Ford Mustang News

Ford’s iconic muscle car is the first to cop a price increase due to penalties now in effect based on Australia’s new emissions laws. The price of a 2026 Ford Mustang has increased by $5000 across the board, with the entry point to the line-up now $71,990 before on-road costs.

Which Mitsubishi do you wish would make a comeback? Pajero? Lancer?  Well, Mitsubishi is currently undertaking a massive overhaul of its Australian line-up with several new models to come to fill the gaps. So while they're at it we’ve put together our wishlist of cars they really should really revive or bring here. The changes to the Australian Design rules (ADRs) in March this year meant Mitsubishi had to axe three vehicles from its local lineup.  These were the ASX small SUV, the bigger Eclipse Cross SUV and the Pajero Sport off-roader. This leaves Mitsubishi with just two cars on sale in Australia — the Triton ute and Outlander mid-sized SUV. Meanwhile Toyota has 23 models on sale.Now we're not suggesting that Mitsubishi needs another 21 models, Ford is managing just fine on pretty much the Ranger, Everest and Mustang, but I definitely think there are some essentials the brand could use and a few dream cars while we're at it.Probably the most obvious model Mitsubishi needs right now is the Pajero. Yep once-upon-a-1990s the Toyota Prado and Mitsubishi Pajero wrestled for dominance all over Australia, from the outback to suburbia. The Pajero eventually lost the battle and was axed by Mitsubishi in 2020 … or so we thought! Imagine the comeback. Just when the new generation Prado had arrived and was still gloating, the Pajero could make its return. Sure the Pajero Sport is coming back in 2026, but that’s a Ford Everest rival. The beauty is Mitsubishi could easily plonk another, posher-looking SUV body on the ladder frame and call it the Pajero. And they’ve already got the badges made up. You just just take the “Sport” bit off. Think of the savings.Next on our wish list is not really a car that would sell in high numbers, but it'd be the halo car in many ways the brand needs so badly right now —  a reborn Lancer, and yes, with an Evolution grade as well. Or maybe just a standalone Lancer Evo XI. I think we’re up to XI, I can't remember but I tested the very final one in 2015.Back in the final glory days of Ford Falcon versus Holden Commodore there were two other tribes going to war: Subaru WRX v Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. These days the WRX lives on, but it looks so lonely without the Lancer EVO to play with.Finally, and given the number of grey imports we see of this car, Mitsubishi needs to add the Delica people mover to its Aussie line-up. What’s not to like about a high-riding all-wheel drive six-seater van?A sixth-generation of the people mover is expected in the next two years and whether it looks anything like the futuristic and silly Delica concept Mitsubishi revealed at the 2023 Tokyo Motorshow is yet to be seen.A wishlist for Mitsubishi could go one forever, who wouldn’t want to see the Colt come back, or the Cordia Turbo? Or the 3000GT?In reality the ASX will be back and so too will the Pajero Sport, and that might be all Mitsubishi needs as it faces bigger problems.  Challenges like how on Earth will it adapt to a rapidly changing market that’s been inundated with excellent electric vehicles from brands which hardly existed five years ago. Currently Mitsubishi doesn’t even sell one purely electric vehicle in Australia at all.

Ford recalls versions of nearly every model it has sold since 2022.

Ford has trademarked ‘Mach 4’ in the US, suggesting a four-door Mustang could be on the way.

It’s a year that will likely go down as an historical turning point for the Aussie new car market. With local manufacturing now a tiny spec in the rear view mirror, the long-predicted new wave of Chinese challenger brands built into an automotive tsunami in 2024.

These are the five best cars of 2024, according to CarsGuide journalist Chris Thompson

