CAR ADVICE

BYD’s SUV onslaught looks set to continue with a larger and more luxurious seven-seat SUV coming to slot in above the Sealion 8. BYD looks set to expand its large SUV range even further , with a luxurious new three-row SUV coming as a flagship model for the BYD brand. The new model, being developed under the ‘Dynasty-D’ codename, won’t form part of BYD’s Denza luxury line-up, but would likely offer similar upscale features and equipment. Expected to exceed 5.2 metres long, the new SUV will slot into the BYD range above the 5040mm-long Sealion 8 , and will eclipse the size of rivals like the 5060mm Hyundai Palisade and even full-size luxury SUVs like the 5181mm BMW X7 . First shown at the Shanghai motor show earlier in 2025 as a concept, the Dynasty-D showcased a luxurious interior with bamboo inlays and gold leaf decor alongside a tech-focused multi-screen infotainment platform. MORE: BYD Dolphin update one step closer to Australia Rival Hyundai Palisade The powe...

The next new electric car from China to launch in Australia could be this cute Mini-sized hatch, but there remain plenty of questions yet to be answered about its local arrival. The Firefly electric hatch from Chinese car maker Nio has been formally confirmed for an Australian launch , after an example was spotted testing on Melbourne roads, and documentation was filed to approve it for local sale. However, there is still no timeline for when the VW Polo and BYD Dolphin -sized Firefly hatch will open for orders or commence deliveries in Australia, as its maker says it is still searching for a suitable distributor. It is also unclear if the Firefly – tipped to start from about $35,000 plus on-road costs, if European prices are a guide – will be followed by a broader rollout of models from the 11-year-old Nio firm. MORE: Nio Firefly electric car locked in for Australia, closing in on showrooms “We are in active discussions with potential local importers and distributo...

As countries around the world look to overhaul taxation systems that once drew from fuel levies to fund government revenue, the UK has confirmed distance-based charges for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The UK Government has announced an overhaul to its road tax system that will see owners of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids charged a road user fee, based on the distance they travel. Other changes set to take effect include an increase in the existing fuel duty for the first time since 2010. The new distance-based tax, officially called the Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) , will see a pay-per-mile road user charge applied from April 2028. Upon its introduction, eVED will be charged at a rate of 3 pence per mile for EVs and 1.5 pence per mile for PHEVs , or roughly 3.75 cents per kilometre and 1.9 respectively in Australian terms. MORE: The sluggish EV evolution – why are Aussies still dodging electric cars? The eVED levy is being introduced a...

In a bid to increase customer satisfaction, BYD Australia believes it can offer the best aftersales care in-house at its dealerships. BYD Dealership. Photo credit: iStock BYD will no longer direct customers to mycar Tyre & Auto service centres for aftersales support , instead now sending them to dealerships after building its network and taking full control from third-party distributor EVDirect. The tie-up between BYD and mycar Tyre & Auto was born in late 2021 from the need to service customer vehicles before having much of a dealer footprint. However, over the last three years and with the launch of models like the Dolphin , Seal , and Sealion 7 , the BYD network has expanded to nearly 90 dealerships – most of which have service facilities – ending the need for customers to conduct scheduled maintenance at one of the 275-odd mycar Tyre & Auto outlets. When asked by Drive if the partnership was officially over, BYD Australia boss Stephen Collins said customer...

A shift in Honda’s global planning means Australia could be in line for previously left-hand-drive-only models like the Ridgeline ute and Pilot large SUV. 2026 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport Honda Australia could field more products in the brand’s global portfolio as new-generation vehicles become right-hand-drive ready, but the arrival of a large SUV or ute would still be years away. Speaking to Drive at the 2025 Tokyo motor show , Honda Australia President and CEO Jay Joseph said there has been a shift in the way the Japanese brand offers models in certain markets. “We’re looking at portfolios on a more global basis,” Joseph said. “And electrification actually eases that a bit, because of the more modular construction of the software-defined vehicle era and the electrified era, we can actually look at our portfolios on a more global level, which does enable us to do some things that were a little tougher in the past. MORE: Honda says it had to streamline to get ready for ...

