• Volkswagen ID.Era 9X is brand’s first range-extender electric SUV

    January 13, 2026

    The Volkswagen ID.Era 9X six-seat SUV is the automaker’s first extended-range electric vehicle (EREV), and is scheduled to go on sale in China later in 2026. Developed with Volkswagen’s Chinese joint venture partner SAIC – which owns brands such as LDV and MG – specifically for China, the ID.Era 9X was first shown in concept form at the 2025 Shanghai motor show. Now, details of the production SUV – including exterior dimensions and powertrain specifications – have been released. Measuring 5207mm long, it’s one of the largest vehicles the brand has produced, eclipsing the Touareg (4902mm) sold here and even…

  • Police crackdown on hoons at Summernats

    January 13, 2026

    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…

  • Nissan Aura Nismo RS Concept previews track-ready hybrid hot hatch

    January 12, 2026

    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.…

  • Australia’s best sellers among private buyers in 2025: RAV4, Model Y, Shark beat Ranger, HiLux

    January 12, 2026

    Businesses and governments do a lot of heavy lifting, but it’s private buyers that account for the greatest share of new-vehicle sales in Australia. According to the 2025 VFACTS report published by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), a total of 600,580 vehicles were sold to private buyers last year, out of a total of 1,209,808 vehicles. These figures exclude Tesla and Polestar, which report their sales separately to the Electric Vehicle Council, and several other auto brands that don’t report their sales to either industry organisation. The Toyota RAV4 fell short of claiming the title of Australia’s best-selling…

  • 2027 BMW iX4 fastback electric SUV spied

    January 12, 2026

    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…

  • World-first solid-state EV battery to offer 600km of range from a 10-minute charge

    January 12, 2026

    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…

  • Alfa Romeo’s customisation division unveils first limited edition vehicle

    January 12, 2026

    The Giulia Quadrifoglio Luna Rossa is the first Alfa Romeo from the BottegaFuoriserie customisation division shared with Maserati. Developed in conjunction with the Luna Rossa sailing team that vied for the America’s Cup in 2024, the Giulia Quadrifoglio Luna Rossa has a two-tone exterior with the majority of the body finished in silver, but with the roof and parts of the bonnet and boot done in “boat deck” black. The Luna Rossa has a new carbon-fibre aero package that’s said to be low drag, but also capable of developing five times more downforce — around 140kg — at 300km/h than…

  • 2026 Honda ZR-V review: Long-term introduction

    January 12, 2026

    The ZR-V is the newest model in Honda’s Australian lineup, and we’re gearing up to spend three months behind the wheel of the flagship e:HEV LX variant of the mid-size SUV range. Perhaps it’s not the first model that comes to mind when one thinks of Honda, but the ZR-V has proven itself as a quiet performer in the Japanese brand’s relatively small local lineup. It regularly records strong sales numbers compared to its smaller HR-V and larger CR-V siblings, and in November 2025 it even surpassed those two SUVs to be Honda Australia’s best-selling model for the month. That’s…

  • VFACTS December 2025: Strong finish for another record year of new vehicle sales

    January 12, 2026

    A record year for new-vehicle sales in Australia had a strong finish in December, despite a drop from the same month in the previous year. A total of 101,513 new vehicles were delivered in December 2025, according to sales figures published by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council, up 1.9 per cent on December 2024’s result. While the new-vehicle market reached a record high in 2025, overall sales growth was just 0.3 per cent year-on-year. You can view our full 2025 sales breakdown here. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click…

  • Dakar is Ford’s ‘Le Mans moment’ – and Toyota is the enemy

    January 12, 2026

    Ford CEO Jim Farley says winning the Dakar Rally isn’t just another trophy – it’s Ford’s 21st-century Le Mans moment, and beating Toyota would be nothing short of spiritual. The Dakar Rally occupies a similar emotional and strategic territory that Le Mans once did for Ford. It’s the race the company believes can define an era – and the one it feels it must win to cement its ambition of becoming the world’s dominant off-road performance brand. “If you want to be the Porsche of off-road, you’ve got to win Dakar,” Mr Farley told CarExpert at the 2026 Dakar Rally,…