There’s a quiet revolution taking place on the Australian new car sales charts, a revolution that is dramatically reshaping the automotive landscape with a simple three-word calling card: ‘Made in China’.

If you’ve been paying attention you’ll know that China is already the number one source for Australia’s new cars in 2026, relegating the once-dominant Japan into second place earlier this year. Of the 475,659 new vehicles sold in Australia to the end of May, 128,559 – more than 27 per cent – were manufactured in the Asian powerhouse.

Sales of cars produced in Japan, meanwhile, continued to slide, losing market share hand over fist to its Asian neighbour, now less than 25 per cent. Five years ago, that market share sat at 33.4 per cent while China was just starting to flex its muscle, more than doubling its market share in a single calendar year from 3.3 per cent in 2020 to 7.2 per cent by the end of 2021. And its inexorable climb shows no signs of slowing down.

Leading the way is automotive powerhouse BYD, which has already claimed the number three spot on the sales charts, just a few hundred sales behind Kia in second, but with a mountain to climb to Toyota in first. Don’t be surprised, though, if by the time you read this, BYD has overhauled the Korean brand as it has already done with the likes of Ford, Mazda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Subaru, leaving a litter of legacy automakers in its wake.

3

Arguably BYD’s most important vehicle in an 11-model line-up that encompasses everything from an electric city-sized hatchback to zeitgeist-tapping plug-in hybrid dual-cab ute, is the vehicle we’re testing here, the Sealion 7 electric medium SUV. It’s easily the brand’s best-seller in Australia, its 7786 sales to the end of May comprising just over 23 per cent of BYD’s total.

The Sealion 7 arrived here in 2025 hellbent on challenging the segment-dominating Tesla Model Y. It’s a tall order for the still fledgling brand, which, despite overtaking Tesla as the overall global leader in electric cars in 2025, still lags behind the Model Y mid-size SUV which found just over 1.08 million new homes last year, 22,239 of them in Australia. It remains the world’s number-one selling EV. More mountains to climb.

Just two model grades of the Sealion 7 have made their way to Australia. Both are competitively priced and both bring a level of equipment and EV smarts expected by today’s tech-savvy buyers.

On test here we have the entry point into the range, the rear-wheel drive BYD Sealion 7 Premium, priced from $54,990 before on-road costs and options. A lick of Shark Grey metallic paint – one of an austere four-colour palette – adds $2000 to the bottom line.

Even with premium paint, the Sealion 7 at its most affordable point undercuts its Tesla Model Y rival on price, the most affordable of Elon’s take on the medium SUV formula – Premium RWD – starting from $58,990 before on-road costs and options.

It’s a compelling proposition then, one that double taps into the twin zeitgeists of electric vehicles and medium SUVs. No wonder buyers are taking notice in ever-increasing numbers.

One of the ways brands from China have achieved cut-through in an ever-competitive marketplace is to throw the full catalogue of equipment and features at its model line-up. BYD knows this, and plays it better than most with a standard list of features that would put many ‘premium’ carmakers to shame, and certainly at a price that most of the Europeans would struggle to match.

3

The Sealion 7’s list is long but includes niceties like leather seats with heating and ventilation up front, a panoramic roof, head-up display, dual-zone climate control and swathe of in-car technology that will please even the most ardent of technophiles.

The centrepiece of the Sealion 7’s tech-fest is a rotating 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen that hosts the almost obligatory array of smartphone connectivity, inbuilt satellite navigation, and a 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system. The screen can be rotated through 90-degrees to display in either portrait or landscape mode. It’s a neat party trick, but really, that’s all it is.

There’s no mistaking BYD’s push into the premium segment once you slide inside the Sealion 7. Everything from the choice of materials, to the solid build quality feels about right for a brand wanting to elevate itself above the run-of-the-mill. There’s perhaps a little too much reliance on the screen for many of the Sealion 7’s vital functions, but it is largely intuitive to use and soon becomes second nature.

A highlight are the beautifully quilted seats, upholstered in genuine leather and not the ‘man made’, ‘artificial’ or ‘synthetic’ materials carmakers are increasingly claiming as ‘leather’. The seats themselves offer good support in all key areas, making for a comfortable time behind the wheel. Leather wraps around the steering wheel too.

The second row is, as you’d expect of an EV, spacious and will comfortably seat three adults across the rear bench. BYD hasn’t scrimped here either, with the second row offering nicely padded pews, air vents for climate comfort and a selection of USB outlets to keep the kids and their devices happy.

Boot space is commensurate with the segment, quoted at 500 litres with the second row in use. That’s marginally smaller than the RAV4’s load area. A small, but handy 58 litres is available under the bonnet.

It’s one thing, of course, to impress in the showroom with spacious cabins, rotating screens and quality materials that look and feel a million bucks. Plenty of challenger brands are working (and in some cases, overworking) this formula. What really matters is the driving experience. And it’s here where it’s very easy to spot the contenders in a sea of also-rans.

3

For BYD, the news is good, the Sealion 7 doing very little wrong at its single most important job. The Premium model on test here is powered by a single electric motor driving the rear wheels. Outputs of 230kW and 380Nm are decent without being silly, enabling brisk performance that feels sharper than it actually is. BYD claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.7 seconds, perfectly average for the segment. But as is the way with EVs of all manner, including the Sealion 7, it’s the initial take-off where electrification proves its mettle.

It doesn’t have the gut-churning surge of speed like some EVs, but it’s rapid and measured enough to not leave you wanting for more.

I spent a good chunk of my time with the Sealion 7 doing what I do every day, ferrying the kidlet to school, as well as a vast swathe of extra-curricular activities, around Sydney’s inner city. And it’s here where BYD’s take on the mid-size SUV segment proves its worth, a comfortable, rapid, and big enough family hauler that nails the brief of what a vehicle of this type should be. It’s quiet and serene at urban speeds, but with enough urgency to get moving once out on the highway.

