effect, only those aged under 25 with licences from the listed countries are required to sit the exams. The changes bring New South Wales into line with all other Australian states and territories. CarExpert can save you thousands on…

Ford might return with a sedan to the US market after dumping the traditional body style back in 2020. With the average transaction price on a new car in the US now north of US$50,000, and an on-going cost-of-living problem, Bill Ford, chairman of Ford, was asked at the recent Detroit motor show about affordability. In response, Mr Ford said, “Can you engineer vehicles that are fundamentally lower-cost so that you can pass that on to the consumer? And that’s what we’re working on.” CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Ford Taurus/Mondeo…

Fronx is an unusual name for a slightly unusual-looking compact SUV, and Suzuki says it’s shorthand for ‘Frontier Crossover’ – a new era of light SUV for the Japanese auto brand. With its bluff front-end and wispy lines disguising a pretty spacious vehicle, it’s one of the best value-for-money models in Australian showrooms right now, based on price and equipment alone. Launched in Australia in August 2025, the Fronx is one of Suzuki’s Indian-sourced models – like the five-door Jimny XL off-roader – and it effectively replaces the discontinued Baleno, which was a more conventional-looking hatch and, in fact, donates…

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) is urging the Australian Government to overhaul its road safety strategy following the release of damning new data on the national road toll. The country’s peak motoring body, which represents Australia’s motoring clubs and their 10 million-plus members, notes the national road toll has now increased each year over the past five calendar years, which it says last occurred in 1952. There were 22 more road deaths last year than in 2024, an increase of 1.7 per cent. The number of road fatalities per 100,000 residents was 4.8, unchanged from the year before. The three…