Articles by Chris Thompson

Chinese car maker NIO has officially launched its entry-level brand Firefly at Auto Shanghai 2025, with the small electric car of the same name possibly set for launch in Australia.

As Nissan confirms a next-gen ute to launch within the next 12 months and the brand’s North American executives discuss streamlining its global ute and pick-up range, Nissan has revealed a plug-in hybrid ute at Auto Shanghai 2025.The 2025 Nissan Frontier Pro ute is the first electrified 'pick-up' from the brand, with the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute seemingly based on the Yuanye Z9, built by Nissan’s joint venture partner in China, Dongfeng.The Frontier name comes from the American badge for Nissan’s mid-size ute, once the same as, and now a sibling to, the Nissan Navara.Importantly, Nissan says the Frontier Pro will be exported to other markets after its Chinese launch later this year, though which markets remains unconfirmed.The Frontier Pro boasts a 300kW/800Nm powertrain sending drive to all four wheels from its 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and transmission-mounted electric motor. Nissan says the Chinese market estimation for its EV-only range is 135km under New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) testing, which can be less accurate and more lenient than widely used WLTP test figures.Five-link rear suspension, an electromechanical rear differential lock, four drive modes ranging across 'Hybrid', 'Pure Electric', 'Performance' and 'Snow' plus chunky 265/65R18 tyres wrapped around serious-looking 18-inch alloys all suggest the Frontier Pro plug-in should have at least some capacity for off-roading.Further to the mechanicals, the PHEV ute wears a face inspired by the design of the D21 generation ‘Hardbody’ Navara, namely via three of its LED headlights spanning the top of the fascia, reminiscent of the bonnet intakes in the D21.Inside, the Frontier Pro isn’t harking back to the 1980s. A 10.0-inch driver display and a large 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen are joined by a two-spoke steering wheel, though as one would hope for in a work ute there are still physical controls for at least the climate control.Similarly important is the Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) port for powering or charging appliances via a household-style plug.The reveal of the Frontier Pro comes just after Chief Planning Officer for Nissan Americas Ponz Pandikuthira told US outlet MotorTrend the best plan going forward would be to streamline Nissan’s global ute and pick-up offerings: “Ideally we’d like to have a global convergence solution.”Interestingly, Pandikuthira said a plug-in hybrid would make the most sense for a single, global Nissan ute model to achieve solutions in most use cases. Pandikuthira also added that sooner rather than later is the plan: “We need to have a solution by . Three years from now.”Nissan had in March this year already confirmed “an all-new one-ton pickup” would launch in Japan’s 2026 financial year, which means anytime between April 2026 and March 2027.The model discussed in that plan is set to take advantage of Nissan’s links with Mitsubishi, potentially building a Nissan-badged Navara on the new Triton’s platform.As previously reported by CarsGuide, Nissan’s Chairperson of the AMEIO Region Guillaume Cartier told Australian media a new Navara would be on Australian soil in 2026.But don’t expect an electrified ute just yet - he clarified diesel is still the main dish for now."We need to make sure that if we electrify, how we electrify. I think it will be a two-step approach, first with a PHEV solution, then later on with EV," he said."That's what we're looking at, but first it will be with a diesel approach.”"On the first one we are with Mitsubishi, but the next one we are looking at. Because there is also technology we have in-house, which is solid-state battery, but that will take time.”It’s possible the “next one” Cartier referred to is the Frontier Pro plug-in just revealed in Shanghai, but time will tell.

A Nissan Americas executive has hinted at the future of the brand’s ute and pick-up family becoming much more streamlined.