Several drive modes – Eco, Normal, Sport and Snow – alter throttle response to either provide a bit more oomph or eke out driving range. The differences between Eco, Normal and Sport (I didn’t try Snow) are incremental, but noticeable enough. The recommendation here is to use Eco on suburban duties, and Normal out on the motorway. Steering feel can be adjusted between Comfort and Sport, the latter my first choice always. Comfort feels just a little too light in hand, removing that vital feeling of connection to the road. Sport’s extra heft is much more tactile.

1

The Sealion 7 Premium tips the scales at a portly 2225kg but, like wearing a well-tailored suit, does a good job of hiding it. It never feels heavy or unwieldy, thanks to a decent suspension tune that prioritises comfort over sportiness. Body control remains nicely in check during cornering or tackling speed bumps and while the ride is firmer than say, the BYD Seal’s, it’s still very much on the Comfort side of the ledger. There is some road noise at higher speeds, but at the speed limits of urban environments, the outside world is kept largely at bay.

Two levels of regenerative braking – Standard and High – are available via a toggle on the centre console, and while there are differences between the two, neither is particularly aggressive. As is the BYD way, there is no single-pedal driving function.

Underpinning the Sealion 7’s powertrain is an 82.5kWh battery capable, it’s claimed, of delivering 482km of WLTP-tested driving range. And there’s good news here, my time with the Sealion coming close to matching that claimed range. Average energy consumption ran to an indicated 17.8kWh/100km, achieved over a typical mix of driving conditions that encompassed city, urban, and highway motoring.

That gives a theoretical range of 466km from a full array of juice, not all that far removed from BYD’s claim. Charging is capped at 150kW, giving a 10-80 per cent recharge time of 32 minutes.

5

Having spent a week with the Sealion 7, it’s easy to see how and why the Chinese brand has taken the world by storm. Aside from the value equation (and there’s plenty of value to be had), BYD demonstrates with this car that it actually knows what it’s doing when it comes to building electric vehicles.

Yes, BYD’s driving aids could use some fine-tuning (or at least make it easier to disable them), but overall, the Sealion 7’s mixture of quality, comfort, driveability and road manners are evidence that ‘Made in China’ no longer means what it once did.

BYD Sealion 7 Premium specs

This story first appeared in the July 2026 issue of Wheels magazine, now on sale. Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.

That a horse is the first exhibit in the stunningly immersive Mercedes-Benz Museum is no accident. A visual allegory? A nod to the history of personal mobility?

It’s arguably both, but there’s another, more defiant message, one that is engraved in gold at the base of the one-horsepower opening exhibit.

“Ich glaube an das Pferd. Das Automobil ist eine vorübergehende Erscheinung.” (“I do believe in the horse. The automobile is no more than a transitory phenomenon.”)

1

The words are attributed to then German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II who, it seems, remained unimpressed with the phenomenon of that new-fangled contraption, the automobile. The irony of the Kaiser predicting the downfall of the motor car isn’t lost on history buffs. Following his abdication in 1918, the German Empire – a constitutional monarchy – made way for the Weimar Republic, Wilhelm II thus the last ever emperor of Germany. “Transitory” indeed.

The stuffed white horse and its cheeky inscription are a fitting beginning for the Museum, a spiralling and compelling journey through not just the last 140 years of Mercedes-Benz, and by extension, the automobile, but history itself.

The building is a breathtaking piece of modern architecture, a nine storey structure of winding concrete and glass designed by Amsterdam-based architectural firm UNStudio van Berkel & Bos.

Inspired by the double-helix DNA spiral that carries the human genome, the open-plan building features no closed-off rooms or even a single straight wall. And no two pieces of the 1800 triangular sheets of glass that make up the Museum’s windows are alike.

The Museum’s central atrium, soaring all the way to the top of the nine-storey building, has entered the Guinness World Records. But not for any reason you might think.

As Mercedes-Benz explains, “The Mercedes‑Benz Museum has its very own practical tornado.

1

“In the event of a fire, the vortex drives the smoke upwards and out of the building. It is generated in the atrium. Arranged at an angle in the walls, 144 air vents combine with a turbine installed in the roof of the atrium to immediately generate a powerful column of air, swirling around its own axis at a high rate of speed. And ‘poof’, the smoke is gone from the museum.

“With a height of 34.4 metres, this is a world record for an artificially generated tornado. It was measured in 2007 by the Guinness Book of Records – shortly after the museum opened.”

Visitors to the Museum begin their journey by entering elevators that resemble pods from a 1950s sci-fi movie. It’s no coincidence, with Mercedes likening the elevators to a time machine and when passengers arrive at the ninth floor (and the doors open to that proud white horse) it is the year 1886 and the company’s founder, Carl Benz, has just patented his new invention – the automobile. The tour begins.

What follows is a chronological journey through 140 years of Mercedes-Benz, of the automobile, of social history told through the lens how it shaped innovation and technology.

1

Unsurprisingly, the first car on display is the original automobile, Benz Patent Motorwagen. It’s a replica of the car Bertha Benz took on her famous road trip in 1888, a 106km journey from Mannheim to Pforzheim that is widely regarded as the first ‘road trip’.

A single-cylinder engine pumped out 0.75hp (0.55kW) at 400rpm, helping the first Benz reach a top speed of 16km/h. Yes, that is less than one horsepower. And yes, its top speed is less than that of a horse at full gallop, around 40km/h.

