• The cars axed in 2025 that we’ll miss the most

    December 29, 2025

    At the end of every year, we reflect on all the models discontinued over the past 12 months and pick which one we’ll miss the most. Last year, for example, we waxed lyrical about the dearly departed Jaguar F-Type and Ford Puma – all bar one member of our team picked one of those discontinued vehicles as the one they’d miss the most. This year, there was little sadness or outrage. Nobody was pouring one out for the Toyota Fortuner, no one mourned the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, and no tears were shed for the LDV V80. CarExpert can save you…

  • GWM Cannon Alpha ute, Tank 300 HEV and Tank 500 recalled

    December 29, 2025

    The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), Tank 300 HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), Tank 500 HEV and Tank 500 PHEV have been recalled due to a potential wiring fault which may cause drivability issues. “Due to a manufacturing defect, the shielding ring in the high voltage wiring harness may not be properly grounded,” the recall notice said. “This can reduce the effectiveness of electromagnetic shielding, which may cause abnormal communication with the engine and transmission control systems. “As a result, warning lights may illuminate, vehicle torque may be reduced, and cooling performance of the hybrid system may be…

  • China bans Tesla-style door handles

    December 29, 2025

    The world’s biggest car market, China, has banned electric-only retractable door handles after safety concerns prompted by incidents involving the Xiaomi SU7 sedan and Tesla electric vehicles (EVs). From January 1, 2027, all new vehicles sold in China weighing less than 3.5 tonnes must include mechanical exterior and interior door handles, the move coming after months of public consultation on the matter. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said the move is to combat safety issues surrounding electric retractable door handles, such as a loss of power, cold conditions and other scenarios. In such scenarios, a lack of…

  • Ford Ranger-sized EV ute must prove itself in US before global rollout

    December 29, 2025

    Ford will introduce a new Ford Ranger-sized electric ute in the United States (US) in 2027, but the automaker says it must sell well enough there before it looks at exports – meaning it may not come to Australia. The US car giant previously confirmed its new Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform will underpin a new mid-sized ute made in the US state of Kentucky. The ute would be priced in the US, at least, around the same US$30,000 (A$45,000) kick-off as the Ford Escape SUV, a rival to the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 since dropped by Ford in…

  • Automakers missing NVES emissions targets to be named and shamed in 2026

    December 29, 2025

    Automakers that miss emissions standards under Australia’s New Vehicles Efficiency Standard (NVES) will be named and shamed in 2026. The NVES was introduced on January 1, 2025, with fines coming into force from July 1, 2025, for brands exceeding pre-set carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions limits across their model lineups. The first ‘performance period’ commenced on January 1, 2025, and ends on December 31, 2025. The NVES Regulator says it will publish the interim result, which it terms ‘interim emissions value’ (IEV) for this period in February 2026. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.…

  • Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport could get 6.7-litre LS6 V8 – report

    December 29, 2025

    A Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport could be on the way to showrooms with a new 6.7-litre LS6 V8 engine, the largest-capacity engine to be used in the current generation C8. Reports from Road & Track cite Corvette Blogger discovering the new engine, codenamed ‘LS6’, in the same parts book where the ZR1 Corvette’s LT7 V8 was spotted before its official 2024 reveal. While the engine has not been officially confirmed by Chevrolet, GM Performance lead engineer Tony Roma told Top Gear earlier this year at the launch of the flagship ZR1X there were more ‘hot’ C8 Corvettes to come. The…

  • Boxy new KGM Musso unveiled to take on HiLux and Ranger ahead of Australian launch

    December 29, 2025

    The KGM Musso 4×4 ute has been revealed in South Korea ahead of production early next year and Australian arrivals planned for the middle of 2026. The new-generation Musso, codenamed ‘Q300’, brings a more modern, squared-off look in line with the Musso EV and the Torres SUV, both of which launched here in 2025. The new Musso, however, uses a different platform to its showroom siblings, in the form of an upgraded version of the existing Musso’s ladder-frame chassis and coil-spring rear suspension. The class-leading Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux also use a ladder-frame chassis – with both using platforms…