CAR ADVICE

Here are some of the discounts and special offers on new hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars in Australia from the country’s top-selling brands to help you save money at the pump. Australians are feeling the pinch of the current fuel crisis, with petrol getting closer to the $3 per litre mark, while diesel is already above that figure in most areas around the country. Searches for more fuel-efficient options, including hybrids and electric vehicles, have been on the rise, as consumers look for cheaper cars to run. A number of manufacturers are offering deals on some of their top-selling hybrid models, so we’ve collated a list of some of the best out there from Australia’s best-selling car brands. This is not a complete list – and many of these are due to expire at the end of this month, so get in quick – but it’s a slice of some of the discounts out there right now. Mazda is offering the 2025-plate CX-60 P50e Pure plug-in hybrid for $53,990 drive-away, a significant savin...

This is a bit odd, but BYD’s luxury arm, Denza, has started teasing its first sports car with Daniel Craig as the lure. Denza Z teased with Daniel Craig and Stella Li ahead of Goodwood debut BYD’s upmarket arm, Denza, has begun a teaser campaign for its rival to cars like the Aston Martin Vantage and Porsche 911. And their choice of spokesperson couldn’t be a clearer shot at those established sports car rivals. The Denza Z is set to make its official debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed , but before that happens, former James Bond actor Daniel Craig is being used in an unusual teaser campaign. Celebrity endorsements for cars are nothing new, but for Craig, who played the iconic role of British spy James Bond from 2006 until 2021, the association feels like a massive betrayal of his character’s preferred ride over the same period. MORE: BYD’s Denza Z electric sports coupe hits the Nurburgring for testing Denza Z Bond’s rides have varied from Lotuses to BMWs to ...

The new plug-in hybrid JAC Hunter ute will likely enter the Australian market at a lower price point than the popular BYD Shark 6 when it arrives in June. Following the first look at the new plug-in hybrid ute from JAC, the Hunter, the Chinese marque has floated the prospect of entering the market under the $55,900 plus on-road costs price of the popular BYD Shark 6. When asked if the new dual-cab has the possibility to beat out the Shark 6 on price, Ahmed Mahmoud, JAC Australia’s Managing Director, replied with “Could possibly be”. “We look at competition, but we also have a look at what the car represents in terms of value. Our entry level is more mid-level when you look at our car versus our competitors,” Mahmoud told Drive. The new JAC Hunter is set to enter Australian showrooms around June/July this year and joins the small category of plug-in hybrid utes, currently only shared with BYD Shark 6 , GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV, and Ford Ranger PHEV. MORE: 2026 JAC Hunter pl...

Ford has a plan to recover from a sharp sales decline in Europe, says Bill Ford, and it involves help on electric cars from Renault. Ford dealership, Germany. Ford Motor Company has a problem in Europe, and it’s clearly vexing Bill Ford. “It’s got to be profitable,” he says when asked about what the Blue Oval’s recovery pathway in Europe looks like. Sounds easy, but it’s a hellishly difficult task in practice. In the space of just ten years, Ford has dropped from the second best-selling car manufacturer in Europe to the 12th, losing almost half its market share in the process. Many have been baffled as to why big-selling nameplates like Fiesta and Focus have vanished. For that, refer to Mr Ford’s first response, profitability. MORE: Ford Australia needs to be nimble and reinvent itself – Bill Ford Ford Fiesta Making a small car profitable is tough within the current legislative framework, even without the challenge of new competition. “I think that’s th...

While range anxiety remains a key barrier to electric car adoption, these radio hosts travelled a surprising distance in a depleted Tesla Model 3. Nova 100 radio hosts pushed a Tesla Model 3’s battery to the limit and found that the car can travel 19km on a fully depleted battery. Image: Jase and Lauren/Instagram. Range anxiety is often the top concern for Australian drivers considering a switch to an electric car. While car makers like BMW are working on new models to address these concerns – with the new BMW iX3 SUV achieving a maximum of 805km on paper – the question remains: What actually happens when your car runs out of battery in real life? RELATED: The EVs with the longest real-world driving ranges in Australia Nova 100 radio hosts Jase Hawkins and Lauren Phillips sought to answer that question by travelling around Melbourne in Lauren’s Tesla Model 3 , which was Australia’s third-best-selling electric car in 2025. The radio hosts completed the challenge live on a...

The 2026 Mazda CX-5 lacks Google built-in technology in Australia, resulting in the omission of native satellite navigation and advanced voice control. 2026 Mazda CX-5 G25 Akera Native satellite navigation will be absent from the new-generation 2026 Mazda CX-5 range in Australia – a first in its nearly 15-year history – due to its lack of Google built-in technology. Mazda Australia has confirmed the 2026 CX-5 will not be offered with built-in satellite navigation across the range, with owners instead needing to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto via a smartphone connection. Overseas, the new CX-5 is the first Mazda to feature its latest Android Automotive-based infotainment software with Google built-in, including Google Maps as the native satellite navigation solution – along with the Google Play Store to download other map applications such as Waze. The CX-5 will also include a basic voice control system in Australia, similar to existing Mazda vehicles, rather than the ...