Bertha’s long drive is covered in detail, giving the wife of Carl her rightful place in history, not least of all for her technological achievements along the way such as when the wooden brakes on the Motorwagen began to fail. Enlisting the help of a cobbler, Bertha asked him to affix shoe leather onto the brakes to improve their durability. Bertha Benz had invented the brake pad.

Gottlieb Daimler’s achievements are not overlooked, either. Where Benz’s three-wheel Motorwagen today holds its rightful place in history, it was Daimler’s four-wheel motor carriage that shaped the car as we know it today.

Daimler had been working on what would become the Daimler Motorised Carriage at his workshop in Cannstatt, a suburb of Stuttgart. He was granted a patent for his invention in March, 1886, just three months after Benz was awarded his patent. Remarkably, neither Benz or Daimler were aware of each other and the similar paths they were taking, despite both working in Stuttgart. Even more remarkably, the two men who would eventually lend their names to the merged Daimler-Benz conglomerate in 1926, never met.

Daimler’s achievements extend beyond adding a fourth wheel to the automobile, illustrated starkly by a wood-framed two-wheeler that seems out of place in a museum about cars. But it was Daimler, along with his colleague Wilhelm Maybach, who had in 1885 created the first petrol-powered motorcycle, the Daimler Reitwagen.

3

Around 160 significant vehicles form part of the Museum’s permanent collection that are housed over the nine floors that gently spiral downwards towards around the central atrium. There are only a handful of stairs, each level sloping gently to the next.

Interspersed between, are large rooms that showcase themed collections from Mercedes-Benz’s collection of around 1100 cars.

And the themes are as diverse as Mercedes’ back catalogue allows. From garbage trucks to emergency vehicles, snow ploughs, celebrity-owned cars and mass transportation, each themed room is a time capsule of the brand’s technological diversity.

A particular favourite of my visit was the Young Timers room, an evocative and colourful display of cars from the ’90s and noughties. Highlights for me included the fearsome W124 generation Mercedes-Benz 500E (the last example that rolled off the Porsche – yes, it was built by Mercedes’ Stuttgart neighbour – production line in 1994) and a model that tugged at my heartstrings, an incredibly rare 6.0-litre-powered W210 series Mercedes-AMG E60. As a previous W210 owner (an E320 we named Bertha in honour of Bertha Benz… who doesn’t name their cars?) seeing that generation of E-Class celebrated felt vindicating.

2

But the Museum is not just about cars. As you spiral ever downwards, the walls tell the story of the world from the late-19th century through to the beginning of a new Millennium.

Social upheaval, cultural shifts, great (and some not-so-great) moments in history, are all embraced to provide context for the era while also highlighting advancements in technology.

Mercedes-Benz deserves recognition for not shying away from difficult topics either in its historical displays, covering both World Wars (and the part Mercedes played in them) and the rise of Nazism in the 1930s. The latter is starkly underscored by the 1939 German Grand Prix winner’s trophy on display, complete with the Nazi Swastika and Adolf Hitler’s name, not as a celebration of Rudolf Caracciola’s victory in a supercharged Mercedes-Benz W154, but as a reminder of the insidious hold the Nazis held over Germany during that period.

It would be easy to airbrush that era out of company lore, as many German companies from all manner of industries have done. Not Mercedes-Benz. Instead, it acknowledges the part it played in supplying transport, armaments and aero engines to the Nazi regime, along with using ‘forced labour’ for those war efforts. It’s a sobering and important display, one that deserves recognition.

While the pre-World War II displays prove fascinating, where the Museum really comes alive – as did Germany and the world itself – is after 1950. And it’s here where we see the Genesis of the brand as it is today.

With the German Economic Miracle (Wirtschaftswunder) in full swing, the label ‘Made in Germany’ took on a new meaning, no longer stigmatised by the decades that preceded it, but a symbol of technological innovation and quality engineering. No company embraced this shift more than Mercedes-Benz and the cars on display from this era typify that.

1

From the 1954 300SL ‘Gullwing’ to its smaller 190SL Roadster sibling, and the W100 ‘Grosser’ Mercedes-Benz 600, to see these cars in the metal, perfectly encapsulates the modern history of the brand.

And tucked away in one of the themed rooms, Mercedes’ famous Blue Wonder, the one-off racecar transporter built to ferry the brand’s Silver Arrows racers around Europe, serves a breathtaking reminder of the brand’s motorsport history.

So too the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, essentially a roadgoing version of the famous Silver Arrow grand prix cars of the era. Named for its designer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, just two examples were ever built. One sold at auction to an undisclosed buyer in 2022 for €135 million (A$219 million), the most expensive car in history. The other stands proudly in front of me, part of the Museum’s permanent collection.

Motorsport is a hugely important part of the brand’s history, and nothing exemplifies this more than the huge collection of racecars on permanent display. From the earliest grand prix racers, to current Formula One cars, from DTM touring cars, rally Mercs and even racing trucks, the Museum’s collection is like stepping through time. And forget Netflix’s Drive to Survive, the true heroes of grand prix racing drove supercharged monsters at speeds in excess of 300km/h, wearing no seatbelts, and on tyres as skinny as your wrist. Marvellous.

It takes around two to three hours to slowly traverse every level, ducking into each themed room and seeing not just vehicles, but ephemera, memorabilia, original artworks and the historical context in which they were created, in which they existed.

2

Towards the end, I spot one of my all-time favourite cars, the C111 ‘experimental’ sportscar and its stunning Gullwing doors and bright metallic orange (Weissherbst) paint. I had a model of one as a kid, photos of it on my childhood bedroom walls, and books about its history and development adorn my bookshelves to this day. But I had never seen one in person. And here it was, in all its orange glory.
It proved a fitting end to my time at what

I reckon is the best automotive museum in the world, not just for its impressive collection of cars, but also for the history, the feeling of time and place, that the Museum embodies and embraces.