More information about the upcoming electric sibling to the CX-5 has come from the Chinese joint-venture between Mazda and Changan - take a look inside the EZ-60.The 2025 Mazda EZ-60 SUV is an electric car that looks ready to take on the likes of the Tesla Model Y and XPeng G6, both also built in China. It’s also available as a range-extender, details of which were confirmed last week.Set to be called the Mazda CX-6e for global markets, the EZ-60 was revealed in mid-April but without details of its interior and features, until now.Inside, it seems Mazda has taken the trending approach of minimal physical buttons, instead relying on a huge central touchscreen for multimedia controls and no driver display screen, similar to a Tesla or the Volvo EX30.Instead, driving information is displayed on a head-up display. The screen measures 26.45-inches according to Chinese auto media, with CarNewsChina also reporting the car boasts a 23-speaker sound system with Dolby Atmos.There’s a rear touchscreen for passengers in the second row, a 350-litre boot that expands to 2036 litres with seats folded, and 126 litres of storage under the bonnet in the EV version.On that, the pure-electric version of the EZ-60 is said to be closely related to the EZ-6 sedan underneath, although specifications are yet to be officially confirmed.The range-extender on the other hand will come with a 31.7kWh LFP battery and a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with no mechanical links to the wheels. A 190kW electric motor solely powers the range-extender EZ-60, the engine only charging the battery. The EZ-60 range-extender boasts a claimed 160km electric-only driving range.While the model is intended for markets outside China, more details of its global presence (including a probable European launch) are expected in the future. Mazda Australia has previously indicated interest in bringing any models that might appeal to the local market here where possible, so don’t be surprised if the EZ-60 (as the CX-6e) ends up Down Under if it's made available.

You might not have heard of CATL, but you’ll have heard of the brands its electric car batteries are used in: Toyota, Hyundai, Tesla and plenty of others.

We already know Australians love a dual-cab ute. The likes of the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux are constantly battling for the top rung on the new-car sales ladder.So when Kia announced it would launch new ute Down Under, the news was met with a mix of excitement and curiosity.From the outside, it seemed like the global carmaking giant was building the Tasman ute with Australia solely in mind, but of course other markets like the Middle East, South Africa, South America and parts of Asia will do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to sales volume.However, a snippet from the 2025 Kia CEO Investor Day gave away just how much pressure is on Australia when it comes to the Tasman’s sales success.“The brand’s first pickup truck, the Tasman, will launch in Korea, Australia and emerging markets, with an annual sales target of 80,000 units and a six percent market share.”That doesn’t sound like a lot globally, but consider this: Kia Australia is aiming to sell about 20,000 Kia Tasmans annually.Australia is a ute-mad market, but it’s also one of the smallest developed new-car markets and one of the most competitive in the world.Kia Australia taking on the responsibility of a quarter of the Tasman’s global sales is an incredible undertaking, especially for a new, unestablished model. Not to mention one that’s surrounded in some divisive discourse regarding its design.To put the ‘Australia vs the world’ sales split into perspective, let’s look at the nation’s favourite utes, the Toyota HiLux and the Ford Ranger.The HiLux, one of history’s most enduring workhorses, sells in extremely healthy numbers here. Last year Toyota shifted more than 53,000, the year before it was more than 61,000.Globally, Toyota sells somewhere in the vicinity of half a million HiLux units, making Australia’s sales only a tenth of the world’s total.The Ranger is a similar story, with a little more than 60,000 sold annually in the last couple of years. Globally it still sells in the hundreds of thousands - last year it approached 340,000.For Kia Australia, the Tasman is extremely important. This year the brand is looking to sell about 90,000 new cars, and 10,000 should be Tasmans if all goes to plan.If Kia starts approaching 100,000 sales in Australia soon, about a fifth should be Tasmans.But for Tasman, Australia is crucial. It’s hard to predict whether it will work out as the brand hopes, but Kia Australia says it has more than 20,000 expressions of interest.Kia Australia Chief Executive Damien Meredith told CarsGuide the launch of the Tasman’s and its first six months of sales are “a critical element for the back half of the year ”.The Australian ute market is already rather busy, and new rivals like the JAC T9 from China will put the pressure on. More are coming too, like the Foton Tunland and MG U9, which will likely come with competitive pricing and features.Kia Australia certainly won’t be taking the Tasman’s sales performance lightly, and nor should it.

Audi has unveiled the classic sedan version of the new A6, claiming it’s the most aerodynamically efficient combustion Audi ever.

Mazda moves into new hybrid territory with the range-extender CX-6e.

Subaru has unveiled a trio of new models at the 2025 New York International Auto Show, one of which being a new model for the brand’s line-up in the form of an electric off-roader.

The Audi A3 is a popular premium hatchback in a market increasingly interested in SUVs, so can it continue to hold the small car fort after a mid-life update?