Articles by James Cleary

KGM Australia (formerly SsangYong Australia) has received a tick of approval from the Federal Government for the local appearance of a pure-electric version of its Musso dual cab ute.

It might still be two years away from a scheduled appearance in Porsche showrooms but the German maker’s upcoming ‘K1’ upper large SUV has taken a late turn away from pure-electric propulsion to include internal-combustion (ICE) in its powertrain portfolio.

Skoda Australia has added the finishing touch to its new, second-generation Kodiaq line-up with confirmed pricing and specification for the RS performance flagship version of the large, seven-seat SUV.

While the Toyota Corolla has sailed over 13,000 year-to-date sales (end-August) and its nearest small car rivals, the Hyundai i30 and Mazda3 both sit above the 7000 unit mark, the Skoda Scala is yet to hit triple figures and the Czech brand’s local boss has confirmed it is “under investigation” in terms of a continued presence in the Australian market.Only 97 examples of the wagon-style hatchback have found homes here so far this year, which is down 63 per cent on the same period in 2024.And when asked if the model was under review Skoda Australia Director Lucie Kuhn recently told CarsGuide, “We are right now analysing the product.“It’s actually a very good product. I would say it’s a nice car, very practical for daily usage but the car has limited sales. “It is very interesting, I would say, for rental car companies, but for private users they go in the direction of Kamiq when they make a choice.“So, it’s currently under investigation what we will do with the product. But for now it’s still with us,“ she said.The Scala review comes at a pivotal time for Skoda in Australia, with YTD sales just over 22 per cent down compared to the same period in 2024, which was itself 29 per cent behind 2023 numbers.But Ms Kuhn points to an inflow of new product which she believes will right the ship and have sales increasing strongly within the next 12 months.“In the last two years the product portfolio was coming to the end of its life. And at the beginning of this year we started the change of the portfolio and selling out the older cars. “(We are) now in the middle of our work where we finally manage to sell out the old-generation cars and we are on-boarding the new ones that are currently available.“We have everything new, all new, plus electric which is a completely new area where we haven’t been so active before,” she said. As well as a relatively low profile, comparative pricing may be playing a part in the Skoda Scala’s sales performance. Starting at $33,990 drive-away for the 1.0-litre Select, rising to $45,990 D/A for the 1.5L Monte Carlo, pricing is some way ahead of the dominant segment players.The Hyundai i30 and Toyota Corolla ranges include sub-$30K base models (before on-road costs), but when asked if Skoda might execute a smaller volume, higher profit margin strategy in similar fashion to Honda and Mazda, Kuhn is emphatic.“We started eight months ago where we actually wanted to make our portfolio more affordable to more customers. “So, rather than more top versions like RS, we extended the range. That’s why we have the Select range. We also have the packages which are between Sportline and Select.“The portfolio is more affordable for the customers than it used to be in the past,” she said.

CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited), the biggest supplier of EV batteries in the world, has confirmed details of a potentially game-changing sodium-ion battery chemistry that’s headed for high-volume production in 2026.

We know what it will cost, when it will arrive, even the colours it will come in. But now Ford Australia has detailed a staggering range of factory designed, tested and warranted accessories developed for its new Ranger Super Duty.From purpose-built trays, tool boxes and tanks to driving lights, scuff plates and rock sliders the list is immense, with pricing (including a recommended fitting allowance) detailed for almost all items.Approved suppliers including well known names like ARB, Warn and EVOm also get a look in with specialised pieces including bull bars, winches, roller shutters and more.Each official accessory comes with a five-year warranty when fitted to a new vehicle by an authorised Ford Dealer prior to delivery.The extensive range recognises the often unique uses to which a vehicle like the Ranger Super Duty will be put, as Ford Australia Customer Service Division Marketing and Sales Manager Brad Hogg said, "Our new line of Super Duty Ford Licensed Accessories offers a one-stop solution for customers, providing fully integrated, Ford-engineered products to prepare Ranger Super Duty for almost anything. “From the robust steel tray to advanced device integration, every accessory is built to meet the rigorous demands of Ranger Super Duty work and adventure," he said. A standard Ranger Super Duty is already equipped with fuss-free vinyl flooring and the seats are trimmed in what Ford describes as “hard-wearing cloth”. But an impressive number of included features means while tough it’s far from spartan. Factory prepared for customisation with an auxiliary switch bank for accessories and a 400W inverter the Super Duty also features a 12-inch ‘SYNC’ multimedia screen with built-in satellite navigation, wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, dual zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera view plus ‘Trail Control’, ‘Trail Turn Assist’ and more. An impressive safety suite is onboard as is a ‘Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Regeneration Control’ allowing customers to choose when their vehicle’s DPF regeneration takes place.A trio of accessory packs also bundle together useful extras for three distinct groups of potential owners or operators.The ‘Farm Pack’ consists of a tray (galvanised, body colour or matt black), water tank, tool box, an ARB Summit Bull Bar and All-Weather Floor Mats. The ‘Work Pack’ includes the same choice of tray as well as an ‘Integrated Device Mounting System’, all-weather floor mats, a top console mount, weather shields and wheel nut indicators. And the ‘Adventure Pack’ features the tray choice plus the all-weather floor mats, a Warn winch and rock sliders. There’s also a range of ‘Tray Packs’ with a toolbox and water tank thrown in until March 31, 2026. Ford Ranger Super Duty deliveries are scheduled to start in early 2026 with pricing (before on-road cost) set at $82,990 for the Single Cab-Chassis, $86,490 for the Super Cab-Chassis and $89,990 for the Double Cab-Chassis.   

Hyundai's Palisade is a three-row family SUV up against some heavy-hitters in the large SUV segment. It's second-generation model's party trick is a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain and we've had a brief preview drive of a pre-production version.

After years of on-again, off-again teasing, evasion and false-starts, recently-installed Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa has confirmed a Ram Dakota ‘mid-size’ pick-up for North American production in 2027.

It’s been on sale in Australia for less than 12 months but already the Zeekr X EV SUV has been updated in China with a substantial power boost.

It broke the ice, unveiling the first Chinese passenger car to hit the Aussie new car market when its city-sized J1 hatch arrived here in 2011.