It’s been almost five years since I last drove a Lexus ES, and while the mid-size luxury sedan was updated shortly after that, the range is soon to be replaced by a new-generation ES – making this something of a goodbye. Given the ES is essentially the Lexus-ised version of the Toyota Camry – though heavily upgraded – this model ended production in December, following the release of a new Camry in late 2025. But as night follows day, you can be sure that the new Lexus ES will bring with it a price increase. Which also means there may…

GWM is offering discounts of up to $6000 across its entire model range, as it aims to maintain its momentum following a record year in Australia in 2025. The Haval Jolion small SUV is being offered with reductions of between $1000 and $3000, with discounts of $2000 to $4000 on the Haval H6 mid-size SUV, $2000 on the similarly sized Haval H7, $1000 on the Tank 300 off-road SUV, between $1000 to $2000 on the Tank 500 large SUV and Cannon ute, and between $2000 and $6000 on the Cannon Alpha ute. A couple of GWM models – the Cannon…

MG is offering deals across almost its entire model range, but it’s the MG 4 electric hatchback that’s getting the largest discounts. The Chinese brand’s Summer Savings campaign, which ends on January 31, 2026, includes discounts of $2000 on HS Hybrid+ and Super Hybrid mid-size SUVs, and between $500 and $1000 off certain variants of the MG 3 hatch, ZS small SUV, HS, and QS large SUV. However, the MG 4 is being offered for between $4000 less than its recommended drive-away price in all bar top-spec XPower trim, which receives a $5000 discount. The discounted pricing is available on…

A total of 19 vehicles have been impounded by police during the annual Summernats festival in Canberra, with 85 defect notices issued. ACT Policing says 22 drivers were found to be impaired in the week of the event, with almost 20 vehicles seized during a high-visibility operation in the nation’s capital. With temperatures reaching 35 degrees, the 38th running of Summernats attracted approximately 130,000 attendees from across the country, with 3000 vehicles entered into the car show, according to ABC News. One yellow Holden VN Commodore with expired Victoria club permit number plates was impounded in the lead-up to the…

The 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon has played host to the reveal of the Nissan Auro Nismo RS Concept, a sporty widebody version of the brand’s Japanese-market hybrid hatchback. Nissan says the Auro Nismo RS show car was “designed as a technical validation exercise”, though the company “is exploring the potential of bringing this concept to market as a production car”. Based on the Japanese-market Aura Nismo RS AWD, a hybrid competitor to the Toyota Yaris, the Nismo RS Concept gets 145mm wider fenders and a 20mm ride height reduction for a lower centre of gravity and a more aggressive silhouette.…

The inaugural BMW iX4 has been spied on public roads for the first time ahead of its official unveiling later this year, and an expected arrival in Australia in 2027. A rival to the top-selling Tesla Model Y and Porsche Macan Electric, the all-new fastback luxury electric SUV will be the second model to be based on BMW’s make-or-break Neue Klasse electric vehicle (EV) platform, which the premium German automaker spent a claimed €10 billion (A$17bn) to develop, following the debut of the new iX3 at the Munich motor show in September 2025. While the iX3 is confirmed for Australian…

Finnish electric propulsion company Donut Lab has presented what it claims is the world’s first production-ready solid-state battery, and it’s claimed to deliver nearly 600km of range from a full charge in just 10 minutes in an electric motorcycle, the first production versions of which are set to hit the road within weeks. The company used the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to show a ‘functional prototype skateboard’, a lightweight electric vehicle (EV) platform it developed with WATT Electric Vehicle Company using Donut Lab electric hub motors and solid-state battery technology. Donut Lab also announced its solid-state batteries…