I needed a souvenir and as I exited through the gift shop (of course), a bright orange metallic sportscar caught my eye. It now sits proudly on my bookshelf.

1

Need to know

Address: Mercedesstrasse 100, 70372 Stuttgart
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 6pm (closed Mondays)
Tickets: €16 (A$26) Concession €8 (A$13)
Parking: P4 multistorey car park; €2 (A$3.25) per hour for the first three hours; €2.50 (A$4.05) per hour from the fourth hour
Public transport: From Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof take the S-Bahn line S1 in the direction of Kirchheim (Teck) to Neckarpark (Mercedes‑Benz)

This story first appeared in the July 2026 issue of Wheels magazine, now on sale. Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.

Some McDonald’s customers are being caught off guard by paid parking systems at a growing number of Australian restaurants, with motorists facing charges if they remain beyond the allocated free parking period.

According to Yahoo News Australia, one of the latest locations attracting attention is the McDonald’s restaurant at Waterloo in Sydney, where customers receive one hour of free parking before a $35 charge applies for longer stays. The policy has sparked debate online, with some questioning whether the fee is excessive and asking how it would affect longer visits, such as children’s birthday parties.

The introduction of parking restrictions appears to vary between individual restaurants and is generally aimed at preventing non-customers from occupying limited parking spaces for extended periods.

The outlet reported that the McDonald’s restaurant near CommBank Stadium in Parramatta also applies paid parking after the first hour, a move understood to be designed to discourage football fans from leaving their vehicles there during major sporting events.

1

Other Sydney locations have adopted similar measures over recent years. At Stanmore, parking restrictions were reportedly introduced after commuters, including university students, used the restaurant’s car park as all-day parking before catching nearby public transport.

More recently, motorists reported seeing parking inspectors issuing infringement notices at the McDonald’s restaurant in Kingsford, highlighting increased enforcement at some sites.

Parking charges also differ significantly between locations. At McDonald’s Perth Airport West, drivers reportedly pay $11 for parking of up to two hours, while the Padstow restaurant in Sydney also applies an $11 fee once the initial free hour has expired.

McDonald’s Australia said some restaurants engage third-party parking operators to manage their car parks.

A company spokesperson told Yahoo News said the arrangements were intended to ensure customers could access convenient parking while visiting its restaurants.

Regarding the Waterloo site specifically, the spokesperson said customers receive one hour of complimentary parking before paid parking begins.

McDonald’s added that the parking restrictions have been in place at the Waterloo restaurant for more than a year and said signage throughout the car park is intended to clearly inform motorists of the applicable conditions and charges.

Usually associated with luxurious grand tourers, Aston Martin has unveiled a complete about-face with the Dreadnought off-roader, designed for use in military battles.

Purists can breathe a sigh of relief, the storied British brand isn’t ditching its history to compete with the likes of Rezvani and Aznom. The Dreadnought has been designed to appear in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 video game.

The digital concept idea isn’t a new one, with numerous carmakers constructing virtual cars for use in digital titles like the Gran Turismo series, but the Dreadnought marks the first of its kind for Aston Martin.

2

Named after a famed British battleship from the early 20th century, the Dreadnought lists features that sound somewhat alien for a typical Aston Martin spec sheet. Advanced military-grade armour plating and combat zone intelligence systems aren’t typical Aston Martin equipment. 

Aston Martin’s prior involvement in the James Bond universe gives it a background in weapons systems, at least, so it’s not all new ground for the brand.

More closely tied to Aston Martin’s history, the Dreadnought also lists a V12 engine, carbon-fibre chassis, Oxford tan leather interior, and anodised satin gold finishes to complement its herringbone weave carbon-fibre exterior.

As one of the most controversial design exercises from Aston Martin since the 1979 Bulldog, the Dreadnought integrates the brand’s design heritage surprisingly well. The iconic Aston Martin grille finds a comfortable home on the armoured exterior, and the horizontal louvred headlights evolve the DRL signature found on models like the Vantage and DB12.

3

Aston Martin promises supercar levels of performance and fully integrated command interfaces, but for buyers with hopes of one-upping their AMG G63-owning neighbours, there is a catch. Despite a full-size mock-up on display at Fanatics Fest in New York, the Dreadnought isn’t destined for a production future.

Instead, the all-wheel-drive powerhouse will be reserved for DMZ and Warzone modes within the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 video game.

The closest Aston Martin owners can get to the Dreadnought experience remains the DBX SUV, which trades the Dreadnought’s V12 for a twin-turbo V8, and leans much more heavily toward comfort and luxury than ballistics resistance.

The manual transmission became the subject of heated discussion recently as Ferrari announced a manual version of its 12 Cilindri supercar that adapts Ferrai’s existing dual-clutch automatic with a by-wire interface for the gear lever and clutch.

The number of true manual transmission options in Australia is in decline – and it has been for years – leaving just 25 new cars available with a manual transmission option.

Of those, only two cannot be paired with an automatic, and of the remaining 23, the popularity of automatic variants makes the manual option for enthusiasts a difficult find. The list is below, with a description of certain models of interest…

BMW M2

BMW M3

BMW M4

Ford Mustang

1

The Ford Mustang is the last pairing of V8 engine and a manual transmission in Australia. Both the Mustang GT and Mustang Dark Horse coupe models can be ordered with a six-speed manual.

Tellingly, the Mustang GT convertible lacks the enthusiast audience to warrant a manual version, with both it and the four-cylinder EcoBoost Mustang limited to automatic only.

Ford has scrapped manual transmissions in its commercial vehicle range, leaving the Ranger ute and Transit van range as auto-only.

