CAR ADVICE

New-car deals are back this year, with some car brands slashing tens of thousands from the asking price of some popular models. After years dealing with COVID-related issues, production slowdowns, and lack of stock, new-car end-of-financial-year deals are back in 2025 with a vengeance. If you are looking for a new set of wheels, there is no better time to buy as brands from Jeep , Mazda , and Mitsubishi – as well as newcomers like Geely and Chery – look to clear out stock for the new financial year that starts on July 1. With all deals running until June 30 – or while stocks last – you’ll have to be quick to snap up a bargain. Small electric car SMART #1 and #3: Entry-level Pro+ versions of the Smart #1 and #3 are being offered with free registration, stamp duty, third-party insurance and dealer delivery, as well as three years of scheduled servicing included, all valued at “over $5500” TESLA MODEL 3: Tesla is running discounts of $2500 to $3500 on new, in-st...

Oscar Piastri has missed out on extending his F1 Grand Prix winning streak to four, but the Aussie still leads the Drivers’ Championship. Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images Oscar Piastri is the first Australian to lead the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship in 15 years, ahead of McLaren team-mate Lando Norris – and reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull. The 24-year-old Melburnian driver has recorded a stellar start to the 2025 F1 season , winning four of the seven Grands Prix so far this year – China, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Miami. He has finished on the Sunday podium twice more, including in Sunday’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, and has missed out on a top-three Grand Prix result only once, at his home race in March. Imola ended a streak of three consecutive wins for Piastri, who started first but finished third, after being overtaken for the lead by Verstappen at the first corner of the opening lap – and losing second to Norris, who en...

Robert Prevost has been inaugurated as Pope Leo XIV, and it turns out that his new Popemobile could be capable of some mechanically amazing things. Pope Leo XIV officially began his papacy after an inauguration mass, taking over from the late Pope Francis in 2025. The American-born pope, who was elected on May 8, 2025, has a monumental job ahead of him as leader of the Catholic church and one of the most famous public figures alive. RELATED: The most significant Popemobiles in history Despite there being a lot to learn as we get to know the new Pope, his new ride is one pretty trick piece of engineering. While the new Popemobile may spend its entire life at walking pace, it could actually rip if it were given the chance to breathe. Leo XIV’s new Popemobile The new Popemobile is a modified Mercedes-Benz G580 , or G-Wagen as it is commonly known. Starting life as a standard G580, the Mercedes-Benz uses traditional coachbuilding techniques but with the support of in-ho...

The electrified ‘992’-generation 911 GT2 RS has been spied again ahead of its expected debut next year. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is returning for the first time since the current 992-generation 911 appeared almost seven years ago. New spy images from the Nürburgring in Germany show that Porsche is continuing to develop its newest 911 GT2 RS flagship model, almost two years to the day after it was spotted around the track for the first time . The model is tipped to adopt a performance-focused hybrid system similar to the new 911 GTS T-Hybrid , and is expected to debut by the middle of next year, ahead of a global launch in 2027. MORE: 2026 Porsche 911 GT2 RS spied for the first time Likely to become the most powerful Porsche 911 ever built, the latest GT2 RS should feature the 3.8-litre twin-turbo horizontally-opposed “flat” six-cylinder engine from the old ‘991’ model, but with the addition of 400-volt hybrid technology. As Drive reported in March 2023 , the new-g...

Most new electric Minis are built in China in partnership with GWM, but the BMW-owned brand has indicated buyers don’t care – or may not even know. Mini says buyers of its latest crop of electric cars are not bothered that their new purchase is sourced from China – not the UK – amid strong sales of battery-powered models in the company’s range. The latest Cooper and Aceman electric cars are built in China in a partnership with GWM – one of the country’s largest auto giants, makers of the Mini-inspired GWM Ora EV . “So far, we haven’t had any comments from the dealer network or from the customers, so there hasn’t been any topics around that,” Alex Bruckhoff, general manager of Mini Australia and New Zealand, told Drive . “And obviously, it’s a fully developed, fully designed car by the BMW Group, and we have Spotlight as a manufacturing partner from China and so far, there haven’t been any comments from customers around the production.” MORE: Mini to pull the plug on i...

Australia’s maintenance industry is already struggling, but proposed changes to NSW’s repair industry could make servicing your hybrid and electric vehicle a whole lot harder. EXCLUSIVE It’s no secret Australia’s maintenance and repair industry is experiencing severe troubles due to an ageing workforce that’s struggling to recruit new and younger mechanics. Add to that, electric vehicles and hybrid cars have surged in popularity over recent years, yet there is no uniform, national pathway for helping technicians to get qualified to safely work on them. New South Wales is attempting to do something about that, but according to experts it is going about it the wrong way – which, if you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of people who now own a hybrid or EV in NSW, means fixing your EV or even traditional hybrid car is about to get a lot harder and more expensive. RELATED: ‘Doctors of the auto industry’: How one occupation could make or break EV success in Australia But what...

With more products coming, XPeng recognises it will need to scale up operations in Australia – in steps that could lead it to take control of operations from independent importer TrueEV. XPeng , a new Chinese electric car brand, is looking to secure its foothold in the Australian market with new products and an expansion of back-end operations that could see its cars sold through a direct, factory-owned operation. At present, XPeng vehicles are imported and distributed locally by independent firm TrueEV, but when asked about the brand’s future plans by Drive , XPeng Vice-Chairman and President Dr Brian Gu opened the door to a change of business model. “In terms of the market approach, we believe we need to do more in Australia,” Dr Gu said. “We need to invest more, we need to have more teams, we need to have more resources – so we are currently thinking about how do we really improve our initial entry [into the Australian market]. MORE: Xpeng wants to be a household electr...

The latest electric and range-extender hybrid utes are “insufficient” for hardcore off-roading and “prone to overheating under extended use,” a top Chinese GWM executive claims. GWM has hit out at electric utes – and “decoupled hybrid” models closer in philosophy to a BYD Shark 6 – which it says have “significant issues” with tasks more demanding than “daily commuting” and light loads. It claims its new Cannon Alpha Hi4-T plug-in hybrid ute – which uses mechanical four-wheel-drive, intended to deliver greater off-road capability – is “beyond the reach” of rivals, and more capable in tough conditions. “Most of today’s new energy pick-ups, whether pure electric, range-extended or using decoupled hybrid architectures, perform adequately for daily commuting and light-duty hauling,” Wang Chao, GWM Technical Centre deputy general manager, told a Shanghai motor show press conference. “However, when it comes to high-speed driving, heavy loads or off-road scenarios, they often fac...

Dual-cab utes have risen to the top of Australia’s car market, but which models can you grab for less than $80,000? Drive finds out. There’s no denying dual-cab utes have evolved from a tradie’s workhorse to Australia’s favourite family car in recent years. While the lion’s share of the domestic dual-cab market is predominantly dominated by the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, the latter even being the best-selling vehicle by volume in Australia over the past couple of years, more brands are looking to eat up a significant share of the sales pie. RELATED: The cheapest dual-cab utes to service in Australia To lend a helping hand in navigating the complexity of the new and used car market, Drive has compiled a list of every dual-cab ute on sale under $80,000 that is currently available to buy in Australia. Disclaimer: Unless stated otherwise, the prices listed in this story are the manufacturer’s recommended retail pricing and, as such, do not include on-road costs. Prices can...