CAR ADVICE

As Beijing and Canberra race for influence in the Pacific, a new wave of car diplomacy is hitting the shores of some countries. China and Australia are racing to gift cars to Pacific Island nations to strengthen strategic geopolitical alliances. Picture: Fiji Government/Facebook Foreign diplomacy often sees countries exchanging lavish gifts to strengthen strategic alliances and trade relationships, and luxury cars have become popular fodder for politicians looking to curry favour. While various global powerhouses have used vehicles as diplomatic chips for years, Australia and China are deploying a new form of car diplomacy in the Pacific, where countries such as Fiji and the Solomon Islands are increasingly receiving fleets of different models. RELATED: This country is paying people to give up their driver’s licence In January 2026 , Chinese officials gifted Fiji President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu a Hongqi (Red Flag) – a domestic Chinese brand – H9 luxury sedan during their ...

A blacked-out edition of the MG U9 diesel ute is likely weeks away from showrooms following the information released at the Melbourne motor show. The 2026 MG U9 Black Edition could enter Australian showrooms very soon, following its debut at the Melbourne motor show , with the Chinese brand opening expressions of interest on its website. While the new model features exterior changes such as darkening of chrome accents, it is yet to be confirmed how much of a premium the Black Edition will add over the standard U9 . It is also unclear if there are any other specification changes to the Black Edition, but it looks to mix-and-match across the three-variant U9 line-up. MORE: 2026 MG U9 EV electric ute confirmed for Australia The wheels look to be the base model’s alloys, but painted dark grey, while the two-step tailgate is taken from the top-spec Explore Pro. Other changes include a blacked-out grille and badges. The standard MG U9 diesel ute is powered by a 2.5-lit...

Mitsubishi Australia’s new Raider sub-brand could eventually expand into its SUV models, such as the Outlander and the upcoming Pajero. 2026 Mitsubishi Triton Raider. Mitsubishi Australia’s new Raider off-road sub-brand could eventually expand beyond its Triton ute to include its SUV models, such as the Outlander and the new-generation Pajero, due later this year. Speaking to Drive at the reveal of the 2026 Triton Raider, Mitsubishi Australia product strategy manager Bruce Hampel said the company is looking at “Raider as sort of a sub-brand”. “We’re looking at Raider as a sort of sub-brand under the Mitsubishi halo that we think is not nameplate specific [to Triton],” Hampel said. “It’s more that concept of the heritage of what Mitsubishi has sort of been in terms of the rally associations with the past. MORE: 2026 Mitsubishi Triton Raider revealed – Premcar-modified flagship ute due next month 2026 Mitsubishi Triton Raider. “We think customers are looking for th...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk may have just hinted at the company’s next product move: a Cybertruck-inspired family SUV. Tesla Cyber SUV design models. Outspoken Tesla CEO and active social media poster, Elon Musk, has given his biggest hint yet at a future SUV based on the Tesla Cybertruck pick-up. In a post on social media platform X , which he also owns, Musk responded to a user’s plea for a minivan by saying, “Something way cooler than a minivan is coming”. Musk had originally posted about the Cybertruck ’s family suitability, pointing to the three IDOFIC mounting points in the rear seat, to which X user Leah Libresco Sargent responded, “MAKE A MINIVAN, ELON. [emphasis original]” Musk responded by revealing that something ‘cooler’ was on the way. MORE: Tesla Roadster reveal date pushed back, again Something way cooler than a minivan is coming — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 25, 2026 While the outspoken Tesla CEO is no stranger to online reveals and product hints, a cle...

A broad range of customers are hoped to be attracted to Honda’s reborn sports car, now a hybrid based on the Civic hatch. Honda has set targets for its reborn Prelude sports car in its first year that would see it match or outsell the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ. The Prelude is back in Australian showrooms after a 25-year absence as a 2.0-litre hybrid priced from $65,000 drive-away, close to $10,000 dearer than the five-door Civic hatchback on which it is based. The price – about $5000 to $10,000 higher than top-of-the-range versions of the GR86 , BRZ and Mazda MX-5 – has not dampened the brand’s expectations for the new sports coupe. “We’re not really setting any specific hardcore numbers,” Honda Australia director Rob Thorp told Drive at the Melbourne motor show reveal of Prelude pricing. MORE: 2026 Honda Prelude price and specs – sports coupe reborn as hybrid after 25 years “We’re sort of thinking that in the first year, there’ll be over 500 orders ...

Plug-in hybrid vehicles are often considered ‘the best of both worlds’, but electric-car specialist Polestar is – unsurprisingly – a big critic. Electric-car maker Polestar has claimed plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) are fast becoming irrelevant as the capabilities of electric vehicles increase. While PHEVs are often touted as a ‘best of both worlds’ stepping stone from petrol to electric – and suit buyers who are after an electric-car experience but not confident in Australia’s maligned EV charging network – the Volvo -affiliated brand sees otherwise. “I think [plug-in hybrid vehicles] are the worst of both worlds. So you’ve got all the complexity of an electric drivetrain, coupled with all of the weight and complexity of a petrol drivetrain,” Polestar Australia managing director Scott Maynard told Drive .  “You don’t have zero emission, you have an increase in maintenance requirements, because you’ve got all of those varying systems that need to be maintained indepen...