Honda Civic Type R 

Hyundai i20 N

1

The Hyundai i20 N deserves to be celebrated. Not only is it available with a six-speed manual, but that’s the only way it comes, with no option to equip the compact hot hatch with an automatic, making it and the Honda Civic Type R the last remaining manual-only models in Australia.

The bad news, however, is the threat of the i20 N disappearing from Australian showrooms. Hyundai has revealed a new i20 for overseas markets, and has started hinting that a new-generation i20 N could benefit from hybrid assistance.

While it’s not impossible to pair a hybrid with a manual (Honda has done so in the past), the more realistic outcome is that Hyundai will focus efforts on the better-selling automatic and let the manual i20 N slip away in its next generation.

Hyundai i30 N

Hyundai Venue

Kia Picanto 

1

Kia takes the title of Australia’s most affordable manual car. The entry-level Picanto Sport is available with a five-speed manual transmission from $19,190 plus on-road costs.

The changing face of Australia’s motoring landscape means the manual Picanto could be living on borrowed time. Earlier this year, the high-spec Picanto GT-Line offered a manual option, but has since switched to a four-speed automatic as the only transmission for the top-spec version.

Despite a growing range of GT and GT-Line variants across its line-up, Kia has backed away from manual transmission, finally phasing out the Sportage manual in 2025, the Stonic manual in 2024, and the Rio manual in 2023. 

Mazda MX-5

2

Compact, lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, and manual. The Mazda MX-5 checks plenty of boxes for enthusiasts. Despite Mazda’s claims of being the ‘Zoom-Zoom’ brand, the last few years have seen it phase out manual transmission from small cars like the Mazda 2 and Mazda 3, as well as the BT-50 ute over the lest few years.

Every variant of the MX-5 is available with a six-speed manual and some – including the most basic Roadster and top-speed GT-RS are manual-only, leaving the available six-speed auto as an option only on the mid-level GT models. 

Mitsubishi Triton

Nissan Z

Porsche 911

1

Porsche’s dedication to driving enthusiasts meant that, in their early days, even luxury models like the Cayenne and Panamera were available with a manual on some variants. Today, only the 911 offers a row-your-own experience.

The 911 Carrera T and 911 GT3 can be optioned with a six-speed manual. At $449,100 plus on-road costs, the GT3 with Touring Package is, by far, the most expensive car with a manual transmission available in Australia.

It’s also the most powerful, rated at 375kW from its naturally-aspirated 4.0-litre flat six, just ahead of the 353kW 3.0-litre turbocharged six in the BMW M4 and M3.

Renault Duster

Renault Master

Subaru BRZ

Subaru WRX

1

Subaru offers strong representation for the manual community, but there’s a catch. The WRX sedan offers a manual as well as a CVT automatic, but the wagon models are auto only.

The manual transmission is an integral part of the WRX’s history, and every so often Subaru pays tribute with a special edition. Right now, that honour falls to the WRX Club Spec Evo, with a 75-unit run offered as a manual-only model.

While the WRX Sportwagon lacks a manual option, the regular WRX sedan range – in base, RS, and tS variants – can be paired with a six-speed manual with no restrictions of exclusions.

Suzuki Jimny

Suzuki Swift

Toyota GR86

Toyota GR Yaris

Toyota GR Corolla

1

The Toyota GR Yaris boldly launched without an automatic option, and that’s good for keen drivers, but not always the best choice for commercial appeal. The GR Corolla introduced an eight-speed automatic, but thankfully kept the option of a six-speed manual.

Both GR models now offer a choice of manual or automatic. Manual models come with Toyota’s iMT rev-matching tech, which can blip the throttle for smoother downshifts, or be switched off to let the driver hone their craft.

Toyota has also been smart with limited edition models, like the GR Corolla Morizo, keeping the more enthusiast-focused model manual-only

Toyota HiAce

Toyota HiLux

Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series

1

Prado? Out. LandCruiser 300? No deal. Want a manual with your workhorse 70 Series? But, of course. In fact, the LandCruiser 70 Series range is late to the automatic party, only offering a six-speed auto with the recent switch to four-cylinder power after a long run of manual-only V8 turbo diesels, and manual-only six-cylinders before that.

The LC70 uses the same 2.8-litre turbo diesel as its lighter-duty Hilux sibling, but swaps the six-speed manual for a five-speed – a variation of the old V8’s manual, but with shorter first and second gears, and a taller fifth.

Ultimately, very few driving purists are likely to opt for a LandCruiser, but the manual at least offers complete control when towing or when conditions get wild. While the auto is more user-friendly off-road, the manual still demands a level of dedicated driver input.

The numbers game

2022 – The last year you could option a manual transmission in a station wagon was four years ago. The car? The Mini Clubman, which blurs the line between hatch and wagon slightly, but was officially classified as a wagon in Australia

86 – The number of models available in Australia in 2021. In five years, 61 manual models have been discontinued Down Under.

61 – The Suzuki Swift is Australia’s lowest-output new car, with 61kW, making the manual option a handy implement in keeping things moving briskly.

7 – The last seven-seater with a manual probably isn’t what you might expect. The dual-cab Ford Transit offered seating for seven in 2023. If you’re after something more family-friendly, the LandCruiser Prado was the last SUV with seating for seven with a manual transmission in 2020.

4 – Five-speed manuals are old-school tech with just four models, the Picanto, Jimny, Swift and LandCruiser continuing with a five-speed transmission instead of a six-speed box.

3.9 – The fastest 0-100km/h sprint of any manual currently available in Australia is the 3.9-second Porsche 911 GT3.

3 – Sedans are on the way out with a manual option. The BMW M3, Hyundai i30 N, and Subaru WRX are the last four-doors with three pedals.

