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Month: December 2019
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Next-generation Holden Commodore to be an SUV?
The recent axing of the Holden Commodore didn’t come as a huge surprise, as sales of conventional passenger cars are waning as customers increasingly look to SUVs as their vehicle choice. The ZB Commodore went some of the way towards meeting that desire from buyers – the Tourer model, a high-riding wagon with Subaru Outback-aping…
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New Volkswagen Caddy 2021 teased: Popular van channels inner sports car
Volkswagen has teased the next-generation Caddy ahead of its reveal next year, with sketches of the small van indicating it’ll come with a surprisingly sporty twist. As such, the German brand promises “the new generation is going to be very different yet fulfils all familiar demands”. That said, Volkswagen has pointed out the sketches are…
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Toyota Camry 2019 recalled: More than 1000 new sedans have possible seatbelt issue
Toyota Australia has been forced to recall 1044 Camry sedans over potentially faulty seatbelts. Affecting MY19 examples sold between September 11 and December 11 this year, a manufacturing defect possibly causes one of the lock mechanisms in the seatbelts from locking as designed. In the event of an accident, if the seatbelts don’t function properly,…
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Would you take a GR Yaris subscription? Toyota mulls “innovative” ways of selling new Fiesta ST rival
While we know just about everything there is to know about the GR Yaris, there is still one worrying mystery left to be solved – just how much the pint-sized powerhouse will cost in Australia. Toyota doesn’t see any of the regular city-sized hot hatch crowd as a threat. Instead, they list the bigger and…
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Would you take a GR Yaris subscription? Brand mulls “innovative” ways of selling new Fiesta ST rival
While we know just about everything there is to know about the GR Yaris, there is still one worrying mystery left to be sold – just how much the pint-sized powerhouse will cost in Australia. Toyota doesn’t see any of the regular city-sized hot hatch crowd as a threat. Instead, they list the bigger and…
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Lexus to expand F performance brand to take on Mercedes and BMW
Lexus will soon expand its F performance line-up beyond the RC F coupe and GS F sedan, with all models potentially in line for the go-fast treatment – including SUVs. Speaking recently to CarsGuide, Lexus international president Yoshihiro Sawa said the carmaker “is committed to increasing its performance presence through the F brand”, noting that…
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Best ANCAP safety ratings of 2019: Tesla Model X and Model 3 beaten by Mercedes-Benz CLA
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has released its best safety ratings of 2019, with the Mercedes-Benz CLA mid-size sedan narrowly beating Tesla’s Model X large SUV and Model 3 mid-size sedan for top honours. The CLA achieved an overall weighted score of 90.2 per cent (the average result of ANCAP’s four testing categories),…
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Nissan Juke 2020 confirmed: New small SUV officially heading to Australia
Nissan Australia has confirmed the second-generation Juke small SUV will enter its showrooms in mid-2020. Revealed in early September, the new Juke features a more mature exterior design than its predecessor, although it does carry over a lot of its personality. In fact, Nissan is offering several personalisation options in other markets, including customisable bumper…
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Volkswagen slapped with record fine over dieselgate in Australia
Volkswagen AG has been ordered to pay a record $125 million in penalties by the Australian federal court after being found guilty of breaching Australian Consumer Law during the ‘dieselgate’ emissions scandal. The company had previously agreed to a $75 million fine, but it was slammed by federal court judge Lindsay Foster at the time…
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Seven things you need to know about the GR Yaris: Toyota’s chief engineer spills the hot hatch’s secrets
Toyota’s cat is at last out of the GR Yaris-shaped bag, with details at last emerging about the brand’s first all-wheel-drive performance car since the GT-Four Celica 20 years ago. But we wanted to go beyond the press material, and so we cornered the GR Yaris’ chief engineer, Mr Naohiko Saito, so he could spill the…
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The GR Yaris is just the beginning: Toyota plots fire-breathing GRMN version
Yes, the GR Yaris will steal the spotlight for the time being, given it’s Toyota’s first attempt at a hot hatch in years, but the brand is already hinting at a harder, faster GRMN version in the works. And that’s saying something, given what we know about the GR version. It’s turbocharged, 1.6-litre, three-cylinder engine…
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CarsGuide Podcast: Tools in the Shed ep. 114
Episode 114 – Everything we know about the Yaris GR In this episode, James Cleary, Andrew Chesterton and Malcolm Flynn gather in the garage to talk about all things motoring, including: Toyota’s recently revealed Yaris GR hot hatch is the Japanese giant’s first proper, performance hatchback since the ’90s. Chesto was at the global launch…
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MG HS 2020: ANCAP raises safety concerns with new Mazda CX-5-rivalling Chinese SUV
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has given the MG HS mid-size SUV a five-star safety rating despite raising concerns regarding its performance in crash testing. “Tested to our most stringent criteria, the MG HS scored well, yet concerns were noted for chest protection of the driver in the oblique pole test and head…
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Hyundai Venue 2020: New small SUV gets lacklustre ANCAP safety rating
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has hit the Hyundai Venue small SUV with a substandard four-star safety rating due the limited capability of one of its advanced driver-assist systems. “The Venue fell shy of the five-star safety standard we’ve come to expect from Hyundai, with ‘marginal’ performance levels observed for its ability to…
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Jeep Wrangler 2020: ANCAP adjusts iconic off-roader’s poor safety rating
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has adjusted the safety rating for the Jeep Wrangler off-roader from one to three stars following its addition of autonomous emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring as part of a MY20 update. “These upgrades are welcome, and I commend the local supplier for moving to provide Wrangler buyers in…
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The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is coming to rattle your Ram! HSV to launch V8-powered tough truck in “early 2020”
The Ram 1500 will finally have to pick on someone its own size, with HSV expected to launch the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 in “early 2020”. While HSV is yet to officially comment, an email sent to its subscriber base said the brand was “looking forward to launching BIG things in early 2020. Stay tuned!” The…
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Tesla reduces Autopilot self-driving capability of Model S and Model X
Tesla has reduced the capability of its Autopilot self-driving system found in select Model S sedans and Model X SUVs in Europe in order to comply with strict local regulations. As a result, Autopilot is now limited in capacity across all models in Europe when compared to its fully featured North American counterpart. For reference,…
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New Skoda Karoq 2020 detailed: Small SUV gets all-wheel-drive 140TSI Sportline variant
Skoda Australia has announced its MY20 Karoq line-up due in the second quarter next year, with the small SUV adding a new flagship with a punchier engine, all-wheel-drive grip and sportier looks, while its entry-level version has received an unexpected heart transplant. As its name suggests, the range-topping 140TSI Sportline is powered by a 140kW/320Nm…
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New mobile phone detection cameras bust thousands of drivers on debut
World-first mobile phone detection cameras in New South Wales have busted more than 3300 drivers breaking the law in their first week of operation. The cameras were switched on across at the state at the start of this month, with nearly 500 drivers caught using their mobile phones on average each day in the first…
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New Subaru Forester Hybrid 2020 pricing and specs detailed: Popular SUV goes petrol-electric
Subaru Australia has confirmed its first petrol-electric Forester mid-size SUV, aptly dubbed Hybrid, will arrive in March next year commanding a premium of at least $3000 over its petrol counterparts. Available in two variants, the Hybrid is priced from $39,990 plus on-road costs in entry-level L form, while the S flagship costs $6000 extra. Its…