Another year of new-model launches is behind us, and 2024 has been another doozy.While this past year is notable for the number of models that were scheduled for launch but still haven’t arrived, there were some big names making big waves.Throughout the year I have driven some cars that truly surprised me, and others that were real let-downs. But for this article I am solely focusing on the good ones, because why would I want to end the year on a negative note?For clarity, our various CarsGuide ‘top cars’ articles are focused on vehicles that brought each individual journalist the most joy this year. That doesn’t necessarily mean the model launched in the past 12 months — we might have only had the chance to drive them in that period.Following last year’s list, my 2024 best of is a mix of some possibly obvious choices, and some that are perhaps a bit more left of field.Let’s not waste any more time. Here are the cars I loved most in 2024, in alphabetical order.In September, I drove the updated 2025 Audi e-tron GT on home turf in Germany, not far from Frankfurt and stopping off for the night in Heilbronn, where the vehicle is produced.I hadn’t driven the pre-facelift model but heard good things, notably from my colleague Tom White. I have driven a number of grades of the mechanically related Porsche Taycan, and while I have great affection for that car, I fell deeply in love with the Audi.Where the Porsche is a more focussed sports car, the Audi is more of a grand tourer. It still has breathtaking performance, but it offers a level of comfort that surprises.Beyond its phenomenal on-road performance, the e-tron GT is superbly designed and has a striking and inviting interior.I’ll leave you with the second-last line from my Audi e-tron GT review to summarise;“The e-tron GT is one of the most deeply impressive cars I have ever driven.”Including a new Mustang on a best-of list? I know, groundbreaking, right?But this car had to be on my list.The new-gen Ford Mustang is based on old underpinnings but honestly, I don’t care. I’m just thrilled that Ford can still build this car in the age of electrification.I spent a week with a Mustang GT Convertible, which is only offered in auto guise. I am still yet to drive a manual Mustang, but, again, I don’t care. The 10-speed auto is a brilliant match for the delicious 345kW/550Nm 5.0-litre V8.I am not really a V8 guy these days, and I am not a fan of obnoxiously loud engines, but man it was fun to scare the neighbours with an overzealous rev or two.The interior is much better than the previous Mustang and while it’s not perfect (what is with the pretend old-school handbrake?) I loved every second I had with this car.I drove the Jeep Avenger EV in Italy a few months back and, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much given some of Jeep’s current crop of models leave me cold.But it turns out there is something so charming about Jeep’s first electric vehicle that it was one of the first cars to make it onto my list this year.The exterior design is simple yet edgy, and while it has a distinct Jeep flavour it’s very modern. The thoughtful Jeepisms like the plastic bootlip to avoid scratching the paint when loading a bike in the back, or setback headlights to mitigate against damage in a collision just add to the charm of the little SUV.It’s no sports car but it is brisk, comfortable and — importantly — engaging to drive. I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel again.There’s a reason the Jeep Avenger won European Car of the Year. It’s an adorable, capable and functional city EV. Before you put a deposit down on one of the many affordable small EVs hitting the market, go check out the Avenger. It’s the coolest Jeep I’ve ever driven.The Polestar 4 is the EV brand’s first medium SUV and it follows the larger and pricier Polestar 3 SUV to market. But there are big differences between the two models.This is a Tesla Model Y rival, but it is much more premium than Tesla can manage. It’s also a lot more interesting.A striking exterior design lures you in before you realise something’s missing — a rear windscreen. Instead, it has a camera with vision displayed on a digital screen where the interior rear-view mirror goes.Despite this feature being tech for tech’s sake, the Polestar 4 is seriously impressive.It has excellent real-world driving range, a serious focus on sustainability, a spacious and gorgeously designed interior, and the exact same standard features list in both the Single Motor and Dual Motor grades. The only caveat there is that there are a lot of options and option packs that can push the price out.But if you’re tech savvy, value good design and a genuine focus on sustainability, the Polestar 4 is hard to beat.As someone who grew up obsessing over cars and has been in automotive media for more than 12 years, I did not see this coming.But I am here to tell you, dear reader, the new ninth-generation Toyota Camry is that good!It’s easy to dismiss the Camry as the Uber driver’s car of choice, or the sort of vehicle your grandpa drives, but after a week behind the wheel of the SL grade I am convinced it’s one of the best cars released this year.The hybrid powertrain (there’s no petrol-only grades anymore) is smoother than before, it’s still incredibly efficient and it has the best ride quality of any car I have driven this year. In even more surprising news, it’s actually pretty fun to drive on twisty roads as well.Of course the cabin is spacious and there’s plenty of room for cargo too.This is truly all the family car most people will need. Forget the dreary reputation of Camrys past. Because this big sedan has got its mojo back.Hyundai Santa Fe - Well isn’t this a bold new look? While it might be too bold for some, the new-gen Santa Fe improves on what was already an excellent family SUV and takes its place at the top of the segment.Lexus LBX - The latest Lexus model is also the smallest, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less premium. The LBX looks sharp, has hot hatch vibes and was one of my clear favourites this year. Bring on the spicy Morizo RR version!Mini Countryman - In its third generation, the Mini Countryman finally grows up into a family friendly small SUV. In a win for value for money, the entry-level petrol grades are just as compelling as the higher-end EV variants.Peugeot 408 - A cousin to the Citroen C5 X (RIP Citroen), the 408 is plug-in hybrid only and one of the most striking cars to launch this year. It ain’t cheap but it’s a joy to drive and it offers buyers a sleek European alternative to all of the generic small SUVs.Renault Megane E-Tech - I have only just driven this spunky French EV but I am already in love. Stunning exterior design, a surprisingly spacious interior and keener pricing combine with a joyful drive experience. Renault is on the march, finally!

Growing up, my parents went through a phase of buying well-used P4 Rovers as family cars. A (mainly) 1950s British icon with top-notch leather, proper wood trim and luxuriously thick carpet. But these hulking sedans are also cumbersome, fugly and painfully slow.

We're lucky, us car journalists. We get to drive oodles of exciting new cars throughout the year — sometimes so many you start to forget your favourites — so making this list was a nice walk down medium-term memory loss lane.

Is the Dodge Charger Daytona the canary in the coal mine for electric vehicles? A report from the US this week indicates the brand is rushing to get its twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine into showrooms six months ahead of schedule.