2 – Only the Porsche 911 Carrera T and Mazda MX-5 allow you to pair a convertible body and a manual transmission

Think an influx of new cars into Australia from unknown challenger brands is a new thing? Think again. In January 1964, Wheels reported on the impending cavalcade of new cars from the then still nascent Japanese car industry. Those brands, household names today, were then still relatively unknown, even if we don’t recognise some of them today. Toyopet became Toyota, Datsun morphed into Nissan and Hiroshima’s Toyo Kogyo would go on to become better known as Mazda.

1

Our January 1964 headline suggesting Japan was ready to challenge Holden, Australia’s undisputed number one, might have seemed fanciful at the time. But it took just 27 years for the now Japanese giant to claim top spot on the new car sales charts. Holden meanwhile, shut up shop completely in 2021.

Now Toyota it’s Toyota’s turn to feel the heat, its undisputed number one spot, a position its held since 2003, under threat from an upstart challenger brand – China’s BYD.

First published in the September 2004 issue of Wheels magazine, Australia’s best car mag since 1953. Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.

The Japanese domestic car market is being flooded with new models, featuring higher quality and lower prices, as manufacturers start to show the benefit of mass-production techniques.

The newest and most on and most interesting are the six-cylinder Nissan Special Cedric and the Toyopet New Crown with 2.5 litre aluminium V8 engine. A new, boxier Datsun Bluebird (below) – designed and built in great secrecy – was unveiled late in September, and the Toyopet Crown, sold for export as the Toyota Tiara, has had a facelift.

1

At the Tokyo Show, Prince announced the Gloria with 105bhp six-cylinder engine, and Shin Mitsubishi, the Colt Debonair with 2-litre six cylinder motor. In November the Isuzu Motor Co Ltd – third of the Japanese ‘Big Three’ – released a new compact family car called the Isuzu Bellet, available either with petrol or diesel engines.

Firms here are striving to cut prices, improve quality, and install the latest mass-production techniques in an effort to withstand the severe expected foreign car competition under import liberalisation, now unofficially set for the end of March, 1965.

2

Japanese makers are banded together in the vociferously-protesting Japan Automotive Industrial Association, whose chairman, Katsuji Kawamata – who is also president of the Nissan Motor Company Ltd – bemoans liberalisation as “too premature for a young industry still requiring the umbrella of home Government protection for its very salvation.”

Manufacturers, nonetheless, though in full sympathy with banker-turned-industrialist Kawamata, are taking all possible steps to meet the impact of foreign vehicles. They obviously consider new cars to be one answer.

2

Toyota Motors has completed development work on its first six-cylinder passenger car, and it is about to be released. Its 3000cc engine will develop 120bhp, and the car will be called the New Crown, although in body styling it resembles the four-cylinder Crown Deluxe (above) just released in Australia. Toyota has developed this model both to meet competition from imports and to counter the Nissan Special Cedric, a six-seater with 2800cc engine and which is already on sale.

While some industry men doubt that there is a real market here for large cars, in view of the road conditions and because petrol and oil – mostly imported – run very high and will go higher because of taxes that are to be levied to build up Japan’s sorrowfully inadequate highway system, others think that this building of super highways will usher in an epoch of higher speeds and full-sized vehicles.

1

Toyota is offering a vacuum clutch or fully automatic transmission for its new models. Prince has already unveiled its new models of the Prince Skyline and the Prince Gloria Special (above), each priced more than £55 Australian below last year’s prices. The Prince Skyline is 136 ft long, 4 ft 8 in wide, and 4 ft 6 in high. Its maximum speed is about 88mph.

The Nissan Motor Company has brought out its new Datsun Bluebird (below), also with a lower price tag. This car is expected to kick off announcements of other new cars, other prices slashes, and other style changes very shortly, because Nissan – Japan’s largest producer of passenger cars – is the yardstick of the fast-stepping industry.

1

The new Bluebird has been completely restyled along boxier lines, and is 5½ in longer, 2 in lower and lighter by 10.5 lb. Its 1200cc engine remains unaltered but its brakes have been totally redesigned and fuel tank capacity has been increased. The price has been cut by about £13 Australian for the standard version and almost £20 Australian for the De Luxe. The new model was designed and built under maximum secrecy. The old Bluebird was Japan’s best-selling passenger car, and is currently near the 200,000 mark.

Toyo Kogyo, of Hiroshima, a virtual newcomer to the automotive field and the happy recipient of a 555,555 dollars (US) loan from the Wells-Fargo Bank of California recently, is about to introduce its revolutionary rotary engine. And Honda Motors, the world’s leading manufacturers of prize-winning 50, 125 and 250cc motor cycles, a firm that last year entered the automotive field with two brand-new sports cars, the 360cc and 500cc, will unveil another – details of which are not yet available.

1

Toyota Motors, meanwhile, will make only minor modifications to its Corona (above) – sold in export as the Tiara – which is the firm’s rival to the Datsun Bluebird, but the price will be lower and more competitive than before and it will be available with vacuum clutch.

Also, the Isuzu Motor Co Ltd launched in November a new family car called the Isuzu Bellet (below). It is available in four models; the standard 1500cc and deluxe 1500cc versions, plus an 1800cc diesel and 1800 diesel deluxe. The most important feature of the car is that it can be equipped with either a 1500cc petrol engine or a diesel engine of 1800cc. Maximum speed for the 1500cc sedan is over 80mph, and the engine output is 63bhp at 5000 rpm. Transmission is four-speed all-synchromesh.

2

Isuzu, in addition, has announced at the same time a new small truck, the Wasp (below), which has a loading capacity of one ton. This truck is available in two models, the KR-10 (petrol) and the KRD-10 (diesel). The former is equipped with a 1300cc, 58bhp gasoline engine, while the latter uses the 1800cc 50bhp diesel.

