CAR ADVICE

Big Brother Australia host Mel Tracina’s first car – a 1989 Ford Telstar – came from the scrap yard, but she loved it all the same. New host of Big Brother Australia Mel Tracina remembers getting her first car – a 1989 Ford Telstar – from a second-hand wrecker all thanks to some intel from her father, Robert, who is mad about cars. “Dad’s friend worked at the wreckers and saw the Ford Telstar, which was simply too good to wreck. He suggested Dad give it to me. I had just turned 18 and got my licence straight away. It was an automatic with velour seats and I was mad about the car. I didn’t have any expectations of what I wanted my first car to be, I was happy to have wheels and freedom,” Tracina says.  RELATED: My first car: Jimmy ‘Giggle’ Rees’ 1996 Mitsubishi Magna The car got her around Melbourne with ease – from a casual job at Target to studying at La Trobe University. Tucked in the glovebox was a foghorn, which her friend would pull out for fun while they’d ...

Whether the Australian market sways towards plug-in hybrids or electric vehicles, BYD’s local arm believes it will be ready. BYD Sealion 7 EV and BYD Shark 6 PHEV BYD Australia believes customers will ultimately decide which electrification powertrain is right for them , fielding both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) to cover its bases. Speaking to Drive , BYD Australia boss Stephen Collins said there is “no concern” which way the market ultimately sways in terms of electrified powertrain choice. “I think at the end of the day, consumers are going to decide [whether BEVs or PHEVs prove more popular],” Collins said. “What we’re seeing now, and what we see in the foreseeable future, is that there’s distinct customers who want full EV, but there’s a distinct chunk of customers who are really happy with the experience they get that plug-in hybrid provides. MORE: BYD Seal 6 Touring PHEV could pave the way for Australian family wago...

Electrified power is being considered for the Patrol 4WD, but Nissan is taking its time unless CO2 emissions rules mandate it – or customer demand materialises. Electric Nissan Patrol imagined by Theottle. Hybrid or electric power will come to the Nissan Patrol four-wheel-drive when emissions regulations require it , and the technology can deliver the capability customers expect. Nissan chief product specialist for full-size SUVs, Antonio Lopez, told Drive at the recent Tokyo motor show that electrification will come to the brand’s flagship off-roader when the time is right. “Obviously, if electrification is required due to the regulations or due to the customer needs, we will prepare the vehicle that the customer will need,” Lopez said. Any plans for a future electrified Patrol are likely to be welcomed by Nissan Australia, as the twin-turbo petrol V6 version due in showrooms in early 2027 is set to attract hefty penalties under the Federal Government’s new NVES CO2 em...

This map shows the 333 locations Victoria Police can place their mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras in December 2025. While mobile phone and seatbelt detection camera positions can vary month to month in Victoria, police are obliged to publish the potential locations for public transparency. Mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras are mounted high up on portable trailers and photograph drivers from above as they pass. The cameras detect if the driver is using a mobile device illegally, or failing to wear their seatbelt legally. The map below shows mobile traffic cameras in their latest approved locations around Victoria. December Mobile phone and seatbelt detection camera locations Victoria Hover your mouse over, or tap, the red symbols to see more information about the camera’s location and reason for its potential placement. These spots are not just picked at random, with various justifications used by Victoria Police: Documented history of collisions ...

Mazda has tested the Model 3 as part of developing the brand’s new 6e electric sedan, but it wasn’t a fan of how the original iteration absorbs bumps and takes corners. Mazda has complimented the Tesla Model 3 as an electric car “setting standards” in the market that its new 6e sedan will wade into in Australia next year. But it has labelled the driving character of the previous iteration – before the suspension was softened, and the steering slowed – “relatively harsh” and “too aggressive” for its liking, and says the new model is better. The latest Model 3 will be the chief rival for the Mazda 6e when it launches with a sub-$55,000 price, on par with the Tesla’s $54,900 plus on-road costs base RRP. The 6e began life as a model from China’s Deepal , before being rebodied into the Mazda EZ-6 for China, and then treated to a retune of its suspension, steering and chassis with the aim of driving how European and, in turn, Australian Mazda buyers expect. MORE: 2026 Mazda...

Though big in size and presence, Mitsubishi’s Elevance concept will not preview a future plug-in hybrid Pajero, but will instead influence the new Outlander. Mitsubishi Elevance Concept Mitsubishi’s Elevance concept, revealed at the 2025 Tokyo motor show , will inform the next-generation Outlander family SUV in styling and technology, confirmed an executive on the show floor. Speaking to Drive , Mitsubishi Motors Corporation General Manager of Product Planning and Product Strategy Minoru Uehara said the Elevance would not spawn a direct production model, but instead be refined into a mid-size SUV. “[The Elevance is] just a concept, but some element or essence of this vehicle can be linked to a future product,” Uehara-san said. “Styling direction or technical features, we are still investigating and developing, so some features and elements can be moved to the actual world in the future.” MORE: Plug-in hybrid interest lower than expected post-tax exemption – Mitsubishi ...