CAR ADVICE

Chery is in the running to sell one of Australia’s cheapest electric cars when its rival to the Geely EX2 and BYD Atto 1 arrives in showrooms next year. The Chery Q electric hatch will become the brand’s first new electric car for Australia in about three years when it arrives in showrooms sometime in 2027. And it is in with a strong chance of becoming one of the country’s most affordable electric cars, if sharp prices in China translate to local showrooms. Sold in China as the Chery QQ3, but due to be badged Chery Q in export markets, the EV is a compact hatch-styled SUV similar in size to the MG 4 Urban , or a petrol-powered Volkswagen Golf or Toyota Corolla . Prices are yet to be confirmed, but in China, a top-of-the-range version with a 41.3kWh battery similar to what’s expected to be standard in Australia is listed at 78,900 yuan (AUD$16,000). MORE: Chery will not race to the bottom with an Atto 1-competing electric car It i...

Following customer reports of failures, Hyundai, Kia and Genesis have extended the ICCU warranty of some EVs in Australia to 15 years. Hyundai, Kia and Genesis have introduced an extended 15-year warranty in Australia for the Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) in some electric vehicles, following customer reports of component failures. The extended warranty applies to early versions of Hyundai , Kia and Genesis electric vehicles underpinned by the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), including the Hyundai Ioniq 5 , Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60 . It also applies to the Genesis G80 EV and Genesis GV70 EV , which ride on separate platforms but share electric-vehicle components.  The ICCU includes a low-voltage DC-DC converter – the EV equivalent of an alternator – and a bidirectional on-board charger for converting alternating-current (AC) power to direct-current (DC), and vice versa for the vehicle-to-load (V2L) function.  MORE: Hyundai re...

Honda is keeping shipments of the Civic Type R hot hatch tight to ensure it does not go too far in the red on government fines for not meeting strict Australian new-car emissions targets. Tough CO2 emission rules on new cars in Australia – not the $85,500 drive-away price – are holding the brakes on sales of the Honda Civic Type R hot hatch. Production of the Civic Type R in Japan is already limited, but Australian regulations penalising car makers for selling too many vehicles that don’t meet strict CO2 targets are forcing shipments of Honda’s flagship performance car to be even smaller. Honda needs to sell two regular Civic hybrids – or three CR-V hybrids – to offset the emissions produced by one Type R, demand for which has remained healthy since the current model arrived three years ago at $72,600 drive-away. The solution, in addition to selling more hybrids, is to import fewer Civic Type Rs. MORE: Honda secures more Civic Type R stock, but price in...

Another brand backflips and admits that touch-sensitive buttons for frequently used controls were a mistake, but only after the nudge from customers. Mercedes-Benz joins the growing list of manufacturers listening to customers and admitting that touch-sensitive controls and burying controls in menus were mistakes. The German brand remains committed to offering large screens in its models, but has listened to its customers and will offer physical buttons for key functions in future. This is partly unlike Audi and Volkswagen, which have chosen to reduce the size of their infotainment screens to make room for the returning physical controls. The upcoming GLC and C-Class will be offered with the 39.1-inch MBUX ‘Hyperscreen’ that covers almost the entire width of the dashboard, but with physical buttons in front of the dual wireless chargers, along with physical buttons and switches returning to the steering wheel. MORE: 2027 Mercedes-Benz C-Class EV...

The latest fault could cause the Trailer Module to lose communication with the vehicle, according to the recall notice. Ford Australia has recalled 6832 examples of its 2021-2026 F-150 pick-ups, citing a potential fault with the Trailer Module (TRM). This is the ninth time the F-150 has been recalled by Ford Australia since launching the model in 2023, which is a right-hand-drive remanufactured model produced in conjunction with RMA Automotive . The recall notice , lodged with the Department of Infrastructure, says: “Due to a software defect, the Trailer Module (TRM) may lose communication with the vehicle when a trailer is connected. This can result in a loss of trailer braking performance and the turn signal lights not operating as intended. “A loss of trailer control whilst driving and/or signal lights not operating as intended, may increase the risk of an accident causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants and/or other road users....

The new boss of Honda Australia says harmonising ADRs with leading markets is not going to happen, because no-one can agree which rules are best. Australia’s national road rules for safety and emissions will never fully be harmonised with international standards, because the countries involved “won’t compromise”, the new boss of Honda claims. Australian Design Rules (ADRs) are our national standards for road vehicle safety, anti-theft measures, and emissions that apply to all new and used vehicles entering the Australian market for the first time.  In late 2024, a review into whether ADRs should be harmonised with international vehicle standards was launched, the results of which have yet to be published. MORE: Australian motor-vehicle design rules to come under government review after car maker criticism Big brands, such as Nissan and Mitsubishi, have led the way in calling for our standards to be changed to align with those of Europe and Japan. ...