1

The world has been waiting for a battery-electric Toyota HiLux and now it’s here. But no.

The sparky full-factory all-wheel drive HiLux is much more of a show pony than a genuine workhorse, or even a weekend trail rider, for now. Things will change and the HiLux will be supercharged in many ways over time but, for now, it’s a good idea but underwhelming in reality.

It’s a nice relaxing drive, the EV workings are well integrated and well protected, and it comes with all the goodness of a Toyota ownership experience.

1

Then there are the buts. And there are a few.

Range? That would be a maximum of 315 kilometres for the double-cab pick-up, but a miserly 245 for the cab-chassis work-mobile. And those figures are by the more generous (read, more lenient) NEDC testing regime, and not the more rigorous and closer to reality WLTP protocols. In our experience, expect a realistic driving range a good deal lower than Toyota’s quoted figure.

Payload? Up to 725 kilograms on the basic model, or 855kg for the SR cab-chassis. Both are significantly down on their diesel counterparts – 965kg for SR double-cab and SR cab-chassis’ 1065kg.

And towing? Two tonnes, but with no official claim on range once you have something heavy hanging off the tail. Regular HiLux is renowned for its 3500kg braked towing capacity.

2

So, the price? At least $74,990 and as much as $82,990 for the double-cab SR5.

So why is Toyota doing it? Because it needs to spread the electrification through its whole family, beyond the all-hybrid plan for Australia, and HiLux land is ripe for targeted and very specific customers.

Based on the early uptake, people are waiting for the early reports from the frontline. Toyota has taken less than 400 pre-orders for the HiLux BEV and less than a dozen of those are from private customers. So it’s business buyers and government bodies, especially at the local level where green washing can translate into votes.

Toyota, of course, is talking big but being careful not to over-promise on the BEV-mobile.

1

“Toyota still believes that a turbo-diesel powertrain still currently offers the best powertrain option for heavy trade and recreational four-wheel drive customers,” said Toyota head honcho John Pappas at the electric ute’s launch.

“But, for companies and fleets that have easily accessible back-to-base charging facilities and want to reduce their carbon emissions, but still require the flexibility and functionality of a four-wheel drive pick-up, our double-cab 4×4 HiLux is a strong contender.”

Core to its development was to maintain as much of the turbo-diesel HiLux’s payload and off-road capability and durability, and that meant optimising the size of the battery from a packaging and weight perspective

The HiLux BEV is only available in two body styles – double-cab chassis and double-cab pick-up – and there are only three colours, including two working-class whites.

2

So, what about the electric development? The HiLux has dual permanent magnet synchronous motors in transaxles at each end – described as eAxles – with a water-cooled 59.2 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery with 80 individual cells.

The battery fits neatly between the chassis rails, one of the key design objectives, and is tucked up and away from potential damage with additional crossmembers and reinforced rails. There is also reinforcement for the eAxles, with a breather hose to improve water resistance. The claimed charging time is 30 minutes for 80 per cent on a 150kW DC charger or 6.5 hours on AC charging.

Maximum output for the front eAxle is 82.2kW and 205.5Nm, while the rear motor adds 129.3kW and 268kW for a maximum of 144kW. Toyota hasn’t provided combined torque figures.

There are few external clues to the battery-electric switch, beyond a solid front grille, aero-tuned 17-inch alloy wheels and the charger port on the front-passenger side.

1

Inside, the traditional HiLux shifter is replaced by a shift-by-wire lever and there is a BEV digital instrument cluster. Inside the centre console is a three-pin AC power outlet for small appliances.

On the driving side, the HiLux BEV is nicely smooth, obviously quieter at all times without a turbo-diesel in the nose, and a little more poised over broken surfaces. Adding a De Dion rear axle helps with grip at the rear, even if it costs a minute 6 millimetres of ground clearance. It has solid punch off the mark, but will not set any electric-car records.

Toyota provided a mild-grade off-road course as part of the preview drive and the BEV-mobile was not even remotely troubled by the conditions. Once it crashed through the rear suspension going into a water crossing, but otherwise it had good grip and the electric torque delivery made it smooth and easy for climbing. The downhill assist control was never challenged but is an important safety net.

2

The all-wheel drive system in the HiLux can vary the torque split up to 100 per cent at either end, using a variety of sensors and pre-programmed settings for Auto, Dirt, Sand, Mud, Mogul and Snow modes.

Toyota Australia intends to keep a close watch on early deliveries – to companies including BHP and Essential Energy – even though the HiLux BEV has been tested in Australia for more than two years.

The ownership package for the pick-up is typical for Toyota, with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, with a five-year coverage on the bigger ’traction’ battery that can be extended to 10 years with an annual check. There is also a battery-capacity warranty for eight years and 160,000 kilometres if the storage drops below 70 per cent of the original capacity. Buyers also get a full-sized alloy spare.

1

There is a lot to happen in the EV pick-up space, and a lot will happen in HiLux land.

Some people will score the first HiLux BEV at a 10, just because it exists, but for many HiLux fans it will be a zero based on their wants and needs.

Chery has plans to introduce its iCaur brand to Australia, in addition to its existing Chery, Jaecoo, Lepas, and Omoda portfolio.

iCar’s newest model, revealed in regulatory filings in China, could end up being the brand’s volume player if it makes its way Down Under, targeting top-sellers like the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 in Australia’s medium SUV segment.

iCaur, so called in markets outside of China because its domestic iCar name clashes with trademarks held by Apple, started as an electric vehicle brand in 2023 and launched its first small SUV as an EV in 2024.

1

The brand made the switch to a ‘new energy’ line-up this year with the introduction of the V27 large SUV, and has done the same again with the V25 medium SUV.