Audi has announced the production return of physical buttons across multiple models as the brand follows parent company, Volkswagen, in restoring more user-friendly controls. The touch-panel steering wheel controls on new-generation Audi vehicles , including the A5, Q5, A6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron are about to be shown the door . Audi has announced model year 2026 changes for those models, which, along with the usual incremental revision to interior appointments and driver assist systems, also see the touch-control steering wheel sliders replaced with physical rollers (below). The announcement comes as part of an update to Audi’s vehicle range in Europe and the UK, but will likely filter through to other markets, including Australia, as each model line comes in for model year updates. MORE: Audi to expand line-up with flagship Q9 SUV, along with new small electric car Touch-sensitive controls on steering wheels have come under scrutiny for being more difficult to operat...

With the all-new Navara and ‘new’ HiLux out in the open, Isuzu looks to be the next of the major ute brands to reveal its next-generation dual-cab – but not for a while yet. The Isuzu D-Max looks set to be the next top-selling ute to be given an overhaul  – after the recently-revealed Toyota HiLux and Nissan Navara – amid a sales slide for today’s model outpacing its nearest rivals. The D-Max generation in showrooms today made its global debut in Thailand in 2019 – before arriving in Australia in 2020 – eight years after its predecessor, compared to the typical 10-year life cycle for utes. An Isuzu engineer, who wished to remain nameless, told Drive at the Tokyo motor show that Isuzu has not differed from its traditional life cycle, pointing to an overseas launch for the new D-Max in 2027. MORE: 2026 Isuzu D-Max 2.2-litre price and specs – new engine replaces base 1.9-litre, manual axed “You can imagine that we are now [on an] eight-year cycle [for] changing mo...

Coming out to find someone parked over your driveway can be infuriating; these residents have taken matters into their own hands. If you live on a busy street, you know how frustrating it is to come home and find a car parked over your driveway. Or even worse, you wake up to head out to work and find that you are unable to get your car out of the driveway. RELATED: Internet erupts over Australia’s ‘secret speed bumps’ This has become a real problem for residents around Concord Hospital in New South Wales. Increased traffic on side streets has caused visitors and nurses to attempt to squeeze two cars in a spot only designed for one car. This leads to an increase in those cars overhanging driveways to the point where it is nearly impossible to leave driveways or return to their home. Local councils are relatively powerless besides giving a fine, but residents have recently taken matters into their own hands in a bid to change the culture of blocked driveways and pesky motori...

Porsche says the electric Macan SUV is winning over old petrol Macan owners, as well as new car buyers coming from other brands. Porsche Australia says the battery-powered Macan is convincing old petrol Macan owners and new car buyers to make the fully electric transition. Despite an approximately 20 per cent decline in sales year-on-year, Porsche Australia’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Daniel Schmollinger, told Drive the electric Macan has proven to be popular among younger customers. “We see a lot of young new car buyers, especially for the Macan electric SUV, but also we see that 50 per cent of our new customers are coming from the current Macan, so from the petrol [version],” Schmollinger told Drive . Additionally, the battery-powered medium SUV has attracted buyers away from other brands, further solidifying Porsche’s market position within Australia’s competitive EV market. “We also see roughly 50 per cent [of new Macan buyers] coming from other b...

Holden has been defunct for nearly a decade, so what is this service centre doing hours away from any major city? I dropped in to find out more. This family is single-handedly keeping the Iron Lion brand alive. October 20, 2017, was a day of mourning for almost every single Australian – the last time a car rolled off the manufacturing line in the country. RELATED: This extinct model is still one of the best-selling used cars in Australia It made no sense, the feeling of defeat in the air for people who weren’t even fans of the lion brand like myself, but it was still evident that we would likely never see a return to a uniquely Australian-built, designed and developed car ever again. It was also a relatively swift departure; to an extent, the general public knew that it would eventually come to an end, but the effects of that sent a shockwave through any self-respecting proud Australian. What followed was an eventual fizzle out of any Holden branding throughout the countr...