The extended-range (EREV) iCaur V25 features a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, but rather than driving the wheels, the combustion engine is only used as a generator to top up the onboard battery.

The iCaur V25 has a 33.7-kilowatt-hour battery, enabling a claimed electric-only driving range of between 145km and 150km depending on the variant. Official fuel consumption is rated at between 1.52 and 1.54L/100km.

The EREV drivetrain operates in a similar way to EREV plug-in hybrids like the Leapmotor C10 and recently introduced Forthing Taikon 5. Details on the output and configuration for the electric motor side of the powertrain have yet to be revealed.

CarNewsChina lists the external dimensions at 4636mm long, 1920mm wide, 1855mm tall, with a 2820mm wheelbase. Compared to the 2026 Toyota RAV4, the V25 is 36mm longer, 65mm wider, a significant 170mm taller, with a 130mm longer wheelbase.

1

Styling follows a familiar look across the iCaur brand, with cues taken from heavy-duty off-roaders like the Jeep Wrangler, Land Rover Defender, and Chinese rivals like the GWM Tank 300. Despite the rugged styling, the V25 will use a car-like monocoque chassis and not a dedicated body-on-frame platform.

The iCaur V25 features circular headlights, a side-hinged tailgate, a rear-mounted carrier box, wheels ranging from 19- to 21-inches, and solid panels instead of glazing where the rear side windows would normally be.

Chery’s plans for the iCaur brand in Australia include a proposed launch within the first half of 2027, but the planned line-up for Australia is not yet known.

Australia’s consumer protection framework for new vehicles is no longer delivering fair or timely outcomes for motorists or dealers, according to a new independent review commissioned by the Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA).

Prepared by Emeritus Professor Jenny Buchan, the report concludes that shortcomings in the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) are contributing to lengthy delays in resolving vehicle fault claims, while placing increasing pressure on dealers and state-based tribunals.

Among its findings, the review says consumers can wait between six and eight weeks for manufacturers to process defect claims. If disputes escalate, hearings before state and territory tribunals can take between 12 and 18 months to reach a resolution.

1

The report also raises concerns about inconsistent participation by some vehicle manufacturers in Australia’s consumer law processes, alleging that reimbursement claims are sometimes rejected and dispute resolution efforts are not always adequately supported.

The findings build on concerns raised by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in a 2017 market study, which recommended manufacturers improve their handling of consumer guarantee claims and review their commercial arrangements with franchised dealers. According to the new review, many of those issues have since worsened.

The report comes as Australia’s automotive market continues to expand rapidly, with industry forecasts suggesting the number of brands operating locally could rise to 75 within the next five years—an increase of 92 per cent over the past decade.

AADA chief executive James Voortman said the review highlighted the need for legislative reform.

“The evidence presented in this report indicates that some international manufacturers are either failing to engage with, or are not adequately responding to, Australia’s consumer law processes,” he said.

1

He said unclear legislative definitions and inconsistent procedures were increasing costs, placing additional strain on tribunals and leaving consumers without access to their vehicles for extended periods.

In response, the AADA is calling on the Federal Government to require manufacturers to participate earlier and more consistently in vehicle-related consumer disputes, review key definitions within the Australian Consumer Law and undertake a broader examination of how the legislation operates in the new vehicle market.

Mr Voortman said buying a vehicle is typically the second-largest purchase Australians make after a home, making an efficient and transparent dispute resolution process essential when faults arise.

The former CEO of Toyota wants Japan’s seven automakers to work more closely in an effort to reduce costs, streamline efficiency, and stay viable in the face of low-cost Chinese competition.

Koji Sato (bottom), who stepped down as CEO of Toyota at the end of March and is the chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), has a background in development and engineering for Toyota, and understands the value of production efficiency.

His proposal includes a list of ‘Japan standard’ parts, components that aren’t customer-facing but contribute thousands of dollars per car in design, development and production.

1

While brands would retain control over final product development and design, components like wiring harnesses, infotainment hardware, climate control systems, suspension components, battery modules, and other assemblies could be shared between Japanese brands.

“Right now, the most important theme facing the Japanese auto industry is improving ‘international competitiveness,’” Sato said in an interview with Automotive News.

“We aim to strategically create ‘areas of cooperation’ to improve efficiency, thereby accelerating coexistence in the essential ‘areas of competition.’”

Sato’s calls echo an earlier plea he made to Toyota’s supplier base to urgently improve productivity, as part of his final address as Toyota CEO at the company’s annual meeting in March this year.

Other areas the JAMA has targeted as in need of improvement include improving talent recruitment, overhauling logistics, streamlining Japan’s complex automobile taxes, addressing infrastructure for autonomous driving, improving access to raw materials, and commercialising a circular recycling economy.

1

The intense competition from Chinese brands has proved disruptive around the world. Europe’s industry is reeling from China’s ability to produce competitive, low-priced cars, despite tariff protections. Other markets globally have witnessed established automakers lose market share as Chinese brands adapt products to suit their target markets.

Any collaboration would need cooperation from Japan’s seven major brands: Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, and Toyota, but with all seven experiencing setbacks in profitability, Sato’s proposed solution appears to have found a willing audience.

JAMA has not announced any formal deadlines, but says the first batch of materials or components born from the standardisation project is due within the next year or two.

1

The move differs from the Chinese industry example, which relied heavily on vertical integration and internally developed systems that can be quickly deployed throughout an automaker’s line-up. JAMA’s proposed solution could be slowed by getting all automakers to agree on standards, or in situations where a brand’s product cycle may not align with the adoption of new systems or materials.

Industry analysts suggest that Toyota’s might compared to its rivals could see it hold the balance of power, with Toyota’s standards forming the basis of JAMA’s eventual standardised parts.